128. How to Take Your Story from Pretty Good to WOW!

The Writership Podcast Editing Tips For Fiction Authors

For the full show notes, visit Writership.com.

50:05

This week, in what might be the funniest episode yet, Molly and Emese are joined by co-stars Amy Schumer and Brianne Howey. They get candid about motherhood, career evolution, and their new film, Kinda Pregnant —which unexpectedly led to Amy’s latest health discovery. Amy opens up about how public criticism led her to uncover her Cushing syndrome diagnosis, what it’s like to navigate comedy and Hollywood as a mom, and the importance of sharing birth stories without shame. Brianne shares how becoming a mother has shifted her perspective on work, how Ginny & Georgia ’s Georgia Miller compares to real-life parenting, and the power of female friendships in the industry. We also go behind the scenes of their new Netflix film, Kinda Pregnant —how Molly first got the script, why Amy and Brianne were drawn to the project, and what it means for women today. Plus, they reflect on their early career struggles, the moment they knew they “made it,” and how motherhood has reshaped their ambitions. From career highs to personal challenges, this episode is raw, funny, and packed with insights. Mentioned in the Episode: Kinda Pregnant Ginny & Georgia Meerkat 30 Rock Last Comic Standing Charlie Sheen Roast Inside Amy Schumer Amy Schumer on the Howard Stern Show Trainwreck Life & Beth Expecting Amy 45RPM Clothing Brand A Sony Music Entertainment production. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us at @sonypodcasts To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

hace 7 años 1:09:19

MP3•Episodio en casa

In this episode, editors Leslie Watts and Lori Puma critique “Night Fishing,” a coming of age short story by Kevin Glasgow. They discuss how to take your story from pretty good to WOW.

You’ll discover specific tools to improve a story that’s already working by enhancing the elements of your genre and style to focus on your ideal reader’s specific expectations. You’ll also hear about ways to connect the protagonist’s external and internal journeys by showing what the former means to them.

137 episodios

#Writing #Storytelling #Books and Writing #Books #Business #Publishing #Selfpublishing #Leslie Watts #Arts #Writership #Authors #Edition

128. How to Take Your Story from Pretty Good to WOW!

The Writership Podcast Editing Tips For Fiction Authors

83 subscribers

published hace 7 años

MP3•Episodio en casa

In this episode, editors Leslie Watts and Lori Puma critique “Night Fishing,” a coming of age short story by Kevin Glasgow. They discuss how to take your story from pretty good to WOW.

For the full show notes, visit Writership.com.

137 episodios

#Writing #Storytelling #Books and Writing #Books #Business #Publishing #Selfpublishing #Leslie Watts #Arts #Writership #Authors #Edition

Todos los episodios

1
Ep. 138 World Building 26:33

hace 6 years26:33

26:33

In this episode, editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss World Building, the way you craft the domain your characters inhabit. She offers several exercises to help improve your story by strengthening your world. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In a typical episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 137 Strengthen Your Setting 22:09

hace 6 years22:09

22:09

In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts takes a small detour from the usual format to discuss story setting, the place and time where your character gets into and hopefully out of trouble. She offered three exercises to help strengthen your setting and story. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 136 Resolutions 49:59

hace 6 years49:59

49:59

We all have some idea of what a resolution is, but what are these scene- and story-enders meant to do? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts explores scene and story resolutions in the context of C. Gabriel Wright’s LBGTQ love story, “Someone.” The editorial mission encourages you to collect resolutions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In each episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 135 Scene and Story Climaxes 47:38

hace 6 years47:38

47:38

What are story and scene climaxes? Why do you need them? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the decisions your characters make, as well as the actions they take, when faced with a dilemma. You’ll hear Matt Bizzel’s horror story, "A Window Out: Or, the Accidental Death of Frank Ortiz" and Leslie’s analysis of the scene. The editorial mission encourages you to collect examples of these critical decisions and actions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 134 Crisis Questions for Your Scenes 46:46

hace 6 years46:46

46:46

What are crisis questions? Why do our stories and scenes need them? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the dilemmas your characters face on the way to scene and story resolutions in the context of the opening of Jerry Dawson’s science fiction story, Meteor. The editorial mission encourages you to collect crisis questions by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 133 Progressive Complications for Your Scenes 57:58

