In today's short episode, I share my thoughts on how to become a more consistent writer — and why most writers don't understand 'consistency' the correct way.

Read Plotting Your Fantasy Novel: www.jedherne.com/plot

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There’s 5 critical first chapter mistakes I see new fantasy writers make all the time. I know about these because when writers apply for my classes or coaching programs, they have to send me an application that includes their first chapter. I've now read 761 first chapters from these applications. That’s a lot of data for me to learn from! So today, I want to share what I’ve learned with you, so that you can avoid these mistakes and instead write an amazing first chapter that makes people beg to read the rest of your book.

Want to improve your writing even further? Read my new book, Plotting Your Fantasy Novel.

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Read my new book, Plotting Your Fantasy Novel. It just released yesterday!

After publishing four fantasy novels, and teaching hundreds of writers in my programs, I’ve realised there are 5 main differences between good fantasy plots and bad fantasy plots. I’ve been thinking about this a lot, because over the past year I’ve spent well over 1000 hours writing Plotting Your Fantasy Novel — my first non-fiction book on the craft of storytelling. If you’re writing a fantasy novel, and you want readers to be utterly captivated by your plot, it’s crucial to understand these 5 differences.

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Have you ever struggled to write about a fantasy culture that feels meaningfully different from your own?

Because of the societies we grow up in, we all have these inbuilt assumptions about the way things are.

However, the best worldbuilders know how to get outside of those assumptions, so that they can create unique, different, realistic, and immersive cultures.

My friend recently showed me a useful framework for doing this. In today's podcast, I talk about the six key dimensions of culture, and how you can use these to improve your worldbuilding.

Use the country comparison tool I mentioned: https://www.theculturefactor.com/country-comparison-tool

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There are 10 big mindset differences between pro fantasy authors and amateur ones.

I’ve noticed these from talking with world-class writers like Joe Abercrombie, Christopher Ruocchio, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and dozens more — and from coaching over 220 emerging writers in my classes and programs.

Learning these 10 mindset differences has helped me publish 4 fantasy books, and an interactive fantasy novel — which all together have sold around 25,000 copies. And between my books and this YouTube channel, I’ve been a full-time creative for over two years now!

So while I’m certainly no mega NYT-bestselling author, I am lucky enough to be living out my creative dreams, and I can credit that to learning how to think and act like a pro — not an amateur. By listening to this episode, you'll learn how to do the same.

Join my Fantasy Writers' Guild: jedherne.com/guild

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There are seven levers that control the pacing of your fantasy novel. In today's episode, I discuss how these seven levers work, and how you can use them to create perfect pacing within your writing. Knowing how to get the right pace for your plot is a critical skill, so I think you'll find today's episode very useful.

Join the waitlist for Plotting Your Fantasy Novel: www.jedherne.com/plot

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Your title is usually the first impression readers have of your story. So if your title sucks, readers will forget about your book without a second thought. But if your title is great, your book will stand out from the crowd and readers will be desperate to know more.

After publishing four books and working with hundreds of writers in my programs, I've discovered five principles that consistently lead to great titles.

Today, I’ll be covering these principles, and then I'll be critiquing several titles from the members of my Fantasy Writer’s Guild, so that you can see these principles in action.

Join the Fantasy Writer's Guild: jedherne.com/guild

Watch my Siege of Treboulain video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgzMpZlS3UU

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Most authors will tell you, “Ideas don't really matter. Any idea can be turned into a good story if you're skilled enough.” Personally, I think that’s bad advice. If you start with a weak idea, it puts flaws into your story right from the beginning, and you might only discover those flaws months later — while you’re in the middle of the first draft.

After working with hundreds of writers to help them develop their fantasy novels, I’ve seen that it’s way easier to write an incredible book when you start with a strong story concept. This makes you more excited to write … and makes readers more eager to pick up your book.

So in today's episode, I'll be sharing the seven key elements of a great fantasy story idea. Make sure you include these in your own work, and you'll find it much easier to write a great fantasy novel.

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Join the waitlist for Plotting Your Fantasy Novel (my upcoming book): jedherne.com/plot

Listen to my 2 to Ramble episode about the Sun Eater series: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1NrEhYZsqk5kaqAQSqLsqG?si=6eb7ae3fe4e14a8c

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