Angie and Elizabeth dig into some forms, frameworks and rules that can sustain a creative practice in trouble times, including the practice of freewriting, the three rules that run Elizabeth’s craft classes, and opening and closing rituals. An exercise reminds us of the encouraging tenents of positive discipline. Other power tools include the spirit of experimentation, the impact of literary examples, and the inspiration of having an immediate audience when you write. They also discuss why people apologize for their writing, whether not allowing apologies lowers expectations or raises them, and how we can offer ourselves the structure of a group even when we are alone. And the importance of pushing through resistance, even dread to launch into activities that in the end sustain and enliven us.

Send your comments and questions to questions at storymakersshow dot com

Links Discussed: 

Episode on giving notes 

Natalie Goldberg Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life 

Mary Mackey on Story Makers Show 

Martin Seligman Authentic Happiness

Audiobooks—Libro.fm

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.

On today’s episode, Angie and Elizabeth delve into conflict in crisis, and what we can learn about story--and history--from the moment we are muddling through. They acknowledge that growth can be uncomfortable, and examine what turns conflict into growth. Also examined: grief, archnemeses (who is right for your hero?), how many things can be creative processes (almost everything!), and how many things a book is about (one). Shout outs to the global community of story makers, local papers, frontline workers, and everyone sheltering in place. Action is the antidote to worry. Go do it! Claim what you are doing as your creative work. And don’t miss Earth Day Live online...unless you want to go hug a tree--that’s great, too.

Links in this episode:

Charlie Swanson The Bohemian 

Dorothy Allison

Black Panther

Frozen

Superman

Writers & Lovers by Lily King

The Daily Dose: Feminist Voices for the Green New Deal

Earthday.org

Sbaearthday.com

 Don’t forget to send in your questions!

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.

In this episode, Angie and Elizabeth consider strategies for staying connected to your creativity in this extreme moment. What’s changed and what hasn’t, and what needs to change? Tools considered include the social urge, countering boredom, writing morning pages, lowering expectations, setting real deadlines, finding readers and following the fun. The conversation also touches on the way structure, story and characters are inextricably linked, and the power of being explicit about your choices in your story. They discuss the ways learning is a narrative. The big takeaway: keep supporting yourself to find what works for you now (hint: it probably looks like what worked before, but different), and stay safe.

Links Discussed:

Book in a Year

The Artists Way

Kara Cutruzzula’s Brass Ring Daily newsletter

Dear Edward

Desmos: Beautiful, Free Math

Blinkist 

Scriptnotes Phoebe Waller-Bridge episode 

Don't forget to send in your questions!

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.

Live from our garage, a day late and a dollar short, in the middle of a global pandemic, Angie and Elizabeth have the following, just for you: An update on middle school math and distance learning; the asymptotic process of editing and how to cooperate with and counter your perfections; internal obstacles v external ones. Have we let go of the expectations of our normal reality? Have we accepted the radical not knowing of our situation? What free time? We compare Angie’s youthful two weeks alone in Mexico writing with sheltering in place during a global pandemic with work and kids…The episode also touches on point of view, perspective, premise, protagonists, and the narrative uses of The Royal We. Angie and Elizabeth express deep gratitude for Book Writing World and Book in a Year students and the worlds they are creating and recreating, taking them out of their limited rooms! The power of the word to connect all of us when we are far apart…

Links Discussed:

Crisis teaching is not home schooling

The Living Annie Dillard

Episodes that touch on subtext

Seth Godin

The Queen’s Speech

Elaine Scarry

Don't forget to send in your questions!

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.