Rephonic
Artwork for Story Magic

Story Magic

Golden May
Writing Community
Writing Process
Self-Publishing
Creative Writing
Character Arcs
Publishing
Character Development
Romance
Revisions
Kayla Stansbury
Querying Process
First Drafts
Emotional Challenges
Traditionally Published
Hybrid Publishing
Book Coaching
AI In Publishing
Author Marketing
Indie Publishing
Mental Health

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes127Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ArtsFictionBooks

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Story Magic

Latest Episodes

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about how marginalized writers build worlds for their own communities with guest Tiffany Grimes.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• What it means to "reclaim the lens" 

• Why so many marginalized writers hesitate to g... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about digital minimalism with guest Gauri Yardi!

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• What is digital minimalism? 

• Emily's and Gauri's experience 

• How to incorporate digital minimalism into your creative life

• The ... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about commissioning artists for book covers and artwork.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• when and why you might work with an artist

• where and how to find artists

• what the process is like

• how to work with an a... more

Today, Emily & Rachel talk about writing what you want vs writing to market.

What you’ll learn from this episode:

• staying true to writing what you love

• considering market as a business tool

• not letting this question mess with your mindset

Re... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
The Shit No One Tells You About WritingBianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
Writing Excuses
Writing ExcusesMary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Recent Guests

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
Michael Dante DiMartino
Co-creator of Avatar: The Last Airbender, writer, and author
Episode: 102 - Tackling serious themes with Michael Dante DiMartino
Becca Syme
Alignment coach and author of writing craft books
Episode: 101 - Intuitive writing with Becca Syme
Evette Davis
Writer of science fiction and urban fantasy novels, co-owner of a public relations firm.
Flesh and Bone Publishing
Episode: 98 - Hybrid publishing with Evette Davis
Karisa DeLay
Author with Vendera Publishing and host of the Always Write Podcast.
Vendera Publishing
Episode: 94 - Writing process with Karisa DeLay and Jaime Vendera
Jaime Vendera
Vocal coach and author who has written numerous books across genres.
Vendera Publishing
Episode: 94 - Writing process with Karisa DeLay and Jaime Vendera

Hosts

Rachel May
Co-host of Story Magic with a focus on writing craft, mindset, and community-building.
Emily Golden May
Co-host of Story Magic specializing in craft guidance and coaching for writers, with emphasis on actionable steps and community involvement.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 81 ratings
  • 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
  • Favourite podcast

    This is my favourite podcast. Not just favourite writing craft or fiction or book related podcast. Favourite podcast, period.

    There’s a nugget of wisdom in every episode and I always walk away feeling excited about writing and being an author. 100% recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    blessedblood
    Australiaa year ago
  • Great resource for fiction writers

    This podcast is amazing! I love how Rachel and Emily breakdown hard to understand concepts about writing a story so they are easy to understand and implement. They take the theory of craft to the next level. All the talk about mindset shifts have made such a lasting impact on my writing life. Highly recommend!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tnbeaut
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the show's practical craft guidance and mindset talk.
Hosts are relatable, down-to-earth, and consistently helpful for writers seeking real progress.
Community involvement and topic requests are highly valued by fans.

Top Books Podcasts

The Book Club
The Book ClubGoalhanger
Poetry Unbound
Poetry UnboundOn Being Studios
Fantasy Fangirls
Fantasy FangirlsFantasy Fangirls
Myths and Legends
Myths and LegendsJason Weiser, Carissa Weiser, Nextpod
The Book Review
The Book ReviewThe New York Times
Selected Shorts
Selected ShortsSymphony Space

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

104 - Atmosphere and setting with Thea Verdone
Q: Could you tell us a little bit about Gothic? Why Gothic for you?
I guess by accident. I just kind of, I'm a big dark romance reader and I've always loved horror and Gothic stuff.
102 - Tackling serious themes with Michael Dante DiMartino
Q: Can you tell us about your journey in writing your recent novel and how you approached writing serious themes for younger audiences?
My journey was quite a mix as I've always been interested in storytelling. After creating "Avatar", I explored novel writing. In my recent book, I depict loss and grief through the character of Jack, making it relatable but also appropriately challenging for a younger audience.
92 - The market challenges of genre blending
Q: In case of genre blending, how do we choose which genre story arc to follow?
You should decide which parts of the genres excite you and fit the story you're telling, rather than feel bound to a specific structure.
60 - Author Interview with Emilia Emerson
Q: What has been your journey with indie publishing and how has it evolved?
Emilia explains that her choice to indie publish wasn't a decision but a necessity due to the nature of her books and her enjoyment of having full control over the publishing process.
60 - Author Interview with Emilia Emerson
Q: Can you tell us about your characters and how they reflect your own experiences?
Emilia discusses how her characters often deal with themes of mental health and trauma, paralleling her personal and professional experiences in these areas.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Story Magic

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

Fiction-writing-focused discussions with practical craft tips, mindset strategies, and community-building guidance. The show consistently covers character development, story structure, worldbuilding, and techniques to move from idea to publishable book, while also addressing practical aspects like marketing, editing, and building a supportive writing network. Guests are often seasoned authors, coaches, or editors who share actionable insights, making complex craft concepts accessible and directly applicable for writers at varying stages. A standout is the clear emphasis on mindset shifts—overcoming perfectionism, imposter syndrome, and burnout—paired with hands-on craft guidance, which makes the show particularly helpful for authors aiming ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Story Magic?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Story Magic. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Story Magic and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Story Magic get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Story Magic, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Story Magic?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Story Magic, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Story Magic have?

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 3 years ago and published 127 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.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Story Magic?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Story Magic from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Story Magic?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Story Magic. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Story Magic?

Recent guests on Story Magic include:

1. Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
2. Sam Cameron
3. Thea Verdone
4. Jenn Vance
5. Michael Dante DiMartino
6. Becca Syme
7. Evette Davis
8. Karisa DeLay

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days