Story Works Round Table

conversations about craft

for writers and readers curious about writers

SWRT 303 | Lainey Cameron interviews Alida about A Stone’s Throw

SWRT 303 | Lainey Cameron interviews Alida about A Stone’s Throw

This week, the Story Works Round Table is turned: Alida is interviewed by guest host, Lainey Cameron, award-winning author, podcaster, and book marketing expert.

They discuss writing without genre in mind, starting with a vision only described as magical realism. Alida’s novel, A Stone’s Throw, explores themes of relationships, and motherhood, while highlighting the complexities of artistic identity and validation and the transformative power of community.

Lainey asks Alida about her inspiration, process, and the roles of creativity and community in her life and work.

SWRT 302 | Transitions: bridging the white space in your stories

SWRT 302 | Transitions: bridging the white space in your stories

This week at the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn talk transitions. What are the good, bad, and better ways to keep your readers reading past narrative breaks? We want to create bridges over that white space, whether it’s a scene, chapter, or part break, no matter who, when, or where shifts on the other side

SWRT 163 | Titles

Why are titles so important to think about? How do they help with genre targeting, or getting your reader to pick up your book? Should your title say something about your book? And how memorable do you want it to be? We dive into how to explore your title, and where to get started!

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SWRT 162 | Dual POV in Romance

SWRT 162 | Dual POV in Romance

Do you need a dual POV in a romance novel? How do you distinguish between the POV’s? And how important is that internal journey in these stories? We talk about the struggles of writing an intimate internal journey from a point of view different from your own, and even get a laugh talking feelings with Robert.

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SWRT 161 | Grants for Writers

SWRT 161 | Grants for Writers

What is a grant? And what can they do for you as a writer? What is the process of application? And what can the funds be used for? Susan leads us through the entire process from application to acceptance for a grant, including giving her experience as both a judge, and recipient.

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SWRT 160 | Paranormal Romance

SWRT 160 | Paranormal Romance

What defines paranormal romance? And what flavor does Frances write? How do you weave paranormal elements into your overall plot? And how important is the setting and research to Frances’s work? We dive into the importance of the romantic elements, and the choices you will need to make if you choose to write in the paranormal romance genre.

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SWRT 159 | Flawed Heroes

How do you create a competent character who still has to grow? How do you utilize motivation to create plausibility? And how do you develop flaws that help your character keep their competence?

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SWRT 158 | Read Like a Writer

Do we always read like a writer? What happens when we slow down and pay attention to the books we are reading? Does reading like a writer destroy your ability to read for enjoyment? We dig into our current reads and how our reading benefits our writing.

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SWRT 157 | Subtext

What is subtext? And why is it important? Why is it so tricky to work on, or define? What effect does subtext have on the reader? We dive into an example and then talk about the ways we think you can learn how to write better subtext.

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SWRT 156 | Keeping a Series Exciting

How do you keep a story going over a long series without tiring out characters and readers? Is this limited to a single genre? What ways can you use innovation, and plot elements to keep the reader engaged?

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SWRT 155 | POV-Narrative Lightning Round

How do you keep readers from skipping point of view chapters? What if you have to cut a point of view out of your story? And how do you switch from your narrator to your character’s point of view? This week we take some time to answer some questions that have popped up in our Facebook group. If you have a question, make sure to join us there and ask away!

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