Writing podcast best

{{whyLabel}}: This podcast provides rapid-fire, 15-minute lessons on specific craft techniques from industry giants like Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal.

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• Search for 'Writing Excuses' in your podcast app.
• Prioritize Season 10, which is structured as a year-long masterclass.
• Download episode 6.10 (M.I.C.E. Quotient) and 7.41 (Seven-Point Story Structure) for foundational knowledge.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Subscription active and the 'Masterclass' season is bookmarked.

{{whyLabel}}: Joanna Penn is the leading voice for indie authors, focusing on the business of writing, marketing, and the impact of AI in 2025.

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• Subscribe to 'The Creative Penn Podcast'.
• Listen to the '2025 Creative and Business Goals' episode to understand the current market landscape.
• Focus on episodes regarding 'Selling Direct' and 'Author Entrepreneurship'.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Latest business-focused episode listened to.

{{whyLabel}}: This is the gold standard for understanding the traditional publishing industry and the 'querying' process.

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• Listen to the 'Books with Hooks' segment where literary agents Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra critique real query letters.
• Take notes on what makes a 'hook' effective in the first five pages of a manuscript.
• Use their advice to avoid common debut author pitfalls.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Three 'Books with Hooks' segments analyzed for common patterns.

{{whyLabel}}: Research prevents 'hollow' world-building and ensures your setting feels authentic and lived-in.

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• Identify three core topics (historical, scientific, or cultural) central to your plot.
• Use non-fiction sources or specialized podcasts (e.g., 'The History of Rome' or 'Science Vs') to gather specific details.
• Create a 'Research Bible' in a generic note-taking app to store facts and inspiration.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Research document contains at least 10 unique, applicable facts for the story.

{{whyLabel}}: K.M. Weiland’s deep dives into story structure prevent the 'sagging middle' and ensure emotional resonance.

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• Find episodes on the 'Three-Act Structure' and 'Character Arcs'.
• Apply the 'Positive Change Arc' principles to your protagonist.
• Map out your 'Inciting Incident' and 'First Plot Point' based on her structural guides.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Protagonist's internal and external goals are clearly defined.

{{whyLabel}}: An outline acts as a roadmap, significantly increasing the chances of finishing the first draft.

{{howLabel}}:

• Use the 'Seven-Point Story Structure' learned from Writing Excuses.
• Write a one-sentence summary for each of the 20-30 major scenes.
• Identify the 'Midpoint'—the moment where the protagonist shifts from reacting to acting.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: A complete scene-by-scene outline of at least 2,000 words.

{{whyLabel}}: Consistency is the only way to overcome the resistance of a long-form project.

{{howLabel}}:

• Commit to either a word count (e.g., 500 words) or a time block (e.g., 60 minutes) daily.
• Use a simple spreadsheet or a generic habit tracker to log your progress.
• Write during your 'peak creative hours' (usually early morning or late night).

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Writing log shows 7 consecutive days of met goals.

{{whyLabel}}: The first draft is about getting the story down, not making it good.

{{howLabel}}:

• Follow your outline but allow for 'happy accidents' where characters take over.
• Disable your 'internal editor'—do not delete or rewrite during this phase.
• Use placeholders like [INSERT COOL FIGHT SCENE] if you get stuck to maintain momentum.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Manuscript reaches 'The End' with a word count of 50,000+ (for novels).

{{whyLabel}}: Structural editing ensures the 'bones' of the story are strong before you polish the prose.

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• Listen to 'The Story Grid' podcast episodes on the 'Five Commandments of Storytelling'.
• Analyze each scene: Does it have an Inciting Incident, Turning Point, Crisis, Climax, and Resolution?
• Cut or combine scenes that do not move the plot forward or reveal character.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Second draft completed with all structural gaps filled.

{{whyLabel}}: You are too close to the work to see its flaws; external eyes are essential.

{{howLabel}}:

• Find 3-5 'Beta Readers' who read your specific genre.
• Provide them with a specific questionnaire (e.g., 'Where did you get bored?', 'Which character did you dislike?').
• Look for consensus: if three people say the middle is slow, it is slow.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: Feedback received from at least 3 readers and summarized into an action list.

{{whyLabel}}: The query letter is your 'sales pitch' to agents and the gateway to traditional publishing.

{{howLabel}}:

• Re-listen to 'The Shit No One Tells You About Writing' specifically for query structure.
• Include: The Hook (the stakes), The Book (stats/genre), and The Cook (your bio).
• Ensure your 'Comp Titles' (comparative books) are from the last 3-5 years.

{{doneWhenLabel}}: A polished one-page query letter ready for submission.