Episodes

  • Live Show: Capturing the Nature of Children with Betsy Bird

    Live Show: Capturing the Nature of Children with Betsy Bird
    Sep 16 2024
    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 children's books, and James and Betsy debate him on that.
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    46 mins
  • Episode 47: The Heroine's Labyrinth with Douglas A. Burton

    Episode 47: The Heroine's Labyrinth with Douglas A. Burton
    Jun 24 2024
    Matt and James welcome author Douglas A. Burton to discuss his new book The Heroine's Labyrinth! Matt blurbed it and said "The Heroine's Labyrinth is filled with profound and unique observations on the topic of story structure, no matter what the gender of your protagonist. Burton closely analyzes a wide breadth of stories and proves his thesis that Joseph Campbell missed half the story." James agrees and we dive into some of Douglas's many interesting new archetypes!
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    1 hr and 27 mins
  • Organizing Chaos with Sophie Beal and Gary Dalkin

    Organizing Chaos with Sophie Beal and Gary Dalkin
    Jan 16 2024
    Sophie Beal and Gary Dalkin return to discuss novelists' relationship with editors, whether freelance or at a publisher. All four of us have been on one side of that divide or another, and most of us more than one, and we have a grand old time discussing it.
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    59 mins
  • Episode 45: Specific vs. Generic (Or is it Factual vs. Archetypal?)

    Episode 45: Specific vs. Generic (Or is it Factual vs. Archetypal?)
    Dec 7 2023
    It's always good to load up your story with specifics, right? Not so fast! James talks about his decision to leave some information out of his new novel Bride of the Tornado, and Matt quibbles.
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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Episode 44: Putting the Secrets of Story Into Action with Torrey Maldonado

    Episode 44: Putting the Secrets of Story Into Action with Torrey Maldonado
    Oct 19 2023
    Matt and James welcome acclaimed novelist Torrey Maldonado to talk about how he's put Matt's advice into action for his books for young people (much to James's chagrin)
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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • Writing Every Day with Brock Swinson

    Writing Every Day with Brock Swinson
    Jun 26 2023
    Matt and James are joined by author Brock Swinson and discuss his new book of writing advice Ink by the Barrel. All three of us agree that writers must write every day and then sheepishly admit that we don't actually do that.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Episode 43: Mackendrick's Rules, the Epic Conclusion

    Episode 43: Mackendrick's Rules, the Epic Conclusion
    Jun 19 2023
    Alexander Mackendrick summed up the wisdom that film schools (and MFA programs in general) hand down to writers. Is it helpful or poisonous? In this episode, Matt and James finish examining and questioning his 41 rules.
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    53 mins
  • Mackendrick's Rules, Part 2

    Mackendrick's Rules, Part 2
    Jun 12 2023
    Matt and James once again use the rules of Alexander Mackendrick as a springboard to talk about what makes for a good story. Bonus: Matt posits his theory of what's in the case in Pulp Fiction and completely convinces James!
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    1 hr