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

“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! ⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts "I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too! Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now! 🔗 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 FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author! Support the show