A Story That Works: Recent Episodes
Rebecca Monterusso
This podcast will demystify the writing process. It will show writers how to get their stories on the page and confidently share them; will help them figure out why they're stuck and give them ways to keep going back to the work.
This episode is all about self-editing: what is it, why do you need it, and what the heck does it encompass? What's the point of self-editing if you can just ask an editor for help? Rebecca talks about that on this episode (hint: it's critical to get another set of eyes on your writing, learning to self-edit can save you time later on because you're growing your skills, can save you money, and can help you be more intentional with your goals). Listen to Rebecca talk about all the things she'd change in this story from season 1.
If you don't already know, Rebecca is a writer and certified Story Grid editor who’s attended two McKee seminars, hosted workshops at Barnes and Noble, and self-published a nonfiction book on writing. She produces a podcast called A Story That Works and currently creates content for ROI Online. Her writing has been featured on Havok, Jane Friedman, The Creative Penn, and DIY MFA. She’s a pretty good crocheter, avid reader, amateur graphic designer, and loves traveling the world. Short story is currently her favorite medium for writing fiction. You can find out more at www.creativitythroughconstraints.com.
Things I mention on this episode:
Some of these links (marked with an ) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.*
- The Story Grid* by Shawn Coyne
- Story* by Robert McKee
- Jane Friedman: What Does it Mean to Write a Scene that Works?
- The Creative Penn: 6 Things to Consider Before Writing a Novel
- DIYMFA: 5 Reasons it’s Time to Call in an Editor and 5 Essentials for Every Scene
- Story Grid: Writing Scenes that Work; Our Writer’s vs Editor’s Brains; Analyzing a Masterwork: The Knife of Never Letting Go; How Reading Better Can Help You Write Better; What Does it Mean to Write, Read, and Live with Intention?; From Initial Idea to Publishable Draft; Practical Steps to Improve Your Craft
- My fiction is on https://gohavok.com/ which requires a subscription to read
- My book: The 30 Day Writing Challenge
Editor Abigail Perry talks to Rebecca about one of the stories from season 1 (the story she wrote using the prompt "death in a small town"). Abby has great advice on how to expand and explore the story, but more importantly, she and Rebecca talk about how to build confidence as a writer and how to stop expecting your first drafts to be perfect so you can just keep writing. Abby offers advice on taking the pressure off yourself as well as how to explore the story you truly want to tell.
Abigail K. Perry is a Certified Story Grid Editor with professional teaching, literary agency, and film production experience. In addition to writing masterwork guides that help people learn how to write, read, and edit like a writer, she works as a freelance developmental editor/book coach and diagnostic editor, and is a monthly columnist for DIY MFA. Abigail also teaches Genre-Focused writing workshops for the genres she specializes in, which include Women’s Fiction, YA Fantasy, Upmarket Fiction, Historical Fiction, and Scripts. As a podcaster, she’s a passionate advocate for the butterfly effect stories have on the individual and world, which she shares with listeners on her podcast, STORY EFFECT.
Reach out to Abigail if you’re a writer looking for an editor who will help you grow as storyteller, and who has experience in differentiated instruction, traditional publishing, and film. Find out more at abigailkperry.com.
Things Abigail and I mention in the episode:
Some of these links (marked with an ) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.*
- DIY MFA
- Story Effect (Abby's podcast)
- Story Grid Scene Analysis template (value shift, polarity shift)
- SG 5 Commandments
- Yellow Wallpaper
- Writer's Digest Conference
- Johnathon Mayberry (a thriller writer)
- Writing excuses
- PS I Love You*
- James Scott Bell: Plot & Structure, Write Your Novel From the Middle
Editor Leslie Watts talks to Rebecca about what it takes to build an author career, starting with giving yourself permission to figure out your own process. She talks about creating a writing practice and the importance of reading what you write so you can get curious and play in those spaces that light you up. Leslie gives Rebecca about lengthening her story and talks about what works and what doesn't.
Leslie Watts is a Story Grid Certified Editor, writer, and podcaster based in Austin, Texas. She’s been writing for as long as she can remember—from her sixth-grade magazine about cats to writing practice while drafting opinions for an appellate court judge. As an editor, Leslie helps fiction and nonfiction clients write epic stories that matter. She believes writers become better storytellers through study and practice and that editors owe a duty of care to help writers with specific and supportive guidance. You can find her online at Writership.com.
