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

In today’s episode, we’re going to cover something really fun—how to create believable monsters. And I have a special guest joining me today—someone that knows way more about creating monsters than I do. His name is Randy Ellefson, and he is the author of The Art of World Building.  Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[03:48] Randy gives us his definition of a monster, what physical or physiological deformities they may have, and whether they are sentient beings.

[16:05] Randy breaks down the three types of monsters: accidental monsters, monsters by design, and monsters by evolution. 

[28:42] Is it more effective to compel readers to keep reading despite knowing the outcome, or to cultivate curiosity that propels the audience to move forward? 

[29:15] Randy shares common monster motivations, including a popular one that may lack credibility.

[50:47] The idea of exploring diverse topics and genres can expose writers to new ideas and provide fresh perspectives, even for writers not typically inclined towards fantasy, sci-fi, or historical fiction. 

Links mentioned in this episode:Click here to register for the free Sci-Fi & Fantasy Author's Summit hosted by Paula Judith Johnson and Randy Ellefson! Randy's WebsiteRandy's BooksRandy's Worldbuilding ClassesEp. 111 - Student Spotlight: From Messy First Draft to Publishing His Debut Novel With Edward J. CembalRead this episode's blog post here!

#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson

How do I write a book? How do I create compelling characters that readers will love? How do I build a believable world for my story? What does it even mean to write a story that works? Do you have any writing tips? These are just some of the big questions that developmental editor and book coach, Savannah Gilbo, digs into on the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast. Each week, Savannah shares actionable tools, tips, and strategies that will help you write, edit, and publish your book. So, whether you're brand new to writing, or a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you!

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Crafting compelling backstories for your fictional characters is critical to developing a cohesive story, but it’s sometimes easier said than done. There are endless options when it comes to which details you can include in your character’s backstory, and what you do include will influence everything that happens in your story—from the plot events to your character’s motivations to your own ability to manage the thematic subtext of your story on a scene-by-scene-basis. In this episode, I’m going to walk you through how to develop your character’s backstory in three steps, including things like:[04:12] How to uncover your character’s wounding event that gives rise to a specific fear (or inner obstacle) that haunts them in the present-day[06:57] A framework to help you crystalize your character’s inner obstacle—and why doing this work helps you establish where their character arc starts[09:31] How your character’s backstory can help inform your plot (and help you create meaningful conflict to help them grow and change)[12:55] An exploration of Simon Basset’s backstory and character arc (from the first Bridgerton book, The Duke & I)[17:42] Episode recap and final thoughtsDeveloping your character’s backstory before you start writing can help you develop your theme, craft your plot, build your story world, and so much more. That being said, there’s no “right” or “wrong” time to flesh out your character’s backstory. Do whatever works best for you and your process! Click here to listen! ⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!  Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now! 

#145. How To Develop Your Character's Backstory

Have you ever heard someone say that the only difference between a published author and an unpublished author is that the published author never gave up? I wholeheartedly believe this, and my guest today proves it’s true. Savannah Carlisle writes heartwarming romance novels that transport readers to fun and quirky small towns where friends feel like family. And her debut novel, The Library of Second Chances, is officially available for purchase as of May 2024.  Tune into this episode to hear us talk about her path to publication—from writing the first draft of this story to breaking up with her agent to working with a developmental editor and #kisspitch mentor to ultimately finding a home at her dream publisher. In the episode, we talk about things like: [09:47] How Savannah pulled inspiration from her real-life, You’ve Got Mail, and her dream publisher’s wishlist to write The Library of Second Chances  [11:37] Why Savannah broke up with her agent (and how, in hindsight, this was one of the best decisions Savannah’s made in terms of her writing)  [14:10] The biggest takeaway Savannah had from working with a developmental editor (me!)—and how this still informs her writing today  [16:10] What it was like to work with Jessica Lepe, a #kisspitch mentor and author, who just finished querying a similar story based on You’ve Got Mail  [22:35] How Savannah found her dream publisher as an un-agented author at Harpeth Road (and why she went this route versus self-publishing)  [25:50] What it was like to find her current agent—and why she believes having an agent is important (even though she’s a lawyer herself) ⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!  Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now! 

#144. Student Spotlight: How She Landed A Book Deal With Her Dream Publisher (With Savannah Carlisle)

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

You have a finished book, now what? Learn how to pitch yourself to podcasts (and create your own podcast book tour!) in this episode.  Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[04:47] What is a podcast book tour? And what are the benefits of doing one?

[12:20] How to pitch yourself, even if you don’t have a finished book.

[31:32] How to repurpose content from your interviews so you get the biggest ROI from your effort.

[36:58] Michelle encourages authors of all experience levels to share their own unique story—and to find value in sharing that story, even if you don't have a finished book just yet. 

Links mentioned in this episode:Michelle's WebsiteBook: How to Get on PodcastsFollow Michelle on InstagramEpisode #85: Student Spotlight: How She Overcame Her Fear of the Blank Page (and Indie Published Her Novel) with Jennifer LauerRead this episode's blog post here!
 

#143. How To Pitch Podcasts With Michelle Glogovac

“I recommend working on your query letter as soon as you feel good enough about the overall shape of your story.” - Savannah Gilbo

Agents and editors must sort through hundreds of query letters to find an outstanding story. So, how do you write a query letter that catches their attention and makes them want to read more? Tune into this episode to learn how to write a query letter that works! Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[01:31] What are query letters, and why are they important?

[03:46] How to write a query letter.

[14:49] How to troubleshoot your query letter if it’s too long or not working.

[18:02] Final thoughts and episode recap

Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!  Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now! Links Mentioned In This Episode:Episode #58: 10 Querying Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)QuerySharkQueryTrackerRead this episode's blog post here!

#141. How To Create Believable Monsters With Randy Ellefson

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