If you’re serious about becoming a published author, determining your novel’s genre is one of the most important things you’ll... more

“When should I start marketing my book?” This is a question I get asked all the time! Along with other... more

Selling 5,000+ copies of a debut novel in 18 months (without a massive social media following) might seem out of... more

It’s no secret that one of the biggest roadblocks to getting traditionally published is the dreaded literary agent rejection. But... more

Ever wonder what happens when you ditch your agent and decide to self-publish instead? This episode is a must-listen if... more

You finished your book and now you’re looking for a cover designer, but where do you start? Where can you... more

One of the questions I get asked by a lot of aspiring authors is, “What books should I read to... more

Have you ever Googled things like “how many words should be in a novel?” Or “how many scenes should a... more

How do you know if you’re actually getting better at writing? In this episode, my guest, Tim Grahl, the CEO... more

Want a peek behind the scenes into my work week? 👀In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes and... more

Would you believe me if I said social media could make you a better writer? If you’re shaking your head... more

Earlier this year, I published my first book, The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s... more

Do you ever wish you could see a behind-the-scenes look at how other people write? In this episode, you’ll get... more

As someone who’s worked with hundreds of authors, I see people making the same mistakes over and over and over... more

“I think your story has a genre identity crisis. That’s probably why you’re not getting responses from agents.” ← That’s... more

“How many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Believe it or not,... more

How did Rowling deliver on the life-and-death stakes an action story requires, but in a way appropriate for middle-grade readers?... more

Rowling is a master at weaving the external plot with Harry’s internal character arc—and using the external plot events to... more

J.K. Rowling is the master of layering things within her scenes. She’s also fantastic at raising the stakes from scene... more

Ever wonder how Rowling created such a fantastic, three-dimensional story world for her Harry Potter series?That’s exactly what you’ll hear... more

Plot catalysts make it difficult for a character to achieve their goals. If you’re writing an Action story, there are... more

Ever wonder how Rowling created such a wonderful cast of quirky and relatable characters in the Harry Potter series? If... more

What made Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a worldwide bestseller? Why does this story still resonate with readers almost... more

Ever wish you could understand exactly what makes your favorite stories so lovable? Me too! So much so that I... more

Antagonists can make or break a story—both for the writer and the reader. Writers who don’t spend time developing their... more

“Never wonder if readers will love your story again.” This is exactly what Theodora Taylor teaches you how to do... more

Want a peek behind the scenes into my work week? 👀In this episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes and... more

If you’ve ever felt frustrated with your progress (or lack of progress), it’s probably time to take a step back... more

Crafting compelling backstories for your fictional characters is critical to developing a cohesive story, but it’s sometimes easier said than... more

Have you ever heard someone say that the only difference between a published author and an unpublished author is that... more

“Human beings want to hear the stories of other human beings. And that's exactly what podcasts do.” - Michelle GlogovacYou... more

“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your... more

“The object itself didn't cause the conflict. The person who made the choice with the object caused the conflict.” -... more

“We need to advance the plot and we need to develop the character. When you can marry the two, you... more

Telling a story through multiple viewpoints can be a great way to create a more expansive (and objective) look at... more

“Writing is a creative project. It's not an earthquake, but the thoughts and the worries can feel similar. If I... more

“Focus your pre-writing and drafting and revising efforts on the present moment of your story.” - Daniel David WallaceI asked... more

“Usually stakes start personal and they become public. That's a way of raising stakes, regardless of the genre.” - Savannah... more

“You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator necessarily knows.” - Gabriela... more

“It's really important to focus on the big picture story first and not worry about granular details that you can... more

“Sometimes it's easy to take feedback to mean that your story's broken when it's not.” - Savannah GilboI’m taking you... more

“In stories that feel society dominant, is survival even worth it if you don't have freedom?” - Abigail K. PerryWe’re... more

“The key to making books within a series work is to grow, escalate, and complicate the conflict and stakes from... more

