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PODCAST

Story Nerd

Valerie Francis, Melanie Hill, Kathleen Foxx

For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories readers will love, and who want to work with a literary agent. Each week, 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. On alternate weeks, Valerie and literary agent Kathleen Foxx offer their professional feedback on query letters and writing samples submitted by Story Nerd listeners. The goal is simple: to

arts books

All Episodes

49:41

Debut Writer Red Flags

Story Nerd ·

2026/10/09

What are the telltale signs of a first-time writer? (Yep, they exist and agents can spot them a mile away.) Are you making them? In this Hook Your Reader episode, Kathleen and I reveal some of the biggies, and best of all, we give you solutions and strategies for how to fix and/or avoid them. Enjoy! -V.Watch us on YouTube (and subscribe)! The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter

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35:52

The Northman: putting the history in historical fiction

Story Nerd ·

2026/10/07

When writing historical fiction, how important is historical accuracy? After all, it's fiction, right? Surely there's wiggle room, isn't there? This week, we study The Northman, an excellent example of historical fiction that brings the harshness of Viking reality to life. There's no need to have watched this film to enjoy today's episode. It's a pretty gruesome, bloody film, and we figured many of you would want to give that a pass so we start the episode with a G-Rated plot summary...this is the

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44:02

Bait and Switch?

Story Nerd ·

2026/10/02

How do you know if your query letter is accurately representing the narrative within your manuscript? Yes, you have to hook the reader in the query, but what happens if the hook you present doesn't match the story? It's all inside today's Hook Your Reader episode. Enjoy! -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca. For your FREE

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50:33

Agent Spotlight: Kathryn Willms (The Rights Factory)

Story Nerd ·

2026/10/01

Meet Kathryn Willms (The Rights Factory, Toronto). Kathryn represents writers of both fiction and nonfiction. On the fiction side, her list is focused on cozy fantasy, women’s fiction, and select literary fiction. She loves high-concept and speculative premises and is most drawn to books with a sense of humour, strong pacing, and satisfying conclusions.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your

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32:57

Remarkably Bright Creatures: self-sabotage

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/30

How do you write a story where the protagonist is her own worst enemy? In other words, when the protagonist is also the antagonist. Well, it isn't easy, that's for sure. Luckily, today's episode offers up a terrific example of it (and good examples are rare!). Enjoy! - V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca. For your FREE First

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46:58

Conflicting Opinions...Who's Right?

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/25

Why is it that when Kathleen and I read the same query letter and same sample pages, we had completely opposite opinions? One of us loved what we saw, the other, frankly, didn't get it. Is this just how it goes in the query process, or is one of us right and the other wrong? Check out the episode and then let us know what you think. Are you Team Kat or Team Val? -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for

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45:10

Agent Spotlight: Krista White (The Rights Factory)

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/24

If you want to get an agent, then this is for you! We know that researching agents can be hard because not all of them have a social media/online presence. So on these special Agent Spotlight episodes we'll feature a guest agent who'll give us their thoughts on a query letter and first page writing sample. We'll also ask questions about their MSWL and the kinds of writers they want to work with, so that you'll know whether they'd be a good fit for you. Agent Spotlight episodes will be ad hoc for

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25:12

Spy Game: protagonist done right

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/23

Spy Games is not a perfect movie, but one thing it gets right is the main character Nathan Muir. Muir’s belief system is established early in the film via his actions, decisions and contradictions. With one exception, this character’s logic remains steady throughout the film - a win for Melanie this week. However, the same can’t be said for Valerie’s area of study. Spy Games’ middle is missing a key ingredient - an antagonist who challenges Muir. So what does this do to the story? It leaves the

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56:32

The AI-Proof Genre Is...

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/18

With all the chatter about AI-gen text (and whether a book was, or was not, generated by it), in this episode we talk about a genre that no machine or prompt will ever be able to produce. Like, never. Never ever. And it is ... SATIRE! Author Tasha Tinsley has submitted a strong query package for a story that's like The Studio but for publishing (my comps, not hers). Regardless of which genre you're writing in, you're going to want to give this episode a listen. -V.

