Story Grid Writing Podcast

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**Story Grid Writing Podcast**

Helping you become a better writer.

Join Shawn Coyne, author of Story Grid and a top editor for 30+ years, and Tim Grahl, struggling writer, as they discuss the ins and outs of what makes a story great.

More at www.StoryGrid.com.

Latest Episodes:

Q&A - Part 1 Sep 01, 2017

Show notes

A Q&A with Shawn Coyne. Tim took questions from Twitter and Facebook and spends an hour going through them with Shawn.

Questions asked:

Can you tell us how making a story with multiple protagonists works with the hero's journey? Like in Game of Thrones?
In a love story, does the All Is Lost scene necessarily have to the be Lovers Break Up scene?
Global Value Shifts: In The Story Grid, you give two core values per internal and external genre. For example, the core values for thrillers life/death, and for maturation it's naivete/worldiness. However, when we actually start to plot our stories, the move from one value to another is gradual. That is the value shift moves from life to unconsciousness to death to damnation (THRILLER) and naivete masked as sophistication to naivete to cognitive dissonance to sophistication (MATURATION). Is this value progression consistent within a genre? That is, do all thrillers follow the same progression as Silence of the Lambs, or is it only the life/death that is consistent. Likewise, would all maturation plots follow the progression you outline for Pride & Prejudice, or is it only naivete/worldiness that is consistent?
I would love to Shawn to explain the difference between the Worldview sub-genres, and the subtleties between what makes one maturation vs education for example. So often a character learns something, some lesson or comes to greater understanding about a truth but I have trouble differentiating if it's a maturation vs education vs revelation. Kramer vs Kramer for example...is this an education plot?
How evenly would you space the K-Ross points through a story? Does it even matter? Or are they just guidelines for the emotional arc?

Helping Others Become Better Writers Aug 25, 2017

Show notes

In this wide ranging episode, Shawn and Tim discuss the best ways to help your fellow writers become better at their craft.

Specificity for Non-Fiction Storytelling Aug 17, 2017

Show notes

What does it mean to apply specificity to a non-fiction story? It's a tough thing, especially if you're of the literal persuasion.

Click here to download Shawn's notes on Tim's Introduction.

The Craft of Non-fiction Aug 03, 2017

Show notes

Shawn uses the second draft of Tim's introduction to focus in on the craft of writing great non-fiction.

Tim's second draft of the Introduction.

Tim's additional notes on the theme and structure.

Non-fiction Conventions and Obligatory Scenes Jul 27, 2017

Show notes

Non-fiction has specific genres, conventions, and obligatory scenes just like fiction, but they are, of course, a little different. Shawn and Tim delve into what it takes to write a great non-fiction book.

Make sure you pick up a copy of Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday.