Afleveringen
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The Nightmare Before Christmas is a favourite with both our families, and given that this is a Tim Burton film we expected that the storytelling would be rock solid. This is a great example of writers using the storytelling tools at their disposal to maximum effect. Ah, but since filmmakers have access to different tools than novelists, when you strip away the "spectacle" of stop-motion and musical numbers, how strong is the story itself? The answer may surprise you.
This is our last new episode before the holiday season. For the next two weeks we've selected two of our most favourite back episodes, and we'll be back with you in the new year. Happy Holidays everyone!! -V&M.
"If you cannot answer the four story questions... you are very likely wasting your time." Valerie Francis
Related Story Nerd Episodes:
Coraline (Season 4, Episode 2)
Calendar Girls (Season 13, Episode 1)
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.
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The tension starts with the title of this weekâs movie - The Banshees of Inisherin. Banshees cry right before someone dies. Thatâs tension right there - who will it be? The anticipation about who is going to die is high because the outcome is unknown. Tension thrives with uncertainty. I also explore the idea of high and low tension in a story. Valerie is powering on with her study of the 4 Story Questions and showing why they are so important.
If you donât want to waste years writing in circles, this episode will help you hold the story banshees at bay. -M
"Tension is nested just like the units of story." - Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes
Calendar Girls
Seasons 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12
For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Welcome to a brand new season! This time around I'm studying the 4 Story Questions and Melanie is focused on tension. This week we're looking at CALENDAR GIRLS. We love these actresses (I mean, honestly, what's not to love?) but the storyline threw us for a loop because when it felt like it was coming to a natural conclusion, we realized there was still another hour to go. What happened? And was that a good thing or not? Tune in to find out! -V.
"Making a sale or getting an agent hinges on your ability to describe your story to somebody else." Valerie Francis
Related Story Nerd Episodes:
Late Night (Season 1, Episode 1)
Season 6 (empathy and stakes)
Season 7 (dimensional characters and worldbuilding)
Season 8 (cast design and conflict)
Season 12 (exposition and character arcs)
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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You want to get published, right? You want to see your book in bookstores, you want to hit a bestseller list, and maybe you want Reese Witherspoon to pick your book for her bookclub. Well, before any of that can happen you need an agent and an outstanding query letter is the key to getting one. That's why I developed my brand new course, THE ART OF THE QUERY. It includes everything you need to know and I even show you a super simple way to tackle the hardest part of the pitch. Grab the course now through Cyber Monday for only $27! Visit valeriefrancis.ca/blackfriday
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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We're trying something new this week! Writers are constantly asking me and Melanie to explain why a story seems weird to them. So to help you understand why some stories flop, at the end of each season we'll pick a film that doesn't work and we'll try to figure out why. In this inaugural episode, Melanie chose IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY because it got a whopping 4% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's an eye-opener, that's for sure! I'd love to hear if you agree, or disagree, with our assessment. -V.
"This movie failed because it didn't follow any of the basic storytelling principles." Valerie Francis
Related Story Nerd Episodes
The Help (Season 11, Episode 5)
Season 10 - Setups and Payoffs
Season 11 - Narrative Drive + Conflict Triangles
Season 12 - Exposition
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.
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It's that time again! We've reached the end of the season and that means Melanie and I are wrapping up all our a-ha moments and lessons learned about writing exposition and creating character arcs. Plus we've got a special surprise coming for you and we talk about it in this episode to be sure to listen all the way to the end! - V.
"The closer a scene and its exposition are to real life, the easier it is to make it invisible." - Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes
Season 12: Exposition + Character Arcs
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.
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Up In The Air, boring or not, is this weekâs question. Why do I find this movie interesting, and why does Valerie find it boring? Could the answer lie in Ryan Bingamâs character arc (and does he have one)? Could it lie in the small amount of exposition? Or could it be that George Clooney movies are boring? One thing is certain: this episode is the opposite of boring. -M
"Is this story interesting, entertaining and worthwhile if the protagonist doesn't have an internal worldview shift?" -Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes:
The Social Network: Season 12, Episode 1
I, Tonya: Season 12, Episode 3
Gone Baby, Gone: Season 12, Episode 6
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.
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This movie is almost entirely exposition, and while this isn't an approach I'd recommend for novelists, I can't imagine telling this particular story any other way. You might say that ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN is the exception that proves the rule. Master storyteller, William Goldman, pulls it off and that means there's a whole lot we can learn about how and when to use exposition when writing a story. When it comes to character arcs (Melanie's topic this season), neither of the protagonists change in this story but they change the world around them and what that reveals about how stories work is nothing short of fascinating. -V.
"It's almost exclusively exposition. If you have ever wondered whether exposition was a thing or whether it was important, seriously watch this movie." - Valerie Francis
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.
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Most stories are about change. However, there is also a place for stories when the protagonist doesnât change. The outcomes can still be positive - just watch James Bond and Erin Brockovich! There are also stories where the protagonist doesnât change, and the outcome is ambiguous. This movie combines an ethical dilemma with a constant character to create a haunting outcome. The movie also has buckets of exposition. Is this a case of too much is way too much? Never fear, Valerie groups and summarises all the exposition into four key types. -M.
"Patrick's constant character with an ambivalent arc means that his internal state doesn't change." - Melanie Hill
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.
