Story Works Round Table with Alida Winternheimer | Conversations About Craft
286 episodes - English - Latest episode: 18 days ago - ★★★★ - 10 ratingsEach week, co-hosts, Alida Winternheimer, author and writing coach at Word Essential, Kathryn Arnold, emerging writer, & Robert Scanlon, author of the Blood Empire series, have conversations about the craft of writing fiction. They bring diverse experiences and talents to the table from both the traditional and indie worlds.
Our goal is for each episode to be a fun, lively discussion of some aspect of story craft that enlightens, as well as entertains.
Sometimes we have special guests. All episodes are available in video as well. Visit www.StoryWorksPodcast.com for videos, show notes, and more.
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Episodes
SWRT 210 | Emotional Wounds
June 24, 2021 08:00 - 34 minutes - 27.2 MBIn this weeks Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn are joined by Becca Puglisi to talk about emotional wounds, and writing deeper and more compelling fiction. This episode previously aired as episode 028. Make sure you go back into the library and check out our other episodes with Becca Puglisi. Join your hosts, Alida Winternheimer, Kathryn Arnold, and Robert Scanlon, at the Round Table every week by visiting http://storyworkspodcast.com. Show notes, links, comments, and more!
SWRT 209 | Encouragement & Growing Writers
June 16, 2021 12:54 - 29 minutes - 23.9 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert talk about budding writers, young writers, and old hands like ourselves. It seems we all need encouragement and support to get on with the act & the art of writing! What helps you get through your story projects? Let us know in the comments. Show notes & more at www.storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 208 | POV & Dramatic Tension
June 10, 2021 08:00 - 28 minutes - 23 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert talk point of view & dramatic tension. How does your handling of POV affect your story's plot arc? Could your POV character make or break the pace of your action? The better you control the interplay of POV & tension, the tighter & more effective your storytelling. Show notes & more at www.storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 207 | Using Reader Feedback Effectively
June 03, 2021 08:00 - 38 minutes - 30.7 MBThis week, Alida & Kathryn welcome poet & publishing guide Scott James back to the Round Table. When is the right time to present your manuscript to outside readers? We talk strategies for ensuring you get quality feedback from those select few who count. As well as ways to incorporate that feedback into your revision process. Show notes & more at http://storyworkspodcast.com Check out our sister podcast, Story Works Reading Series, too!
SWRT 206 | Plot & Character Arcs
May 20, 2021 08:00 - 26 minutes - 21.4 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the relationship between your plot and character arcs. We have a modern classic story (thanks to Kathryn’s little ones) to dissect, making this conversation grounded in examples. If you haven’t seen it, you may want to grab some popcorn and watch Finding Nemo! Though it’s definitely not required, because we got you covered with all the details you need to join this conversation at the Round Table. Show notes & more...
SWRT 205 | Genre & Publishing Categories
May 13, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutes - 30.4 MBThis week, Alida and Kathryn welcome Scott James back to the Round Table to discuss how we can use genre considerations while we're drafting to avoid future pitfalls. Scott is a publishing guide with an interesting take on our topic. He also knows how to make sure your novel makes it into the right readers' hands. He's got a great tip for making Amazon categories work for you! Show notes & more at http://storyworkspodcast.com Check out our sister podcast, Story Works Reading Series, too!
SWRT 204 | Better Prose with Poetry
May 06, 2021 08:00 - 37 minutes - 30 MBThis week, Alida and Kathryn welcome Scott James to the Round Table to discuss the lessons prose writers can learn from the art of poetry. Are novelists and poets such different creatures, after all? What can prose writers learn from the way poets approach imagery and metaphor? We delve into the ever-important endnote in both poetry and prose. Scott reads a favorite poem by Mary Oliver, which we discuss. He also shares two of his typewriter poems from his book, Whatever Magic You Need. If ...
