What does it take to write a female-led action-adventure novel inspired by Xena, Buffy and Indiana Jones? Travel blogger and debut novelist Michelle Jensen talks about creating a strong female protagonist, researching real history and mythology, finishing a first draft, editing over several years, and querying literary agents. We also discuss bad editor experiences, cutting word count, and the reality of turning a first novel into a publishable book.

You can find Michelle at https://www.travelherstory.com and sign up to recieve news about her book at

https://www.travelherstory.com/deferring-death

Summary

In this conversation, Dajana and Michelle discuss the journey of writing a novel, the challenges of travel blogging, and the importance of creating strong female characters. Michelle shares her experiences with research, editing, and the publishing process, as well as the impact of COVID-19 on her writing journey. They explore the balance between writing and other responsibilities, the monetization of blogs, and the realities of the writing industry.

Keywords

writing, travel blogging, novel, female characters, publishing, editing, querying, storytelling, adventure, creativity

What do most writing craft books leave out—and how can you avoid getting stuck mid-draft? In this episode of Exit Plan Writer, I talk with developmental editor and story coach Lori Puma, author of the free ebook What Fiction Craft Books Left Out.

Free to download here: https://loripuma.com/craft-books-skip

Lori shares why genre fiction authors (romance, fantasy, mystery, thriller) struggle with missing guidance, how to build a strong story foundation, and why antagonists are the secret to page-turning plots. We also dig into my own work-in-progress, with Lori giving live coaching on character arcs, conflict, and how to avoid a “Frankenstein” draft.

If you’ve ever wondered what a developmental editor really does—or how to take your messy middle to a finished, reader-hooking novel—this episode is packed with practical insights you won’t find in traditional craft guides.

You can find Lori at www.loripuma.com

And me at www.exitplanwriter.com

An update to experiment number two. How exactly is writing going now that I’m back at the day job?

In this episode I discuss the sacrifices one has to make to obtain the things we want.

I reflect on what I learned during my hiatus from work now that I can compare the two situations properly.

Tune in to listen to why I feel unstructured time is important.