Episode 23: Jonathan Auxier, Writer of Strange Stories for Strange Kids
Episode 32: J.C. Geiger, YA Author & Mixtape Creator

Episode 32: J.C. Geiger, YA Author & Mixtape Creator

Tune in for a chat with Mary Kole's long-time friend in the children's publishing space, YA Author J.C. Geiger. He tells all about how he made an epic mixtape with music no one's heard before (and met his heroes in the process), and talks about writing young adult characters, the future of post-pandemic fiction, and—of course—the power of music.

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The Writing Journey with Leslie C. Youngblood

The Writing Journey with Leslie C. Youngblood

Author and former assistant professor of creative writing Leslie C. Youngblood joins Mary Kole on the Good Story Podcast. She shares her journey through her MFA program, gives tips on crafting interesting character relationships, and weighs in on one of the hottest questions for authors today: traditional or self-publishing?

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Retelling (3 Reasons to Reimagine)

Retelling (3 Reasons to Reimagine)

Is it just me, or does it seem like retellings and reimagined stories are everywhere you look? Whether I’m on the Kindle page or surfing Netflix, it seems like everyone’s telling familiar tales in different ways. Here’s more about this trend and why it matters.

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How to Write Diverse Characters (And, Also, Are You Qualified?)

How to Write Diverse Characters (And, Also, Are You Qualified?)

Wondering how to write diverse characters? Many writers aspire to create worlds that look like a true fusion of personalities and cultures, religious beliefs, and ethnicities. How do we create art that imitates the life we are striving for?

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Building Fantasy Worlds with Jonathan Auxier

Building Fantasy Worlds with Jonathan Auxier

NYT Bestselling young adult and middle-grade author Jonathan Auxier joins Mary Kole to discuss visual writing, worldbuilding, and how different media use dialogue to create action.

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Books That Teach Life Lessons

Books That Teach Life Lessons

Books that teach life lessons are fine...as long as you don't clobber readers over the head with your theme. So how do you weave a message into your story without being too obvious?

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Brighten Even The Foggiest Story Idea

Brighten Even The Foggiest Story Idea

Story ideas don’t always come easily, but sometimes we get glimmers that turn into a list of foggy ideas. How do we decide which new idea to run with? And how do we take steps to make it shine?

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Episode 6: Gail Carson Levine, Historical and Fantasy Author
Episode 17: Anna Staniszewski, Children's Author
Anthropomorphic Animals In Children's Fiction

Anthropomorphic Animals In Children's Fiction

Anthropomorphic animals in children’s fiction are common, but are these characters the best approach when you’re writing for young readers? Let’s talk about this popular topic for children’s writers by defining what an anthropomorphic animal is.

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Craft a Killer Fantasy Premise Using Good Versus Evil

Craft a Killer Fantasy Premise Using Good Versus Evil

A fantasy premise that doesn’t engage on any themes of good versus evil can feel empty, but when those lines are too stark, it can feel a bit thin. So how do you find the balance?

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Unconventional Writing
Someone is Publishing My Idea!?

Someone is Publishing My Idea!?

We've all heard people who claim that somebody took their idea and is now publishing it, or that somewhere somehow, another writer has come up with basically the same idea, sold it, and now, what does that mean for your idea?

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Permission To Write

Permission To Write

Writing invariably is a passion for a lot of people that I work with. And they just, for whatever reason, have not been able to sort of devote themselves to it until now. And that's usually when they come to me and I plug into their process.

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The Body and Soul of Story

The Body and Soul of Story

Stories are like people. They have a body, and a soul. The body is the plot, the actions that happen. And the soul is the character, the protagonist, the key person (or persons) bound by the circumstances of the plot and forced into decisions.

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