Every scene that was not working well did not have a clear-cut decision.

And so for me, that was a big aha moment.

And from my writing made me realize that the scene needs to kind of focus around this decision is going to be made

and how the character makes it is going to determine what happens next.

Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast.

My name is Savannah Gilbo, and I'm here to help you write a story that works.

I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be overwhelming.

So each week, I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable,

and step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're

brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for you.

So pick up a pen and let's get started.

In this episode, we're going behind the scenes of Cheryl Arco's writing, editing,

and publishing journey to get an inside scoop on how she published her debut science fiction novel

at 72 years old. In this episode, you'll hear from Cheryl about what it was like to work with

a developmental editor to revise her manuscript, including the two to three key things she focused on in revisions that took her story

from good to great. You'll hear us talk about exactly how long each part of the process took,

from reworking her entire outline to revising her first draft, to line editing, copy editing,

and actually producing her book. And you'll hear all

about why Cheryl decided to self-publish her debut novel at 72 years old, despite having interest

from a few different literary agents and so much more. But before we get into all the details,

let me quickly read you the backcover copy of Cheryl's book so you have a little bit

of context for our conversation. Here's what it says. Prejudice, legacy, redemption. A Rice carries a

...