Story Nerd

Because the novel is so funny and easy to read, and because the film is a romcom, it's easy to dismiss Bridget Jones's Diary as a simple story that Helen Fielding simply dashed off on a weekend. But nothing could be further from the truth. Even though it's a lighthearted story, Bridget is still a dimensional character and that's why we love her.

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

Here's an episode that will help you improve your line writing. Yes, Melanie is focusing on the poetic devices of metaphor, simile, and allegory, but they also apply to prose. So if you want to crank your writing up a notch, this one's for you.

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

Very few movies make an adult afraid of what's hiding under her bed, but this is one of them...and it isn't even a horror movie. That's the power of effective world-building! Even though this movie is set in NYC, it's a version of the city that's specific to the protagonist. How is the world of your story specific to your protagonist?

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!

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

The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.

Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.

For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.

Watch us on YouTube!