Counting Down The Best Tips From FWME In 2024

In today’s episode, we’re going to do something fun and a little different. Since we’re nearing the end of 2024, I thought it would be fun to continue with last week’s theme of lessons learned over the last twelve months. I hope some of the lessons you’ve learned this year came from this podcast, and I hope you walked away each week with a new strategy to implement or a new idea to explore. And I hope you’re closer to accomplishing your big, beautiful writing goals as well. 

So, as we inch our way closer to counting down until the ball drops, I wanted to count down some of the best clips from the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast in 2024. You’re going to hear clips from the top ten most listened-to episodes, so I know it’s going to be full of good stuff. And without further ado, let’s dive right in, starting with number ten. 

Tip #10. Making a purposeful choice about point of view is one of the best things you can do for your story.

The first tip on the list, tip #10, comes from episode 135, Mastering Point of View and Voice: Expert Tips From Gabriela Pereira Of DIY MFA. And in this episode, we talk about some point-of-view best practices as well as where writers tend to go wrong or feel confused when it comes to point of view. In this clip, Gabriela talks about what she calls the narrator’s sphere of knowledge. I won’t spoil it for you, so let’s dive right in:

So, the thing with point of view… The most important thing to understand to really wrap your head around what point of view is and how it works is you have to understand that it’s all about sphere of knowledge. 

The narrator—the entity that’s telling the story—has a certain sphere of knowledge. You, the writer, have a bigger sphere of knowledge. You know more things than the narrator knows because you need to know all those things so you can write an amazing story. And then the narrator’s sphere of knowledge isn’t necessarily the same as your characters. So, there are going to be some characters who have information and know things that are outside the range of what the narrator has access to—and the narrator’s access is what’s going to determine how you tell your story.

So, back to your question, how do you choose your point of view?

There are two things. First, it’s about artistic preference. Does a certain point of view speak to you? For example, some people can only write in first person. That’s their jam. That’s how they write. That’s how they experience their characters. And I’ll admit, this tends to be my direction as well. I tend to lean into first person a little bit more than third person, but that’s an artistic choice.

But then there’s also the logistical choice. For example, do you need to get inside the head of your villain? If so, maybe multiple point of view is the way to go because then you can be in one character’s head in chapter one and then another in chapter two and ping pong throughout the story like that.

So, it’s really a combination of artistic choice and logistics. But I really want to stress the importance of logistics because I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking… Oh, well, first person is my artistic choice… And then they paint themselves into a corner when they realize they need access to a character’s head or viewpoint that they just don’t have because of their artistic choice.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #135: Mastering Point of View and Voice: Expert Tips From Gabriela Pereira Of DIY MFA.

Tip #9. When writing a dual-timeline story, you need to develop each timeline as its own story.

The next tip comes from episode 139, 5 Multi POV Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them). And, you guess it, in the episode, I share what not to do when writing a story with multiple view point characters. But this tip is about dual timeline stories, which may or may not contain multiple points of view. Let’s take a listen: 

Now, let’s talk about dual-timeline stories for a second because stories with dual timelines are different from stories told from multiple points of view that intersect. 

Dual-timeline novels have two separate but parallel storylines set in different periods. Typically, there will be one timeline set in the present and one timeline set at a point in the past. They offer two (or sometimes more) different but connected plots.

Each plotline in a dual timeline story has its own main characters, specific settings, and time periods. So, they are two (or more) stories that are distinct but somehow connected. This connection is the defining characteristic of a dual timeline story—and it’s what harmonizes the two different realities.

An example of a dual timeline novel is something like The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. In this story, there are two timelines—the first, in 1791, revolves around a woman named Nella who runs an apothecary. Long story short, a twelve-year-old patron makes a fatal mistake that kicks off a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. Meanwhile, in present-day London, we have another timeline. In this one, Caroline Parcewell stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago. So, it’s a dual-timeline story that’s connected by these murders.

In contrast to that, think about something like Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo. There are six POV characters (seven if you count the first POV, which only appears once) that are all brought together by the heist that makes up the plot. So, they’re all connected and affected by the heist—and all the plot lines are occurring in the same time period. 

So, the key point here is that if you’re writing a true multi-POV novel, make sure your POV characters share a common quest, journey, or experience to ensure your story ties together nicely. 

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #139: 5 Multi POV Mistakes (And How To Avoid Them).

Tip #8. To create sizzling chemistry between characters, you need 3 ingredients—desire, vulnerability, and resistance.

This tip comes from episode 130, How To Craft Romantic Chemistry And Tension Between Characters. And in this clip, you’ll hear 3 ingredients for sizzling chemistry between characters. Now, if this sounds interesting or if this tip piques your interest, you’ll definitely want to check out this episode because I do a whole breakdown of the chemistry and tension between Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. And I compare their chemistry to that of Violet and Dain Aetos, so it’s kind of fun. I’ll put that link in the show notes for you, but here’s the clip.

