Whether you're a beginner fantasy writer or maybe even a barbarian, Fantasy Writing for Barbarians can help take your story to some exciting new worlds. Hosted by Jon Negroni and produced by Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock.
“Just Finish the First Draft” Is Usually Bad Writing Advice
Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, Jon talks about the frustrating gap between recognizing that your work could be better and actually knowing how to improve it. He breaks revision down from the scene level to the paragraph and sentence levels, explains why developing an “ear for story” differs from polishing prose, and makes the case for learning storytelling while you draft instead of blindly assembling thousands of words.
Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2)) and let us know what's on your mind.
Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni (https://inbetweendrafts.com/author/jonnegroni/), author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine (https://ceteramagazine.com). Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here (https://omny.fm/shows/in-between-drafts/playlists/fantasy-writing-for-barbarians).
Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
4 Sept 2026
The Problem With “TV Brain Prose”
Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we unpack what happens when you approach a novel like a TV show that hasn’t been filmed yet. Jon digs into “TV brain prose,” a common problem among aspiring fiction writers whose scenes rely on camera-like description, character blocking, visual information, and dialogue that sounds better with an imaginary actor performing it.
Here's a link to the reddit thread (https://www.reddit.com/r/writing/comments/1rr46ku/i_suffer_from_the_tv_brain_prose_problem_and_im/)referenced in this episode. Special thanks to listener Matt who shared this with us.
Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2)) and let us know what's on your mind.
Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni (https://inbetweendrafts.com/author/jonnegroni/), author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine (https://ceteramagazine.com). Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here (https://omny.fm/shows/in-between-drafts/playlists/fantasy-writing-for-barbarians).
Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
29 Jan 2026
How to Hook Readers in the First Page of Your Fantasy Novel
Today on Fantasy Writing for Barbarians, we’re breaking down a first‑page excerpt from the fantasy writing subreddit and asking a deceptively simple question: what actually makes an opening work? Jon reacts in real time to a dark fantasy opening, unpacking why beautifully written prose can still fall flat without momentum, stakes, or a clear scene engine. And how to avoid starting your novel with pages of nothing happening.
Have a question or topic you want me to get into for the show? Email us at fantasywritingforbarbarians@gmail.com or join our Discord (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2) (https://discord.gg/wG5g8RR4m2)) and let us know what's on your mind.
Fantasy Writing for Barbarians‘ host is Jon Negroni (https://inbetweendrafts.com/author/jonnegroni/), author of The Pixar Theory, Killerjoy, and more. You can read some of his original short fiction for free over on Cetera Magazine (https://ceteramagazine.com). Our producers are Natalia Emmons and Bridget Serdock. You can find all our episodes and various podcast app options here (https://omny.fm/shows/in-between-drafts/playlists/fantasy-writing-for-barbarians).
Intro music: "Adventures in Adventureland" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Spotify
4.8 / 5
33 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
89
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Fantasy Writing for Barbarians
Who hosts Fantasy Writing for Barbarians?
Jon Negroni host the show. Published by InBetweenDrafts.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Fantasy Writing for Barbarians take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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