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
Apr 12, 2024 • 28min
Episode 108 - Every description should do double duty.
We can avoid inert paragraphs by having our descriptions do more than one thing at once. Descriptions of our characters, settings, and action and our dialogue can do double duty--two things at the same time--which will engage the reader and enliven our story. Here's how .Support the show
Apr 5, 2024 • 29min
Episode 107 - The differences between literary and commercial fiction.
Exploring the differences between literary and commercial fiction, how authors can draw from both styles, the importance of strong characters and quality storytelling, crafting compelling dialogues in crime fiction, and the impact of filtering in writing on reader immersion.
Mar 29, 2024 • 26min
Episode 106 - How to write a scene's sequel, and plotting the novel's middle.
Jack Bickham says that scenes should be followed by sequels. Here are thoughts on how to write a sequel. Also, the middle of a novel--sometimes called the Great Swampy Middle--can be hard to plot. We'll discuss techniques on bulking up the middle of our story.Support the show
Mar 22, 2024 • 28min
Episode 105 - A technique for plotting scene to scene, and my failed writing experiment.
What is the best way to plot our novel, plotting from scene to scene? Here is a discussion of the critical technique of avoiding a scene's set up and wind down. Also, I took part in a writing experiment and spectacularly failed, and here is an account of it. I still wince when I recall it. Also, a strong writing technique is avoiding "was" and "were." We'll discuss why and how to do so.Support the show
Mar 15, 2024 • 26min
Episode 104 - Let's get to work, and showing with dialogue.
What if we are stymied in our plotting, and can't think of enough story? Here are some thoughts on how we might get to work. Also; one of the best ways we can reveal our characters to readers is with the characters' own words, with their dialogue. Here are some thoughts on showing--as opposed to telling--with dialogue. Also, this episode contains the words "oaf," "poltroon," and "knucklehead," such words being like salt; they make anything better.Support the show
Mar 8, 2024 • 26min
Episode 103 - The joy of creating something out of nothing. And, is our new plot point a strong one?
We writers get to experience the joy of creating something--a character, a setting, an event--out of nothing. And, how can we tell if the new plot point we've come up with is any good? Are there questions we can ask ourselves to test our new plot point? Also: who are the most memorable villains in fiction? Here is Stephen King's list. And here is something technical; how to paragraph dialogue.Support the show
Mar 1, 2024 • 25min
Episode 102 - Lovely sentence-by-sentence writing, and pumping up our creativity.
Most of us subscribe to the our-words-should-be-a-clear-window-to-the-story technique but some writers intentionally make their sentences beautiful so that we think about the words on the page. Here are some thoughts on writing beautiful sentences. Also, how can we pump up our creativity so as to get us off the dime regarding our plotting? And Edna Ferber's striking character descriptions. Support the show
Feb 23, 2024 • 26min
Episode 101 - The phrases notebook, and avoiding our plot bogging down.
A phrases notebook is a remarkably useful tool for writers. Here's how to create one. Also, sometimes while writing we might get the feeling that our plot is becoming aimless and that it is bogging down. We'll list questions we can ask ourselves to determine if it's true, and how to fix the problem.Support the show
Feb 16, 2024 • 28min
Episode 100 - Getting into the flow, and the power of fiction.
Explore getting into the 'flow' while writing 40 pages, the transformative power of fiction, and showing negative emotions in storytelling. Plus, a wild monkey encounter in Thailand!
Feb 9, 2024 • 24min
Episode 99 - Traps when writing character-driven stories.
Traps to avoid when writing character-driven stories. Kurt Vonnegut's technique of making a character want something right away. How Joyce Carol Oates works. The enduring appeal of Anne of Green Gables.
