Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple: How to Write, Edit, and Publish Your Debut Fantasy, Science Fiction, or Dystopian No

Are you looking to level up your writing in 2025? In this episode, I dive into three incredibly valuable ways you can improve your writing, get answers to your important writing questions, and get valuable feedback on your work for FREE. Tune in to learn how to navigate your writing challenges and set yourself up for success in 2025!

This episode was produced by me, The Speculative Fiction Book Coach! Contact me at [email protected] 

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SNAP Critique ✍️ Ready to get your first scene (5 pages or fewer) critiqued for FREE? Fill out the SNAP Critique Form right here!

Program Clarity Chat 💻 Are you curious whether private book coaching or group book coaching might be right for you? Please click here to sign up for a FREE chat! 

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Click HERE to find Comp Titles Crash Course!

$97 for limited time!

Comp titles--they might be one of the most dreaded topics in the writing world. After all, most of us are writing novels that feel unique, so trying to find a novel “like” ours is a nearly impossible feat. In fact… It's a frustrating, overwhelming task that makes us feel more than a little salty. 

But, the truth is, comp titles are a necessary evil. And if you give yourself the time, space, and tools to do the work properly, they can actually be fun to find.

In today's episode you'll learn: 

• The 6 key steps to finding perfect-fit comp titles for your novel
• When to start looking for comp titles
• Why you’re making finding comp titles hard than it needs to be
• Where to look for comp titles 
• What books to avoid when looking for comp titles
• And so much more

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

The opening scene of your novel is arguably the most crucial part of your book. If it doesn’t capture readers' curiosity and imagination, they won’t keep reading. No wonder the opening scene is notoriously hard to write!

But don’t worry—I’m here to help simplify and clarify the progress!

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• 5 Essential Questions you MUST answer when writing your opening scene
• Whether backstory and context are essential or just a recipe for info dumping
• Why character flaws and problems are key to an engaging opening scene
• And so much more...

Sign up for my FREE Mini Course: 
✨4 Secrets To Crafting a Powerful Character Arc for Your Protagonist✨

👉resources.manyworldswriting.com/5XyYsI

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Writer's block is one of the most challenging hurdles an author can encounter. It has the power to derail brilliant stories and thwart dreams of becoming a published author. But fear not—there are effective strategies to combat this creativity killer and keep your writing journey on course.

In this episode, we'll delve into practical, actionable steps to limit and conquer writer’s block. Whether you're struggling to get started, stuck in the middle of a project, or facing a blank page, I've got you covered.

 In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 9 powerful tricks that can help you overcome writer’s block and maintain your creative flow
• The most foundational layer of your novel that might be missing, and how addressing it can reignite your inspiration
• The common issues that cause writer’s block and how to tackle them head-on
• And so much more…

Finding the Point of your novel: 

Click HERE for Episode 1

Click HERE for the FREE Episode 1 workbook 

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

 Most writers understand that creating a character with no flaws is a huge turnoff to readers because it’s hard to feel connected to someone who is perfect and does everything right.
 
But how do you give your protagonist flaws that feel real and authentic instead of superficially layered on? 

Worry no more! In this episode, we'll dive deep into exactly how to uncover and develop your protagonist's flaws so readers will be hooked.

In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The 4 steps to writing a flawed protagonist
2. The 3 foundational elements that must be in place before you uncover your protagonist's flaws
3. How character arc is pivotal to authentic flaws
4. And so much more…

Click HERE for Episode 1

Click HERE for the FREE Episode 1 workbook 

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

The biggest obstacles writers face are overcoming procrastination and avoiding the dreaded writer’s block. In fact, these obstacles are what stand between them and finishing their novel. But what many writers don’t realize is that the key to conquering these obstacles is developing a consistent writing habit that will keep their creative juices flowing.

So, how can a writer actually create a writing habit that will help them through the highs and lows of writing and revise a novel that captivates readers?

Well, get ready to learn exactly the steps to take to make a productive writing habit a reality this year! 

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The 6 steps that you need to take to establish your own writing habit
2. Why writing every day is key to long term success
3. The number 1 key to sticking to your writing routine
4. And so much more…

🌟 Powerful Writers, Magical Novels Group Mentorship Program 🌟

Are you ready to finally write your novel in a growth-oriented mentorship program? Join a group where a certified book coach (that's me) will help you craft your novel from character arcs and plot development to building your author platform. You'll receive extensive 1:1 feedback in a supportive community.

Sign up for a free mentorship chat now and discover if this program is the right fit for you! Book your mentorship chat here

Who should sign up for a free chat?

Any writer who:

👉 Wants to write a powerful novel

👉 Believes in diversity and inclusion

👉 Wants support, encouragement, and accountability

👉 Knows that writing a great novel takes time and skill

👉 Wants to stop cobbling information together from all over the internet and instead get everything they need in one place

👉 Is looking for the right mentor to guide their journey

👉 Is ready to get serious about writing their novel now

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Writing a speculative fiction novel that resonates with readers is tough work. Many writers feel they're doing something wrong when it takes time to create a draft that feels solid and ready to stand on its own two shaky legs.

