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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

00:30:38

The Devil Wears Prada (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2026/04/08

Sometimes, studying a story that you love can be a bit scary. What if it turns out that the story is rubbish, and what you really like is the soundtrack, or the actor, or the costumes? Well, you can cast those worries aside this week because The Devil Wears Prada is solid. In terms of structure, it isn't fancy. It doesn't waver from the Hero's Journey/Archplot form, and that's okay. In fact it's more than okay because it teaches us what can happen when we focus on the fundamentals.-V.Acquire the

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00:36:53

Dirty Dancing (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2026/04/01

Does the nickname "baby" bother us? Why yes, yes it does. But we've got to admit, Dirty Dancing is an excellent example of the heroine's journey, as well as female archetypes and how women are presented in stories. It also happens to be, structurally, an excellent film. It's not a complex story, but it's well told. -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to

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00:30:03

Conclave: a masterclass in nuanced characters

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/25

Wowzers! This is a terrific movie. If you're writing a thriller (any sub-genre), or a story with nuanced and complex characters, this episode is for you. In fact, CONCLAVE is one of the movies we recommend you put on your short list of films to study because, seriously, you can learn about almost any aspect of storytelling from it. It's so good that I'm not even angry that the bad guy turns out to be a Canadian - lol! -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor

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00:37:50

Do this to Hook an Agent - Interview with Kathleen Foxx

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/20

What does a literary agent look for in the sample writing pages of a query? In this special bonus episode, I speak with agent Kathleen Foxx (The Rights Factory) about the 4 criteria she uses to evaluate a submission, her 21-point checklist (which you can get for free), and the importance (or not) of a novel's opening line. This is an episode you're going to want to bookmark and share with your writer friends! https://kathleenfoxxagent.com/ Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at

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00:27:19

Mulholland Drive: trippy

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/18

Valerie asked me, “How are you going to explain this?” Trippy. It’s David Lynch and it’s trippy. It’s also an antiplot story with characters who have two identities. Where is the speech in praise of the villain and what arc does the story and protagonist have? Well…it’s a mix of pessimistic, dreamy, constant, whoa, what is going on, and none. Pick and choose. Close your eyes and we’ll see you in the void. -M Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to

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00:40:25

Darkest Hour: darkest villain

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/11

Calling historical fiction writers, memoirists, and anyone writing a "David and Goliath" style story! In this episode, I do a deep dive into the Speech in Praise of the Villain and I show how the filmmakers expertly (and seamlessly) used exposition to let the viewing audience know just how formidable the antagonist is. (The level of craft here is truly next-level stuff!) And Melanie explains how, yet again, we have a story where the protagonist is a constant character...he doesn't have an arc, but

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00:29:44

Amour: looks easy, but isn't!

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/04

HEADS-UP! Amour is beautiful but heavy (have the tissue ready!). Do you want to write gritty stories that leave readers grief struck long after they read THE END and close the book? Amour is a fantastic template for a complex moral problem that will never be resolved. This is another example of how a story can have an arc when the protagonist is constant. And Valerie does a stellar job of working out who or what the force of antagonism is and how the speech in praise of the villain applies when the

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00:29:44

Amour: looks easy, but isn't

Story Nerd ·

2026/03/04

HEADS-UP! Amour is beautiful but heavy (have the tissue ready!).Do you want to write gritty stories that leave readers grief struck long after they read THE END and close the book? Amour is a fantastic template for a complex moral problem that will never be resolved. This is another example of how a story can have an arc when the protagonist is constant. And Valerie does a stellar job of working out who or what the force of antagonism is and how the speech in praise of the villain applies when the

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00:30:56

Invitation to a Murder: there's no plot!

Story Nerd ·

2026/02/25

Stories need both characters and a plot. That sounds obvious, I know...but you'd be surprised. In this week's episode, Melanie and I examine a film that, sadly, forgot to include a plot. No, really! INVITATION TO A MURDER has unfortunately fallen prey to a very common storytelling trap but the fix is super easy! To find out the problem (so you can avoid it), and the solution (if you've already erred), tune into this week's episode. Enjoy! - V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at

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00:25:13

Erin Brockovich: writing underdogs

Story Nerd ·

2026/02/18

This season I'm blowing the idea that ‘characters need arcs’ out of the water. Erin Brockovich is a constant character and she’s an underdog. With the odds against her, she does not change instead, she bends the world to suit herself. This is no mean feat, because the villain is powerful and wealthy. In underdog movies the speech in praise of the villain is essential. It's through this speech that we understand how powerful and how unlikely it is for our protagonist to come out on top. Join us as we

