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.
096: “Incarnations of Burned Children” by David Foster Wallace
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In this episode, we discuss “Incarnations of Burned Children” by David Foster Wallace. What can we learn from this work of flash fiction by a master writer? Does it matter what “really” happens at the end? How do we read fiction, and what should we expect to get out of reading? What can we learn about how style helps a story? What power does a specific, concrete action have in 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, 2023 by Naples Writers' Workshop
095: “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” by Haruki Murakami
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In this episode, we discuss “On Seeing the 100% Perfect Girl One Beautiful April Morning” by Haruki Murakami. What can we learn from this simple tale? How can a story be driven by hypotheticals? How can a feeling drive a story? How can a feeling inspire a story? How should we guide a reader through a story? What crazy tangent will we go on in this episode?
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, 2023 by Naples Writers' Workshop
094: “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway
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In this episode, we discuss “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” by Ernest Hemingway. What can we learn from a Hemingway story? How can we depict a character who isn’t experiencing reality as it really is? How can this help us get at the root of character? What is the Hemingway style? Does he really avoid adjectives?
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December 15th, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
093: “Dinosaur” by Bruce Holland Rogers
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In this episode, we discuss “Dinosaur” by Bruce Holland Rogers. What can we learn from a 300-word piece of flash fiction? How does a story so short manage to depict an entire lifetime? How does it invoke such a complex emotion? How important is it to specify a time-period for a story? How can we make a lifetime into a coherent 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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December 1st, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
092: “The Venus Effect” by Violet Allen
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In this episode, we discuss “The Venus Effect” by Violet Allen. What can we learn from this work of metafiction? How can metafictional elements help a story accomplish its effects? What function can an author construct serve in a story? How can going over a story again and again with different attention help us fully explore 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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November 15th, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
091: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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In this episode, we discuss “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. What can we learn from this story built around the strange premise of aging in reverse? How can a single concept be the seed for a story? How can we develop an idea into a complete story? How can we create realistic 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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November 1st, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
090: “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor
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In this episode, we discuss “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor. What can we learn from this classic story from a great writer? How does its structure work? How are background and flashback handled? How does the structure help develop the points of view, and how does shifting perspective strengthen the themes of the story? How can names help direct point of view? How can the way characters feel about one another help guide the reader’s emotional reactions? What kind of details help bring habitual activities to 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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October 15th, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
089: “Escape from Spiderhead” by George Saunders
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In this episode, we discuss “Escape from Spiderhead” by George Saunders. What can we learn from yet another great story from Saunders? What is voice, and does an author have a voice separate from the characters? How much are we meant to read into a story? What can we learn from the unusual structure of this story? How can thinking about the movie version of your story help you develop it? How can we use language in a specific and nuanced way to help develop 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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October 1st, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
088: “Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station” by Caroline M. Yoachim
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In this episode, we discuss “Welcome to the Medical Clinic at the Interplanetary Relay Station | Hours Since the Last Patient Death: 0” by Caroline M. Yoachim. What can we learn from a “Choose Your Own Adventure”-style story? How can the form help develop a theme? How can metafiction reinforce themes and reach for “universal” truths? How can a strong attitude or emotion help drive the writing of a story and the story itself? Is anger a good driving emotion for writing?
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, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop
087: “The Swimmer” by John Cheever
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In this episode, we discuss “The Swimmer” by John Cheever. What can we learn from this fantastic story? What can we say about the point of view? How does Neddy’s journey drive the way we understand the story? Does a story need to be real? Does it have to mean anything? How do we figure out a story’s theme? How is emotion expressed in this 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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September 1st, 2022 by Naples Writers' Workshop