The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel, hosted by James Thayer, is a step-by-step craft podcast covering story development, scene construction, dialogue and sentence-level technique. It has 238 episodes released weekly, typically 25 to 30 minutes long. Estimated downloads per episode are 5,000 to 25,000, with a rate of $90 to $625 per episode.
A weekly writing-craft show with a loyal, highly rated novelist audience
- 438 Apple Podcasts ratings with a 4.8 average, most of them five stars.
- Weekly episodes of about 26 minutes over more than three years, a dependable slot for recurring sponsors.
- Listeners are aspiring and working novelists, a natural fit for writing tools and author services.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- solo monologue, instructional lecture
- Tone
- instructive, methodical
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 25 to 30 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- Yes
A Patreon funding link ('Support this Podcast') appears in the feed, and no sponsor mentions found in the feed.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Explicit flag is 0 and the episode titles cover writing craft only, with no sensitive subject matter.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.buzzsprout.com/1947997 |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1612967885 |
| RSS feed | rss.buzzsprout.com/1947997.rss |
Benchmark score: 89 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Episode 239 - A method for ramping up our dialogue. | 2026-10-16 | 26 min |
| Episode 238 - My favorite writing technique. | 2026-10-09 | 24 min |
| Episode 237 - Read to learn rhythm. | 2026-10-02 | 27 min |
| Episode 236 - Six questions to ask if we want to be a novelist. | 2026-09-25 | 26 min |
| Episode 235 - Ten small writing techniques. | 2026-09-18 | 26 min |
| Episode 234 - Creating a character readers will love. | 2026-09-11 | 26 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 3 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel. It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is…
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About Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel is a practical, step-by-step podcast hosted by James Thayer that teaches fiction craft, from story development and scene construction to dialogue and sentence-level technique. According to the feed, the show has 238 episodes released weekly, usually running between 25 and 30 minutes, and the website and feed present Thayer as a novelist. Apple Podcasts lists 438 ratings with a 4.8 average.
The audience is estimated, not measured: writers at the aspiring and working-novelist stage who want concrete techniques. Estimated downloads are 5,000 to 25,000 per episode. The feed shows no named sponsors and no sponsor mentions, only a Patreon funding link.
Brands selling writing tools, author services, courses or publishing support are the best fit. A host-read mid-roll at estimated audience size would typically cost $90 to $625 per episode.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Essential Guide to Writing a Novel can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
How much does The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Estimated rates are $90 to $625 per episode for a host-read mid-roll, based on an estimated 5,000 to 25,000 downloads per episode. Exact pricing depends on the show's terms and the placement.
What is The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel about?
It is a step-by-step craft podcast by James Thayer covering story development, scene construction, dialogue, character and sentence-level writing technique for novelists.
How do I contact The Essential Guide to Writing a Novel about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.
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