#182. Writing Romantasy: How to Balance Fantasy Elements and Romance in Your Novel
Calling all Romantasy (and Fantasy) authors! Tune in to learn how to write a Romantasy novel that perfectly blends fantasy elements with romance. Whether you're drafting your first Romantasy novel or refining your approach to an existing manuscript, this episode will help you deliver exactly what readers are looking for in this booming genre. Tune in for a deep dive into the Romantasy genre and learn things like: [01:35] Key differences between books like Fourth Wing, Radiance, and The Name o...
25 Helmi 29min
#181. First Chapter Analysis: House Of Earth And Blood by Sarah J. Maas
Romantasy and Fantasy authors! Tune in to learn how the opening pages of House of Earth and Blood hooks readers and pulls them into the rest of the story. Join me and Abigail K. Perry for a deep dive into the opening chapter of the first Crescent City book, House of Earth and Blood, to find out how and why it works. We analyze this first chapter from both a macro and micro perspective to see what kind of promise it makes to the reader, how the author introduces us to the story world, an...
18 Helmi 53min
#180. Student Spotlight: How Her Debut Novel Became An Amazon Bestseller With Margaret Mantor
Discover how a debut author turned her first novel into an Amazon #1 bestseller using strategic marketing tactics instead of relying on social media. Meet Margaret Mantor, a science-fantasy romance author from Denver whose novel Air And Ashes hit Amazon's bestseller list one month after launch. Tune in to hear us talk about why giving away books for free can lead to more sales, how to use BookBub promotions and newsletter features to skyrocket your Amazon rankings, and why using social media ...
11 Helmi 42min
#179. Writing When You Have A Chronic Illness With Sandra Postma
Chronic illness teaches you about pain, loss, and resilience. Find out why this can make you a better storyteller. Writing a novel can feel impossible when managing a chronic illness. Symptoms, brain fog, and advice that doesn't fit your life can make you wonder if you'll ever finish your story. But your experience with chronic illness also gives you a rare edge that empowers you to connect with readers on a much deeper level. That's why I'm so excited to introduce you to Sandra Postma. She's...
4 Helmi 42min
#178. First Chapter Analysis: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Romance, historical fiction & fantasy writers—tune in to learn how the opening pages of Outlander hook readers into the story. In this listener-voted episode, I team up with developmental editor and book coach Abigail K. Perry to analyze the opening chapter of Diana Gabaldon's genre-defying masterpiece, Outlander, on a macro and micro level. And truth be told, this might be one of our most challenging chapter analyses yet, but you'll learn exactly what makes these opening page...
28 Tammi 1h
#177. 3 Things You Need To Write Your Novel In 2025
Got writer's block and convinced it's because you lack talent? Think again! And I have the solution that'll change the way you approach your writing… If you're struggling to finish your novel, I want you to know that your lack of progress has nothing to do with your capabilities or the quality of your ideas. In fact, it boils down to an imbalance of three essential things—or pillars of novel creation, if you will. In this week's episode, I'm sharing what these three things are so you can over...
21 Tammi 19min
# 176. Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 5)
See how Notes to Novel™ helped these five writers go from a blank page to a story that works (without the overwhelm). With Notes to Novel™ (season 6) right around the corner, I'm bringing you something incredibly special today. I'm chatting with five amazing writers from season 5 about their experience inside the course. And let me tell you, they're in the trenches right now, actively working on their novels. Some have finished their outlines, while others are deep in the drafting phase, and ...
14 Tammi 32min
#175. 5 Easy Time Management Strategies To Write Your Novel Faster
Feel stuck writing your novel? These 5 time management strategies will squash all productivity blocks to get your story finished—finally (and fast). Why does finding the time to write feel so hard sometimes? We often blame our busy schedules (and yes, that's definitely part of it). But there's something else lurking around that stops your writing progress. And it has a way of making you feel like you're failing at this whole writing thing. Which is so not true. In this episode, I'm pulling ba...
7 Tammi 30min
