Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips
Savannah Gilbo
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
#195. How Deliberate Practice Can Improve Your Fiction Writing (With Tim Grahl)
Master the fundamental building block of fiction writing with this one exercise that's helped writers break through years of stalled progress in just weeks. Ever wonder why some writers seem to improve rapidly while others stay stuck for years, despite writing every single day? đ¤ The difference isn't talent or luckâit's deliberate practice. Most aspiring novelists think that accumulating word count is the path to improvement. But here's the truth: without targeted practice and expert feedback, you might be reinforcing bad habits rather than developing good ones. Tim Grahl is the CEO of Story Grid, author of six books, and has analyzed over 2,000 scenes from aspiring writers. What he's discovered about skill development might completely change how you approach your writing journey. In this episode, you'll hear us talk about things like: [24:45] Why most writers don't improve even when they write every dayâand the missing piece that separates writers who progress from those who stay stuck[02:11] The surprising shift Story Grid made from teaching big-picture structure to focusing on scene-level fundamentals instead[10:02] The 3-step framework for creating a deliberate writing practice that builds real skills instead of just word count[15:16] The three most common scene-writing mistakes that kill narrative momentumâand how to avoid them[24:27] Why getting expert feedback (not just writing in isolation) is the crucial element most writers missWhether you're staring at your first blank page or you've got a drawer full of unfinished manuscripts, this episode will show you exactly how to break the cycle of starting and stopping and finally make meaningful progress on your writing! đ Links mentioned in this episode: Story Gridâs Scene Checklist (Free Resource)â Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts If 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! Ready to make 2026 the year you finally finish your novel? Notes to Novel is my signature program that walks you through brainstorming, outlining, and writing a first draft that worksâso you always know what to do next. Click here to get on the waitlist â Support the show đ Looking for a transcript? If youâre listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.
Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips RSS Feed
