
How to Know If Your Fantasy Story Idea Is Actually Good
05/1/2026 | 17 mins.
Most authors will tell you, “Ideas don't really matter. Any idea can be turned into a good story if you're skilled enough.” Personally, I think that’s bad advice. If you start with a weak idea, it puts flaws into your story right from the beginning, and you might only discover those flaws months later — while you’re in the middle of the first draft.After working with hundreds of writers to help them develop their fantasy novels, I’ve seen that it’s way easier to write an incredible book when you start with a strong story concept. This makes you more excited to write … and makes readers more eager to pick up your book.So in today's episode, I'll be sharing the seven key elements of a great fantasy story idea. Make sure you include these in your own work, and you'll find it much easier to write a great fantasy novel. ***Join the waitlist for Plotting Your Fantasy Novel (my upcoming book): jedherne.com/plotListen to my 2 to Ramble episode about the Sun Eater series: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1NrEhYZsqk5kaqAQSqLsqG?si=6eb7ae3fe4e14a8c Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do This Every Day in 2026 to Improve Your Fantasy Writing
15/12/2025 | 17 mins.
There's a simple warm up and cool down routine that will help you quickly get into the flow of writing every day — along with helping you maintain long-term creativity and consistency. In this podcast, I break down the six steps behind this process. Knowing how to get into the 'writing state' every day is a big reason why I've been able to publish my fantasy novels. And from teaching this process to many of the writers I've worked with, I've seen so many writers improve their daily word counts and finish their novels faster than they ever imagined. Want to get weekly accountability and my personal support to help you write your fantasy novel? Apply to join the Fantasy Writer's Guild: jedherne.com/guild Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4 Tips to Write Deeply Immersive Fantasy Worlds
30/11/2025 | 10 mins.
After reading hundreds of fantasy novels and publishing several of my own, I’ve found four key writing principles that consistently make a fantasy world feel truly immersive for readers. So if you want to write a world where readers truly feel like they are inside your setting, then you'll find today's video useful. This podcast was originally a video. Click here if you want to watch the video. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Good vs Bad Worldbuilding: The 5 Key Differences
16/11/2025 | 13 mins.
When it comes to writing a book, there are 5 key differences between good fantasy worldbuilding and bad fantasy worldbuilding. Understanding these differences will help you write more immersive, interesting fantasy worlds. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What My Early Days of Writing Were Like, Choosing Your POV, Writing Battle Scenes, & Overcoming Writer’s Block
13/11/2025 | 1h
In today's episode, I'm interviewed by Joe Sidery as part of ProWritingAid's Novel November challenge. We discuss my early days as a writer (including the most miserable 3-month period of my life, which served as my catalyst to pursue writing full-time), how I grew my author platform, and what I've learned from coaching 200+ writers. We also discuss many aspects of the craft: choosing the right POV, writing battle/fight scenes, overcoming writer's block, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.



The Fantasy Writing Show with Jed Herne