The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe

If I’m doing mundane tasks, my earbuds are in. Which means I’ve consumed a lot of podcasts—thousands of episodes across many genres since the days of the iPod touch. This one is in a class by itself. If I had to pick just one podcast to listen to from here on out it would be The Story Teller’s Mission. I cannot believe how much Zena packs into these 15 minute lessons. I am 40 episodes in and have learned so much not just about the craft of storytelling, but about how to live in this challenging world. She touches on important life lessons such as how to deal with trauma, how to deal with procrastination, how to be honest about what I think and feel and want. Zena is a storytelling guru and a life coach all rolled into one. She comes at craft from a Christian worldview, and as I am a Christian I appreciate that, yet her idea of art is not the cheesy preachy message-driven treacle that is so cringe inducing. Zena draws from her vast experience in Hollywood and knowledge of film. It is fresh and interesting, and binge-worthy. (and there is something comforting about hearing her dog Lulu snoring away in the background. It reminds me of the old Columbo episodes when he had that mournful basset hound as a sidekick.)

Zena’s analysis and explanation of story essentials is unparalleled. Her podcast is equally great for writers and for people who want to better understand how to listen to a story and what to look for in narrative mediums, from film to literature.

This used to be a great podcast on the art of writing. Now it’s become another preachy platform disguised as information. If you want to do an evangelical podcast, do it. But to call it “an art of writing” podcast and then give historically inaccurate information is insulting.

Zena’s podcast episodes do more than help and encourage my writing—they also provide insight into the best practices of writing from a Christian worldview. Thank you, Zena, for your encouragement!