Story Nerd
For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories their readers will love. Each week literary editors, Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill, use films to explain how to craft a story that hooks the reader on page one and holds their attention all the way to the end. The goal is simple: to learn from writers who have come before us...what worked well and what didn't work so well. If you're a writer who loves to write, this podcast is for you!
"The only thing that matters, and that ever will matter, is the story. That's it." - Tom Hanks (Oxford Union 2024)
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 35 minutes
- Episodes
- 198
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
Legally Blonde (archive)
This week we're throwing it back to season 2. Valerie is studying The Hero's Gift Expressed and Melanie is studying Forces of Antagonism. Legally Blonde is a beautiful example of both!
Get The Fundam…
No Way Out: conflict triangles (archive)
In this week's episode, Melanie introduces the concept of conflict triangles and honestly, if you use them in your work, your story will improve immediately. In terms of cast design, while usually th…
Moonstruck: writing female characters (archive)
In this episode, Melanie is studying female characters and how women are presented in modern stories (her work in this episode is reeeeally interesting!), and I investigate something I learned from S…
The Bourne Identity: build tension, raise stakes (archive)
Whatever kind of story you're writing, if you want a reader to stick with you all the way to the end, you've got to build tension! Believe it or not, The Bourne Identity is a terrific example to stud…
Knives Out: mastering the whodunit (archive)
Puzzled about what it takes to write a great mystery? Then grab your notebook because this episode is chock-full of tips. No red herrings in this show, we promise!
Foe: offers lots of writing lessons
Ummm … I don’t know what to say to introduce this week’s episode. Perhaps I should start with a simple question, ‘What makes a story un-watchable/un-readable?’ Part of the answer is chickens. If you’…
The Miracle Club: when the hero is also the villain
THE MIRACLE CLUB is a multiple protagonist, miniplot, story. That means that each protagonist is also an antagonist. Sounds cool, right? But how the heck do you pull it off? Well one of the ways is t…
She Said: constant characters
Valerie’s focus on the villain’s monologue in She Said was always going to be risky because we’d have to hear Harvey Weinstein's justification but justification requires the villain owning his stuff!…
The Mighty Ducks: weak villains
The antagonist drives the middle of a story, so what happens when the antagonist is a really weak character? Well, if you're a filmmaker and can cast Emilio Estevez, you might get away with it. If yo…
How to Avoid a Page-One Rewrite
Melanie and I have both had to do page-one rewrites (actually, I've done TWO!!!), and they're not fun. Not fun at all. We want to keep you from suffering the same fate, so in this episode, we explain…
What A-List Authors Know that You Don't
Announcing THE FUNDAMENTALS OF STORYTELLING on-demand course, available now. Visit storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50 for 50% off, now through July 7, 2025.
Mission Impossible: simple yet solid
Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation is a great example of good, straight forward storytelling. Yes, it’s an action movie with big stunts. Yes, you have to suspend your disbelief. Yes, it’s Tom Cruise. …
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3: don't look too closely
It's a brand new season and that means two brand new study topics! In Season 15, I'm studying something called the villain's monologue and Melanie is studying turning points. Guardians of the Galaxy …
Traditional and Indie Publishing Models
Authors often ask us for our advice about publishing models and whether traditional is better, or worse, than indie/self publishing. So this week, we're bringing you an interview with writer and podc…
What Went Right: Juror #2
If you're writing a quiet, character-driven story — especially if it deals with questions of morality — Juror #2 is a film you must watch. The storytelling craft is rock solid, and although it's a le…
What Went Wrong: Ghosted
If you are wondering what kids mean when they say, “It’s cringe” then watch this movie. Otherwise save yourself some time. On paper everything about this movie should work, but, and it’s an enormous …
Our Best Advice: core event + progressive complictions
We've reached the end of another season and that means it's time for me and Melanie to give your our best advice, our a-has, and our key takeaways all about the core event and progressive complicatio…
Women Talking: does what it says on the tin
We’ve had a number of masterful movies this season and Women Talking is another one. Q: How do you tell a story when everything you’ve ever known is at stake? A: Consider the pros and cons using mult…
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel: secrets of multi POV stories
This movie looks like an innocent little story about seniors who want to make the most of their golden years, but the craft behind it will knock your socks off. It's a multiple POV, multiple plot fil…
Anatomy of a Fall: mind blown
Every-now-and-then we stumble across unassuming movies that blow our socks off. Anatomy of a Fall is one of these. There’s so much to love about this movie which is a masterclass in character, myster…