So, You Want to Write a Novel?

So, You Want to Write a Novel? - Episode 9

Your characters are always having two conversations — the one out loud, and the one in their heads. In this episode, I dig into dialogue — how I learned to make every exchange earn its keep, why I started replacing dialogue tags with action beats, and how layering a character’s unspoken thoughts under their spoken words creates the kind of subtext that pulls readers in. With examples from all four novels in the We Are Not Saints series, I share the techniques I stumbled into and the ones I leaned into hard. If you’re enjoying the podcast, subscribe to my Substack to get new episodes and posts delivered straight to your inbox. And if you’d like a taste of what I’m working on next, subscribers can download three free chapters of my upcoming novel, Sycamore Boy. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlesbrownauthor.substack.com [https://hlesbrownauthor.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

So, You Want to Write a Novel? - Episode 8

The nuts and bolts of writing may not be glamorous, but they might be the most important investment you make in your manuscript. In this episode, I share what I've learned about spelling, punctuation, and grammar over the course of five novels — why clarity of thought matters more than following rules, what your editor is actually doing with your manuscript, and why knowing the rules is the first step to breaking them well. I also talk about Grammarly as a learning tool and walk through the workflow I've settled on for getting a clean manuscript to my editor. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlesbrownauthor.substack.com [https://hlesbrownauthor.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

So, You Want to Write a Novel? - Episode 7

Your setting isn't just where the story happens — it's a character with a role to play. In this episode, I break down the difference between locale and setting, and show how I use real places, photographs, floor plans, and a few deliberate name changes to ground my fiction in a world readers can see, hear, and feel. From a cold, empty seminary in Rome that mirrors a character's inner emptiness, to a warm Italian restaurant dinner with a cardinal, to apartments I found on real rental listings, I share the tricks I use to make settings do more than just sit there. I also talk about when to use real names and addresses — and when plausible deniability is the smarter move. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlesbrownauthor.substack.com [https://hlesbrownauthor.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

So You Want to Write a Novel? - Episode 6

In Episode 6, Getting the Message, I tackle one of the craft skills that worried me most when I started writing fiction: dialogue. Why is conversation so much more powerful than description at conveying meaning? How do I actually create my characters' conversations — and what does rehearsing difficult talks in your own head have to do with it? I get into the surprising magic of "he said," why I learned to stop reaching for adverbs like emoticons, the dangers of going overboard with dialect (poor Handy Andy), and how to let your readers know who's talking without ever telling them. If you've ever been told "show, don't tell," dialogue is where that advice really comes alive. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlesbrownauthor.substack.com [https://hlesbrownauthor.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

So, You Want to Write a Novel? - Episode 5

Backstory: the hidden engine that drives your characters and keeps readers guessing. In this episode, I pull back the curtain on how I built one of my most complex characters—Hannah from The Priest—by anchoring her fictional life in real WWII history and building outward, one plausible step at a time. Fair warning: this one contains spoilers. If you haven’t read the book yet, you might want to skip ahead to Episode 6 on settings and come back later. For everyone else, I share the technique I use to lend real weight to backstories. Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. . This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hlesbrownauthor.substack.com [https://hlesbrownauthor.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]