June 22, 2020 • 11 mins
We all know how this ends, a big showdown with two cowboys in the middle of a small western town. Well, come join us as today we talk all about how to get to that point by writing a western!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Howdy y'all, this town isn't big enough for the both of us.
(00:09):
My name is Dennis.
And I'm Melissa Fios.
And welcome to Writer's World.
I would say that the Western genre provides a very unique opportunity.
(00:40):
Are those who enjoy traditional Western stories and those who don't?
Whatever you think is better, all stories still follow a basic outline which can vary
from genre to genre.
Storygrid.com said that the scenes in a Western typically are, quote, an inciting attack by
(01:02):
the villain or environment.
Hero sidesteps responsibility to take action.
Forced to leave the ordinary world, hero lashes out.
Discovering and understanding the villain's objective desire.
Hero's initial strategy to outmaneuver villain fails.
Hero realizing they must change their approach to salvage some form of victory.
(01:27):
Reaches in all is lost moment and the hero at the mercy of the villain.
The central event of the Western story and what the reader is waiting for the most.
It's the moment when the hero's gift is expressed and the hero's sacrifice is rewarded
is the final step.
And now this is essentially the hero's journey which Ken did an episode on but a helpful
(01:51):
outline to have.
Storygrid.com continues the article by talking about common Western conventions.
The first one is they mention is, quote, harsh, hostile, wide open landscapes is a character,
end quote.
I was freaking out a little bit when I read this because I definitely see this one in
(02:12):
every Western story I've read.
The second convention I've seen a lot that they mention is the hero, victim, and villain.
If you don't know what these three exactly are, then I would strongly recommend reading
some Louis Lamour.
Ken, what are your tips on how to write a Western?
Oh, I would say perhaps try playing a bit into your stereotypical Western and kind of
(02:36):
play from there.
You know, try something like having the classic three, two, one, draw moment.
But the hero gets out of it by being distracting or talking way too much or something like
that.
That sort of thing.
The Western genre has been stereotyped quite a bit.
So what you need to do is bring in a kind of fresh element.
(02:56):
And just to make sure we are all on the same page of what a Western is, I wanted to read
out definition from Wikipedia, which I thought summed it up really well.
Quote, Western is a genre of fiction which tells stories set primarily in the later half
of the 19th century in the old American West, often centering on the life of a nomadic cowboy
(03:17):
or gunfighter armed with a gun and a rifle who rides a horse.
End quote.
Some common characteristics of Western novels, which Ken talked about a little bit earlier,
is taken from a great masterclass article of some themes I wanted to talk about some
more.
These common characteristics are cowboys, bad guys, criminals, outlaws, bandits, the
(03:43):
lawlessness of the region and air, sheriffs, Western settlers or pioneers, ranchers, description
of wilderness and vast landscapes, saloons, railways, shootouts and duels, and revenge.
Discipline equals freedom in this case, where you are writing about a time period, so your
(04:03):
facts need to be correct on what supplies they do and didn't have, what events were
happening, the accuracy of the setting.
And now we get to the big question, how do I write a Western?
According to masterclass quote, Western novels emerged as a popular genre in the late 18th
(04:24):
80s.
The first widely read Western novels were The Virginian by Owen Wister published in
1902.
Other early Western fiction writers include Zane Grey, Ernest Haycox and Lewis Lamour.
What is important to keep in mind while writing a Western?
Remember to generally keep it grounded.
(04:45):
Westerns tend to be more gritty and rough, which means that you can't exactly have the
same feel of like a high fantasy lighthearted novel.
Another thing to consider is that there is a major set of stereotypes in the Western
genre and remember to use that to your advantage.
But don't just use total stereotypes, set yourself apart with variations of the past
(05:08):
Western stereotypes.
And one last thing that is important to remember is that environment that it takes place in.
Generally Westerns are on the dry frontier, so don't forget to at least mention and pass
into the challenges involved in living at that time and place.
