The Confident Fiction Author

Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer

Hey there my fellow author, I’m Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, an old soul kind of writer living my dream as a full-time author and authorprenuer. But I didn’t start out living a confident creative lifestyle. I struggled with the fears and the mental and emotional barriers that so often plague writers at all stages of their author career. But the truth is that, with the right knowledge, tools, and training, you can overcome those barriers. I’m here to teach you how I’ve developed a lifestyle that’s allowed me to publish 19 books (and counting). Each week as you tune into the Confident Fiction Author podcast, you’ll get clarity on the steps you need to take to advance your writing career. Whether it’s developing your ideal writing routine, tackling new skills like dictating your fiction, or overcoming the obstacles life throws your way, this podcast will help you live a more confident, creative lifestyle.Free resources for you:The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: https://www.fictioncourses.com/toolkitDictation + Scrivener Power Combo: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictationDictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictation5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: https://www.fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

  1. 3d ago

    #63: The Three Reps that Make Dictation Automatic

    If you've ever spoken a sentence into your notes app and thought, "there's a canyon between this and dictating an actual novel," this episode is for you. This week on The Confident Fiction Author, we're on week two of my D.R.A.F.T. framework series with R=Reps, where your dictation training really begins. In this episode, you'll discover: •  Why dictation is a skill, not a switch you flip •  Three reps that bridge the canyon from "never dictated a word" to a daily practice that makes dictation feel automatic •  Your three punctuation options, including the one I trained myself on and recommend you try before you decide •  My fastest writing session ever, and why that number convinced me to master this skill for good By the end, you'll have this week's training plan in hand. Listen to the episode or read the blog-style version on my Substack here. And if you want to do your reps in a tool that was designed for fiction authors, my app Fictate is out of beta and open to everyone! There's a free trial waiting for you at fictateapp.com. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #63: The Three Reps that Make Dictation Automatic

  2. Aug 10

    #62: The $1,000 Myth: What It Actually Takes to Start Dictating Your Fiction

    This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm kicking off a brand new 5 week series on my D.R.A.F.T. framework, my complete roadmap for learning to dictate your fiction. We're starting with D=Devices. In this episode, you'll discover: •  Why the "$1,000 myth" (the belief that dictation requires expensive software and gear) kept me from starting for years, and why it's simply not true anymore •  The exact 60 second test that confirms your setup is working, using nothing but the device already in your pocket •  The "maximizer trap" that halts more dictation journeys than any tech problem ever has •  What to actually do when the tech fights back By the end, you'll know exactly how to take your first real step today, no research, no purchase, no waiting for the "right" setup. And here's today's other big news in case you missed my earlier email: Fictate is officially out of beta! It's the app I designed specifically for dictating fiction authors, and it's open to everyone now with a free trial waiting at fictateapp.com. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #62: The $1,000 Myth: What It Actually Takes to Start Dictating Your Fiction

  3. Aug 4

    #61: The One Tool That Can 10X Your Fiction Writing Life

    If you've ever told yourself you just need to try harder, type faster, sit longer, and push through, this episode is for you. This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm sharing The One Tool That Can 10X Your Fiction Writing Life, and making a case that 10X is actually easier than 2X. In this episode, you'll discover: •  Why the "2X trap" quietly costs you more strain for every extra word, and why that's not a career strategy, it's a countdown •  The real difference between 2X thinking and 10X thinking, and why grinding harder can get you to double, but never to ten times •  The one tool that breaks the trade between speed and effort entirely, giving you more words with less strain instead of more of both By the end, you'll have a different question to ask yourself than "how do I do more of this." You'll be asking what would actually have to change, and that's the question that gets you somewhere typing harder never will. Listen to the episode or read the blog-style version on my Substack here. You can also listen to this episode on FictionCourses.com, or search for The Confident Fiction Author podcast on your favorite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more). *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

  4. Jul 28

    #60: Choose Your Hard

    Have you ever thought, this is just too hard — and wondered if that means writing isn't really your calling after all? This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm sharing Choose Your Hard — a phrase that landed for me fresh on a Saturday morning walk, soaking wet socks and all. In this episode, you'll discover: Why writing a book is hard — and why not writing it is hard too, just in a way that lasts a lot longerThe physical toll typing takes on authors' bodies, and why it compounds more than we admitWhy learning to dictate your fiction is hard for a season, while typing is a hard on your body that never endsA simple practice for naming your two hards side by side so you can choose on purpose, instead of relitigating the decision every morningEvery path forward has a hard in it. This episode will help you pick the one that's actually going somewhere. Listen to the episode or read the blog-style version on my Substack here. You can also listen to this episode on FictionCourses.com, or search for The Confident Fiction Author podcast on your favorite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more). Also, Fictate™ — the only app I know of designed specifically for dictating fiction — is in beta and totally free right now! If choosing the "learning to dictate" hard is calling your name, grab your spot at fictateapp.com/beta. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #60: Choose Your Hard

  5. Jul 20

    #59: Words, Consistency, Health: The real formula for a career that lasts

    Have you ever looked down the road at the writing career you want and asked yourself, can I actually keep this up? Maybe your wrists ache after a long session, or your shoulders carry a knot that never quite lets go. Or maybe your body is fine, but your calendar isn't, and you keep wondering where you're supposed to find the hours to write every book in your head. This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm sharing Words, Consistency, Health: The real formula for a career that lasts, the strategy that changed my own answer to that question from "I hope so" to "yes, for life." In this episode, you'll discover: ✓  Why sustainability rests on three legs: words, consistency, and health, and what happens when one of them gives out ✓  The real story of my seven-year failure with dictation, and why it was never about talent or being "wired" for it ✓  Why messy first drafts are the goal, not a flaw to fix, and how that mindset shift is what actually finishes books ✓  Why you likely already own every tool you need to start today, no expensive software required If you've tried dictation before and it didn't stick, this episode will show you why that's not proof your brain doesn't work that way. It's proof nobody showed you how to train it. Listen to the episode or read the blog-style version on my Substack here. You can also listen to this episode on FictionCourses.com, or search for The Confident Fiction Author podcast on your favorite podcast app (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and more). I have a whole summer of dictation help coming your way, so stay close to the podcast and keep an eye on your inbox, because you won't want to miss what's ahead! *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #59: Words, Consistency, Health: The real formula for a career that lasts

