Beste Story Workshop podcasts (2024)

1
Going Back to Our Roots - The Flowering of the Strange Orchid by H.G. Wells 39:40

2y ago39:40

39:40

You never know what kind of flower a podcast will become until it reaches full bloom. We descend gracefully into the night with a return to the author from our first episode. One more episode of reminiscing is to come, and then we will be embarking on a new project with better everything. I'm so excited!…

1
The Bottle Imp - Robert Louis Stevenson 1:27:16

2y ago1:27:16

1:27:16

Keawe buys a bottle with an imp inside who grants as many wishes as you like. You can only sell the bottle for less than you bought it. If you possess it on your death, you will go to hell. We discuss story stakes, consider if the imp checks the exchange rate and explain the Bottle Imp Paradox, named after this story.…

1
Love or Generosity? - The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde 40:00

2+ y ago40:00

40:00

It's The Happy Prince. Look how happy he is. Aren't you glad that he's happy?Door Matt

1
Rivals to Enemies - The Shadow & The Flash by Jack London 52:58

2+ y ago52:58

52:58

A tale of two scientists racing to find the key to invisibility. We discuss made-up science, rivalries and sandwich metaphors.

1
Monsters - The Fog Horn by Ray Bradbury 40:20

2+ y ago40:20

40:20

This week we talk about monsters, especially the big kind. Ray Bradbury's story is a little sad and often poignant - what makes it so effective?Door Matt

1
The Haunted Dolls House by M.R James 59:11

2+ y ago59:11

59:11

We discuss breaking the fourth wall in fiction, horror vs ghost stories and more in our discussion of this ghostly tale by M.R James.Door Matt

1
Dr Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne 44:57

2+ y ago44:57

44:57

A dubious scientist experiments on his friends with water from The Fountain of Youth in one of Nathaniel Hawthorne's most popular short stories. We discuss why you shouldn't be friends with dubious scientists.Door Matt

1
Lovecraft's Best Craftmanship - The Music of Erich Zann by H.P. Lovecraft 44:36

2+ y ago44:36

44:36

Turns out Lovecraft can write a good story that also feels a tad more mainstream than his usual. Who knew? We talk about why many people (including Lovecraft himself) consider this one of his best stories.Door Matt

1
Villain Protagonists - Moonface by Jack London 44:51

2+ y ago44:51

44:51

We discuss why we felt guilty for laughing at Moonface, whether optimists are annoying and writing villain protagonists.Door Matt

1
Stand Under My UmbLuella - Luella Miller by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman 48:37

2+ y ago48:37

48:37

The title is funny because it's also a story about depending on others. In this episode, we attempt to explain this story as neatly as I just explained my own joke. We talk about character agency, feminine "ideals" and whether calling people bro influences your sexuality.Door Matt

1
Alien Big Cats - The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce 38:56

2+ y ago38:56

38:56

We discuss raising the stakes, describing characters and ABCs aka Alien Big Cats in this short horror storyDoor Matt

1
The Time Travel Episode - Repeat Performance by Rog Phillips 1:09:36

2+ y ago1:09:36

1:09:36

A winding time travel tale from the 50s that will keep you guessing. At times more of a puzzle than a story, we discuss internal consistency, our favourite time travel systems, and building character motivations.

1
Master of Disguise - The Arrest of Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc 46:47

2+ y ago46:47

46:47

Arsene Lupin is a gentleman thief and only steals the finest of things. We discuss the first story written about this character, who was said to be a master of disguise.Door Matt

1
Zero Hour by Ray Bradbury 42:54

3y ago42:54

42:54

The return of Ray Bradbury with a light sci-fi story that's both funny and a little creepy. We discuss use and abuse of the 'creepy children' trope, the use of non-diegetic information in short stories and Bradbury's distinctive style.Door Matt

1
The Greatest Element of Terror - What Was It? by Fitz James O'Brien 52:26

3y ago52:26

52:26

This story contains one of the first examples of invisibility in fiction. We discuss the elements of terror and why everyone wants to be invisible.Door Matt

1
A Finnish Folk Tale - The Forest Bride by Parker Fillmore 41:12

3y ago41:12

41:12

This charming fairy tale about a talented mouse is a fun little story. We discuss happy vs ambiguous endings, the Finnish language, translation and more.

