Best The Writership Podcast Podcasts (2024)

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Ep. 138 World Building 26:33

5y ago26:33

26:33

In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss World Building, the way you craft the domain your characters inhabit. She offers several exercises to help improve your story by strengthening your world. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and writ…

1
Ep. 137 Strengthen Your Setting 22:09

5+ y ago22:09

22:09

In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss story setting, the place and time where your character gets into and hopefully out of trouble. She offered three exercises to help strengthen your setting and story. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skil…

1
Ep. 136 Resolutions 49:59

5+ y ago49:59

49:59

We all have some idea of what a resolution is, but what are these scene- and story-enders meant to do? In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts explores scene and story resolutions in the context of C. Gabriel Wright’s LBGTQ love story, “Someone.” The editorial mission encourages you to collect resolutions by reading and watching s…

1
Ep. 135 Scene and Story Climaxes 47:38

5+ y ago47:38

47:38

What are story and scene climaxes? Why do you need them? In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts discusses the decisions your characters make, as well as the actions they take, when faced with a dilemma. You’ll hear Matt Bizzel’s horror story, "A Window Out: Or, the Accidental Death of Frank Ortiz" and Leslie’s analysis of the sce…

1
Ep. 134 Crisis Questions for Your Scenes 46:46

5+ y ago46:46

46:46

What are crisis questions? Why do our stories and scenes need them? In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts discusses the dilemmas your characters face on the way to scene and story resolutions in the context of the opening of Jerry Dawson’s science fiction story, Meteor. The editorial mission encourages you to collect crisis ques…

1
Ep. 133 Progressive Complications for Your Scenes 57:58

5+ y ago57:58

57:58

What are progressive complications? Why do our stories and scenes need them? This week, Story Grid Certified editor Leslie Watts discusses the people, places, things, and events that stand between your characters and their goals within the context of the opening of Anna Ferguson’s YA science fiction novel, The Empire of Saffron. The editorial missi…

1
Ep. 132 Inciting Incidents for Your Scenes 46:33

5+ y ago46:33

46:33

What are inciting incidents? Why do our stories and scenes need them? What are the elements of a solid inciting incident? This week, Story Grid Certified editor Leslie Watts discusses these story event catalysts in the context of the opening of Drew Horstman’s fantasy novel, Nicholas Crumb. The editorial mission encourages you to collect inciting i…

1
Ep. 131 Analyzing Your Scenes 58:55

6y ago58:55

58:55

You’ve written lots of scenes for your work in progress, but how do you know whether they work? In this episode, Story Grid Certified editor Leslie Watts shows you how to analyze your scenes by looking at the opening of AW Moyer’s YA fantasy story, The Grim Book. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write b…

1
130. Writing with Abandon with Grant Faulkner 56:54

6y ago56:54

56:54

In this episode, Story Grid certified editor Leslie Watts discusses writing with abandon with Grant Faulkner, the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month. They talk about what it means to write with abandon, how to go about it, and why it’s important. In lieu of an editorial mission, Grant shares the word sprint, an old NaNoWriMo practic…

1
Ep. 129 Essential and Literal Action in Your Scenes 59:38

6y ago59:38

59:38

In this episode, Story Grid Certified Editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley discuss literal and essential action in the context of “Madeline,” a short horror story by Nathaniel Patterson. They show you how to identify the essential action (the character’s scene goal) and literal action (what the character does to achieve it) within your own scenes. …

1
128. How to Take Your Story from Pretty Good to WOW! 1:09:19

6y ago1:09:19

1:09:19

In this episode, Story Grid certified editors Leslie Watts and Lori Puma critique “Night Fishing,” a coming of age short story by Kevin Glasgow. They discuss how to take your story from pretty good to WOW. You’ll discover specific tools to improve a story that’s already working by enhancing the elements of your genre and style to focus on your idea…

1
127. Meeting Reader Expectations for Your Fiction Sales Category 52:36

6y ago52:36

52:36

Leslie welcomes James Thorn, an author of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction and Story Grid Certified editor, to discuss how you can discover reader expectations related to your sales category. They consider how dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction are the same and different, and which must-have elements will help you tell a satisfying story.…

1
126. Second Person Point of View 1:17:09

6y ago1:17:09

1:17:09

Intrepid editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley talk about when you might want to use second person point of view in the context of David Austin's short story "All American." This week's editorial mission challenges you to experiment with this rare point of view to see what insights can be gained from the unique perspective it affords. Click here for…

