If you’re serious about becoming a published author, determining your novel’s genre is one of the most important things you’ll have to do. But sometimes that’s easier said than done, especially if your book toes the line between Women’s Fiction and Romance.

In this episode, I’m going to walk you through the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance so you can write the best book possible and snag the attention of both agents and readers alike. You'll learn things like:

• [02:12] Five different ways to talk about the genre of your story (and why it’s so important to know where your book fits in the market)
• [04:18] How to tell the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance—and why this difference really boils down to just one thing
• [07:53] The key characteristics of a Romance novel—including my thoughts on romance genre tropes and creating sizzling character chemistry
• [11:52] The defining traits of a Women’s Fiction novel (and how to develop your story’s plot when these stories tend to be so character-driven)
• [19:13] Episode recap and final thoughts

If you’ve ever struggled to understand the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Download the Women’s Fiction vs. Romance Cheat Sheet
• Ep. 2 - Genre: The Key To Writing A Story That Works
• Ep. 23 - The 6 Key Scenes Every Romance Needs
• Ep. 38 - Romance Genre Conventions
• Ep. 46 - The 6 Scenes Every Worldview Novel Needs
• Ep. 25 - Worldview Genre Conventions
• Ep. 84 - The 6 Scenes Every Status Story Needs
• Ep. 70 - Status Genre Conventions
• Book Club Replay: Lessons In Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

“When should I start marketing my book?” This is a question I get asked all the time! Along with other similar questions like, “Do I need to build an email list?” And “What are some effective ways to market my book?”

My guest, Lacy Lieffers of Black Fox Marketing, is here to answer all of these questions (and more) in this podcast episode! Tune into this episode to hear us talk about why marketing matters from day one, how to think about book marketing throughout the entire writing, editing, and publishing process, and so much more.

We’ll also cover things like:

• [04:59] Why it’s important to start your book marketing efforts early—and how integrating marketing into your writing process from day one can set you up for long-term success
• [05:33] What to do if you feel overwhelmed by book marketing (and how to avoid spinning your wheels, wasting a bunch of time and money)
• [10:28] Lacy shares her thoughts on the age-old debate of growing your social media versus growing your email list and tells you exactly where to spend your time and energy to make the most impact
• [11:08] How to flip the script on what it means to work with book influencers (spoiler alert: stop making everything all about you!)
• [25:22] How to build your author brand in a way that resonates with readers and sets you (and your books) apart in a crowded market
• [33:52] A few of Lacy’s favorite tactics for creating buzz around your book (and later, driving sales during your book launch)
  
  

I LOVED this conversation with Lacy because she’s so knowledgeable and passionate about book marketing—and no wonder, with over 16 years of experience helping authors build their personal brands and market their books! If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed or uncertain about book marketing, you’re going to love this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Black Fox Marketing
• Lacy Lieffers on Instagram
• Grab Lacy’s Book Launch Playbook here!

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Selling 5,000+ copies of a debut novel in 18 months (without a massive social media following) might seem out of reach to most aspiring authors. But, in fact, it’s not. And our incredible podcast guest, Jennifer Lauer, is here to show you how it's done.

When we last spoke, Jennifer was on the brink of launching her debut sci-fi novel, The Girl in the Zoo. Fast-forward to today, and she's sold over 5,000 copies, launched a successful fiction podcast, and released a new paranormal mystery novella series.

In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:

• [05:01] Jennifer's honest breakdown of book launch setbacks, including how she handled unexpected Amazon delays and a COVID diagnosis
• [07:49] How Jennifer leveraged NetGalley to rack up over 200 Amazon reviews and 250 Goodreads reviews—and why she says it was worth braving the potential for harsh feedback
• [10:57] Jennifer's persistence in securing BookBub features for international and US markets that drove her novel to #1 on multiple Amazon lists
• [21:48] How Jennifer sold just over 5,000 copies in 18 months with minimal social media presence (plus, the importance of releasing your work, even if it's imperfect, and how this mindset contributed to her success)
• [28:03] How Jennifer's fiction podcast, The Strange Chronicles, helped her overcome writer's block and draft her latest novella in one summer
• [38:24] The marketing plans for Jennifer's new series launch, including which strategies she's keeping, which she's ditching, and why influencer boxes might not be worth the hype

Whether you're gearing up to launch your first novel or looking to breathe new life into your backlist, this episode is packed with actionable strategies you can use today.

