Podcast Episodes

Doubt: a quiet story masterpiece (archive)

Season 16

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 a…

4 months ago

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The Holdovers: a rare gem

Season 16 Episode 1607

This is storytelling at its finest. We could study it to learn about almost any aspect of writing, but this week, Melanie and I are highlighting the …

4 months, 1 week ago

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Tar: writing nuanced characters

Season 16 Episode 1606

If you are writing a villain’s POV in your story, this episode is for you. Lydia Tar is a villain but she’s also the protagonist of the story. Quite …

4 months, 2 weeks ago

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Dial M For Murder: unlikeable characters

Season 16 Episode 1605

If you're curious about how to handle unlikeable protagonists, this episode is for you! In Hitchcock's classic, DIAL M FOR MURDER, the protagonist is…

4 months, 3 weeks ago

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The Incredibles: storytelling gold

Season 16 Episode 1604

The villain isn’t a stand in for the hero’s shadow. The villain is a warning to the hero if the hero doesn't learn to integrate their shadow. The Inc…

5 months ago

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The Proposal: writing dual protagonist stories

Season 16 Episode 1603

If you're writing a dual protagonist story, a story with multiple plot lines or a romance, this episode is for you! After the spookiness of last week…

5 months, 1 week ago

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The Substance: ewwwww!

Season 16 Episode 1602

You need to read stories you don’t like. Yep, it’s true. This week I put my body on the line and I forced myself (and Valerie - so sorry, please forg…

5 months, 2 weeks ago

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Backdraft: yes, but why?

Season 16 Episode 1601

How does your reader know why your protagonist does what she does? This seemingly minor detail is one of the most important parts of your story and t…

5 months, 3 weeks ago

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What Went Right: the outrun

Season 15 Episode 1511

I think I missed the mark with my choice for What When Right this Season. I went with The Outrun because it scored well on ratings sites. Why did thi…

6 months ago

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Jett Cooper: Melanie's New Novel

Season 15

Today is a fantastic day for the Story Nerd Podcast. We are celebrating the launch of Melanie’s new middle-grade novel, Jett Cooper, by sharing a beh…

6 months, 1 week ago

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