SWRS 004 | A Family Miracle by Kristina Naydonova
April 29, 2021 08:00 - 54 minutes - 43.5 MBThis episode of the Story Works Reading Series is an unusual one, showcasing 13-year-old, Sunday Times bestselling author Kristina Naydonova. Kristina has an impressive resume for one so young and is clearly a talent to watch. Besides enjoying this interview, I think you’ll gain some takeaways from what Kristina has to say about process, time management, inspiration, and craft. Show notes & bonus audio at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
SWRT 203 | Short Stories
April 22, 2021 08:00 - 30 minutes - 24.3 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn discuss the short story. What are the particular considerations of short form fiction? What do you write when there's no room for an arc? Is a turning point as powerful as a climax? Explore the beauty of conceptual, quiet, singular fiction. Getting specific detail, imagery, symbolism, & metaphor to work for you...so much more! Show notes & more at www.storyworkspodcast.com Got a story? Submit to Story Works Reading Series...
SWRT 202 | Villain Development
April 15, 2021 08:00 - 31 minutes - 25.4 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss developing your villains. Besides making a real person out of that black hat, the shape of the villain helps shape the protagonist and even your setting. So much more comes out of what you put into that character than you may think! Show notes & more at http://storyworkspodcast.com Check out our sister podcast, Story Works Reading Series, too!
SWRT 201 | Single Character Scenes
April 08, 2021 08:00 - 23 minutes - 18.8 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss single character scenes & stories. There are challenges to having a single character on the stage of the page, some obvious some not-so-obvious. So why would you want a single-character scene? When your story calls for one, how can you ensure the movement continues to draw a reader forward? What are the roles of setting, subtext, & metaphor? Need a writing prompt? We got one! Show notes & more at http://storyworkspo...
SWRT 200 | Ensemble Cast Fiction
April 01, 2021 08:00 - 29 minutes - 23.3 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert delve into ensemble cast fiction. Does a team of protagonists require a team of POV characters? Do you truly need a single hero at the top of your character pyramid? What are the pros and cons of writing an ensemble? And…has Robert written himself into a corner by having an ensemble cast with a single POV protagonist? Show notes & more at http://storyworkspodcast.com Check out our sister podcast, Story Works Reading Seri...
SWRS 003 | Stuck by Laura James
March 25, 2021 08:00 - 1 hour - 50.9 MBOn today's Story Works Reading Series, Laura James reads "Stuck." When an ex-pat drifts aggressively through Paris, in search of love and belonging, we wonder if she is running away or toward something? With wry humor, the city comes to life as Leah navigates public transit, a classic Parisian building, and her own inner world. After the reading, Laura and I sit down to chat about "Stuck" - Laura in Southern Spain and I in Minnesota - its inspiration in real life, writing during total lock...
SWRT 199 | Action Scenes!
March 18, 2021 08:00 - 31 minutes - 25.2 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Robert talk all things action. What are action scenes and what you need to do to make your reader sit up and pay attention! We cover everything from choreographing your fight to multiple team action scenes, from slowing down the action to avoiding repetition, from enacting the action yourself to making the reader sweat with anticipation. Formerly aired as episode 31. Shownotes at www.storyworkspodcast.com Writing workshops at www.sto...
SWRT 198 | Ghosting Your Protagonist
March 11, 2021 09:00 - 32 minutes - 25.7 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert dissect an author’s very interesting point of view & narrative choices. We take a close look at In an Instant by Suzanne Redfearn, in which the protagonist is killed early in the story. What happens to the POV? The status of protagonist? The plot? And how is agency affected when your POV character is incorporeal? Although we’re discussing a specific work, there is much to take away about the challenges and rewards of crafting...
SWRS 002 | Black Bart by S.A. Wolter
February 25, 2021 09:00 - 51 minutes - 41.3 MBThis week on the Story Works Reading Series, S.A. Wolter reads the short story “Black Bart.” This cowboy’s tale is a tribute to the last of a generation and true piece of Americana. You won’t want to miss this moving story or the conversation that follows. Alida Winternheimer chats with Susan Wolter about the story’s inspiration, her childhood on a ranch, writing through the challenges of a single-character narrative, using flashback without reducing forward momentum, a truly surprising, ...
