Story Works Round Table 052 | What Writers Really Do... - Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be A Successful Author, You Have To Write A Great Story (podcast)

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 059 | Everything You Want to Know About Show, Don't Tell27:20

8h ago27:20

27:20

This week, Alida and Emma Darwin discuss the old adage "Show, don't tell." We deep into what that saying really means, discussing the point of view lens, distance, and common mistakes writers make as a result of misunderstanding show, don't tell. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 058 | Narrative Drive41:01

7d ago41:01

41:01

This week, Alida & Robert are joined by award-winning author and writing teacher Emma Darwin. We discuss narrative drive, the forward movement essential to any story. We go deep into narrative craft, exploring the difference between a story set adrift and one with a current that pulls the reader forward. This is a don't miss episode! Show notes ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 057 | Historical Fiction Genre Series39:26

14d ago39:26

39:26

This week, Robert and I welcome Emma Darwin to the round table for an extensive discussion about writing historical fiction, but as with every genre special, this isn't just for writers of historical works. Emma has an amazing knowledge of storycraft and we go deep this week. Kathryn's going to busy with the show notes! Show notes and more at w ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table | 056 First Encounter Fiction30:00

21d ago30:00

30:00

This week, Alida, Robert, & Matt discuss tales of first encounters, from the pilgrim to the UFO. These are ethnocentric stories addressing a primal human fear, asking friend or foe, and sometimes leading to understanding and cultural immersion instead of war. Show notes & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com Save 20% on the Structure of Story cour ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 055 | Hard & Soft World Systems36:36

28d ago36:36

36:36

This week, Alida, Robert, and guest host Matt Herron discuss hard and soft systems of magic, science, and other forms of world-building logic necessary to fiction. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 054 | Keeping a Community of Writers32:08

1M ago32:08

32:08

It’s our birthday! SWRT is one! This week, Robert and Alida welcome MG Herron to the round table to discuss the benefits of keeping a community of writers. We discuss the ways we’ve found community, how we’ve benefited from them, the differences between online and live communities, and how we’ve changed as writers thanks to the writers we know ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 053 | What Writers Really Do part 222:16

1M ago22:16

22:16

This week, Alida and Robert continue their conversation about the writing process, creativity, first drafts, where ideas come from, and how revision really works. The inspiration for our conversation is George Saunders' essay "What Writers Really Do When They Write." Get the essay at https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/04/what-writers-re ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 052 | What Writers Really Do...24:09

2M ago24:09

24:09

This week, Alida and Robert discuss a craft essay by George Saunders, titled "What Writers Really Do When They Write." It's all about the writing process, and we get a lot of value out of this essay. We highly recommend it to anyone writing a story. Get the essay at The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/mar/04/what-writers-really ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 051 | Reality-Based Fiction22:41

2M ago22:41

22:41

This week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss using real people and events in your fiction. What are the pitfalls of writing fact into fiction? What extra responsibilities do you have to history, your story, and your reader when you write reality-based fiction? Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 050 | Openings26:35

2M ago26:35

26:35

This week, we pull an episode from the video archives. Alida, Kathryn, and Matt discuss what makes a great opening. Do you need to begin in media res? What is in media res, anyway? How about opening with a scenario? How much depth of character is needed in an opening? How do you get it on the page and hook a reader? Previously published as vide ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 049 | Balancing Action & Non-Action27:21

2M ago27:21

27:21

In this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss the need for both action and non-action in story arcs, how to balance action with non-action, and what goes wrong when the balance is off. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 048 | Misunderstood Storycraft Rules31:22

3M ago31:22

31:22

Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss the rules of writing we all know but often don't fully understand, how they trip us up and actually become limiting factors in our writing. If you've every been told "show, don't tell," "adverbs are bad," or any number of other writing rules, you have to listen to this conversation at the Round Table. The good ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 047 | Unlikeable Characters33:41

3M ago33:41

33:41

This week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss unlikeable characters. What’s the difference between a flawed character and an unlikeable one? Can you go too far writing an unlikeable character? Why write one at all?