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43:39

Say Anything: a masterclass in non-physical conflict

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/16

We know that stories need conflict and very often writers default to two kinds: physical fights and shouting matches. Far more interesting — and far more versatile — is the more subtle type of conflict created by antagonists who are master manipulators. Head games. Holy smokes, are they compelling. And they work in every single genre. Say Anything is a teen romance, and the dad is a beautifully crafted and understated villain who is like a puppeteer yanking the strings of our star-crossed

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45:47

Writing a Powerful Memoir

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/11

If you're writing your memoir, or considering writing it, then this episode is a must because it offers an excellent example of both the query letter and the opening pages. Memoirs are tricky business — they're tough to do well. So how did this author impress us both with such a strong query package? Tune in to find out. -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10

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43:24

Miss Peregrine: caution plot holes ahead

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/09

What happens when a story's logic falters? You end up with plot holes...and boy oh boy, does Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (film version) have plot holes! How could they have been avoided? Well, that's exactly with Melanie talks about in this episode. For my part, I examine what happens to a reader's/audience's attention when the villain exits the story. This problem is more common than you think — you might even be doing it in your own WIP. -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time

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64:07

Your Opening Pages MUST do this

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/04

Kathleen and I run the gamut of opening pages advice in this episode. We discuss the pros and cons of time travel stories (why we love them and why they're so prone to plot holes), setting up reader expectations, writing working scenes, genre identification, and the one thing your opening pages MUST do if you're to hook your reader. This is a jam-packed episode that you'll want to bookmark and keep. Enjoy! -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that

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36:47

Close Encounters: fixing saggy middles

Story Nerd ·

2026/09/02

Ever heard of a story having a saggy middle? It's a real thing and this season, I'm revealing the fix for it! Meanwhile, Melanie is study story logic. I know, it sounds kinda dull but trust me on this one - you want to pay close attention because your reader sure will. -VThe Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca. For your FREE First

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44:10

The Trick to Holding a Reader's Attention is...

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/28

There are a whole lot of people writing memoir and the competition to get an agent is fierce! In this episode Kathleen and I discuss the story-related challenges to writing memoir, we gush over the killer opening line (and all the other 'hooky' lines in the sample pages), and we reveal the trick to holding a reader's attention. Enjoy! -V. The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and

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41:27

Sex and the City (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/26

Never has there been a better example of why world building is so important. Fans of Sex and the City love to live vicariously through Carrie Bradshaw so it's no surprise that audiences gave this film a 77% Rotten Tomatoes score. However, film critics gave it a 50%, and we tend to agree. What is they see that fans don't? Tune in to this week's episode so that you can emulate the good and avoid repeating the bad. -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that

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48:54

Prologues...Yes or No?

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/21

Boy, prologues are tricky things. How do you know if your story needs one? If you do want to use one, how do you make sure it enhances your story, or detracts from it? Kathleen and I discuss all this and more in today's Hook Your Reader episode. Enjoy! -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca. For your FREE First 10 Pages

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33:25

Bridget Jones's Diary (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/19

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. -V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query

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50:03

The AI Witch-Hunt (Part 2)

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/17

Might there actually be a demand for AI-generated books?! What do publishers expect authors to do during these uncertain times? And what should authors expect of publishers? Will AI ultimately make us value art more, or less? In this episode, Melanie, Kathleen and I tackle these questions, and more, as we all try to navigate this bizarre AI-in-publishing landscape. - V.The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for

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37:37

The AI Witch-Hunt (Part 1)

Story Nerd ·

2026/08/15

Holy smokes. The publishing industry is really stumbling its way through this new AI landscape. Some writers, agents, and publishing houses have chosen to use various AI tools and software, some have not. Some are open and honest about the way they do, or do not use AI, some are not. In this episode, where all three of us have come together for the first time, Melanie, Kathleen and I discuss whether AI is something writers should fear or embrace. We talk about critical thinking skills and whether

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