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
How to Write a Breakout Book
I just attended a training session with a literary agent who said that failure to write a breakout book is one of the most common mistakes writers make. Well sure, that's fine to say, but (1) what is…
The Last of Sheila: soooo good
Now this is the epitome of a left-brained story. THE LAST OF SHEILA has puzzles within puzzles, an intricate plot that has been expertly set up, and a cast of characters who aren't who they seem to m…
How do stories work?
If you're writing a novel or memoir, you're writing a story. Sounds obvious, right? That may be, but most authors don't know how to tell a story that works. If you don't believe me check out the stat…
Gosford Park: did he deserve it?
This film offers two hugely valuable lessons to writers of all genres. The first is about the inciting incident and when it needs to happen. The second is about unlikeable characters and how to handl…
One Line Writing Secret You Need to Know
In our last episode about our most embarrassing literary moments, Melanie and I said that line writing (or prose writing) means learning to write a narrative. We also said that there are specific tec…
Our Most Embarrassing Literary Moments
No one is born knowing how to write great prose. Like any other kind of specialized writing (ex., newspapers, academia, web, etc.), writing prose is a particular skill that can, and must, be learned.…
A Most Wanted Man: why now?
Readers are on a need to know basis. That means that, as storytellers, we only tell them what they need to know, and only when they need to know it. In this adaptation of John le Carre's novel, the f…
THIS is how your novel gets noticed!
There are two ways to write great stories. The first involves at least 20 years of reading, writing and being rejected. The second, which is much faster, involves learning story theory. (Big shocker …
The Good Liar: surprise v twist
The movie had both me and Valerie on the edge of our seats. When we come across a masterful movie we pull out as much as we can for you. This episode is chock-a-block full of info about point of view…
See How They Run: wasted potential
A comedic take on a murder mystery had so much potential, but unfortunately, the creators of SEE HOW THEY RUN wasted it with what can only be described as lazy writing and lazy editing. This is what …
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: when did Smiley know?
It's a long episode this week because there's a whole lot to talk about in this excellent adaptation of John le Carre's bestselling novel. Melanie gives her top tips for writing mysteries and Valerie…
The Game: why endings are important
By the time we get to the end of our manuscript, we can feel drained creatively. The temptation to phone it in looms large. But be careful. No matter how good the rest of your story is, if the ending…
The Dry: an introduction to outback noir
This week Valerie and Melanie continue their study of left-brained stories. They step into the outback to discover how Australian crime writers create an atmosphere of isolation by combining plot and…
Crooked House: left-brained stories
It's time for a brand new season of the show and this time around, Valerie and Melanie are studying the same topic: left-brained stories. Never heard of it before? Don't worry. Valerie made up the te…
Character Lessons from an Actor
For the past two seasons Valerie has been talking about character dimension and cast design. The key to understanding both concepts is to recognize that a person isn't a uniform, constant creature. A…
Our Best Advice: conflict + cast design
This week Valerie and Melanie round up their a-ha moments and the lessons they've learned over the past ten episodes. What are their key takeaways wrt creating conflict in a story? How can you design…
The Lost Daughter: fisticuffs
The one thing Valerie and Melanie agree on this week is that the execution of this film isn't as good as it could, or should, have been. They disagreed on just about everything else and they each hav…
Lady Bird: writing female protagonists
If you're writing a character-driven story with a female protagonist, or a female POV character, this episode is a must for you. With only one viewing it's easy to miss the storytelling goodness of L…
Love, Simon: how (not) to arc a character
If you're writing a character-driven story, or if your protagonist has an arc, this episode is for you. This week, Melanie and Valerie continue their studies of conflict and cast design, and the conn…
Sex and the City: great world building, but meh
Never has there been a better example of why world building is so important. Fans of Sex and the City love to live vicariously through Carrie Bradshaw so it's no surprise that audiences gave this fil…