Story Nerd

War stories are often the domain of ‘dick lit’ male protagonists, but is this a true representation of history and does the experience of women in war differ? In this episode, I reference historical female warriors and examines how the experiences of Maya, the protagonist in Zero Dark Thirty, compares with her wartime service. Valerie explores what happens when the scope of a story is too wide, and the impact scope has on setups and payoffs. -M "What is interesting to me, is how women are portrayed in war movies, are they portrayed as masculine or weak, are they given due credit for their skill and experience, and how does this compare to my own experience?" - Melanie Hill Related Story Nerd Episodes Rogue One (Season 1, Episode 8) Skyfall (Season 4, Episode 6) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

We're kicking off a brand new season with two new story concepts. Melanie will be studying female characters and how women are presented in modern stories (her work in this episode is reeeeally interesting!), and I'll be investigating something I learned from Steven Pressfield, which is that we shouldn't introduce anything new after Act 2. "Setups and payoffs are questions asked and answered." Valerie Francis Related Story Nerd Episodes: Lady Bird (Season 8, Episode 9) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

This bonus episode was prompted by a chat I saw on Threads. It started with the question, what excites you most about having an agent? Offline, Melanie and I began to literary agents and what they do. We decided to hit record and share what we know with you. Enjoy! - V. REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Left-brained stories (mysteries, crime thrillers, spy stories) are among the highest selling books on the market today. Readers can't get enough of them, and that means the bar for authors is really high because we have to create a puzzle that our readers haven't seen before. Add to this the fact that the fundamentals of storytelling work in a slightly different way than they do with other stories. In this episode, Melanie and I summarize all the lessons we've learned over the past 10 episodes and we share our greatest a-ha moments. Our study of left-brained stories didn't stop with the podcast though. Offline we've been diving deeply into this genre that we both love. We've gathered up everything the writer of a left-brained story needs to know and we've put it in a webinar coming up on May 2, 2024. Don't miss it! To register, click here. - V. "In a left brain story, the hook is an intellectual one, it's not an emotional one." - Valerie Francis REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Are you planning to use a twist at the end of your story? Have you ever wondered how M. Night Shyamalan pulled off this famous gotcha ending? If so, this episode is for you! Melanie does a deep dive into story twists and surprises so that you can craft an ending that delights your reader. I focused on the Central Dramatic Question which is a key part of creating Narrative Drive (and you must have brilliant Narrative Drive if your reader is going to get all the way to the end of your novel). -V. "Creating a good twist requires a deep understanding of human nature." - Melanie Hill RELATED STORY NERD EPISODES THE DRY (Season 9, Episode 2) Story Form (Season 5) The Hero's Gift Expressed (Season 2) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

To be a career author, you must have a breakout book. And, a breakout book is one that contains a story that works. In this episode, I tell you the story of an author who didn't know the difference between a breakout book and words on a page. What happened to him will make your jaw drop. REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

I just attended a training session with a literary agent who said that failure to write a breakout book is one of the most common mistakes writers make. Well sure, that's fine to say, but (1) what is a breakout book and (2) how do you write one? Well, believe it or not, that's exactly what I'm covering in the How Stories Work webinar on April 9. Maybe I should have called the webinar How to Write a Breakout Book! The important point here is that there's a tried-and-true way to do it, and those who understand how stories work, and who apply the principles, are well on their way to having vibrant writing careers. The How Stories Work webinar is on April 9. Click the link below to register. REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Now this is the epitome of a left-brained story. THE LAST OF SHEILA has puzzles within puzzles, an intricate plot that has been expertly set up, and a cast of characters who aren't who they seem to me. There are so many amazing things about it, I hardly know which of them to highlight for you here so I'll give you a bit of trivia: this movie was Rian Johnson's inspiration for THE GLASS ONION. Oh, and if you solved the mystery before the murderer was revealed, tag me on IG/Threads and let me know. I didn't get anywhere close to solving it. -V "If you can work a secret that is juicy and high stakes into your story, you're well on your way to creating really great narrative drive." - Valerie Francis RELATED STORY NERD EPISODES Gosford Park (Season 9, Episode 8) See How They Run (Season 9, Episode 5) Knives Out (Season 1, Episode 7) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

If you're writing a novel or memoir, you're writing a story. Sounds obvious, right? That may be, but most authors don't know how to tell a story that works. If you don't believe me check out the stats: 97% of the books sent to literary agents are rejected, of the books that get published 0.08% hit a bestseller list. Those who choose to self-publish can expect to pour thousands of dollars into advertising and sales dry up the second they stop promoting. But what if you knew how to write a story that works? Ah well, then readers will tell their friends about your book, and you're off to the races. -V REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

This film offers two hugely valuable lessons to writers of all genres. The first is about the inciting incident and when it needs to happen. The second is about unlikeable characters and how to handle them. In Gosford Park, it's the victim who is unlikeable and that adds an interesting dimension to the murder mystery storyline. -V. "Notice where your sympathy and empathy lie. And ask yourselves, how does the writer create this? And most importantly, does it work in the context of what they're trying to achieve?" - Melanie Hill Related Story Nerd Episodes No Way Out (Season 8, Episode 4) Death on the Nile (Season 2, Episode 7) Crooked House (Season 9, Episode 1) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

In our last episode about our most embarrassing literary moments, Melanie and I said that line writing (or prose writing) means learning to write a narrative. We also said that there are specific techniques involved in writing a narrative, but we didn't say what any of them are. So that's the purpose of this little mini episode. We reveal a line writing secret about one of the most valuable narrative techniques available to us as authors and storytellers. -V REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

