Story Works Round Table | Conversations About Craft

In this week’s Story Works Round Table, we discuss fashion in fiction. Dressing your characters is more than a matter of preventing nudity. What they wear communicates a great deal to other characters and your readers.  The Plot Master Class is about to begin. Sign up now: https://storyworksfiction.com/p/plot-master-class/ Show notes at https://storyworkspodcast.com  Visit WordEssential....

This week, we continue our conversation about plot, addressing the specifics of Act I and Act III, the connections between them, and the way the climax tends to echo or parallel your story's opening. Master plot with Alida's live plot workshop. Class starts soon! https://storyworksfiction.com/p/plot-master-class   Show notes and more at https://storyworkspodcast.com   Visit WordEssential...

Robert, Kathryn, and I get into…you got it, plot! We take a look at the problems commonly faced in plot construction and execution, discussing the causes and solutions. Learn about my new Plot Master Class at https://storyworksfiction.com/courses/plot-master-class    Show notes at https://StoryWorksPodcast.com Visit WordEssential.com and book a discovery call today!

This week, Leeland Artra comes back to the Round Table to discuss his journey from having a sci-fi novel in the top 100 to setting his writing life aside for several years to coming back to his passion for storytelling. Show notes at https://StoryWorksPodcast.com Get Alida's Plot Master Class now at https://StoryWorksFiction.com/courses/plot-master-class/   Visit WordEssential.com and book a...

Alida & Kathryn welcome author Leeland Artra to the Round Table to explore the vast expanses of steampunk societies, replete with steam engines, gears, corsets, walking sticks, & of course dirigible airships. What is the steampunk genre? Elements & archetypes of steampunk; steampunk’s literary roots; adventure, fashion, & romance; & Leeland’s 85-novella steampunk series! Get Al...

This week, Kathryn brings Act I of her novel-in-progress to the Round Table for a workshopping session with Alida. Common problems with the first act include: how long should Act I be, how much to introduce and how to world build in a short space, making Act I exciting, showing character agency, and more! Get Alida’s coaching services at www. WordEssential.com/editing. Show notes & links at ww...

Alida, Robert, & Kathryn welcome Bryan Cohen of Best Page Forward back to the Round Table to talk about writing book ads. We also get into the question of genre. How do you decide which genre to write your copy to when your book is cross- or sub-genre? Show notes & links at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit WordEssential.com and book a discovery call today!

This week, we welcome our friend, Bryan Cohen, to the Round Table to discuss writing book copy. Those tight little paragraphs that adorn the back of your book, your sales page, your query letters, your marketing. If you’ve been dreading distilling your masterpiece into a few pithy sentences in order to attract readers, then you must listen to this episode.  Join Bryan’s free Amazon Ad Challen...

This week, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn take a new approach to the new year. Instead of assessing the year past & making plans for the year ahead, they discuss ways to balance writing with life. What does it mean to be a creative person in a busy world? How do you prioritize not only your writing, but yourself when there are so many other demands on your time and energy? Does valuing your own...

We wish you a joyous holiday season and will be back next week with a regular episode. Alida, Robert, & Kathryn

This week, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn take a new approach to the end of the year. Instead of assessing the year past & making plans for the year ahead, they discuss ways to balance writing with life. What does it mean to be a creative person in a busy world? How do you prioritize not only your writing, but yourself when there are so many other demands on your time and energy? Does valuing yo...

Author Alina Sayre joins us at the Story Works Round Table to continue our conversation about refilling the creative well. Sooner or later we all hit that crossroads, whether you're transitioning your life or transitioning between projects, it's time to recharge. Alina has been through this process - and delivered a TEDx talk about it. We learn from Alina's experience, unpack the process, and delv...

Author Alina Sayre joins us at the Story Works Round Table to talk about refilling the creative well. Sooner or later we all hit that crossroads, whether you're transitioning your life or transitioning between projects, it's time to recharge. Alina has been through this process - and delivered a TEDx talk about it. We learn from Alina's experience, unpack the process, and delve into authenticity,...

Alida, Kathryn, & Robert continue the conversation about Edwidge Danticat’s book, The Art of Death. Show notes and links at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit WordEssential.com and book a discovery call today!

Alida, Robert, & Kathryn discuss writing death and dying. We all read Edwidge Danticat's book The Art of Death, in Graywolf Press's Art of Series. The slim volume is our jumping off point for delving into the role of death in relation to character arcs, plot, the writer's journey, and the effect these scenes can have on readers.  This episode is sponsored by author Leeland Artra, who want...

We welcome Judy K Walker, author of the Sydney Brennan Mysteries, to the Story Works Round Table this week to discuss strong female protagonists. What is a strong female protagonist? What traits define her? Can she be feminine and strong? Does the genre shape the protagonist? How do readers react to Sydney Brennan, a woman in a man’s world?  Part 2 of 2. Listen to episode 128 to hear Judy tal...

We welcome Judy K Walker, author of the Sydney Brennan Mysteries, to the Story Works Round Table this week to discuss strong female protagonists. What is a strong female protagonist? What traits define her? Can she be feminine and strong? Does the genre shape the protagonist? How do readers react to Sydney Brennan, a woman in a man’s world?  Part 1 of 2. Listen to episode 128 to hear Judy tal...

This week, Alida and Kathryn welcome Jennifer Bowen-Hicks, Artistic Director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, to the Round Table 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 writing found on the inside. Some of the most innovative, powerful writing voices are coming from this invisi...

This week, Alida and Kathryn welcome Jennifer Bowen-Hicks, Artistic Director of the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop, to the Round Table 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 writing found on the inside. Some of the most innovative, powerful writing voices are coming from this invisi...

Alida, Robert, and Kathryn bring guest Judy Walker, author of the Sydney Brennan Mysteries, to the Round Table for a special genre episode. Judy shares with us the key elements of the PI novel and what distinguishes it from other mysteries. The role of setting is huge, but not as a big as the novel's point of view. Do you know which POV is best for the PI? Enjoying the show? Make sure you hit the...

This week, author Talia Carner returns to the Story Works Round Table to discuss her sources of inspiration, how the tiniest fact can spark an entire world, how writing and social activism have come together in her life, how stories can be conversation starters for change, and so much more! Part 2 of 2.  Show notes & links at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit WordEssential.com and book a...

This week, author Talia Carner returns to the Story Works Round Table to discuss her sources of inspiration, how the tiniest fact can spark an entire world, how writing and social activism have come together in her life, how stories can be conversation starters for change, and so much more! Part 1 of 2.    Show notes & links at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit WordEssential.com and...

This week at the Story Works Round Table, we cover one of Kathryn’s current pain points: when description doesn’t happen while drafting and how to get it done in revision. The role of description is much richer in your story than you may think. Robert resists adding description while he fast drafts, knowing he’ll have to face it in later drafts. Kathryn struggles to get down in words what she know...

Hear more from author and activist Talia Carner at the Round Table this week. We continue our conversation about her latest novel, The Third Daughter, just released by Harper Collins. I ask Talia about the historical novel's relevance in today's world, writing a strong email protagonist in a story that is often disempowering, and more! Show notes and links at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit Word...

This week, I welcome author and activist Talia Carner to the Round Table. We discuss her latest novel, The Third Daughter, just released by Harper Collins, in depth. Hear about Talia’s author journey, her inspiration, research, and character development. Show notes and more at www. StoryWorksPodcast.com. Visit WordEssential.com and book a discovery call today!