With all of this character work, what you’re ultimately looking for when crafting chemistry between characters are these 3 ingredients: vulnerability, desire, and resistance. 

• Vulnerability refers to the willingness to show emotion or let one’s weaknesses, insecurities, fears, and/or hopes and dreams be seen by another
  
  
• Desire refers to the strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen (in this case, with another person)
  
  
• Resistance refers to the refusal to accept or comply with something, or the attempt to prevent something by action or argument

If you can identify how your characters will be vulnerable with each other, what they like about each other (both physically, mentally, and emotionally), and their reason for not wanting to be together, this is what will help you create the push-pull dynamic that makes for fantastic on-the-page chemistry. 

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #130: How To Craft Romantic Chemistry And Tension Between Characters.

Tip #7. Getting clear on your antagonist’s goal—and what they plan to do to accomplish that goal—will make it way easier to write your book.

Tip number seven comes from episode 149, 5 Questions To Develop Better Antagonists. And in this episode, I talk through how giving equal attention to developing your antagonist as you do your protagonist can actually make the writing process so much easier and more straightforward. And this clip is an example of why and how, so let’s dive right into it.

Once you know your antagonist’s goal and motivation (and what’s at stake should they succeed or fail), it’s time to break their goal down into action steps. What’s their plan for getting what they want?

To flesh out your antagonist’s plan, consider the following questions:

• What steps would they take to get what they want?
• In what order would they take those steps? Why?
• What kind of roadblocks might naturally get in their way?
• How does your protagonist (specifically) get in their way?
• How do their goals interfere with each other?
• What consequences would your antagonist face for their actions?

Once you’re done brainstorming, consider how your antagonist’s goals and plans will interfere with your protagonist’s goals and plans. This will help you create organic conflict for your story. 

As an example, consider Lord Voldemort’s goal of acquiring (and using) the Sorcerer’s Stone. Voldemort’s plan is to use Professor Quirrell to steal the stone for him. To do that, he has to find the stone, figure out how to get past whatever’s guarding the stone, and then actually steal it. But when Harry starts getting curious about what’s hidden on the forbidden third floor (the stone), he’s getting in the way of Voldemort’s plans—and this causes problems for Voldemort and Quirrell, which results in action being taken against Harry to stop him. 

And in real life, this is how conflict works, right? 

The person who is in control of a conflict (in this case, your antagonist) does not plan their actions around the other person (your protagonist). Rather, the reactive person (who, at the beginning of a story, is almost always the protagonist) is bombarded with events outside of their control. From there, they struggle against the antagonistic force to bring their life back into balance.

If you’re someone who's used to planning your conflict by deciding what you want your protagonist to do and then deciding what your antagonist should do, you’re plotting things backward. Not only will this create a less-than-solid plot, but it will also make your job of plotting and outlining your novel way harder!

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #149: 5 Questions To Develop Better Antagonists.

Tip #6. Mind your thoughts—they have way more power than you think (and in most cases, they’re what’s keeping you stuck in “writer’s block”).

This tip comes from episode 146, 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April Davila. And in this episode, April shares some really fantastic mindset shifts as well as practical things you can do to have a happy and fulfilling writing life. But in this clip, April talks about how important it is to mind our thoughts—and how, if we don’t mind our thoughts, they can run wild and start to create a narrative that just isn’t true. So, let’s take a listen to the clip:

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I think it’s kind of a catch-all phrase we use to describe whatever reason we’re not writing. But when we start to get better at noticing our thoughts, we can start to ask things like, “Why am I not writing?” 

As an example, I was on a writing retreat one time (I was teaching at it) and I got up early to write my novel before I went and taught. So, my alarm went off one morning and my thought was, “I don’t want to go.” And when I heard that thought in my head, I thought, “Wait, I love writing! Where did that thought come from?” 

So, I stopped and considered that thought to see if I could figure it out. It wasn’t really about my writing. I didn’t want to go into the space that was full of gossiping ladies where I had been writing because it was very distracting. So, all I had to do was change where I wrote that day, and all of those feelings disappeared.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #146: 6 Ways Mindfulness Can Make You A Happier & More Productive Writer With April Davila.

Tip #5. Get feedback on your story from a trusted source as soon as you can—it will make you a better writer.

Tip number five comes from episode 155, 10 Things That Will NOT Make You A Better Writer. And this episode is exactly what it sounds like. I share ten things I see writers doing all the time that don’t actually move the needle and, as a result, don’t make them better writers. This tip specifically is about not understanding the importance of getting outside feedback on your work. So, here’s the tip: 

Now, I know we’ve all heard the advice from Stephen King that says, "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." 

