This week, we’re digging into context—what it is, why it matters, and how it can totally transform your storytelling. Whether you're working in fantasy, sci-fi, or anything in between, the details you choose to include (or leave out) can make your world feel rich, real, and emotionally resonant.
We talk about using context to deepen conflict, sharpen stakes ... Show More
Mar 1
21.09: Grounding The Reader
Grounding a reader starts in the very first lines of a story. Where are we? Who are we with? What kind of story are we in? Our hosts explore how emotion, context, and sensory detail work together to create immersion, and why action alone isn’t enough without an emotional lens. Fr ... Show More
20m 52s
Feb 15
21.07: Deep Dive- “With Her Serpent Locks”
To celebrate Mary Robinette’s birthday today (!!), she is taking us inside the craft (and emotional engine) of her short story “With Her Serpent Locks,” using it as a case study in beginnings, control, and creative “leveling up.” Our hosts dig into grounding the reader through my ... Show More
23m 48s
Dec 2024
Episode 71: Season Five Prologue
Welcome to Season Five, family.CW: Imagery of being trapped in a small town, imagery associated with the satanic panic, family strife.Written by Steve Shell and Cam CollinsNarrated by Steve ShellSound design by Steve ShellProduced and edited by Cam Collins and Steve ShellIntro mu ... Show More
14m 14s
Sep 2024
Matthew Dicks: The Storytelling Expert
Master storyteller Matthew Dicks unveils the hidden blueprint behind stories that win million-dollar deals, transform resistant teams, and turn skeptical investors into champions. Learn why most leaders tell stories that fail, and discover the counterintuitive techniques that mak ... Show More
2h 1m