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Joe Abercrombie (author of The Blade Itself and many other brilliant stories) joins me to discuss the opening chapters from his new book, The Devils. This is an in-depth deep dive into the techniques Joe uses to hook readers, introduce characters, and develop an interesting fantasy world.

Click here to get my free 5-day character course.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:23 - Writing a great opening hook

10:59 - Does Joe read aloud during editing?  

12:05 - What makes 'good prose'?  

13:34 - Deep dive into Diaz’s character  

22:53 - Chapter transitions and pacing  

25:01 - Introduction of Alex 

30:03 - Using familiar tropes in fresh ways  

34:45 - Making metaphors multilayered  

41:00 - Worldbuilding through POV  

46:40 - Deductive vs inductive worldbuilding  

49:55 - Abercrombie’s anti-worldbuilding approach  

54:17 - How to introduce several characters at once

01:02:33 - Jed's favourite character from The Devils

1:04:55 - What is Joe trying to improve with his writing?

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Today I'm joined by Christopher Ruocchio, author of the Sun Eater series! I share my top 5 storytelling lessons from reading this excellent series, while Christopher shares his top 5 lessons from writing it. This will be a spoiler-free discussion for the first 40 or so minutes, and I learned SO MUCH from this wonderful chat. Enjoy!

00:00 – What is the Sun Eater series about?

02:31 – How to write a great hook

12:16 – The importance of outlining

26:49 – Creating complex characters

34:15 – Constraints as opportunities in writing

38:59 – Don’t be afraid to make bold choices

48:02 – Design to your strengths

1:02:06 – How to write soft magic

1:25:03 – Borrowing expertise to improve authenticity

1:27:50 – How to write a terrifying antagonist

1:41:59 – You don’t trust your readers enough

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In this podcast, I explain the Pyramid of Prose -- a concept I wish someone had taught me when I started writing my first novel 13 years ago. Why is that? Well, 'prose' refers to the specific words you use to transmit your story from your mind into the reader's mind. It's crucial to master, because if you can't express your ideas on the page in an effective and emotionally compelling way, then none of the other elements of your story will work. So today, I'll be drawing from my experience (of publishing four fantasy books and coaching over 180 writers in my different programs) to walk you through the seven levels of this pyramid to perfect your prose, with lots of examples along the way.

Get ProWritingAid (my favourite editing tool) with a 20% discount: https://prowritingaid.com/pp/jed-herne?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=partner-influencer&utm_campaign=Jed-Herne-2025&utm_content=7-levels-of-prose-video&utm_term= (Use the code JED20 to activate the discount.)

Thanks to ProWritingAid for sponsoring this episode!

Note: The code 'JED20' is valid for 20% off Yearly Premium and Premium Pro licenses. It does not apply to monthly or Lifetime licenses. 

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In over 12 years of writing fantasy novels, the Hourglass Outlining Method is the single most useful tool I’ve developed.

It’s the main reason why I’ve been able to publish my four fantasy novels, and I’ve also seen this method create amazing results for the 35 writers who’ve done my 7-week Fantasy Outlining Bootcamp.

“This course was revelatory for me, and it was by far the best decision I’ve ever made in my writing journey.” - Matt Fagan

“This is the best investment I’ve ever made in my writing.” - Christine

“It has been immensely helpful in ways that I couldn’t even imagine.” - Steph

So in this podcast, I’m going to show you how to use the Hourglass Outlining Method to plan your fantasy book, so that you can write captivating characters and gripping plots — along with enjoying a few other storytelling advantages that you might not expect.

Watch the video version of this on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6MwsZsjyoc&ab_channel=JedHerne

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In this episode, I share 9 common side character mistakes that I often see new fantasy writers make. Learn how to avoid these, and you'll have a much better chance of creating side characters who feel realistic, interesting, and three-dimensional.

If you want to write better side characters, click here to check out my free character development course: https://jedherne.com/character-course.

Over 3000 writers have taken the course so far.

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Today's episode is a deep dive to help you write more immersive, realistic, and unique fantasy cities. Before I became a full-time author, I was an architect. So as you can probably imagine, I've got a LOT to say on this topic - including some ideas you might not have heard before. Enjoy!

