The Better Writer Podcast

As a fiction writer, you know that feedback is essential. But you probably also know that even the smartest critique partners can end up giving you feedback that just doesn’t resonate. But what are you supposed to do next? Ignore the feedback completely? Grit your teeth and make the change because you respect the person giving it? How about a more a strategic approach? In this podcast episode, I’m...

You’re writing a book. You know that you need a professional editor to help you figure out how to revise your book successfully, but you’re not sure if you’re truly ready for such a big step. In this episode, I’m discussing five signs that you are ready to hire an editor. If you check all of these boxes, it’s time to reach out! Here are the five signs that you are ready for professional editing: Y...

June has always been a reflective time of year for me. As a former teacher, the end of the school year is the second New Year’s. It’s also my birthday month and now a double anniversary - I started my business in June 2022 and took it full time in June 2024. So, as I reflect, I’m sharing eight lessons I’ve learned since turning my love of fiction into a career. If you find this episode helpful, gu...

You’re writing a book and you want readers to love it. But are you using tropes and worldbuilding elements that could harm your future readers? Whether consciously or unconsciously, you may be including harmful stereotypes or tropes in your stories. In this episode of the Better Writer Podcast, I’m sharing four mindsets that can help you worldbuild & write with sensitivity so you can avoid lim...

Most fiction writers know they’ll need help at some point, and those planning to publish know that feedback from a professional editor can help them write a successful book. But what kind of editing do you actually need? Do you need developmental editing or a book coach? Copy editing or proofreading? And what about line editing? It’s a complicated question without a one-size-fits-all answer. So, l...

Revision isn’t just about perfecting your plot or sharpening scenes. Revision is also mental and emotional. In this episode, I’m breaking down the 6 mindsets that fiction writers need to embrace in order to successfully revise their books. The six mindsets are: 1. Don’t compare your draft to a finished book. 2. Don’t be afraid of big changes. 3. Be patient. 4. Feedback isn’t law. 5. You can make y...

What do you think of when you think of revising your novel? Do you imagine diving in to your novel and starting to make changes on the page? That’s an important step, but there are actually three whole steps that come first. Why? Because planning ahead of time means you’re more likely to revise strategically, not haphazardly. Here are the three steps that need to come first: Visualize your finishe...

Did you know that outlines aren't just for planning your novel? You can actually use an outline to revise as well, and it might just become your revision secret weapon. This episode is your quick and dirty introduction to reverse outlining. A reverse outline is a versatile tool that you can use to make revision less confusing and overwhelming. Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode: The definiti...

Fiction writers, can you answer these five questions about your book? If not, it’s time to stop, drop what you’re doing and listen to this podcast episode. I’m covering five crucial questions that you should answer before you start revising your book so that you can give your revisions direction and focus. They are: Why this book? What is your genre? Who are you writing for? What experience do you...

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...