
Hosted by Golden May · EN
Hey fiction writer! Want your readers to stay up until 2am, so engrossed in your story they just can’t put it down? Want to build a successful, fulfilling, and sustainable writing life that works for YOU? Story Magic is the place for you. Every week, professional book coaches and editors Emily and Rachel from Golden May dive into writing craft, community, and mindset tips, tricks, and advice so you can write and publish books you’re damn proud of, again and again. We cover craft topics like story structure, character development, worldbuilding and ‘show, don’t tell’; we dive into how to grow your writing community of readers and writing partners; and we’ll talk about all those mindset challenges from imposter syndrome and perfectionism to fear of the blank page. Story Magic has all the tools you need to become the author you’re meant to be. You’ve got this, let’s go!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about descriptions!What you’ll learn from this episode:What makes a good description? How character perspective impacts what they see and describeHow character emotions colors and influences descriptionTips and tricksReady to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us on April 18th and 19th for Character Development Decoded! In this two-day LIVE virtual workshop, we'll teach you how to develop your character's life before page one and then teach you how to show it your story (without flashbacks!). Breathe life into your characters and bring their humanity to the page. All you have to do is register at https://goldenmayediting.com/character! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about their 2025 years, and what they hope for 2026!Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us on April 18th and 19th for Character Development Decoded! In this two-day LIVE virtual workshop, we'll teach you how to develop your character's life before page one and then teach you how to show it your story (without flashbacks!). Breathe life into your characters and bring their humanity to the page. All you have to do is register at https://goldenmayediting.com/character! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about unlikeable characters.What you’ll learn from this episode [insert bullet points]What does ‘unlikable’ mean, and who decides?How to make unlikeable characters more likeableThe importance of ideal reader when building complex / morally grey charactersHow to create unlikable characters intentionally by giving them purposeAn impromptu A Game of Thrones debate!Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us March 17th at 7pm ET for Seize the Power of Tropes! If you’ve ever struggled to develop a unique story idea guaranteed to capture reader attention, to encapsulate your book in quick and easy terms, or to understand how your novel fits into the market, then this class is for you. We'll teach you how to use tropes to write books readers will love. Guaranteed. Enroll now at https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/tropes!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about ambition and anti-hustle.What you’ll learn from this episode:What is anti-hustle? The intersection of ambition and anti-hustleInternal vs external motivationReady to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about perfectionism and hustle culture.What you’ll learn from this episode:how perfectionism and hustle culture intersectthe root of the inner critic narrativeReady to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about creating when the world sucks.What you’ll learn from this episode: What to do when the world is falling apartSeeking refuge in communityFeeling your feelingsReady to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about the 4 pillars to author success with guest Emma Dhesi.What you’ll learn from this episode: A full breakdown of each of the 4 pillarsWhy each pillar is so importantThe cyclical nature of the writing journeyJoin Emma's (totally free!) Be a Bestseller 6.0 event: www.BeABestseller.net Check out Emma Dhesi's website: https://emmadhesi.com/Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about how and when to apply the story point.What you’ll learn from this episode:Using story point as a tool at different points in your processUsing the story point as the guidepost Incorporating themes before the story pointReady to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about overthinking vs thinking something through.What you’ll learn from this episode:When are you overthinking? What does it feel like? What should you do about it? Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about Want vs Need in character arcs.What you’ll learn from this episode:What’s a character want?What’s a character need? How do these compare to the internal goal and external goal? How do these mesh with the story point?Ready to make readers so in love with your characters they can’t stop biting their nails in anticipation? Grab The Magic of Character Arcs free email course: https://www.goldenmayediting.com/arcsmagicJoin Tenacious Writing! With the perfect combo of craft, mindset, and community resources, you will build a writing life that feels sustainable, fulfilling, and fun—without any prescriptions or rules. Learn more: https://www.tenaciouswriting.com/If you enjoyed Story Magic, please rate, review and follow on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to this podcast!Follow us on social media!Rachel: https://www.instagram.com/bookcoachrachel/Emily: https://www.instagram.com/ebgoldenbooks/Join us from February 1st-5th for Reclaim the Magic! In this 5 day long, totally FREE event, you'll let go of the 'shoulds' and reclaim the joy of making things without the weight of shame. Come rewrite the perfectionist, self-doubt, hustle culture narratives that are holding you back, and rediscover your love of writing. Register to save your spot at https://goldenmayediting.com/reclaimthemagic! See you there!