Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple

Heather Davis is an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach and developmental editor who built Speculative Fiction Writing Made Simple around a specific audience: writers working on their debut fantasy, science fiction, or dystopian novel. That niche focus is the show's biggest strength. Instead of generic craft advice, every episode is filtered through the particular challenges of speculative genres. The show has 48 episodes and a 4.9-star rating from 51 reviews. Episodes vary widely in length — quick 12-minute technique lessons alongside longer 50-minute interviews with industry experts. Davis mixes solo teaching episodes with guest conversations, and many episodes come with free companion workbooks you can download, which is an unusually generous touch. Recent topics include writing compelling opening lines, integrating backstory without info-dumping, building three-act structure in speculative fiction, crafting character interiority, and navigating self-publishing as a business. Davis brings the developmental editor's eye to everything — she's read enough manuscripts to know exactly where speculative fiction writers tend to stumble, and her advice targets those specific pain points. The promise of "concrete, actionable strategies" is one the show actually keeps. Davis doesn't trade in vague inspiration. She'll give you a framework for scene conflict, walk you through backstory integration methods, or break down how to handle magic system exposition in your first chapter. If you're writing your first fantasy or sci-fi novel and want a coach who speaks your genre's language, this podcast fills a niche that broader writing shows can't quite reach.