The Novel Analyst Podcast: Creative Writing Advice & Author Interviews

12 - Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson - Controlling Pacing using Chapters.

This was the first Brandon Sanderson novel I read, and boy did it get me hooked. This YA Superhero story is a masterclass in pacing, and pulls readers through the novel at a ridiculous speed. Today, I'll analyse how Sanderson achieved such a fast pace. 

Shownotes:

Previous Brandon Sanderson Episode:

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Website: novelanalyst.com

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling - Narrative Misdirection.

This is one of my favourite books, and in today's episode I dive deep into how you can use the 2+2 rule to misdirect readers. If you want to learn more about how Rowling writes plot twists, this is the episode for you!

Twitter: @JedHerne

Andrew Stanton: The clues to a great story

Episode 3 - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J. K. Rowling - Creating Suspense Using Question Arcs

A Clockwork Prison: novelanalyst.com/prison

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 - Mistborn The Final Empire - by Brandon Sanderson - Mastering the Grand Skill of Worldbuilding.

Sanderson is a master of creating compelling fantasy worlds. Mistborn is a perfect example - and it's one of the best novel's I've read this year. In this episode, I'll analyse different techniques Sanderson uses to craft an amazing world. 

Shownotes:

Brandon Sanderson's (Amazing!) writing lectures: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4ZDBOc2tX8&list=PLH3mK1NZn9QqOSj3ObrP3xL8tEJQ12-vL 

Brandon Sanderson's Laws of Magic: https://brandonsanderson.com/sandersons-first-law/ 

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books & articles I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester - Grounding the Future in the Past. 

This golden age sci-fi novel has a lot to teach - oddly enough - about realism. Bester extracts qualities from historical eras to ground his world in a sense of truth, and in this episode I explore how he does this and how you can do the same. 

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books & articles I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - Creating Empathy for the Hero. If you want readers to keep turning pages, empathy is crucial. In this episode, I examine how Cline uses goals to make readers care about Wade Watts. 

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes: novelanalyst.com/episode8

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7 - The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie - Exploring Theme. 

This is one of the best books I've read this year, and what made it strong was Abercrombie's masterful control of theme. Today, I examine how The Heroes doesn't cram a moral down readers throats, but instead uses characters, structure, and symbolism to explore how in a war it's impossible to be a hero in every way and at every time ...

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books & articles I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com/episode7

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neuromancer was a 1984 genre-defining novel - and it still has a lot to teach writers today. Settle in as I pull 6 key lessons out of this ground-breaking sci-fi novel. 

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books & articles I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com/episode6

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5 - Gabriel Bergmoser Interview - Windmills, Boone Shepard, Movie Maintenance, and Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. 

Today I'm changing things up from my normal analysis format by interviewing Gabe Bergmoser - one of my favourite Australian authors. Gabe is the author of Boone Shepard, Boone Shepard's American Adventure, and the forthcoming Boone Sheppard: The Silhouette and the Sacrifice. He's also a prolific playwright, winner of the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award, host of Movie Maintenance, and contributor to Movie Maintenance Presents.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did!

Shownotes (links to books Gabe mentioned & more): novelanalyst.com/episode5

Twitter: @JedHerne

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Done poorly, midpoints can bog down your story with annoying slowness. That's not the case in today's novel, which showcases one possible solution to avoiding the dreaded soggy middle.

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books & articles I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harry Potter is successful (amoung many other reasons) for Rowling's fantastic use of suspense and mystery. Today, I analyse how you can use question arcs to create suspense in your own writing, and how suspense destroys 'soggy middle syndrome.' 

Twitter: @JedHerne

Email: [email protected]

Show notes (links to books I mentioned, etc.): novelanalyst.com

Join my VIP email list: novelanalyst.com/email

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.