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PODCAST

Story Nerd

Melanie Hill, Valerie Francis

For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories their readers will love. Each week literary editors, Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill, use films to explain how to craft a story that hooks the reader on page one and holds their attention all the way to the end. The goal is simple: to learn from writers who have come before us...what worked well and what didn"t work so well. If you"re a writer who loves to write, this podcast is for you! "The only thing that matters, and that

arts books

All Episodes

00:34:39

Little Women: why we do (or don't) love it

Story Nerd ·

2023/12/20

There's no question that Little Women is a classic that is beloved by generations, but why? What is it about this story that resonates with so many readers and viewers? This week, Valerie and Melanie ponder just that and their study takes them to past episodes about world building and story shapes, they discuss the appeal of Jo March and they discover an interesting link to Pride and Prejudice.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free),

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00:43:08

No Way Out: conflict triangles

Story Nerd ·

2023/12/13

In this week's episode, Melanie introduces the concept of conflict triangles and honestly, if you use them in your work, your story will improve immediately. In terms of cast design, while usually the plot supports the development of the characters in this case, the characters support the development of the plot. If you don't know which option best serves your story, you'd better tune in.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to

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00:36:56

The Full Monty: writing comedic characters

Story Nerd ·

2023/12/06

Valerie and Melanie both approached this week's episode with some trepidation. The Full Monty is a favourite film and sometimes those can be the most challenging to study because it's hard to be objective. But thankfully, there was no need to worry; the structure of The Full Monty is solid and a deep study revealed some fascinating lessons on how to write comedic characters.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner

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00:46:09

The Woman King: when storylines compete

Story Nerd ·

2023/11/29

Creating multiple storylines is a popular approach for novelists and for writers who know what they're doing, the end result is nothing short of masterful. However, multiple storylines is an advanced writing technique and it can quickly and easily go off the rails. Unfortunately, that's what happened with The Woman King. Now, there's lots to admire about this film too, but there's also lots to learn about creating multiple plot lines and what can happen to a story when they're poorly

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00:29:48

August Osage County: one for your repertoire

Story Nerd ·

2023/11/22

It's time for a brand new season and this time around, Valerie is studying cast design (a concept which revolutionized her writing) and Melanie is studying conflict. August: Osage County is a brilliant example of both - in fact, it's a brilliant example of a whole lot of storytelling principles, so this is one movie you'll want to add to your repertoire.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:21:53

Best Advice: character development + worldbuilding

Story Nerd ·

2023/11/15

We've reached the end of another season and that means it's time for us to round up our a-ha moments and best lessons learned about how to develop characters and build fictional worlds. You'll want to bookmark this episode!For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircleFor information about Valerie's upcoming webinars, visit: www.valeriefrancis.ca/webinarsTo learn to read like a

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00:40:34

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain: externalize the...

Story Nerd ·

2023/11/08

This movie is all about the inner turmoil of Louis Wain. You may not recognize his name, but you'll recognize his art (it's worth Googling). If you have a pet cat, it's because of Louis Wain. Communicating a character's inner thoughts or mental state is a tricky thing for film to do. It can be tricky for novelists too because it often leads to long passages of exposition. But externalizing the internal can (and must) be done. Do you know how? If not, this episode will show you how.For access to

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00:46:05

Pretty Woman: a masterclass in the fundamentals

Story Nerd ·

2023/11/01

This movie is so light and joyful that it's easy to dismiss it as fluff, but nothing could be further from the truth. Pretty Woman is a masterclass in the fundamentals of storytelling. The plot isn't fancy (it isn't even original), but it's rock solid and the presentation of the characters is spot on. Yes, we're discussing character development and worldbuilding again, but the real beauty here is how well the filmmakers leaned into the fundamentals to tell a story for the ages.For access to writing

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00:10:33

Nanowrimo: how to win

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/31

Nanowrimo starts tomorrow and if you're going to win, you've got to have a strategy. It's no small task to write an entire draft of a novel in thirty days! Luckily, in this bonus episode Valerie is here with three proven strategies that to help you do just that. You don't need to follow all three, just pick one that works and go for it. Good luck!For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:15:49

Don't Worry Darling: where did it go wrong?

