Discover how five Notes to Novel students stopped guessing their way through drafts by planning and outlining their stories with a clear structure.

In this Student Spotlight episode, you’ll hear from five Notes to Novel students who entered the program actively writing, but couldn’t see why their drafts weren't working or how to fix them.

Each case study shows what changed once these writers had a clear process to follow—one that helped them turn their ideas into a story that works.

You’ll hear how confusion turned into clear decision-making, how outlines became practical tools for guiding the draft, and how stalled stories started moving forward once these writers understood what their stories actually needed.

Here’s what we cover:

[03:00] How Maggie moved from self-doubt and “am I even a real writer?” thinking to confidently outlining a rich fantasy novel with a clear antagonist and story direction.

[07:00] How John spiced up the middle of his story by strengthening stakes, side characters, and theme, and learned to treat his outline as a flexible, living document.

[12:00] How Insa rebuilt her women’s fiction novel by clarifying genre, layering conflict into every scene, and writing over 15,000 words in just days after finishing Notes To Novel.

[17:45] How Emily broke out of over-learning mode, found the missing middle of her story, and gained clarity on conflict, antagonists, and scene-level momentum.

[23:45] How Samantha uncovered the core misunderstanding holding her romance novels back and finally found a clear path to revising and finishing her draft.

Ready to finish your novel without second-guessing every word, sentence, or scene? Join Maggie, John, Insa, Emily, and Samantha, along with hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel hard. You just need the right roadmap.

Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Doors open January 22nd until January 28th. Don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished, easy-to-edit first draft you love.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about Notes to Novel
• Maggie Rose Instagram
• Emily S. Instagram

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Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

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Five writers. Five different starting points. One clear framework that turned stalled first drafts into steady progress.

In today’s episode, I’m sharing real stories from five Notes to Novel students who were stuck in very different ways but wanted the same thing: clarity and forward momentum on their novels.

You'll hear from writers who were buried in craft books, sitting on drafts that didn’t work, rewriting in circles, or unsure if they were “too far along” or “not far enough” to get help. What changed was simple: they stopped guessing and started working with a clear framework they could trust.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure what your next step should be, there’s a good chance you’ll hear your own experience reflected in this episode.

Here’s what we cover:

[04:01] How Carolyn went from a shaky first draft structure to confidently plotting a new novel with clear scenes, stakes, and forward momentum.

[07:42] How Hazel broke free from information overload and rebuilt her outline from the ground up with a clear theme and scene-level direction.

[11:20] How Josephine stopped over-learning, trusted one proven process, and moved from endless brainstorming to fast drafting with confidence.

[17:03] How Warren, a self-published author, fixed the middle of his story using key scenes, antagonists, and pinch points.

[19:49] How Rachel turned 130,000 words into a clear, pitchable 85,000-word story that she’s proud of and can explain with confidence.

Ready to finish your novel without second-guessing every word, sentence, or scene? Join Carolyn, Hazel, Josephine, Warren, Rachel, and hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel hard. You just need the right roadmap.

Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Doors open January 22nd until January 28th. Don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished, easy-to-edit first draft you love.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Join The Notes To Novel Waitlist
• Carolyn Freudenthal Website
• Hazel Dawson Instagram
• Josephine Noble Website
• Warren Dunn Website

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Discover how three Notes to Novel™ students stopped guessing their way through drafting and built steady, sustainable momentum toward a finished first draft.

In this short bonus episode, I'm sharing three real case studies from past Notes to Novel students who were all stuck in different ways but wanted the same thing: to finish their first draft.

You’ll hear how each writer went from stalled, inconsistent drafting to steady momentum once they stopped overthinking and started working with a clear story structure and scene-level direction.

These aren't theories or abstract tips. They're real examples of what changes when writers have a proven process that they can trust.

Here’s what we cover:

[03:56] How Lindsay went from 25,000 words in six months to a 100,000-word draft after finding the missing piece that finally made her story flow.