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 85 - Student Spotlight: How She Overcame Her Fear of the Blank Page (and Indie Published Her Novel) with Jennifer Lauer
• Jennifer Lauer's Website & Instagram
• Start Somewhere by Jennifer Lauer

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

It’s no secret that one of the biggest roadblocks to getting traditionally published is the dreaded literary agent rejection.

But to find the right literary agent for you and your story, you have to go through the process of querying a handful of agents—which means you should expect to get a handful of rejections before finding your perfect match.

In this episode, I’m sharing the three most common literary agent rejection scenarios and, more importantly, what you can do in each scenario to take the next steps and keep moving forward with your querying journey.

Tune into this episode to hear things like:

• [02:04] What it means to get a form rejection letter from a literary agent (and why this does NOT mean you should give up on your publishing goals)
• [05:21] The next steps to take if an agent requests your full manuscript (or some sample pages) but then still doesn’t offer you representation
• [05:46] What literary agents are looking for in your opening pages—and how to determine if you might be missing any of the elements they’re looking for
• [10:42] What it means to get a “Revise & Resubmit” request from a literary agent (and more importantly, what NOT to do if you get one)
• [12:38] 5 signs you should stop querying—including my answer to the commonly asked question, “How long should I query agents before giving up?”

If you’ve ever wondered how to interpret the rejection letters you’re receiving (or how to take action on the rejection letters you’re receiving), you’re going to love this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 58 - 10 Querying Mistakes (& How To Avoid Them)
• Ep. 142 - How To Write A Query Letter That Works
• First 5 Pages Workshop: How To Hook Readers In Your First 5 Pages

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Ever wonder what happens when you ditch your agent and decide to self-publish instead? This episode is a must-listen if you're curious about the ins and outs of self-publishing and how it can possibly safeguard your creative control.

In this episode, Stefanie Medrek is back on the podcast—and boy, has her story changed! The last time we chatted, she had just landed an agent and was about to go out on submission. But now she's releasing her debut romantic suspense novel as a self-published author. So what happened?

Tune in to hear why Stefanie parted ways with her agent, how she navigated the world of self-publishing, and what it's like to prepare for a self-published book launch (happening this week).

In the episode, you’ll hear things like:

• [07:39] A recap of Stefanie's journey since our last chat: from landing an agent to trusting her gut instinct and choosing self-publishing over traditional publishing for creative control.
• [16:00] The nitty-gritty production details involved in preparing a book for self-publishing (including the cover design mistake that led to a complete do-over)
• [24:02] The unexpected challenges (and absolute joys) of self-publishing, how she's learning to roll with the punches, and manage delays.
• [26:43] How Stefanie tackled book marketing, including working with a fantastic PR firm and creating special edition ARCs (advanced reader copies), and her super-savvy strategies to reach readers and build buzz for her book launch.
• [33:00] The importance of building an author email list and a smart reader magnet to connect with your audience (and why this matters for your book launch).
• [37:35] The heartwarming story of Stefanie's dad, a successful self-published author, his influence on her publishing journey, and how they celebrate each other's milestones.

If you've ever felt unsure about which publishing path to take, or if you're just curious about what goes on behind a self-published book launch, you'll LOVE this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Into the Fire by Stefanie Medrek
• Stefanie’s Website
• Stefanie on Instagram
• Ep. 71 - Student Spotlight: How She Wrote a Novel in 6 Months (and Landed an Agent

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

You finished your book and now you’re looking for a cover designer, but where do you start? Where can you find a good book cover designer? And how much should you expect to pay them for a quality book cover?

