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.

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014: “Victory Lap” by George Saunders

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 “Victory Lap” by George Saunders.  What can we learn about writing character and stream of consciousness and point of view from a master of characterization and perspective.

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

August 15th, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

013: “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore

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 “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore.  What lessons can we learn about fiction, about being a writer, and the craft of point of view from Moore’s “second-person mock imperative” parody of a self-improvement manual for fiction writers?

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

August 1st, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

012: “When They Came to Us” by Debbie Urbanski

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 “When They Came to Us” by Debbie Urbanski.  What can we learn about fiction by looking at a story about aliens?

We also briefly discuss Nathan W. Pyle’s “Strange Planet”

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

July 15th, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

011: “Voices” by Alice Munro

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 “Voices” by Alice Munro.  We find lessons about the pace of description and how the struggle of remembering can create drama in a memoir, among other things.

Here is a good list of Munro stories available online: “25 Alice Munro Stories You Can Read Online Right Now”

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

July 1st, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

010: “Now We Are Five” by David Sedaris

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 “Now We Are Five” by David Sedaris.  What can we learn about writing fiction by examining memoir?

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

June 15th, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

009: “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver

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 of Why Is This Good, we discuss Raymond Carver’s story, “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love.”  We explore what we can learn about dialogue, among other lessons.

Read the story here: “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love” by Raymond Carver

We apologize again for the audio issues in this episode.  The good news is that we think we’ve figured out the problem we’ve been having and future episodes should (hopefully) have much better audio.  Thanks for listening!

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

June 1st, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

008: “The Boy from Lam Kien” by Miranda July

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 Miranda July’s story “The Boy from Lam Kien.”

Read it here: “The Boy From Lam Kien” by Miranda July

Apologies again for the quality of JC’s audio.

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

May 15th, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

007: “The Flood” by Megan Baxter

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 “The Flood” by Megan Baxter, which you can read here: “The Flood” by Megan Baxter

Apologies for the sound quality on JC’s track.  It sounds like he was on the wrong end of his microphone—not sure what happened there.

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

May 1st, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

006: “Now I Make My Own Bread” by Elle Wignall

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 “Now I Make My Own Bread” by Elle Wignall.

Read it here: “Now I Make My Own Bread” by Elle Wignall

During recording, it seems as if something happened with Rob’s microphone.  Apologies for the quality of the audio.

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

April 15th, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

005: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

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 Edgar Allan Poe’s classic story, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

Read it here: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe

This episode contains a passing spoiler for the Black Mirror movie Bandersnatch.

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

April 1st, 2019 by Naples Writers' Workshop

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