The Better Writer Podcast

I love writers but, I have to be honest, I don’t put you first. That honor belongs to your future readers. And you, my friend, should be putting your future readers first too. Why? Because readers will ultimately decide whether your book is a success - or not - once it’s published. Here are my top tips for fiction writers who want to revise with readers in mind: Know Your Ideal Reader : If you try...

When I’m not reading fiction or books about writing, I’m reading business books. A recent favorite, Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy. Now, I want to tell you all about it. Why? Because there are so many gems in this book that also apply to the writing fiction. And no, I don’t mean the business side of publishing (but you should totally check it out for that aspect as well, especi...

I did something big this week: I closed to sample edit requests for the first time since I started my business. That decision was partially logistical, but only partially. It also represents a philosophical shift in my business. I’m transitioning away from an editing-focused model to a book coaching focused model. Whether you’ve ever intended to work with me or not, I hope this episode helps you t...

This week, I’m talking about my favorite topic: revision! Revision a novel is a lot like climbing a mountain. It’s difficult, requires planning, and not everyone who starts out will reach the end. I don’t want your novel to end up in the back of a drawer or some dusty corner of your hard drive, so let’s talk about why revision is so overwhelming and how you can make the revision process work for y...

This week, I’m continuing my discussion of “show, don’t tell,” by introducing your show, don’t tell secret weapon: writing in scenes. There are three ways that writing in scenes can help writers show instead of tell: Scenes lock us into a specific moment in time which primes us to narrate specific actions as they happen instead of summarizing them. When the scene is narrated through a specific cha...

This week, I’m continuing my discussion of “show, don’t tell”. This time, I’m taking a step back and instead of talking about how show, don’t tell works, I’m talking about what makes it so difficult for writers to show in the first place. Here’s the headline: showing in fiction runs counter to our default storytelling mode, the way that we are taught to share stories from childhood on. In this epi...

This week, I’m talking about another of the most common mistakes I see in client manuscripts: a misunderstanding of show, don’t tell. It’s a writing rule that gets thrown out ALL THE TIME. But how often do you hear someone diving deep into what it really means? Not often enough. Writers often think of show, don’t tell as one thing and usually something that happens at the line level. But it’s not...

This week, I’m addressing a hot-button issue in our industry: AI. I’m giving you a behind the look at all the ways I am and am not using AI in my business and my life. Here’s the headline: I do not use generative AI to create any content that I share online (blog posts, emails, etc.) and I do not, will not, ever use any AI tools in client work, but there are some non-generative AI tools that I use...

This week’s episode is all about conflict. Conflict is an essential element of every novel, but it’s also misunderstood and often leads writers astray. In fact, conflict issues have shown up in every editorial letter I’ve written for a client. In this episode, I’m discussing why more conflict isn’t always better and key ways that you can go wrong by just shoving random, unstrategic conflicts into...

This week’s episode is all about promises. The promises you make to readers, specifically. I’m covering four promises that we make to our readers - whether we’re consciously aware of it or not. Your genre is a promise, the places you direct your readers’ attention is a promise, your marketing makes a promise, and your beginning is a promise. Listen in and make sure you’re making promises intention...

This week, I’m talking about mistakes writers make when it comes to story structure. Story structure is vital. It gives our stories shape and ensures we are keeping readers hooked and entertained throughout. Given that reality, you might be expecting me to talk about structural issues, and yes, those definitely happen, but there’s a deeper issue holding writers back: misusing or misunderstanding s...

I talk about crafting a great experience for readers ALL THE TIME. But what does that even mean? In this episode, I’m breaking down three things fiction writers need to do to craft a great experience for their readers: meet their genre’s expectations, make readers care, and immerse us in the story. Links Mentioned: Have questions? Reach out on Instagram , I’d love to help! Subscribe to the Better...

In this episode, I’m sharing a partial replay of a masterclass I ran for writers called Revision Without Overwhelm: Learn the 4-step process to take your draft from messy to marvelous. In this class, I’m sharing 1) what really makes revision overwhelming, 2) the 4-steps to a successful revision, and 3) tips for managing your revision process so you can make your manuscript better without getting c...

The biggest revision mistake writers make: not revising at all. I don’t mean people who are skipping revisions intentionally, I mean people who think they’re revising but aren’t. Confused about how that works? Listen in for the four ways writers accidentally skip revision and my best tips for making sure your revisions are efficient & effective. Let’s dive in! Here’s what you’ll hear in this e...

In this super short episode of the Better Writer Podcast, I'm reading an email I sent to my email list a couple months ago. You may have heard other writers/writing teachers compare writing to the process of baking a cake. It's true. They're both complicated processes, hard to master if you're a beginner, and totally worth the hard work. Writers often think revision is the icing in this process. I...

Revision can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. As a developmental editor, revision is my superpower and I love helping people figure out what to do with their messy first (or second) drafts. In this episode, I’m sharing six do’s and don’ts for revising your novel successfully in 2026. If you can approach revisions strategically, the entire process becomes easier, more efficient, and more...

2025 is almost over, and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling behind as a writer. This was a big year for me, but it was also an insanely unproductive year for my writing. In this episode, I’m sharing what I used to do to fit writing into my busy life as a full-time high school teacher. These are the habits I’m recommitting to in 2026 laid out so you can steal them and move forward on your w...

Ever wondered what a developmental editor does? Not even sure what developmental editing is? This episode breaks down my entire process as a fiction developmental editor - covering what developmental editing is, how I work through a project, and why developmental editing matters to you as a fiction writer. Let’s dive in! Links Mentioned: Subscribe to the Better Writer Weekly newsletter here: https...

If your image of a writer is someone sitting alone in an attic writing a masterpiece all by themselves, I’ve got news, that image is a myth. Collaboration is essential to writing a great book. Today, I’m talking about why you can’t just edit your book and five specific areas where we tend to mess up when we try to do all the editing by ourselves. Links: Subscribe to the Better Writer Weekly newsle...

In the very first episode of the Better Writer Podcast, I’m asking one very important question: Does writing fiction matter? When AI has shown up to replace us and the world feels like it’s always in a state of crisis does it still make sense to sit down and write your stories? I believe it is. Here’s why. Links mentioned in this episode: Subscribe to the Better Writer Weekly newsletter here Learn...

Newsflash: your high school English teacher lied to you about the writing process. How do I know? I was one of them! I spent six years teaching students to write the wrong way before I started writing fiction and realized that professional writers are doing things differently. Like, completely differently. Tune in for the six lies you likely learned in high school and how to keep them from hinderi...

In this episode, I’m tackling one of fiction writing’s greatest controversies - the divide between plotters and pantsers. I’ll talk about the real difference between plotters and pantsers, how to find a writing process that works for you, and how to avoid the shame that comes from putting too much pressure on what we “should” be doing instead of focusing on what we could accomplish if we just hono...

Welcome to the Better Writer Podcast! The first official episodes drop on December 8th. In the meantime, you can get my best writing insights by joining the Better Writer Newsletter ! Each Tuesday, you'll get writing advice and my best tips for building a better life! Links Subscribe to the Better Writer Weekly newsletter Learn more about my editing and coaching services Transcript Welcome to the...