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Fiction Writer's Toolshed: Practical Tools for Authors

Fiction Writer's Toolshed: Practical Tools for Authors

Di: Tim Kearney Fiction Writer / Teacher
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Fiction Writer's Toolshed: Practical Tools for Authors is a hands-on training podcast that helps fiction writers of all skill levels build a repeatable skill set for finishing their work and writing consistently. The show provides a clear, easy-to-use, proven roadmap for turning ideas into completed fiction. Whether you're drafting your first short piece, revising a work in progress, or struggling to finish what you start, we can help. Each episode breaks down the writing tools, story techniques, and writer's troubleshooting skills fiction authors need to improve their craft, solve story problems, and build the habits required to write consistently. The goal is simple: help writers like you become productive authors. Are you an aspiring fiction writer ready to learn how to translate the vision in your mind and heart clearly onto the page, again and again? Are you a creative writer ready to stop fantasizing about stories and start finishing them? This is your moment. It's time to learn the tools and skills to craft the stories you were destined to write, and become the author you dream of being. Welcome to the Writer's Toolshed. This show is for you if you find yourself asking questions such as: How do I actually start writing fiction? Is my story idea good/original enough to be worth writing? (and what if someone else already did it?) Do I really have to write every day to be a 'real' writer? What does 'write what you know' really mean for fantasy / sci-fi? What does 'show, don't tell' actually mean-- and when is it okay to tell? What software or tools should I use to write my novel? (Scrivener vs Word vs Google Docs vs longhand) How do I beat writer's block instead of just staring at the cursor? How do I write an entire novel without getting lost or giving up? (outlining vs pantsing, second-draft fixes, etc.) How should I name my characters (and avoid cringey names)? I finished my first draft! Now what the hell do I do with it? (cool-down period, big-picture edits, line edits) How do I get useful feedback or beta reads-- without getting shredded or ignored? How do I actually get better as a writer? (beyond "read and write a lot.") How do I stay organized-- notes, timelines, worldbuilding, drafts, all of it? How long should my book/short story be, and how do I handle word-count expectations? How do I correctly format a manuscript so agents/editors don't bin it on sight? (Shunn format, fonts, margins, etc.) Should I self-publish or go the traditional route? How do I get an agent for my novel, step by step? Where and how can I sell my self-published ebooks and print books? (KDP, Kobo, D2D, etc.) Is it realistically possible to make a living as a fiction writer? (And what other writing jobs exist) How do I know if my writing is any good-- or if my novel is worth finishing? (Or "I'm writing my first novel and now I hate it, help") What exactly is fiction writing, and how is it different from other kinds of writing? What makes a character compelling instead of flat or cliché? How important is setting, and how do I make my world feel real without drowning readers in description? How do I come up with a strong plot instead of a bunch of random scenes? What's the role of conflict in fiction, and how much conflict is enough? How do I create suspense and tension without resorting to cheap tricks? What is a plot twist, and how do I write one that feels surprising but not random? How do I write realistic, interesting dialogue instead of wooden talking heads? How do I end a story in a way that feels satisfying and earned? What's a subplot and how do I weave subplots into the main story without losing focus? What's the difference between literary and genre fiction in terms of how I actually write the book? How long does it usually take to write a novel or short story (really)? How do I build a writing habit and stay motivated when life is busy? How do I overcome perfectionism and fear of failure on the page? (often framed as writer's block, but really mindset) How do I revise efficiently without endlessly tinkering and never finishing? How do I research for my fiction without getting lost in a rabbit hole? (history, science, police procedure, etc.) How can I improve my writing style or voice? Can I even change my voice on purpose? What's the difference between a short story and a novel in terms of structure and focus? How do I decide between traditional publishing, small presses, and self-publishing? How much money can I realistically expect to make from one novel? How do royalties, advances, and rights actually work for fiction authors? What are the most effective ways for a new novelist to find readers (without being spammy)? (mailing lists, social media, ads, etc.) Do I need a platform or social media following before I publish my book? How do I handle criticism and rejection without giving up? How do I know when feedback is right vs when to trust my own instincts? How do I deal with impostor syndrome-- am I a ...2026 Arte Storia e critica della letteratura
Episodi
  • The Business of Screenwriting: Pitching Scripts and Building Relationships (with Doug Hall)

    The Business of Screenwriting: Pitching Scripts and Building Relationships (with Doug Hall)
    Oct 16 2026

    Join the Unstoppable Maker newsletter. Every Thursday, you'll get one simple, practical writing tool to help you make the next decision, solve the next story problem, and keep writing.

