#197. How to Write a Novel That Hooks Readers Through Curiosity (Not Confusion)

Fiction Writing Made Easy

Savannah Gilbo

Education, Fiction, Writing Tips, Arts, Bestseller, Writing, How To, Author, Writing Community, Books, Novel, How To Write Fiction, Writing Fiction, Writer, How To Write A Book

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 10 June 2025

⏱️ 16 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Master the art of creating irresistible, page-turning curiosity without confusing or frustrating your readers. Have you ever written what you thought was a brilliantly mysterious scene, only to have readers say they were completely lost? Or maybe you've struggled with knowing how much information to reveal and when? Here's what most writers don't realize: there's a fine line between being mysterious and being vague. And the writers who master evoking curiosity without being vague or confusing...

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Have you been dreaming of writing a novel but you don't know where to start? Or maybe you've
0:03.8	tried writing but you keep getting stuck halfway through a draft? If so, I have a free training
0:08.7	you're going to love. It's called three things you need to write your novel in 2025 and in this
0:14.0	free 60-minute training I'll share the exact same process my clients and students have used to go from
0:19.6	idea to completed manuscript in just
0:22.1	months, not years. You'll also learn why most writers never finish their drafts and spoiler
0:27.6	alert, it's not a lack of talent or good ideas, as well as how to overcome feelings of perfectionism,
0:33.6	self-doubt, and overwhelm that stops many new writers in their tracks. You can register for this
0:38.7	free training at savannahgilbo.com forward slash masterclass. So one more time, that's savannah
0:44.4	gilbo.com forward slash masterclass to register for the free training. I hope to see you there.
0:50.2	And the key thing to remember here is that any information that you do choose to withhold from readers should be carefully constructed and intentional.
0:58.0	Readers need to understand the shape of what's missing while feeling completely grounded in your story and the bigger context.
1:04.8	So again, you're not hiding that bigger context or the foundation of kind of where that mystery comes from.
1:11.1	You're just strategically placing gaps within a clear context or a clear foundation.
1:18.4	Welcome to the fiction writing made easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilbo and I'm here to help
1:23.7	you write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be
1:28.2	overwhelming. So each week, I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable, and
1:33.4	step-by-step strategies that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're
1:37.9	brand new to writing or more of a seasoned author looking to improve your craft, this podcast is for
1:42.6	you. So pick up a pen and let's get started.
1:47.1	Have you ever written what you thought was a brilliantly mysterious scene only to have readers
1:51.5	say that they were completely lost with no idea what was going on? Or maybe you've struggled
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 8 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Savannah Gilbo, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Savannah Gilbo and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.