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.
044: “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
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In this episode, we discuss “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner. Why is this story so good? How does the ‘we’ point of view work? What kind of narrative structure is at work here? How do character and plot work together? How can we portray a complete life?
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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November 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
043: “The Feminist” by Tony Tulathimutte
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In this episode, we discuss “The Feminist” by Tony Tulathimutte. What can we learn from a story that delves so deeply into contemporary social issues? What can we learn from a protagonist that confidently refuses to acknowledge his own shortcomings? How does he nevertheless remain sympathetic? What can we learn from a story that spans more than thirty years? How does a summary style help span those years? How does this story handle the show-tell dichotomy? How important to fiction and storytelling is empathy?
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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November 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
042: “God’s Work” by Kevin Canty
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In this episode, we discuss “God’s Work” by Kevin Canty. How can a character’s internal struggle drive a story? How can a story driven by a character’s internal struggle be structured? Can we glean any tips for getting published in the New Yorker?
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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October 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
041: “The Fifth Story” by Clarice Lispector
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In this episode we discuss “The Fifth Story” by Clarice Lispector. What can we learn from a piece of metafiction? What can we gain by telling a story in several different ways? How does fiction help us dig deeper into our feelings?
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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October 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
040: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
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In this episode, we discuss “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor. What can we say about a story with so much already written about it? How is this story like a Greek Tragedy? How can we use the form of a Greek Tragedy to inform our own fiction? How can fiction handle so many characters in a scene? How can POV help handle many characters? Can we try to introduce more characters into our short 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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September 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
039: “River of Names” by Dorothy Allison
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In this episode, we discuss “River of Names” by Dorothy Allison. What can we learn from this dark story? How do lists help develop the mood? How does a strong mood help capture the reader and create a memorable story? Where does a story end?
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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September 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
038: “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer
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In this episode, we discuss “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer. What can we learn from such a strongly character-driven story? How does story relate to character? How can we create engaging and believable characters?
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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August 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
037: “A&P” by John Updike
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In this episode, we are joined by our friend and author, Karl Luntta. Karl is the author of the novel Know it By Heart (Northwestern University Press/Curbstone) and short story collection Swimming (SUNY Press), and has published fiction in journals including International Quarterly, North Atlantic Review, Talking River Review, Baltimore Review, Northeast Corridor, and Toronto Review. He is a firm believer in the Oxford comma.
In this episode, we discuss “A&P” by John Updike. What can we learn from such a seemingly simple story? How can a story told from the point of view of a teenager speak to adult, worldly concerns? Can a teen-aged narrator have a sophisticated voice? How does the story accomplish a storytelling voice? How does a story’s relatability help make it compelling?
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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August 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
036: “The Pugilist at Rest” by Thom Jones
If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show running. Find out more at http://www.patreon.com/whyisthisgoodpodcast
In this episode, we are joined by our friend and author, Karl Luntta. Karl is the author of the novel Know it By Heart (Northwestern University Press/Curbstone) and short story collection Swimming (SUNY Press), and has published fiction in journals including International Quarterly, North Atlantic Review, Talking River Review, Baltimore Review, Northeast Corridor, and Toronto Review. He is a firm believer in the Oxford comma.
Karl suggested we read “The Pugilist at Rest” by Thom Jones. What can we learn from a story about the Vietnam War? What can we learn from such a clear and strong narrative voice? What can we learn from a story structured with compelling digressions and tangents? What do we make of the inclusion of the eponymous statue as a centerpiece of the story?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com
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July 15th, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop
035: “Girl Alone” by Sallie Bingham
If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show running. Find out more at http://www.patreon.com/whyisthisgoodpodcast
In this episode, we discuss “Girl Alone” by Sallie Bingham. What can we learn from this tightly packed feminist story? How can quickly drawn and distinct characters help a story? How can character interactions help develop a theme? How can we make flashbacks work in a story? What can we learn from a climactic scene that seems to come out of nowhere?
For daily writing tips, industry news, and great short fiction, join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/napleswritersworkshop
You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com
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July 1st, 2020 by Naples Writers' Workshop