The Roundtablers try to figure out what’s good storytelling and what’s just Robin Williams this week as Valerie pitches the 1993 comedy Mrs. Doubtfire in her quest to understand how society itself acts as a force of antagonism. The film was directed by Chris Columbus from a script by Randi Mayem Singer and Leslie Dixon, and based on the 1987 middle-grade novel Alias Madam Doubtfire by Anne Fine.

In a rare convergence of taste, all four Roundtablers loved this week’s story, Brooklyn, and derived masses of actionable story advice from it. This 2015 film was directed by James Crowley from a screenplay that Nick Hornby adapted from Colm Tóibín’s 2008 novel of the same name.

The Roundtablers find more cloud than silver lining in this week’s entry, as Kim looks at establishing life values in your opening scenes with Silver Linings Playbook, both the 2008 novel by Matthew Quick and its 2012 film adaptation by David O. Russell.

It’s wet, it’s wild, and it’s decadent this week as Leslie leads the Roundtablers through Kelly Robson’s Nebula-award-nominated novella, “Waters of Versailles,” a status story with a fantasy historical setting in the French court of the 18th century.

Anne's short story choice this week might be a little too short. Join the Roundtablers as they hash out the issue with Elizabeth Gilbert's famously reduced "Pilgrims" (1993).

It’s 20 minutes of insight this time as Valerie Francis and Leslie Watts bring you a bite-size episode on character development.

Valerie leads the team into the dystopian future of 2019 to examine the forces of antagonism in Ridley Scott’s 1982 science fiction noir classic, Blade Runner. Loosely adapted from Philip K. Dick’s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the screenplay was written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples.

It’s 20 minutes of deep insight this time as Anne brings you a bite-size episode on how, after writing for five decades, she has finally learned to write.

It’s 20 minutes of deep insight this time as Valerie Francis and Leslie Watts bring you a bite-size episode on Why You Need a Masterwork.

It’s 20 minutes of deep insight this time as Valerie Francis and Leslie Watts bring you a bite-size episode all about the progressive complications and escalating stakes of Whiplash.