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
- 199
- Years Active
- 2022 - 2025
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…
The Gentlemen: conflict and a detour
Sometimes the best way to understand a concept is to have a simple, but clear, example. In this episode, Melanie explains why The Gentlemen is such a great example of conflict, especially external co…
Little Women: why we do (or don't) love it
There's no question that Little Women is a classic that is beloved by generations, but why? What is it about this story that resonates with so many readers and viewers? This week, Valerie and Melanie…
No Way Out: conflict triangles
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…
The Full Monty: writing comedic characters
Valerie and Melanie both approached this week's episode with some trepidation. The Full Monty is a favourite film and sometimes those can be the most challenging to study because it's hard to be obje…
The Woman King: when storylines compete
Creating multiple storylines is a popular approach for novelists and for writers who know what they're doing, the end result is nothing short of masterful. However, multiple storylines is an advanced…
August Osage County: one for your repertoire
It's time for a brand new season and this time around, Valerie is studying cast design (a concept which revolutionized her writing) and Melanie is studying conflict. August: Osage County is a brillia…
Best Advice: character development + worldbuilding
We've reached the end of another season and that means it's time for us to round up our a-ha moments and best lessons learned about how to develop characters and build fictional worlds. You'll want t…
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain: externalize the internal
This movie is all about the inner turmoil of Louis Wain. You may not recognize his name, but you'll recognize his art (it's worth Googling). If you have a pet cat, it's because of Louis Wain. Communi…
Pretty Woman: a masterclass in the fundamentals
This movie is so light and joyful that it's easy to dismiss it as fluff, but nothing could be further from the truth. Pretty Woman is a masterclass in the fundamentals of storytelling. The plot isn't…
Nanowrimo: how to win
Nanowrimo starts tomorrow and if you're going to win, you've got to have a strategy. It's no small task to write an entire draft of a novel in thirty days! Luckily, in this bonus episode Valerie is h…
Don't Worry Darling: where did it go wrong?
By popular request! So many of you have messaged Valerie about this movie, that she's finally decided to tackle it head on. All the questions you've sent in boil down to one thing...you didn't like t…
The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas: writing historical fiction
Anyone writing historical fiction needs to pay particular attention to how they build the world for the reader/viewer. In this week's episode, Melanie explains how to construct a fictional world arou…
Big: writing comedic characters
It's one thing to write a dramatic character, but what if you want to write a comedic one? Do the same storytelling principles apply, or not? And what about the setting? It's yet another story set in…
Everything Everywhere All At Once: was there a script?
Ok, so basically, this movie is a bunch of action scenes strung together with expository dialogue. It's heavy-handed with theme (dare we say didactic?) and is bizarre even by antiplot standards. But,…
Fatal Attraction: who's the villain?
Hooboy, this movie gets better with age. Why? Because when we watch it through the lens of 2023 it has much more depth and nuance. Glenn Close's character (Alex) is supposed to be the villain, but is…
District 9: worldbuilding 101
This is an episode you're going to want to bookmark because Melanie is offering up oodles of info about how to create a fictional world your readers will love. Yes, District 9 is science fiction, but…
Bridget Jones's Diary: why we love her
Because the novel is so funny and easy to read, and because the film is a romcom, it's easy to dismiss Bridget Jones's Diary as a simple story that Helen Fielding simply dashed off on a weekend. But …
Story 101: Poetic Device
Here's an episode that will help you improve your line writing. Yes, Melanie is focusing on the poetic devices of metaphor, simile, and allegory, but they also apply to prose. So if you want to crank…
Can You Ever Forgive Me: what's hiding under your bed?
Very few movies make an adult afraid of what's hiding under her bed, but this is one of them...and it isn't even a horror movie. That's the power of effective world-building! Even though this movie i…