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Episode 125: Putting Your Writing First with Mark McGuinness 1:12:58

6+ y ago1:12:58

1:12:58

In this episode, Leslie talks with poet and creative coach Mark McGuinness from the 21st Century Creative podcast about why it’s important to put your writing first—both for you personally and for your creative career. The editorial mission asks you to write something you might not expect.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 124: Your Character’s Internal Journey 1:03:09

6+ y ago1:03:09

1:03:09

In this episode, Certified Story Grid editors Leslie Watts and Rebecca Monterusso critique “The Flight,” a science fiction short story by Scott Adam Gordon. They discuss the internal journey or change that characters experience as a result of external events in a story. Leslie and Rebecca then uncover which internal genres might be present in “The …

1
Epside 123: Leslie's Approach to Editing and Why You Need to Tell Your Story 1:02:29

6+ y ago1:02:29

1:02:29

In this episode, Certified Story Grid editor Leslie Watts and Writership’s first officer, Liz Green, discuss the way things have changed around the podcast and answer some burning questions about the Story Grid, Leslie’s approach to editing, and why you need to tell your story.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 122: Do Your Scenes Contain Conflict? 59:09

6+ y ago59:09

59:09

In this episode, Certified Story Grid editors Leslie Watts and Courtney Harrell critique the first chapter of Seeker, a science fiction novella within the Chaos Nova universe by Smith & Kaos. They discuss conflict within stories and scenes. Antagonistic forces and obstacles are necessary elements of stories because change within a character comes a…

1
Episode 121: Structure for Character-Driven or Literary Stories 55:34

6+ y ago55:34

55:34

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie Watts and Rachelle Ramirez critique “How I Stumbled into the Golden Cage,” a short story by Jose Arroyo. They discuss genre and how stories that emphasize the protagonist’s inner journey still need structure. Writers of literary stories can use the steps in the Kubler-Ross grief process to plan and revise the…

1
Episode 120: Crisis Questions 55:28

6+ y ago55:28

55:28

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie Watts and Valerie Francis analyze a scene from Lock and Key: the first book in The Essence Riven Trilogy by Emily Bowie. They discuss the crisis question, a moment in a scene when a question arises for the POV character. To keep the story moving, your scenes should turn, more specifically, it should become mo…

1
Episode 119: Scene Value Shifts 1:10:28

6+ y ago1:10:28

1:10:28

In this episode, Certified Story Grid Editors Leslie Watts and Jay Peters critique the beginning of “What Lives Beneath,” a short story by A.V. Herzberg. The author’s synopsis for the story suggests that the main genre could be Obsession Love Story or Horror. Leslie and Jay talk about how those genres can be translated into story values (in other w…

1
Episode 118: Why You Must Choose a Genre 58:00

6+ y ago58:00

58:00

In this episode, fiction editor Leslie Watts and author C. Steven Manley critique “The Highwayman,” a fantasy short story by Jacob Oakley. They discuss genre and why it’s important to choose one primary one. The same characters, setting, and circumstances can give rise to a wide range of stories. When you nail down your primary or global genre, you…

1
Episode 117: Shoe Leather: Eliminating Unnecessary Exposition 1:04:04

6+ y ago1:04:04

1:04:04

In this episode, Leslie is joined by author and Story Grid editor Jarie Bolander. They critique the opening chapters of The Home Front, a women’s society novel by Melinda McDonald. Shoe leather, that is description, backstory, and other information that your reader doesn’t need, can weigh down your story. The editorial mission this week will help y…

1
Episode 116: The Five Commandments of Story with Shawn Coyne 1:14:31

6+ y ago1:14:31

1:14:31

In this episode, Leslie is joined by Shawn Coyne, the author of T_he Story Grid: What Good Editors Know_. They discuss the five commandments of story in the context of chapter five of Animal Farm by George Orwell and what makes this story a great one to analyze. The five commandments (the inciting incident, progressive complications, crisis questio…

1
Episode 115: Motivation-Reaction Units 1:14:52

6+ y ago1:14:52

1:14:52

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie Watts and Kim Kessler critique the first chapter of Passage, a fantasy/women’s society novel by S. Thies. This week’s author submitted her scene in first- and third-person point of view, providing an opportunity for us to ask, how can you improve your scenes no matter which POV you choose? The answer is MRUs,…

