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
The Banshees of Inisherin: when the mc breaks bad
The tension starts with the title of this week’s movie - The Banshees of Inisherin. Banshees cry right before someone dies. That’s tension right there - who will it be? The anticipation about who is …
Calendar Girls: wait...it's over?
Welcome to a brand new season! This time around I'm studying the 4 Story Questions and Melanie is focused on tension. This week we're looking at CALENDAR GIRLS. We love these actresses (I mean, hones…
BLACK FRIDAY - SAVE 89%
You want to get published, right? You want to see your book in bookstores, you want to hit a bestseller list, and maybe you want Reese Witherspoon to pick your book for her bookclub. Well, before any…
What Went Wrong: the cold light of day
We're trying something new this week! Writers are constantly asking me and Melanie to explain why a story seems weird to them. So to help you understand why some stories flop, at the end of each seas…
Our Best Advice: writing exposition and creating character arcs
It's that time again! We've reached the end of the season and that means Melanie and I are wrapping up all our a-ha moments and lessons learned about writing exposition and creating character arcs. P…
Up in the Air: thiiiiin
Up In The Air, boring or not, is this week’s question. Why do I find this movie interesting, and why does Valerie find it boring? Could the answer lie in Ryan Bingam’s character arc (and does he have…
All the President's Men: masterful exposition
This movie is almost entirely exposition, and while this isn't an approach I'd recommend for novelists, I can't imagine telling this particular story any other way. You might say that ALL THE PRESIDE…
Gone Baby Gone: writing a static protagonist
Most stories are about change. However, there is also a place for stories when the protagonist doesn’t change. The outcomes can still be positive - just watch James Bond and Erin Brockovich! There a…
Little Miss Sunshine: who's the protagonist?
As Melanie and I prepared for this episode one question kept coming up ... Who is the protagonist? Melanie argues that the entire family is the protagonist, but I think that Olive (who is the Little …
Far From Heaven: what your character doesn't want
This season, I am focused on stories with negative or neutral character arcs. Sometimes, finding out what a character doesn’t want is the first step to discovery. On the surface, Cathy Whitaker has a…
I, Tonya: don't try this at home
Wowzers! I, TONYA is absolutely chock-full of exposition. It's a documentary-style film so at first blush it doesn't seem to offer up many story lessons for novelists. However, DAISY JONES & THE SIX …
Dorian Gray: what mick jagger said
The Rolling Stone’s song ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want,’ is my earworm this season. This week, I started to pick apart how wants, needs and arcs are connected. Dorian Gray is a classic cautiona…
The Social Network: pacing, pacing, pacing
It's a brand new season and this time Melanie is studying character arcs through 5 key questions: Where do the characters start, where do they finish, what do they want, what decisions do they make a…
Best Advice: Narrative Drive + Conflict Triangles
Whoa. This season has been a heavy season. Narrative Drive and Conflict Triangles are two major concepts that can - and will - transform your writing. In this episode, Melanie and I summarize everyth…
Eye in the Sky: wonderfully nuanced storytelling
Eye in the Sky reminds me of the ‘greater good’ questions I discussed in class during high school - there’s no right or wrong answer but there are always consequences. This movie is an excellent exam…
NYAD: writing unlikeable characters
Your reader doesn't have to like the protagonist but she does have to empathize with him because if empathy is absent, your story is in trouble. In this episode Melanie and I study conflict triangles…
The Wife: best movie ever
Holy moly, this is a good movie! It's an especially good movie to study for anyone writing a quiet, character-driven story. THE WIFE originally aired as Episode 4 of Season 6 when Melanie was studyin…
August Osage County: simply masterful
This movie is a masterclass on characters, character development, cast design and the relationships between characters. It honestly doesn't get any better than this. So no matter what kind of story y…
Lego Batman: ROTFL
Melanie chose Lego Batman from the vault because, in addition to being a really well-written story, it made her laugh. And that, imo, is the mark of superior writing. This episode originally aired in…
The Godfather: Valerie gets excited
Melanie and I are taking a short mid-winter/mid-summer break, so while we recharge our batteries we're reposting some of our favourite episodes starting this week with THE GODFATHER. Wow, there just …