In this episode, Alida and Kathryn explore the intersection of writing and chronic illness with author Beth Biss. Beth shares her personal journey of navigating her health challenges while pursuing her passion for writing. We discuss the themes of identity, acceptance, and empowerment in her work, and how her experiences shape her characters and stories. Join us for an inspiring conversation about resilience, creativity, and the transformative power of storytelling.
In this episode of the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn talk with Stephanie Elizondo Griest, author of Art Above Everything. In this perspective changing conversation, we talk all about centering your life on art. We talk about the sometimes painful journey of being an art monk, and what it means to dedicate yourself to the creation of art. Join us as we talk about the journey Stephanie has taken to realizing that Art is Enough. And what Enough even means in this capitalistic culture we live in.
This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert talk about those big, really BIG, scenes. When your story demands an epic battle or riot or disaster, how can you create the right blend of massive action & personal emotion? What are the pitfalls of multiple points of view in epic scenes? And lots more today at the Round Table. Pull up a chair & join us!
Register for this Sunday’s Writing Backstory into Your Now-story & other workshops at www.storyworksfiction.com.
Writers are naturally students of human nature. How can we develop our characters if we aren’t naturally curious about people? We three writers find ourselves putting our friends, family, neighbors, even strangers under our version of the microscope. What do we–and our stories–gain as observers of human nature? Where does our authenticity come from as writers? Is there a method to our madness?
Do creative writers truly need to sweat grammar, punctuation, & more? The answer may be obvious, but not why, how, & what to do about it. Today, Alida, Kathryn, & Robert dive into the nitty gritty of exceptional writing and carry it through to a “full stop.”
This week at the Story Works Round Table, we cover one of Kathryn’s current pain points: when description doesn’t happen while drafting and how to get it done in revision. The role of description is much richer in your story than you may think.
Previously aired as episode #125.
This week Alida, Robert, & Kathryn continue discussing what we’re reading now and why we chose it. Why would a successful, beautifully-written book lose readers? What niche mystery has Robert excited to read more?
This week, we return the subject of what we’re reading now. We get into not only the titles we’re into, but what makes them work and maybe not work as well as they could. We have a variety of reasons for what we choose to read beyond “pleasure” and the books are not all in our genres. You might be surprised by which popular and award-winning novel we dissect. How did you feel about All…?
This week on the Story Works Round Table, we talk about “those bits tacked on at the end of a story to explain everything…” Wait, who said that? We discuss the epilogue and dig into our favorite epilogue to love and hate at the end of the Harry Potter series. What did you think of it? Have you written epilogues to your novels? Let us know in the comments.
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!
Want to be part of the conversation? Good.
We’re having an Ask Us Anything episode in the near future. Just head over to iTunes and leave us a review. Pose your craft question in your review and we’ll address it on the episode!
This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, & Kathryn talk pacing. Isn’t it about word count and how quickly readers turn the pages? You know, that old chestnut, the Beach Read? It’s about the need to know what’s coming next, the reader’s desire to keep being drawn into and through the story. But it’s also about the ebb and flow of action, not an overall speed, but a rhythm that allows for ups and downs, quick and slow movements. Make the pace of your story organic to your character’s experience. Do not think of pace in terms of speed, but in terms of the reader’s experience of your story.
Enjoy this unpacking of this seemingly simple topic, pacing, and join the conversation at our Story Works Writers Facebook group.