WELCOME!

I’m so glad to learn that you’re writing fiction at the moment. Fiction is close to my heart, as I’ve drafted five novels and am currently revising one to submit for publication.

I’ve gathered these resources to support you in writing fiction:

Recommended episodes of The Secret Library Podcast about Fiction:

• Let’s start with the magical Sarah Selecky, our most frequent guest, who is always able to conjure possibilities when she talks about writing

• If you’re worried that your first draft is a mess, let Chip Cheek assuage your fears with his gloriously wild rough draft experience

• You don’t need to write the way anyone else does. Don’t believe me? Diana Gabaldon has the most unusual writing process I’ve ever heard of, and it hasn’t slowed her down a bit.

• Worried you’re starting to write fiction too late in life? Kit De Waal didn’t start until her 40s, publishing in her 50s and is a bestseller and a brilliant writer now.

• Looking for that perfect balance of character development and plot? Ben Percy has the best voice ever heard on this show and the solution to this issue.

• Writing a topic that feels intimidating? Let Rebecca Makkai share how she tackled the AIDS epidemic in The Great Believers.

• If you need help working on dialogue, this conversation with Wesley Brown is excellent.

• Get inspired to write about the less heard stories from Philippa Gregory, who writes about unseen women in history.

• If you’re writing short fiction, Danielle Lazarin and Paul McVeigh are here for you.

Essential Reading for Fiction Writers:

• You probably know Natalie Goldberg’s classic, Writing Down the Bones. It’s beautiful, but you may not know about Thunder and Lightning, which takes the process one step further. Just gorgeous.

• If you haven’t yet read it, I can’t recommend On Writing by Stephen King enough. If you like audiobooks, he reads the audio version and it adds a whole new depth to the story to listen.

• Sandra Scofield’s The Scene Book is full of prompts and wonderful inspiration. Her book The Last Draft is also brilliant if you’re revising your novel.

• One of my favorite books about being a writer ever is Making a Literary Life by Carolyn See. I first read it over 15 years ago and it still feels every bit as relevant today.

This should have you up and running nicely with fiction, but try these if you still feel stuck.