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.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Story Works Round Table 065 | Writing Groups
August 02, 2018 14:30 - 18 minutes - 34.2 MBThis week, we pull one from the archives. This episode was formerly known as video-only episode 2. Alida, Kathryn, and Matt discuss the benefits and pitfalls of writing groups? What kind of criticism is good criticism? And how can I be a better critic? How do I know if a writing group is a good fit for me? Should I join or run away? Show notes and more at www.storyworkspodcast.com
Story Works Round Table 064 | Story Collections, Novels-in-Stories, Serialization
July 26, 2018 08:00 - 30 minutes - 24.3 MBThis week, we bring Matt Herron back to the Round Table to discuss what we writers can do with our short stories. We define the collections, the novel-in-story, and serialization, discussing pros and cons of each. This week we stray into marketing territory, because when it comes to deciding what to do with your stories, how you brand them matters. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.
Story Works Round Table 063 | Short Stories: how they differ from the novel
July 19, 2018 08:00 - 24 minutes - 19.6 MBThis week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert discuss short stories and how they’re different from the novel. We cover topics like the shortness of short stories, ambiguous endings, the importance of theme, stories versus lead magnets, writing short to build craft skills, and more! www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
Story Works Round Table 062 | Energizing Dialogue
July 12, 2018 08:00 - 25 minutes - 20 MBThis week, Alida, Kathryn, and Robert answer a listener's question and address how to better write scenes heavy with dialogue. We talk about keeping things interesting using tools other than dialogue, the apprentice-master model of scenes that instruct both character and reader, what we can learn from the movie montage, incorporating action into dialogue, and the risk of losing readers during passages of dialogue. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
Story Works Round Table 061 | Character Motivation
July 05, 2018 08:00 - 25 minutes - 20.3 MBThis week, we welcome Kathryn back to her seat at the Round Table, and thanks again to Matt Herron and Emma Darwin for keeping the seat warm! We're talking character motivation. It's crucial to every element of your story and you'll do yourself a favor by having a handle on it in the prewriting stages. We talk about the protagonist, the reader, and you, the writer. Also, how motivation relates to flaws and conflicts, and how a series differs from a standalone. Show notes and more at www....
Story Works Round Table 060 | Everything You Need to Know About Show, Don't Tell, part 2
June 28, 2018 08:00 - 34 minutes - 27.6 MBAlida and Emma Darwin continue the conversation on “show, don’t tell” this week. We get right into psychic distance and more. Way more. Show notes and a special offer this week at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
Story Works Round Table 059 | Everything You Want to Know About Show, Don't Tell
June 21, 2018 08:00 - 27 minutes - 49.6 MBThis 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.
Story Works Round Table 058 | Narrative Drive
June 14, 2018 08:00 - 41 minutes - 74.8 MBThis 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 and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.
Story Works Round Table 057 | Historical Fiction Genre Series
June 07, 2018 08:00 - 39 minutes - 31.6 MBThis 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 www.StoryWorksPodcast.com Save 20% on the Structure of Story for a limited time at www.StoryWorksFiction.com. Coupon: ROUNDTABLE
Story Works Round Table | 056 First Encounter Fiction
May 31, 2018 08:00 - 30 minutes - 24 MBThis 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 course at www.StoryWorksFiction.com. Coupon: ROUNDTABLE
Story Works Round Table 055 | Hard & Soft World Systems
May 24, 2018 08:00 - 36 minutes - 29.3 MBThis 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
Story Works Round Table 054 | Keeping a Community of Writers
May 17, 2018 08:00 - 32 minutes - 25.7 MBIt’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 and love.
Story Works Round Table 053 | What Writers Really Do part 2
May 10, 2018 08:00 - 22 minutes - 17.8 MBThis 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-really-do-when-they-write
Story Works Round Table 052 | What Writers Really Do...
May 03, 2018 08:00 - 24 minutes - 19.3 MBThis 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-do-when-they-write
Story Works Round Table 051 | Reality-Based Fiction
April 26, 2018 08:00 - 22 minutes - 18.2 MBThis 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
Story Works Round Table 050 | Openings
April 19, 2018 08:00 - 26 minutes - 22.5 MBThis 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 video-only episode 6. Show notes and more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com
Story Works Round Table 049 | Balancing Action & Non-Action
April 12, 2018 08:00 - 27 minutes - 21.9 MBIn 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
Story Works Round Table 048 | Misunderstood Storycraft Rules
April 05, 2018 08:00 - 31 minutes - 25.1 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 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, the bad, and the ugly writing that happens when we take the rules too far!
Story Works Round Table 047 | Unlikeable Characters
March 29, 2018 08:00 - 33 minutes - 27 MBThis 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?
Story Works Round Table 046 | Writing Through Anxiety
March 22, 2018 08:00 - 22 minutes - 18 MBAlida, 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. Micah discusses ways to cope and overcome. He has an ebook and email course available at his site to help you get writing again fast!
Story Works Round Table 45 | Lit RPG
March 15, 2018 08:00 - 25 minutes - 19.6 MBWe 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!
Story Works Round Table 44 | World Building in Dystopian & Post Apocalyptic Fiction
March 08, 2018 09:00 - 36 minutes - 29.2 MBAlida & 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.
Story Works Round Table 043 | Balancing Character & World Building
March 01, 2018 09:00 - 26 minutes - 21.1 MBThis 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?
Story Works Round Table 042 | Post Apocalyptic & Dystopian Fiction
February 22, 2018 09:00 - 33 minutes - 26.5 MBThis 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.
Story Works Round Table 041 | Climaxes
February 15, 2018 09:00 - 27 minutes - 22.3 MBThis 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.
Story Works Round Table 040 | Character Relationships
February 08, 2018 09:00 - 23 minutes - 18.9 MBThis 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.
Story Works Round Table 039 | Tropes
February 01, 2018 09:00 - 21 minutes - 17 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?
Story Works Round Table 038 | Bechdel-Wallace Test
January 25, 2018 09:00 - 26 minutes - 20.9 MBThis 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?
Story Works Round Table 037 | Revision
January 18, 2018 09:00 - 28 minutes - 22.8 MBAlida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss revision, including some of our favorite tools and techniques for making the process easier.
Story Works Round Table 036 | First Drafts
January 11, 2018 09:00 - 21 minutes - 17.7 MBAlida, 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.
Story Works Round Table 035 | Goal Setting
January 04, 2018 09:00 - 23 minutes - 18.5 MBIn 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?
Story Works Round Table 034 | Motivation
December 28, 2017 09:00 - 24 minutes - 19.3 MBThis 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
Story Works Round Table 033 | Backstory
December 21, 2017 19:26 - 23 minutes - 19.6 MBThis 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!
Story Works Round Table 032 | Resting the Writer's Brain
December 14, 2017 09:00 - 24 minutes - 20.2 MBAlida, 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.
Story Works Round Table 031 | Writing Skills, part 2
December 07, 2017 09:00 - 29 minutes - 23.3 MBAlida & 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
Story Works Round Table 030 | Writing Skills, part 1
November 30, 2017 09:00 - 36 minutes - 29 MBAlida & 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