Get 'The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding a Civilization' with a 10% discount: https://jedherne.com/rebuild (then use code JED10 before May 25th)

Thanks to Hungry Minds Publishing for sponsoring this podcast!

PS: I'd highly suggest watching the video version of this on my YouTube channel, because there's a lot of maps, artwork, and other graphics I use throughout. Click here to watch the video.

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Have you ever found yourself writing a scene in your fantasy novel that just felt a little boring?

Well, there’s a simple approach you can use to fix that and make any scene more exciting.

I call this the SLED method.

And it’s a technique I’ve used again and again through the last 12 years of my writing career, in which time I’ve published four fantasy novels and a video game.

It hasn’t just worked for me. I’ve taught 150+ fantasy writers in my different classes and programs, and this has given me a lot of experience of using the SLED method to troubleshoot scenes and help to improve them.

So today, I’ll show you how to use it to make any scene more exciting, because knowing how to write great scenes is the foundation of writing a great novel.

***

Get my free 5-day character development course: www.jedherne.com/character-course

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There’s 10 big dialogue mistakes that new fantasy writers tend to make. I know that because I’ve now read through hundreds and hundreds of applications for the writing classes and programs I run, and I see these issues come up all the time. And from my own experience of publishing four fantasy novels and a video game, I’ve had to learn about these mistakes the hard way.

So in this podcast, I’m going to show you what the mistakes are, and how to fix them, with tangible ‘before and after’ examples along the way.

***

Get my free 5-day character development course: www.jedherne.com/character-course

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Writing your fantasy novel can be hard. But after publishing four of my own fantasy novels, and after helping lots of other writers finish their books, I’ve found 10 simple cheat codes that make the process easier and more enjoyable — while also helping you craft better stories. 

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Join the Fantasy Writer's Guild: my community where fantasy writers get weekly accountability, peer feedback, and my direct support - so that you can write a better book and have more fun along the way:

www.jedherne.com/guild

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The fantasy genre is full of brilliant mentor characters who force protagonists to grow, teach us valuable life lessons, and serve as deeply memorable, emotionally compelling figures.

These characters often become the moral spine of a story, shaping how protagonists see the world. But despite their power, mentor characters are rarely discussed.

They’re either written as tired tropes, or treated as story furniture: there to deliver wisdom, die early, and disappear.

What a wasted opportunity!

Because when you write a mentor well, you elevate your entire story. You create someone readers remember, even when they're no longer on the page.

So in today’s podcast, I’m breaking down six mentor archetypes that can help you do exactly that.

***

Join the Fantasy Writer's Guild - my accountability, support, and peer feedback community. 

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In the last two years, I’ve coached over 170 fantasy writers in my various programs, passing on everything I’ve learned from publishing my own four fantasy novels.

This has helped a lot of writers finish their first drafts, achieve major breakthroughs with their stories, and some of them — like Peter Christensen and Michael Johnson — are even planning to publish their debut novels in the next few months.

I recently surveyed these 170 writers to ask:

What’s the most useful writing lesson you gained from working with me?

And today, I’ll be sharing their top 10 most impactful lessons…

…some of which actually surprised me.

***

Join the Fantasy Writer's Guild: my community where fantasy writers get weekly accountability, peer feedback, and my direct support - so that you can write a better book and have more fun along the way:

www.jedherne.com/guild

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If you’re writing a fantasy novel, there’s a good chance you’re making one of these nine critical worldbuilding mistakes — and the problem is that any one of these could ruin your story. I know that because after working with over 90 fantasy writers in my coaching programs, I see the same worldbuilding mistakes come up again and again — and from my own experience as an author, I’ve had to learn about these mistakes the hard way.

But the good news is that once you know how to avoid them, you can instead craft a world that feels utterly captivating and immersive for your readers.

***

Get 'The Ultimate Guide to Rebuilding a Civilization' with a 10% discount: https://jedherne.com/rebuild (then use code JEDBOOK10). Thanks to Hungry Minds Publishing for sponsoring this podcast!

