[Working Title]

This week on [Working Title] we talk about the only novel with donut-making space aliens, cursed violins, and fierce trans pride: LIGHT FROM UNCOMMON STARS by Ryka Aoki! Join Dana, Leah, and special guest Mackenzie as we explore the ultimate genre mash-up, emotionally resonant food scenes, and prose as brutal as it is hopeful.

You can find Mackenzie over on Instagram at @bookish_black_hole, read their blog at colourmeread.com, or connect on Twitter at @itnotMackenzie

In this episode, guest Eve White joins Leah and Dana to discuss finding the balance between marketing and creating your art and the impact social media has on our artistic processes.


Check out Eve's Art here: https://www.instagram.com/eve___white/?hl=en

Powerful storytelling cuts across forms and formats, so this week we're reading some comics! Dana and Leah explore the ways that comics and graphic novels build fantastical worlds using both picture and prose, creating shifts in perspective, pacing, and focus.

Episode reading list...

Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening, written by Marjorie M. Liu and illustrated by Sana Takeda

The Many Deaths of Laila Starr, written by Ram V. and illustrated by Filipe Andrade

Also referenced...

Stand Still, Stay Silent, written and illustrated by Minna Sunberg

MIND MGMT, written and illustrated by Matt Kindt

Bitch Planet, written by Kelly Sue DeConnich and illustrated by Valentine De Landro

Sandman, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by a variety of artists.

In this episode, Leah and Dana discuss the second installment to Becky Chambers' quiet, utopic Monk and Robot series: A prayer for the Crown-Shy. They explore how stories can be used to open space for questions and they, themselves, ask whether this story is spoilable.

Welcome to Season 3! In this episode, Dana and Leah talk about how our relationship with our writing has changed and our plans to pursue generative, non-judgemental, creative practices

In this episode, Leah convinces Dana (and maybe you?) to join NaNoWriMo. Whether you've just started and are losing steam, or think it's too late but still kind of want to, our aim is to pep talk you into writing your story--whether through NaNoWriMo or by some other means. Join us!

Hark! It is time -- to finally discuss GIDEON THE NINTH.

Join us as we celebrate two full seasons of [Working Title] with our favorite space lesbians, as well as special guests Kate and Mallory! We talk through mixing memes and classics, enemies-to-cavaliers, and powerful point-of-view characters.

Thank you all for wandering with us through this season, especially when the woods of the world seem so dark. We hope this episode can be a barbaric "yop" of joy for you as well!

[Working Title] will return for Season 3 next year -- stay tuned on Twitter with @worktitlepod for updates!

In this episode Leah and Dana talk about ambitious writing and explore how story choices affects us as readers differently. Join us as we talk about the themes, magic and characters of Zoraida Cordova's The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina.

Welcome to [Working Title], a podcast where two friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

Today, we dive into editing! How do we bring in our critical voice without losing heart? Join us for a final writing exercise this season as we wrap up the short stories we've been working on.

Welcome to [Working Title], a podcast where two friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

Today we're looking for clues in our first mystery novel! We discuss what distinguishes a mystery from a thriller, and how a story can be satisfying even if it doesn't meet all of a reader's expectations.

Welcome to [Working Title], a podcast where two friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

Today we're talking romance novels, and diving into the genre's most well-known trope -- enemies to lovers! We discuss building tension and character arcs HOLD ME by Courtney Milan, THE WEDDING PARTY by Jasmine Guillory, and WHEN A SCOT TIES THE KNOT by Tessa Dare. What can romance teach us about pacing and structure? How do you subvert expectations without betraying them? And how the heck do you write a sex scene?

Referenced in the episode, you can also check out Leah's beautiful videos here: https://www.youtube.com/c/WhereintheworldisLeahJane

Welcome to [Working Title], a podcast where two friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

In this episode, we discuss SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller! We explore the challenges of threading the line across complex themes of glory and humanity and how the choices we make when adapting well-known stories can divide reader opinion.

In this episode, Dana and Leah discuss how our depictions of synthetic life has changed and what that says about our own world. They explore how  synthetic protagonists can be used to explore questions about gender, identity, and free will.

Books discussed include:

A Psalm for the Wild Built - Becky Chambers

Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red - Martha Wells

Ancillary Justice - Ann Leckie

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

It's time to play a writing game! Dana and Leah take turns offering each other prompts in a writing exercise inspired by Sugar, Porridge, Spoons that takes us from diamond-spangled cons to myths of forgotten rituals. Join us as we build on these story seeds throughout the season with a singular goal -- finish something!

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

This week, we are joined by Vendi of @CaughtBetweenPages and @VendiWrites! We discuss the trials and tribulations of epic fantasy scope, seeing our own writing struggles in others' work, and learning from fellow readers with very different opinions.

Content Warning: Windwitch contains transphobic treatment of a young trans character, which we discuss in detail in this episode. The discussion begins at 1:03:57 and ends at 1:21:40.