No one is born knowing how to write great prose. Like any other kind of specialized writing (ex., newspapers, academia, web, etc.), writing prose is a particular skill that can, and must, be learned. While Melanie and I were meeting to discuss our upcoming webinar about line writing, we started to share (horror) stories from the early days of our own literary careers and boy, are they doozies! Hoping that our mistakes might help you avoid the same pitfalls (or maybe just give you a good laugh) we hit the record button. I even share a sample from my own early work and, oh my! I blush at the thought of you hearing it... -V "I received some crushing feedback from one of my tutors about my writing." - Melanie Hill "There is zero tolerance in this business for poor prose skills." - Valerie Francis REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Readers are on a need to know basis. That means that, as storytellers, we only tell them what they need to know, and only when they need to know it. In this adaptation of John le Carre's novel, the filmmakers could have told us everything we needed to know about Issa in the first few minutes. Instead, they sprinkled the details a little bit at a time, and as a result, the audience's curiosity goes into overdrive. Melanie and I still think the book is better (shocker, right?), but this is a great episode to discover how to control the flow of information in a story. -V "It's really tempting to say that, 'Well, I have to start my novel or my memoir with three chapters of backstory'." - Valerie Francis Related Story Nerd Episodes See How They Run (Season 9, Episode 5) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

There are two ways to write great stories. The first involves at least 20 years of reading, writing and being rejected. The second, which is much faster, involves learning story theory. (Big shocker that I'm saying that, right?) If option number two sounds good to you, then check out the Story Nerd Spring Webinar Series, which kicks off on March 28. Melanie and I will teach you the concepts you need to know, in a way that you can use, so you can craft better stories right away. For more information, and to register, visit www.valeriefrancis.ca/spring2024 -V. REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

The movie had both me and Valerie on the edge of our seats. When we come across a masterful movie we pull out as much as we can for you. This episode is chock-a-block full of info about point of view, narrative drive, clues, and liars. We also examine how the twist in The Good Liar is set up and pulled off. I continue to track the clues and motives this week...or should we say I track the lies. Valerie discusses how point of view and narrative drive work together to create this exciting thriller. If you're building up to your twisty ending, this episode will have you speedwriting to get to the big reveal. -M "When the whole meaning of a movie or a story changes, because of a vital piece of information REVEALED AT THE END then this is a device called a twist." - Melanie Hill Related Story Nerd Episodes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Season 9, Episode 4) The Bourne Identity (Season 3, Episode 2) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

A comedic take on a murder mystery had so much potential, but unfortunately, the creators of SEE HOW THEY RUN wasted it with what can only be described as lazy writing and lazy editing. This is what happens when the writers of murder mysteries aren't also superfans of the genre, or when they try to cut corners. This week, Valerie discusses the unfortunate skinny wrist reveal, and Melanie walks us through all the clues and red herrings. Do you agree with their analysis? "If you're serious about getting published, be honest with yourself about the gaps in your knowledge. We all have them. It's okay." Valerie Francis Related Story Nerd Episodes Crooked House (Season 9, Episode 901) Death on the Nile (Season 2, Episode 207) Knives Out (Season 1, Episode 107) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

It's a long episode this week because there's a whole lot to talk about in this excellent adaptation of John le Carre's bestselling novel. Melanie gives her top tips for writing mysteries and Valerie discusses the type of protagonist we usually find in left-brained stories. One question lingered for them both: When did George Smiley discover who the mole was? "Your opinion of George Smiley will change if you read THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD, because there his morality is laid bare. His duality, or his willingness to sacrifice innocence, is more laid bare." - Melanie Hill RELATED STORY NERD EPISODES The Dry (Season 9, Episode 2) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

By the time we get to the end of our manuscript, we can feel drained creatively. The temptation to phone it in looms large. But be careful. No matter how good the rest of your story is, if the ending is weak, the novel/film will fail to impress. This is just one of the lessons that Valerie and Melanie learned this week. "What I mean by a left-brained story is basically a story that appeals to our heads more than our hearts. It has to hook the reader intellectually." - Valerie Francis RELATED STORY NERD EPISODES: Death on the Nile (Season 2, Episode 207) Empathy (Season 6) REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

This week Valerie and Melanie continue their study of left-brained stories. They step into the outback to discover how Australian crime writers create an atmosphere of isolation by combining plot and setting. Melanie is tracking clues, motives, and murderers' actions to discover the techniques used to raise questions and divert attention in the story – and there are many! Valerie investigates the Central Dramatic Question and Character Archetypes. REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

It's time for a brand new season of the show and this time around, Valerie and Melanie are studying the same topic: left-brained stories. Never heard of it before? Don't worry. Valerie made up the term to describe any story that has a puzzle of some kind and invites the reader/audience to try to solve the puzzle before the author reveals the solution. Left-brained stories tend to be mysteries/crime stories, thrillers, and spy stories but they can show up in any genre. In left-brained stories, storytelling principles are applied a little differently—and that's exactly what Valerie and Melanie will explore all season long. For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircle For information about Valerie's upcoming webinars, visit: www.valeriefrancis.ca/webinars To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website: www.melaniehill.com.au Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor REGISTER FOR THE 2024 SPRING WEBINAR SERIES For 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 writer, visit Melanie's website. Follow Valerie on X, Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor