Master Fiction Writing

Need a gentler kind of story without sacrificing plot? In this episode, I’m diving into the craft of cozy and feel-good fiction and unpacking how to write low-stakes stories that still have tension, momentum, and emotional payoff. We’ll look at why readers are drawn to comfort fiction, especially when real life feels relentless, and why “low stakes” never means “nothing matters.” I cover the key i...

What makes a female character feel dangerously compelling rather than flat, clichéd, or simply “unlikeable”? In this episode, Stuart explores how to write wicked women with complexity, power, and emotional truth. From villains and antiheroes to politically sharp schemers and socially inconvenient women, this is a deep dive into the craft of creating female characters who refuse to behave nicely on...

Writers are surrounded by bad advice masquerading as wisdom. In this episode, we take six of the most persistent fiction-writing myths and throw them politely but firmly in the bin. From talent and inspiration to first drafts, genre snobbery, publishing myths, and the idea that only bleak literary fiction counts as serious, this is a sharp, funny, practical reset for writers who are tired of feeli...

Why does tightening a draft so often feel slow, frustrating, and weirdly inconclusive? Usually because writers start at the sentence level instead of the structural one. In this episode, Stuart shares a faster, smarter way to revise by function rather than fussing. You’ll learn the three tightening passes he uses to diagnose saggy scenes (purpose, pressure, and payoff) along with a one-hour tighte...

If your scenes keep slipping into “and then… and then… and then…”, this episode is for you. In this episode, Stuart breaks down one of the simplest ways to create stronger cause-and-effect on the page: scene turns. You’ll learn what a turn actually is, why it matters, and four reliable types you can use to make any scene work harder. Stuart also walks you through a quick Scene Turn Audit you can u...

In this episode, we tackle one of the biggest hidden causes of reader disengagement: unstable point of view. The problem usually is not whether you chose first person, third person, or multiple POVs. It is whether the story keeps changing the rules. When that happens, readers don't experience it as a technical slip. They experience it as a breach of trust. You’ll learn what the POV contract re...

If your character’s “need” sounds like a motivational poster, readers won’t feel it in scene. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, Stuart Wakefield breaks want vs need out of the self-help zone and turns it into a practical decision tool you can use immediately: the Want / Need / Cost triad. You’ll learn why vague “needs” kill scene friction, how to define want and need in operational terms,...

Big events don’t create story. Binding does. In this practical follow-up to “The Art of a Story Premise That Actually Drives Scenes,” Stuart Wakefield reframes the inciting incident as the moment your protagonist becomes unable to WALK AWAY and shows you how to build that pressure on purpose. You’ll learn what “binding” really means, why it’s the secret to Act 1 momentum (and the cure for saggy mi...

The difference between an “interesting” idea and a story that actually moves? Your premise. In this episode, I'll break down why so many drafts end up with “optional chapters” - scenes that could be shuffled, skipped, or swapped without changing anything. Then you’ll learn a simple, repeatable framework for building a premise that creates real story pressure: Protagonist + Pressure + Price. Yo...

This episode's for anyone writing speculative fiction who’s ever vanished into worldbuilding “for five minutes” and resurfaced three hours later with a fully functioning sewer system and… no actual scene. This episode is about the quiet ways worldbuilding can sabotage your story when it becomes a substitute for plot, character, pacing, and reader trust. Not because worldbuilding is bad. Becaus...

Back to the Book: Restarting a Shelved Draft Fast is a practical, no-nonsense episode for writers who’ve stepped away from a manuscript and want to re-enter it without rereading the whole thing. You’ll learn a 60-minute re-entry sprint to regain story context fast, a 2-hour reset to rebuild your “story map,” and a simple toolkit for avoiding the biggest time-wasters like polishing old chapters ins...

Set yourself up for a 2026 writing year that actually survives real life. In this episode, you’ll build a simple, motivating plan without hustle-culture guilt or impossible schedules. We’ll choose a one- to three-word theme to guide your decisions, pick three clear priorities (plus one powerful “not this year”), map your year by quarters, and set a weekly minimum that keeps you moving even when li...