SWRT 196 | The Essential Nature of Story
February 18, 2021 09:00 - 27 minutes - 21.7 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the ways in which story is all around us. What is it that makes story so pervasive? How can we use this essential nature of story in our writing? What is the difference between telling someone facts and creating a story? Will giving our supporting characters a story of their own strengthen our protagonist’s story? Show notes & more at www.storyworkspodcast.com Join the Write Great Openings! workshop now. www.story...
SWRT 195 | The Velcro Between Your Pro- & Antagonist
February 11, 2021 09:00 - 30 minutes - 24 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the critical relationship of protagonist & antagonist. If you don't keep them sticking to each other throughout your plot, the story falls apart. This is as true in character-driven stories as it is black hat villain stories as it is in save the world stories. Sign up for Write Great Openings! live workshop now. Show notes & more.
SWRT 194 | Tropes
February 04, 2021 09:00 - 23 minutes - 19.1 MBThis 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? Show notes at www.storyworkspodcast.com *This episode is from the archive, previously aired as 039.
SWRT 197 | Technology in Fiction
February 04, 2021 09:00 - 27 minutes - 22.1 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn talk tech. Is technology just a concern for sci fi writers? Or does it pervade every genre in our tech-enhanced world? How does keeping an eye on the tech your characters use enhance your story? And when can it become a detriment? What about the choice to ignore or erase technology from your world? Can technology limit a story's longevity? Show notes & more at http://storyworkspodcast.com Check out our sister podcast, S...
SWRS 001 | Saving Annabelle
January 28, 2021 09:00 - 1 hour - 67 MBThis week, we air our first episode of the Story Works Reading Series, sister podcast to the Round Table. Hear an author read an original short story or essay, then sit down with Alida to chat about the piece's inspiration, challenges, and craft. A podcast for readers, writers, and readers curious about writers! Alida Winternheimer gets the table turned this time, putting her behind the mic. She reads from Saving Annabelle, a historical Midwestern gothic tale that confronts the dark underc...
SWRT 193 | Is Your Hero Up for the Right Challenges?
January 21, 2021 09:00 - 19 minutes - 15.7 MBIs your protagonist up to all the challenges your plot is throwing at her? Or is everything a little too easy? How do you create a character who’s tough enough to survive, but not so darn competent at everything that she becomes unbelievable and unsympathetic? This week on the Story Works Round Table writing podcast, we delve into creating sufficient challenges commensurate with your character’s abilities…and more! Show notes at www.storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 192 | Structuring Long Long-form Works
January 14, 2021 09:00 - 25 minutes - 20.2 MBThis week, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn answer a fan's question on the Story Works Round Table Podcast. How do we organize topics & themes in long long-form writing projects? What's different about working with fiction or nonfiction manuscripts well over 100k words versus shorter word counts? Is it the tools that change or just the frame of mind? Join Memory Emotion Body, a new, live, generative writing workshop, now. https://storyworksfiction.com/p/memory-emotion-body Show notes at http://s...
SWRT 191 | Routines & Why We Love Them
January 07, 2021 09:00 - 30 minutes - 24.6 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Robert welcome Kathryn back to discuss routines. Why are we so interested in what other people do, when and how? Is there some new wisdom we can take away from yet another conversation about routines? Some nugget to help us get 2021 off right? We think so! Show notes, links, more at http://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 190 | Author Statement - Your North Star!
