Story Works Round Table Archives - Page 36 of 66 - Story Works Round Table Podcast

SWRT 284 | Writers Book Club: Naming My Father

Nov 9, 2023

This week, Alida and Kathryn welcome Dr. Martha Highers to the Writers Book Club to discuss “Naming My Father,” a personal essay that won the Under the Sun summer writing contest. Martha is an editor at Under the Sun. not only do we talk as reader-writers, we get an insightful behind the scenes glimpse of the selection and editorial process for this wonderful essay about growing up the child of an autistic parent before anyone understood autism.

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SWRT 283 | Characterization

Oct 26, 2023

Characterization is more than introducing a character. The sharpest and subtlest of details can reveal a whole person to a reader.

SWRT 039 | Tropes

Feb 1, 2018

What is the actual definition of a trope? And how should you use one? Why do we conflate it with so many other things? And how can you use them artistically without falling into cliche’s or heavy handed writing?

SWRT 038 | The Bechdel-Wallace Test

Jan 25, 2018

What is the Bechdel-Wallace test and why is it important? Should we know more about it? And are we just products of our culture? How can you apply this test to your fiction? And what is our responsibility as writers and creators to change the worldview around us? Is there a male counterpart to the Bechdel-Wallace test? Should there be? It all comes down to character development, so make sure you are looking at them from all angles!

SWRT 037 | Revision

Jan 18, 2018

Revision – love it? Hate it? How do we approach it? What should your mindset be when you approach revision? And how long does it take us? Revision is just a part of the process and a necessary one! So learn to enjoy it!

SWRT 036 | First Drafts

Jan 11, 2018

How do we draft our first drafts? And how do you handle problems that come up while you are drafting? What tools do we use? And remember, it’s your first draft for a reason!

SWRT 035 | Goal Setting

Jan 4, 2018

Why do we desire to set goals for the new year? And why Robert hates goal setting? What is the framework of inputs and outcomes and how can we use it to avoid goal overwhelm? We talk about the power of the to do list, and that you must know yourself and your tendencies in order to be successful. In the end Alida wraps it up in one neat bundle of tips!

SWRT 034 | That’s Motivation!

Dec 28, 2017

How do you stay motivated when life takes over your days? We talk about the issue of negative motivation, and how you can use motivation as a verb. What motivates us? How can you reconnect to the feeling of writing? We talk challenges, deadlines, writing in small chunks, and wrap up with our tips and tricks to keep ourselves motivated.

SWRT 033 | Backstory

Dec 21, 2017

What is backstory? And how is it used in your story? What is the difference between backstory and history? How do you know when backstory is needed? And how should you interweave it into your story?

SWRT 032 | Resting the Writer’s Brain

Dec 14, 2017

Welcome back Robert! Since Robert just got back from a recent trip, we dive into the idea of travel. Are we travelers? And how far do you have to go to refresh your writing brain? What if you can’t afford to travel? And should your travel involve writing? What are the benefits of breaking out of your routine? And how should you record your travel for later?

SWRT 031 | Writing Skills, part 2

Dec 7, 2017

What are some benefits of writing short? How can you make sure your writing is working for your readers? And what are some challenges we face as writers? Finally we talk about what process to go through as you seek to improve your writing!

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