For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories readers will love, and who want to work with a literary agent. Each week, editors Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill use films to explain how to craft a story that hooks the reader on page one and holds their attention all the way to the end. On alternate weeks, Valerie and literary agent Kathleen Foxx offer their professional feedback on query letters and writing samples submitted by Story Nerd listeners.
The goal is simple: to help writers realize their dreams of becoming published authors. If you love to write, and you love to tell stories, and you want to see your book out in the world, this podcast is for you!
"The only thing that matters, and that ever will matter, is the story. That's it." - Tom Hanks (Oxford Union 2024)
Blending genres, even genres as disparate as sci-fi and western, CAN be done! Firefly pulls it off beautifully, and yet Cowboys and Aliens flopped. Story tropes and hacks, like having a character lose his memory, can work so well it launches a franchise — look no further than Jason Bourne. But in Cowboys and Aliens it's, frankly, just plain stupid. This film is produced by, and stars, some of the biggest names in the business and yet, it has still done a face plant. So where did it go wrong? That's what Melanie and I reveal in today's episode. Enjoy! -V.
Watch us on YouTube (and subscribe)!
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.
Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.
For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist
To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.
To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.
28 Oct 2026
Best Advice: worldbuilding and saggy middles
How do you keep your reader from losing interest halfway through the book? This is what happens when a story "sags" in the middle and the fix is easier than you might expect!
What happens if you run afoul of the norms you've established for your own fictional world? Hooboy, this is a trap many writers (new and established) run into and the impact on a story can be devastating.
In this episode, Melanie and I review everything we learned in Season 19 about the antagonist's role in the all-important second act, and about orienting a reader to a fictional world. Enjoy! -V.
Watch us on YouTube (and subscribe)!
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.
Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.
For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist
To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.
To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.
21 Oct 2026
Bombshell: irony masterclass
If you want to know what irony is and how to use it, this episode is story gold. ‘I’m not a feminist,’ is Megyn Kelly’s catchcry in Bombshell, but she calls out misogyny (eventually) and is the breadwinner for her family. Yep! This has mined the irony to maximum value. However, just because I find story gold, doesn't mean Valerie has been as lucky. What happens when the middle build of a story is meant to be driven by the antagonist and the antagonist does his job off-screen? Join us this week to find out. -M.
Watch us on YouTube (and subscribe)!
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.
Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.
For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist
To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.
To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.
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