Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopian Novel
Have you ever had a story idea you love—a vivid world, compelling characters, big themes—but every time you sit down to write, something just… isn’t working?
If that sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.
Welcome to Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple.
In each episode, I tackle one specific problem standing between you and a cohesive, compelling book—whether that’s character arc, plot structure, backstory, worldbuilding, magic systems, genre clarity, revision, or the publishing path. Some episodes are focused teaching sessions where I break down craft and process step by step, and others feature in-depth conversations with industry experts—authors, editors, agents, and publishing professionals—who share real-world insight into what actually works.
No vague advice. No craft mysticism. Just concrete, actionable strategies you can apply immediately (often with free companion workbooks linked right in the show notes).
This podcast is here to help you stop spinning your wheels and start making confident, intentional story choices—so your novel feels grounded, emotionally powerful, and readable all the way through.
I’m your host, Heather Davis—Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, developmental editor, host of the WorldShift Writing Summit, podcaster, and fellow speculative fiction writer. I’ve spent over a decade helping writers untangle messy drafts, fix stories that almost work, and build novels from the ground up in a way that’s sustainable and actually makes sense.
And let’s be honest: writing a good novel—the kind readers want to finish, recommend, and come back to—is hard. This podcast doesn’t promise shortcuts or overnight success. Instead, it embraces the real, messy, challenging work of storytelling—and gives you the tools to do it well.
If you’ve ever found yourself typing questions like these into Google, this show is for you:
- What is show don't tell?
- What's the difference between scenes and chapters?
- How do I use Save the Cat to structure my novel without it feeling formulaic?
- How do I include backstory without info-dumping?
- Why isn’t my magic system working in my story?
- How do I revise a novel without getting overwhelmed?
- How do I write character driven stories?
- How do I develop my author Voice?
- How do I write fantasy, romantasy, dystopian, science fiction, magical realism, paranormal, horror, or other speculative genres?
- How do I develop my protagonist?
- What is interiority?
- How do I determine the these and Point of my novel?
- How do I create a character arc for my protagonist?
- etc.
So if you’re ready to write a novel you’re proud of—one that holds together, makes readers think, and earns their trust—go ahead and follow or subscribe. It’s the easiest way to support the show and make sure you don’t miss what’s coming next.
Next steps:
If you want to go deeper, get on my email list so you don’t miss my free and paid classes, workshops, and free writing sprints:
👉 https://resources.manyworldswriting.com/U2F1zO
Have a question or want to reach out directly? You can email me anytime at heather@manyworldswriting.com
Until next time, keep writing, keep dreaming, and remember: the world needs your stories right now. Don’t give up on your novel—or yourself.
Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopian Novel
Writing An Identity Not Your Own With Alex Temblador | Episode 35
👉 Click here to grab your free ticket to the WorldShift: Speculative Fiction Writers’ Summit and hear Alex Temblador’s summit presentation—plus 30+ other craft-deep sessions from top speculative fiction coaches, authors, and industry pros.
Worried you’ll get it wrong when writing a character whose identity isn’t your own—and that you’ll hurt someone, face backlash, or be told you shouldn’t even try? But at the same time, you know that leaving out marginalized identities doesn’t feel right either—especially when you’re building entire worlds from scratch?
You’re not alone. And this episode is for you.
In this powerful, honest conversation, I sit down with the brilliant Alex Temblador—award-winning author of Writing an Identity Not Your Own, Half Outlaw, and Secrets of the Casa Rosada—to talk about how speculative fiction writers can represent identities outside their own with more care, confidence, and nuance.
We get into:
- What most writers get wrong (even with good intentions)
- The difference between writing and editing identities
- How to spot unconscious bias and avoid coded stereotypes
- Why worldbuilding always reflects our world—and what to do about it
- Plus: her haunted house story (yes, really)
If you’ve ever wondered how to get representation right without falling into fear, tokenism, or tired tropes, this episode will change the way you write—and revise—forever.
Spoiler: You can do this. And Alex shows you how.
$40 off "Writing An Identity Not Your Own: For Fantasy & Sci-Fi Writers" with promo code SPECFIC
Sign up here 👉 https://www.alextemblador.com/courses