December 31, 2020 09:00 - 1 hour - 48.3 MBThis week, Alida and Robert welcome author and writing coach Beth Barany back to the Story Works Round Table for this author statement workshop. Grab your paper and pen, and write along with us as she takes us step-by-step through the creation of your author's statement of purpose. No kidding, this might be the most important sentence you write in 2021! Show notes & Links at http://storyworkspodcast.com/swrt-190-author-statement-your-north-star
SWRT 189 | Revision, Series Drafting, & More! part 2
December 24, 2020 09:00 - 25 minutes - 20.2 MBPart 2: Alida and Robert welcome author and writing coach Beth Barany to the Story Works Round Table to talk about her method of drafting a series, revising multiple books, using loyal readers while she's still drafting, and more. This is one of those episodes where we set out to talk about one thing and talked about a dozen. I think you'll find we go in surprising directions with loads of takeaways! Submit to Story Works Reading Series by 12/31 to be considered for publication in the firs...
SWRT 188 | Revision, Series Drafting & More!
December 17, 2020 09:00 - 23 minutes - 18.9 MBThis week, Alida and Robert welcome author and writing coach Beth Barany to the Round Table to talk about her method of drafting a series, revising multiple books, using loyal readers while she's still drafting, and more. This is one of those episodes where we set out to talk about one thing and talked about a dozen. I think you'll find we go in surprising directions with loads of takeaways! Enroll in Alida's Memory Emotion Body live workshop now! https://storyworksfiction.com
SWRT 187 | Creating Emotional Pull
December 10, 2020 09:00 - 22 minutes - 18.4 MBThis week at the Story Works Round Table, Robert, Carlee, and Alida get touchy feely as we explore the challenges and benefits of making your reader really feel your character. how do you move from sympathy to empathy to true personal connection? Submit to Story Works Reading Series by 12/31 to be considered for publication in the first quarter of 2021. http://storyworkspodcast.com/submit
SWRT 186 | Catcher in the Rye, Timeless Classic or Over?
December 03, 2020 09:00 - 35 minutes - 28.5 MBIs Catcher in the Rye worthy of its status as a timeless classic? Dust off your copy - I know you had to read it in high school -and join the conversation at the Story Works Round Table. We look at what made the book special when it came out, whether it should be considered YA or adult. And we dig deep to address the question of timeless literature. Can the times get too far ahead of a story for it to remain a classic? Does Salinger's Holden Caulfield continue to deserve our attention today?...
SWRT 185 | Writing Prompts
November 26, 2020 09:00 - 32 minutes - 26.3 MBWith the Covid-19 version of Thanksgiving weekend upon us, what better way to spend our alone time than with a writing prompt to boost our creativity & moods! This week at the Story Works Round Table, we discuss the value of writing prompts and bring you a bunch to choose from. Write with us or pick your own. Happy Writing! If you follow Alida on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll find a bonus writing prompt in her Thanksgiving post. Show notes & more: http://storyworkspodcast.com Submit to...
SWRT 184 | What Is Genre, Anyway?
November 19, 2020 09:00 - 36 minutes - 28.9 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Carlee, and Robert go deep with the question of what is genre, anyway? It's far more useful to us writers than a marketing category. Writing to market is often confused with marketing. And what about those of us who strive to be "pure artists," putting categories at the end of the process? Whether you aim to meet or subvert reader expectations, there's more to your genre than meets the eye. Show notes & more: http://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 183 | Writing with All Your Senses
November 12, 2020 09:00 - 33 minutes - 26.5 MBAt this week's Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Carlee discuss using all of your senses in writing. We focus so much on the movie in the mind, that we can lean too heavily on the visual in our scene building. But a well-chosen sensory detail can make a scene memorable, even surprising. Focusing on a sensory detail, especially the least obvious of details will shape your reader's experience in powerful ways. Tuning in to your own senses while you write can invite insights from your...
