Story Works Round Table with Alida Winternheimer | Conversations About Craft Alida Winternheimer

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn discuss Gina Berriault's short story, "The Woman in the Rose Colored Dress." At only 2 1/2 pages, it packs in remarkable sentences, the experience of time passing, incredible subtext in minimal dialogue, and a realistic coming of age story when a girl makes a discovery about her father that shifts her understanding of the world. Get the link in our show notes to read the story yourself.
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Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com
Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.
 
 

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida, Carlee, and Robert go deep with the question of what makes a genre a genre? Discover the nuances of crafting stories and targeting the right readership. We dissect the concept of genre as both a craft and marketing tool. It's far more useful to us writers than just a marketing category. Writing to market is often confused with marketing. And what about those of us who strive to be "pure artists," putting categories at the end of the process? Whether you aim to meet or subvert reader expectations, there's more to your genre than meets the eye.
"Genre determines what the story is trying to do."
"If you get lost in a story and you're not quite sure where you're taking it, it's often because you're not clear on genre."
This is an episode from our library, formerly published as #184.
 
Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New Summer Session begins at the end of May. Get details & schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching
 
Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com
 

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn are joined by D. Liebhart. 
Revision is more than just fixing typos and filling plot holes; it's about delving deep into the heart of the story and ensuring every word, every character, and every twist aligns with the author's vision. D. discusses the challenges she faced revising her award-winning novel, House on Fire, from seeking perfection to knowing when to let go. We talk about the importance of actionable feedback, the dynamics of writing groups, and the critical decision to step away when the process no longer serves the story.
Whether you're a seasoned author or just starting, this episode is packed with wisdom. D.'s experiences remind us that the journey of revision is unique to every writer. It's a process that requires patience, honesty, and sometimes the courage to start anew.
"Revision is how you make something worth reading."
"You're the final arbiter of what goes in that book and what's meaningful to say."
Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com
Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching
 
 #WritingTips #AuthorLife #Revision
 

"It's never too early to start thinking about marketing and building your community. It's never too early. It can be too late."
Ever thought it's too early to market your book? Think again! Alexa Bigwarfe shares her wisdom on today's Story Works Round Table, in a conversation that's as inspiring as it is informative.
Marketing, as Alexa says, is not just about selling books. It's about building relationships with readers, sharing your journey, and creating a platform where your voice can be heard. It's about laying the groundwork for your book to not just exist, but to thrive in a market that's flooded with content.
With Alexa's guidance, you'll feel empowered to tackle marketing head-on. She makes the task less daunting and more like an exciting new chapter in your author career.
 
Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit to grow your publishing, marketing, & networking skills while building your author community! Link in this week's show notes. Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com/292.  

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn discover the compelling intersection of personal experience and fiction on this week's writing podcast. D. Leibhart joins us to share her journey writing her award-winning novel, House on Fire, and the art of turning life into literature. Join us for a conversation about craft and the complexities of writing stories based on personal experiences. 
Join me at the Women in Publishing Summit! Get your ticket to the biggest 4-day, online conference for women authors.
Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching
Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com
 

This week on the Story Works Round Table, Alida and Kathryn welcome screenwriter Tim Auld back to the round table to discuss heroes.
What makes a hero resonate with an audience? Tim Auld introduces us to the concept of ordinary heroism, a principle that suggests heroes should be inherently inadequate to the challenges they face. It's this inadequacy, this underdog status, that endears them to us and makes their journey emotionally gripping. He illustrates this point with a powerful image: an orangutan striking a crane with a stick, a futile yet emotionally charged act of defiance. It's a metaphor for the kind of heroism that Tim believes should be at the heart of storytelling.
Throughout the conversation, Tim emphasizes the importance of allowing heroes to fail and suffer. It's through their trials and tribulations that we, the audience, find a piece of ourselves, empathizing with their struggle and rooting for their success. He also touches on the current trends in storytelling, where characters are often portrayed as too perfect, too idealized, which can disconnect them from the audience.
Are you ready to get more out of your writing, to grow your writing skills, and get that novel done faster? Do you want community, feedback, and mentoring? Check out group coaching for novelists. New sessions begin in 2024. Schedule your free discovery call today at www.wordessential.com/fictioncoaching
Get Alida's musings on life, writing, and the writing life in A Room Full of Books & Pencils. booksandpencils.substack.com 
Show notes, links, & more at www.StoryWorksPodcast.com.