In fact, one of the very first questions most writers ask me before we start working together is some version of: "How long will it take for me to finish my novel?"

If you're one of those writers, great! I'm going to answer all of your questions by walking you through the process as it typically unfolds with the writers I work with!

 In this episode you’ll learn:

• The general timeline for writing a debut novel--especially if you’re looking to write an emotionally powerful one. 
• How many drafts it typically takes to write a solid manuscript.
• What happens at each phase of the drafting.
• And so much more…

🌟 Powerful Writers, Magical Novels Group Mentorship Program 🌟

Are you ready to finally write your novel in a growth-oriented mentorship program? Join a group where a certified book coach (that's me) will help you craft your novel from character arcs and plot development to building your author platform. You'll receive extensive 1:1 feedback in a supportive community.
Sign up for a free mentorship chat now and discover if this program is the right fit for you!

Book your mentorship chat here:

https://heatherdavisbookcoachingservices.as.me/Mentorship

Who should sign up for a free chat?

Any writer who:

👉 Wants to write a powerful novel
👉 Believes in diversity and inclusion
👉 Wants support, encouragement, and accountability
👉 Knows that writing a great novel takes time and skill
👉 Wants to stop cobbling information together from all over the internet and instead get everything they need in one place
👉 Is looking for the right mentor to guide their journey
👉 Is ready to get serious about writing their novel now

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Many writers want to include more LGBTQ+ characters in their novels, but they’re afraid of getting it wrong and doing more harm than good. If you’re one of those writers, this podcast episode is for you! My friend and colleague, Sam Cameron, explains exactly how every writer can feel empowered to write more inclusive stories.

🌟Take Sam Cameron’s quiz and find out if your manuscript is LGBTQ+ inclusive🌟 

https://truantpen.com/lgbtq 

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The 4 steps you should take to ensure your LGBTQ+ characters are represented in a way that supports and uplifts the community
2. Whether the advice "write what you know" is really the best policy
3. The 3 most harmful tropes to avoid
4. Novels that you can "study" to see LGBTQ+ characters represented well
5. And so much more…

🌟 Powerful Writers, Magical Novels Group Mentorship Program 🌟

Are you ready to finally write your novel in a growth oriented mentorship program where a certified book coach (that's me) will help you craft your novel from the character arc and plot all the way through building your author platform? A group where you'll get lots of 1:1 feedback?

Sign up for a mentorship chat now and let's find out if the program is right for you!

https://heatherdavisbookcoachingservices.as.me/Mentorship

Who should sign up for a free chat?

Any writer who:

👉 Wants to write a powerful novel
👉 Believes in diversity and inclusion
👉 Wants support, encouragement, and accountability
👉 Knows that writing a great novel takes time and skill
👉 Wants to stop cobbling information together from all over the internet and instead get everything they need in one place
👉 Wants to find the right mentor to guide their journey
👉 Wants to get down to business writing their novel now

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

→Sign up for my free workshop Create a Dynamic Character Arc For Your Protagonist. This workshop,  which includes live coaching, will help you develop the foundation elements of your novel and bridge the gap between plot and character arc! https://resources.manyworldswriting.com/workshop

You might have heard of Goal, Motivation, Stakes, and Conflict, but do you know how to use them to create narrative drive in your novel?

In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The Goal, Motivation, Stakes, and Conflict Chain, and how to use it to create narrative drive
2. Why your protagonist must have a clear, concrete, and tangible goal from page one
3. High versus low stakes novels and how to make either interesting to readers
4. The 5 questions to ask yourself to create narrative drive
5. Why you need a ticking clock
6. And so much more…

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Snag my FREE workbook: resources.manyworldswriting.com/AI

Everyone in the writing world is talking about AI, but should you really buy into the buzz?

In this episode I’m going to explore what it’s okay to use AI for in your writing and what I believe you should never use AI for.

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. 3 tasks it’s okay to use AI for.
2. 3 tasks you should NEVER outsource to AI
3. 2 main benefits of using AI in your writing
4. 5 dangers of letting AI have too big a hand in your work 
5. And so much more…

Don’t forget to give my Author Accelerator book coaching friends a quick hello! These ladies are brilliant! 

Ivy Dally https://www.bookboundcoaching.com/ 

Katie Wall https://www.craftbetterbooks.com/ 

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Snag my FREE workbook: resources.manyworldswriting.com/edit 

Almost every writer wants to get better at self-editing their work. But how? And which techniques improve your work the most dramatically?

In this episode I’m going to talk about the self-editing hacks that will help you rapidly improve your work as you write and edit. 

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The 8 self-editing hacks that can rapidly improve your prose.
2. How to use paragraphing for style, emphasis, and pacing. 
3. Tips on developing your writing Voice. 
4. And so much more…

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Snag my FREE workbook: https://resources.manyworldswriting.com/truth 

Ever wondered why your favorite novels feel so authentic and cohesive? It’s not about all the surface level editing you’ve been driving yourself crazy with. Instead, it’s about the deeper stuff. The bones of the narrative. 

In this episode I’m going to talk about the subtle parts of writing a great novel so that you’re focusing your energy in the right places as you write and revise.

 In this episode you’ll learn:

The truth about what a story really is and what it’s not.
How transformation is at the very core of impactful narratives.
The basics of character arc development
And so much more…

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Snag my FREE workbook: resources.manyworldswriting.com/magic

Ever wondered how to create an interesting and compelling magic system that readers will love? 

In this episode I’m breaking down exactly how to create a magic system that works.

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. The crucial importance of weaving an engaging magic system into your fantasy world.
2. Differentiating between soft and hard magic systems, and knowing which to employ for maximum impact.
3. A comprehensive 7-step guide to fashioning a magic system that is both intricate and internally consistent.
4. Witness the creation of a magic system through a detailed example, illuminating every facet of the creative process.

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Snag my FREE interiority workbook: https://resources.manyworldswriting.com/interiority

Have you ever wondered how to ensure your readers are so engrossed in your protagonist  that they can put your novel down?

In this episode I'm peeling back the layers of protagonist interiority and revealing how to create your protagonist's inner world and make your novel unputdownable.

In this episode you’ll learn:

What interiority is
The 9 ways interiority manifests in novels
Why you need to add interiority to your novel
How to get interiority onto the page in your scenes
How to balance your narrative with the right amount of interiority 
And so much more!

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

What makes a protagonist memorable and unique? What makes readers fall in love with them enough to follow them around for 300-500 pages?

Knowing the answers to those questions is the difference between creating a flat, dull protagonist and having a magnetic protagonist that readers can’t get enough of!

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. Why every novel is actually character driven
2. How character arc must be thoroughly considered when getting to know your protagonist
3. The 7 questions you must ask yourself about your protagonist to make them magnetic to readers
4. And so much more!

Snag my FREE protagonist workbook: 

https://manyworldswriting.com/protagonist 

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

If you're a writer, you've likely encountered the timeless advice: "Show Don't Tell." While intended to enhance scene creation by encouraging vivid depiction over mere narration, this guidance has been misunderstood, leading to detrimental effects on otherwise strong novels.

If you've questioned the validity of this advice, stay tuned as I debunk misconceptions and provide practical strategies to reignite the potency and depth of your scenes.

 In this episode you’ll learn:

1. Showing vs. telling on the page
2. Why balancing both creates stronger, more meaningful storytelling
3. Mastering the art of crafting scenes that skillfully blend showing and telling.

If you’re ready to learn more about the art of showing and telling, snag my FREE workbook: https://www.manyworldswriting.com/showandtell 

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

The most important skill you can have as a writer is the ability to write a compelling scene, but it’s a skill that few writers have actually mastered. 

So in this episode we are going to do a deep dive into scene structure and learn:

1) How to know if an event in your novel actually needs to be a scene

2) the structure of a great scene

3) the 6 elements you should add to every scene to make them vibrant and irresistible to readers

4) how to expand a summary into a full scene.

If you’re ready to learn all about how kick*ss scenes are actually written, snag my FREE workbook: https://www.manyworldswriting.com/scene 

Are you ready for an affordable mentorship program that will help you write a powerful speculative fiction novel? Fill out an application to my Powerful Writers, Powerful Novels Mentorship Program: manyworldswriting.com/mentorship

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

The most important skill you can have as a writer is the ability to write a great scene... but, unfortunately, it’s a skill that few writers have actually mastered.

You need to understand:

1) What a scene is.

2) Whether a given event in your novel needs to be a scene.

3) The structure of a great scene.

If you’re ready to learn all about how kick*ss scenes are actually written, snag my FREE workbook: https://www.manyworldswriting.com/scene

Are you ready for an affordable mentorship program that will help you write a powerful speculative fiction novel? Fill out an application to my Powerful Writers, Powerful Novels Mentorship Program: https://manyworldswriting.com/mentorship 

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw 

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Backstory is an essential part of every novel.

Without it, your protagonist doesn’t have a meaningful character arc and your story lacks depth. But writers are (understandably) scared to put backstory in their novel because they’re afraid of info dumping.

Well, there is a way to strike a perfect balance. You CAN include valuable backstory AND avoid info dumping.

Grab my FREE checklist right here and learn the 5 principles of highly effective backstory: https://www.manyworldswriting.com/backstory 

Are you ready for an affordable mentorship program that will help you write a powerful speculative fiction novel? Fill out an application to my Powerful Writers, Powerful Novels Mentorship Program: manyworldswriting.com/mentorship 

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗

Criticism is one of the hardest things for writers to process and it sometimes leads to writers giving up on the craft or refusing to share their work with the world. 

If you’re ready explore the 7 key understandings that will help you reframe criticism for a healthier relationship with it, access the FREE workbook right here: https://www.manyworldswriting.com/handlingcriticism 

Are you ready for an affordable mentorship program that will help you write a powerful speculative fiction novel? Fill out an application to my Powerful Writers, Powerful Novels Mentorship Program:

https://www.manyworldswriting.com/mentorship 

Join the Many Worlds Writing Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1012106499677937/?mibextid=oMANbw

Ask Me Anything Thursdays👋 Send me your writing question! I'll answer it in an upcoming episode. Include your name if you want a shout out! 🤗