The Writerly Bites Podcast

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The podcast that gives you quick tips to make your writing and your writing life better.

writerlybites


    • Mar 5, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 105 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Writerly Bites Podcast

    111: Write about What Was Going on in School

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 7:44


    This week, stuff was going on at your school that you didn't know about at the time. Write your way back into the memories and the discoveries.Reading recommendation: ORBITAL, by Samantha Harvey.

    110: What Wakes You in the Night?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2025 6:54


    This week, you've got to write about what wakes you in the night, even if it's difficult.Reading recommendation: BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2024.

    109: Make an Index Card Wall

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2025 7:21


    This week, a way to re-discover your novel, and plan for the future of completing it.Reading recommendation: THE HEAVEN AND EARTH GROCERY STORE, by James McBride.

    108: Send a Friend Your Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 7:33


    This week, don't delay any longer. Send your friend a draft and get some feedback.Reading recommendation: ELEVEN HUSKIES by Philip Schott.

    107: Go on a Retreat

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 8:54


    This week, make a plan for some special writing time. Tips and thoughts about building your own writing retreat.Reading recommendation: THE COMEDIANS, by Graham Greene.

    106: Have Your Character Tell a Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 6:43


    This week, get your character to tell a story about themselves, and discover what's truly on their mind.Reading recommendation: REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong.

    105: Find the Person Who Will Hold You Accountable

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 6:11


    This week, find the person who is going to keep you to your writing and help you accomplish your goals. They're out there!Reading recommendation: WANDERING STARS by Tommy Orange.

    104: My Favorite Reads of 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2025 13:31


    This week, I catch up on my reading and pick my favorite reads of 2024.Please like and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    103: Don't Forget to Write

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 6:06


    This week, don't let the holiday season interfere with your most fundamental creative task.Reading recommendation: THE HUNTER, by Tana French.

    102: Spark Joy with Your Writing

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2024 7:10


    Get back to the joy this week with your writing.Book recommendation: BEAR, by Julia Phillips

    101: Trace the Threads of Your Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 8:35


    This week, find the threads of your story, pick them all up and weave them together.Book recommendation: NORTH WOODS, by Daniel Mason.

    100: Begin Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2024 7:03


    I'm back, writers! The Writerly Bites Podcast is resuming its weekly tips for making your writing life better, and I'm starting with the power of beginning again.Reading recommendation: THE GOD OF THE WOODS, Liz Moore.

    99: Have One Character Tell the Truth and One Character Tell Lies

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2023 6:22


    Use an old riddle to ratchet up the conflict in your story this week.Book Recommendation: THE GUEST, Emma Cline.

    98: Try Second Person

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 8:26


    This week, I'm talking about the wonderful, weird, magical re-boot that second person perspective can offer a story.

    97: Watch Out for Third Person

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2023 7:57


    This week, the perils of third person. Every tool that gives you power and control is suspect.Please leave a review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    96: Try Third Person

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 6:54


    This week, the power, beauty, and control of writing in the third person.Book recommendation: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain.

    95: Watch Out for First Person

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2023 6:29


    Part of a mini-series about the joys and pitfalls of point of view. I'm talking about the dangers of first person perspective today.Please rate and review on Apple podcasts.

    94: Re-think Point of View

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2023 7:16


    In this week's episode, I'm beginning a short series on choosing the right point of view for your story.Please leave a review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    93: Interview with Rachel Cantor

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023 13:49


    Writerly Bites is back and I'm thrilled to post this interview with novelist Rachel Cantor!Rachel Cantor is the author of the novels Half-Life of a Stolen Sister (Soho Press 2023), Good on Paper(Melville House 2016), and A Highly Unlikely Scenario (Melville House 2014). Two dozen of her stories have been published in the Paris Review, One Story, Ninth Letter, Kenyon Review, New England Review, and elsewhere. She has written about fiction for National Public Radio, the Guardian, Publishers Weekly, and other publications. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she is writing a series of middle grade and young adult books set in Manhattan's Lower East Side.Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    92: My novel, MINOR PROPHETS, is now available

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2023 4:35


    I read the first page from the novel, and leave you with a writing tip for the week. Tune in for the regular return of the podcast in weeks to come.

    91: My Favorite Reads of 2022

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 10:58


    For the last podcast episode of 2022, my favorite reads of the year. Happy holidays and see you in the new year, listeners!

    90: The Magic of Showing Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2022 5:37


    Back after a hiatus, and I'm talking about the magic of showing up for yourself and your writing.Book recommendation: BLISS MONTAGE by Ling Ma.

    89: No Place Like Home

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2022 5:13


    This week, write about home: all the fraught feelings and complex associations of home.Book recommendation: CITY OF INCURABLE WOMEN, by Maud Casey.

    88: Tell a Ghost Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 6:30


    Getting into the mood for halloween this week with tips for what makes ghost stories great — and why non-ghost stories can benefit from them.Book recommendation: THE LITTLE STRANGER by Sarah Waters.

    87: Tell a Story Backwards

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2022 5:48


    Even stories that start with "Once Upon a Time" are playing with time in bold ways. Try some new ways to shake up time this week.Book recommendation: VERY COLD PEOPLE, by Sarah Manguso.