Things Leslie and I mention in the episode:
Some of these links (marked with an ) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.*
- The Story Grid Roundtable Podcast
- Natalie Goldberg and her concept that we must study and accept our own minds
- Big Magic* by Elizabeth Gilbert
- Dorothea Brand's Becoming a Writer*
- If You Want To Write*
- Morning pages from Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way*
- Neil Gaiman
- Joyce Carol Oats: [on how to know when a story is done/how long it should be] when you can see the ending and you know where it’s going
- Myer’s Briggs
- Don't Feed The Monkey Mind*
- Cassandra
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time*
- Ocean at the End of the Lane*
- Jenny Shih
Editor Griffin Gartner talks to Rebecca about a piece of micro-fiction she wrote for an NYC Midnight competition. He walks her through what's working, how to make it scarier, and how she could expand it just based on the idea itself. Griffin is a master at horror and gives tons of advice on what it means to write horror and as well as how to consistently write stories that speak to you as a writer.
Griffin helps horror writers craft scarier stories. Find out more at gartnerediting.com.
Things Griffin and I mention in the episode:
Some of these links (marked with an ) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.*
- NYC Midnight
- The subcategories of horror (though there are more than a few opinions about this)
- Robert McKee
- 6 key components of tension experiences: conflict/dissonance/instability, uncertainty, generating expectations/predictions or anticipation, emotional significance of the anticipated events (what are the stakes), lack of control, temporal aspects
- The Exorcist*
- The Artist’s Way*
- Types of monsters: crocodile, leach, storm, stranger, germ
Editor Kim Kessler talks with Rebecca about how to expand a short screenplay she wrote for an NYCM competition. Together they discuss what's working about this piece in particular, but also how to use what you know about yourself to write better stories in the future.
Kimberly Kessler is a Story Grid Certified Editor, TEDx speaker, and one-fourth of the Story Grid Editor Roundtable Podcast. As an editor, she specializes in helping writers craft authentic character arcs and internally-driven stories. As a novelist and filmmaker, she uses humor to explore trauma and find a redemptive perspective on pain. She lives in Washington state with her stand-up comedian husband and three "think they're a comedian" kids. You can connect with her directly at www.kimberkessler.com
Things Kim and I mentioned in the episode:
Some of these links (marked with an ) are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you click on and make a purchase from them. Your price doesn't change either way.*
- NYCM Competitions
- James Scott Bell's Short Story Book*
- The Story Grid Anthology*
- The Story Grid Editors Roundtable Podcast
- How to decide how long your story should be from Mary Robinette Kowal's advice
- MICE quotient from Orsen Scott Card
- Kim’s Novel*
Editor Julia Blair walks Rebecca through what's working and what she can change about a short story she wrote. Julia helps Rebecca tighten the story and they dive into their own writing processes to compare.
Before she became a Story Grid Editor, Julia Blair worked as an archaeologist and a preservation archivist where she was occasionally caught sniffing old books in the stacks. As a developmental editor and story coach, her mission is to help aspiring novelists make the best use of their valuable writing time to craft stories that readers will remember and love. She especially loves to help writers discover the heart of their story when they feel like they’re lost in the weeds. Julia brings a deep appreciation of history and culture to the editing table. Her specialties are Historical Fiction, Fairy Tales and Myth, and Historical Fantasy. She is the author of a forthcoming Story Grid guide to the War genre, and her short story Elixir will be published in Spring 2020. These days, Julia is elbows-deep writing her fantasy novel, The Nature of Prophecy. She has written several articles for the Story Grid Fundamental Fridays series. Visit her at ragstowritten.com.
Things Julia and I mentioned in the episode:
- Neil Gaiman
- Writing Excuses
- Using A Foolscap
- Erin Morgenstern
Editor Shelley Sperry talks Rebecca through the process of writing a memoir and everything holding her back from getting her writing done. Together they discuss how to keep writing and when a story should be a memoir vs how to vs big idea.
Shelley Sperry runs a writing, editing, and research shop in Alexandria, Virginia, called Sperry Editorial. As an editor, she specializes in nonfiction. She likes working with writers of memoir, science, history, and just about any other topic. As a writer, she works with nonprofit and business clients on topics related to labor, the environment, and education. You can find her at sperryeditorial.com or email her at sperryeditorial@gmail.com.
