This is my absolute favorite writing podcast. Savannah’s tips are concise, practical, and extremely helpful. My writing quality has skyrocketed since I started listening to her podcast. I can’t recommend this highly enough!

This podcast has helped me in more ways than I can name 🥲. Savannah is amazing at creating a friendly atmosphere on her podcast and I appreciate this so much. I would like an episode on how to make a story with characters on the move still interesting. I am writing a story where they are on the run and also trying to get to a certain place, but I am having trouble building chemistry between these two characters while the story still being appealing while they are constantly o the run. Thank you! Have a great day! 🙂

I highly recommend this podcast if you are a writer and looking for ways to upgrade your writing! There’s many practical tips and I find it to be very enjoyable listening to Savannah and her guests talk about writing! Thank you, Savannah!

I love the step-by-step instruction, then the wrap up/summation. I wish you could go into more detail regarding the Hero's Journey.

Very insightful and helpful for someone just starting out or perhaps already on their path.

One episode in and I already love it!! I’m a teenage writer fixing to self publish my book so I certainly need all the help I can get! Also, Miss Savannah, if you see this, can you please make an episode about starting a sequel to a fantasy book? I’m writing my sequel and I want to make sure it stays interesting and strong

Clear, focused actionable without a bunch of fluff.

This podcast has given clear instruction on the structure for writing fiction novels and I’ve been looking for this for a long time! Savannah lays it out plainly and repeats the content so it sticks.

This podcast is full of such valuable information that I literally need to listen to it with a notebook and pen!

Savannah delivers in each and every one of her episodes! This podcast is a must for anyone wanting to strengthen their craft and knowledge of the industry. Highly recommend!

I greatly appreciate the clear sound of this podcast - so easy to understand what’s being said. Whatever you’re doing or using equipment-wise, please keep it up. The topics are all relevant, with lots of fabulous information. Love the variety of guests!

Lots of great information and easy to listen to.

I have been listening to this podcast for over a year and I am always blown away by the easy to digest content and Savannah Gilbo’s selfless giving to the writing community and how she is always lifting up others.

Writing is a struggle for many of us and not always fun. I appreciate how this podcast breaks down helpful nuggets to make it easier. I enjoyed the episode on tips for neurodivergent writers.

Bite-sized portions of helpful content, delivered clearly and concisely. A+!

My writing journey is greatly improved every time I listen to an episode. Thanks so much for using real world examples to help move aspiring authors to the finish line!

Listening to the Jennifer Lauer episode. Less than stellar interview skills. Leave yourself out of it, stop with the “let me stop you right there” stuff, and directing/leading her on what to say. Listen to some successful podcasts and see what you can glean from how they interview. Otherwise great podcast.

As a new writer, Savannah’s wisdom and writing tips have helped me immensely. If you’re looking for a practical and applicable fiction writing podcast, this is the one!

A lot of useful information and Zoe laid out the thought process well of why writers should look to have the best possible book cover created for their work, and why her website would be very helpful in that process. One thing that was confusing was the actual final selection of your book designer. Early in the podcast, it sounded like the writer filled out a form from the website that gave potential designers all the information they would need to essentially respond to a request for proposal (ROP). That form is then sent out to designers, who respond as to whether they were interested in working with the writer. Then Zoe goes into a description of writing a letter to one of the designers who has responded to the ROP form, and it sounded like at that point the writer is pitching the designer as to why the designer should want to work with them. It sounded assbackward. I must have missed something.

I find Savannah’s advice to be useful in my novel writing. I’d like that she focuses on character and plot, using examples from other books. Although I do not write the kind of books that she mostly talks about, those books appeal to a lot of readers and also keep people turning the page and I think all writers can learn from that.

Savannah’s approach to making the writing process as easy as possible is refreshing and motivating! She gives so many tangible goals for any writer regardless of where they are in their writing journey and having other writers she’s worked with come on to share their journeys is inspiring. I cant recommend this podcast enough!

Listening to Savannah is like spending time with a good friend, learning from a skilled book coach, and having a personal cheerleader all at once. And I appreciate the freebie classes and workshops that she connects us with through her network of professionals. No matter where you are in your writing journey, I highly recommend Fiction Writing Made Easy! 📖

Not my genre(s) but so much good stuff! Worth a listen and maybe even a relisten week upon week.

I’m a published author, but of non-fiction. Now, I’m called to write novels for middle-grade children. Starting my first-ever work of fiction. I’ve immersed myself in learning about writing fiction. Hearing the stories of Notes to Novel students helped my internalize something: even with an outline, first draft is actually, me telling my story to myself; the foundation on which to build-out the details and nuances of the craft.

Loved the conversation between former writer and Savanna. I am presently on her waitlist for a one on one. I started writing a book with out an outline. I love my concept and all that goes with character development. I know I need tools in my toolbox. I believe after listening to her that she would be a great fit for me. Very interesting to listen to the process. Judy Kleinman Philadelphia, Pa USA

Super helpful! She’s helped me write my books, books that I loved writing but felt stuck on. Only one complaint, she says “that’s all for todays episode” or some form of it, like three time per episode, at least in the earlier episodes (I haven’t listened to the later ones). It’s really annoying, and for someone who’s an editor, she doesn’t seem to have edited her script 😂

I really enjoy these episodes for a variety of reasons. As a newcomer to the writing process, I had no guidelines and spent a lot of time stuck in the analysis process. She systematically breaks down the DNA of story building and lays out the best practices to follow in order to avoid losing momentum. She also explains how to pick your audience and genre before you begin writing. Which I found illuminating! Once I’ve chosen them; I can sit down and write a story that flows naturally from the idea in my mind directly towards my audience and genre. She will surprise you with hidden gems! Take lots of notes! Great podcast! I Definitely recommend it!