hace 6 years57:58

57:58

What are progressive complications? Why do our stories and scenes need them? This week, story editor Leslie Watts discusses the people, places, things, and events that stand between your characters and their goals within the context of the opening of Anna Ferguson’s YA science fiction novel, The Empire of Saffron . The editorial mission encourages you to collect progressive complications by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 132 Inciting Incidents for Your Scenes 46:33

hace 7 years46:33

46:33

What are inciting incidents? Why do our stories and scenes need them? What are the elements of a solid inciting incident? This week, story editor Leslie Watts discusses these story event catalysts in the context of the opening of Drew Horstman’s fantasy novel, Nicholas Crumb. The editorial mission encourages you to collect inciting incidents by reading and watching stories—and from your own life. The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write a better story. In every episode, Leslie critiques a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. They understand they may need help seeing what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. Each episode comes with an editorial mission to apply the topic discussed so you can improve your writing too. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 131 Analyzing Your Scenes 58:55

hace 7 years58:55

58:55

You’ve written lots of scenes for your work in progress, but how do you know whether they work? In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts shows you how to analyze your scenes by looking at the opening of AW Moyer’s YA fantasy story, The Grim Book . The Writership Podcast is designed to help you develop self-editing skills and write better stories. In a typical episode, my guest-host and I critique a fiction submission from a real writer who is, or hopes to be, a published author. These writers want to find out what's working and not in their stories and are brave enough to share the experience. At the end of the episode, I’ll share an editorial mission to help you apply the topic we’ve discussed, so you can improve your writing too. Click here to learn more about the podcast, read the full show notes, and grab this week’s editorial mission.…

1
130. Writing with Abandon with Grant Faulkner 56:54

hace 7 years56:54

56:54

In this episode, story editor Leslie Watts discusses writing with abandon with Grant Faulkner, the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month. They talk about what it means to write with abandon, how to go about it, and why it’s important. In lieu of an editorial mission, Grant shares the word sprint, an old NaNoWriMo practice to help you get your words down—just in time for Camp NaNoWriMo in July. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Ep. 129 Essential and Literal Action in Your Scenes 59:38

hace 7 years59:38

59:38

In this episode, editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley discuss literal and essential action in the context of “Madeline,” a short horror story by Nathaniel Patterson. They show you how to identify the essential action (the character’s scene goal) and literal action (what the character does to achieve it) within your own scenes. You’ll find out why the essential action should be consistent and aligned with the character’s story goal (or conscious object of desire). In the editorial mission, they encourage you to identify the essential and literal action of a scene from a story you love, as well as one from your own work in progress. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
128. How to Take Your Story from Pretty Good to WOW! 1:09:19

hace 7 years1:09:19

1:09:19

In this episode, editors Leslie Watts and Lori Puma critique “Night Fishing,” a coming of age short story by Kevin Glasgow. They discuss how to take your story from pretty good to WOW. You’ll discover specific tools to improve a story that’s already working by enhancing the elements of your genre and style to focus on your ideal reader’s specific expectations. You’ll also hear about ways to connect the protagonist’s external and internal journeys by showing what the former means to them. For the full show notes, visit Writership.com.…

1
127. Meeting Reader Expectations for Your Fiction Sales Category 52:36

hace 7 years52:36

52:36

Leslie welcomes James Thorn, an author of dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction and Story Grid Certified editor, to discuss how you can discover reader expectations related to your sales category. They consider how dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction are the same and different, and which must-have elements will help you tell a satisfying story. The editorial mission encourages you to discover the specific sales category expectations for your story, whether it's dystopian fiction, a category romance, a character-driven literary novel, or something in between. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
126. Second Person Point of View 1:17:09

hace 7 years1:17:09

1:17:09

Intrepid editors Leslie Watts and Anne Hawley talk about when you might want to use second person point of view in the context of David Austin's short story "All American." This week's editorial mission challenges you to experiment with this rare point of view to see what insights can be gained from the unique perspective it affords. Click here for the full show notes.…

1
Episode 125: Putting Your Writing First with Mark McGuinness 1:12:58

hace 7 years1:12:58

1:12:58

In this episode, Leslie talks with poet and creative coach Mark McGuinness from the 21st Century Creative podcast about why it’s important to put your writing first—both for you personally and for your creative career. The editorial mission asks you to write something you might not expect.

1
Episode 124: Your Character’s Internal Journey 1:03:09

hace 7 years1:03:09