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/29

By popular request! So many of you have messaged Valerie about this movie, that she's finally decided to tackle it head on. All the questions you've sent in boil down to one thing...you didn't like the movie, but you can't put your finger on why. In this bonus episode, Valerie shares her insights. Given the star-power attached to this project, her answer might surprise you.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner

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00:39:02

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas: writing historical...

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/25

Anyone writing historical fiction needs to pay particular attention to how they build the world for the reader/viewer. In this week's episode, Melanie explains how to construct a fictional world around three main setting types. It's fascinating stuff! And Valerie explores what happens when the most interesting character in the story is NOT the protagonist. Does it spell trouble for the narrative, or is there a way (and a reason) to pull it off?For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more

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00:36:26

Big: writing comedic characters

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/18

It's one thing to write a dramatic character, but what if you want to write a comedic one? Do the same storytelling principles apply, or not? And what about the setting? It's yet another story set in New York so how did the writers distinguish it from the NYC we saw in FATAL ATTRACTION and CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? All this and much more in this week's episode.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:54:33

Everything Everywhere All At Once: was there a script?

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/11

Ok, so basically, this movie is a bunch of action scenes strung together with expository dialogue. It's heavy-handed with theme (dare we say didactic?) and is bizarre even by antiplot standards. But, it's kind of an interesting film to study for worldbuilding all the same.(Oh, and in this episode there's an unintended cameo by Luca, Valerie's yellow Labrador puppy. He clearly had opinions about Everything Everywhere All At Once that he needed to share.)For access to writing templates and worksheets,

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00:37:00

Fatal Attraction: who's the villain?

Story Nerd ·

2023/10/04

Hooboy, this movie gets better with age. Why? Because when we watch it through the lens of 2023 it has much more depth and nuance. Glenn Close's character (Alex) is supposed to be the villain, but is she really? If you want to create a multi-dimensional antagonist who drives the plot and raises the stakes, you've got to listen to this episode.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:46:26

District 9: worldbuilding 101

Story Nerd ·

2023/09/27

This is an episode you're going to want to bookmark because Melanie is offering up oodles of info about how to create a fictional world your readers will love. Yes, District 9 is science fiction, but the principles apply to all genres and all world types; contemporary, realistic, historical, fantasy...you name it. And Valerie continues her study of character development with a look at what can happen to your story when your reader empathizes more with the victim than the protagonist (hint: it's not

en

00:31:53

Bridget Jones's Diary: why we love her

Story Nerd ·

2023/09/20

Because the novel is so funny and easy to read, and because the film is a romcom, it's easy to dismiss Bridget Jones's Diary as a simple story that Helen Fielding simply dashed off on a weekend. But nothing could be further from the truth. Even though it's a lighthearted story, Bridget is still a dimensional character and that's why we love her.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:16:02

Story 101: Poetic Device

Story Nerd ·

2023/09/18

Here's an episode that will help you improve your line writing. Yes, Melanie is focusing on the poetic devices of metaphor, simile, and allegory, but they also apply to prose. So if you want to crank your writing up a notch, this one's for you.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircleFor information about Valerie's upcoming webinars, visit: www.valeriefrancis.ca/webinarsTo

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00:32:00

Can You Ever Forgive Me: what's hiding under your bed?

Story Nerd ·

2023/09/13

Very few movies make an adult afraid of what's hiding under her bed, but this is one of them...and it isn't even a horror movie. That's the power of effective world-building! Even though this movie is set in NYC, it's a version of the city that's specific to the protagonist. How is the world of your story specific to your protagonist?For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle:

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00:32:42

Ray: a product of his environment

Story Nerd ·

2023/09/06

It's a brand new season and that means brand new topics. For the next ten weeks, Valerie will study character development and Melanie will study world-building. These massive topics go hand-in-hand because every protagonist is a product of his/her environment. This is a season you don't want to miss!For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircleFor information about Valerie's

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00:48:44

Death on the Nile: the moustache mystery (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2023/08/30

This might be one of Agatha Christie's best known mysteries, but does it work for a modern audience? This week, Valerie and Melanie analyze Sir Kenneth Branagh's version of Christie's classic tale, and discuss just how far into a story the inciting incident can be. And don't miss Melanie's super sleuth skills in action as she uncovers a major plot hole that has to do with Poirot's famous moustache.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free),

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