Continuing the history I was kind of mentioning earlier according to Masterclass, they say
(05:31):
that quote Western novels peaked in the 1960s and lost readership shortly after in the 1970s
due to over-saturation of the Western genre on television and in movies.
As Western films lost popularity, so did Western novels.
And quote however they continue that quote the Western was the most popular film genre
(05:54):
in Hollywood for decades.
Westerns emerged during the silent air film in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
In the 1950s Hollywood produced more Western movies than all other genres combined.
And quote now how do you get the confidence or inspiration to write a Western?
(06:15):
Larry D Swizzle said in an interview for the YouTube channel Author Learning Center quote,
You have to trust your imagination.
You have to allow your imagination to wander and to prime.
That's what I did, especially with the Texas Ranger novels is I read a lot of journals.
There's a lot of material that the early Texas Rangers in the 1880s and 1890s, they were
(06:40):
by themselves and so they kept a lot of journals.
They wrote a lot.
So I read a lot of these, which gave me the candance of their thoughts, their voice, and
it really helped see how they saw the world.
And quote, studying journals or newspapers from the time period can help spark something
or choose a vivid location.
Masterclass says quote, Westerns give readers a vivid portrayal of the wild west.
(07:03):
Having a rich location in mind as you write, such as the desert, great plains or rocky
mountains can inspire and inform the characters and the action or draw inspiration from American
history.
Visit museums and galleries, especially the ones with Western art as booksbywomen.org
suggests.
Ken, how do I get enough inspiration or motivation to write a Western?
(07:29):
Well, I would say a great source for inspiration is to watch and read Westerns.
This would get your brain thought fluid going from the feet and get ideas going on at the
back of your brain.
In addition, I would recommend watching and reading other genres mixed with them so you
have other ideas crossing in your subconscious to help you come up with a great idea.
(07:52):
And of course, for motivation, you just got to get through the same kind of process you
normally do for motivation.
It should be easier if you have an idea that you are genuinely excited about.
Clint Eastwood said in his interview for American Film Institution that quote, what makes a
good Western is just a really good story and how well you tell it.
End quote.
(08:12):
I mentioned earlier how there are traditional Westerns and more modern Western stories.
And I think that what makes a good Western for me is having those traditional themes
and symbols in the story and to have a really good story well told because I'm expecting
a Western so I want these traditional themes and not necessarily another genre.
(08:35):
Ken, what do you think makes a good Western?
Something that sets it apart from other Westerns.
If you can find a way to make it unique and special in its own way, then that makes a
good Western that fits apart and above other Westerns.
I think Westerns are especially great when you can mix them with other genres.
That's my personal thought at least.
A great example of this would be Wild Wild West.
(08:57):
This movie sort of mixes Western and theme-punch in a way that is quite frankly glorious in
my opinion.
And that makes a good Western.
I will definitely have to watch it then.
I haven't seen it but some great examples of Western I know would be the 2013 Lone Ranger
movie, John Wayne movies, Lewis Lamar books.
(09:20):
And as you start researching the Western genre, you can easily fall into a rabbit hole.
And before we close, Ken, do you have any favorite Western media you want to talk about?
I mean just the same one I mentioned earlier.
I love Wild Wild West because that movie uses some massive theme-punch with Western stereotypes
(09:42):
like flawlessly.
From an uncaring gunslinger cow-wipe played by one of the best actors ever, Will Smith,
to a nut-dog villain, it is a great example of a fantastic genre-bending lecture.
Yep, need to see that then.
And today's joke comes from upcope.com.
Talks of violence could have been prevented in the Old West if only cowboy architects
(10:08):
had made the towns big enough for everyone.
Well, we hope today's episode was helpful.
If you like our podcast, please share it with your friends and family.
For sources in the transcript, visit writersworldpodcast.weewee.com.
And our Instagram is Writers World Podcast Official.
Our Patreon is patreon.com slash Writers World Podcast.
(10:31):
And if you want your questions or comments answered, our email is writersworldpodcast.weewewe.com.
Until next time, I have been Tenir.
And I've been Melissa Faos with Writers World.
