Books · Savannah Gilbo
by Savannah Gilbo
Do you have a story you can't stop thinking about? Maybe it's still just an idea. Maybe it's half a draft you haven't opened in months, or a finished manuscript that doesn't quite work yet. Wherever you are, it can be hard to know what your story needs next. Fiction Writing Made Easy is a podcast for aspiring fiction authors who want clear, practical guidance on what to do next with their novels. Hosted by developmental editor and book coach Savannah Gilbo, the show breaks down complicated writing concepts into simple, actionable lessons. Savannah explains why storytelling techniques work, how the different elements of a story fit together, and what that means for your own writing—often using examples from familiar books and movies. Topics include developing your story idea, outlining a novel, creating characters readers care about, writing scenes that move your story forward, and figuring out what to fix when your draft isn't working. You'll also find genre deep dives on romance, fantasy, thrillers, and horror, mindset tips for difficult writing days, and advice on querying agents and self-publishing. You'll also hear from editors and industry experts, as well as writers Savannah has taught who share how they finished—and often published—their books. With hundreds of episodes and over 3.8 million downloads, there's plenty to explore wherever you are with your book. Hit follow for new episodes every week—and take the next step toward a novel you're proud of.
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Where Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 13, 2026).
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I laughed out loud at how accurately Savannah described my writing life in episode 259, and I don’t even write fiction. Whether you’re writing novels, nonfiction, articles, or whatever is currently blinking accusingly at you from an empty Google Doc, there’s a lot to learn from this show.
I’ve felt that the information in the episodes I’ve listened to useful, informative, and practical. Savannah provides relatable examples to move forward in your writing process.
Savannah Gilbo’s writing advice and lessons are full of so many helpful scenarios of what works and doesn’t work and why. She explains how to get out of a writing slump and why you might even be in one. Some of her most helpful (to me) advice involves her checklists for various areas of my novel. If I haven’t answered all the questions on the list, I’m probably struggling in that scene. Thank you, Savannah!
I look forward to the release of every episode. Savannah Gilbo's advice and author interviews inspire me to improve my craft. As the author of seven independently published thriller and mystery novels and a full time gynecologist physician, I am currently pitching the completed manuscript of an eight thriller based on a true crime committed in the Deep South in the early 1980s. This episode detailing the Hero's Journey is particularly helpful to me in pulling together the acts and external/internal motivations of my protagonist in my current work-in-progress. Thank you. Savannah!
I’d been an avid listener of this podcast for a long time. Even when I realized that Savannah supported JK Rowling’s work, a known transphobic and harmful person, I could still see past it and find the content valuable. But on episode 236 she had a guest and they were inviting authors to use AI to write their books and spreading misinformation about how editors in traditional publishing use it to edit books. Then the guest went on to say authors needed to get over the “original sin” and get on with it, as if authors hadn’t just gotten stolen loads of money from rights sales (and no the settlement money is not enough to go on forgiving them). To hear Savannah agree and support this was incredibly disappointing and heartbreaking. I have slept on this but find that I can no longer listen to this podcast and will be removing it from all my recommended resources.
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