#148. How To Use Universal Fantasy To Write Better Books (& Sell More Copies) With Theodora Taylor

Fiction Writing Made Easy

“Never wonder if readers will love your story again.” This is exactly what Theodora Taylor teaches you how to do in her book 7 FIGURE FICTION: How to Use Universal Fantasy to SELL Your Books to ANYONE.
Despite writing fiction in a niche genre (interracial romance), Theodora Taylor has grown a fanbase of rabid readers and fans through the power of something she calls Universal Fantasy—aka “the ingredients you need to write DELICIOUS stories!”
In this episode, Theodora Taylor shares how she discovered Universal Fantasy, and how she uses it to codify what works (or doesn’t work) in her own writing. She gives examples from popular books and movies, and even shares how you can use Universal Fantasy in your back cover copy, query letters, and more.
In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:

• [04:52] How Theodora discovered Universal Fantasy in a Facebook ads class—and how this immediately resulted in an increase in book sales
• [09:05] How Universal Fantasy can be the missing link between your book and the right kind of readers who will love it just as much as you do
• [13:33] An example of a Universal Fantasy from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (and also how this relates to the fixer-upper trope)
• [16:33] What Cinderella, Harry Potter, and Mark Watney have in common (spoiler alert: they’re all the same Universal Fantasy: the Suffering Cinderella!)
• [20:05] How Universal Fantasy can help you “butter up” your settings, characters, and dialogue—and write the most DELICIOUS stories possible
• [35:12] How Universal Fantasy can help you write your back cover copy, find accurate comp titles, and write query letters that agents will love

If you’ve ever wondered how some books feel like they’re made with magic (or some kind of special secret sauce), you’re going to love this episode with Theodora Taylor!
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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Theodora Taylor’s Website
• 7 FIGURE FICTION: How to Use Universal Fantasy to SELL Your Books to ANYONE by Theodora Taylor
• Theodora Taylor’s Fiction

Click here to learn more about my book, The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and claim your gifts with purchase!

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

פרקים

1. Universal Fantasy in Fiction Writing (00:00:00)

2. Uncovering Universal Fantasies in Fiction (00:05:20)

3. Essence of Universal Fantasies (00:14:08)

4. Exploring Universal Fantasies in Literature (00:21:15)

5. Identifying Universal Fantasies in Fiction (00:28:03)

6. Crafting Compelling Fiction Blurbs (00:37:58)