最高の Writing A Novel ポッドキャスト (2025)

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Introducing a new podcast: A Good Story Well Told with Jonathan Auxier 42:03

1d ago42:03

42:03

It's a special preview of the first episode of Matt's new podcast with Jonathan Auxier: A Good Story Well Told. Search for and subscribe to the new podcast to get a second episode now!Matt Bird and James Kennedy による

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Episode 161 - Ways to give readers what they want. 26:46

1d ago26:46

26:46

Readers want five things in a story, three of which are right in the beginning. Here's a discussion of how to deliver those five things. Plus, a character's thoughts are the least interesting aspect of a story. How can we show what a character is thinking without entering her mind? Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 160 - Should our story have a theme? 24:01

8d ago24:01

24:01

Best-selling writers disagree on the importance of a theme in stories. Here are thoughts on whether we should present a theme in our novel or short story. And famous authors on their writing discipline. Plus, mixing genres when telling an agent or publisher about our novel. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 159 - A surefire way to generate plot, the sidekick. 27:09

16d ago27:09

27:09

Putting a sidekick into our story adds many benefits, a main one being that readers love sidekicks. Here are some techniques for creating a sidekick for our novel or short story. Also, a list of catchy, memorable novel titles. And a big question: how do bad novels get published? Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 158 - A lifetime's writing advice reduced to one minute. 22:53

23d ago22:53

22:53

Were a young writer to ask me for advice, and only had one minute to listen, here is what I'd say. Plus: how Louisa May Alcott worked. And, avoiding the blahs and self-doubts when writing. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 157 - How we writers can create a world. 27:31

30d ago27:31

27:31

Remember the fabulous worlds that fantasy, sci fi, and historical writers create for us readers? How do they do that? What works so well? I'll talk about world-building, not just for those novels but for all genres. And also: more on the critical craft of character description. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 156 - How to write the fast start. 26:04

1M ago26:04

26:04

Many readers only give a story ten or twenty pages before putting it aside to look for something more interesting. A fast start is the best way to maintain the reader's interest. Here's how to write the fast start. Also, how Alice Munro worked, and Richard Ford's rules of writing. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 155 - The single most important ingredient in an unforgetable story. 24:54

1M ago24:54

24:54

Manon in Paris asked, "Why do some novels move us more than others?" Here is the single best way to make our story unforgettable, a story that moves the reader. Also, have we heard the advice, "Write what you know?" It's bad advice, and here are thoughts on it. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 154 - Learning from the masterful writer Edna Ferber. 24:50

2M ago24:50

24:50

Edna Ferber was a master of character description. Here are a few of her characters, and maybe we can pick up some of her skill. Also, how many words a day do famous writers write, and how many words a day should we write? And showing pain, as opposed to telling about pain. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 153 - A legendary novelist's lesson for us writers. 24:58

2M ago24:58

24:58

Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre is a classic of western literature, a novel that endures and still hugely entertains because . . . it's so great. (How that for being profound?) Charlotte Bronte offers an important lesson for today's writers, and I'll talk about her lesson in this episode. Plus, the trouble with prologues. Support the show…

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Episode 152 - How the masters create their settings. 28:32

2M ago28:32

28:32

Why are some novels so good? One of the reasons is that the author is a master at setting descriptions. How did Charlotte Bronte and Edna Ferber make their settings magical? We'll talk about their techniques here. Also, strong verbs versus weak verbs: how and why to choose the stronger action word. Support the show…

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0175: Back to the grind 35:07

2M ago35:07

35:07

Keith McNally による

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Episode 151 - Mad Magazine, and techniques for riveting dialogue. 27:23

2M ago27:23

27:23

My first encounter with Mad Magazine, a life changer. And dialogue techniques that can help make our characters' conversations fascinating. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 150 - How to deliver a surprise in the story. 27:36

3M ago27:36

27:36

Good stories are filled with surprises for the reader. There are right and wrong ways for us writers to deliver surprises, and I'll talk about them here. Also, the importance of a tie-up-later list. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 149 - How masterful writers use details. 25:53

3M ago25:53

25:53

What do George Orwell, Sara Gruen, Jean Shepherd, and John Steinbeck have in common? Many things but foremost among them is their expert use of details that take readers away, that lift us readers out of our chairs and transport us to their places and times. Here are thoughts on their use of details. Also, we should avoid cliches like the plague. S…

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Episode 148: A magical way to end one scene and begin another. 26:02

3M ago26:02

26:02

Here is a magical way to end a scene and to begin another without worrying about travel and time between scenes. Also: avoiding dangling modifiers. And how Bernard Malamud worked, and Helen Dunmore's rules of writing. Support the showJames Thayer による

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0174: The writer's dream 25:10

3M ago25:10

25:10

Keith McNally による

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Episode 147 - Make sure it's important and make it short. 25:58

3M ago25:58

25:58

What should we do if we must--absolutely must--have an element in our story that might not be fully entertaining and engaging? 1) Make sure it's important and 2) make it short. Here are thoughts about this critical technique. Also, details in our descriptions are important, but which should we use and which should we leave out? Support the show…

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Episode 146 - How to make our character unforgettable. 26:01

4M ago26:01

26:01

We writers can use lovely phrases and perceptive observations when describing our character in our story, and yet the reader may still quickly forget the character. Here's how to make a character stick in the reader's mind. Also, are you a born writer? Maybe so. Here's why you might be. Support the show…

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Episode 145 - Bringing our settings to life. 27:03

