The Writing Forge

Plottr creator Cameron Sutter joins Bonnie and Miranda to discuss their favorite story structures and how to effectively use them. Whether you’re a planner or a pantser, understanding the elements of structure is crucial to crafting a compelling narrative. A solid grounding in a variety of structures can help you avoid plotholes, meet reader expectations, and deliver satisfying character arcs. Through intentional and flexible use of story structure, you can leave your readers both satisfied and surprised with how your story ends.

What’s your favorite story structure? Let us know on our socials!

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P. Djèlí Clark’s Abeni’s Dream

A few of the referenced story structures:

• The Campbellian Monomyth (aka the Hero’s Journey)
• The seven point structure as broken down by Dan Wells
• The sleuth’s journey
• Romancing the Beat
• Save the Cat! Writes a Novel

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Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Bonnie and Miranda delve into the roles of beta and alpha readers in the writing process. While alphas and betas perform somewhat different functions, establishing clear expectations with both is key to the early reading process. Ultimately, emotional reactions are some of the most useful feedback an alpha or beta can provide, and an author’s job is to reflect on the underlying issues behind the feedback to find a solution that is true to their original vision. Throughout the discussion, Bonnie and Miranda highlight strategies for providing feedback as an early reader and receiving it as an author. 

Have you ever been an alpha or beta reader? If so, what are your best tips for being a good reader? Let us know on our socials!

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Mary Robinette Kowal’s infographic for critique

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Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Sensory details are crucial to immersing readers in a story. In both fiction and narrative nonfiction, different senses establish the setting, evoke emotions, and deepen characterizations. In today’s episode, author Ritu Anand joins Bonnie and Miranda to explore how to balance the senses in your writing and how to choose which senses are emphasized in a given scene. And once again our hosts return to the concept of “double duty writing,” where sensory descriptions not only paint vivid pictures of the environment but also reveal insights into characters' emotions and perspectives. Listen now for tips and tricks for infusing more senses into your writing.

What book have you read recently that did a good job of using all 5 senses? Let us know on our socials!

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Ritu's book Kara's Dreams

Eldred Bird’s article “How to Show Emotion in Characters Who Hide Their Feelings”

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Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

The landscape of fiction in the United States has been morphing over the last twenty years, due in part to the translation and influence of TV shows, movies, books, and comics from other countries and cultures. Guest Katie Lewis along with hosts Bonnie and Miranda discuss their experiences reading translated works from other cultures and how it has shaped their writing and reading. Explore how manga, anime, and novels from Asia have become more popular and impacted genre writing in Western markets. Join the conversation on cultural exchange through translated media and how it has broadened and diversified perspectives in literature and entertainment.

For more, join Katie as they teach a class for Writing Heights this March 30th at noon MDT. Register today to attend in person or via Zoom.

What are some good translated works that you've read or experienced lately? Movies, TV shows, books, let us know on our socials so we can consume them with you!

Note: Katie meant to reference the novel Tropic of Orange, not Tropic of Cancer

Links:

Manga

• Naruto
• My Hero Academia

Anime (also available as manga)

• Demon Slayer
• Jujutsu Kaisen
• My Roommate is a Cat

Web novels

• The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

Films

• Crazy Rich Asians
• Everything Everywhere All At Once
• Bullet Train
• Requiem for a Dream
• Perfect Blue
• Guillermo del Toro's films like Pan's Labyrinth
• Howl’s Moving Castle

Novels

• The Poppy War trilogy
• All You Need Is Kill (book Edge of Tomorrow was based on)
• Tropic of Orange

TV shows

• Squid Game

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Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Got any writing pet peeves? Miranda and Bonnie take advantage of the opportunity to rant about some things that have made them put books down (or throw them across the room), discussing the pitfalls of playing tricks on readers, being unnecessarily coy, and making characters behave inconsistently for the sake of the plot. They dissect common grievances such as forced relationships, miscommunication tropes, and soapboxing, urging writers to prioritize subtlety, consistency, and nuance in their storytelling. Through their candid conversation, they emphasize the importance of seeking diverse feedback to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers.

