Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice

#260. Student Spotlight: From Stuck at 25k Words to a Finished Draft With Lindsay Sfara

After stalling out on a draft she'd already outlined chapter by chapter, Lindsay Sfara discovered the story development work that has to come before an outline—and turned that stuck manuscript into a published debut novel.Today I'm chatting with Lindsay Sfara, superhero fantasy author of Aero Knights: Origins and a Notes to Novel graduate, about how developing her story before outlining it finally helped her finish the book she'd been trying to write for years.In this episode, you'll hear us talk about things like:[07:15] Why her outline looked complete but left her with no idea what to write next (and the plotting advice that made it worse)[09:45] The relief of finally knowing what her book was really about underneath the plot—and how it shaped the character development for all three of her leads[15:07] How she turned a list of disconnected events into an outline where each scene set up the next[17:41] The simple question Lindsay kept asking about her antagonist that helped her come up with ideas for conflict in the messy middle[23:04] What happened when she sent her draft to beta readers before hiring a developmental editor (and what she'd do differently next time)If you're currently stuck in an outline or a first draft, Lindsay's story proves the problem probably isn't your talent, your motivation, or your idea. Press play to hear what her outline was missing—and how to build the same foundation under yours.🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:Aero Knights: Origins by Lindsay SfaraLindsay Sfara's websiteFollow Lindsay on InstagramJoin Lindsay's writing streams on TwitchJoin the Notes to Novel waitlist⭐ Follow & ReviewIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!Struggling to make forward progress in your novel? This free guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. Click here to grab yours for free! FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show

#259. How to Finish a Novel With Kids at Home & Limited Writing Time

Struggling to make forward progress in your novel? This free guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. Click here to grab yours for free! FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show

#258. 5 Myths Keeping You From Finishing Your First Draft

If you keep working on your novel but never seem to get closer to “The End,” these five novel writing myths may explain why—and show you what to do differently.If you've been working on the same novel for months (or years), you've probably wondered why you still can't seem to finish it. Maybe you've blamed your schedule, your motivation, or your talent. Or maybe you've started to wonder if you're just not cut out for this. But what if the real reason you're stuck is none of those things?In this episode, I'm walking through the five most common novel writing myths I see holding writers back, and what's actually true instead. You'll see why getting stuck usually isn't a time, talent, or idea problem, it's a process problem, and why that's genuinely good news.You'll hear me talk about things like:[02:00] Why more time, motivation, and discipline almost never fix the real problem, and the one thing that actually makes the time you have useful.[04:39] The difference between learning that moves your story forward and learning that's quietly become a way of avoiding the page. [07:57] Why beautiful writing and good storytelling aren't the same thing, and which one actually gets a first draft finished. [11:14] The trap of trying to get every part of your story right on the first pass, and how to build a novel in layers instead. [15:13] What getting stuck is actually telling you, and why it's information you can use, not a verdict on you or your idea.Whether you've been blaming your schedule, buying another craft book, or quietly wondering if you're cut out for this, this episode will help you see your stuck points differently, as something you can actually solve, one decision at a time.🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist.Ep. 203 - Why Writing Advice Is Keeping You Stuck (& What to Do Instead)Ep. 207 - What Agents & Readers Want: How to Write a Story That Works⭐ Follow & ReviewIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!Struggling to make forward progress in your novel? This free guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. Click here to grab yours for free! FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show

#257. Stuck in Chapter One or the Messy Middle? What Your Stuck Point Reveals

Stuck writing your novel? Wherever your draft stalls out—chapter one, 20,000 words, the messy middle—that spot isn't random. It's a clue that tells you exactly what your story is missing.Almost every writer who gets stuck while drafting a novel assumes the same thing: that hitting a wall means something about them. That they're not disciplined enough, they're not a "real" writer, or they simply don't have what it takes to finish a book.But getting stuck isn't a verdict on you as a writer. In fact, it's valuable information you can use to your advantage. Because the exact place where you lose momentum may just reveal the missing piece in your story's foundation. And the good news is that those gaps are fixable.In this episode, I'm breaking down the three most common places writers get stuck while drafting a novel, what each one reveals about your story, and how to fix the underlying issue so you can move forward without anything holding you back. You'll hear me talk about things like:[00:54] Why getting stuck doesn't mean you're a bad writer (and how your stall gives you valuable information about your story).[02:27] Why writers get stuck in chapter one and how to tell when you have a situation instead of a fully developed story.[05:16] The real reason many writers hit a wall around 20,000 words (and the missing piece that keeps Act 1 from moving into Act 2).[08:32] Why the messy middle feels impossible to write when your antagonist isn't creating enough pressure and conflict.[13:42] How Stefanie, Cheryl, and Gina found the missing pieces in their stories, broke through their sticking points, and went on to finish and publish their novels.Getting stuck isn't proof that you're not meant to write your book. It's a sign that your story is asking you to strengthen something underneath the surface. And when you know what's missing, you can go back, build the foundation, and move forward with a story that can actually support a full-length novel.🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist Ep. 206 - Student Spotlight: How Gina Elizabeth Went From Stuck to Publishing Two Books in Just One YearEp. 189 - Student Spotlight: From First Draft to Published Novel at 72 With Cheryl ArkoEp. 71 - Student Spotlight: How She Wrote a Novel in 6 Months (and Landed an Agent 10 Months Later) with Stefanie Medrek⭐ Follow & ReviewIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!Struggling to make forward progress in your novel? This free guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. Click here to grab yours for free! FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show

#256. Why “Just Start Writing” Can Be Terrible Advice for New Writers

Everyone tells you to just start writing. Nobody tells you when. And if you keep starting your novel and stalling out a few chapters in, that missing piece might be exactly why.“Just start writing” is one of the most common pieces of writing advice out there, and for some writers, it's exactly what they need to hear. But if you're a brand-new writer who's still figuring out your story, following this advice too soon can leave you stuck, overwhelmed, and wondering why your first draft keeps falling apart.In this episode, I'm breaking down why "just start writing" isn't bad advice—it's just incomplete. You'll learn when this advice helps, when it hurts, and how to tell if your story foundation is strong enough to draft with confidence rather than guesswork.You'll hear me talk about things like:[01:20] Why "just start writing" works for some writers but quietly sabotages others before they ever finish a first draft.[02:19] The two very different ways new writers get stuck and how to tell which one sounds most like you.[05:01] The difference between productive story development and fear disguised as endless preparation.[06:20] The foundational story elements you need before drafting, so every writing session feels purposeful rather than overwhelming.[09:42] How to know when you've planned enough and it's finally time to stop preparing and start writing.Whether you've been rewriting the same opening chapter, abandoning more drafts than you can count, or "getting ready" to write for months, this episode will help you understand how to build enough story clarity to draft with direction instead of confusion. Because the goal isn't to choose between planning forever and drafting blindly—it's knowing when you've built the foundation your story needs so you can finally finish your novel. 🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:Get on the Notes to Novel WaitlistEp. 203 - Why Writing Advice Is Keeping You Stuck (And What to Do Instead)Ep. 225 - Madi: From Zero Drafts to Dream Agent While Raising 4 Kids Ep. 228 - How Poornika Finished Her First Draft in 88 Days Ep. 239 - How J.J. Henley Finished Her First Draft in 8 Months⭐ Follow & ReviewIf you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!Struggling to make forward progress in your novel? This free guide will help you identify what's really slowing you down and find a clearer path forward. Click here to grab yours for free! FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!Support the show