“ Flat or boring characters who are underdeveloped are never going to light up a scene, no matter how many... more

“Work on being a better writer and work on your craft and the other stuff will follow. As long as... more

“When a story doesn't include these key scenes and conventions of its genre, it's just not going to work.” -... more

“It might seem strange to start a story with an ending, but all endings are also beginnings. We just don't... more

“Every time you write something hard, it changes you as a writer, and it makes you a better writer.” -... more

“ The purpose of a first draft is not to come up with something that's perfect. Instead, the purpose is... more

“That's how much my writing's improved. But not just the writing, it's the ease. It's not a struggle when I... more

“Try learning new skills and then putting what you learn into practice right away, because, at the end of the... more

“My point is that you have to do the work to make the mistakes and learn.” - Savannah GilboThe past... more

“The more work you do up front and the more you get your mindset right, the more likely your chances... more

“I think that's really important at the end of every time that you write a scene. Ask yourself, how can... more

“It's the inciting incident, the turning point, the crisis moment, the climax, and the resolution, and each scene really needs... more

“Every story has one main question that it raises in the beginning and answers by the end.” - Savannah GilboIn... more

“As I kid I was like, I would love to get paid to read.” - Julie TaylorIn today’s episode, I’m... more

“In every story, you want to have that internal change because, without internal change, there is no character change.” -... more

“I tried to ignore it, but when inspiration strikes, sometimes the inspiration keeps striking, and it just didn't want to... more

“Dialogue is a form of action. We can utilize what's happening around the dialogue to assist what's being said.” -... more

“I feel that emotional connection, the emotional struggles here are going to be a big gameplay in how the story... more

You need to get readers asking questions to hook them into your story, but you don’t want them asking the... more

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Edward J. Cembal to talk through what it was like to write, edit,... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my thoughts on writing courses—including 5 things that make a fiction writing course worth your... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 of the most common “scene level” issues to look for when editing your draft.... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing one of my favorite mindset tips—and it all has to do with your ability (and... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 3 steps to help you get started with list building. Here’s a preview of what’s... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing 5 steps to building an author platform. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [00:59] Your... more

In today’s episode, Abigail K. Perry and I take a deep dive into the first chapter of Lessons in Chemistry... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my top 10 tips for writing stronger, more impactful dialogue in your novel. Here’s a... more

In today’s episode, I’m covering the conventions of the morality genre using the movie A Man Called Otto as an... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing the 3 most common interiority mistakes I see writers make, as well as how to... more

In today’s episode, Abigail K. Perry and I take a deep dive into the first chapter of Remarkably Bright Creatures... more

In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes with me throughout my entire week, and I’m going to share... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing a round-up of mindset tips from some of my peers! Here’s a preview of what’s... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing how to add subplots to your novel. Here’s a preview of what’s included: [1:50] Subplots... more

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness.... more

In this episode, I’m sharing my top 5 worldbuilding tips for science fiction and fantasy writers, with examples from popular... more

In today’s episode, I’m sharing my top five tips to help you get started with your science fiction or fantasy... more

In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about writing interiority—aka how to reveal your character’s inner life on the page.... more

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of Legendborn by Tracey Deonn. Join me and... more

In today’s episode, we’re going to look at the five functions of dialogue in your story. Here’s a preview of... more

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Jamie Varon to talk through her incredibly inspiring story of how she went... more

In today’s episode, I’m going to walk you through how to choose the best point of view and tense for... more

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Pauline Yates to talk through how she used short stories to hone her... more

In today’s episode, I’m talking about how perfectionism is really just another form of procrastination. I also share some words... more

In today’s episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the first chapter of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by... more

In today’s episode, I’m taking you behind-the-scenes with me throughout my entire week, and I’m going to share what I’m... more

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Jennifer Lauer to talk through how she overcame her fear of the blank... more

In today’s episode, I’m covering the key scenes that every status story needs. I’ve also included examples of how they... more