Story Works Round Table

conversations about craft

for writers and readers curious about writers

SWRT 308 | Authors Talk Ghost Stories

SWRT 308 | Authors Talk Ghost Stories

Just in time for Halloween, the Story Works Round Table brings you a special episode featuring five incredible authors of ghost stories: Gabi Coatsworth, Paulette Kennedy, Jan Heidrich-Rice, Sandra Young, and Alida Winternheimer. Dive into the art of crafting paranormal tales, explore the inspiration behind these haunting narratives, and learn about the unique rules that govern their ghostly worlds. Plus, discover their upcoming events and workshops perfect for getting your literary boo on this spooky season. Don’t miss out on this fascinating conversation—listen now!

SWRT 307 | From Lightning Strike to Novel with Ben Hawken

SWRT 307 | From Lightning Strike to Novel with Ben Hawken

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn sit down with Ben Hawken, author of the new novel “Chandelier.” Ben shares his remarkable journey from a career in marketing and speech writing to writing his debut book. Learn how he balanced life, work, and writing to achieve his creative dreams. Ben offers insights into story structure, the art of dialogue, and practical tips for aspiring writers. Whether you’re looking to start your own writing journey or curious about the creative process, this episode is packed with inspiration and advice. Tune in now to hear Ben’s story and get motivated to pursue your own creative passions!

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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SWRT 154 | Maintaining our Passion

Do we love all of the aspects of writing? Or do we get stuck in certain processes? How can we break out of our stuck state? And how do we keep the whole project in mind when working on one piece? We talk about how to maintain your passion even in the parts that are less exciting, and how that helps you craft stories that readers will be passionate about too.

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SWRT 153 | Q&A With Alida

How do you know if you’ve picked the right POV? Where is the balance between narrative and dialogue? And how do you handle POV switches in a multiple POV story? Alida answers all these and more in this Q&A session.

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