Let's Write Your Novel!
Let’s Write Your Novel! is a place where writers with a story on their hearts will find the clarity they need to finally write their novels. If you want to write a novel, or you’ve started writing and gotten stuck, let this podcast serve as your toolbox for crafting a solid story that will connect with readers. Each short episode will give you one skill or strategy to apply to planning, drafting and/or revising your novel. We’ll also take time to explore the other equally important things that come with this process, such as accountability, mindset, and time management. Your story matters. You deserve to write it and you have a reader out there who needs it. Stephanie Dethlefs is a writer, certified book coach, teacher, and lifelong avid reader. She is the author of the middle grade novel Unspoken and numerous published essays and articles. She lives in Pacific NW Washington with her family, two cats and a spunky pup.
Episodes
65 episodes
An important announcement!
2023 is bringing some changes to the Hello Writers world. Take a quick listen to hear what's new! Links: New YouTube ChannelG...
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Episode 70
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2:45
What's Important About Small Goals
When we set out to write a novel, we have one goal, which is to write a novel. But we also know that having the goal of writing a novel is not unlike standing at the foot of a mountain with the plan to climb it. We know it’s going to b...
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Episode 69
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10:37
What Pixar Can Teach Us About Plot
There is no one “right” way to write a novel. But there are basic types of plot points which every story, no matter how simple or complex, needs to include. Using a strategy like this Pixar storytelling model is one way to make sure you’ve got ...
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Episode 68
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9:12
How to Play With the Plot
Having vague or fuzzy ideas can lead to self-doubt and discouragement, but self-doubt does not need to keep you from writing your book. In this episode, we’re playing with plot ideas by asking the question “what if?” and watching as a story beg...
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Episode 67
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9:33
Meet Your Readers
You can increase the chances that a reader will connect with your story, and understanding your ideal reader is one way to do just that. If you want the point of your story to come across loud and clear, you need to understand what your ideal r...
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Episode 66
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9:29
Why Self-Doubt Is Okay
Self-doubt (a.k.a. imposter syndrome, writers’ block and the inner critic) is an experience that all writers have. The question is not how to get rid of it, but how to understand it and work with it. Links:Tak...
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Episode 65
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6:54
What a Book Coach Can Add
Working with a book coach is a lot like working with a personal trainer for exercise. Can you do it without one? Sure! But are there benefits to working with someone who deeply understands the skills and strategies and will support you as you r...
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Episode 64
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9:06
Help Your Reader Care
Why is your protagonist making the decisions they’re making in the story? If you want your reader to care about what happens next, the best way is to answer three essential questions about your protagonist's motivation. You can’t guarantee some...
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Episode 63
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9:38
What It Takes to Write a Novel
What does it actually take to write a novel? This episode is all about what to expect in terms of effort, time investment and emotional exertion. Writing a novel is hard, and it takes a long time. But it’s worth it! Links:<...
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Episode 62
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10:10
The #1 Question to Ask When Writing a Novel
Feeling unmotivated or uncertain about your current work-in-progress? In this episode, we’ll dig into an important question that will unearth reasons you didn't even know were there and give you the confidence you need to move forward.
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Episode 61
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9:58
How to Write a Novel
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the thought of writing a novel? No lie, it’s hard work. But this episode lays out a three-phase process that is structured enough to support you while allowing for your creative inspiration. There is no “right” wa...
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Episode 60
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10:14
Why aren't I writing?
When was the last time you sat down to write your book? If you’re experiencing difficulty finding your way to the page, this short episode is for you. We’ll peel back the layers to find out what’s beneath it, and learn how to manage our self-do...
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Episode 59
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5:02
Your Protagonist's Arc of Change
Your protagonist is not just bouncing from one event to another. They are changing as a result of those events. In this episode, we dig into your protagonist’s arc of emotional change, both why it matters and how to establish it. Lin...
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Episode 58
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6:43
Do I have to plan my novel?
You know that there’s value in planning your novel ahead of time, but you just can’t quite make yourself do it. You are not alone! In today’s episode, we talk about the plotter/pantser continuum and how to explore the options for starting a nov...
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Episode 57
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6:07
BONUS: Kickstart Your Novel
Have you got an idea for a novel but you're not sure where to start? Or maybe started and gotten stuck? Here are two easy-breezy but powerful (and did I mention FREE) ways to kickstart yourself with actionable, practical next steps...
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2:02
Your Novel's Timeline
#056 Knowing where your novel starts and ends provides structure, efficiency and focus within your novel-writing journey. In this episode, we explore three strategies for making these early decisions in a way that feels true and right for...
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Episode 56
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6:41
Writing Secondary Characters
While secondary characters might seem less important than your protagonist, they actually serve a very important purpose. They drive the story forward and give the protagonist context, relationships, roadblocks, relief, and more. In this episod...
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Episode 55
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6:26
How to Write Believable Characters
#54 How do we create primary characters that are nuanced and complex without being stereotypical, flat, or strange caricatures of themselves? The key is to know them. Like, really know them. And it’s more than knowing things like their...
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Episode 54
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5:51
Writing in 2022
We're not making resolutions here. We're looking at what worked last year and what didn't, what we want to accomplish in 2022 and how we're going to make that happen! While much of the world is out of our control, our writing lives and our resu...
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Episode 53
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10:56
Understand Your Character's Motivation
Why does your character make the decisions she makes? Why does the "bad guy" act the way he does? Hint: there is ALWAYS a reason. In today's episode, we're looking at the four questions that will get to the root of your character's motiva...
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Episode 52
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8:26
Writing for Young Readers
"Writing for kids is easier than writing for adults." WRONG! Writing for young readers takes the same amount of consideration as writing for adults, plus we have to consider their developmental stages. In this episode, we talk about the various...
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Episode 51
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7:40
Improve your narrative voice with mentor texts
VOICE is one of those elements of writing a novel that is hard to explain...which makes it hard to learn! In today's episode, I'm teaching you how to study a mentor text to learn what makes the voice work. Links:
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Episode 50
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5:57
How to Use Craft Resources
There is a LOT of writing advice out there. So how do we navigate it in an intentional and useful way? In this episode I share my strategy for learning and improving my own writing while staying focused on my current work in progress. <...
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Episode 49
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8:08
Describing Human Characters Well
Yep, humans. Not fantastical flying creatures or beings from other worlds. Plain old, everyday humans. Which means that we don’t have the luxury of quite as much space on the page to describe them, or else we run the risk of boring or annoying ...
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Episode 48
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7:14