Things Shelley and I mention in the episode:
- Donald Miller
- The Artist's Way
- Big Magic
- Salt Fat Acid Heat
Editor Lori Puma talks about everything you should think about before you start writing a single word. She focuses on helping writers build a career, make money, and improve their skills. And in this episode, she tells Rebecca about how to craft better pitches so that her stores are more unique to her and (hopefully) easier to write.
Lori Puma helps writers create page-turning fiction. She works with authors who dream of making a living writing novels in popular genres like fantasy, romance, thriller, science fiction, mystery, women’s fiction, young adult, or historical fiction.
Lori started her writing career publishing scientific papers that also double as sleeping aids. Since then she’s published work on big name media sites like The Washington Post and LA Times, contributed to a National Geographic book, and gotten certified in the Story Grid method of editing fiction. She’s been a guest on podcasts such as The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt, The Writescast Network, and Writership and was a panelist at The Writer’s Craft Summit.
Check out her website at loripuma.com for more fiction-writing resources, including the free guide The Structure of a Page-Turning Novel.
Things Lori and I talked about on the episode:
thegrinder.diabolicalplots.com
Writing Excuses Writing a short story and Selling short stories
Needs Inventory to help brainstorm things a character could want
What makes a short story idea a good idea?
• It has at least one main character who wants something
• There is an identifiable story arc where something changes from beginning to end
• The story has a theme or takeaway message (aka subtext)
• The story world is unique and easy to imagine
Brainstorming ideas to help make your story unique. How would your story change if you...
• Used a different takeaway message or theme?
• Changed what the main character wants?
• Changed the location of the first scene in the story?
• Changed the time that the story happens? Is there a specific event that might be happening at the same time?
• Used an ending twist that was opposite from your current plan?
• Changed your story’s genre or subgenre?
Pitches for Lori:
- The Time Traveler’s Handbook: a piece about the protocols for time travel and how to succeed when you’re in a new place/time without ID, money, or knowledge of the local culture. Similar to this.
- Translating Device (not the title): the story of a group of people landing on a strange planet with a translating device that helps them decipher the local language. They slowly start to discover the device has a mind of its own. Similar to this.
- The Sleep Machine: Scientists create a machine that seemingly eliminates the need for sleep. It does not work as anticipated. Here’s the tone.
This season you’ll hear from a variety of editors who look at various aspects of different types of stories. I love writing everything from horror to love, screenplay to short story, essay to micro-fiction. And my goals are to eventually make a living as a writer (which I understand makes it a job and that it isn’t going to be easy), but understanding where I want to go, what my process looks like, and all the places I can improve will help me reach those goals in time. So long as I keep writing, of course.
As you listen, you’ll notice each editor’s unique take on the various stories I write. Some are long, some short, some I want to turn into a novel, and others were just for fun or to learn. I hope you’ll find a key takeaway from each episode that you can apply to your stories.
The sequence of episodes is one I think will help you learn once more about crafting stories and using them effectively for your own goals. For example, on the first full episode, I talk with Lori Puma who specifically helps writers before they’ve written a single word. We talk about how to find places to submit your writing and to maximize the potential for being published (or at least getting personalized feedback from your rejected submissions).
Shelley Sperry and I chat next about writing a nonfiction book in which I discuss the things keeping me from writing. It’s a chance to combat everything holding me back from my stories as well as what it takes to plan and write a memoir.
Followed by Julia, who takes a short story I’ve written and tells me specifically how to make it better so that I can submit it somewhere. Griffin, who takes a piece of micro-fiction I wrote for an NYC Midnight competition and teaches me tools of horror that will help me expand upon it. And Kim, who walks me through how to craft short vs long fiction and where the goalposts for each type of story lay.
Leslie and I also discuss how to expand upon short stories, how to strengthen your craft, and building a career as a writer. While Abigail and I talk about all the different ways to plan a longer story using existing content and the various tools available to improve your skills.
