This week at the Story Works Round Table podcast, Alida and Kathryn explore the power of sensory details in writing with award-winning author Paulette Stout. Join us as we discuss how to bring scenes to life through sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Paulette shares insights into her writing process, her latest work, and how she uses sensory details to build vivid, immersive worlds.
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.
What is the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop? How did it begin? And what is it like to go into a state prison (in MN) and teach writing? What genre does MPWW teach? And how does it help writers? What kind of community has grown out of MPWW’s work within the prison system?
Why did Judy start writing PI novels? And how did her background help with the details? What are some pitfalls to avoid when writing a PI novel? And why is the narrator so important? We dive into the gray zone of legality in a PI novel, as well as how to add complexity, even if your narrator doesn’t have an arc.
Should you have your theme in mind when you start the book? Is there a formula that Talia follows for her particular books? And how did her writing turn into activism? Talia’s message for all of us is to take advantage of the opportunities that you are given.
What inspires writers to create a story? How small can that spark of inspiration be? Once you have the inspiration, you must also have the courage to write that story! We talk about how to write your way through a story, with only the destination in mind. And how to correctly use creative license in historical fiction.
Why is description so important? And why should we focus on it, both in our first draft, and the subsequent ones? How does writing in a flow state change your ability to describe as you draft? How can you revise in description? And when should you step away from your draft in order to craft it? In the end, don’t let lack of description stop forward momentum. You can, and should, fix it later!
How is the story behind the Third Daughter relevant to today’s world? Why did Talia take the story into the past rather than the present? Did the publisher object to the content of the book? And how can you keep it relatable to the readers, despite the content?
How did Talia come to be an author? And what inspired her to write The Third Daughter? How did fact and imagination merge? And what sources did Talia find to flesh out the Third Daughter?
Why should we talk about world-building with religion? Should your characters have a belief system? And how can you use it to create rich depth for your world and your character motivation? How should you present it in your work? And how can you make it natural to your world and your characters?
What is an endnote and why are we talking about it? How is it different from a resolution? Or the end of a scene or chapter? How can you use a “full circle” moment to really make your endnote powerful? And why should you craft it before you even get to the end of your story?