Story Nerd
Education

Story Nerd

by Melanie Hill, Valerie Francis

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 you're a writer who loves to write, this podcast is for you!
"The only thing that matters, and that ever will matter, is the story. That's it." - Tom Hanks (Oxford Union 2024)

100 episodes
EN language
All Episodes
1
Darkest Hour: darkest villain
40:25 Mar 11, 2026
2
Amour: looks easy, but isn't
29:44 Mar 4, 2026
3
Amour: looks easy, but isn't!
29:44 Mar 4, 2026
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Rebecca: character shadows
27:11 Jan 14, 2026
11
The Invisible Man (archive)
50:41 Jan 7, 2026
12
Sense and Sensibility (archive)
27:57 Dec 31, 2025
13
The Last of Sheila (archive)
39:09 Dec 24, 2025
14
Wayne's World (archive)
41:40 Dec 17, 2025
15
16
The Holdovers: a rare gem
30:47 Dec 3, 2025
17
Tar: writing nuanced characters
26:15 Nov 26, 2025
18
19
20
21
The Substance: ewwwww!
28:01 Oct 29, 2025
22
Backdraft: yes, but why?
27:44 Oct 22, 2025
23
What Went Right: the outrun
44:21 Oct 15, 2025
24
Jett Cooper: Melanie's New Novel
1:00:44 Oct 8, 2025
25
What Went Wrong: stayin' alive
50:13 Oct 1, 2025
26
27
Black Bag: IYKYK
38:52 Sep 17, 2025
28
Primal Fear: masterful writing
25:05 Sep 10, 2025
29
Legally Blonde (archive)
42:02 Sep 3, 2025
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
She Said: constant characters
28:06 Jul 16, 2025
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
What Went Right: Juror #2
35:55 Jun 11, 2025
44
What Went Wrong: Ghosted
36:55 Jun 4, 2025
45
46
47
48
Anatomy of a Fall: mind blown
28:56 May 7, 2025
49
Shirley: when endings fail
41:16 Apr 30, 2025
50
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