Words to Write by Podcast – Page 2 – Improving our Craft, one Book at a Time

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Words to Write by

Improving our Craft, one Book at a Time

Bye Bye Birdy

November 17, 2023

Season 2

Episode 13

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Latest Episodes

Check it Out: The Hero's Journey Study Guide

Getting to the Climax: The Anatomy of Romance Novels with Lia Riley

March 5, 2025

Season 3

Episode 25

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An Interview with Lia Riley Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey insists all stories follow the Hero’s Journey template—but does this actually...

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End of the Road: The Last Two Stages of the Hero’s Journey

January 22, 2025

Season 3

Episode 24

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Eleven: The Resurrection&Stage Twelve: Return with the Elixir Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Just when you thought you had the Hero’s...

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Writing the Return Home: More Than Just a Victory Lap

January 9, 2025

Season 3

Episode 23

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage 9: RewardStage 10: The Road Back Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter Remember family road trips? When you’re...

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Empowering the Powerless: Tim Waggoner’s Tips for Keeping Horror Heroes Active

January 1, 2025 admin 00:31:38 Comments Off

Empowering the Powerless:Tim Waggoner’s Tips for Keeping Horror Heroes Active Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Horror stories and the hero’s journey – a match made in...

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Lost in the Ordeal: Navigating the Hero’s Darkest Hour

December 18, 2024

Season 3

Episode 21

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Eight: The OrdealStage Nine: The Reward Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter Think you know where your hero’s...

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The Road to Armageddon: A Workshop with Summer H. Hanford

December 11, 2024

Season 3

Episode 20

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The Road to ArmageddonAn Interview with Summer H. Hanford Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter How do you craft a journey worthy of...

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What We're Reading

Zen and the Art of Writing

by Ray Bradbury

Bradbury…(yes, that Bradbury!) wrote a writing craft book. Together, we’ll test his promise to “release the creative genius within you.” Join us as we pick apart the process (and–dare we say– hubris) of this lovable sci-fi author as he tells us what to do, but not always how to do it. Stay tuned!

Scene & Structure

by Jack M. Bickham

Are those writing formulas, Jack Bikham, or are you just happy to see us? Hold onto your messy scenes and confusing sequels because they’re going for a ride! Join us as we decode these stereo instructions…I mean, the fuel of commercial fiction that is Scene & Structure.

Bird by Bird

by Anne lamott

We know you own it. But have you read it? Like really, really read it? It’s time to crack that spine and delve into the depths of your perfectionism, mental hang ups, and neuroses and get that butt in the chair. At least, a writer can dream, can’t she?

Bird by Bird

by Anne lamott

Attention Memoirists! No longer will you hide in fiction’s shadow! Together, we’ll storm the gates of creative non-fiction, slay the beast that is personal experience, and demand Renee finish her damned memoir already!

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Writing the Return Home: More Than Just a Victory Lap

January 9, 2025

Season 3

Episode 23

admin 01:11:14 Comments Off

Play Episode

Empowering the Powerless: Tim Waggoner’s Tips for Keeping Horror Heroes Active

January 1, 2025 admin 00:31:38 Comments Off

Empowering the Powerless:Tim Waggoner’s Tips for Keeping Horror Heroes Active Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Horror stories and the hero’s journey – a match made in...

Play Episode

Lost in the Ordeal: Navigating the Hero’s Darkest Hour

December 18, 2024

Season 3

Episode 21

admin 00:57:32 Comments Off

Play Episode

The Road to Armageddon: A Workshop with Summer H. Hanford

December 11, 2024

Season 3

Episode 20

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The Road to ArmageddonAn Interview with Summer H. Hanford Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter How do you craft a journey worthy of...

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Get Thee Characters to the Cave!

December 4, 2024 admin 00:49:00 Comments Off

Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Six: Approach to the Innermost Cave Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter Remember how we’ve occasionally side-eyed Christopher...