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 046 | Writing Through Anxiety22:29

3M ago22:29

22:29

Alida, Kathryn, and Robert welcome special guest, Micah Joel, back to the Round Table to talk about the writing life. No matter who we are, we've probably dealt with anxiety and depression at some point in our writing careers. Whether we're talking clinical or "normal" stress and overwhelm, nothing kills creativity like emotional imbalance. Mic ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 45 | Lit RPG25:29

3M ago25:29

25:29

We welcome special guest Micah Joel to the Round Table this week to talk Lit RPG and gamified fiction. If you aren't familiar with this rising genre, join us as we quiz Micah about the writer's role getting the reader into the game!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 44 | World Building in Dystopian & Post Apocalyptic Fiction36:25

4M ago36:25

36:25

Alida & Robert welcome J Thorn back to the round table to discuss world building in the genres of dystopian & post apocalyptic fiction. Don't miss the companion episode, number 42, on dystopian & post apocalyptic fiction with J Thorn.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 043 | Balancing Character & World Building26:22

4M ago26:22

26:22

This week, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the process of writing early drafts in regard to character and world building. Sometimes one can seem to block the other. But do they really go hand in hand? How much process is personal preference? Is Robert really just afraid of writer’s block?

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 042 | Post Apocalyptic & Dystopian Fiction33:03

4M ago33:03

33:03

This week, Alida and Robert welcome best-selling author J Thorn to the Round Table to discuss post apocalyptic and dystopian fiction as part of our genre series.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 041 | Climaxes27:48

4M ago27:48

27:48

This week Alida, Kathryn, & Robert talk climaxes, both at the chapter level and the book level. It’s a lively conversation with examples and a reminder not to make your rules too hard and fast lest they limit your storycraft.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 040 | Character Relationships23:35

4M ago23:35

23:35

This week, we discuss how to keep the "stuff" between your supporting cast of characters real, avoiding the problem of "nice-nice," and using tension to create forward momentum in your story.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 039 | Tropes21:15

5M ago21:15

21:15

This week, Alida, Robert & Kathryn discuss the oft used and oft misunderstood trope. What is a trope really? How do we use them? Why and how are so many people confused about tropes?

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 038 | Bechdel-Wallace Test26:06

5M ago26:06

26:06

This week, Alida, Kathryn & Robert talk about the Bechdel-Wallace test and gender equality in literature. Do we need to stop and think about our female characters, the roles they play in our stories, how much dialogue they’re given, and what they talk about?

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 037 | Revision28:27

5M ago28:27

28:27

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss revision, including some of our favorite tools and techniques for making the process easier.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 036 | First Drafts21:36

5M ago21:36

21:36

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss first drafts. Love them or hate them, there's no other way to start your book. We talk the pain and pleasure of getting your story on the page.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 035 | Goal Setting23:07

6M ago23:07

23:07

In honor of New Year’s, or maybe just in time for New Year’s, we discuss goal setting and all the tips and tricks we use to help ourselves identify our priorities and stick to them. Are outcomes better than goals?

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 034 | Motivation24:07

6M ago24:07

24:07

This week, in honor of the holidays and the new year coming fast, we talk motivation. What motivates us to write and what are our favorite tools and tricks to keep ourselves motivated, especially when life gets crazy? Show notes & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 033 | Backstory23:47

6M ago23:47

23:47

This week, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn discuss backstory. What is it? How much is a good thing? How can you avoid overdoing or undergoing it? And more!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 032 | Resting the Writer's Brain24:53

6M ago24:53

24:53

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the benefits of travel, retreat, and otherwise resting the writer's brain. How to write on the go, find inspiration, and come back refreshed and ready to write more.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 031 | Writing Skills, part 229:03

7M ago29:03

29:03

Alida & Kathryn continue their conversation with special guest Steve Peha about writing skills we all need, regardless of genre. Show notes & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com Get Alida’s course, Scary Monsters & Super Creeps, at www.StoryWorksFiction.com

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 030 | Writing Skills, part 136:12

7M ago36:12

36:12

Alida & Kathryn welcome Steve Peha to the Round Table. We learn about Steve’s journey from technical writer to writing teacher to fiction writer and discuss the skills we all need to be good writers, regardless of genre. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 029 | Emotional Wounds & Character Arcs33:34

7M ago33:34

33:34

Robert's still on vacation, so Alida & Kathryn welcome special guest, Becca Puglisi back to the show to talk about character arcs and role emotional wounds play in our characters' evolution over the course of a story. This episode is another one cram-packed with amazing takeaways!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 028 | Emotional Wound Thesaurus32:23

7M ago32:23

32:23

Alida & Kathryn welcome Becca Puglisi, co-author of the Emotional Wound Thesaurus, to the Round Table. Getting your characters' emotional wounds right can be the key to getting their backstory, motivation, and even moral code right. This is an insightful episode with lots of take-aways. Show notes at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 027 | First Person Point of View27:26

7M ago27:26

27:26

Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss the first person point of view (1st person POV). We get into strengths and weaknesses, a common misconception, and the popularity of first person in YA and NA fiction. Before you listen to this episode, have a listen to episode 002 Introduction to Point of View.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 026 | Writing Villains26:36

