Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
21.22: The Order of the Telling
Season 21 Episode 22
*Time-Sensitive*
Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here!
This week, we are talking about the order in which…
11 hours ago
21.21: Rhythm and Words
Season 21 Episode 21
*Time-Sensitive*
Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here!
Today, we’re continuing the conversation on sequen…
1 week ago
21.20: Sequencing from Mega to Micro
Season 21 Episode 20
Today, we explore why writers place information in the order they do. From broad-to-narrow framing and cause-and-effect to repetition, rhythm, and su…
2 weeks ago
21.19: Getting Everything Connected
Season 21 Episode 19
Today, our hosts discuss how to make every part of your story feel connected through causal chains, thematic resonance, and reader pattern recognitio…
3 weeks ago
21.18: Deconstructing the Three Act Structure
Season 21 Episode 18
Today, we are joined by Margaret Dunlap as we dive into the three-act structure. This traditional framework—setup, confrontation, and resolution—is a…
4 weeks ago
21.17: The Up and Down Escalators
Season 21 Episode 17
Today we zoom out from moment-to-moment tension and look at how escalation and de-escalation shape a story at the structural level—how raising stakes…
1 month ago
21.16: Tension and Release as Call and Response
Season 21 Episode 16
Today, we’re talking about tension and release as a kind of call and response, and how that dynamic can guide your reader through a story. It explore…
1 month, 1 week ago
21.15: Using Contrast for Maximum Effect
Season 21 Episode 15
Today, we’re talking about how to use contrast to make key moments in your story hit harder, especially in the middle. We explore how pairing light a…
1 month, 2 weeks ago
21.14: Because at First, They Don’t Succeed
Season 21 Episode 14
Today, we’re talking about the “try-fail cycle” and why failure is essential to making the middle of your story actually interesting. It allows reade…
1 month, 3 weeks ago
21.13: Does The Middle Have To Be Soggy?
Season 21 Episode 13
Today, we’re taking on the idea of the “soggy middle” and why stories start to lose momentum—often because characters lack clear action, obstacles fe…
2 months ago