KidLit Craft Podcast

kidlitcraft
  • 5.0 (9)
  • BOOKS
  • SERIES
KidLit Craft Podcast

At KidLit Craft we look at mentor texts to figure out the mechanics of how writers do what they do so we can improve our own writing. In season one, we do a deep dive into Martine Leavitt’s YA novel Buffalo Flats.

See All

  1. EPISODE 1

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 1: Intro

    Introducing Season 2! We’re taking a deep dive into Kavyion Lewis’s YA thriller THIEVES’ GAMBIT. Find out why we chose it and what we have in store for this season.

    8 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 2: Theme

    Erin and Anne-Marie explore the different strategies Kayvion Lewis uses to explore the theme of TRUST in her YA thriller Thieves’ Gambit through characters, situations, and plot twists that challenge the main character Ross’s view of the world.

    32 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 3: The World As It Is

    The opening of a book establishes The World As It Is, and Kayvion Lewis’s Thieves’ Gambit is no exception. Lewis masterfully establishes Ross Quest’s world of international thievery and how she relates to it, including her desire to escape into something more normal.

    22 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 4: Shifting Desire Lines

    Erin and Anne-Marie dive into Kayvion Lewis’s YA thriller, Thieves’ Gambit, and dig into why it the main character Ross’s shifting desire line works, as she goes from wanting to making friends at a summer gymnastics camp to winning an international thieving competition.

    23 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 5: Complicated Family Relationships

    In Episode 5, Erin and Anne-Marie examine the complicated family relationships in Thieves’ Gambit and explore why to use them, how to introduce them for maximum effect, and how to leverage those relationships to create more tension without taking away the main character’s agency.

    40 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 6: Introducing a Big Cast of Characters

    Introducing a lot of characters can lead to a muddle in readers’’ minds. Erin and Anne-Marie explore why you may want to use a big cast, identify pitfalls to avoid, and break down how Kayvion Lewis introduces the nine teen thieves in Thieves’ Gambit in a way that draws readers in rather than confuses them.

    35 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 7: Relationship Arcs

    Like character arcs and story arcs, relationship arcs can span the course of the novel, explore themes, reveal and challenge the main character, and complicate plot lines. In Episode 7, Erin and Anne-Marie examine Ross’s friendship arc with Noelia and her romance arc with Devroe.

    39 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 8: Action Scenes

    Action scenes in a thriller novel need to be fast-paced, but fast-paced means more than lots of really quick actions in a row. Erin and Anne-Marie break down three different kinds of action scenes in Thieves’ Gambit to find tips and tricks for hitting the perfect sweet spot of pacing.

    37 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    Thieves’ Gambit, Ep. 9: Overarching Pacing

    The pacing of a story determines how a story feels to read, and writers get to control that pacing by placing story elements at certain moments in the book and by how they move from chapter to chapter or scene to scene. In this episode, Anne-Marie and Erin explore how Kayvion Lewis keeps the pace fast and the tension high.

    40 min

  10. EPISODE 10

    Thieves' Gambit, Ep. 10, Chapter and Scene Pacing

    Pacing scenes and chapters in an action/thriller might seem to be all about how to move through the story as fast as possible, but in this episode Anne-Marie and Erin focus on controlling the pace, why you want slower moments, and how to move fast without sacrificing clarity or emotional resonance.

    45 min
See All Season 2 (10)

    Ratings & Reviews

    5
    out of 5
    9 Ratings

    About

    At KidLit Craft we look at mentor texts to figure out the mechanics of how writers do what they do so we can improve our own writing. In season one, we do a deep dive into Martine Leavitt’s YA novel Buffalo Flats.

    Information

    • Creator
      kidlitcraft
    • Episodes
      26
    • Seasons
      2
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
    • Show Website
      KidLit Craft Podcast

    Content Restricted

    This episode can’t be played on the web in your country or region.

    To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

    Stay up to date with this show

    Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
    Select a country or region

    Africa, Middle East, and India

    Asia Pacific

    Europe

    Latin America and the Caribbean

    The United States and Canada