The Story Craft Cafe Podcast

From Oscar Nominated Screenwriter To Gritty Detective Stories With Iris Yamashita | SCC 147

Iris Yamashita is an Academy Award–nominated screenwriter for the movie Letters from Iwo Jima. She has been working in Hollywood for fifteen years developing material for both film and streaming, has taught screenwriting at UCLA, and is an advocate of women and diversity in the entertainment industry. She has also been a judge and mentor for various film and writing programs, and lives in California.

Writing Twists That Keep Readers Guessing With Leah Konen | SCC 146

Leah Konen is the author of You Should Have Told Me, The Perfect Escape, and All the Broken People, as well as several young adult novels, including Love and Other Train Wrecks and The Romantics. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied journalism and English literature. She lives in Brooklyn and Saugerties, New York, with her husband; their daughter, Eleanor; and their dog, Farley.

The Nerdy Novelist On How AI Can Help You Maximize Your Potential With Jason Hamilton | SCC 145

Jason is the Content Manager for Kindlepreneur.com, and a mythology-inspired fantasy author. He loves mythology, history, and geek culture. When he's not writing, his favorite hobbies include hiking, chilling with his wife, spouting nonsense words at his baby daughter, and developing his website: MythBank.com.
Jason is also The Nerdy Novelist on YouTube, and has one of the most popular channels talking all about using AI in your author career.

A Novel A Decade In The Making With Terry Hayes | SCC 144

Terry Hayes is the New York Times bestselling author of I Am Pilgrim and the award-winning writer and producer of numerous movies. His credits include Payback, Road Warrior, and Dead Calm (featuring Nicole Kidman). He lives in Switzerland with his wife, Kristen, and their four children.

Wickedly Clever Mysteries With Janice Hallett

Janice Hallett is a former magazine editor, award-winning journalist, and government communications writer. She wrote articles and speeches for, among others, the Cabinet Office, Home Office, and Department for International Development. Her enthusiasm for travel has taken her around the world several times, from Madagascar to the Galapagos, Guatemala to Zimbabwe, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. A playwright and screenwriter, she penned the feminist Shakespearean stage comedy NetherBard and cowrote the feature film Retreat. She lives in London and is the author of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels, The Appeal, The Christmas Appeal, and The Twyford Code.

Investigative Journalist To Novelist With Katherine Faulkner | SCC 142

Katherine is a London-based author and journalist. She studied History at Cambridge University, graduating with a First, then completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism. Since then she has been working as an investigative reporter and latterly an editor. Her work has been published in many national papers, and she most recently worked at The Times, where she was the joint Head of News.
While working as an undercover reporter, Katherine won the Cudlipp Award for public interest journalism and was nominated for a string of others. She was also commended by a committee of MPs for 'the highest standards of ethical investigative reporting.'
Katherine was inspired to write her debut novel about the complexity of female friendships after attending NCT classes when pregnant, and her experience of sudden intimacy with complete strangers.
She lives in Hackney, East London, where she grew up, with her husband and two daughters.

Let’s Write A Book Chapter 7 | SCC 141

Today we bring you Chapter 6 of Let's Write A Book!
This book is a hands-on manual for crafting your story, and we hope you enjoy working through it.  This book has been split into two distinct parts to help you in your writing journey. Part One is all about the things you should be doing before you even get started on a draft or an outline. In this first part, I’m going to be covering the foundational knowledge of a book: what a book is, figuring out your genre and subgenre, and more. I’ll also be talking about the mindset of a writer, what you need to write your book, and where you’ll be writing. Finally, I’ll wrap up Part One with the basics of plotting and planning. Just the idea of planning might make some of you groan, so chill out for a second, because I have ways of outlining and structuring for those who love to plan and those who absolutely hate it.  Part Two is where we get to the good stuff: writing your first draft. I’ll go over the key elements of a kickass book, as well as the more technical stuff like point of view, active and passive voice, and more. Together we’ll do a deep dive into what it takes to make the perfect plot, compelling characters, and tantalizing themes. And I’ll even help you out with ways to actually get your book written (again, it’s a long, sometimes difficult journey) and what to do when you encounter setbacks like the dreaded writer’s block. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.

Let’s Write A Book Chapter 6 | SCC 140

Today we bring you Chapter 6 of Let's Write A Book!
This book is a hands-on manual for crafting your story, and we hope you enjoy working through it.  This book has been split into two distinct parts to help you in your writing journey. Part One is all about the things you should be doing before you even get started on a draft or an outline. In this first part, I’m going to be covering the foundational knowledge of a book: what a book is, figuring out your genre and subgenre, and more. I’ll also be talking about the mindset of a writer, what you need to write your book, and where you’ll be writing. Finally, I’ll wrap up Part One with the basics of plotting and planning. Just the idea of planning might make some of you groan, so chill out for a second, because I have ways of outlining and structuring for those who love to plan and those who absolutely hate it.  Part Two is where we get to the good stuff: writing your first draft. I’ll go over the key elements of a kickass book, as well as the more technical stuff like point of view, active and passive voice, and more. Together we’ll do a deep dive into what it takes to make the perfect plot, compelling characters, and tantalizing themes. And I’ll even help you out with ways to actually get your book written (again, it’s a long, sometimes difficult journey) and what to do when you encounter setbacks like the dreaded writer’s block. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.

A Music Industry Legend Talks About Writing His Memoir With Tom Werman | SCC 139

Turn It Up!: My Time Making Hit Records In The Glory Days Of Rock Music (Featuring Mötley Crüe, Poison, Twisted Sister, Jeff Beck, Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick, And More)
TOM WERMAN is a former music industry executive and producer who worked with some of the biggest names in rock and metal during the 1970s and ‘80s. Shortly after joining Epic Records in 1970, he brought REO Speedwagon to the label, then discovered, signed, and produced Ted Nugent, Cheap Trick, and Molly Hatchet, among others. As an independent producer in the 1980s and ‘90s, he worked with acts including Blue Öyster Cult, Mötley Crüe, Twisted Sister, LA Guns, Poison, Stryper, and Lita Ford. After retiring from producing in 2001, he owned and operated Stonover Farm, a luxury bed-and-breakfast in Lenox, Massachusetts. 
A fascinating, rock-star-studded read and vivid time-travel trip, Turn It Up! is also an inspiring memoir for anyone who cares about making and appreciating good music. I look forward to exploring interview opportunities.

Let’s Write A Book Chapter 4 and 5 | SCC 136

This book is a hands-on manual for crafting your story, and we hope you enjoy working through it.  This book has been split into two distinct parts to help you in your writing journey. Part One is all about the things you should be doing before you even get started on a draft or an outline. In this first part, I’m going to be covering the foundational knowledge of a book: what a book is, figuring out your genre and subgenre, and more. I’ll also be talking about the mindset of a writer, what you need to write your book, and where you’ll be writing. Finally, I’ll wrap up Part One with the basics of plotting and planning. Just the idea of planning might make some of you groan, so chill out for a second, because I have ways of outlining and structuring for those who love to plan and those who absolutely hate it.  Part Two is where we get to the good stuff: writing your first draft. I’ll go over the key elements of a kickass book, as well as the more technical stuff like point of view, active and passive voice, and more. Together we’ll do a deep dive into what it takes to make the perfect plot, compelling characters, and tantalizing themes. And I’ll even help you out with ways to actually get your book written (again, it’s a long, sometimes difficult journey) and what to do when you encounter setbacks like the dreaded writer’s block. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.