Welcome to season two of Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends wander through books we love, looking for writing secrets!

In this episode, Dana and Leah discuss mixing whimsy with nuance and unexpected narrative structures in Kelly Barnhill's novel The Girl Who Drank the Moon, as well as how to hold on to joy when you're in the deep trenches of editing your work.

Welcome to a new season! In this mini-episode, Dana and Leah discuss writing resolutions. Are they helpful? If so, when? 

They also share some of their goals for the podcast and their writing in the new year.

Have any writing resolutions? Send them to us at @worktitlepod on Twitter!

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets.

This episode concludes the first season of Working Title! Join us as we reflect back on where we've been, dream up where we want to wander next, and discuss letting go of our fear while getting lost in the woods.

Thank you all for joining us! We'll be back with Season 2 starting in January, 2022!

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we re-read books that were foundational to our own writing, explore themes across many stories, and discuss what inspires us.

In this episode Leah and Dana explore how Sarah Gailey embraces their writing darlings and how newbie writers can learn from their characterization techniques while discussing Gailey's novella River of Teeth.

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we re-read books that were foundational to our own writing, explore themes across many stories, and discuss what inspires us.

In this episode Dana and Leah channel our own inner writing demons in an exercise from Tim Clare's 100 Day Writing Challenge. We discuss wrestling with anxiety, and how to engage creatively from a place of care and experimentation.

If you like, join us and try the exercise yourself! http://www.timclarepoet.co.uk/the-100-day-writing-challenge/the-100-day-writing-challenge-day-25/

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

In this episode, Dana and Leah discuss Leah's pick: Never Let Me Go.  They cover how Kazuo Ishiguro writes quiet dystopias, characters who lie to themselves and how to write a tragic story that doesn't overwhelm the reader.

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

For this flashback episode, we were joined by Emilie of @inknotblood! We delved deep into our memories to read Wolf Tower, a fantasy YA novel by Tanith Lee. Together we discuss voice-y narrators, meandering plots, and our most embarrassing teenage diary entries.

Find us on twitter: @worktitlepod

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

In this episode, Leah and Dana explore what libraries in fiction can reveal about characters and our relationships with stories. Libraries are so much more than places where books are stored they are symbols (and often literal places) of community; the hold histories and futures. Using The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern and The Book of M by Peng Shepherd as pillars in the conversation, Dana and Leah discuss the range of the idea.

Books mentioned:

The Starless Sea by Ering Morgenstern

The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

The Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman

The Library of Legends by Janie Chang

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

In this episode Dana and Leah cover the joy of collaborative story telling through table top games, the importance of not taking art too seriously while staying true to yourself, and the voice that tells us not to write.

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

For this flashback episode, we read Wintersong, a debut fantasy YA novel by S. Jae-Jones. Dana and Leah discuss paradoxes, stealing from stories you love, and whether all books really need a plot.

Find us on twitter: @worktitlepod

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

On this episode we invite a guest writer, Rebecca Conroy, to choose our flashback pick. Goddess of the Night by Lynne Ewing is the first in an early-2000s YA series about a group of young girls with magic powers. In this episode we talk about the power of girl gangs with amazing costume changes, how YA has changed over the years and a truly wild plot. 

Find us on twitter: https://twitter.com/worktitlepod

Find Rebecca online:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TeaHag_Rebecca

Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/c/teahags

A Series of Unfortunate Sequels: https://open.spotify.com/show/7c9rZ1HWOZM7A9iljHXkXv

League of Loreheads: https://open.spotify.com/show/2pJTP3eAqT3qpCdIJfw0av

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

In our first plot twist episode we're exploring Trickster Gods! What are they and how do they function in a story? Dana and Leah compare how   Rebecca Roanhorse and Tamora Pierce use the Trickster God in their stories Trail of Lightning and the Trickster Duology. Tricksters are slippery, charming and how the reader perceives them often depends on how the author writes their relationships with other characters. Join us as we figure out what makes them so compelling!

Books mentioned:

Trail of Lightning- Rebecca Roan Horse

Trickster Duology- Tamora Pierce

The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms- N.K. Jemisin

Anansi Boys- Neil Gaiman

The Grace of Kings- Ken Liu

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

For our second flashback episode, Dana picked a childhood favorite: Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. In this episode we explore how Levine creates obstacles for her characters, develops friendships and romances and uses humor.

Links:

Gail Carson Levine's Writing Spell: https://www.gailcarsonlevine.com/writer_to_writer_prev.html

Welcome to Working Title, a podcast where two writer friends stumble through books we love, looking for writing secrets. Join us as we read books that were foundational to our own writing (flashbacks), explore themes across genres and books (plot twist) and talk about whatever is inspiring us (red herring).

For our first flashback episode, Leah picked a book both hosts read in their childhood: Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Leah and Dana discuss how small stakes can make for great stories and how our interpretation of books change with our expectations.