Author Steve Almond shares insights on crafting engaging narratives, embracing failure, finding authenticity in writing, and exploring storytelling secrets in a conversation about his new book 'Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow'. The discussion delves into consequences in storytelling, unearthing storytelling secrets, the impact of bewilderment in storytelling, and mastering the art of beginning a story.
Crafting stories involves understanding character internal struggles and embracing failures as learning opportunities.
Developing characters with depth entails exploring vulnerabilities and internal conflicts that drive the narrative forward.
Authentic writing requires surrendering to the story's emotional core, embracing unique voices, and allowing characters to guide the narrative.
Deep dives
Understanding the Craft of Writing
Crafting stories involves embracing the writing life, learning from failures, and understanding the importance of internal conflicts in characters. The essence of storytelling lies in revealing the internal struggles that plague characters, going beyond just triggering external actions.
The Significance of Inner Life in Characters
Developing characters with depth involves exploring their inner conflicts and desires, exposing vulnerabilities that drive the narrative forward. Characters need to be more than agents of action; they should embody complex emotions and internal dilemmas.
Surrendering to the Story
Writing authentically requires surrendering to the story, embracing one's unique voice, and allowing the characters to guide the narrative. Engaging with the story's emotional core rather than enforcing external actions leads to a more compelling and relatable storytelling experience.
Finding Personal Stories to Tell
Identifying the stories that resonate most are often rooted in personal experiences, internal struggles, and recurring themes in one's life. Writing about what cannot be discarded, whether desires in peril or internal conflicts, forms the core of engaging storytelling.
Embracing the Writing Process Over Seeking External Validation
The podcast delves into the importance of finding fulfillment in the process of writing rather than fixating on external validation like publishing deals or readership. It emphasizes that writing a novel is a journey of self-discovery and empathy towards characters, leading to personal growth and understanding. The speaker highlights that focusing on the essence of storytelling, understanding characters deeply, and embracing the struggle of creating authentic narratives are the true rewards of writing.
Efficiency and Clarity in Storytelling
The episode discusses the significance of efficiency and clarity in storytelling, specifically exemplified by effectively laying out the stakes and narrative direction in the opening paragraphs of a story. It emphasizes the power of efficiently orienting readers to the core conflicts and motivations of characters from the start. By providing clear and powerful storytelling decisions, such as revealing essential story elements early on, writers can engage readers effectively and maintain narrative coherence throughout the work.
Almond is the author of a dozen books of fiction and nonfiction, including All The Secrets of The World and the New York Times bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. His essays and reviews have been published in venues ranging from the New York Times Magazine to Ploughshares to Poets & Writers, and his short fiction has appeared in Best American Short Stories, The Pushcart Prize, Best American Mysteries, and Best American Erotica.Almond is the recipient of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and co-hosted the Dear Sugars podcast with Cheryl Strayed for four years. He teaches at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism, and lives outside Boston with his family, his debt, and his anxiety.
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Otherppl with Brad Listi is a weekly literary podcast featuring in-depth interviews with today's leading writers.