8M ago26:36

26:36

In a companion episode to #023, 3D Villains, we discuss writing villains, with and without POVs. What makes them challenging to write? How to revise them for motivation and believability, and more!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 025 | Re-readable Books31:13

8M ago31:13

31:13

Alida, Kathryn, and Robert talk re-readable books, what makes them worth visiting again and what can we learn from them as writers. Visit the Story Works Writers Facebook Group and share your re-readable list with us!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 024 | Twists28:05

8M ago28:05

28:05

This week we talk about twists. Kathryn brings lots of questions to the round table and Robert makes a case for avoiding gimmicks.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 023 | 3D Villains29:18

8M ago29:18

29:18

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss what makes a villain a good one, getting into character development, the pitfalls of typecasting your villain, and lots of examples across genres.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 022 | Inspiration21:37

9M ago21:37

21:37

This week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss inspiration, sources of it, high concept ideas, and whether you need to be inspired to write a story, or if the story you're writing can serve as your inspiration.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 021 | Distinct Characters25:15

9M ago25:15

25:15

This week, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss going beyond character development and making your characters distinct from each other, whether they’re POV characters or not.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 020 | Setting25:51

9M ago25:51

25:51

This week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss setting. How is setting different from world building? What do you put on the page and what should you leave out? How much detail is too much detail? And how do you keep your setting active in your story? Robert gives great practical ways to evaluate your style of writing setting, and how to make it ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 019 | Trouble26:16

9M ago26:16

26:16

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the importance of trouble to any story. The conversation gets nitty gritty with plot, character arc, chapter structure, and examples from both books & film.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 018 | Naming26:00

10M ago26:00

26:00

This week Kathryn poses the interesting question, when does a character or place earn a name in our stories? If you name a character, does he have to reappear in the story numerous times? What about places? We discuss and clear away confusion—ours anyway!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 017 | Genre Series: Literary Fiction34:12

10M ago34:12

34:12

This week we have Mike Stop Continues back to discuss literary fiction. What makes a work literary? How is it different from genre fiction? Is there really a value judgment to be made when comparing the two? We discuss some of our favorite literary novels from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier an ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 016 | Cliffhangers25:17

10M ago25:17

25:17

This week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss cliffhangers. What are they? How do they differ from end hooks? Should you use them? Can you do them well? What risks do you face when you present your readers with a cliffhanger? If you enjoy the show, subscribe, rate, and review. You'll have our undying gratitude! Show notes and more at www.StoryW ...…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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SWRT 015 | Fantasy Adventure28:23

10M ago28:23

28:23

Alida and Kathryn welcome award-winning fantasy author Alina Sayre back to the show as part of our genre series. We have a fun conversation about genre expectations, tropes, cross genre fantasies, suspense of disbelief, multiple POV stories, and more!

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 014 | Foreshadowing Redux37:04

11M ago37:04

37:04

This week, we welcome author Mike Stop Continues to the round table to delve deeper into the art of foreshadowing. We define foreshadowing, discuss its variations, and provide many examples from literature, ranging from Romeo and Juliet to Fight Club.

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 013 | Plotting Science Fiction30:46

11M ago30:46

30:46

Alida, Kathryn, and Robert welcome Chris Fox back to continue our discussion of science fiction. This week, we focus on plotting those science fiction stories. What makes a book science fiction? What about mixed genre science fiction? What trends do we see in science fiction? Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 012 | Foreshadowing25:58

11M ago25:58

25:58

This week’s show gets a bit heated as we struggle to define (or agree on a definition) of foreshadowing and all its nuance. What makes good foreshadowing? How does it function in a story? Can you write it in draft one, or is it revision only? Enjoy the show? Please rate and review. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 011 | Openings: Reading & Reacting49:29

11M ago49:29

49:29

This week, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert bring in novels and check out the way they open. We discuss what works for each of the very different stories and, at the end, Kathryn gives us the 3 key elements in any strong opener. Enjoy! Read along with us at www.storyworkspodcast.com If you enjoy the Story Works Round Table, please rate and review!…

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Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft | Before You Can Be a Successful Author, You Have to Write a Great Story

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Story Works Round Table 010 |Genre Series: Mystery Plots33:21

11M ago33:21

33:21

Alida and Kathryn welcome cozy mystery author, Sara Rosett, back to the show to discuss plotting mysteries. No matter the genre you write, plotting is integral to your story craft, as are twists, hooks, and suspense. Enjoy this conversation with Sara Rosett!

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Story Works Round Table 052 | What Writers Really Do...

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Story Works Round Table 052 | What Writers Really Do...