Keep on going.
Keep on going.
And I'll see you next time.
Howdy y'all, this town isn't big enough for the both of us.
(00:09):
My name is Dennis.
And I'm Melissa Fios.
And welcome to Writer's World.
I would say that the Western genre provides a very unique opportunity.
(00:40):
Are those who enjoy traditional Western stories and those who don't?
Whatever you think is better, all stories still follow a basic outline which can vary
from genre to genre.
Storygrid.com said that the scenes in a Western typically are, quote, an inciting attack by
(01:02):
the villain or environment.
Hero sidesteps responsibility to take action.
Forced to leave the ordinary world, hero lashes out.
Discovering and understanding the villain's objective desire.
Hero's initial strategy to outmaneuver villain fails.
Hero realizing they must change their approach to salvage some form of victory.
(01:27):
Reaches in all is lost moment and the hero at the mercy of the villain.
The central event of the Western story and what the reader is waiting for the most.
It's the moment when the hero's gift is expressed and the hero's sacrifice is rewarded
is the final step.
And now this is essentially the hero's journey which Ken did an episode on but a helpful
(01:51):
outline to have.
Storygrid.com continues the article by talking about common Western conventions.
The first one is they mention is, quote, harsh, hostile, wide open landscapes is a character,
end quote.
I was freaking out a little bit when I read this because I definitely see this one in
(02:12):
every Western story I've read.
The second convention I've seen a lot that they mention is the hero, victim, and villain.
If you don't know what these three exactly are, then I would strongly recommend reading
some Louis Lamour.
Ken, what are your tips on how to write a Western?
Oh, I would say perhaps try playing a bit into your stereotypical Western and kind of
(02:36):
play from there.
You know, try something like having the classic three, two, one, draw moment.
But the hero gets out of it by being distracting or talking way too much or something like
that.
That sort of thing.
The Western genre has been stereotyped quite a bit.
So what you need to do is bring in a kind of fresh element.
(02:56):
And just to make sure we are all on the same page of what a Western is, I wanted to read
out definition from Wikipedia, which I thought summed it up really well.
Quote, Western is a genre of fiction which tells stories set primarily in the later half
of the 19th century in the old American West, often centering on the life of a nomadic cowboy
(03:17):
or gunfighter armed with a gun and a rifle who rides a horse.
End quote.
Some common characteristics of Western novels, which Ken talked about a little bit earlier,
is taken from a great masterclass article of some themes I wanted to talk about some
more.
These common characteristics are cowboys, bad guys, criminals, outlaws, bandits, the
(03:43):
lawlessness of the region and air, sheriffs, Western settlers or pioneers, ranchers, description
of wilderness and vast landscapes, saloons, railways, shootouts and duels, and revenge.
Discipline equals freedom in this case, where you are writing about a time period, so your
(04:03):
facts need to be correct on what supplies they do and didn't have, what events were
happening, the accuracy of the setting.
And now we get to the big question, how do I write a Western?
According to masterclass quote, Western novels emerged as a popular genre in the late 18th
(04:24):
80s.
The first widely read Western novels were The Virginian by Owen Wister published in
1902.
Other early Western fiction writers include Zane Grey, Ernest Haycox and Lewis Lamour.
What is important to keep in mind while writing a Western?
Remember to generally keep it grounded.
(04:45):
Westerns tend to be more gritty and rough, which means that you can't exactly have the
same feel of like a high fantasy lighthearted novel.
Another thing to consider is that there is a major set of stereotypes in the Western
genre and remember to use that to your advantage.
But don't just use total stereotypes, set yourself apart with variations of the past
(05:08):
Western stereotypes.
And one last thing that is important to remember is that environment that it takes place in.
Generally Westerns are on the dry frontier, so don't forget to at least mention and pass
into the challenges involved in living at that time and place.
Continuing the history I was kind of mentioning earlier according to Masterclass, they say
(05:31):
that quote Western novels peaked in the 1960s and lost readership shortly after in the 1970s
due to over-saturation of the Western genre on television and in movies.