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As Melanie and I prepared for this episode one question kept coming up ... Who is the protagonist? Melanie argues that the entire family is the protagonist, but I think that Olive (who is the Little Miss Sunshine contestant) is the protagonist. It's an interesting question and our discussion about it is even more interesting. If you're writing a multi-POV story, be sure to check out this episode! -V.
"Exposition is all about the facts that we need to convey to the reader so that they can follow a story without getting confused." Valerie Francis
Related Story Nerd Episodes
Season 7
Season 8
Nashville (Season 5, Episode 505)
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.
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This season, I am focused on stories with negative or neutral character arcs. Sometimes, finding out what a character doesnât want is the first step to discovery. On the surface, Cathy Whitaker has a perfect life. However, itâs a shallow life. Cathyâs choices are symbolically represented by her husband, Frank, and her gardener, Raymond. The two male characters are interesting external representations of Cathyâs internal choices. Thereâs a small amount of exposition in Far From Heaven, but when it features, itâs done straightforwardly and with simplicity. -M
âThe interesting events in Cathyâs arc happen side by side in the movie. She shows an interest in Raymond at the same time, she discovers Frank with another man. While Cathy is trying to maintain one life, sheâs also growing in another part of her life.â - Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes
The Accidental Tourist (Season 5, Episode 3)
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.
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Wowzers! I, TONYA is absolutely chock-full of exposition. It's a documentary-style film so at first blush it doesn't seem to offer up many story lessons for novelists. However, DAISY JONES & THE SIX is a documentary-style novel so this is an episode you might want to pay attention to â not just for their handling of exposition, but also for their portrayal of the character of Tonya Harding. -V.
"Introducing characters can only be done via exposition." -Valerie Francis
Related Story Nerd Episodes:
The Social Network (Season 12, Episode 1)
Dorian Gray (Season 12, Episode 2)
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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The Rolling Stoneâs song âYou Canât Always Get What You Want,â is my earworm this season. This week, I started to pick apart how wants, needs and arcs are connected. Dorian Gray is a classic cautionary tale about selling your soul. Dorian arrives in London as a beautiful but naive young man and dies with a rotten and decrepit soul - he is unredeemable. Dorian gets what he wants, but he doesnât get what he needs because there are no consequences for his actions. Understanding how wants, needs and character arcs is an essential story tool. Good exposition is invisible. Valerie highlights how exposition is masterfully delivered and where it fails. Exposition is all about information management - the what and the how. -M
âUnderstanding wants and needs is important for story arcs because they determine the protagonistâs motivations and actions.â Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes
The Woman King (Season 8 Episode 2)
The Social Network (Season 12 Episode 1)
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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It's a brand new season and this time Melanie is studying character arcs through 5 key questions: Where do the characters start, where do they finish, what do they want, what decisions do they make along the way that get them to the end, and do they get what they want or need?
Meanwhile, I do a deep dive into exposition. You've heard about "show, don't tell" right? Well, that's not always true. Sometimes telling your reader information through exposition is exactly the thing you need to do. -V.
"When exposition is done properly, you as the audience member or the reader, you don't even notice it." -Valerie Francis
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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Whoa. This season has been a heavy season. Narrative Drive and Conflict Triangles are two major concepts that can - and will - transform your writing. In this episode, Melanie and I summarize everything we learned this season. -V
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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Eye in the Sky reminds me of the âgreater goodâ questions I discussed in class during high school - thereâs no right or wrong answer but there are always consequences. This movie is an excellent example of how tension and escalating stakes combine with conflict triangles and narrative drive to create a compelling story. This isnât an action movie but I couldnât take my eyes off the screen for fear of missing something. Join us this week to discover how to craft stories that linger after the cover is closed. -M
âEye in the Sky creates a fascinating amount of tension. It does this by setting up a situation at the beginning that has multiple courses of action and outcomes, and then it delays the decision until the last possible moment.â Melanie Hill
Related Story Nerd Episodes
The Woman King (Season 8 Episode 2)
Our Best Advice (Season 8 Episode 11)
The Help (Season 11 Episode 5)
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor
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Your reader doesn't have to like the protagonist but she does have to empathize with him because if empathy is absent, your story is in trouble. In this episode Melanie and I study conflict triangles and narrative drive, but we also have an interesting side conversation about empathy and likeability. If you're writing an unlikeable character, or if you're writing a quiet, character-driven story, this episode is for you. -V
"The protagonist does not have to be likable, but you've got to be careful that you don't place the reader's empathy on another character." - Valerie Francis
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
Follow Melanie on X, Instagram and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor
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Holy moly, this is a good movie! It's an especially good movie to study for anyone writing a quiet, character-driven story. THE WIFE originally aired as Episode 4 of Season 6 when Melanie was studying stakes and I was studying empathy. But honestly, this is one of those rare films that novelists (and memoirists!) can study to learn just about any storytelling principle. -V.
*Programming Note: In next week's episode we review the movie NYAD, not GONE BABY GONE as indicated in the intro.
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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This movie is a masterclass on characters, character development, cast design and the relationships between characters. It honestly doesn't get any better than this. So no matter what kind of story you're writing, grab your notepad and dive in! -V.
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.
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Melanie chose Lego Batman from the vault because, in addition to being a really well-written story, it made her laugh. And that, imo, is the mark of superior writing. This episode originally aired in Season 5 when Melanie was studying resonance. If you're curious about what that is, and how it can truly enhance your storytelling, be sure to give this episode a listen. - V.
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 Instagram and Threads @valerie_francis
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