Best Self Publishing Formula Podcasts (2024)

1
Doubt: a "quiet story" masterpiece 26:59

2d ago26:59

26:59

It's a brand new season and that means Melanie and I are studying two new topics: narrative drive and conflict triangles. Conflict and page-turners are usually associated with action stories, thrillers and the like. But DOUBT is a quiet, character-driven film that is so expertly crafted it grabs the viewer's attention immediately and holds it right…

1
PLM 943 : Can You Still Make Money on Amazon? Yes, Here's How (Using AI)... 52:42

7d ago52:42

52:42

Get the FREE AI Tools + Amazon Training here: https://www.projectlifemastery.com/asm I'm joined by Matt Clark and Mike McClary from the Amazing Selling Machine to discuss how you can make money on Amazon today, along with how AI is being used to help Amazon sellers. If you'd like to get access to their free Amazon Training and AI tools, go here: ht…

1
Our Best Advice: female characters + setups and payoffs 30:23

9d ago30:23

30:23

We've reached the end of another season and so we're wrapping up our best advice and a-ha moments just for you. Tune in to hear what we have to say about writing female characters and using female archetypes. We also share why it's crucial for you to use the first half of your story to set up everything that happens in the second half. (Hint: it al…

1
Hanna - women aren't small men 41:04

16d ago41:04

41:04

I have been looking forward to this episode since the start of the season. I specifically selected Hanna so we could study fight scenes and weapons handling with female characters - Hanna doesn’t disappoint. I consider aspects of female fight scenes and firing pistols. Valerie wasn’t so lucky this week. Hanna is light on story because the action sc…

1
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: deus ex machina 33:30

23d ago33:30

33:30

Quite often, stories that don't work have more to teach us than the stories that do. Maybe Maria Semple's novel (upon which this film is based), is simply one that's challenging to adapt to the screen. Whatever the case, this move has missed the mark on some basic storytelling principles (it has too many backstory info dumps, a Deus Ex Machina, and…

1
The Genius of Novellas 11:36

27d ago11:36

11:36

Novellas are the ace up your writerly sleeve! They enable you to practice all of the principles of storytelling in a shorter, more manageable form. That's going to make you a much better novelist because your story will be focused and you won't get lost in your manuscript. And oh, the best part? Novellas are on the rise. - V. *Script note: In the e…

1
Crazy Rich Asians: when the antagonist is more compelling than the protagonist 44:13

30d ago44:13

44:13

Crazy Rich Asians pitches two female leads against each other - sounds excellent right? Not so fast… This should set up an epic battle of wills as one fights against traditions she doesn’t understand while the other fights to retain order and tradition. This week, I find out what happens when the protagonist doesn’t plausibly match, then surpass, t…

1
Yentil: the heroine's journey 36:39

1M ago36:39

36:39

This movie was way ahead of its time. It's a brilliant example of the heroine's journey and Melanie walks us through all 10 phases as outlined in Maureen Murdock's THE HEROINE'S JOURNEY: A WOMAN'S QUEST FOR WHOLENESS. Thanks to its excellent use of setups and payoffs, it also has an ending that is both surprising and inevitable. "One of our most ha…

1
PLM 942: Our Investing Strategy, Retirement & The Myth of Passive Income 2:24:55

1M ago2:24:55

2:24:55

In this episode, we discuss our current investing strategy, what it's like being retired, the myth of passive income, and a lot more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacyBy Stefan James

1
Red Joan: meeting reader expectations 35:38

1M ago35:38

35:38

The marketing for this film highlights Judi Dench, but she's barely in it at all. As fans of hers, Melanie and I were disappointed. The movie is ok but it wasn't what we expected and that soured our experience of the story. Melanie still did a study of female archetypes and I still studied setups and payoffs, but the real lesson this week is what h…

1
Dirty Dancing: the heroine's journey 38:20

2M ago38:20

38:20

Does the nickname "baby" bother us? Why yes, yes it does. But we've got to admit, Dirty Dancing is an excellent example of the heroine's journey, as well as female archetypes and how women are presented in stories. It also happens to be, structurally, an excellent film. It's not a complex story, but it's well-told. -V. "In the first half of your st…

1
PLM 941: Our Experiences as Parents, Becoming Successful & Building Our Dream Home 1:45:12

2M ago1:45:12

1:45:12

I recently decided to sit down with my wife Tatiana James to record a podcast where we discuss a host of topics, such as our experiences as parents, becoming successful, financial freedom, building our dream home and more! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy…

1
Zero Dark Thirty: women in war zones 35:36

2M ago35:36

35:36

War stories are often the domain of ‘dick lit’ male protagonists, but is this a true representation of history and does the experience of women in war differ? In this episode, I reference historical female warriors and examines how the experiences of Maya, the protagonist in Zero Dark Thirty, compares with her wartime service. Valerie explores what…

1
Moonstruck: writing female characters 44:17

2M ago44:17

44:17

We're kicking off a brand new season with two new story concepts. Melanie will be studying female characters and how women are presented in modern stories (her work in this episode is reeeeally interesting!), and I'll be investigating something I learned from Steven Pressfield, which is that we shouldn't introduce anything new after Act 2. "Setups …

1
What do agents do? 48:04

2M ago48:04

48:04

This bonus episode was prompted by a chat I saw on Threads. It started with the question, what excites you most about having an agent? Offline, Melanie and I began to literary agents and what they do. We decided to hit record and share what we know with you. Enjoy! - V. For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of train…

1
Our Best Advice: left-brained stories 23:37

2M ago23:37

23:37

Left-brained stories (mysteries, crime thrillers, spy stories) are among the highest selling books on the market today. Readers can't get enough of them, and that means the bar for authors is really high because we have to create a puzzle that our readers haven't seen before. Add to this the fact that the fundamentals of storytelling work in a slig…

1
The Sixth Sense: the art of the gotcha ending 36:43

3M ago36:43

36:43

Are you planning to use a twist at the end of your story? Have you ever wondered how M. Night Shyamalan pulled off this famous gotcha ending? If so, this episode is for you! Melanie does a deep dive into story twists and surprises so that you can craft an ending that delights your reader. I focused on the Central Dramatic Question which is a key pa…

1
Breakout Books v. Words on a Page 6:39

3M ago6:39

6:39

To be a career author, you must have a breakout book. And, a breakout book is one that contains a story that works. In this episode, I tell you the story of an author who didn't know the difference between a breakout book and words on a page. What happened to him will make your jaw drop. For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than…

1
How to Write a Breakout Book 2:27

3M ago2:27

2:27

I just attended a training session with a literary agent who said that failure to write a breakout book is one of the most common mistakes writers make. Well sure, that's fine to say, but (1) what is a breakout book and (2) how do you write one? Well, believe it or not, that's exactly what I'm covering in the How Stories Work webinar on April 9. Ma…

1
The Last of Sheila: soooo good 44:15

3M ago44:15

44:15

Now this is the epitome of a left-brained story. THE LAST OF SHEILA has puzzles within puzzles, an intricate plot that has been expertly set up, and a cast of characters who aren't who they seem to me. There are so many amazing things about it, I hardly know which of them to highlight for you here so I'll give you a bit of trivia: this movie was Ri…

1
How do stories work? 5:11

3M ago5:11

5:11

If you're writing a novel or memoir, you're writing a story. Sounds obvious, right? That may be, but most authors don't know how to tell a story that works. If you don't believe me check out the stats: 97% of the books sent to literary agents are rejected, of the books that get published 0.08% hit a bestseller list. Those who choose to self-publish…

1
Gosford Park: did he deserve it? 35:04

3M ago35:04

35:04

This film offers two hugely valuable lessons to writers of all genres. The first is about the inciting incident and when it needs to happen. The second is about unlikeable characters and how to handle them. In Gosford Park, it's the victim who is unlikeable and that adds an interesting dimension to the murder mystery storyline. -V. "Notice where yo…

1
One Line Writing Secret You Need to Know 8:51

3M ago8:51

8:51

In our last episode about our most embarrassing literary moments, Melanie and I said that line writing (or prose writing) means learning to write a narrative. We also said that there are specific techniques involved in writing a narrative, but we didn't say what any of them are. So that's the purpose of this little mini episode. We reveal a line wr…

1
Our Most Embarrassing Literary Moments 29:17

3M ago29:17

29:17

No one is born knowing how to write great prose. Like any other kind of specialized writing (ex., newspapers, academia, web, etc.), writing prose is a particular skill that can, and must, be learned. While Melanie and I were meeting to discuss our upcoming webinar about line writing, we started to share (horror) stories from the early days of our o…

1
A Most Wanted Man: why now? 35:25

3M ago35:25

35:25

Readers are on a need to know basis. That means that, as storytellers, we only tell them what they need to know, and only when they need to know it. In this adaptation of John le Carre's novel, the filmmakers could have told us everything we needed to know about Issa in the first few minutes. Instead, they sprinkled the details a little bit at a ti…

1
THIS is how your novel gets noticed! 6:02

3M ago6:02

6:02

There are two ways to write great stories. The first involves at least 20 years of reading, writing and being rejected. The second, which is much faster, involves learning story theory. (Big shocker that I'm saying that, right?) If option number two sounds good to you, then check out the Story Nerd Spring Webinar Series, which kicks off on March 28…

1
The Good Liar: surprise v twist 41:57

4M ago41:57

41:57

The movie had both me and Valerie on the edge of our seats. When we come across a masterful movie we pull out as much as we can for you. This episode is chock-a-block full of info about point of view, narrative drive, clues, and liars. We also examine how the twist in The Good Liar is set up and pulled off. I continue to track the clues and motives…

