Lit Match

Do you love historical romance? Do you want to learn what makes a first chapter capture a reader's (and literary agent's!) attention?

Then you need today's episode. 

In today's episode, book coach and developmental editor Savannah Gilbo returns for a deep dive into the uber-popular, time-traveling romance, OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon. This conversation is jam-packed with insightful tips on how to pull readers into your story with world-building, set ups, and memorable, interesting characters without slowing the pace. 

Some other topics Savannah and I explore include:

• How to write an intriguing opening (and scenes) with what can sometimes feel like less intense stakes 
• How many scenes are in this first chapter, and why each models a well-structured scene
• How to plant set ups and share meaningful backstory without dragging down the pace
• Plus, more! 

By the time you finish this episode, you'll know how to identify and answer some important questions that first chapters need in order to set up reader expectations. You'll also take away a handful of tools that you can use to tighten and polish well-structured scenes. So pick up a notebook and get ready to learn!

P.S. Happy Valentine's Day! 

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Books mentioned in this episode:

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• The Writer's Guide to Beginnings by Paula Munier
• Story Grid by Shawn Clyne

Follow Abigail and Savannah: 

If you're unsure how to write or analyze well-structured scenes in your novel, you need today's episode. 

Today, book coach and developmental editor Savannah Gilbo returns for a deep dive and scene analysis...only this time, it's extra special because it not only features a chapter from one of our favorite books, it is also the book Savannah analyzes in her Writer's Guide: The Writer's Study Guide: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Story Grid Publishing). 

When writers reach out to Savannah about this writer's guide, they often as her, "How many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Well, today Savannah and I take a deep dive into this very chapter, which was quite a challenge to break down!

Listen to our conversation to hear us discuss the ins-and-outs of the major events and details that happen in Diagon Alley, which includes topics like how many scenes are in the chapter, exceptional world building details, and conflicts that come close to causing Crisis questions, but only one actually does this.  

Some other topics we explore are teaching points like:

• How to analyze your scenes from three different perspectives—the reader’s perspective, the character’s perspective, and the author’s perspective
• A quick trick for determining if your scenes work (and how to identify which areas of your scenes need work once you’ve written them)
• *Spoiler alert!* Why we chose to analyze this chapter as one 6,500-word-long scene versus a bunch of smaller scenes (and how the structure of this scene works)
• The purpose of the smaller moments within the scene that are arguably significant (and move the scene) forward but aren’t technically “scenes”
• Our final thoughts on writing a scene like Diagon Alley

If you've written a book and are in need a book cover, this is a super important episode for you to hear. 

In this conversation, I talk to the brilliant book cover designer, Zoe Novell, who is also the founder of the one-of-kind book designer directory, available on her website, I Need a Book Cover. In this special conversation, Zoe and I cover a range of invaluable and interesting information about book covers, including hot topics like what makes a book cover stand out, book cover trends based on their genre, key factors to consider when choosing imagery, color, and typography for a cover—and, how to find (and hire!) the best designer for your book.  

And these are only some of the huge takeaways you’ll get from listening to Zoe. 

By the time you finish this episode, you'll have a better grasp on why book covers are so important, what to consider when designing a book cover or hiring the ideal designer for your book, and how to use Zoe’s premier directory filled with hundreds of dedicated, full-time, and freelance book cover designers who are consistently adding extraordinary work to adult, trade book genres.

What are you waiting for? Listen to our chat now!

Connect with Abigail and Zoe: 

If you're planning your novel or have a finished draft and don't know where to begin with revisions, you need to hear this episode. 

This is a special two-part discussion with the brilliant book coach, developmental editor, and author Savannah Gilbo as she breaks down the main plot line—or the big picture—in J.K. Rowling's debut and phenomenon, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE (HPSS). 

Abigail sits down with Karyn Fischer, a book coach and past literary agent of Bookstop Literary Agency, to discuss narrative voice and how to differentiate a character’s voice in middle grade and young adult novels. 

If you’re writing a middle grade or young adult novel—or you get consistent feedback that something is just “off” with your voice—this episode is for you. 

Karyn shares specific (and practical) tips that can help you improve your narrative voice, and she even takes a deep-dive into two examples that emphasize when a voice really works, and why it needs to change in order to reflect the age of the protagonist.    

As a certified Author Accelerator book coach, and a past literary agent with additional experience as a bookseller and book buyer for an indie bookstore (among various other roles in the industry), Karyn knows how to teach writers how to improve their character’s voice and prose. I don’t want you to miss out!

P.S. After you listen to this episode, share it with a writing companion who could use this advice, and don’t forget to subscribe to the show and rate/review it so that Abigail can reach more writers like you who want to blend their passion of writing with business.   

Connect with Abigail and Karyn: