When the Narrator Won’t Admit It with Sofia Samatar

How can we make sure our readers pick up on key information when our narrator is cagey or not willing to admit the full truth?

We look at how a master, Sofia Samatar, does it in her short story "Walkdog." It has both a reluctant narrator ("Emilybait") and a weird form ("Benbait"). We also discuss the "line" between "literary fiction" and "science fiction and fantasy."

• Read Sofia Samatar’s short story “Walkdog”

Other links from this episode:

• Buy Sofia Samatar's short story collection Tender (2017) so you can read her hilarious and inexplicable short story "How I Met the Ghoul"


• Listen to a craft interview with Sofia Samatar on Storyological or read one with Uncanny Magazine


• Ben’s other podcast Three Lokos for music, movies, and pals hanging out

Good Writing is a podcast where two MFA friends read like writers and lay out craft ideas for fellow writers to steal. Co-hosted by Emily Donovan and Benjamin Kerns.

Twitter: @goodwritingpod 

Email: [email protected]