  6. Jun 16

    #58: Play as a Learning Style

    Have you ever filled out one of those "what's your learning style?" surveys and felt like none of the boxes quite fit? Reading, hands-on, watching a demonstration — I always wrestled with it too. It took me years to realize the answer that was true for me all along: I learn best by play. This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm back with a brand-new episode, recorded right from my porch on a beautiful summer morning. In this episode, you'll discover: Why play might secretly be your most powerful learning style — and how to spot itHow childhood "play" (4-H, 100+ stuffed animals, and their story worlds) trained me to become a writerThe simple question from the book Effortless that removes overwhelm: "What if this could be fun?"How playing my way through NaNoWriMo — and printing a gloriously unfinished, messy novel — made me believe being an author was actually possibleA practical way to develop (or rediscover) your unique writing voice by giving yourself permission to playIf you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or full of doubt about your writing or a new skill, this episode is your invitation to take the pressure off and just play. And because we're talking about summer play — I have a little something for you. This spring, I revamped my entire dictation course (now built around my DRAFT Framework, plus a free companion app with a section literally called the Fictation Playground), and in honor of summer I'm giving you $200 off! Just click this link and the code SUMMERPLAY will be automatically applied at checkout. Come learn to dictate your fiction the fun way — by simply playing with it. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #58: Play as a Learning Style

  7. Jun 1

    #57: [Encore Episode] How to Become a Reader Again

    Summer is almost here — and with it comes one of my all-time favorite traditions: summer reading. Do you remember what it felt like to lose yourself completely in a book? Long afternoons, no agenda, just you and a story that pulled you in from the first page? If you've been so deep in your own writing that reading for joy has quietly slipped away — or if you've been feeling a little lost as an author lately and your creative well is running dry — this episode is your invitation to come back. This week on The Confident Fiction Author, I'm bringing back one of my favorites: How to Become a Reader Again. In this encore episode, you'll discover: •  How to choose the reading format that actually fits your life right now — audiobooks, eBooks, paperbacks — it all counts •  A simple way to add reading back into your schedule (because what gets scheduled gets done) •  Why tracking the books you read is surprisingly motivating •  How to plan a reading retreat — whether that's a weekend getaway or a cozy corner at home The goal isn't to add another thing to your to-do list. It's to bring back the joy of being a reader first, writer second — and let that joy pour right back into your fiction. Your best writing starts with inspired reading. And there's no better time to start than right now, with summer just around the corner. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #57: [Encore Episode] How to Become a Reader Again

  8. May 18

    #56: [Encore Episode] Exploring Another Culture — Research Tips to Get Started and to Avoid Pitfalls

    As fiction authors, we’re natural explorers—we chase stories into new eras, new worlds, and yes, new cultures. But when you’re researching a culture that isn’t your own, it can feel like you’re holding a map written in a foreign language. In this week’s episode of The Confident Fiction Author podcast, I share practical, no-drama tips for researching another culture with accuracy, respect, and confidence—so you can build story worlds readers trust (and love). Here’s what you’ll learn: Why accuracy builds trust (even in fantasy) and how it strengthens your confidence as an authorWhere to start: books, primary sources, oral histories, and works by members of the cultureHow to go “beneath the glass” at museums, archives, and cultural centers (and build real relationships)Bias checks & cross-checks: balancing sources inside and outside the cultureWant to go deeper specifically with Native American characters? My course Fiction Writing American Indians walks you step-by-step through authentic research and portrayal—without stereotypes or misrepresentation. You don’t have to research alone—or feel lost. With the right approach, research will energize your writing and spark your best plot twists. *** Free resources for you: The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: fictioncourses.com/toolkit Dictation + Scrivener Power Combo Mini Course: fictioncourses.com/dictation Dictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: fictioncourses.com/dictationguide 5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

    #56: [Encore Episode] Exploring Another Culture — Research Tips to Get Started and to Avoid Pitfalls
See All (63)

5
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Hey there my fellow author, I’m Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer, an old soul kind of writer living my dream as a full-time author and authorprenuer. But I didn’t start out living a confident creative lifestyle. I struggled with the fears and the mental and emotional barriers that so often plague writers at all stages of their author career. But the truth is that, with the right knowledge, tools, and training, you can overcome those barriers. I’m here to teach you how I’ve developed a lifestyle that’s allowed me to publish 19 books (and counting). Each week as you tune into the Confident Fiction Author podcast, you’ll get clarity on the steps you need to take to advance your writing career. Whether it’s developing your ideal writing routine, tackling new skills like dictating your fiction, or overcoming the obstacles life throws your way, this podcast will help you live a more confident, creative lifestyle.Free resources for you:The Confident Fiction Author Toolkit: https://www.fictioncourses.com/toolkitDictation + Scrivener Power Combo: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictationDictation for Authors: Tools and Tips of the Trade: https://www.fictioncourses.com/dictation5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans: https://www.fictioncourses.com/stereotypes

Information

  • Creator
    Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    63
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
  • Show Website
    The Confident Fiction Author

You Might Also Like