    86: Break Your Story's Form

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2022 6:20


    Try breaking all the rules of form and function in your story this week.Why not leave a review on Apple Podcasts? It really helps the podcast grow.

    85: Make a New Pair

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2022 5:44


    This week, make a surprising odd couple with your words.Book recommendation: INTIMACIES, by Katie Kitamura.

    85: Make a New Pair

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2022 5:44


    Put two things together that have never been smashed together before this week.Book recommendation: INTIMACIES, by Katie Kitamura.

    84: Spiral into Your Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2022 5:55


    We're back for the fall with new weekly tips, interviews, book recommendations, and thoughts about what you can do today for your writing. This week, consider an alternative story structure.Book recommendation: DISORIENTATION, by Elaine Hsieh Chou.

    spiral disorientation elaine hsieh chou
    83: Remember How it Feels

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 16, 2022 5:20


    Pay attention to the physical in your writing this week.Book recommendation: The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco

    82: Write a Discovery Draft

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022 4:49


    Write a draft this week that's all about discovering what you want to write about.Please leave a review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    81: Interview with Valerie Lute

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2022 7:03


    This week I'm interviewing author Valerie Lute for her favorite writing tips.Valerie Lute is a writer whose short stories have appeared in Arts & Letters, Literary Orphans and Contrary Magazine, among others. You can find her kayaking on the Charles River, attending Shakespeare productions in Greater Boston, or online at valerielute.com.Please leave a review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    80: Ending Your Story, Part II

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 5, 2022 5:28


    In part II of this two-part episode, I talk about finding just the right ending for your story.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    79: If the Ending Isn't There Yet, the Story Isn't Either

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2022 11:21


    In this two-part episode, I'm talking about finding the ending for your story.Book recommendation: SEA OF TRANQUILITY by Emily St. John Mandel.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    78: Don't Write an Origin Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 21, 2022 5:50


    This week, on comic book hero storylines and the problems of the origin story.Please drop a review in Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    77: Two Summer Favorites

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2022 8:48


    I'm highlighting two of my favorite episodes from last summer this week. Enjoy the summer season, writers, and see you back here in a couple of weeks!

    76: Revision is Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 5:07


    I'm talking about the radical possibilities of revision this week.Book recommendation: Exhalation, by Ted ChiangPlease rate and review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    75: Find the Dark Room

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2022 5:36


    This week, we're searching for the dark dark room in the center of our story.Book recommendation: ALL'S WELL by Mona Awad.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    74: Give it Structure

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 5:06


    This week, talking about why a good story is like a dress on a dress form.Book recommendation: A GHOST IN THE THROAT by Doireann Ni Ghriofa.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    73: Type it Up!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2022 5:01


    This week's episode is for the hand-writers out there, but it also has tips for if you write on the computer.Recommendation: HOUSEKEEPING, by Marilynne Robinson.Please leave a review at Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow!

    72: Are You Writing a Story, Or Are You Writing About a Story?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2022 4:40


    We're talking about the difference between a great concept and a great story this week.Recommendation: Atlanta (TV series)Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    71: It's All Just Vibes: Build Your Story's Mood

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2022 4:59


    This week, on casting a spell, building your story's vibe, and understanding the limits of atmosphere.Book recommendation: THE SWIMMERS by Julie Otsuka.

    70: Break Your Writing Loop

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 29, 2022 4:16


    Stuck in a writing rut, or traveling in loops? This week, tips for breaking out of it.Book recommendation: TOKYO UENO STATION, by Yu Miri.

    69: Interview with Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2022 10:11


    I had the pleasure of speaking with author Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan for this week's episode. Cheryl is the author of several books; most recently, she is the co-editor and contributor of ANONYMOUS SEX. Learn more at http://cheryllulientan.com.Please rate and review on Apple podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    68: Ten Minutes to a Better Five Pages

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2022 7:36


    This week, get out your red pen and try some concrete exercises to make five pages of your story better.Book recommendation: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, by James HerriotPlease leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    67: Interview with Hillary Jordan

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2022 7:43


    Hillary Jordan is the author of the novels Mudbound and When She Woke as well as the digital short "Aftermirth," all published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. She also co-created and co-edited, with Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan, the groundbreaking erotica anthology Anonymous Sex, forthcoming from Scribner on February 1, 2022. Hillary's stories have been translated into 15 languages. Please rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts; it really helps Writerly Bites grow.

    66: Don't Run Away from the Story that Scares You

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2022 4:41


    This week, face the story that scares you.Book recommendation: BUNNY by Mona Awad.

    65: Show What Your Character Loves

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2022 5:24


    In honor of Valentine's Day, I'm thinking about showing the big loves and little loves of your character in your fiction.Book recommendation: LOOKER by Laura Sims.Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    64: Writers Love Having Written

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2022 5:31


    This week, I'm admitting the best kept secret of many writers.Book recommendation: MIDDLEMARCH, by George Eliot. Join me in reading Middlemarch in 2022!

    63: Walk One Block to the Left

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2022 5:42


    This week, take a small step in the other direction and look around you.Book recommendation: FIGHT NIGHT, by Miriam Toews.Please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts; it really helps the podcast grow.

    62: You Don't Have to Be Everything

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2022 5:03


    Today's tip: you don't have to be every kind of writer.Book recommendation: MILK BLOOD HEAT by Dantiel Moniz.

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