1
Episode 114: Inciting Incidents 57:13

6+ y ago57:13

57:13

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley critique the beginning of Sheila Lischwe’s as yet untitled psychological thriller. They discuss inciting incidents: the submission as a possible inciting incident for the global psychological thriller and also within the scene. These pivotal story events pull the rug out from under your …

1
Episode 113: Intentional Sentence Construction 44:02

6+ y ago44:02

44:02

Fiction editor Leslie Watts is joined by Liz Green, Writership’s first officer, to discuss the first chapter of The Left-Handed Gunslinger, a western fantasy novella by Shaun Gill. In this episode, they explore intentional sentence structure. You have a wide variety of tools to support your story, including the words and sentence structure you choo…

1
Episode 112: Flashbacks 50:45

6+ y ago50:45

50:45

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of The Fifty-Two Week Chronicles, a chick lit/romantic comedy novel by Joslyn Westbrook. They discuss flashbacks, getting specific, and obtaining feedback when you write about characters and situations that are different from your own.…

1
Episode 111: Experiment with Omniscient POV 47:12

6+ y ago47:12

47:12

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of The Palace Thief, a YA fantasy novel by AR Richardson. They discuss omniscient point of view and why you should give it a try if you haven’t. This POV option is often considered old-fashioned, but it offers flexibility and options that you don’t have with the other POVs…

1
Episode 110: Self-Editing Your Fiction 50:26

6+ y ago50:26

50:26

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark talk about self-editing. To get the most from hiring an editor, you'll want to tackle certain tasks before you turn it over. There are plenty of steps you can take to improve your story so that your editor can focus on deeper issues. Be sure to check out the show notes for resources, tips, and this …

1
Episode 109: Where to Begin Your Story? 47:06

6+ y ago47:06

47:06

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique the prologue and first chapter of From the Flame, a fantasy novel by Kristen Franklin. They discuss where to begin your story. If all the events of the protagonist’s life were laid out in front of you, which is the most powerful moment to use for chapter one?…

1
Episode 108: Narrative Drive—Compelling Your Reader to Turn the Page 50:51

7y ago50:51

50:51

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley critique the first chapter of Esperanza, a science fiction horror novel by Mike Ward. They discuss narrative drive. Different people use the term “narrative drive” to mean different things. What we discuss here is the amount of information the reader possesses relative to the character. …

1
Episode 107: Check the Tension in Your Opening 50:14

7y ago50:14

50:14

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Valerie Francis critique the first chapter of The Arctic Compass, a middle grade fantasy novel by Ryan Gannon. They discuss how to check your opening scene for tension and special considerations for middle grade fiction.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 106: Capture Your Character’s Essence 59:34

7y ago59:34

59:34

In this episode, fiction editor Leslie Watts and guest fiction editor Anne Hawley critique the opening pages of The Bad Shepherd, a crime story set in Los Angeles in the 1980s, by Dale M. Nelson. They discuss characters and how to make them relatable so your reader can connect with them. This week's editorial mission asks you to capture your charac…

1
Episode 105: Do Your Scenes Work? 55:38

7y ago55:38

55:38

In this episode, fiction editor Leslie Watts and guest editor Valerie Francis critique the prologue of Shadow Falls, a thriller novel by Maxwell Perkins. They discuss the elements of scenes that work and how you can check your own scenes in early drafts.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 104: Revising Your Action Scenes 37:39

7y ago37:39

37:39

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique a scene from *Beneath the Crypt*, a middle grade fantasy novel by Alex Heath. They discuss how to evaluate and revise action scenes. When characters fight, chase each other, or engage in acts of derring-do, it can be hard to keep track of all the moving parts. Often, the clear image of how …

1
Episode 103: Narrative Identity and Why It Matters 52:39

7y ago52:39

52:39

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique “A Hero Least of All,” a literary short story by Tim LaFave. They discuss narrative identity and why it matters for your writing. Humans use story to make sense of their lives, and it’s important to understand the stories we tell about ourselves and the how this impacts our writing. This we…

1
Episode 102: How to Choose Your Story's Point of View 47:43

7y ago47:43

47:43

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark discuss point of view (POV) in their critique of “The Second Prayer: A Confession for the Dead,” a thriller short story by David L. Storm. The POV is the filter through which the reader experiences your story: Each option has advantages and disadvantages and can produce vastly different results. In …

