The Story Studio Podcast - Writing, Storytelling, and Marketing Advice for Writers & Business

Everyone’s watched, or at least heard of, the TV show Friends. Today, the guys talk about how they use Friends episodes as shorthand for creating meaningful situations in their own stories. It’s not as simplistic as it sounds. When you tap into the greater story structure, you’re never limited to comedy. In fact, you don’t […]

One of the most frequent questions we get at Sterling and Stone is what developmental editing actually is. Right up there with that question is how to work with a developmental editor. Today, the guys talk with Clark Chamberlin, a new addition to the Sterling and Stone team, whose specialty is developmental editing. You’ve got […]

The guys at Sterling and Stone have built their empire on collaboration. With the freedom that indie authors have, could collaboration be the future of indie publishing? J Thorn and the guys discuss their experiences, as well as the strengths and challenges of working with others. They also talk about the way J is revolutionizing […]

Today’s guest is Jonny Andrews of Author Platform Rocket, and today, he and the guys discuss Facebook advertising, how to build your email list and keep it warm, and how to re-engage with your current list. They also talk what to say in autoresponders, an elegant and effective way to keep track of who reviews […]

You’ve seen the dramatic interrogation room scenes in procedural crime shows and novels, but how accurate are they? 17-year detective Adam Richardson joins the guys today in an incredibly informative episode filled with what writers get wrong, and what it’s really like to be in the law enforcement field. Want to write realistic crime thrillers? […]

Movies are the greatest storytelling medium of our generation. Whether you’re a movie fanatic or still get your greatest thrills from books, there are some films that can give you some amazing storytelling techniques and ideas. Today, the guys discuss some of their favorite movies and how their storytelling has been changed. Alien Descent American […]

Have you ever found yourself trying to write the soggy middle of a story? Sure, the first part is usually exciting, and by the end, you’ve got some real momentum, but it’s act two that mires down a lot of writers. Today, Johnny, Sean, and Dave talk strategies, tactics, and some high level perspective shifts […]

There’s almost always a jarring transition from story-shopping to writing the first few words of your book. Johnny spends a day pacing, Sean barrels ahead, and Dave sees everything that’s wrong. Discover how they make it work with their own work and real-world examples in fiction. No matter your personality in writing, you’ll get some […]

Do you struggle with self-doubt? Want to live in the world of ambition? Joanna Penn wrote the book on it, The Successful Author Mindset, and she aims to help authors get into the mindset that will help them succeed. If you deal with imposter syndrome, creative dissatisfaction, and failing to power through, you’re not alone. […]

Johnny brings you a writing tip today that will help you become a better writer, outside of simply writing more. You’ve got favorite books, but have you taken the time to deconstruct them? What questions should you ask as you pick them apart, from story arc to grammar? Johnny reveals how he does it on […]