Fiction writers from the Naples Writers' Workshop read successful stories and ask "Why Is This Good?"
We discuss how fiction works, the craft of writing, literary art, and what we can learn from examples of excellent writing.
Join us twice each month for our workshop podcast.
Why Is This Good? is hosted by Kristine Gill, J. C. Bronsted, and Rob Curtin.
054: “Items Awaiting Protective Enclosure” by Téa Obreht
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In this episode, we discuss “Items Awaiting Protective Enclosure” by Téa Obreht. What can we say about a cli-fi (climate-fiction) story told with a second person point of view? How is such an intricate near-future setting realized so swiftly? How does the structure of the story reflect the emotional journey? How can we create connections between different parts of a story? How can language be so beautiful and evocative? How can so much be going on in such a simple story?
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April 15th, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
053: “The Comet” by W. E. B. Du Bois
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In this episode, we discuss “The Comet” by W. E. B. Du Bois. What kind of science fiction did Du Bois write? How can the pace of the prose reflect the pace of the action? How can elevated language drive a story and help the depiction of characters and events? Why would we want to switch character point of view?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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April 1st, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
052: “The Art of Losing” by Yoon Choi
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In this episode, we discuss “The Art of Losing” by Yoon Choi. How does point of view help reveal a character’s mental state? How does point of view in this story help build tension? How can a story explore an idea with plot? How can side-plots and side-characters help explore a theme? How does point of view intersect with the show/tell advice? What can we learn about point of view from the cognitive predisposition for confabulation? Can JC connect story-craft with experiments on split-brain patients? How can giving all the information still create a tension of uncertainty in the story?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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March 15th, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
051: “The Saddest Case of True Love” by Simon Van Booy
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In this episode we discuss “The Saddest Case of True Love” by Simon Van Booy. How does a story within a story within a story function? What effects can this structure create? Are there ambiguities in this story that suggest more than is said about the narrator? How does narrative perspective impact our understanding of whose story it is?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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March 1st, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
050: “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen
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In this episode, we discuss “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen. What can we learn from this timeless story? How can a situation drive a story? What does the structure of the story provide for the overall effect? What does that structure require, and how can we apply those necessities to other stories? How important is narrative movement to a story?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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February 15th, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
049: “Gryphon” by Charles Baxter
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In this episode, we discuss “Gryphon” by Charles Baxter. How does a character telling a story as a memory color the way we read it? How do we write about children? How do we write for adults when we write about kids? What makes a story “Y.A.”? Should we include more kids in our stories
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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February 1st, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
048: “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nabokov
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In this episode, we discuss “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nabokov. Can a simple story be a vehicle for beautiful presentation? What is the hidden story embedded here? What does it mean to find the “meaning” of a story? What is the point of literary criticism? What is the point of literature? What makes a detail significant within a story?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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January 15th, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
047: “Trilobites” by B. D’J. Pancake
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In this episode, we discuss “Trilobites” by B. D’J. Pancake. How can a character’s preoccupations and thought processes help build the fictional dream? How do we understand that a character isn’t confronting what’s really on his mind? How can an author draw the reader’s attention to things neither they nor the character are saying? How does setting function as a character?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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January 1st, 2021 by Naples Writers' Workshop
046: “Cougar” by Maria Anderson
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In this episode, we discuss “Cougar” by Maria Anderson. How does a mood help drive a story? How can we create a symbol? Why are so many stories so sad? How do mood, symbolism, theme, and other story elements work together?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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December 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
045: “White Noise” by Emma Cline
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In this episode, we discuss “White Noise” by Emma Cline. How can you write fiction about a real person? How true to life should a fictional portrayal be? What can we learn about excellent characterization?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
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December 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop