What “Who Not How” Can Teach You About Writing Fiction

Scared of Writing Diverse Characters? Here’s How to Get Started.

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 limiting your audience prematurely or accidentally falling into your own misrepresentation trap. Let’s dive in! Resources related to this episode (some mentioned, some not, all here to help you write better books): * Writing the Other (many resources on representing varied racial & minority groups respectfully): https://writingtheother.com/ [https://writingtheother.com/] * Verna Myers’ TEDTalk “How to overcome our biases? Walk boldly toward them”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYyvbgINZkQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYyvbgINZkQ] * Molly Rookwood’s Blog Post “Antisemitism in Fantasy and Fairy Tales”: https://www.rookwoodediting.com/post/antisemitism-in-fantasy-and-fairy-tales [https://www.rookwoodediting.com/post/antisemitism-in-fantasy-and-fairy-tales] * My blog post “First, Do No Harm: World Building Tropes to Avoid”: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/world-building-tropes-to-avoid [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/world-building-tropes-to-avoid] * Another blog post from me “3 Resources for Improving LGBTQIA+ Representation in Your Stories”: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/improve-lgbtqia-representation-in-your-stories [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/improve-lgbtqia-representation-in-your-stories] Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/28 [https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/28]. 00:00 Intro 06:23 Mindset 1: Listen & Learn 09:50 Mindset 2: Leaning on "classic" tropes Isn't an excuse. 15:48 Mindset 3: Don't Write for One Reader 20:12 Mindset 4: Think Beyond Trauma

Do you need an editor for your novel? It depends.

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, let’s talk about it. The answer depends on two factors: your publishing plan and your skill as a writer. Listen to learn about the different types of editors and how to know which types of feedback you’ll need at each stage in your writing process. * Request a sample edit from Olivia (closed to the public until July 7th): https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/sample-edit [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/sample-edit] * Margie Lawson’s line editing courses: https://www.margielawson.com/lawson-writers-academy-2/ [https://www.margielawson.com/lawson-writers-academy-2/] * Learn more about the different types of editors here: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/types-of-editing-and-editors [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/types-of-editing-and-editors] Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/27 [https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/27]. 00:00 Intro 01:51 Types of Editing 06:36 Editing Needs for Trad vs. Self-Pub 11:12 Do you need developmental or line editing? 11:51 Editing for Absolute Beginners 16:05 When to Hire a Developmental Editor 20:27 Do You Need Line Editing? 22:25 Making Your Decision 25:52 Final Thoughts on Editorial Support

The 6 Mindsets Fiction Writers Need to Revise Successfully

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 your book great. 6. Embrace collaboration. These mindsets aren’t always easy to embrace, but they will help you create a book that works for readers. Listen to the full episode to learn why each of these mindsets is crucial and my advice for making them part of your process. Want my support through every step of the revision process? My course/group coaching program Reader Ready Revisions is open for enrollment right now. You can learn more and apply for the next cohort here: https://readerreadyrevisions.com [https://readerreadyrevisions.com]. Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/26 [https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/26]. 00:29 Revision & Mindset 01:14 Mindset 1: Don't compare your draft to a finished book 04:03 Mindset 2: Don't be afraid of big changes. 06:28 Mindset 3: Be patient. 07:46 Mindset 4: Feedback isn't law 12:42 Mindset 5: You can make your book great. 16:17 Mindset 6: Embrace Collaboration

Fiction Writers: Are you starting your revisions the right way?

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: 1. Visualize your finished book so you have a destination for your revisions. 2. Analyze your draft so you know exactly what needs work. 3. Strategize your revisions so you can choose solutions that will make the entire book better, not just parts of it. Want to learn more about the revision mistakes that keep fiction writers stuck? Sign up for my FREE revision masterclass. It’s called Finally Finish Your Book: Stop Making the 5 Revision Mistakes Keeping Your Story Stuck. You can learn more about the class here: https://ohwrevisionclass.com/ [https://ohwrevisionclass.com/] Ready to register? Choose your session and sign up here: * Wednesday, May 20th: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may20 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may20] * Thursday, May 21st: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may21 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may21] * Saturday, May 23rd: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may23 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may23] * Tuesday, May 26th: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may26 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may26] Can’t make any of them? Register anyway and I’ll send you the replay as soon as we’re done! If you show up live OR watch the replay within 24 hours, you’ll get my book map template for free! See you there! Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/25 [https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/25].

How a Reverse Outline Can Help Fiction Writers Revise Their Novels

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: 1. The definition of a reverse outline 2. Why reverse outlines are particularly powerful for pantsers 3. How to use a reverse outline for revision 4. How to use a reverse outline as your revision plan Sign up for my FREE revision masterclass and finally finish your book. You can learn more about the class here: https://ohwrevisionclass.com/ [https://ohwrevisionclass.com/] Ready to register? Choose your session and sign up here: * Wednesday, May 20th: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may20 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may20] * Thursday, May 21st: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may21 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may21] * Saturday, May 23rd: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may23 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may23] * Tuesday, May 26th: https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may26 [https://olivia-helps-writers.kit.com/masterclass-may26] Choose the session that works for you and I’ll see you there! Can’t make any of them? Register anyway and I’ll send you the replay as soon as we’re done! If you show up live OR watch the replay within 24 hours, you’ll get my book map template for free! Here are the resources mentioned in this episode: * Read more about creating and using a reverse outline in this blog post https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/reverse-outlining-what-why-and-how [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/blog/reverse-outlining-what-why-and-how] * Want to learn my step-by-step process for creating, analyzing, and using a reverse outline to revise your novel? Join the next round of Reader Ready Revisions here: https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/reader-ready-revisions [https://www.oliviahelpswriters.com/reader-ready-revisions] * Have a response to this episode? Hit me up on Instagram @oliviahelpswriters https://instagram.com/oliviahelpswriters [https://instagram.com/oliviahelpswriters] Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/24 [https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/24].