The last episode of this season will be with me, myself, and I (and hopefully I can put up with my own voice for that long). In that episode, I’ll take all the advice I’ve been given and apply it to one of my stories from last season through the self-editing process. I personally think it’s important to edit your own work before taking it to someone else for a number of reasons. First of all, when someone gives you advice on a first draft, it can entirely kill your spirit because you want to hear how great it is, but it’s bound to be shit (read Bird by Bird for the reference). Secondly, if you’re going to pay someone to help you improve your writing, you might as well get it as far as you possibly can on your own first so you’re not wasting money to have someone tell you something you already know. And if that’s not enough of a reason, editing yourself teaches you how to be a better writer each time you do it.
So there you have it. Season 2 of A Story That Works is sure to provide you with tangible advice on editing and improving your writing. If it doesn’t, go talk to these editors yourself.
As always, keep writing. Keep writing. Keep writing.
Editors:
Lori Puma: loripuma.com
Shelley Sperry: sperryeditorial.com
Julia Blair: ragstowritten.com
Kimberly Kessler: kimberkessler.com
Griffin Gartner: gartnerediting.com
Leslie Watts: Writership.com
Abigail Perry: abigailkperry.com
My website: creativitythroughconstraints.com
So what can you expect during this season of A Story That Works? Well, each episode will include a short story I wrote. I’ll read the story and then welcome in an editor who has agreed to talk with me about the story for an episode. Together we’ll discuss various aspects of what’s working, what isn’t, the genre in general, or whatever else comes up based on how each editor works.
I’m getting a hodgepodge of advice to show you that everyone’s opinions are different (writing is subjective after all), that you have to find an editor you have a rapport with, and that you can’t take any advice too personally.
This season, I’m talking with all sorts of editors who have very different specialties. For a list of who they are, check out the show notes for this episode or astorythatworks.com.
If you’re at the editing stage, I highly recommend you visit each editor’s website and do your research. Hopefully, someone stands out to you and seems particularly able to help with whatever you’re struggling with in writing. Every editor is professional and has been a joy to work with.
Their websites are listed on the show notes and most even offer a free consultation so you can get a personal feel for how they work in addition to hearing each episode.
You can also go to astorythatworks.com at any time. On our site, in addition to the list of the editors, there will always be a place for you to send me the stories you write (because, of course, I hope you’re still writing). And there’s a form you can fill out if you have questions about anything to do with the editors or this podcast in general.
The goal is to keep writing and to improve what you put on the page with each story you finish. This season you’ll notice I struggle a lot with expanding my work and with seeing it from a perspective outside my own mind. Getting advice from other editors (friends, family, anyone who loves to read and can offer valuable feedback) is invaluable to the process of improving. For me. You’ll have to play around with what works for you.
In having these conversations (and of course with writing and finishing so many stories lately), I’ve learned so much about my writing. That’s not to say it’s any easier, but that I can craft stories intentionally and work on various skills each time.
But knowing all this about me (or even your favorite authors) isn’t enough. My goal is that, in listening to me, you figure out your own process. I hope this podcast helps you come to realize the importance of finishing the stories you start (whatever form and length they take). I hope it motivates you to do that work yourself. I hope it helps you set specific goals for what you want out of your writing, to practice with intention and on a regular basis—whatever that means for you, and to get feedback about what’s working and what isn’t.
It’s a cliché to say practice makes perfect, but it’s a cliché because it’s true.
Keep in mind that you will struggle at times and be frustrated at others, but so long as the love for writing remains, you can improve, you can succeed, and you can have fun. And if you’re not having fun writing, what’s the point anyway?
Editors:
Lori Puma: loripuma.com
Shelley Sperry: sperryeditorial.com
Julia Blair: ragstowritten.com
Kimberly Kessler: www.kimberkessler.com
Griffin Gartner: gartnerediting.com
Leslie Watts: Writership.com
Abigail Perry: abigailkperry.com
My website: creativitythroughconstraints.com
We’re back—well, I’m back—for season 2 of A Story That Works, the podcast that gets you writing by showing you examples of what it looks like to figure out your own process and just do the work already. In case you forgot, I’m Rebecca a Story Grid certified editor and writer who does everything I can to not write, even though I love to do it.
Last season, Katelyn and I talked you through the process of writing a story three times. We shared our very different processes for prewriting, writing, and editing a story and shared those stories with you along the way. We asked you to do the work and weren’t shy about how much we struggled.