1
Episode 101: Check Your Narrative Distance 42:58

7y ago42:58

42:58

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark critique the beginning of Osweyth, an epic fantasy novel inspired by Cornish folklore by J M Hudson. They discuss narrative distance, omniscient point of view, and moving smoothly between vantage points. They also talked about the weather as a character in the story, lush prose, sentence and paragra…

1
Episode 100: Answers to Your Questions about Writing and Editing 50:02

7y ago50:02

50:02

In this episode, fiction editors Leslie and Clark celebrate 100 episodes. They depart from the regular format to answer your questions about writing and editing. They discuss passive voice, pantsing vs. plotting, head hopping, how long your story should be, and how to write character thoughts. This week’s editorial mission is about finding your str…

1
Episode. 99: Revealing Character: Science Critique 44:53

7y ago44:53

44:53

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of Let’s Go Inwards, a science fiction novel by Jake. They discuss revealing character. Unlike screenwriters, we can’t rely on actors to show the audience who our characters are. But we have access to and can expose our characters’ thoughts and motivations in other ways. This episode also…

1
Episode 98: Storytelling vs. Telling a Story: Horror Critique 36:09

7y ago36:09

36:09

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique “Vermillion Dusk & Crimson Dirt,” an as yet unpublished horror short story by Lane M.M. Whitens. They talk about storytelling vs. telling a story and framing stories. They also discuss -LY adverbs, and facts relevant to the story. Leslie and Clark are taking questions for the 100th episode of the podcast. …

1
Episode 97: The Pick Up: LGBT Romance Critique 29:57

7y ago29:57

29:57

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of The Pick Up, a LGBT romance novel by Allison Temple. They discuss genre, obligatory scenes in romance stories, and romantic conflict.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 96: Forgotten December: Steampunk Critique 47:05

7y ago47:05

47:05

In this episode, Leslie and guest host Jody T. Morse critique the prologue of Forgotten December, an as yet unpublished steampunk novel by Noah Deuker. They discuss the elements of an effective prologue and description of characters and setting.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 95: Wingless Bird: Science Fiction Critique 33:31

7y ago33:31

33:31

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of Wingless Bird, an as yet unpublished science fiction novel by Tori. They discuss the elements of a strong beginning hook. This week’s mission will help you revise your opening to pull the reader in right away.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 94: Edge of the Future: Science Fiction Critique 39:50

7y ago39:50

39:50

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of Edge of the Future, a science fiction novel by Andria Stone. They discuss ways to reveal character, including thoughts, reactions to events, and reactions from other characters. One thing to consider (especially in science fiction or fantasy) is how to convey what’s normal for the wide…

1
Episode 93: The Writer’s Internal Genre 34:08

7y ago34:08

34:08

In this episode, Leslie and Clark talk about the internal genre for your journey as a writer. As writers, we face resistance in different forms (we hit a snag in our project, life throws us a curve ball). These unexpected events are opportunities to become derailed or renew our commitment to our work. Leslie and Clark explore what you can do to sta…

1
Episode 92: Day 115: Science Fiction Critique 35:05

7+ y ago35:05

35:05

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of Day 115, a science fiction novel by J. M. Bedard. They discuss pacing, providing enough detail to make clear the setting and characters’ vantage point, and questions that pull the reader into your story. Leslie's birthday giveaway ends on January 25, 2017. Check out the show notes at W…

1
Episode 91: The Snakes of Playa del Carmen: Young Adult Thriller Critique 39:28

7+ y ago39:28

39:28

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of The Snakes of Playa del Carmen, a young adult thriller novel by Penelope Aaron. They discuss backstory (including its purposes and methods of delivery), foreshadowing, dialogue sentences, where to begin your story, and Leslie’s birthday giveaway.…

1
Episode 90: Kill Screen: Science Fiction Thriller Critique 32:45

7+ y ago32:45

32:45

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the first chapter of Kill Screen, a published literary science fiction thriller by Benjamin Reeves. They discuss unreliable narrators and the ways characters are dishonest, methods of revealing facts to the reader, setting, and tension.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

1
Episode 89: Edge: Atompunk Critique 36:23

7+ y ago36:23

36:23

In this episode, Leslie and Clark critique the beginning of Edge, an as yet unpublished atompunk novel, by Ethan Motter. They discuss the ordinary and special worlds of the story, mysteries and questions, world building, scene and summary, and dialogue tags with similes to reveal emotion.By Leslie Watts, Story Grid Certified fiction editor

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