In this episode we get into the books we loved in college. Ecstasy ensues as we revisit Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldua, Jeanette Winterson, June Jordan, Adrienne Rich, Nikki Giovani and others who changed us, stretched us, challenged us, enraptured us. We suggest several writing exercises that have inspired us, touch on Shakespeare’s writing process, investigate revision, logistical constraints, types of focus, humanity’s resistance to losing rights we’ve gained as compared to our willingness to fight for rights we’ve never had, and finding a cohort of readers in middle age. It is #TryPod month--a time to explore new and unusual podcasts, and we recommend several, as well as discussing how we use podcasts to survive domesticity and overcome the limitations of our world. Other topics include: interiority, mystery, intuition v. planning, ambiguous endings and the uses of resonance in story.

Links Discussed:

Jeanette Winterson's The passion

Nikki Giovanni, Poet

Adrienne Rich, Dream of a Common Language

Audrey Lorde

June Jordan

Gloria Anzaldùa

Class:A Guide Through the American Status System

Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture

Meliza Beñales on StoryMakersShow

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If you’re curious about how to leave a review on iTunes, here’s an article about how to do it!

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Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie and Elizabeth discuss auditions, revision, our autobiographies in books part 2, balancing collaboration with your individual vision, getting feedback in film v. in prose, influence and the sharing of ideas, articulating your vision and trusting your gut as a practice, dialog and listening--pacing, pauses, action, gestures and description, and humor--what makes something funny?

Links Discussed:

Seth Godin

Bonjour, Tristesse

9-5

The Hardy Boys Mysteries

Hermann Hesse

East of Eden by Steinbeck

Alice Walker

Alex Buono

I'm On My Way Running

If you're curious about how to leave a review on iTunes, here's an article about how to do it!

And here's our iTunes Page. 

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

This podcast asks, "What does it take to let your imagination be as free as it needs to be to create story?” We touch very briefly on some traditional means of accessing the imagination, such as drinking, drugs, and writing naked... Somehow this leads us into politics, redemption, magic and the books that most shaped us when we were children. Also rereading books you loved as a child with your own (or other people’s) children, film adaptations of these books, and the surprising role gender plays in these old favorites. We discuss world building, and the magic that is part of creating all memorable both worlds, even realistic ones. That leads to the relationship between character and setting. Finally, we dive into many aspects of starting, nurturing and getting the most out of a writing group, whether it’s generative, workshop or support!

Ann Carson's New Translation of Antigone!

L. Frank Baum

Betsy Tacy Books

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Danny, Champion of the World

Picaresque by the Decemberists with Infanta

National Novel Writing Month

It Happened One Night - IMDB and Hitchhiking Scene

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.

Best-selling author and fabulous writing teacher Ellen Sussman joins us to talk about conflict--why it matters, why it’s hard to go there on the page, and how to get there. Why do we resist creating conflict in our stories?

What are we afraid of? Vulnerability, danger, melodrama,? We investigate some of the ways in which women, especially, might be socialized to avoid conflict, and the way that impacts our stories. This is an episode about permission and courage. We discuss narrative questions and uncertainty, tension versus conflict--clarifying definitions and nuances and approaches to raising the stakes in your story. We look at the strong relationship between character and conflict, and the necessity of character arc or transformation. Ellen gives us a clear pantser’s perspective on finding your way to character and conflict. That leads us into the pleasures and process a first draft writing, "wallowing in it," and the long haul of revision, and why for some, it’s the other way around! Angie discusses switching hats from screenwriter to director, and what it teaches you about screenwriting. In the second part of the podcast, we discuss the benefits of writing retreats, and some suggestions for making them powerful, rejuvenating, productive and creative. We started the Sonoma County Writers Camp last year, and based on our experience, we give you some specific tips for making a writing retreat wonderful--and of course, you are invited to join us this May at ours!

Links Discussed:

Sonoma County Writers Camp

EllenSussman.com

Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaimen

Carol Wolf

Carol Lashoff

The Most Dangerous Place on Earth (book)

Trespasser by Tana French

Marissa Silver Critic’s Take in the New York Times Book Review 

Story Makers is a podcast that features in-depth conversations with accomplished writers, filmmakers and industry experts about story craft, technique, habit and survival--everything you need to know to stay inspired, connect to your creativity, find others’ wonderful stories and your own success.

The hosts:

Elizabeth Stark is a published, agented novelist and distributed filmmaker who teaches and mentors writers at BookWritingWorld.com.

Angie Powers is a distributed filmmaker and published short story writer with an MFA in creative writing and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA who teaches story structure at BookWritingWorld.com.