The Better Writer Podcast

Olivia Bedford
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You want to write great books, books just like the ones you’ve been reading and falling in love with all your life, but somehow your vision just isn’t showing up on the page. Don’t despair. It’s not about lacking talent or some magical creative spark. You just need to learn how fiction works and The Better Writer Podcast is here to help. On this show, we explore what it really takes to write a book that readers can’t put down: mastering story craft fundamentals, revising like a pro (and getting pro help), and building a writing process that fits your real life, not someone else’s Instagram-perfect writing routine. Hosted by Olivia Bedford, a former English teacher turned developmental editor and Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, this show has one goal: help fiction writers unlearn all the misguided, one-size-fits-no-one advice out there and replace it with strategies that actually make your stories work for your future readers. If you’re an aspiring novelist who’s ready to finally understand how fiction works—and maybe even get paid for your writing someday—you’re in the right place. Welcome, and happy writing! P.S. Don’t forget to hit subscribe and become a better writer, one episode at a time.

  1. 12h ago

    Are You Prioritizing the Wrong Things In Your Novel’s First Draft?

    Revision is all about prioritizing. Prioritizing the story you want to tell, the readers you want to reach, and the craft elements you choose to focus on while revising your book. If you prioritize the wrong things in your first draft, you can end up with a revision that pushes you further away from your goal instead of helping you create a book that you’re proud to share with the world. Now the question becomes, what are those incorrect, wrong priorities? In this week’s episode I’m sharing two: word count and mass appeal. Do we want to hit the word count for our genres? Yes. Do we want to appeal to as broad an audience as possible? Yes. But should we prioritize those decisions in our first draft revisions? Nope. Find out why in this week’s episode of the Better Writer Podcast! And if you want to learn more about what your first draft really needs, check out my upcoming live masterclass, Fix Your First Draft. We go live on November 17th at 4pm EST. Can't attend live - don't worry - you'll get the replay!! Learn more and register here: https://oliviahelpswriters.thrivecart.com/fix-your-first-draft/ For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/49.

  2. Nov 3

    The #1 First Draft Editing Mistake I See as a Developmental Editor

    You finished your first draft - yay!! But now it’s time for the next and arguably most difficult phase: figuring out how to edit your first draft. Over the next three weeks, I’m going to share the most common revision & editing mistakes that I see as a fiction developmental editor & book coach, starting with one of the biggest offenders - sitting down and reading your first draft like it’s a published, polished book. Why is that so dangerous? It puts your focus on the wrong things. First drafts need you to look at them from 10,000 feet in the air. Reading your first draft cover to cover is like hiking. You’re only going to see the trees when instead you need to be focused on the shape of your forest as a whole. Learn more about how this problem shows up and why it’s such a killer for beginning writers in this week’s episode of the Better Writer Podcast. Looking for even more help? I'm running a masterclass on November 17th, 2026 called "Fix Your First Draft." You'll learn what first drafts really need, how to manage every stage of your revision & editing process, what to focus on in your first draft, and most importantly, you'll map out your best next step in revision! Fix Your First Draft is just $17 until November 4th, then it's $27. Learn more and enroll here: https://oliviahelpswriters.thrivecart.com/fix-your-first-draft/ For a full transcript of this episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/48.

  3. Oct 27

    How to Fast Draft Without Condemning Your Future Self to Revision Hell

    I’ve spent the last two episodes talking about writing challenges. If you’re thinking about Novel November or any of the other NaNoWriMo replacements out there, you’re probably excited to start writing the book. But what happens when you’re done and it’s time to revise that messy first draft? I talk about revision a lot, and I definitely have suggestions for how to manage the revision process when you get there, but this episode isn’t about revision. It’s about setting yourself up for success while you’re still drafting. In this episode, I’m sharing five things you can do while writing the draft to make your life easier in revision. They are: Write down revision ideas as they come to you during the drafting process.Keep those future revision notes in a single, designated revision OR consolidate every week or so if you tend to take notes in multiple places.Document all big decisions about your world or character backstories so you have the beginnings of a story/series bible when you’re done.Reverse outline as you draft by summarizing each day’s new writing when you’re done.Use TK/FCK or another marking system to designate missing information or decisions that you want to make later (e.g., character names, worldbuilding decisions, etc.).Listen to the full episode for my explanation of each technique and how you can implement it in your writing process! Happy novel writing! P.S. Still looking for a new November writing challenge? Here are some options gathered by ProWritingAid! I’m not sponsoring or affiliated with any of these challenges. I’m just a book coach who may or may not be joining a challenge as well this week! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/47

  4. Oct 20

    How to Turn a Writing Challenge Into a Revision Challenge

    You want to join a November writing challenge, but you’re in the middle of your revisions. Should you drop your project and do something new for Novel November? Maybe, if you want to. But there’s another option. You can use Novel November to revise your novel instead. You just need to choose the right goal for where you are in the revision process. Here are 8 goals you can set if you’re revising your book but still want to participate in a writing challenge: Words rewrittenWords edited Scenes revisedWords deletedWorldbuilding & character development work Pages/books readA reverse outline sprintA learning sprintA promo/marketing sprint For my explanation of all eight goals and when to consider them, listen to the full episode! You can also check out a list of NaNoWriMo alternatives with links to sign up here. Just FYI, I am not affiliated with or sponsoring any of these challenges and haven't even decided if I'm joining one this year! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/46

  5. Oct 19

    Should You Actually Do Novel November?

    For our 45th episode, I went live!! That means the audio is a little rough, the audio-only version and transcript were late and the first few seconds are me fiddling with the camera. This was my practice run for the Authortube Writing Conference and by that measure - it was a success! In this episode of the Better Writer Podcast, I'm talking all about writing challenges. Should you join one? What are the benefits? And who should stay far, far away. I'm going to talk about one of the most popular and outlandish writing challenges out there - the now-defunct NaNoWriMo challenge which has been reborn as Prowritingaid's Novel November, Dabble's 60-day novel writing challenge, and others. Should you really try to write 50,000 words in one month? What are the alternatives if that sounds bonkers to you but you still want a challenge? Hear my thoughts in this special live episode of the Better Writer Podcast! You can check out a list of NaNoWriMo alternatives with links to sign up here. Just FYI, I am not affiliated with or sponsoring any of these challenges and haven't even decided if I'm joining one this year. You can find a full transcript & video of the episode at oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/45!

  6. Oct 6

    How to write health conditions in fiction with sensitivity.

    For our 44th episode, I’m doing something special - my first interview episode!! This week, I’m sharing a great conversation with Barbra Rodriguez an editor, book coach, and experienced health writer. We talked all about writing fictional characters who have diverse health statuses, especially for those of us who write or work with historical fiction. You’ll learn how to approach the research phase, how to be sensitive to modern understandings of medical conditions while writing accurate historical fiction, and more! If you enjoyed this interview and want to hear more from Barbra you can check out her website here. Want to learn more about writing characters with varied health conditions? You can check out Barbra’s free guide to selecting trustworthy online and other health-information resources here! Thanks for listening, keep writing, and keep getting better one word at a time! For a full transcript of the episode, please visit https://oliviahelpswriters.com/bwp/44

  7. Sep 29

    Is Reader Ready Revisions Right for you?

    The next cohort of Reader Ready Revisions starts on October 5th, 2026 and I don't want you to miss out! I’ve talked a lot about this program, so today I want to talk to the person who is interested but not 100% sure that this course is right for them. I started my outline for this episode with 8 reasons, but they were too basic. You’ll still hear those reasons at the end, but first I wanted to get a little bit personal. I talk about the types of writers I was thinking of when I built this course. The people that I'm delighted to help and how I use this course to make writing work for them! If you hear yourself in the writers I describe here, go to ReaderReadyRevisions.com and apply for the next cohort! Not quite sure? You can book a short, no-obligation call with me here. Happy writing and I hope to see you in Reader Ready Revisions soon!!

  8. Sep 24 ·  Bonus

    [CHALLENGE REPLAY] Revision Kickstart Challenge Day 3: Your Revision Plan

    Welcome to another bonus episode of the Better Writer Podcast, the third and final replay from my Revision Kickstart Challenge. The live sessions are now over, but if you hear this episode before 10/4/26 you can still register for the challenge and get access to the workbooks and video replays at OHWRevisionClass.com. Here's what we talked about in session #3: What to do in each phase of the revision process.How to structure your revisions so you can work more efficiently.Where feedback fits into the revision process.Ways I can support you during the revision process.And more! As a reminder, if you're listening to this episode before 10/4/26 you can register for replay access and download the session workbooks. Find all the details at OHWRevisionClass.com. Ready to go all in on your revisions this fall? Reader Ready Revisions is open for enrollment and the next session starts on October 5th! Learn more and apply at ReaderReadyRevisions.com.

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About

You want to write great books, books just like the ones you’ve been reading and falling in love with all your life, but somehow your vision just isn’t showing up on the page. Don’t despair. It’s not about lacking talent or some magical creative spark. You just need to learn how fiction works and The Better Writer Podcast is here to help. On this show, we explore what it really takes to write a book that readers can’t put down: mastering story craft fundamentals, revising like a pro (and getting pro help), and building a writing process that fits your real life, not someone else’s Instagram-perfect writing routine. Hosted by Olivia Bedford, a former English teacher turned developmental editor and Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, this show has one goal: help fiction writers unlearn all the misguided, one-size-fits-no-one advice out there and replace it with strategies that actually make your stories work for your future readers. If you’re an aspiring novelist who’s ready to finally understand how fiction works—and maybe even get paid for your writing someday—you’re in the right place. Welcome, and happy writing! P.S. Don’t forget to hit subscribe and become a better writer, one episode at a time.

Information

  • Creator
    Olivia Bedford
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © ℗ 2025 Olivia Bedford
  • Show Website
    The Better Writer Podcast