In this episode, we discuss “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce. What can we learn from a story with such a devastating twist? How can we create an engaging story out of a cheap trick that we’re usually advised to avoid? What’s a good length for a story? Is this a story? […]

Why Is This Good?

066: “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce

In this episode, we discuss “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury. What can we learn from a quick science fiction story? How can a science fiction premise generate a story with such strong emotions? How can we show emotions in a story? What makes good science fiction? How can a simple story still […]

065: “All Summer in a Day” by Ray Bradbury

In this episode, we discuss “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. What can we learn from this quiet horror story? How does foreshadowing work? How can good, small-town chat help a story? How can something familiar be undermined to make it horrifying? If you enjoy this episode, consider subscribing to our newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com For daily […]

064: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

In this episode, we discuss “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. Why did Kristine choose an old, nineteenth-century story, and what can we learn from it? How have the attention spans of readers changed over the past century? How does the character’s connection with the setting help drive the story? If you enjoy this […]

063: “A White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett

In this episode, we discuss “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang. What can we learn from this complex and heart-wrenching science-fiction story? How can we use very specific ideas from specialized fields to drive a narrative? How do we make sure the science that informs the story’s conceit helps to propel the drama of […]

062: “Story of Your Life” by Ted Chiang

In this episode, we discuss “The Girls in Their Summer Dresses” by Irwin Shaw. What can we learn from a story driven by dialogue? How does a story like this generate momentum? How is the spare writing achieved? How much can be accomplished with good dialogue? What makes dialogue feel realistic? How can we use […]

061: “The Girls in Their Summer Dresses” by Irwin Shaw

In this episode, Anna talks to eminent novelist and prolific short story writer Richard Bausch. They discuss his short story, “Isolation,” his novella, “Donnaiolo,” and what it’s like to have one’s work optioned and filmed in Hollywood. Richard will also read his recently published short story, “Trigger Warnings.” If you enjoy this episode, please consider […]

First Person: Interview with Richard Bausch

In this episode, we discuss “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates. What can we learn from this timeless story? How can we handle dialect in our stories? How can we develop good tension for a story? How can we show a character’s motivations without being specific? How can a […]

060: “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carol Oates

In this episode, we discuss “Herman Wouk is Still Alive” by Stephen King. What can we learn from a short story by a master storyteller? How can we develop plot in a short story? How can we establish character? If you enjoy this episode, consider subscribing to our newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com For daily writing tips, […]

059: “Herman Wouk is Still Alive” by Stephen King

In this episode, we interview Benjamin Percy. Find out more about Benjamin Percy here: https://benjaminpercy.com/ Buy The Ninth Metal here: https://www.contentbookstore.com/ If you enjoy this episode, consider subscribing to our newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop

First Person: Interview with Benjamin Percy

In this episode, we discuss “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. What can we learn from a 19th-Century Feminist short story? How does the diary-entry structure inform the way we read? How is a first-person point of view affected by the diary format? How does the horror genre help serve the story’s social commentary? […]

058: “The Yellow Wall-Paper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

In this episode, we discuss “With the Beatles” by Haruki Murakami. How does structure help move the story forward and inform its themes? How do the three phases of the structure function in the story? How can ruminating on an idea propel a story? What can we learn from an ambiguous ending? How does a […]

057: “With the Beatles” by Haruki Murakami

In this episode, we discuss “The Prairie Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld. What can we learn from a story that unspools like a stone tumbling down a hill? How can we accomplish such mind-blowing twists? How can we use unconscious cultural dispositions to create tension in a story? How does setting the action of a story […]

056: “The Prairie Wife” by Curtis Sittenfeld

In this episode, we discuss “Wake for Susan” by Cormac McCarthy. What can we learn from a well-known author’s first publication? How can daydreams or telling stories to ourselves help drive a narrative? How can common experiences become the occassion for a story? How can the history of a place affect the stories that are […]

055: “Wake for Susan” by Cormac McCarthy

In this episode, we discuss “Items Awaiting Protective Enclosure” by Téa Obreht. What can we say about a cli-fi (climate-fiction) story told with a second person point of view? How is such an intricate near-future setting realized so swiftly? How does the structure of the story reflect the emotional journey? How can we create connections […]

054: “Items Awaiting Protective Enclosure” by Téa Obreht

The Naples Writers' Workshop presents lessons from successful writing