Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
James Thayer
Hosted by James Thayer, the podcast is a practical, step-by-step manual on how to craft a novel. It presents a set of tools for large issues such as story development and scene construction (Kirkus Reviews said Thayer's novels are "superbly crafted') and it also examines techniques that will make your sentence-by-sentence writing shine. The New York Times Book Review has said Thayer's "writing is smooth and clear. it wastes no words, and it has a rhythm only confident stylists achieve.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 28, 2022 • 26min
Episode 36 - The most interesting to the least interesting aspects of a novel.
Some elements of a novel are more interesting than others, and some are less interesting. Writers should give readers more of the involving and fascinating aspects, and here is a ranked list of those elements. Also, a look at how three great writers describe their characters, and what we can learn from them.Support the show
Oct 21, 2022 • 23min
Episode 35 - A close look at scene structure, and avoiding mushy sentences.
Scene structure is an art hidden from the reader but critical for the success of a scene. We'll talk about structure in this episode. Also, here is one of the best ways to avoid mushy, colorless sentences that don't grip the reader.Support the show
Oct 14, 2022 • 23min
Episode 34 - Why and how to practice writing, and more thoughts on thoughts.
Should we as writers practice our craft? What are the benefits, and how should we do so? And here are more ideas about making clear to readers what our character is thinking. Also, here are some laughably bad sentences.Support the show
Oct 7, 2022 • 25min
Episode 33 - Danger signs our plot is dull.
Here are eight signs that our plot isn't as interesting as we'd like, which is to say; it's dull. And how to fix it. Also, how do we carve out the time to write in our busy lives? A good author reveals how she did it.Support the show
Sep 30, 2022 • 25min
Episode 32 - A formula for showing, and clear and spare writing.
We should show as opposed to tell most of the time. But sometimes telling is fine. Here is a formula for when to show and when to tell. Also, we'll talk about techniques for clear and spare writing. And the reason Great Expectations by Charles Dickens is my favorite novel. And a wonderfully funny sentence from Lee Child.Support the show
Sep 23, 2022 • 22min
Episode 31 - Favorite novels and check-mark plotting.
Making a list of our favorite novels is fun and it can teach us something about writing, plus the strong technique of check-mark plotting.Support the show
Sep 16, 2022 • 25min
Episode 30 - Plotting and the power struggle.
Plotting our story is so important that we return to it here. How can we know what works and doesn't work in a story? We'll talk about plotting techniques including good advice from a Pulitzer Prize winner.Support the show
Sep 9, 2022 • 28min
Episode 29 - The pattern of a novel.
Successful novels almost always follow a pattern, and we'll talk about the pattern in this episode. Also, what put you in mind of writing fiction? I'd like to hear from you about it. And several more odd book titles.Support the show
Sep 2, 2022 • 27min
Episode 28 - The enchanter quality, and weather and rudeness.
Vladimir Nabokov said a writer should have the enchanter quality. Here are examples from H.P. Lovecraft. And how does Nora Roberts work? Also, showing rather than telling about the weather and personality. And some John Lennon.Support the show
Aug 26, 2022 • 25min
Episode 27 - The importance of genres and formulas. And thoughts about titles.
Formulas became formulas because they work. Our genre will offer guidelines (formulas) for our plots. And: titles are fun to think about but it's sometimes hard to invent a good one. Here are some thoughts about coming up with a good title.Support the show