Savannah’s podcast has one of the absolute best breakdowns of episode content with timestamps out of all podcasts. There are times when I think I won’t be interested in an episode, but I see something in the content that makes me listen. Other podcasts should learn from her! But it was hearing her personal connection to Harry Potter that made me leave this review. Touching and relatable.

Great information conveyed in a simple way that is easy to understand. Savannah seems to genuinely want to help writers understand what they need to do to write great books. It’s delivered in bite size chunks that you can listen to when you have a few minutes. I really appreciate that she has put this excellent podcast together and the other helpful materials that she shares.

💕I find this very helpful. Keep up the good work!💕

Episodes are short and efficient and the entire podcast is comprehensive in general on the craft of writing. She also has handouts for most of her podcast episodes and other free resources on her website. Love her analysis of all things writing! Gilbo just released a new book, an in-depth deconstruction of one of the highest grossing fantasies of all time, Harry Potter (and specifically, book 1). I didn’t hesitate to preorder it—it’s sure to be a hit. I hope she considers putting together all her other nuggets of wisdom into a book on the writing craft so we can see it all in one place!

I have just found Savannah Gilbo and her terrific and very easy to understand Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcasts! I’ve learned several great tips and advice from the first few and I cannot wait to go back and listen to all that I have missed. She delivers a clear, fun and jargon-free podcast for many specific topics in writing a compelling and entertaining novel. Thank you, Savannah, keep up the great work, it is much appreciated!

Helpful podcast packed full of a lot of valuable information. I also get her newsletter. She’s good.

Just started listening to these pod cast and two episodes in, I already feel like I’ve learned some new information. I look forward to continuing my journey with writing and using the episodes to help me expand my writing.

Fiction Writing Made Easy is the best writing podcast I’ve come across! Savanna is knowledgeable and engaging. Her podcasts are to the point and she truly gives you tips you can use. No nonsense here! I love her podcasts and look forward to them every week! Thank you Savanna for making me a better writer!

One of the best and most comprehensive writing podcasts out there. Savannah gives actionable and detailed tips to improve your writing ability with summary recaps at the end of every episode. She makes writing feel achievable! Highly recommend! This is the writing course I’ve always needed!

I’m thankful I found this podcast. As a new novelist, I’ve spent several years working on my first novel. Savannah has a way of boiling down complex topics to a few easy actionable steps. I wish I had found this at the beginning of my journey. In my pursuit of knowledge about the craft of writing, this podcast has helped me more than anything else I’ve found. Thanks Savannah!

This podcast was just what I needed to get my writing back on track. I have listened to most episodes and learned a ton. Highly recommend!

Excellent writing advice! I liked Savannah’s easy-to-listen to style. She provides specific writing advice, with options, to help craft your story. Very well done!

Listened to the episode about multiple POV mistakes. She had great advice and followed up with suggestions on where we can find examples in published books. Very clear discussion and good reasoning for her 5 points. Am going to add this one to my podcast favorites. Joe G.

This is consistently the most useful writing podcast out there

I’ve listened to a bunch of writing podcasts and this one is one of the easiest to listen to. Clear and precise, with really great advice that’s not just the same old stuff. Thanks!

Ms. Gilbo’s podcasts are refreshingly straightforward and accessible. Her lessons are useful not just for writers just starting out, but they also serve as reminders of writing fundamentals for those attempting to put theory into practice. If you’re looking for clearly communicated, useful content, geared towards the real work of writing fiction, I recommend this podcast.

I find the podcast to be informative! Savannah provides chunks of depth on different writing skills, which has helped me springboard into deeper topics when I find something in my writing that needs improvement.

Savannah does exactly what an informational or educational podcast should do. Tell the topic she’s going to cover, Cover the topic in an organized way and even recaps her main points the end. There are no rabbit trails, sidebars, or any other fluff. She stays on track so the listener is always engaged and learning. I’ve turned off many podcasts because the host doesn’t stay on topic and there ends up being nothing to learn. Thank you for your hard work Savannah!

I’ve had a particular story in my head for years. In 2024 I decided it was time to get serious. I didn’t really know what I was doing so I started searching for podcasts and came across FWME and it has been an absolute game-changer for developing my story, which I thought was already completely developed. I highly recommend to anyone starting out, anyone who is stuck, or anyone needing a refresher. I love this podcast!

I have taken 19 years off from writing to be a mom. Needless to say I am a little rusty. These podcasts are a PERFECT refresher course. I am excited rather than apprehensive about writing again. Thank you!

I discovered Savannah’s podcast after writing my first draft of an MG novel. My characters were flat, I had no plot, and my theme was too subtle to notice. All I had was a clearly defined audience. I knew my characters mattered and that I had something to say for my particular audience, but my message was lost. I decided to start over but I didn’t know where to begin. Then I came across this podcast. I devoured Savannah’s podcast (and still am), bought books, and sought editorial help. This podcast took my novel from a state of cutesy vignettes to a solid MG novel with a clear plot and a compelling theme. My characters rounded out and new shape. I appreciate how this podcast has a variety of episode lengths, so I can easily digest the information whether I have 15 minutes or an hour to listen. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Savannah!

Thank you for help with the cratt!

This show always inspires and motivates me, but beyond that, it give some actionable steps to actually do something with all of that inspiration and motivations. I love listening when I’m walking my dogs or on my commute. If you want to turn chore time into learning time, press play on this show. Fair warning, you will want to start writing once the episode is over! Love this show so much! ✨