And I do agree with Stephen King—practicing your craft by writing and reading other books is really important. 

But if you write, let’s say, a thousand words a day for an entire year—and you never get feedback on what you’re writing—guess what happens? 

In most cases, you’ll probably end up making some of the same fundamental mistakes that many aspiring writers make over and over again and turning those mistakes into ingrained habits. 

So, imagine that…  

Without getting feedback on what’s working and not working in your pages, you might actually end up becoming a worse writer than when you started. 

Now, I know that’s not the case for everyone, but I do see it happen often enough that I wanted to include it in this list. 

So, it’s really important to get outside feedback on your work—it’s important to know what you’re doing well (so you can keep doing it) and what you need to work on (so you can actually improve your writing).  

Because here’s the thing… 

If writing a lot and cranking out hundreds of thousands of words was all it took to be a great writer, many people would have turned pro years and years ago. 

But it doesn’t work that way.  

So, yes, keep practicing your craft by writing. And yes, keep reading books to see how published authors have constructed their stories. But also get feedback on your pages. 

Find someone you trust, whether that be a developmental editor, a book coach, beta readers, or a critique partner—and get some feedback on your work. 

This is what will help you become a better writer, not writing an arbitrary number of words each day. 

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #155: 10 Things That Will NOT Make You A Better Writer.

Tip #4. Find a writing community online (or in person) that’s full of other writers who share your same goals and values.

Tip number four comes from episode 158, How To Strengthen Your Writing with the Power of Social Media With Lara Ferrari. And in this conversation, Lara shares a ton of great advice for using social media to become a better writer. If you haven’t heard this episode yet, I do recommend checking it out because what she shares is probably not what you think. And in this little preview, Lara talks about how important having a community is for writers. Let’s take a listen:

Talking about your book with other people—people who get it, people who are also passionate about books and stories and storytelling—it’s fun. It’s not fun if you’re talking to somebody who’s like, “I don’t care. I have no interest in this.” That’s draining for you. 

But the opposite is true when you’re talking to people who are on the same wavelength as you. So, if you have a community of people, it can be really exciting—especially when you get that same kind of excitement and enthusiasm back. It can be very motivating, and it can create a cycle of motivation and excitement. 

And let’s be honest. When you’re writing a book, you’re basically just alone with your thoughts for long stretches of time. It’s just us and our characters. And that can be a bit draining, too, right? 

We get that sense of imposter syndrome sometimes, and we doubt whether we’re any good or if this particular story is worth telling. So, to be able to share that with other people and get a different perspective…  

That can help reinvigorate you and remind you why you love writing or why you love this particular story in the first place. 

So, yeah,  creativity, inspiration, passion, and motivation. I think all of that increases when you are kind of bouncing these ideas around with other people who get what you’re trying to do.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #158: How To Strengthen Your Writing with the Power of Social Media With Lara Ferrari.

Tip #3. When world-building for a series, consider your protagonist affects the world and vice versa.

Tip number three comes from episode 131, 5 Steps To Start Planning A Book Series. And this episode is great for anyone who knows they want to write a series but is overwhelmed about all the moving pieces and all the planning that goes into writing a series, so go check it out if that sounds like you. Now, this tip is actually kind of a bonus tip I shared in the episode, and it’s about world-building. Let’s take a listen:

Regardless of whether you write speculative or contemporary fiction, your story’s world plays an extremely important role in tying your series together. 

Not only do you want to make sure the worldbuilding is consistent across all books, but you also want to build a world that plays into your story’s themes and impacts the central conflict and arc of change.

Often, the events that trigger change in your protagonist can trigger change in your story world—and the groups, communities, political systems inside your world—as well. 

This means that the events in your series need to have larger repercussions, make bigger waves, affect more people, and possibly even change the world.

As you map out your series, consider how you can:

• Expand the story world and visit new countries, territories, or lands previously mentioned but not yet visited. Taking your protagonist farther from home organically triggers new realizations about themselves and often leads to forward (or backward) progress along their arc.
  
• Explore other characters within your story world and consider how they can help or harm your protagonist’s ability to deal with the central conflict. New points of view (and new relationships, whether helpful or harmful) can also trigger change in your character and lead to progress along their arc.

Although you don’t have to have everything figured out about your story world in the planning stage, it’s helpful to consider how you’ll expand and explore other parts of the world (and its inhabitants). This will help you grow, escalate, and complicate your central conflict, trigger change in your protagonist, and create a vivid and immersive world that serves a purpose in each book in your series.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #131: 5 Steps To Start Planning A Book Series.

Tip #2. Dig into your character’s backstory to better understand how they’ll show up in the story present.

