Set yourself up for a 2026 writing year that actually survives real life. In this episode, you’ll build a simple, motivating plan without hustle-culture guilt or impossible schedules.
We’ll choose a one- to three-word theme to guide your decisions, pick three clear priorities (plus one powerful “not this year”), map your year by quarters, and set a weekly minimum that keeps you moving even when life gets loud.
You’ll also learn how to put writing into your calendar for the next two weeks, create a few tiny systems that make showing up easier, and use a straightforward reset plan when you miss a week (because you will - and that’s normal).
Grab a notebook and follow along: by the end, you’ll have a writing map you can trust, and a next step you can take today.
Is Legally Blonde secretly one of the best-plotted films of the 2000s? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, host Stuart Wakefield performs a full story autopsy on Elle Woods’ journey from dumped sorority president to victorious Harvard lawyer.
We dig into how the film builds a rock-solid causal chain (where every major beat grows logically from the last) and how Elle’s external quest (Harvard, the internship, the murder trial) welds perfectly to her internal arc from “choose me” to “I choose myself.” Along the way, we unpack the emotional climax after Callahan’s harassment, the perm-fuelled courtroom payoff, and why the Bend and Snap is the least important thing in this script.
You’ll walk away with concrete questions and exercises you can apply to your own story, whether you’re writing novels, screenplays, or plays. Spoilers for Legally Blonde abound, but the craft lessons are evergreen.
If your opening goes boom but your hero can shrug and carry on, that’s fireworks, not story. In this episode I breaks down the real job of an inciting incident - to bind your protagonist to an obligation that costs something now and points the story arrow.
Here's what you'll learn:
We'll also look at:
Want help binding your own opening? Start here and visit https://www.thebookcoach.co
And then” isn’t a plot, it’s a queue. In this craft-forward episode, we swap “and then” for the more muscular because / but / therefore and show how tight causality turns scenes into story. You’ll get a clear, jargon-free framework for chaining choices to consequences, plus two case studies that prove the point: a mini-autopsy of Pride & Prejudice and a contemporary comparison with Knives Out.
In this episode you’ll learn:
Why causality (not act labels) is the real backbone of structure
How to convert event beats into decision beats with costs
The Because/But/Therefore test to expose sagging “and then” sequences
A quick Coincidence Audit (allowed to enter a story, never to exit it)
A repeatable Scene Ledger: Goal → Opposition → Outcome → New Problem → Forced Next Action
POV isn’t just a grammar choice - it’s the engine that controls intimacy, suspense, and what your reader knows when.
In this craft-deep episode, we demystify point of view by breaking it into three practical dials (access, scope, and distance) then walk through the pros and cons of first person, third limited (close and deep), free indirect style, omniscient, objective, second person, epistolary, multiple-POV, and stream of consciousness.
To make it real, we take a baseline scene (Edward at Inkerman hearing Pendleton’s voice) and rewrite it in each POV, showing exactly what changes on the page and how those changes shape reader experience, for better and for worse.
You’ll learn how to pick the right lens for a scene, avoid head-hopping and tense drift, trim filter words for immediacy, and keep character voice aligned with era and education.
Ideal for both first-time novelists and seasoned writers tuning their instrument!
Stop polishing your first paragraph into oblivion. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we split your process into two clean modes: Author Brain for discovery and Editor Brain for decision—used at different times for different jobs. You’ll hear a live “before/after” paragraph where we draft messy, then run a tight verbs-and-cuts pass that sharpens pace and tension without killing momentum. We’ll also set up a simple 30-minute loop you can run twice to produce real pages today.
You’ll learn:
The core jobs of Author Brain (invent) vs. Editor Brain (select)
Why separating them in time stops stalls and unlocks flow
The TK tactic and “Again:” restart to keep drafting forward
How a verbs-and-cuts pass lifts energy, clarity, and pace fast
The one-line scene change test to confirm forward motion
Stop waiting for motivation. Start acting from identity. In this mindset kickoff for Master Fiction Writing, we shift the sentence that runs your day from “I want to write a book” to “I’m a person who writes.” You’ll hear a simple, athlete-style routine (warm-up, reps, cooldown), examples, and a 10-minute drill that makes writing easier to start than to avoid.
You’ll learn:
Why identity beats motivation for consistent pages
The 3 design levers: place, time, trigger
A tiny training loop: warm-up → reps → cooldown
How to separate Author Brain (draft) from Editor Brain (revise)
The Minimum Viable Session: 10 minutes or 100 words—streaks over heroics
The Creative ID Card: I write [genre] on [days] at [time/place] for [minutes] because [why]
By the end, you’ll have a posted Creative ID Card, two sessions on your calendar, and tomorrow’s first 'ugly' line already typed!
Your novel’s bookends do the heavy lifting. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we pair Step 16 (Writing the Opening Scene) and Step 17 (Writing the Closing Scene) to help you start with momentum and finish with meaning. You’ll learn what a scene is (and why something must change every time), how to centre your protagonist’s thoughts and feelings, and a simple timer method to draft three different openings and three different endings - fast. Then we “mirror test” your bookends so the final scene proves the belief shift you promise on page one.
You’ll learn:
The four-beat scene engine: Want → Friction → Choice → Change
How to draft rough, 5–10 page scene sketches using TK placeholders
Three alternative ways to start (and end) the same story—by design
The “rhyme, don’t repeat” rule for opening/closing scenes that land
Leave with a clear opening, a true ending, and a direction for everything in between.
Outlining doesn’t have to strangle your creativity—or leave you drowning in spreadsheets. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we introduce The Inside Outline: a fast, 2–3 page method that pairs each major Scene (what happens) with its Point (why it matters to your protagonist). The result? A plot that moves and a character arc that means something.
You’ll hear how to build 10–15 Scene/Point pairs, link them with clean cause-and-effect (“because of that…”), and pressure-test the outline so stakes rise, tension builds, and the story delivers on genre promises. We’ll walk through examples—romance, and thriller—so you can hear exactly how to do it.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
The Scene/Point pairing that keeps plot and emotion glued together
How to use “because of that…” to create momentum (not coincidence)
A quick 8-question stress test for your outline’s stakes, pacing, and arc
Ways to turn your Inside Outline into scenes, revisions, and a query-ready synopsis
Leave with a living map you can actually write from: short, sharp, and tied to why your story matters.
Plotting doesn’t have to feel like wrangling an octopus into a cardigan. In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we turn to Pixar’s Story Spine - seven simple prompts that reveal your story’s engine: who we meet, what upends the status quo, how cause-and-effect escalates, where the climax hits, and what the change means. We unpack each beat (from “Once upon a time…” to “And ever since that day…”) and keep things focused with just two “Because of that…” moves to force clean causality. You’ll hear quick, recognisable examples and leave with a concise spine you can expand into scenes—without drowning in index cards.
You’ll learn:
How to define your story’s “normal,” inciting incident, and rising consequences
Why limiting yourself to two causal beats sharpens momentum
How to aim your climax at your character’s internal shift
How to land an emotionally clear resolution
How much time passes between Page 1 and “The End” - and where, exactly, do you begin and finish? In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we pair Step 12 (Story Timeline) and Step 13 (Opening & Closing) to shape your novel’s container and its proof of change. You’ll learn how to define your story present (the “now” of your narrative), pick a time span that supports tension, and design opening/closing scenes that mirror each other to reveal transformation.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What “story present” is—and why tense and chronology aren’t the same thing
How different time containers (day, season, year, decades) change pacing and stakes
The “mirror technique” for opening/closing scenes that land emotionally
Common pitfalls (timeline mush, flashback overload, soft starts) and quick fixes
Mini exercises to name your container and draft before/after snapshots
Leave with a clear time frame, a purposeful opening, and a closing image that proves how your protagonist changes.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll delve into the intricacies of narrative voice and perspective, focusing on the importance of point of view (POV) and time stance in storytelling.
We'll discuss various narrative techniques, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical exercises to help writers refine their craft.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll discuss the importance of choosing the right protagonist for your story, emphasising the need for a single human centre that readers can connect with, the distinction between external wants and internal needs, and the significance of crafting tailored opposition to enhance conflict.
We'll also cover the role of point of view in storytelling and provides practical exercises for writers to refine their narratives.
In this episode, we'll delve into the intricacies of world building, establishing clear rules and consequences, and ensuring that characters and their motivations are relatable to readers.
Practical exercises are provided to help writers create immersive worlds that enhance their narratives without overwhelming them with unnecessary details.
We'll also highlight common pitfalls to avoid in world building, encouraging writers to focus on realism and character-driven storytelling.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll discuss the importance of identifying your ideal reader in the writing process, how understanding your audience can enhance the emotional connection of your story - and making it more impactful.
By focusing on a specific reader rather than trying to please everyone, writers can create stories that resonate deeply and fulfil the needs of their audience.
We'll also highlight the significance of envisioning the reader's experience and the potential impact of the book on their lives.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll delve into the critical step of choosing a genre in the story development process. We'll explain the importance of genre in guiding creative choices, setting reader expectations, and categorising stories effectively. We'll also cover major genres and their subgenres, the nuances of literary versus commercial fiction, and addresses common questions writers have about genre classification.
Remember that while genre selection is essential, it doesn't have to be rigid and can evolve as the story develops!
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we'll discuss the significance of choosing a working title in the story development process.
A working title helps writers transition from vague ideas to a more concrete narrative, and the episode also includes practical exercises for generating strong titles that resonate with the story.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we explore Step 4 of the Story Development process: writing your book’s jacket copy before the book is even written.
It might sound backwards, but crafting jacket copy early can sharpen your story’s focus, clarify the promise you’re making to readers, and help you stay on track as you write. We’ll break down what makes jacket copy work (and what doesn’t), why this step matters so much more than just marketing, and how to write 250 words that capture the heart, stakes, and soul of your story.
This episode will help you shift perspective from “writer” to “reader” and give you a powerful tool to guide your next draft.
In this episode of Master Fiction Writing, we explore Step 3 of the Story Development process: What’s the Plot?
Forget sprawling outlines or complex twists. This stage is all about simplicity. You’ll learn how to write a short, clear, and purposeful summary of your story in just 50 words or less. Think of it as your story’s spine: the who, the what, and the why all tied back to your point.
Discover why simplifying your plot at this early stage helps you build a stronger, more flexible foundation and how to avoid the all-too-common trap of overcomplicating before your story is ready.
Whether you’re outlining your novel or revising one, this episode will help you strip your story down to what really matters.
If you’ve ever found yourself halfway through a novel draft wondering what it’s really about, this episode is for you.
In the second instalment of my Story Development series, I explore Step 2 of the Blueprint for a Book: What’s Your Point? This is where your story starts to take shape around something deeper - a belief, a truth, an argument you’re making about the world.
You’ll learn why every story is, at heart, trying to prove something, why clichés aren’t the enemy, and how one simple sentence can become the emotional compass for your entire book. Whether you’re writing about magical cakes or dystopian rebellions, this step will help you root your story in meaning.
Tune in to discover how to name the soul of your novel - and why that matters more than you think.