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208. Student Spotlight: 5 Lessons Learned from Notes to Novel (Season 6)

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Manage episode 502507092 series 2786880
Content provided by Savannah Gilbo. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Savannah Gilbo or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Real writers share how they broke free from endless rewrites and abandoned drafts to finally finish their novels in just 90 days—using the exact framework that can unlock your story too.

In this episode, I’m sharing real, inspiring stories from fiction writers who went from stuck and overwhelmed to finishing their novels using the exact framework I teach in Notes to Novel.

You’ll hear from fantasy writers, contemporary fiction authors, and more—writers who were trapped in endless rewrites, drowning in revision loops, or paralyzed by perfectionism. They all discovered that finishing a novel isn’t about working harder—it’s about having the right process.

Here’s what you’ll learn from their breakthroughs:

  • [02:25] How Jennifer broke free from a 3-year struggle with the same manuscript by treating her outline as a flexible “map” instead of a rigid plan.
  • [06:30] Why Nefer finally escaped a 5-year line editing loop by focusing on story structure before prose—and how this one shift transformed her writing process.
  • [10:25] How Tiara went from writing 2,000-word short stories to completing an 80,000-word novel without feeling overwhelmed—by breaking it into manageable scenes.
  • [14:00] The moment Jen realized she didn’t need an MFA to write fiction—just a clear strategy—and finished her first draft in 90 days after spending 2 years stuck on 10 pages.
  • [16:55] How Sheila used genre frameworks to outline a 4-book series AND a standalone novel after spinning her wheels despite reading every craft book out there.

Whether you’re stuck rewriting Chapter 1, have abandoned manuscripts piling up, or feel paralyzed by novel structure, these writers prove that finishing your book is possible—even with a busy life and no formal creative writing training.

Ready to make your own breakthrough? Enrollment for Notes to Novel closes on August 28th, and we won’t open again until next year. Head to savannahgilbo.com/notes-to-novel to learn more and join the program that’s helped over 800 writers make real progress on their books.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

  continue reading

Chapters

1. Writers Stuck in Editing Loops (00:00:00)

2. Jennifer's Fantasy Writing Journey (00:03:11)

3. Nefer Breaks Free From Line Editing (00:06:31)

4. Tiara's Shift from Short Stories to Novels (00:11:03)

5. Jennifer Wagner Conquers First Chapter Syndrome (00:14:42)

6. Sheila's Story Told Through Story Structure (00:17:41)

7. Course Enrollment Information and Closing (00:22:59)

227 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 502507092 series 2786880
Content provided by Savannah Gilbo. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Savannah Gilbo or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

Real writers share how they broke free from endless rewrites and abandoned drafts to finally finish their novels in just 90 days—using the exact framework that can unlock your story too.

In this episode, I’m sharing real, inspiring stories from fiction writers who went from stuck and overwhelmed to finishing their novels using the exact framework I teach in Notes to Novel.

You’ll hear from fantasy writers, contemporary fiction authors, and more—writers who were trapped in endless rewrites, drowning in revision loops, or paralyzed by perfectionism. They all discovered that finishing a novel isn’t about working harder—it’s about having the right process.

Here’s what you’ll learn from their breakthroughs:

  • [02:25] How Jennifer broke free from a 3-year struggle with the same manuscript by treating her outline as a flexible “map” instead of a rigid plan.
  • [06:30] Why Nefer finally escaped a 5-year line editing loop by focusing on story structure before prose—and how this one shift transformed her writing process.
  • [10:25] How Tiara went from writing 2,000-word short stories to completing an 80,000-word novel without feeling overwhelmed—by breaking it into manageable scenes.
  • [14:00] The moment Jen realized she didn’t need an MFA to write fiction—just a clear strategy—and finished her first draft in 90 days after spending 2 years stuck on 10 pages.
  • [16:55] How Sheila used genre frameworks to outline a 4-book series AND a standalone novel after spinning her wheels despite reading every craft book out there.

Whether you’re stuck rewriting Chapter 1, have abandoned manuscripts piling up, or feel paralyzed by novel structure, these writers prove that finishing your book is possible—even with a busy life and no formal creative writing training.

Ready to make your own breakthrough? Enrollment for Notes to Novel closes on August 28th, and we won’t open again until next year. Head to savannahgilbo.com/notes-to-novel to learn more and join the program that’s helped over 800 writers make real progress on their books.

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

⭐ Follow & Review

If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

  continue reading

Chapters

1. Writers Stuck in Editing Loops (00:00:00)

2. Jennifer's Fantasy Writing Journey (00:03:11)

3. Nefer Breaks Free From Line Editing (00:06:31)

4. Tiara's Shift from Short Stories to Novels (00:11:03)

5. Jennifer Wagner Conquers First Chapter Syndrome (00:14:42)

6. Sheila's Story Told Through Story Structure (00:17:41)

7. Course Enrollment Information and Closing (00:22:59)

227 episodes

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