Catch up on the latest episodes...

tarting with the Harry Potter theory of gamification, Angie and Elizabeth dive into the ways that attaching story—including costumes, pets, and props as well as wins and losses—to learning motivates students, much as story drives characters and readers....

The inimitable, brilliant Aya de Leon joins us for an inspiring conversation about regime change, the American Dirt controversy, genre, including the elements of a heist plot, and story structure--from the hero’s journey to politics to football and rugby....

In today’s episode, Angie identifies as the quintessential dilettante while Elizabeth lays out her process of revision. They debate whether the horror genre has shifted or Angie has changed. Most of all, they consider the potential for understanding both...

This episode delves into the art and craft, indeed the very definition, of chapters--in books and a little bit in film, too. Angie and Elizabeth discuss what we need and want to know, narratively; how to play wondering out across a whole novel; the...

 discussion of simplicity in story and the room that gives for character and emotion, and the stakes these create. The need for clarity. Motivation. How to move toward simplicity. Also discussed: revision, pacing, resistance, weather. Family systems. The...

A couple of glasses of wine into a loooooong tween-filled vacation, Angie and Elizabeth launch a new year of Story Makers Show with some conversation and advice. Topics covered to varying degrees include: the possibly universal reaction to getting notes...

What makes a story grab you? This episode grapples with that question alongside the challenges of making a best of the year reading or watching list. As they examine what makes a story unforgettable, Angie and Elizabeth discuss imperfect characters, clear...

In this episode, Angie and Elizabeth examine the importance of knowing why you are writing what you are writing—the core of your story. When do you need to know? How can you discover the point if you’re not sure? Why does it matter? Jumping off from a...

Angie and Elizabeth begin this episode by musing on the ending of the film Home for the Holidays, and what it tells us about memory and story. Then they continue on to other stories in films and books for which they are grateful, from Jamie Babbit’s But...

This topic of this podcast is audience--who you write for and how knowing that can help or hurt your efforts and your authenticity. But first, Angie is still excited about mindset and mathematics and what the artists and activists of us can learn from...

Elizabeth and Angie were thrilled to talk with author and journalist Vanessa Hua about her award-winning novel, A River of Stars, her collection of short stories Deceit and Other Possibilites, and her work as a journalist. Vanessa is in the process of...

This episode was recorded before mandatory evactuations forced us south, and it is being released a week late! Is it ironic that we touch on the fires as our way into dicussing emotional logic in narrative? We delve into the importance of understanding...

Today’s podcast is all about growth mindset, from the very beginning checking in about what they are working on. Angie is learning a lot as she re-created the Book in a Year curriculum videos, and Elizabeth teaches best when she is at her own edge. Brain...

Today on the show, Angie and Elizabeth discuss burnout--what it feels like, where it comes from, whether it matters where it comes from, what to do about it, if there is anything to do about it, and more. What is productivity and how are we managing it?...

A listener asks about setting up expectations and then defying them in the use of scene. This leads to a deep dive into expectations--how turning them, upturning them, overturning them is what story is all about. Patterns and meaning. Why story relies on...

In today’s episode, Angie and Elizabeth discuss what it might mean when someone says a memoir is like a novel or a novel is like a movie. Hashing through the elements of shaping a true story into a compelling narrative, and the pros and cons of...

By what method to you guide and structure story? This episode aims to take down any dichotomy between planning and accessing your intuition. Angie and Elizabeth delve into right- and left-brain approaches and exercises that can help you dig a framework...

Angie and Elizabeth focus today on answering a listener’s question about when to use scene, when to use summary, and how/ when you should know which one is right. Hints: if there is no fundamental change and/ or a lot of repetitive action, summary is a...