This season, Katelyn is in Prague teaching English (and now that the world is going crazy, she’s under a country-wide quarantine). Don’t worry, she’s safe and still working via video-conferencing. However, knowing her schedule ahead of time, we already knew we weren’t going to be recording together again this year.
That left me the chance to reimagine what this podcast could be and how I could get creative in helping writers do their work by continuing to show them it’s possible. Since we covered what it looks like to finish a first draft in season 1, I thought this time around we might dive deeper into editing by tearing apart some of my work and building it up to be better.
I’m lucky enough to have access to some amazing editors via Story Grid and so thought we could all help each other out by having these discussions (which, fair warning are longer than the chats Katelyn and I had).
I’m still going to read you my first drafts and I’m still going to be wholeheartedly vulnerable in this process. I welcome feedback from all of you and I’m not taking this criticism to heart because I understand that my writing, though an extension of me, is separate from who I am and can always be torn apart and made better.
The goal of writing for me is to always be improving what’s on the page and to never forget that the readers are part of writing in general. You have to have readers if you want to be successful (though, that depends on your definition of success and I only say this from a place of wanting to eventually write things other people get to read/see/listen to).
If you remember from last season, my stories needed a lot of work to get better and to be considered for publication. Not that I’ve published any of them yet, but I still struggle greatly with getting the work done, with under-writing, and with how to do this thing that I love when I care about the outcome so much.
That’s why I’m creating resources like this to help other people who might be struggling to let their egos go and to fall in love with the act of writing again. Because when we love what we’re doing, the rest (book deals, money, whatever) doesn’t matter as much and taking that pressure off yourself is the only way I’ve found I can do this thing I love in a way that might eventually lead to some semblance of success.
I hope you’re still here for this journey and can’t wait to share what we’ve come up with for this season.
Editors:
Lori Puma: loripuma.com
Shelley Sperry: sperryeditorial.com
Julia Blair: ragstowritten.com
Kimberly Kessler: www.kimberkessler.com
Griffin Gartner: gartnerediting.com
Leslie Watts: Writership.com
Abigail Perry: abigailkperry.com
My website: creativitythroughconstraints.com
We've written the first draft of a story using the prompt Everyman/Popsicle. How can we edit the story, improve it, and what can you learn from this process?
In this episode, we dig into the world of Twitter and social media. Then we'll read the stories we wrote using the prompt Everyman/Popsicle.
Once again, we're discussing the process we use while writing a story. This time we're using the prompt: Everyman and a popsicle. During this episode, we'll discuss all the things we had to think about to get the story on the page.
We're back to discussing the process we use before we start writing a story. This time we're using the prompt: an everyman and a popsicle. During this episode, we'll discuss all the things we had to think about to discover our story.
We've written the first draft of a story using the prompt death in a small town. How can we edit the story, improve it, and what can you learn from this process?
In this episode, we talk about feeling like a fraud as a writer, the word 'aspiring', and comparing our work to others. Then, we'll read our stories based on the prompt: death in a small town.
Once again, we're discussing the process we use while writing a story. This time we're using the prompt: death in a small town. During this episode, we'll discuss all the things we had to think about to get the story on the page.
We're back to discussing the process we use before we start writing a story. This time we're using the prompt: death in a small town. During this episode, we'll discuss all the things we had to think about to discover our story.
We've written the first draft of a story using the prompt an abandoned couch in the woods. How can we edit the story, improve it, and what can you learn from this process?
In this episode, we talk about fighting Resistance, coming back to the work, and sharing what we've written. Then, we'll read our stories based on the prompt: an abandoned couch in the woods.
What are all the things that came up while we were writing? Here's where we talk about how we kept going, what we learned in the process, and getting to the end.
We each wrote a story using the prompt "an abandoned couch in the woods" and in this episode, we'll talk about all the things that came up before we started writing.
The first episode will cover what you can expect from A Story That Works, what the overall intentions for the podcast are.
An explanation of what weeks 3 and 4 will cover for each original short story we write. Week 3 will be where we read our first drafts. Week 4 will cover the editing process.
An explanation of what weeks 1 and 2 will cover for each original short story we write. Week 1 will be where we talk about the things we do before we write. Week 2 will cover all the things that came up while we were writing.