4M ago27:03

27:03

We can show (as opposed to tell) as we create a setting for our story. Showing will make our settings vivid, and will allow the setting description to do double duty: describe the place and suggest a mood. Also, reasons to avoid meetings in our story. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 144 - One sentence can bring our character to life. 26:20

4M ago26:20

26:20

We'll build our character as we write along, adding descriptions and actions and dialogue. But there is a way with only one or two sentences to reveal something powerful and memorable about the character--in just a few words--and I'll talk about the technique here. Also, Joyce Carol Oates's rules of writing. And punctuating dialogue, with important…

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0173: Overflow 34:44

4M ago34:44

34:44

Keith McNally による

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Episode 143 - The three most important sentences when writing a scene. 26:53

4M ago26:53

26:53

Jack Bickham's three sentences on scene construction are the best I've found regarding how to write a scene. Here are why these sentences are important for us writers. Also: Sarah Ann Waters' terrific ten rules of writing. And avoiding the word "not." Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 142 - A big technique for literary writing. 24:50

4M ago24:50

24:50

Many listeners are writing literary novels and stories. Here is an important technique regarding construction of a literary story, and it also applies to commercial novels. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 141 - How to begin and end scenes. 27:31

5M ago27:31

27:31

The easiest thing for a reader to do is to quit reading our story. Here are ways to begin and end scenes that'll prevent that from happening. Our scenes' beginnings and endings will propel the reader farther into the story. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 140 - Tips from Stephen King on writing dialogue. 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

Stephen King is a powerful storyteller, of course, and he is also a highly-skilled sentence-by-sentence writer. Here are his tips on writing dialogue, plus thoughts from me about making our characters' dialogue riveting. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 139 - Writing in the first person. 27:04

5M ago27:04

27:04

Readers love first person novels, where the hero talks directly to the reader. Here are some techniques for first person writing. Also, famous novelists reveal the books that made them want to be writers. Support the showJames Thayer による

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0172: Laundromat Romance 38:09

5M ago38:09

38:09

Keith McNally による

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Episode 138 - How to live a writer's life. 27:04

5M ago27:04

27:04

Usually I talk about writing techniques but here are some living techniques for us writers. And some famous writers' favorite writers and novels. Plus: what Ernest Hemingway did when he was stuck. Also: the magic of avoiding dialogue tag modifiers. And Snoopy. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 137 - Twenty-one rules of writing. 28:00

6M ago28:00

28:00

How can an injury be good for us writers? It was for Roald Dahl. And here are Strunk and White's twenty-one rules of writing. Also, Stephen King on descriptions. And several famous setting descriptions, settings so good they are magical. Plus, Toni Morrison reveals how she works. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 136 - Benefits of a character's otherness. 27:06

6M ago27:06

27:06

A strong way to make a character likeable, and to have the reader root for her, is to have the character experience "otherness." She's out of place. She doesn't fit. Here are techniques on how to do so. Also, how F. Scott Fitzgerald worked. And, no whining. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 135 - Maybe the strongest writing tool - contrast. 25:38

6M ago25:38

25:38

Contrast is among the strongest tools we writers can use. It's magic. Here is a discussion of how and where to use contrast. Also, Henry Miller's rules of writing and how John Grisham works. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 134 - A stong technique for describing a character's personality. 29:51

6M ago29:51

29:51

We can show (as opposed to tell) about a character's personality by describing the character's face and body, so that our physical description does double duty. Jonathan Franzen's ten rules of writing. And techniques to add atmosphere to our scenes. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 133 - In our plot what should we save for a sequel? 26:30

7M ago26:30

26:30

In our novel should we leave plot questions unanswered so we have compelling questions for a sequel? Here are thoughts on how we can approach it. Also, Hilary Mantel's ten rules of writing, how Anne Rice worked, and techniques for writing in the active voice. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 132 - How to avoid the main reason readers stop reading a novel. 28:14

7M ago28:14

28:14

Why do readers put down a novel for good before they reach the last page? Here is a reason, maybe the main reason, and how we writers can avoid it. Also, examples of failed showing, as opposed to telling. And Margaret Atwood's rules of writing. Support the showJames Thayer による

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0171: Writing and heat waves don't mix 36:02

7M ago36:02

36:02

Keith McNally による

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Episode 131 - A review of the ten strongest writing techniques. 24:57

7M ago24:57

24:57

Here is a list of the top ten writing techniques in order of their importance, as best I can figure them out. Also, good comments from a book coach. And Zadie Smith's rules of writing. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Live Show: Capturing the Nature of Children with Betsy Bird 45:44

7M ago45:44

45:44

Recorded Live at The Book Stall in Winnetka, IL, hosted by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, James and Matt welcome the legendary Betsy Bird to tackle a topic all three know something about: Capturing the Voices of Children in Your Writing. Matt argues that novels that feature truly authentic kids are by definition not childr…

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Episode 130 - Kurt Vonnegut's rules of writing, and powerful character descriptioins. 26:39

7M ago26:39

26:39

Here are Kurt Vonnegut's eight rules of writing. Also, why reading an Andy Weir novel is such a good writing lesson. And; character descriptions should do double duty. Here is how, with examples from legendary writers. Support the showJames Thayer による

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Episode 129 - A scene with too many mistakes. Can we spot them? 26:20

8M ago26:20

26:20

Here is a scene with a strong plot point important to our story. It should be powerful but it isn't because of technical mistakes in the writing. Can we spot the mistakes? Also, George Orwell's six rules of writing. And a review of how and why to avoid filters. Support the showJames Thayer による

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ポッドキャスト Writing A Novel

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