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Artwork for Story Magic

Story Magic

Golden May
Writing Process
Character Development
Writing Community
Character Arcs
Self-Publishing
Writing
Hustle Culture
Publishing
Perfectionism
Writing Craft
Creative Writing
Creativity
Tenacious Writing
Mental Health
Hybrid Publishing
Romance
Book Coaching
Book Marketing
Story Structure
Storytelling

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 yo... more

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Latest Episodes

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about letting your characters make mistakes.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• Why it’s important for characters to make mistakes

• The difference between static arcs and boring characters

• Why this is one of the mo... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about finding comp titles.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• What are comp titles? 

• How to encapsulate the vibes of your book

• Common pitfalls when choosing comp titles

• Where to start looking to find comp titles... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about narrative drive.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• What is narrative drive

• Why is it SO important for reader engagement

• How to identify if you have a narrative drive problem

• What to do to add more narrati... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron!

The audio from this episode came from Emily's interview on The Truant Pen Substack. Check it out and subscribe here: truantpen.substack.com/

Ready to mak... more

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Recent Guests

Emily Golden
Host sharing publishing insights and coaching experience
Golden May Editing
Episode: 132 - Revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron
Ruth McKell
Author of Honey In Her Veins
Author
Episode: 127 - Using magic as a metaphor for mental health with Ruth McKell
Tiffany Grimes
Editor behind Virgin Design and Editorial; writer
Virgin Design and Editorial
Episode: 126 - Reclaiming the Lens: How Marginalized Writers Build Worlds for Their Own Communities with Tiffany Grimes
Gauri Yardi
Multidisciplinary creative, naturopath, creative well-being coach
Gauri Yardi (independent)
Episode: 125 - Digital Minimalism with Gauri Yardi
Monica Hay
Writing coach who specializes in overcoming writer's resistance using brain science
monicahay.com
Episode: 116 - The brain science behind writer's resistance with Monica Hay
Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
Expert in dictation techniques for fiction writing.
Episode: 108 - Dictation with Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
Sam Cameron
Book coach, author, and developmental editor
Truant Pen, Substack
Episode: 107 - Book coaching behind the scenes with Sam Cameron
Thea Verdone
Author of MM Modern Gothic Romance, focuses on character arcs and atmospheric settings.
Episode: 104 - Atmosphere and setting with Thea Verdone
Jenn Vance
Marketing director for Books Forward, with extensive experience in book marketing and publicity.
Books Forward
Episode: 103 - Publicity and book marketing with Jenn Vance

Hosts

Emily Golden
Co-host focused on craft, marketing, and editing insights; often anchors discussions on character arcs, worldbuilding, and publishing workflows.
Rachel
Co-host with a focus on storytelling craft, character-driven analysis, and practical examples.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 84 ratings
  • Thanks for the spoilers

    Not. Please put some spoilers in your podcast. You spoilered three books. And less „like“ would be very much appreciated.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Ydiahan
    Germany2 months ago
  • Engaging, Insightful, Informative, and Nurturing

    Story Magic has helped me hone my writing craft. I value and appreciate the short-form master classes and the resources Emily and Rachel offer.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gill Navasino
    United States2 months ago
  • Story Magic is exactly what I need—every single week.

    It’s honestly wild how often the episodes line up perfectly with what I’m going through or what I’ve been thinking about as a writer. It feels like Rachel and Emily are in my head—in the best way.

    One of my favorite things about the show is how intentional they are about involving their community. They ask for topic suggestions and really listen, which makes the podcast feel like a conversation rather than a lecture. Their episodes always feel timely, grounded, and incredibly relevant.

    Plus, R... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Steve Eastlack
    United Statesa year ago
  • Great podcast

    Fun, informative, and perfectly pairs mindset with craft!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    nikkikin
    United Statesa year ago
  • Love this podcast!

    This podcast has been SO helpful to my writing process! Emily

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ABHjuli
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Perceived as accessible and community-friendly with mindset guidance that complements craft.
Provocative and practical for writers; breaks concepts into actionable steps.
Relatable, encouraging, and hands-on; feels like a mentor in audio form.

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Myths and LegendsJason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
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Selected ShortsSymphony Space
The Book Club
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ETG
ETGVespucci
The Book Case
The Book CaseABC News | Charlie Gibson, Kate Gibson

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

132 - Revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron
Q: What practical steps do you take to plan a revision once you have an edit letter?
First, list and bucket the edits, identify the major structural buckets, brainstorm broad solutions, then map those solutions into chapter-level changes; finally, do passes focusing on each bucket in sequence, often starting with the biggest issues.
132 - Revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron
Q: What is the emotional and mind-shift transition like from being unagented to having an agent in your process?
They discuss excitement tempered by anxiety, redefining themselves as a team with their editor/agent, and learning to balance collaboration with preserving their own creative vision.
132 - Revising while integrating feedback with Sam Cameron
Q: Could you start by telling everybody how you got your agent and your publisher, basically your publishing origin story?
Both hosts describe a non-linear path: moving from earlier, unfinished projects to a successful submission for a later manuscript, signing with agents at different stages, and navigating initial offers (including a fast Amazon deal) before more traditional submissions. The discussion emphasizes persistence, the need to align with the right agent, and understanding that agents and editors have distinct, goal-oriented roles.
116 - The brain science behind writer's resistance with Monica Hay
Q: Could you please tell us a little bit about you and introduce yourself for our listeners?
Monica Hay explains she is a writing coach focused on helping writers overcome resistance using brain science, with a background in social work and English literature, and experience in publishing.
126 - Reclaiming the Lens: How Marginalized Writers Build Worlds for Their Own Communities with Tiffany Grimes
Q: Who is the audience you are writing to and how do you decide what to include or translate?
Visualize a single person in your life and tailor the language and details to what that person would understand; consider what needs to be learned and what can be assumed, and decide how much to translate or explain.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Story Magic

What is Story Magic about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Two fictional-writing coaches dive into craft, mindset, and community growth for authors. Episodes emphasize actionable techniques in character arcs, narrative drive, worldbuilding, and practical publishing strategies, while normalizing mindset shifts like overcoming perfectionism and the fear of the blank page. Listeners often get frameworks for outlining, revising, and marketing, plus ongoing guidance on building an author-friendly workflow and supportive writing communities. A standout angle is the blend of hands-on craft with real-world publishing and audience-building advice, making it valuable for both aspiring and established writers seeking sustainable progress.

A notable edge is the collaborative vibe between the hosts, who regula... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Story Magic has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Story Magic are there?

Story Magic launched 4 years ago and published 136 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Story Magic?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Story Magic?

Recent guests on Story Magic include:

1. Emily Golden
2. Ruth McKell
3. Tiffany Grimes
4. Gauri Yardi
5. Monica Hay
6. Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
7. Sam Cameron
8. Thea Verdone

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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