1
The Celestial Omnibus - EM Forster 51:55

3y ago51:55

51:55

Take a journey to heaven in EM Forster's The Celestial Omnibus. We discuss snobbery in literature, transitions between worlds and try to work out some of the story's many literary references. For more on EM Forster - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/feb/17/e-m-forster-my-policeman

1
Our First Competition Winner! - Kill the King by Josephine Lenski 26:55

3y ago26:55

26:55

This week's story is the winner of our competition we ran at the end of last year. We talk about keeping a story moving and how to come up with a strong concept.Door Matt

1
A Dystopian Utopia - 2BRO2B by Kurt Vonnegut 37:35

3y ago37:35

37:35

An unusually-titled story from Kurt Vonnegut that shows how everything can go horribly wrong, even with good intentions. We discuss the idea of collective vs individualistic ideals, dark humour, and contrasting themes.Door Matt

1
Romanticism vs Naturalism - The False Gems by Guy de Maupassant 41:03

3y ago41:03

41:03

Guy de Maupassant's naturalist writing style influenced O Henry and Kate Chopin. This story about marriage has plenty of twists and turns. How to say Guy de Maupassant's name actually and properly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOkQLmlokAE&ab_channel=JulienMiquel (With thanks to Holly and Andy for the reading material!)…

1
An Offbeat Ghost Story - Caterpillars by E.F. Benson 45:07

3y ago45:07

45:07

TW: disease, cancer This story is a little unusual, but memorable. We discuss what it does right and what it does wrong, as well as the creepiest kinds of monsters and how to tie a story together.

1
The Perfect First (and Last) Line - The Reticence of Lady Anne by Saki 32:41

3y ago32:41

32:41

This masterful story is dripping with sarcasm, dry humour and character. We look at what makes its first (and last) lines so great, how we might approach beginnings and endings ourselves, and how to create humourous characters. Mentioned article from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/sep/14/saki-my-hero-naomi-alderman…

1
Short Story Collections [Discussion] 21:55

3y ago21:55

21:55

This week we talk about various short story collections and how to construct a good one. Here's a list of the books we mentioned: The Stories of Ibis by Hiroshi Yamamoto Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Elys Dayton Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo Kissing the Witch by Emma Donog…

1
Should You Plan or Outline Your Story? [Discussion] 36:57

3y ago36:57

36:57

There's no story this week - instead, we bring you a discussion about the craft of writing. We talk about the dual approaches of planning or 'pantsing' and why the writing community has it all wrong.Door Matt

1
Fate Bending and Genre Blending - The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs 47:57

3y ago47:57

47:57

This week's story is the classic be-careful-what-you-wish-for story The Monkey's Paw. We discuss why sensible characters are no fun, blending genres and challenging fate.

1
Not Your Average Episode - The Red Umbrella by Matt Bowles 14:57

3y ago14:57

14:57

I'm all alone, there's no one here beside me~ Matt reads his story amidst the silence that serves as the foundation of creativity.Door Matt

1
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe 40:25

3y ago40:25

40:25

It's Halloween, so here's a horror story that's shockingly relevant almost 180 years after its publication. We talk about the various interpretations of this story and Poe's 'unity of effect', one of the most important defining features of short stories as a form.

1
Weaving a Romance - A Shameful Affair by Kate Chopin 35:54

3y ago35:54

35:54

This classic romance story is from the once controversial but now loved writer Kate Chopin. We discuss settings for romance stories, how to make a story linger in the reader's head, and how to marry both external and internal plot lines. Story of the Week page as mentioned: https://storyoftheweek.loa.org/2021/02/a-shameful-affair.html…

1
The Mermaid of Druid Lake by Charles Weathers Bump 38:40

3y ago38:40

38:40

We discuss this cheery story about why there isn't a mermaid at this one lake or something. We talk about ways to build conflict and character quickly in romance and the mystery that is Charles Weathers Bump.

1
Different Perspectives - The Damned Thing by Ambrose Bierce 42:46

3y ago42:46

42:46

This uniquely structured story paints an intriguing scene and then unravels the details from several different perspectives. We discuss its unique structure and the different characters it illuminates.

1
Pacing in Fantasy - Skulls in the Stars by Robert E. Howard 50:01

3y ago50:01

50:01

This is one of the first stories to feature the character of Solomon Kane, and one of the first in the sword and sorcery subgenre of fantasy. We discuss the evolution of the genre, tips for writing a story with a good pace, the rise of pulp fiction and how markets and reader demographics have changed.…

1
Writing Humour - The Ransom of Red Chief by O Henry 46:50

3y ago46:50

46:50

This story follows a flawless kidnapping plot cooked up by two bumbling criminals. We discuss grounding the absurd with truthful writing and the difficulties of writing humourously.

1
Intrigue and Time - Accessory Before the Fact by Algernon Blackwood 41:39

3y ago41:39

41:39

In this mysterious tale from ghost aficionado Algernon Blackwood, a fork in the road is not as it seems. We talk about building intrigue and suspense in stories, managing the passage of time, and Blackwood's interest in a certain ghost club.Door Matt

1
Genre Writing and Science Fiction - Lazarus Comes Forth by Ray Bradbury 52:00

3y ago52:00

52:00

This week we look at another sci-fi story, this time from Fahrenheit 451 author Ray Bradbury. We talk about genre writing and how genres change reader's expectations, and how to manage this. We also talk about setting up characters and settings for the story ahead.

