You need to read stories you don’t like. Yep, it’s true. This week I put my body on the line and I forced myself (and Valerie - so sorry, please forgive me) to watch The Substance. I don’t read, watch, or listen to horror, but there are times when I need to go outside my comfort zone to learn more about the craft. My topic this season is The Shadow, so it would be remiss of me to ignore a genre that relies on The Shadow. You don’t need to watch The Substance because I summarise it for you (minus the gore). There’s a lot to learn from this movie about The Shadow and I’ll talk you through my takeaways. -M.

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For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

How does your reader know why your protagonist does what she does? This seemingly minor detail is one of the most important parts of your story and the way you let the reader know about it is through the hero's monologue. What aspect of your protagonist is hidden from her, from your reader, or both? If you want to create a main character with dimension and an arc, then understanding her shadow is key. The hero's monologue and the shadow are our study topics in this brand new season of the podcast. Enjoy! - V.

Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

I think I missed the mark with my choice for What When Right this Season. I went with The Outrun because it scored well on ratings sites. Why did this movie get such good ratings when both Valerie and I had trouble staying engaged? It’s a story that has great performances and it handles addiction without judgement. There’s also some parallel story telling in the shape of traditional Orkney fairy tales, which assists the viewer with navigating Rona’s view of the world. This is a puzzling movie but it has some good elements. -M.

Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

Today is a fantastic day for the Story Nerd Podcast. We are celebrating the launch of Melanie’s new middle-grade novel, Jett Cooper, by sharing a behind the veil look at how she put theory into practice.

Join us for this special episode and learn more about Melanie, what inspired her to write this novel, and why it took her so long. Valerie also shares her reaction to reading the completed novel for the first time with Melanie.

If you’ve ever wondered why Valerie and Melanie started the Story Nerd podcast then join us for this exclusive Story Nerd episode. If you want to see whether Melanie and Valerie know what they're talking about, now you can get their books and read for yourself. The proof is in the pages!

For more details about where you can get Jett Cooper, go to melaniehill.au

Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

STAYIN' ALIVE has a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (I didn't even know that was possible!) so Melanie and I wanted to see if we could figure out where the storytelling in this movie went wrong. And boy, did it give us the giggles. In this episode, we cover everything from missing empathy to missing pants. So come join us, and be sure to let us know what you think of our analysis. -V.

Acquire the power to write a bestselling story at storynerd.ca/courses

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

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 for you to reveal character). -V.

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off.

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

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 say is that this might be a film that is meant for super fans of the spy genre (i.e., Melanie) because it seems to assume a level of knowledge about the world of espionage that the average viewer (i.e., me) simply doesn't have. Enjoy! -V.

Get The Fundamentals of Storytelling today! Go to storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off.

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.

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 storynerd.ca/courses and use coupon code CANADA50, now through July 7, for 50% off.

For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle.

To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.