All Episodes
Episode 37 - 09/15/2023
What Makes a Story
By Ewing Cockrell, originally published in the January, 1908 issue of "The Editor". A brief reminder of the important part of telling a story.
Episode 36 - 09/08/2023
The Philosophy of Names
The Philosophy of Names by Florence Tabor Critchlow. From a 1909 issue of "The Editor." Musings on naming your characters.
Episode 35 - 09/07/2023
Letters to a Beginner VI - Stories That Sell.
Sixth and final in a series of a fictitious editor writing to his imaginary son. By Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Episode 34 - 08/16/2023
Letters to a Beginner V - In Quest of a Market
Fifth in a series of a fictitious editor writing to his imaginary son. By Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Episode 33 - 08/15/2023
Letters to a Beginner IV
The fourth letter in the series by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Episode 32 - 08/11/2023
Letters to a Beginner III, On Punctuation
The third in the series of fictional letters by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Episode 31 - 08/11/2023
Letters to a Beginner II
Another of the series of fictional letters by Leslie W. Quirk. These letters originally published in 1903-1904 issues of "The Editor."
Episode 30 - 07/17/2023
Letters to a Beginner I
Written by the editor of "The Editor", these are letters from a fictional father who happens to be an editor to his equally fictional son as the son begins a writing career.
Episode 29 - 04/07/2023
The Psychology of the Happy Ending
"The Psychology of the Happy Ending", by James Melvin Lee. From the September 1908 issue of "The Editor."
Episode 28 - 03/15/2023
The Expression of Pathos
The Expression of Pathos by Emily Vaile. From the May, 1908 issue of "The Editor."
Episode 27 - 02/10/2023
A Simple Means to True Psychosis
A Simple Means to True Psychosis, by George Law. Some considerations for making characters feel more real.
Episode 26 - 11/22/2022
My Murder Chart
"My Murder Chart" by Whitman Chambers. How one successful writer plans the crimes in his novels. From September and October 1933 issues of "Writer's Digest."
Episode 25 - 10/26/2022
Strong Sentences
By Arthur E. Lawrence. Originally Published in 1904 in The Editor. Some thoughts on crafting sentences for greater impact.
Episode 24 - 09/21/2022
Building a Plot with Five Questions
By G. Glenwood Clark. Originally published in the September, 1920 Issue of The Writer's Monthly. Taking the plot-germ and growing it into a story.
Episode 23 - 09/01/2022
Getting Into Print
Today's article is "Getting Into Print" by famed author Jack London. Originally Printed in the March 1903 Issue of The Editor, and now in the public domain.
Episode 22 - 08/21/2022
A Climax by Suggestion
Today's article is, "A Climax by Suggestion," by J. Albert Mallory. It originally appeared in the June 1908 issue of "The Editor." and is now in the public domain.
Episode 21 - 07/14/2022
Quiet, Murder at Work!
By C. William Harrison Originally Published in the July, 1944 issue of Writer's Digest, now in the public domain. Being a writer vs an author of crime fiction.
Episode 20 - 06/08/2022
The Elements of Appeal
By Arthur Wallace Peach. Originally published in the December, 1908 issue of "The Editor". A quick discussion of some things that will never go out of style in fiction.
Episode 19 - 06/01/2022
Turning People into Checks
By Bill Rendered. Originally published in The Writer's Monthly in 1920, and is now in the public domain. I strongly suspect the author's name was just a joke pseudonym of the magazine's editor, or another anonymous author.
Episode 18 - 05/26/2022
Horror in the Short Story
By Leon Mones, originally published in the February 25, 1918 issue of "The Editor." Brief discussion of how to shape a horror story for emotional impact.
Episode 17 - 05/12/2022
Wave Those Tags
By Lester Dent. From "The Writer’s 1940 Year Book" This was a follow up to his now-famous Master Pulp Plot, and now in the public domain.
Episode 16 - 05/04/2022
Break it Up!
Thoughts on writing better dialogue. By that master of spicy detective stories, Robert Leslie Bellem. Originally published in the July 1944 issue of Writer’s Digest. Now in the public domain.
Episode 15 - 04/27/2022
Drama in the Short Story
By John Gallishaw. From Twenty Problems of the Fiction Writer, which is now in the public domain. This article presents the origin of the Scene/Sequel method which would later be popularized by Dwight V. Swain. It describes a way to plan scenes such that the plot is continually moving forward and is providing interesting events for the reader.
Episode 14 - 04/22/2022
The Science Fiction Field
By Leigh Brackett. Originally published in the July 1944 issue of "Writer’s Digest," now in the public domain. Winner of the 2020 Retro Hugo Award for Related Work.
Episode 13 - 04/21/2022
How to Make a Story Interesting
By John Gallishaw. Excerpted from "Twenty Problems of the Fiction Writer" published in 1929 and now in the public domain. One of the best articles I have ever found on what makes readers interested in reading your story.
Episode 12 - 04/21/2022
Should You Write Pot Boilers?
It's an age-old debate. Should you strive to impress the literary fiction masters, or write for the common folk? By Thomas H. Uzzell. Originally published in March 1925 issue of "Writer’s Digest."
Episode 11 - 04/21/2022
What is Interest?
What types of stories arouse interest in readers? By Barry Scobee. Originally published in the June 1916 issue of "The Writer’s Monthly".
Episode 10 - 04/21/2022
A Word About Setting
Setting is not just about accurately describing the physical nature of a time and place, it is also about instilling a feeling in the reader. By Sara H. Sterling. Originally published in the January 1916 issue of "The Writer’s Monthly"
Episode 9 - 04/21/2022
Why Stories are Rejected
Many rejected stories shared similar weaknesses. By Ward Macauley. Originally published in the April 1903 issue of "The Editor."
Episode 8 - 04/21/2022
The Dramatic and the Undramatic
What kind of drama actually makes a story interesting? By Louise Montgomery. Originally published in the April 8th, 1922 issue of The Editor
Episode 7 - 04/21/2022
Short Story Introductions
Different ways to start a short story. From The Editor, July, 1918. By R. C. Woodbury
Episode 6 - 04/21/2022
Breath of Life
By Marian B. Cockrell. This was published in Writer’s Digest August, 1943, and is now in the public domain. This one is kind of light on how-to details, but is an important concept to consider. It’s hard to get someone to read a story if he isn’t interested in the characters. Marian ended up writing often for TV, including a few episodes from the original Batman TV show.
Episode 3 - 04/21/2022
Get That Novel Out of Your System
How one writer got started, with writing tips sprinkled throughout. By Marjorie Holmes.
Episode 2 - 04/21/2022
It's All a Matter of Timing
A simple framework for writing a short story. Useful in any practically any genre. By Nelson S. Bond.
Episode 1 - 04/20/2022
Introduction to Vintage Writing Instruction
A short introduction to this podcast. What you should expect, and why I'm doing it.