Openings Archives - Story Works Round Table Podcast

SWRT 253 | Openings

May 12, 2022

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert discuss openings, when and how to begin your novel. This episode will be linked in the show notes to all related episodes in the library.
What does your opening page communicate to a reader? When should you open with a prologue and when in media res? How do you introduce your world without bogging the reader down in info dumps or backstory? Is everything in your opening essential?
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SWRT 227 | In Media Res

Oct 28, 2021

What does it mean to open in the middle of action? We talk in media res on this week’s Story Works Round Table.

SWRT 214 | Prologues

Jul 22, 2021

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert dissect the prologue. Can you be for or against prologues? When do writers do them wrong? And how do you do them right? As with so many of our Round Tables, we start out with something that seems so simple, yet find ways to sink our teeth into a juicy discussion!
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SWRT 182 | Opening Scenes Shape Reader Experience

Nov 5, 2020

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Carlee explore opening scenes and what you should include right away to establish who and what the story is about. Missing the mark with your opening scene could mislead the reader. Make sure you shape your opening to shape the reader’s experience.

SWRT 170 | The Art of Oral Storytelling part 2

Aug 13, 2020

How do you come up with material for oral stories? How do you keep it under five minutes? How important is the hook? Or the ending? And how do you craft humor into your stories?

SWRT 167 | In Media Res

Jul 23, 2020

What does in media res mean? And how do you use it appropriately to draw your reader into your story? What happens to the structure of your story if you choose to start in media res? And does it mean your inciting incident has to be off the page?

SWRT 109 | Plausibility

Jun 6, 2019

How do you craft a story where readers buy the implausible? Does every genre have to deal with this issue? What tools can you use in your character, plot, and world-building to keep your reader engaged in the story? When do your genre conventions help your plausibility? And when can they hurt it?

SWRT 011 | Openings – Reading/Reacting

Jul 20, 2017

We take a deep dive into three sample openings from literary novels. Want to know what your readers latch on to? How do you deliver a strong character in just a few paragraphs? And can you telegraph what your story is about in such a small space? What are the most important elements of an opening? And do we want to keep reading?

SWRT 29: Hooks-Premise & Opening

Apr 6, 2017

What is a hook? And what are the different functions they can serve in a novel? How do you craft an opening hook, and what things should you keep in mind as you do? And finally, don’t forget about the value that first sentence can have on your whole work.

SWRT 6: Openings

Oct 11, 2016

Want to know what it takes to write a good opening? How do you hook your reader and get them invested in your story? How do you create character empathy and what are the action steps that you need to take in order to write a great opening?

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