1
See How They Run: wasted potential 39:44

4M ago39:44

39:44

A comedic take on a murder mystery had so much potential, but unfortunately, the creators of SEE HOW THEY RUN wasted it with what can only be described as lazy writing and lazy editing. This is what happens when the writers of murder mysteries aren't also superfans of the genre, or when they try to cut corners. This week, Valerie discusses the unfo…

1
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: when did Smiley know? 57:08

4M ago57:08

57:08

It's a long episode this week because there's a whole lot to talk about in this excellent adaptation of John le Carre's bestselling novel. Melanie gives her top tips for writing mysteries and Valerie discusses the type of protagonist we usually find in left-brained stories. One question lingered for them both: When did George Smiley discover who th…

1
The Game: why endings are important 38:22

4M ago38:22

38:22

By the time we get to the end of our manuscript, we can feel drained creatively. The temptation to phone it in looms large. But be careful. No matter how good the rest of your story is, if the ending is weak, the novel/film will fail to impress. This is just one of the lessons that Valerie and Melanie learned this week. "What I mean by a left-brain…

1
The Dry: an introduction to outback noir 37:06

4M ago37:06

37:06

This week Valerie and Melanie continue their study of left-brained stories. They step into the outback to discover how Australian crime writers create an atmosphere of isolation by combining plot and setting. Melanie is tracking clues, motives, and murderers' actions to discover the techniques used to raise questions and divert attention in the sto…

1
Crooked House: left-brained stories 40:51

5M ago40:51

40:51

It's time for a brand new season of the show and this time around, Valerie and Melanie are studying the same topic: left-brained stories. Never heard of it before? Don't worry. Valerie made up the term to describe any story that has a puzzle of some kind and invites the reader/audience to try to solve the puzzle before the author reveals the soluti…

1
Character Lessons from an Actor 10:47

5M ago10:47

10:47

For the past two seasons Valerie has been talking about character dimension and cast design. The key to understanding both concepts is to recognize that a person isn't a uniform, constant creature. A person's behaviour changes depending on the situation she finds herself in and the people she finds herself interacting with. In this brief bonus epis…

1
Our Best Advice: conflict + cast design 25:35

5M ago25:35

25:35

This week Valerie and Melanie round up their a-ha moments and the lessons they've learned over the past ten episodes. What are their key takeaways wrt creating conflict in a story? How can you design a cast that supports both the main character's development and the plot? Tune in to find out! For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more…

1
Government Contracting Secrets - How to Unlock Generational Wealth in Your Business 47:51

5M ago47:51

47:51

https://danielhallwebinars.com/contract - Government Contracting - take the 5-day government contracting challenge here. Get the checklist hereBy Daniel Hall

1
The Lost Daughter: fisticuffs 48:19

5M ago48:19

48:19

The one thing Valerie and Melanie agree on this week is that the execution of this film isn't as good as it could, or should, have been. They disagreed on just about everything else and they each have a strong case for why they've come to the conclusions they've come to. The main points of disagreement? The protagonist's object of desire (want) and…

1
Lady Bird: writing female protagonists 41:49

5M ago41:49

41:49

If you're writing a character-driven story with a female protagonist, or a female POV character, this episode is a must for you. With only one viewing it's easy to miss the storytelling goodness of Lady Bird because it doesn't offer up the kind of story Hollywood has trained us to expect (i.e., external action, male protagonist, hero's journey-styl…

1
Love, Simon: how (not) to arc a character 40:58

6M ago40:58

40:58

If you're writing a character-driven story, or if your protagonist has an arc, this episode is for you. This week, Melanie and Valerie continue their studies of conflict and cast design, and the connection between these topics and character development is a real eye-opener. For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of t…

1
Sex and the City: great world building, but meh 39:27

6M ago39:27

39:27

Never has there been a better example of why world building is so important. Fans of Sex and the City love to live vicariously through Carrie Bradshaw so it's no surprise that audiences gave this film a 77% Rotten Tomatoes score. However, film critics gave it a 50%, and Valerie and Melanie tend to agree. What is they see that fans don't? Tune in to…

1
0 – Foreword, True Happiness, The Immortal Man 12:35

6M ago12:35

12:35

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
1 – The Overcoming of Self, The Uses of Temptation 16:17

6M ago16:17

16:17

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
2 – The Man of Integrity, Discrimination 11:22

6M ago11:22

11:22

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
3 – Belief, the Basis of Action; Belief that Saves 13:41

6M ago13:41

13:41

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
4 – Thought and Action, Your Mental Attitude 9:50

6M ago9:50

9:50

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
5 – Sowing and Reaping, The Reign of Law 14:25

6M ago14:25

14:25

More great books at LoyalBooks.comBy James Allen

1
The Gentlemen: conflict and a detour 36:41

6M ago36:41

36:41

Sometimes the best way to understand a concept is to have a simple, but clear, example. In this episode, Melanie explains why The Gentlemen is such a great example of conflict, especially external conflict. This film isn't such a great example of cast design though, so this week Valerie takes a detour and focuses instead on Narrative Device (which …