Rephonic
Artwork for Story Nerd
Storytelling Principles
Female Protagonists
Left Brain Stories
Scene Writing
Character Development
Crafting Scenes
Mystery
Literary Agents
Red Joan
Moonstruck
Puzzles
Zero Dark Thirty
The Last Of Sheila
The Sixth Sense
Writing Techniques
Writing Craft
Crazy Rich Asians
Murder Mysteries
Breakout Novel
Constructive Feedback

For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories their readers will love. Each week literary editors, Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill, use films to explain how to craft a story that hooks the reader on page one and holds their attention all the way to the end. The goal is simple: to learn from writers who have come before us...what worked well and what didn't work so well. If... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes201Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsHow ToEducation

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Story Nerd

Latest Episodes

We've come to the end of another season and that means it's time for our best advice about the villain's monologue (what it is, and why it's essential you have one in your story) and turning points (those unexpected events that create opportunities f... more

YouTube

I think BLACK BAG misses the mark but it's one of Melanie's favourites. So what happens when we disagree on whether, from a craft perspective, a story is working or not? Well, you'll have to tune in to this week's episode to find out. One thing I'll ... more

YouTube

Primal Fear is a superb film. The novel, by William Diehl, is even better. This is a story to add to your short list of go-to stories to study for absolutely any aspect of the craft. Enjoy! - V.

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to stor... more

YouTube

This week we're throwing it back to season 2. Valerie is studying The Hero's Gift Expressed and Melanie is studying Forces of Antagonism. Legally Blonde is a beautiful example of both!

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/c... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
The Shit No One Tells You About WritingBianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra
Writing Excuses
Writing ExcusesMary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Recent Guests

Matty Dalrymple
Author of the Lizzie Ballard thrillers and the Anne Kinnear suspense novels, podcaster, speaks, and consults on the writing craft.
Alliance of Independent Authors
Episode: Traditional and Indie Publishing Models
Brian Proctor
Bestselling author in the personal development space
Episode: Becoming a Bestselling Author, with Brian Proctor

Hosts

Valerie Francis
Writer and story editor teaching women who are writing in all genres how stories work to help them finish their books faster.
Melanie Hill
Writer, editor, and poet who helps writers find solutions to their story problems.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 104 ratings
  • Real writers’ resource

    Excellent!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    RosemariB
    United States7 months ago
  • Story structure & beyond!

    Such a great analysis of stories and movies - be ready to nerd out. You’ll improve your craft for sure!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SilverNW
    Canada8 months ago
  • An Education on Storytelling

    This is one of the best podcasts I’ve heard on storytelling. They break it down so that it’s easy to understand. I’ve learned so much from the hosts- such professionals. My only regret is that I didn’t find them sooner. As a writer, it would’ve saved me so much time with so many mistakes I made with the craft of storytelling.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MerryBross
    United States8 months ago
  • Excellent way to learn story structure

    Their analysis of movies is so informative and I learned something new with every podcast. I like that they have themes for the season that they’re looking at and their disagreements are entertaining.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    VAB1953
    United States2 years ago
  • Fabulous podcast

    Love the analyses the presenters give. Lots of theory. Lots of way to learn how to improve writing. Seeing writing from a feminist view too!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    momothedog
    Australia2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many appreciate the focus on film examples, as it provides tangible applications of theory to real-world storytelling situations.
A strong positive sentiment highlights the hosts' friendly and knowledgeable approach, making it a favorite among aspiring and established writers alike.
The engaging discussions between the hosts have been praised for making complex storytelling principles accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience.
Listeners describe this show as an excellent resource for writers eager to enhance their storytelling skills, noting the combination of insightful analyses and practical tips.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#183
Norway/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

She Said: constant characters
Q: What have you got for the action step for this week?
Look at who is being forced to make a decision in your story that moves them closer to or further away from their object of desire.
She Said: constant characters
Q: How did you go with the turning points this week?
The movie intrigued me with regards to turning points, showing how the protagonists Jodie and Megan remained constant while affecting the decisions of others.
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3: don't look too closely
Q: Melanie, what did you discover this week about turning points?
Melanie explained her focus on turning points related to irreversible decisions made by characters, using specific examples from Guardians to illustrate these concepts.
Becoming a Bestselling Author, with Brian Proctor
Q: What advice do you have for anyone who's listening, who can feel that fear, that terror?
Step into it; the thing you fear is what you likely need to do to accomplish your goals.
Becoming a Bestselling Author, with Brian Proctor
Q: How do you find a goal that really excites you and drives you forward?
Start to dream and imagine you have a magic wand; write down what you would do without self-editing.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Story Nerd

What is Story Nerd about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on the art of storytelling, this podcast offers an insightful exploration into the mechanics of narrative craft for writers. Each episode features thorough analyses of films, dissecting how various storytelling principles apply to both screenwriting and novel writing. Hosts Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill provide listeners with practical techniques and actionable insights drawn from cinematic examples, discussing what successful narratives capture and where others falter. This unique approach not only enriches the listener's understanding of storytelling but also encourages writers to apply these lessons to their own creative processes, making it a valuable resource for those serious about their craft.

Where can I find podcast stats for Story Nerd?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Story Nerd. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Story Nerd and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Story Nerd get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Story Nerd, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Story Nerd?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Story Nerd, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Story Nerd have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Story Nerd has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Story Nerd are there?

Story Nerd launched 3 years ago and published 201 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Story Nerd?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Story Nerd?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Story Nerd from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Story Nerd?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Story Nerd. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Story Nerd?

Recent guests on Story Nerd include:

1. Matty Dalrymple
2. Brian Proctor

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days