Too much showing can bog your pacing; too much telling can flatten your emotion. This writing podcast for authors in the Story Savvy Series explores that delicate equilibrium with narrative distance explained in practical terms. You’ll uncover how to avoid info dumps, weave exposition naturally, and recognize when direct telling enhances reader understanding. Combining self editing tips for writers with developmental editing advice, the episode guides you toward stronger storytelling choices that polish your manuscript and keep your readers immersed from start to finish.In this episode of the Story Savvy Self-Editing Series, developmental editor Rebecca Hartwell [hartboundediting.com] and aspiring fantasy author Agnes Wolfe [agneswolfeauthor.com] examine the pitfalls of exposition and over-description. Rebecca discusses how to balance show versus tell, write essential context without info dumping, and maintain narrative momentum through clear, purposeful prose.In this episode:Balancing show vs. tell for stronger storytellingRecognizing over-showing and trimming excess detailAvoiding exposition overload in your scenesUsing telling strategically for smoother pacingReplacing info dumps with purposeful, timely details

In this week’s Story Savvy Series episode, we explore cutting word count effectively and how to avoid repetition in writing—a must-listen Podcast for fantasy writers. Through developmental editing advice and storytelling improvement tips, Rebecca and Agnes discuss editing with integrity, sharing real examples from fantasy novel editing that show how to polish your manuscript with precision.In this episode of the Story Savvy Self-Editing Series, developmental editor Rebecca Hartwell [hartboundediting.com] and aspiring fantasy author Agnes Wolfe [agneswolfeauthor.com] explore the importance of reducing redundancy in your manuscript. Rebecca explains what counts as repetition, how to identify word echoes and overused phrases, and why trimming these moments can strengthen pacing and polish your final draft.In this episode:How to tell when something’s actually repetitiveSpotting when you’ve both shown and told a momentCutting out overused words and echo phrasesSlimming your story without losing its voiceUsing repetition purposefully to strengthen key moments

Today we discuss all things AI and the writing process as well as editing with integrity. In this podcast for fantasy authors, we talk AI and storytelling ethics, specifically ethical AI use for authors. Rebecca points out the need for protecting author rights, the cognitive impact of AI use, and the environmental cost of AI tools. This is such an important topic, as it will have large impacts on the future of creativity and the arts. Agnes shares her still-evolving perspective on AI and the importance of researching the impacts for yourself.In this episode of the Story Savvy Self-Editing Series, developmental editor Rebecca Hartwell [hartboundediting.com] and aspiring fantasy author Agnes Wolfe [agneswolfeauthor.com] discuss the highly controversial topic of AI. Rebecca defines the difference between generative AI and assistive AI, the environmental impacts of AI, and the long term effects on the cultural and personal art of writing. In this episode:-Understanding difference between generative and assistive AI-Dangers of using generative AI as an assistive tool-Ethical considerations of using AI-Value of human creativity vs AI generated-Importance of transparency when using AI