How Story Works
How Story Works is a podcast for everyone who loves stories. If you’re a writer, understanding how story works will help you craft better stories. If you’re a lover of stories, the podcast will give you added insight into your favorite tales, and extend the toolset you use to better understand the stories you love. Join NYT bestselling author and story expert Lani Diane Rich as she demystifies stories and storytelling, allowing you to better write and appreciate the stories you love.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 33 minutes
- Episodes
- 93
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2024
Chapter 8: On Meaning (+ End Matter)
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 6: Structure in Practice
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 5: Structure in Theory
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 4: Conflict
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 3: Narrative Principles
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 2: Craft and Magic
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Chapter 1 - On Story
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
Intro + How This Book Works
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
How Story Works: The Audiobook
Show notes:
- Get your free digital copy of How Story Works
- Learn more about the Running of the WIPs
- Subscribe to The Running of the WIPs
- Apply for the 2025 Year of Writing Magically workshop
- Subscribe to t…
The Running of the WIPs
Show notes:
Lani returns to the How Story Works mic to update everyone on her novels-in-progress and announce a new 10-month writing challenge designed to help writers get their drafts done, The Runni…
Emotional Work for Writers (correct file)
NOTE: A mistake was made in the original posting of this episode; this is the correct audio file. My apologies!
Lani talks about the progress she made--and didn’t make--on her writing retreat to New Y…
Emotional Work for Writers
Lani talks about the progress she made--and didn’t make--on her writing retreat to New York, shares the Year of Writing Magically writing schedule, and talks about the emotional work writers must do …
Marketing & Writing Magically with Joshua Unruh
Lani sits down with marketing professional and author Joshua Unruh to talk about how to market yourself as an indie author, and his experience as part of the 2023 Year of Writing Magically cohort.
Sho…
Reframing with Melina Kantor
Lani sits down with writer Melina Kantor to talk about how sometimes the problem with our writing isn’t actually with our writing, but how we think about our writing.
Show notes:
- Visit the new How Stor…
Getting Quick and Dirty with Mignon Fogarty
Lani gets quick and dirty with Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, as they talk about the most powerful things people can do to improve their writing and how email is absolutely NOT obsolete.
- Check out …
The Muddy Middle with Cara Stevens
Sometimes you get 70 pages into a book and just... stop. Author Cara Stevens, best known for children's picture books, joins Lani to talk about her struggle to get past the muddy middle and finally f…
Writing with ADHD
Lani talks about her latest adventures, and blocks, in her writing process, and then talks to writer and podcaster Brandon Saiz about how his recent ADHD diagnosis opened up writing for him in new an…
The Drafting Doldrums
Lani returns to talk about the drafting process, forgetting to do her homework, and what it's like to return to an active writing process after a long break.
- Get the How Story Works ebook or paperback
- …
Going Independent with Shipwrecked Comedy
In the newest episode of #HowStoryWorks, Lani interviews Mary Kate Wiles, Sean Persaud and Sinead Persaud about going independent as creatives. Also, updates on the Year of Writing Magically and Lani…