Congratulations! You've finished writing your first draft—an achievement that puts you ahead of countless aspiring writers who never make it past the dreaming stage. But now you're staring at your manuscript, wondering, "What next?" Maybe you've tried jumping straight into revisions only to find yourself overwhelmed, confused, or just plain stuck. Or maybe ... Show More
Sep 29
#265. What Is Cozy Fiction? 10 Characteristics Cozy Writers Need to Know
Learn what makes cozy fiction work—and how to balance warmth, tension, character growth, and community to create the hopeful reading experience cozy readers expect.You know the feeling a cozy book gives you—warm, safe, like a world you don't want to leave. But when you sit down t ... Show More
26m 41s
Sep 22
#264. First Draft Mistakes: Jessica Brody & Savannah Gilbo Compare Notes
What are the most common first-draft mistakes writers make—and which ones actually need your attention while you’re drafting?In this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Brody, author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel and Page One to Done, to compare the mistakes we see writers make when ... Show More
29m 58s
Sep 15
#263. How Emily Henry Hooks Readers in Chapter One of Book Lovers
Your first chapter needs to hook the reader—but that doesn’t mean you need a huge plot twist, dramatic action, or a flashy meet-cute on page one.The first chapter of Emily Henry’s Book Lovers is mostly two sisters walking through New York and talking. There’s plenty of banter, in ... Show More
22m 55s
Jan 2019
The different levels of editing
In this episode of The Editing Podcast, Denise and Louise discuss the different levels of editing, why editing is worth doing, the order of play, and how perfection is impossible in one pass. Listen to find out more about:Mimicking the mainstream publishing industryBuilding a fan ... Show More
12m 50s
Jan 2023
Upper-intermediate | Editing a Document
<p>If you thought writer's block was the biggest challenge to meeting that deadline, think again. You've got to get past the dreaded editor. In this podcast, learn how to 'constructively criticize' (or rip someone's masterpiece apart, some may prefer to deem it as they run back c ... Show More
16m 41s
Aug 2025
260 | From Barf Draft to Next Draft: 5 Steps to Take Now
Join TSL Workshops: https://tslworkshops.circle.soIn this episode, Meg and Lorien dive into a messy, magical stage of screenwriting: the barf draft — your first unfiltered pass at a script.They share how to tackle chaos on the page, whether your draft is too long, too short, tona ... Show More
1h 4m
Oct 2023
18.44: NaNoWriMo Week 1- Getting Started
Welcome to National Novel Writing Month! For November, writers all over the world are trying to complete a novel, or write 50,000 words. In honor of NaNoWriMo, all of our November episodes are going to focus on writing a novel or big project. For our first week—starting! How do y ... Show More
19m 19s