As Western films lost popularity, so did Western novels.
And quote however they continue that quote the Western was the most popular film genre
(05:54):
in Hollywood for decades.
Westerns emerged during the silent air film in the late 19th century and early 20th century.
In the 1950s Hollywood produced more Western movies than all other genres combined.
And quote now how do you get the confidence or inspiration to write a Western?
(06:15):
Larry D Swizzle said in an interview for the YouTube channel Author Learning Center quote,
You have to trust your imagination.
You have to allow your imagination to wander and to prime.
That's what I did, especially with the Texas Ranger novels is I read a lot of journals.
There's a lot of material that the early Texas Rangers in the 1880s and 1890s, they were
(06:40):
by themselves and so they kept a lot of journals.
They wrote a lot.
So I read a lot of these, which gave me the candance of their thoughts, their voice, and
it really helped see how they saw the world.
And quote, studying journals or newspapers from the time period can help spark something
or choose a vivid location.
Masterclass says quote, Westerns give readers a vivid portrayal of the wild west.
(07:03):
Having a rich location in mind as you write, such as the desert, great plains or rocky
mountains can inspire and inform the characters and the action or draw inspiration from American
history.
Visit museums and galleries, especially the ones with Western art as booksbywomen.org
suggests.
Ken, how do I get enough inspiration or motivation to write a Western?
(07:29):
Well, I would say a great source for inspiration is to watch and read Westerns.
This would get your brain thought fluid going from the feet and get ideas going on at the
back of your brain.
In addition, I would recommend watching and reading other genres mixed with them so you
have other ideas crossing in your subconscious to help you come up with a great idea.
(07:52):
And of course, for motivation, you just got to get through the same kind of process you
normally do for motivation.
It should be easier if you have an idea that you are genuinely excited about.
Clint Eastwood said in his interview for American Film Institution that quote, what makes a
good Western is just a really good story and how well you tell it.
End quote.
(08:12):
I mentioned earlier how there are traditional Westerns and more modern Western stories.
And I think that what makes a good Western for me is having those traditional themes
and symbols in the story and to have a really good story well told because I'm expecting
a Western so I want these traditional themes and not necessarily another genre.
(08:35):
Ken, what do you think makes a good Western?
Something that sets it apart from other Westerns.
If you can find a way to make it unique and special in its own way, then that makes a
good Western that fits apart and above other Westerns.
I think Westerns are especially great when you can mix them with other genres.
That's my personal thought at least.
A great example of this would be Wild Wild West.
(08:57):
This movie sort of mixes Western and theme-punch in a way that is quite frankly glorious in
my opinion.
And that makes a good Western.
I will definitely have to watch it then.
I haven't seen it but some great examples of Western I know would be the 2013 Lone Ranger
movie, John Wayne movies, Lewis Lamar books.
(09:20):
And as you start researching the Western genre, you can easily fall into a rabbit hole.
And before we close, Ken, do you have any favorite Western media you want to talk about?
I mean just the same one I mentioned earlier.
I love Wild Wild West because that movie uses some massive theme-punch with Western stereotypes
(09:42):
like flawlessly.
From an uncaring gunslinger cow-wipe played by one of the best actors ever, Will Smith,
to a nut-dog villain, it is a great example of a fantastic genre-bending lecture.
Yep, need to see that then.
And today's joke comes from upcope.com.
Talks of violence could have been prevented in the Old West if only cowboy architects
(10:08):
had made the towns big enough for everyone.
Well, we hope today's episode was helpful.
If you like our podcast, please share it with your friends and family.
For sources in the transcript, visit writersworldpodcast.weewee.com.
And our Instagram is Writers World Podcast Official.
Our Patreon is patreon.com slash Writers World Podcast.
(10:31):
And if you want your questions or comments answered, our email is writersworldpodcast.weewewe.com.
Until next time, I have been Tenir.
And I've been Melissa Faos with Writers World.
Keep on going.
Keep on going.
And I'll see you next time.
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