We’ll be spending extra time with our families this month, but will be back with all new podcast episodes in January...
SWRT 271 | Character Motivation
We’re talking character motivation. It’s crucial to every element of your story and you’ll do yourself a favor by having a handle on it in the prewriting stages. We talk about the protagonist, the reader, and you, the writer. Also, how motivation relates to flaws and conflicts, and how a series differs from a standalone.
SWRT: #18 Setting
What makes a setting? And how can you use it to immerse your reader in your story? What details are good, and when does showing your research ruin the story you are trying to tell?
SWRT 17: Finding Your Protagonist
What is a protagonist, and does your story need one? What are the stakes your protagonist needs? Who is the right person to tell your story? And how is a protagonist different from a point of view character? And ultimately, do you have to discover one thing before another in your pre-writing process?
SWRT 16: Accountability
Want to start off 2017 right? We talk about how to use accountability in tandem with your productivity to boost your writing. Is there a difference between accountability and productivity? And how can you set up accountability in your own life? What tools are out there for use? And should you go public with your goals? It all comes down to knowing yourself and how you work.
SWRT 15: Writing Habits and Productivity
What is a writing habit? And how can you create one that is both enjoyable and productive? What if you are writing around all your other life responsibilities? And what kind of systems can you put in place to make yourself successful? As we head into this new year, make your writing a priority.
SWRT 14: Short Stories part 3
Taking a look at “What it Means to Be a Man” by Ed Bok Lee, we talk about why Alida picked this story, and what it is really all about. How do you create empathy with your readers when they may have no cultural context for your story? Or even find your subject matter repulsive? How do you choose the right narrator for the story? And what does it really mean to be a man?
SWRT 13: Short Stories part 2
Taking a look at “The Birth Will Take Place on a Mutually Acceptable Research Vessel” by Matthew Bailey, we talk about why Kathryn picked this story, and what it is really all about. Why would a man write from the point of view of a pregnant woman? And does the second person work for us? What hooks readers, and how does the author get them to empathize with this uncomfortable narrator? Even with Matt’s hesitation over whether or not he likes the story, we still laugh at the humor and appreciate the twist at the end.
SWRT 12: Short Stories part 1
Taking a look at “Sonny Liston Takes the Fall” by Elizabeth Bear, we talk about why Matt picked this story, and what it is really all about. Why did the author choose one protagonist over another? And what is the theme of this story? We talk about the narrator character and if Sonny Liston even took the fall. In the end we wonder what genre this truly is – and want to know if there is any alternate history in this story that we don’t know about.
SWRT 11: Pacing
What is pacing? How do you decide the best pace for your story? And how do you achieve that pace? What kind of effect can pacing have for your readers? And why is pacing so different between books and movies? Check out the things we’ve mentioned section to check out those books we talked about – those we loved and even those we didn’t.
SWRT 10: Write What You Know
Do you always have to write what you know? And what defines what you know? How do you craft a character based on yourself? What about characters we have nothing in common with? We talk about building worlds based on our own, and where we research in order to create compelling worlds. In need of research assistance? We offer a wealth of resources we find useful, and recommend that you read bibliographies!