What are some of your book-related pet peeves? Let us know we’re not ranting into the void on our socials!

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The book that made Bonnie take Goodreads reviewing seriously

Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Hosts Bonnie and Miranda welcome guest Trina Burgermeister to discuss the intricacies of writing from multiple points of view (POVs). Trina shares insights from her own writing journey, highlighting the challenges and rewards of weaving together distinct character perspectives. The conversation delves into the decision-making process behind employing multiple POVs, emphasizing the importance of letting the story dictate the narrative structure. In this exploration of the nuances of character-driven storytelling, Bonnie, Miranda, and Trina discuss techniques for balancing POV characters, avoiding pitfalls such as tangents and head-hopping, and ensuring each character's voice remains unique.

What is a multiple-POV novel you’ve enjoyed recently? How did it balance the characters? Let us know on our socials!

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Alfred Hitchcock on Mastering Cinematic Tension

Brandon Sanderson on the “Grand Skill”

Sound engineering by Luke Fischer

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Bonnie and Miranda talk with Tracy Hume about reinventing yourself to get your writing career off the ground. The trio explores the ever-evolving landscape of the writing industry, discussing platforms like webinars, conferences, and social media for staying informed. The conversation sheds light on the importance of saying yes to new opportunities and the significance of discarding what doesn't align with your goals. Tune in for a captivating conversation on reinventing yourself as a writer.

Have you had to reinvent yourself in your writing career? What was your new path? Let us know at our social media links.

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Freelance Writer’s Den

Jane Friedman

Allison K Williams

Tools:

Bookstack

Rev.com

Otter.ai

Contently

Substack

Cover art by Maggie Walker

Happy New Year, and welcome to Season 3 of The Writing Forge, listeners. Returning guest David E. Sharp joins Bonnie and Miranda to talk about anti-resolutions. Embrace your personal weaknesses for yourself and your characters this year to give your story a punch, to achieve some character development, and maybe see that your weakness can be a strength after all.

What sort of anti-resolutions are you going to make this year? Let us know at our social links below!

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Cover art by Maggie Walker

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Linc Library in Greeley Colorado. Check out their amazing podcast studio!

The end of 2023 is upon us! In their traditional end-of-year season finale, Miranda and Bonnie analyze the movie The Lost City. Comparing a fictional portrayal of an author with real-life writer experience provides plenty of fodder for discussion. Your hosts explore the movie’s unique take on romance, adventure, comedy, and action, highlighting the clever use of humor and the way the movie subverts genre tropes. The Lost City’s theme of not judging a book by its cover creates parallels to real-life judgments about genre fiction and the importance of embracing diverse storytelling. As we prepare for a new year, let us approach both fictional narratives and real-life experiences with an open mind and a willingness to embrace the unexpected.

What writing-related movie should we discuss in next year’s season finale? Give us suggestions on our socials!

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Cover art by Maggie Walker

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Romancing the Stone

Castle

The Memoirs of an International Assassin

In this episode, hosts Bonnie and Miranda welcome special guest Valerie Ihsan to discuss the critical elements of conflict, choice, and consequence in storytelling. The conversation delves into the importance of conflict in hooking readers, the significance of character flaws, and how conflict drives the overall story. Compelling conflicts are crucial for both fiction and memoir, as readers need to see believable challenges that stretch characters without making their journey impossible. The choices characters make in response to these conflicts help foster surprising and inevitable outcomes. And the consequences of these choices are integral to providing reader satisfaction and maintaining realism, regardless of genre. The three C's (conflict, choice, and consequence) can apply at various levels of storytelling, from the global structure to individual scenes. Listen today for valuable tips and perspectives to enhance your narrative craft.

What are the best Conflict, Choice, and Consequences you have come across, either in others’ writing or your own? Share on our socials!

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Cover art by Maggie Walker

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Baby Boom