The Story Craft Cafe Podcast
Story Crafters talking about the magic of storytelling and giving you the tools to craft your story. We’re launching a new kind of online writing community. One where we can all find support, encouragement, ideas, and inspiration. A place where we can all write together. A place where we can celebrate failures and successes, find mentors, and work together to get published.
Episodes
Jen Braaksma is a book coach and is the author of two young adult novels, Evangeline’s Heaven and Amaranth. A former journalist and high school English teacher, Jen is now a book coach who helps writers develop their stories. She lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband (soulmates do exist!), two daughters (Best. Kids. Ever.) and her four cats (who know they’re in charge).
Michelle Hazen is a nomad with a writing problem. Years ago, she and her husband ducked out of the 9 to 5 world and moved into their truck to become desert tortoise biologists. She found her voice with the support of the online fanfiction community, and once she started typing, she never looked back.
As a result, she has written most of her books in odd places, including a bus in Thailand, an off-the-grid cabin in the Sawtooth Moun...
In a novel, pacing is everything. During this workshop, we’ll talk about story beats and how to use them correctly, followed by an introduction to the all-powerful micro-beat. Through video clips, I'll teach you how to identify the moments on screen that bring you to the edge of your seat and show you how to apply those techniques to your writing. Learn how to create killer action scenes, nail-biting drama, and romantic moments tha...
Jess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice. Her debut, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2016. She won the Costa Short Story Award the same year. Her second novel, The Hoarder (published as Mr. Flood’s Last Resort in the U.S.), was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019. Both books were BBC Radio 2 Book C...
Molly Harper is the USA Today Bestselling author of more than forty paranormal romance, contemporary romance, young adult and mystery titles, most of them through Simon & Schuster, Audible and Sourcebooks Casablanca. Her first book, Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, came out in 2009. Her latest Audible Exclusive project, the Starfall Point series, launched recently with Witches Get Stuff Done. Most of her titles are available in pri...
James Blatch is a former BBC Defence Reporter and a former BBFC Film Examiner. He reported for the BBC on the UK military from, among other places, HMS Invincible (Operation Desert Fox build up), Kuwait (Ali Al Salem allied air base), the Arctic Circle as well as covering the UK air offensive during the Kosovo Conflict in 1999.
Blatch works in publishing, teaching authors at learnselfpublishing.com and publishing writers at vinci-b...
Complete your short story journey with this final session focused on polishing and celebration of your accomplishment. We will share insider techniques for effective line editing, crafting satisfying endings, and selecting titles that capture your story's essence. We will read from our work, reflect on our progress, and receive feedback. Beyond completing a publishable short story, we’ll leave with sustainable writing habits, revis...
Transform your rough draft into polished prose in this crucial third session. You'll learn to strengthen character arcs, develop thematic depth, and enhance your unique voice through strategic revision choices. We will share a key scene and receive targeted feedback from our fellow participants. These revision techniques will not only elevate your current story but become valuable tools for all your future writing projects.
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Move from concept to creation in our second session. This week focuses on the architecture of effective scenes, the art of gripping openings, and dialogue that reveals character while advancing plot. We will share techniques for maintaining narrative momentum, balancing showing versus telling, and creating the emotional impact that distinguishes memorable short fiction. In week 2 you'll have transformed your story concept into a co...
Discover the foundations of compelling short fiction in our first session. Our panel will guide you through proven story generation techniques, character development essentials, and the key elements that make short stories resonate with readers. You'll learn to mine your experiences for authentic material, observe the world with a writer's eye, and transform simple prompts into story gold. From this session, you'll have a fully dev...
Considered one of the most prolific writers working in modern fiction, USA Today bestselling writer, Dean Wesley Smith has published over two hundred novels in forty years, and hundreds and hundreds of short stories across many genres.
At the moment he produces novels in five major series, including the time travel Thunder Mountain novels set in the old west, the galaxy-spanning Seeders Universe series, the urban fantasy Ghost of...
Rosa Linda Román is an Emmy-nominated, William Randolph Hearst Award-winning reporter, anchor & podcaster. Rosa Linda’s broadcasting career includes WCTV Tallahassee, KVIA El Paso, KOAT-7 Albuquerque, KSAZ Fox 10 Phoenix, WTVT-13 Tampa & KION-46 Salinas/Monterey. She’s also a successful independent director & screenwriter.
In 2005, Rosa Linda left TV news to start her family. In 2007 she created New Mexicast, New Mexico...
Jesse Q Sutanto grew up shuttling back and forth between Indonesia, Singapore, and Oxford, and considers all three places her home. She has a Masters from Oxford University, but she has yet to figure out how to say that without sounding obnoxious. Jesse has forty-two first cousins and thirty aunties and uncles, many of whom live just down the road. She used to game but with two little ones and a husband, she no longer has time for ...
Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur, and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. The Man in Black gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume.
There are ghost stories, cozy mysteries, tales of psychological suspense, and poignant vignettes of l...
Today we talk about writing and publishing short stories. Have you thought about how writing short fiction might help your creative process? Tune in today to hear these four masters talk craft with Hank.
Henry Herz has authored fourteen picture books and edited eight anthologies for Albert Whitman & Co., Blackstone Publishing, and others. His short stories have been published by Weird Tales, Baen Books, Pseudopod, Metastellar, ...
It's another Fireside Chat with Hank and Doug. This week we tackle the topic of how to get started as an author. You have a great idea for a story that needs to be told, but how do you go about bringing that story idea out into the light of day? Doug and Hank tackle that today.
Join us for a cozy, candid Fireside Chat where we dive into all things writing goals! In this session, we’ll reflect on the highs, lows, and lessons learned from the past year, celebrating our wins and examining what didn’t quite go as planned. Then, we’ll look ahead to the new year, discussing how to set realistic, motivating writing goals that align with your aspirations as an author.
Welcome back for 2025! It's a new year and we hope you are enjoying it so far and that you have big plans for your writing this year. Join us today as Hank and Doug answer some of your questions about the writing life. Stay tuned for more great content as the year unfolds.
Join us at storycraft.cafe to find your tribe.
Scott Moon is the co-author of the bestselling Homeworld Lost, The Last Reaper, Terran Strike Marines, and Darklanding series. His solo works include Blue Sun Armada, Invasion Day, the Chronicles of Kin Roland, and more. As a lifelong fan of reading and a chronic daydreamer, he has retired from twenty-six years of public service to make his own schedule, indulge his imagination, and pursue a variety of hobbies. He’s an 80s kid who ...
Writing isn't easy. As much as we love it, we know there are roadblocks, hurdles, and areas we can improve.
In this Fireside Chat, Hank and Doug discuss their own writing weaknesses, how they discovered them, how they work on them, and ways you might do the same.
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