#228. Student Spotlight: How She Finished Her First Draft in 88 Days (While Working Full-Time) With Poornika Kakkanaiah

#228. Student Spotlight: How She Finished Her First Draft in 88 Days (While Working Full-Time) With Poornika Kakkanaiah

Author: Savannah Gilbo January 8, 2026 Duration: 49:03
Learn how a self-proclaimed perfectionist wrote a 114,000-word first draft in just 88 days—while working full-time and without finding more hours in the day. Poornika didn't have endless hours to write. She had two hours a night after work, some longer weekend sessions, and a chronic illness that sometimes forced her to step away completely. And yet, she finished her novel in 88 days—and went on to sign with her dream agent. In today's episode, I'm sitting down with Poornika Kakkanaiah, a for...

Ever find yourself staring at a blank page, wondering how to turn that great idea into a complete novel? You're not alone. Fiction Writing Made Easy exists for exactly that moment, offering a straightforward path through the often-murky process of crafting a story. Host Savannah Gilbo, a developmental editor and book coach, draws on her experience working directly with writers to demystify everything from plot structure and character development to the finer points of editing and preparing a manuscript for publication. Instead of abstract theory, this podcast delivers concrete, usable strategies you can apply to your work immediately. Think of each episode as a focused conversation with a knowledgeable guide who cuts through the overwhelm. You'll hear specific advice on tackling common stumbling blocks, along with deeper dives into the craft elements that transform a rough draft into a compelling book. Whether you're navigating your first draft or polishing your final one, the discussions here are designed to provide clarity and momentum. For anyone committed to finishing their novel, this podcast serves as a reliable, practical resource, breaking down the journey into manageable steps you can actually follow. Tune in to move your story forward, one episode at a time.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips
Podcast Episodes
#157. 10 Surprising Lessons From My First Book Launch [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:17
Earlier this year, I published my first book, The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone—and I learned soooo much about book marketing. Tune into this episode to hear the ten surpri…
#155. 10 Things That Will NOT Make You A Better Writer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:04
As someone who’s worked with hundreds of authors, I see people making the same mistakes over and over and over again. Mistakes that are easily avoidable once you know they’re mistakes. In this episode, I’m sharing some o…
#154. Coaching Call: Critiquing Jac Sahlin's Query And First Five Pages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:16
“I think your story has a genre identity crisis. That’s probably why you’re not getting responses from agents.” ← That’s what I told my new friend, Jac Sahlin, about the duology she’s currently querying. Tune into this e…

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