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00:26:13

The Man Who Knew too Much: honestly, kinda weird

Story Nerd ·

2026/02/11

On the list of films that haven't aged too well, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH is near the top. Because it's Hitchcock I'll get flack for saying that, but watch it first and then decide. In terms of study topics this season, I'm looking at The Speech in Praise of the Villain and Melanie is examining Constant Characters. Its portrayal of women and parenting aside, this movie offers up interesting insights on bits of story theory. Enjoy! -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at

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00:27:07

What Went Right: the princess bride

Story Nerd ·

2026/02/04

Using a framing story in your novel? Maybe you're writing multiple plot lines. Or perhaps you want to know what truly masterful storytelling looks like. This week, we take a deep dive into THE PRINCESS BRIDE. Melanie and I were spoiled for choice in this What Went Right episode because, when you're dealing with a William Goldman story, pretty much everything is going right. Enjoy! -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to writing templates and

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00:43:30

What Went Wrong: the golden compass

Story Nerd ·

2026/01/28

If you’re wondering what NOT to do when adapting your novel, there are great tips in this episode. We've all experienced the feeling of walking out of a cinema and saying, the book was better. That's definitely the case for The Golden Compass. I’ve read the book and thoroughly enjoyed it plus the book won the Carnegie Medal which means it's excellent. So how did such a good children story go so wrong when it was adapted for film? That is the question we answer in this episode.Acquire the power to

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00:14:46

Our Best Advice: hero's monologue + the shadow

Story Nerd ·

2026/01/21

We're wrapping up Season 16 with our best advice, lessons learned and a-ha moments about The Shadow and The Hero's Monologue. If you didn't get a chance to listen to all the episodes this season, you'll definitely want to tune in and maybe even bookmark this episode! - V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.To learn to read like a

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00:27:11

Rebecca: character shadows

Story Nerd ·

2026/01/14

You control the shadows in your characters. This week we reveal how a negative shadow looms large despite being dead. Daphne du Maurier’s ‘Rebecca’ crushed everyone she came into contact with, even her allies. With our study of The Shadow drawing to a close, it’s time to look at how suppressed emotions break free and cause chaos. The Hero’s monologue is also treated differently in this film. See if you can pick where it is!"The shadow isn't always bad character traits." - Melanie HillRelated Story

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00:50:41

The Invisible Man (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2026/01/07

Genre is enigmatic (at best). Writers, agents, readers, and editors, all have different perspectives, and sometimes they lead to heated debates. In this episode, which originally aired in Season 2, Melanie and I totally disagree on the genre. She thinks it's a horror, I think it's a thriller. Which of us is right? Tune in to find out. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then, Happy New Year! - V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to

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00:27:57

Sense and Sensibility (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2025/12/31

Did you know that the beginning of your story, and the end of your story, work together as a unit? This this episode, which originally aired back in Season 3, we explore how the powerhouse pairing of Jane Austen and Emma Thompson put this bit of theory into action. For the rest of your story, understanding sequences might just be the key to making your story sing! We'll be back on January 14, 2026 with a brand new episode. Until then, we wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! -

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00:39:09

The Last of Sheila (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2025/12/24

Holy smokes! Now THIS is how you write a murder mystery. If you're a mystery writer, or simply want to watch an absolutely fantastic film during the holiday season, be sure to check out THE LAST OF SHEILA. This episode originally aired in Season 9 and it's one of our favourites. So sit back and enjoy, and we'll be back with a brand new show on January 14, 2026. -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70

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00:41:40

Wayne's World (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2025/12/17

Wayne's World is a superior example of an anti-plot story (and it's hilarious to boot!). As Melanie and I take a much deserved recording break to enjoy the holidays with our families, we're sharing this archive episode with you because, if nothing else, it'll bring a smile to your face and give you a good laugh. We'll be back on January 15, 2026 with a brand new episode. Until then Happy Holidays, everyone! - V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access to

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00:28:15

Doubt: a quiet story masterpiece (archive)

Story Nerd ·

2025/12/10

It's a brand new season and that means Melanie and I are studying two new topics: narrative drive and conflict triangles. Conflict and page-turners are usually associated with action stories, thrillers and the like. But DOUBT is a quiet, character-driven film that is so expertly crafted it grabs the viewer's attention immediately and holds it right to the bitter end. Seriously, there's so much for novelists in here. -V.Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/coursesFor access

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