SWRT 182 | Opening Scenes Shape Reader Experience
November 05, 2020 09:00 - 34 minutes - 27.3 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Carlee explore opening scenes and what you should include right away to establish who and what the story is about. Missing the mark with your opening scene could mislead the reader and set your story up for disappointment. Submit your story or essay to the new Story Works Reading Series podcast now! www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
SWRT 181 | When to Kill a Story
October 29, 2020 08:00 - 32 minutes - 25.9 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Robert are joined by Carlee Tressel to discuss the death…or possible resuscitation…of book projects. When is it time to let go? Is resting it enough? Do you need outside feedback to make the decision? Why is it so hard to let go sometimes? And so hard to finish at other times? And in the end, you just have to…. Announcing the Story Works Reading Series, a literary journal for your ears! Shownotes at www.storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 180 | Traits that Define a Character
October 22, 2020 08:00 - 19 minutes - 15.3 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn discuss traits that can make or break a character, those defining traits that become identified with a character. How do you create a defining trait? (And make sure it’s “cool”?) Does it have to be a negative trait? Is physical or psychological better? And much more. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 179 | Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop
October 15, 2020 08:00 - 59 minutes - 47.7 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn welcome Jennifer Bowen, Artistic Director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, to discuss the impact writing has on the lives of incarcerated writers. In this in-depth conversation, Jennifer tells us about the kinds of students and remarkable writing found on the inside. Some of the most innovative, powerful writing voices are coming from this invisible population. Art changes lives. You’re invited to the annual MPWW student ...
SWRT 178 | Writing with the End in Mind
October 08, 2020 08:00 - 27 minutes - 22.4 MBThis week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn discuss the benefits of knowing how your story ends before you begin. Page 1 sets us up for the climax to come. How knowing our ending inspires our creative process while drafting. And more! Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 177 | The Role of Agency in Reader Satisfaction
October 01, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 27.8 MBThis week at the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss the ways in which character agency is relevant to the whole of your story. How well you handle agency could determine how much readers like your book. Show notes & more at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 176 | Continuity
September 24, 2020 08:00 - 31 minutes - 25.3 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn talk about continuity. How important is it to maintain continuity throughout your stories? Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 175 | Balance Restored
September 17, 2020 08:00 - 23 minutes - 18.5 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn talk about ending your story with balance restored. Does it always have to be happily ever after? Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 174 | Balance Tipping Points
September 10, 2020 08:00 - 23 minutes - 18.4 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn talk about too much of a good thing. When do you tip the balance from just enough, to too much or too little? Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 173 | Character Agency in Memoir
September 03, 2020 08:00 - 32 minutes - 26.1 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, and Robert continue their conversation with Molly McCloy, diving deep into character agency in non-fiction. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 172 | Characters in Memoir
August 27, 2020 08:00 - 26 minutes - 21 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, and Robert, are joined by Molly McCloy to talk about her recent memoir and the art of turning your family into your characters. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 171 | Misunderstood Storycraft Rules
August 20, 2020 08:00 - 31 minutes - 25.3 MBAlida, 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 ever 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, the bad, and the ugly writing that happens when we take the rules too far! This episode is from the library, previously published as episode 048. ...
SWRT 170 | The Art of Oral Storytelling part 2
August 13, 2020 08:00 - 31 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, and Robert continue their conversation with Molly McCloy. They talk about how oral storytelling can affect all kinds of writing craft, and get into the details of the craft. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 169 | Oral Storytelling with Molly McCloy part 1
August 06, 2020 08:00 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, and Robert welcome 4-time Moth Grand Slam Winner Molly McCloy to the show, discussing the performance, art, and craft of oral storytelling. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 168 | Corona Check In
July 30, 2020 08:00 - 29 minutes - 23.5 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn check in with each other. How are we handling the ever-changing world situation as writers? Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 167 | In Media Res
July 23, 2020 08:00 - 34 minutes - 27.5 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert talk about starting your story in media res, discussing everything from starting fast to starting with your inciting incident already in the past. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 166 | Time
July 16, 2020 08:00 - 33 minutes - 26.6 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Kathryn discuss the ways to manipulate time in your writing. We cover everything from expansion, to just knowing how long it takes to get from one place to another. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com
SWRT 165 | Writing Memoir with Mag Dimond part 2
July 09, 2020 08:00 - 41 minutes - 33.2 MBIn this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida continues her conversation with author Mag Dimond about her memoir Bowing to Elephant, discussing life, death, spirituality, and the hero’s journey. Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com