This tip comes from episode #145, How To Develop Your Character’s Backstory. And as you can imagine, this whole episode is about how to discover your character’s backstory—or what made them the person they are today. But in this clip, I’m talking about how your character’s backstory can influence their current, present-day behaviors and motivations. Let’s check it out:

In the present day, your character will make choices and actions to avoid situations where their fear will come to pass. The result? An unmet need.

For example, the character who got tangled in underwater debris and almost drowned (wounding event) believes the world is a dangerous place (inner obstacle) might be hard-pressed to leave their house (present-day behaviors and motivations). Because of that, this character might lack connections or intimacy with other people (unmet need).

You can use this information to flesh out your character’s flaws, behaviors, traits, and more. Consider how your character (who has lived with this internal obstacle for x-amount of time by page one) might act on a daily basis. 

• What is their specific fear (based on their wounding event)?
• What events trigger their wound and/or inner obstacle?
• What does their “emotional armor” look like?
• What behaviors, traits, and flaws have they developed?

All of this work can help you brainstorm the plot of your story, too.

The plot of your story should constantly challenge your character's internal obstacle. It should force them to choose repeatedly between upholding their flawed belief (their inner obstacle) or dismantling it. And each time they fail to change, there should be consequences that further complicate the plot.

Plus, here’s the really cool thing…

Your character’s inner obstacle can help you define the beginning of their internal character arc—and it can help you express your theme.

For example, If a character believes the world is a dangerous place, their arc might revolve around learning to leave their comfort zone and/or realizing that they can’t control everything. The theme of a story like this might be something like, true love is possible when you learn to let go of control and/or open up to others.

You can use this information to brainstorm secondary characters and antagonists, too. 

The best side characters and antagonists mirror or challenge the protagonist’s internal obstacle or flaws—plus, side characters who have already learned the lesson (or theme of your story) can help teach it to your protagonist. 

Antagonists are often the most effective when they struggle against the same internal obstacle as the protagonist but fail to overcome it.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #145: How To Develop Your Character’s Backstory.

Tip #1. The external plot of your story should put pressure on your protagonist to grow and change internally.

Okay, we’re almost done here. Next up we have tip number one, which came from one of my most popular episodes last year. And I’m not surprised that you loved this episode as much as you did because I did too. I’m talking about episode 126, Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody. And in this clip, Jessica talks about how to marry the external plot of your story to your characters and their inner growth. Let’s have a listen:

The Save the Cat! method was based on a screenwriting method. Screenwriting is all visual. It’s all external, and things are happening to the character, but it has to be portrayed by the actor. It does come out in the writing, but only to a certain extent.

As novelists, we have this golden opportunity to get inside a character’s head (which we call interiority), and see exactly how each of these external plot points are changing them. It’s the part of writing that I love most—that deft hand it requires to externally show something happening and then allow the reader to piece together how it’s changing the character without really spelling it out for the reader (which we call “telling” instead of “showing”). So, really, the beat sheet is designed to help you construct external plot points that are designed to change your character. 

And that’s why I tell writers it’s easier to start with a character first—their flaw (or the big problem they’re facing), the want (or that thing the character is externally pursuing), and the need (or what they require to transform internally by the end of the story).  

And if you come into the beat sheet with those three things in mind as kind of the pillars or the rudders that guide you, it's a lot easier to design plot points for that character.

So, if you have a character who really needs to learn how to trust, for example, then one of those external plot points needs to be a betrayal because that's the thing that will really test them and push their boundaries.  

So, there are about five beats in the beat sheet—I call them the foundation beats—I talk about this in the book as well. But these are the external plot points that trigger all of these things that act like tent pols in the story. And they direct the story or turn the story in different directions. So, you can call them the five major turning points: the catalyst, the break into two, the midpoint, the all is lost, and the break into three.  

These are the places where you really want to lean on external devices—things happening from the outside to the character. 

For example, you don't want your catalyst to be something like, “my character realizes that…” because that's an internal thing for somebody to realize. You want the catalyst to be something like, “this happened to my character, therefore causing them to realize something.” So, that’s where I guide people to really lean into the external.

Want to check out the whole episode? Click here to read or listen to episode #126: Save The Cat! Troubleshooting Common Plot Problems With Jessica Brody.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it—some of the best clips from the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast in 2024. If any of these clips sparked your attention and you haven't checked out the full episode yet, be sure to go back and take a listen. I'll have all of the episodes linked up for you in the show notes.

Thank you so much for joining me, not only today but week after week or whenever there’s a new episode. I am so grateful that I got to show up for you and share all these writing tips and strategies with you. And I'm so excited to see all the wonderful things 2025 has in store for us—talk to you in the new year!