These are all questions my guest, Zoe Norvell, will answer in this week’s brand-new podcast episode! Zoe is the mastermind behind INeedABookCover.com and INeedABookInterior.com—and she’s been designing book covers professionally since 2011 (both for big publishers and self-published authors alike).

Tune into this episode to hear us talk about things like:

• [06:33] The very first step soon-to-be-published authors need to take when it comes to finding and working with a book cover designer
• [08:14] Why searching on Amazon for book cover inspiration isn’t a good idea—and what Zoe recommends doing instead (spoiler alert: you’ll love it!)
• [13:19] The difference between book cover designers and graphic designers, and Zoe’s thoughts on hiring designers from sites like Fiverr
• [25:30] Tips for what to consider when hiring a book cover designer, including things like how much to budget for your book cover
• [31:13] A fill-in-the-blank template to use when you reach out to your dream book cover designer (plus Zoe’s insights on what not to say in your email)

If you’ve ever wanted a clear answer to some of the most important book cover design questions, you’re going to love this episdoe with Zoe Norvell.

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Grab the free email template here
• INeedABookCover.com
• INeedABookInterior.com
• Zoe Norvell on Instagram

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

One of the questions I get asked by a lot of aspiring authors is, “What books should I read to learn how to start writing a novel?” I get asked this question so often that I decided to turn my answer into a podcast episode!

Tune in to this episode to hear my take on the 5 best writing books that have had the biggest impact on me and the authors I work with. I’ll share what the books are, why I like them, and what kind of writer they’d be best for.

In other words, you’ll hear me talk about:

• [02:03] My favorite book for character creation—one that helps you dig deep into your character’s backstory to understand who they are and how they’ll show up on the page
• [05:28] The first book that really made things click for me, including things like how to write a well-structured scene and the importance of genre
• [08:23] One of the best books on plotting a novel that includes beat-by-beat breakdowns of ten different stories—yep, I’m talking about Save the Cat!
• [10:53] The only book I know of that breaks down an entire story on a scene-by-scene basis and shows you how every single part of the story works
• [15:09] A book that really changed the way I think about a story’s midpoint—not only what a midpoint is, but why it’s so important to the overall narrative

If you’re looking for another craft book to add to your TBR pile (that can also make you a better writer), you’re going to love this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Savannah Gilbo on Instagram
• Story Genius by Lisa Cron
• The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
• Save the Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody
• Write Your Novel From The Middle by James Scott Bell
• The Story Grid Masterwork Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by Savannah Gilbo

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Have you ever Googled things like “how many words should be in a novel?” Or “how many scenes should a novel have?” If so, you’ve probably gotten answers like “80,000 words.” Or “somewherre between 40 and 60 scenes.”

Easy enough, in theory…But if you’re like most of the writers I’ve worked with, you’ve probably also had trouble sticking to these guidelines because there’s just so much stuff that needs to go into a novel, right?

Well, in this episode, I’m going to help clear up some of the confusion and overwhelm that many writers face when it comes to outlining, writing, and revising. And to do that, I’m going to share everything I know about scene beats.

Tune into this episode to hear things like:

• [03:18] The difference between scenes and beats, including some of the common functions beats can serve within each one of your scenes
• [07:21] An example of beats within a scene from Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas—including a look at how she strategically placed chapter breaks to hook and hold the reader’s attention.
• [12:53] My advice on when to worry about the beats with each of your scenes (spoiler alert: it’s not until you’re in the revision phase—if at all!)
• [13:42] 3 things to look out for when deciding if something should be a beat or a scene, and why it’s super important to adopt a flexible mindset during revisions
• [16:09] Episode recap and final thoughts

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed creating your outline or trying to fit an entire story into a certain number of words or scenes, you’re going to love this episode!

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 153 - Scene Analysis: Chapter 5 "Diagon Alley" From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
• Click here to grab a copy of my book, The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
• Ep. 40 - How to Write a Well-Structured Scene

Interested in becoming a book coach? Click here to watch Author Accelerator's free video for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run a successful book coaching business!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.