    Get the next tool delivered to your inbox.

    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

    What does selling a screenplay require beyond writing a good script?

    In this episode of Fiction Writer's Toolshed, screenwriter and novelist Doug Hall returns to discuss the business of screenwriting.

    Drawing on his experience of selling a screenplay to Trimark Pictures and optioning scripts across several genres, Doug shares his perspective on understanding potential buyers, approaching producers, sending query letters, and staying flexible when an unexpected opportunity appears.

    Doug also explains why he recommends one specific and underestimated thing to all screenwriters, and how it can help you break into the business.

    A practical conversation about the relationship between the stories you want to write and the business of getting them made.

    Questions explored:

    - What should screenwriters understand about potential buyers?
    - How can flexibility help when pitching a screenplay?
    - Why does professionalism matter in a screenwriting career?
    - How can writing a single-location script improve your storytelling?
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    35 min
  • Writing the Ending First: How to Build a Satisfying Story (with Doug Hall)

    Writing the Ending First: How to Build a Satisfying Story (with Doug Hall)
    Oct 9 2026

    Join the Unstoppable Maker newsletter. Every Thursday, you'll get one simple, practical writing tool to help you make the next decision, solve the next story problem, and keep writing.

    Get the next tool delivered to your inbox.

    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

    Could writing your ending first help you build a more satisfying story? In this episode of Fiction Writer's Toolshed, I talk with screenwriter and author Doug Hall about choosing your destination before writing toward it.

    After reaching roughly page 80 of a 100-page screenplay without knowing how to end it, Doug changed his approach. He explains how starting with an ending helps him develop character conflict, dialogue, theme, and the midpoint-- and build toward a payoff that feels unexpected but earned.

    Doug also shares how a bet led him into screenwriting, how he wrote the original draft of Leprechaun in the Hood in five days, and why the ending you start with can still change.

    Whether you're writing a novel, short story, or screenplay, this conversation offers a way to think about how the story you're building supports the ending you want to deliver.

    This episode is for you if you have questions like:

    - Should you write your story's ending first?
    - How do you write a satisfying ending?
    - How can knowing the ending help you plot a story?
    - How do you make a twist ending feel earned?
    - How can an ending guide character development and conflict?
    - What makes a story's midpoint interesting?
    - Can you change your ending after you start writing?
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    28 min
  • How to Turn a Screenplay Into a Novel: A Working Approach (w Mathew Tekulsky)

    How to Turn a Screenplay Into a Novel: A Working Approach (w Mathew Tekulsky)
    Oct 2 2026

    How do you turn a screenplay into a novel? Mathew Tekulsky returns to Fiction Writer's Toolshed to help me work through a real version of that question: I'm trying to turn a musical I co-wrote with Jacob Lowry into prose.

    Neither of us has completed this exact kind of adaptation, so we build a current best approach together. Mathew suggests working through the script scene by scene, adding the point of view, interior experience, and selective description a novel can provide. We talk about how to expand a scene without padding the story, why rereading can reveal threads worth developing, and what happens when a musical's songs carry moments the novel must tell another way.

    Later, we discuss another difference between the forms: a novelist can finish a book largely through their own efforts, while a film brings actors, producers, financing, and new creative input into the process.

    Learn more about Mathew and his books: https://www.mathewtekulsky.com/

    This episode is for you if you're asking:

    - How do you turn a screenplay into a novel?
    - Can you write a novel from a script or stage play?
    - How do you adapt a musical into a novel?
    - What should prose add to a scene that already works on stage or screen?
    - How do you add point of view and interior thought to a screenplay?
    - Can you adapt a script one scene at a time?
    - How do you expand a script without padding the novel?
    - How is finishing a novel different from getting a screenplay produced?
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    36 min
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