Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchOur Best Advice: empathy + stakes
Season 6 Episode 611
In this episode, Valerie and Melanie wrap up season six with a look at all the lessons they've learned about creating empathy for a protagonist, and …
2 years, 8 months ago
Operation Mincemeat: truth is stranger than fiction
Season 6 Episode 610
Even though Operation Mincemeat hides its imperfections behind a star-studded cast, it's still a good example of how to raise the stakes in story. Mi…
2 years, 8 months ago
WALL-E: the basics, mastered
Season 6 Episode 609
There's nothing fancy about the storytelling in Pixar's WALL-E. It's a solid story that relies on the fundamentals to engage its audience, and it's a…
2 years, 9 months ago
Manchester by the Sea: I'm not crying, you're crying
Season 6 Episode 608
This movie does so many things well, it's a great one for both novelists and screenwriters to have in their repertoire of reference stories. We're st…
2 years, 9 months ago
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: do you empathize?
Season 6 Episode 607
This one's coming to you by popular request! The #1 comment from women who've watched this movie is that it's too close for comfort, so that makes it…
2 years, 9 months ago
The Hate U Give: delete the first 28 minutes
Season 6 Episode 606
Well, they rushed this one. Given the subject matter, this film deserved to have much more care and attention given to it. Instead, it feels like the…
2 years, 9 months ago
Is AI good or bad for writers?
Season 6
Everyone's talking about AI these days, and for good reason. Experts say that AI will have a bigger influence on our lives than electricity. So what …
2 years, 9 months ago
As Good As It Gets: creating unlikable characters
Season 6 Episode 605
Melvin Udall is not a nice man, but he sure is interesting and that's what makes this episode so important for writers. We concern ourselves with whe…
2 years, 10 months ago
The Wife: sublime storytelling
Season 6 Episode 604
Sometimes we stumble upon a story that gets everything right - especially when to reveal information and when to hold back. Melanie and Valerie discu…
2 years, 10 months ago
The Godfather: empathy for a mafia don?
Season 6 Episode 603
There is so much storytelling goodness to be learned from The Godfather, it kinda boggles the mind. Even if you're writing a light-hearted romcom, be…
2 years, 10 months ago