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Fixing the Saggy Middle: A Workshop with Kristen Tate

November 27, 2024

Season 3

Episode 18

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An Interview with Kristen Tate Check it Out: The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter Looking for help with your novel’s middle section? While countless craft books...

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Tests, Allies, and Enemies, Oh My!

November 20, 2024

Season 3

Episode 17

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Six: Tests, Allies, and Enemies Subscribe to our Newsletter What really happens between “accepting the call” and facing the big bad? Christopher Vogler’s The...

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Crossing the Threshold

November 13, 2024

Season 3

Episode 16

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Four: Meeting with the Mentor&Stage Five: Crossing the Threshold Subscribe to our Newsletter So much has happened you haven’t even made it to the...

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Crossing the Threshold

November 13, 2024

Season 3

Episode 16

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s JourneyStage Four: Meeting with the Mentor&Stage Five: Crossing the Threshold Subscribe to our Newsletter So...

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Writing Your College Application Essay

September 19, 2024

Season 3

Episode 15

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In today's episode we take a break from discussing and analyzing creative fiction to examining possibly one of the...

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Answering the Call to Adventure

September 4, 2024

Season 3

Episode 14

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How do you shift your book’s hero from their nice, cozy ordinary world into the adventure? According to Christopher...

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Workshop: Plotting a Murder with Colette Clark

August 29, 2024

Season 3

Episode 13

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Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey The Hero’s Journey Study Guide Subscribe to our Newsletter Does the mystery genre follow...

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You are Now Leaving the Ordinary World

August 21, 2024

Season 3

Episode 12

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If you have read even just the first part of a blog post on the Hero’s Journey, you know...

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Boy Bands & Archetypes

August 14, 2024

Season 3

Episode 11

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In our regular podcast, we’ve successfully made it through all of Vogler’s archetypes (from his book, The Writer’s Journey)....

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The Role of the Trickster and Other Archetypes

August 8, 2024

Season 3

Episode 10

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Are we done with archetypes now? Almost! There are just three more archetype chapters in Christopher Vogler’s book, The Writer’s...

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Workshop with Madix: Writing and Revising LitRPG

July 31, 2024

Season 3

Episode 9

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What if writing the first draft was the easy part? Every week on serial writing websites like Royal Road, hundreds...

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Female Shapeshifters and Other Questionable Archetypes

July 24, 2024

Season 3

Episode 8

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Everyone who’s read a blog post on the Hero’s Journey can spot the Hero and Mentor archetypes, but what...

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Workshop with Elana Gomel: What to do if your Hero is a Girl?

July 17, 2024

Season 3

Episode 7

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In response to Joseph Campbell's Hero with a Thousands Faces, aka The Hero's Journey, folklorists and academics (many of...

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The Mentor Behind Every Great Hero

July 10, 2024

Season 3

Episode 6

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The Mentor -- arguably the second most identified archetype from The Hero's Journey (after the eponymous hero). In his...

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Workshop: Renee Creates a Monster-Hero

July 3, 2024

Season 3

Episode 5

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Last episode we explored the concept of the hero archetype as presented in Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey. But...

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What Makes a Hero

June 25, 2024

Season 3

Episode 4

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Whether every protagonist is a Hero is open to debate (and debate it we do in this episode) but...

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Workshop: Mapping Kim’s Novel to the Hero’s Journey

June 20, 2024

Season 3

Episode 3

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Writing Workshop with Kim & ReneeThe Writer’s Journey Subscribe to our Newsletter The Hero’s Journey Study Guide The Writing...

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Mapping the Hero’s Journey

June 12, 2024

Season 3

Episode 2

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We’ve officially started our new book, Christopher Vogler’s The Writer’s Journey. And boy is there a lot in the...

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More Episodes

Words to Write by

Latest Episodes

What We're Reading

Zen and the Art of Writing

Scene & Structure

Bird by Bird

Bird by Bird

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

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