[08:47] Why Alison kept putting finished drafts in a drawer, and the realization that finally explained why her scenes weren't working.

[10:40] How Sharon, a first-time novelist, set a realistic goal of 6,000 words per week and finished her entire first draft two days ahead of schedule, stress-free.

[13:18] The drafting strategy that keeps you moving forward with confidence instead of second-guessing every scene you write

Ready to stop stalling and start finishing? Join Lindsay, Alison, Sharon, and hundreds of other writers who've discovered that drafting doesn't have to feel like a slog. You just need the right roadmap.

Get on the waitlist for the next open enrollment of my Notes to Novel course and get my complete, step-by-step framework for writing a story that works. Doors open January 22nd—don't miss your chance to turn your ideas into a finished draft you're proud of.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

If you've been working on your novel for months—or even years—without making real progress, this episode will help you understand why.

Maybe you've started multiple books but never finished one. Maybe you sit down to write and have no idea what to work on. Or maybe you keep rewriting the same chapters over and over, hoping clarity will finally come.

Here's what I want you to know: this isn't a talent problem or a motivation problem. It's a process problem—and process problems are fixable.

In this episode, I'm walking you through five signs your writing process is broken, what's really causing all of them, and the one fix that will help you finish your novel.

This is what I talk about:

[02:13] Why you keep abandoning novels around the 20-30k word mark—and what's really happening when a new idea feels easier than finishing your current draft.

[04:30] The real reason you sit down to write and don't know what to work on, even when you've protected the time and eliminated distractions.

[06:53] How perfectionism disguises itself as productivity—and why rewriting the same chapters keeps you stuck instead of moving your draft forward.

[10:24] The difference between having a story idea and having a story that can support a full-length novel (hint: it comes down to knowing your ending).

[12:39] The one root cause behind all five signs—and how building a solid story foundation before you draft changes everything.

If you recognized yourself in any of these signs, stop blaming yourself and start looking at your foundation. The fix isn't more willpower or a better story idea—it's building a solid foundation before you draft.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Learn how a self-proclaimed perfectionist wrote a 114,000-word first draft in just 88 days—while working full-time and without finding more hours in the day.

Poornika didn't have endless hours to write. She had two hours a night after work, some longer weekend sessions, and a chronic illness that sometimes forced her to step away completely. And yet, she finished her novel in 88 days—and went on to sign with her dream agent.

In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Poornika Kakkanaiah, a former Notes to Novel student, to talk about what made that kind of progress possible. Spoiler: it wasn't discipline or motivation. It was having a clear roadmap that eliminated decision fatigue and made every writing session count.

Poornika shares how she broke free from months of research paralysis, the outlining approach that gave her a scene-by-scene outline she trusted, and why setting a cut-bait date changed everything.

If you've ever felt like your day job makes finishing a novel impossible, this conversation will show you otherwise.

Here's what we cover:

[07:51] Why combining multiple plotting methods created confusion instead of clarity, and what she did instead

[10:45] How Poornika built a scene-by-scene outline she trusted—and the cut-bait date that forced her to start drafting

[11:27] The three strategies that made it possible to write 114,000 words in 88 days while working full-time

[37:50] What it was like to get "the call"—and why signing with her dream agent felt like everything finally clicking into place

[40:06] The truth about getting multiple offers of representation (and why one great fit is all you need)

If you're craving proof that it's possible to write a novel alongside a demanding job and real-life challenges, Poornika's story will show you exactly what that can look like.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Poornika Kakkanaiah on TikTok
• Poornika Kakkanaiah on Instagram
• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

If you've been trying to write a novel with a full-time job, family, and everything else life throws at you, this episode is for you.

Maybe you squeeze writing into nights or weekends. You may start strong, then lose momentum when things don't go as planned. Or perhaps you keep telling yourself you’ll take your writing seriously when you have more time.

In this episode, I’m sharing five practical shifts to prioritize your novel and start making steady progress, even when your time is limited and unpredictable.

These shifts help you simplify your writing process, reduce decision fatigue, and use the time you already have more effectively, so your draft keeps moving forward instead of wobbling every time life gets busy.

You’ll hear me talk about things like:

[02:40] Why jumping between plotting methods can quietly stall your draft, and what really helps move the needle.

[04:30] How indecision eats up your writing time before you even start, and what to clarify before you sit down to write.

[06:33] The mistake most busy writers make when setting goals, and how to choose targets that actually fit your real life

[08:44] How to spot hidden pockets of writing time and why you need to protect them before your brain talks you out of it.

[10:50] Why isolation kills momentum, and how the right support system keeps you writing when motivation disappears.

[13:01] BONUS: Two real examples of busy writers who used the same approach, finished their drafts, and signed with agents.

And so much more…

You can finish your novel with a full, busy life. The time is already there. You just need a better plan. Listen in, choose one tip to try this week, and keep your first draft moving forward without waiting for perfect conditions.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sign up for the Writer Breakthrough Bootcamp
• Get on the Notes to Novel Waitlist

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

The best writing advice sticks because it changes how you approach the page. In this special year-end episode, I’m counting down the top 10 most impactful writing tips from Fiction Writing Made Easy in 2025, pulled from this year's most listened-to episodes.

These are the lessons writers kept coming back to. The ones that helped them stop second-guessing, get unstuck in the middle, and finally make real progress on their drafts.

In the episode, you’ll hear me talk about things like:

[07:30] Why perfectionism during drafting slows everything down, and what to do instead so you can keep moving forward.

[15:30] Why learning to write strong, focused scenes first makes plot structure clearer and helps your novel come together faster.

[18:30] How narrative drive works, why disconnected scenes stall your story, and the simple fix that creates clear cause-and-effect momentum.

[28:00] The real reason writers struggle to finish, and why process matters just as much as craft and mindset.

[31:00] Why following one complete writing method beats trying to combine multiple approaches, and how too much advice creates paralysis.

And so much more…

So grab your notebook, settle in, and let’s celebrate the writing advice that helped so many writers move closer to finishing their novel in 2025.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Click here to view the episode page with all the links.
• Get on the Notes to Novel waitlist!

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Learn how a busy parent finished a novel by following a clear roadmap that made it possible to pause, return, and keep moving forward.

Between raising four kids, navigating pregnancy and newborn life, and juggling everything that comes with being a busy parent, Madi didn't exactly have ideal writing conditions. And yet, she finished her novel.

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with Madi, a former Notes to Novel student, to talk about what it actually looked like to write a book in the middle of real life. She didn’t have unlimited time or perfect routines. What she had was a clear plan, realistic expectations, and a way to keep moving forward even when progress felt slow.

Madi shares the mindset shifts that helped her stop waiting for the right time, how outlining gave her momentum instead of boxing her in, and why having a process made it possible to pause without quitting when life demanded her attention.

If you’ve ever wanted to write and finish your novel but feel too busy right now, this conversation is for you.

Here’s what we cover:

[05:15] The mindset shift that helped Madi stop treating her novel like a hobby and start making real progress toward a finished draft

[09:00] How outlining gave Madi clarity and confidence without killing creativity or locking her into a rigid plot structure

[07:15] What writing a novel looked like during pregnancy, newborn life, and four kids—plus the simple routine that kept her moving forward

[14:50] The step-by-step editing process that turned Madi's first draft into a contest finalist manuscript without burnout

[24:15] How Madi went from querying literary agents to landing her dream agent at a top Christian Fiction agency

If you're craving proof that it's possible to write a novel alongside a full, busy life, Madi's story will show you exactly what that can look like.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Madi Unruh Instagram
• Get on the Notes To Novel Waitlist

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Ready to finally finish your novel? Click here to join Notes to Novel before doors close January 28th →

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.