Is Legally Blonde secretly one of the best-plotted films of the 2000s? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing , host Stuart Wakefield performs a full story autopsy on Elle Woods’ journey from dumped sorority president to victorious Harvard lawyer. We dig into how the film builds a rock-solid causal chain (where every major beat grows logically from the last) and how Elle’s external quest (Harva...

If your opening goes boom but your hero can shrug and carry on, that’s fireworks, not story. In this episode I breaks down the real job of an inciting incident - to bind your protagonist to an obligation that costs something now and points the story arrow. Here's what you'll learn: What “binding” means in plain English and how to spot it fast The five ways a moment can stick Bond, Irrevers...

And then” isn’t a plot, it’s a queue. In this craft-forward episode, we swap “and then” for the more muscular because / but / therefore and show how tight causality turns scenes into story. You’ll get a clear, jargon-free framework for chaining choices to consequences, plus two case studies that prove the point: a mini-autopsy of Pride & Prejudice and a contemporary comparison with Knives Out...

POV isn’t just a grammar choice - it’s the engine that controls intimacy, suspense, and what your reader knows when. In this craft-deep episode, we demystify point of view by breaking it into three practical dials (access, scope, and distance) then walk through the pros and cons of first person, third limited (close and deep), free indirect style, omniscient, objective, second person, epistolary,...

Stop polishing your first paragraph into oblivion. In this episode of  Master Fiction Writing , we split your process into two clean modes:  Author Brain  for discovery and  Editor Brain  for decision—used at different times for different jobs. You’ll hear a live “before/after” paragraph where we draft messy, then run a tight  verbs-and-cuts  pass that sharpens pace and tension without killing mom...

Stop waiting for motivation. Start acting from identity. In this mindset kickoff for Master Fiction Writing , we shift the sentence that runs your day from “I want to write a book” to “I’m a person who writes.” You’ll hear a simple, athlete-style routine (warm-up, reps, cooldown), examples, and a 10-minute drill that makes writing easier to start than to avoid. You’ll learn: Why identity beats mot...

Your novel’s bookends do the heavy lifting. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing , we pair Step 16 (Writing the Opening Scene) and Step 17 (Writing the Closing Scene) to help you start with momentum and finish with meaning. You’ll learn what a scene is (and why something must change every time), how to centre your protagonist’s thoughts and feelings, and a simple timer method to draft three d...

Outlining doesn’t have to strangle your creativity—or leave you drowning in spreadsheets. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing , we introduce The Inside Outline : a fast, 2–3 page method that pairs each major Scene (what happens) with its Point (why it matters to your protagonist). The result? A plot that moves and a character arc that means something. You’ll hear how to build 10–15 Scene/Poi...

Plotting doesn’t have to feel like wrangling an octopus into a cardigan. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing , we turn to Pixar’s Story Spine - seven simple prompts that reveal your story’s engine: who we meet, what upends the status quo, how cause-and-effect escalates, where the climax hits, and what the change means. We unpack each beat (from “Once upon a time…” to “And ever since that day...

How much time passes between Page 1 and “The End” - and where, exactly, do you begin and finish? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing , we pair Step 12 (Story Timeline) and Step 13 (Opening & Closing) to shape your novel’s container and its proof of change . You’ll learn how to define your story present (the “now” of your narrative), pick a time span that supports tension, and design open...

In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll delve into the intricacies of narrative voice and perspective, focusing on the importance of point of view (POV) and time stance in storytelling. We'll discuss various narrative techniques, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical exercises to help writers refine their craft.

In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll discuss the importance of choosing the right protagonist for your story, emphasising the need for a single human centre that readers can connect with, the distinction between external wants and internal needs, and the significance of crafting tailored opposition to enhance conflict. We'll also cover the role of point of view in storytelling...

In this episode, we'll delve into the intricacies of world building, establishing clear rules and consequences, and ensuring that characters and their motivations are relatable to readers. Practical exercises are provided to help writers create immersive worlds that enhance their narratives without overwhelming them with unnecessary details. We'll also highlight common pitfalls to avoid in...