It's a brand new season and that means brand new topics. For the next ten weeks, Valerie will study character development and Melanie will study world-building. These massive topics go hand-in-hand because every protagonist is a product of his/her environment. This is a season you don't want to miss!

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

This might be one of Agatha Christie's best known mysteries, but does it work for a modern audience? This week, Valerie and Melanie analyze Sir Kenneth Branagh's version of Christie's classic tale, and discuss just how far into a story the inciting incident can be. And don't miss Melanie's super sleuth skills in action as she uncovers a major plot hole that has to do with Poirot's famous moustache.

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

In this episode, Melanie's study of subtext has revealed something odd (and slightly uncomfortable). It seems that, according to Skyfall at least, M stands for mother. But why should Judi Dench's M be a maternal figure for James Bond? Valerie's study of Act 2 uncovers a striking similarity to last week's film: Back to the Future. What on earth could these movies have in common?

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

It's not uncommon for a subplot, or secondary character, to take over a story - especially when a writer is still learning the ropes. So, how do you keep a subplot in check and what do you do if it starts taking over? In this week's episode, Valerie and Melanie discuss just that.

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

West Side Story (2021) has been lauded for its depiction of race and racial tension, but how has it handled the love story? In his retelling of this age-old story, did Spielberg innovate the genre or did he perpetuate stereotypes?

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

For better or worse, Generative AI will change the job market. Some professions will disappear and new ones will be created. One of the new jobs popping up is called an AI Prompt Engineer and companies like Netflix have already started their hiring spree. But what exactly is a prompt engineer? Will the job put authors out of business, or will it ultimately prove our worth?

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

Hey, this is Valerie. I recently had the good fortune to study with Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, Alec Sokolow. (Super cool, right!?) Somehow or other, I got up enough nerve to ask him for an interview and he graciously took 30 minutes out of his day to share with us his pro tips, tricks and advice. Oh, and he lets us in on his secret for writing a dual-protagonist story. Check it out!

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 Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

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 establishing the stakes of a story.

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 Instagram and Twitter @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

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. Mind you, if this was a work of pure fiction, a writer would never get away with it - there are way too many coincidences. But hey, it's Colin Firth.

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 Instagram and Twitter @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.

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 an approach that led them to gross over $521 million. Too often new writers reject the basics instead of embracing them. In WALL-E, empathy is established early and the stakes are clear. Mastering the basics has been a winning strategy for Pixar, and it can be a winning strategy for us too.

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 Instagram and Twitter @valerie_francis

Follow Melanie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off. 

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.