- 242
- Episodes
- 128
- Transcribed
- 438
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2022
- First episode
About Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel. It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is smooth and clear. it wastes no words, and it has a rhythm only confident stylists achieve.
- Publisher
- James Thayer
- Category
- education · education · fiction
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 2 Mar 2022
- Latest episode
- 6 Nov 2026
Latest episodes
128 of 242 episodes have a transcript.
6 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 242 - Avoiding six big mistakes in our story.
30 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 241 - Riveting first sentences.
23 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Episode 240 - Make readers laugh out loud.
Inside a recent episode
Episode 242 - Avoiding six big mistakes in our story.
Published 6 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] It creates a mental image for the reader, like watching a movie. We shouldn't make the reader wait for action. Get the characters physically moving right away. I'm not necessarily talking about a gunfight or a car chase or a charge across a battlefield or a duel with Chris Knives, although those would be good. […]
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Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.8 / 5
- 438 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 43 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 47
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 99
Contact Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
- Guest appearances
- Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Essential Guide to Writing a Novel take guests?
The show does not typically feature guests, based on episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
128 of 242 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
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