1
The Sequel Challenge - The Lonely Fisherman by Melody Bowles 44:36

3y ago44:36

44:36

The last of our sequel challenge stories - Mel's sequel to The Little Mermaid. We discuss descriptions, fantasy settings and more! If you'd like to take part in the challenge and write a sequel to a story we discussed on the podcast, we'd love to see it!

1
Conflict, Scale, and a Sink Full of Whale - The Frog and the Puddle by Edna Ferber 45:08

3y ago45:08

45:08

This humorous story starts with the understated conflict of a girl just trying to brush her hair, but moves onto something meaningful. We discuss how to introduce conflict to a story without recruiting gun-blazing action heroes, and how to plan character arcs that won't fall flat.

1
The Sequel Challenge - The Vampire Wife by Simone King 43:47

3y ago43:47

43:47

This week's story is Simone's sequel to The Vampire Maid by Hume Nesbit. We discuss first person perspective, writing dialogue and the popularity of vampire stories.

1
Beyond Lies the Wub by Philip K. Dick 39:12

3+ y ago39:12

39:12

What's a wub? I bet you'd wub to find out! We look at this short story from one of the best classic sci-fi authors and discuss the use of dialogue and morality. (Apologies for the slightly worse audio quality during the discussion this week - we had some technical trouble and had to use a backup recording. Will be back to normal for the next episod…

1
Dramatic Endings & Chekhov's Gun - Sleepy by Anton Chekhov 36:05

3+ y ago36:05

36:05

This week's story is about the consequences of not getting enough sleep. We discuss dramatic endings, Chekhov's gun and more. Content warning: Violence, death, dark themes

1
The Sequel Challenge - From This Day Forward by Matt Bowles 51:16

3+ y ago51:16

51:16

Matt has challenged each of our hosts to write their own sequel to a story from a previous episode. First up is Matt's follow-up to The Mask by Robert W Chambers. We talk about what it means to have a style, definitions of weird fiction, and stories that resonated with us. We'd love you hear your feedback - leave a review or a comment on our websit…

1
Contrasting Characters - The Pavilion by E Nesbit 59:25

3+ y ago59:25

59:25

The four characters in The Pavilion clash with each other until events reach a horrifying conclusion. We discuss contrasting characters and how to use them in stories.

1
Modernist Writing - A Haunted House by Virginia Woolf 33:13

3+ y ago33:13

33:13

Virginia Woolf is one of the most well-known modernist writers. We discuss what modernism is and how she uses this style in A Haunted House.

1
H.P. Lovecraft - The Doom That Came to Sarnath 43:08

3+ y ago43:08

43:08

It's Matt's favourite Lovecraft story, a lesser known choice from the dream cycle. We talk about the importance of setting (and how to craft a good one) and stories that shirk the norms of central POV characters.

1
Fairytales & Quests - Princess Rosette by Madame D'Aulnoy 59:45

3+ y ago59:45

59:45

In this fairytale dating from 1697, the beautiful Princess Rosette sends her brothers on a quest to find King of the Peacocks. We discuss prophecies, fairytale beauty and animal companions.

1
Simone King - The Gallery of Broken Things 53:30

3+ y ago53:30

53:30

Simone's reimagining of Frankenstein is fraught with tense relationships, but also unexpected kindness. We discuss the source of our ideas, the pressures on creators, and the role of theme in short stories.Door Matt

1
Weird Fiction's Puzzling Origins - The Mask by Robert W. Chambers 1:06:06

3+ y ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Amongst Lovecraft's key influences, The King in Yellow is an influential piece of late 19th century fiction about a play of the same name which drives people mad. We discuss this whimsical and often ambiguous story, and why it's one of the best in the collection.Door Matt

1
Dramatic Irony - The Vampire Maid by Hume Nisbet 40:27

3+ y ago40:27

40:27

The main character is unaware of the true danger around him. We discuss dramatic irony and how it uses genre, as well as the compelling and unique style of this particular story.

1
Character Flaws - The Three Sisters by Jane Austen 48:23

3+ y ago48:23

48:23

Jane Austen excels at crafting likeable yet flawed characters. We use this story about three fickle sisters to examine when a character needs a flaw and how to write them well.Door Matt

1
Melody Bowles - Cursed Words 59:14

3+ y ago59:14

59:14

This week's story has been contributed by one of our hosts. The protagonist carries a curse which means everyone on her daily train journey is compelled to talk to her. We discuss themes of connection, how to quickly draw characters and how to write endings.Door Matt

1
Writing Free Indirect Speech - The Stranger - Katherine Mansfield 50:23

3+ y ago50:23

50:23

We look at how Katherine Mansfield uses free indirect speech to great effect in this week's story. The Stranger gives a harrowing glimpse into the fraught marriage between Mr & Mrs Hammond.Door Matt

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