Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
by James Thayer
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Recent episodes
Episode 239 - A method for ramping up our dialogue.
Oct 16, 2026
25m 39s
Episode 238 - My favorite writing technique.
Oct 9, 2026
24m 21s
Episode 237 - Read to learn rhythm.
Oct 2, 2026
26m 46s
Episode 236 - Six questions to ask if we want to be a novelist.
Sep 25, 2026
25m 51s
Episode 235 - Ten small writing techniques.
Sep 18, 2026
26m 10s
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- 🇬🇧United Kingdom · Education#189251 to 1.3K
- 🇳🇿New Zealand · Education#78158 to 837
- 🇨🇭CH · Education#17434 to 180
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
443 to 2.3K🎙 ~2x weekly·233 episodes·Last published 3d ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
886 to 4.7K🇺🇸71%🇬🇧16%🇳🇿10%+1 more - Active Followers
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487 to 2.6K
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/16/26 | Episode 239 - A method for ramping up our dialogue. | We writers should give readers what they want, and readers like dialogue. Here is a technique for making our dialogue more engaging. Also: the ten most beautiful words in the English language. And: how to change telling to showing so the scene grips the reader. Support the show Buy the master class. | 25m 39s | ||||||
| 10/9/26 | Episode 238 - My favorite writing technique. | Among hundreds of fiction writing techniques, here is my favorite, and it involves weeping. Also, a review of a critical skill for us: controlling the point of view. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-time price of forty-nine dollars. If y... | 24m 21s | ||||||
| 10/2/26 | Episode 237 - Read to learn rhythm. | Thomas Cullen writes, "the brains of skilled writers are wired over many years to mimic the rhythms, structures, patterns and prose of their favorite authors.” We can learn lovely rhythms by reading famous fiction passages. And: how to overcome the possible grind of writing the middle of the novel. Support the show Buy the master class. | 26m 46s | ||||||
| 9/25/26 | Episode 236 - Six questions to ask if we want to be a novelist. | Do we have what it takes to write a novel? Here are six questions we can ask ourselves that'll shed light on the issue. Also, when should a writer make an exception to a tried-and-true rule of writing? Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, sentence-level craft, and much more. Each episode is focused and about 30 minutes. The full class—all 20 episodes—is available now for a one-ti... | 25m 51s | ||||||
| 9/18/26 | Episode 235 - Ten small writing techniques. | Here are ten smaller techniques that'll improve our story, each maybe not big enough for a full segment but worthwhile to help make our story gripping and our sentences shine. Also, here are thoughts about our story's ending; isn't HEA (happily-ever-after) a formula and cliche? And: how to show rather than tell about the weather. Support the show Buy the master class. | 26m 10s | ||||||
| 9/11/26 | Episode 234 - Creating a character readers will love. | What do Elizabeth Bennett, Anne Shirley, Frodo Baggins, Jo March, Harry Potter, and Huckleberry Finn have in common? Readers love them. We can create such a character, one readers will long remember and maybe reread the storyl just to be with the character again. Also, adverbs and adjectives can weaken sentences. Here is why and how to avoid them. Here is a 20-episode master class on fiction writing—a start-to-finish course covering plot, characters, dialogue, scenes, ... | 26m 10s | ||||||
| 9/4/26 | character developmentwriting techniques+3 | — | — | — | writingnovel+5 | — | 24m 59s | ||
| 8/28/26 | dialoguewriting techniques+3 | — | — | — | dialoguewriting+5 | — | 27m 42s | ||
| 8/21/26 | dialogue techniquesreader engagement+3 | — | Snickers | — | dialoguewriting techniques+3 | — | 25m 06s | ||
| 8/14/26 | villain creationfiction writing+3 | — | Dracula | — | villainsfiction+3 | — | 26m 57s | ||
| 8/7/26 | story settingsplot development+3 | — | — | — | storytellingsettings+3 | — | 26m 24s | ||
| 7/31/26 | storytellingwriting techniques+3 | — | — | — | story elementsfascinating locations+3 | — | 25m 54s | ||
| 7/24/26 | close observationfiction writing+3 | — | — | — | fiction writersobservation+3 | — | 28m 05s | ||
| 7/17/26 | sentence structurewriting techniques+3 | — | novels | — | sentence shinewriting techniques+3 | — | 26m 42s | ||
| 7/10/26 | clichesplot development+3 | — | — | — | clichesbold plot+4 | — | 26m 14s | ||
| 7/3/26 | character descriptionwriting techniques+3 | — | — | — | charactersenses+5 | — | 26m 23s | ||
| 6/26/26 | settingplotting technique+3 | — | — | — | settingsnovel writing+3 | — | 25m 43s | ||
| 6/19/26 | writing techniquessentence structure+3 | — | — | — | strong sentenceswriting techniques+3 | — | 26m 44s | ||
| 6/12/26 | writing intensityfiction+3 | — | — | — | writingfiction+5 | — | 24m 15s | ||
| 6/5/26 | writing techniquesstorytelling+3 | — | — | — | cut to the chasestory strength+3 | — | 29m 37s | ||
| 5/29/26 | storytellingwriting techniques+3 | — | — | — | first chapterstory elements+3 | — | 25m 26s | ||
| 5/22/26 | writer's voiceliterary voices+3 | — | — | — | writer's voiceliterary voice+5 | — | 26m 43s | ||
| 5/15/26 | writing practiceEdgar Alan Poe+3 | — | — | — | writingpractice+5 | — | 26m 49s | ||
| 5/8/26 | character developmentscene writing+3 | — | — | — | charactersscene+5 | — | 26m 41s | ||
| 5/1/26 | plotting toolsscene development+3 | — | — | — | ratchetplotting+5 | — | 25m 51s | ||
| 4/24/26 | writing advicefamous authors+3 | — | Episode 214 - Famous writers show us how to write and live. | — | writingauthors+7 | — | 26m 18s | ||
| 4/17/26 | plottingcharacter development+3 | — | Save the cat | — | save the catplotting+3 | — | 25m 53s | ||
| 4/10/26 | point of viewcharacter thoughts+3 | — | — | — | point of viewfiction writing+3 | — | 31m 32s | ||
| 4/3/26 | writingcreativity+3 | — | — | — | writing tipsfun writing+3 | — | 26m 13s | ||
| 3/27/26 | plot patternsfiction writing+3 | — | — | — | fictionplot patterns+5 | — | 26m 53s | ||
| 3/20/26 | character developmentstorytelling techniques+3 | — | — | — | blunderscharacter travel+5 | — | 27m 06s | ||
| 3/13/26 | writingimagery+4 | — | — | — | writingdetail+5 | — | 29m 50s | ||
| 3/6/26 | unreliable narratorcharacter development+3 | — | — | — | unreliable narratorprotagonist+3 | — | 25m 56s | ||
| 2/27/26 | plot ideasstorytelling techniques+3 | — | Episode 206 - How to get lots of plot ideas | — | plot ideasstory+3 | — | 30m 33s | ||
| 2/20/26 | writingovercoming procrastination+3 | — | — | — | writing tipsprocrastination+3 | — | 27m 32s | ||
Showing 35 of 233
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Chart history for Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
Peaked at #78 in New Zealand, currently #78 in New Zealand.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | — | #78 | #78 | — |
| CH | — | #174 | #174 | — |
| United Kingdom | — | #189 | #189 | — |
Chart Positions
3 placements across 3 markets.
Chart Positions
3 placements across 3 markets.