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In this episode, I share my full step-by-step process for writing a great fantasy novel. After publishing four fantasy books (and after helping many other writers finish their own stories), I've got a lot of share when it comes to the craft of storytelling. This podcast compresses the most critical lessons I've learned from 12 years of experience so far. Enjoy!

Join my accountability & support community for fantasy writers: https://bit.ly/fantasy-guild

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:00:45 - 1: PICKING YOUR IDEA

00:01:23 - Finding inspiration

00:04:34 - Trope brainstorm

00:06:49 - Narrowing down to 1 idea

00:08:34 - A harsh truth

00:12:03 - Choosing your scope

00:14:03 - Originality doesn’t exist

00:15:28 - Ideas are cheap

00:16:32 - 2: OUTLINING

00:21:03 - The purpose of outlining

00:23:38 - The Hourglass Method

00:24:12 - Exploring the suburb

00:26:01 - Finding your core (premise, theme)

00:39:47 - Guiding principles document

00:41:00 - Building character arcs

00:51:36 - 9-Point Story Structure

01:17:01 - Final thoughts on structure

01:18:06 - 3: WRITING YOUR 1st DRAFT

01:19:36 - The goal of a 1st draft

01:24:10 - Building good writing habits

01:29:23 - Track your word counts

01:32:12 - Do this when you get stuck

01:40:00 - More tips to make the 1st draft easier

01:47:37 - 4: EDITING

01:50:25 - Make notes on your 1st draft

01:53:15 - The 2nd draft (big changes)

01:54:43 - 3rd draft (specific passes)

01:58:17 - Working with early readers

02:04:29 - 4th draft (incorporate reader comments)

02:05:19 - Hire a pro editor

02:08:17 - The final draft

02:10:54 - ‘Finishing’ a book

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In this episode, I share a 7-step framework for writing interesting character relationships in your fantasy novel.

If you would like my personal help to write a great fantasy novel, check out my Fantasy Outlining Bootcamp: https://jedherne.com/outline

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In this episode, Jed Herne shares five principles to write better antagonists in your fantasy novel.

Want to write better characters? Check out Jed's free 5-day course: https://jedherne.com/5-day-course

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To celebrate my YouTube channel reaching over 100,000 subscribers, I'm answering 42 of your fantasy writing questions. Enjoy!

Join my free 5-day course to write better fantasy characters: https://jedherne.com/5-day-course

Join my First Chapter Mastery program: https://firstchaptermastery.com/

Apply for my 7-week Fantasy Outlining Bootcamp: https://jedherne.com/outline

Join my Easy Writing Habits course: https://easywritinghabits.com/

Freewrite Traveller (distraction-free writing laptop): https://getfreewrite.com/?rstr=6485 - use my affiliate link for a 5% discount.

ProWritingAid (great editing software): https://jedherne.com/prowritingaid - 10% discount with my affiliate link.

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I surveyed 367 fantasy readers to ask: what's the worst way to start a fantasy novel? In this episode, I share the top 10 most common responses - along with my tips for avoiding these bad opening mistakes.

Want to write a great first chapter in your fantasy novel?

Then check out my First Chapter Mastery program: https://firstchaptermastery.com/

This program also includes the option to get my personal feedback on your writing.

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In this episode, I cover seven principles that will make sure readers love your magic system. This is based on my experience of publishing four fantasy novels, and from critiquing hundreds of magic systems from other writers over the last few years.

Get my 'Limitations, Weaknesses, & Consequences' inspiration resource: https://jedherne.com/magiclimits

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In this episode, I share 15 advanced worldbuilding techniques I learned from publishing four fantasy books, along with my interactive fantasy novel, Siege of Treboulain. I consider these techniques ‘advanced’ because I don’t often hear them discussed. However, I have found them extremely powerful, so by the end of this podcast, you should have lots of inspiration for your own writing.

Get my free 5-day character writing course: https://jedherne.com/5-day-course

Get ProWritingAid (10% discount with my affiliate link): https://jedherne.com/prowritingaid

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