Writing Lessons From...

Live long and prosper, storytellers.Stay with me and keep the Writing Lessons From... magic going:Join the mailing list: https://www.writeintothewoods.com/join-us

I've noticed a pattern in the stories I've been listening to and watching recently, so I thought I'd share this important lesson about being an artist.Especially as it's the beginning of the year and it's dark, cold and miserable.Read instead of listen at: https://writeintothewoods.com/2026/01/08/hollywood-lessons/Come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.comPlease hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!

aka How to get out of a rut with your writing.The episode looks at the following films:Best. Christmas. EverRenovation RomanceOur Little SecretHaul Out The Holly (and Haul Out The Holly Lit Up)Hot FrostyJingle Bell HeistNot in that order.And I'm looking at what lessons I'm taking from these films into my Christmas romance writing in 2026.Read instead of listen at: writeintothewoods.com/2025/12/16/bingeing-christmas-films/Join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.comPlease hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!Check out some of my favourite episodes from 2025:Episode 10: BarbieEpisode 12: Alien: EarthEpisode 17: Grace and FrankieMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay.Special Christmas sound effect by Sound Effect by DRAGON-STUDIO from Pixabay.

aka The Joy of Keeping it SimpleThe episode looks at:Why simple can be best.Summing up your plot in one sentence.The importance of good character development.Read instead of listen at:Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromFor more on this topic, check out the following past episodes:Episode 14: Starstruck (which I mention in this podcast)Episode 2: Ozark (also mentioned!)Episode 10: BarbieMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka Ending That Story BeautifullyWriting endings is HARD!My favourite kind of endings are the ones that mirror the beginning.Grace and Frankie teaches us that we can look at four things when writing an ending:The themes of the storyThe character arcsHow it all startedAnd make sure there’s closure.Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!Read instead of listen at: writeintothewoods.com/2025/11/21/writing-lessons-from-grace-and-frankie/And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromFor more on this topic, check out the following past episodes:Episode 13: Save Yourselves!Episode 5: GirlbossEpisode 1: A Quiet PlaceMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka the Power of the Short StorySpecifically looking at episodes: Sonnie's Edge (Volume One), Lucky 13 (Volume One), The Tall Grass (Volume Two) and Bad Travelling (Volume Three).The episode looks at:A short story should pack a punchKeeping your audience guessingConsidering all characters - some can be inanimate objects, settings, placesBuilding the tension, andDoing the right thing by doing lots of wrong things, along with questionable heroes.But also, not having to do ALL those things in one story!Also, some mini admin: This podcast is now going fortnightly, in order to allow me to carve out some time to work on new projects. Ironically including creating some short stories.Read instead of listen at: writeintothewoods.com/2025/11/06/writing-lessons-from-love-death-and-robots/You can grab a copy of No Masters Or Kings (as mentioned when discussing Lucky 13) here: books2read.com/u/mqqy6e Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromWe haven't covered short fiction before, so here are some of my favourite episodes for you to also check out:Episode 12: Alien: Earth, Episode 6Episode 10: BarbieEpisode 15: Mary and GeorgeMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka What’s Your Story About, Though?This week I'm looking at Mary and George, available on Sky Atlantic / Showcase / Now TV.The episode looks at: endings!! Again! Getting endings right is so hard! the difficulty of writing historical fiction - there are just so many rabbit holes to investigate the importance of focusing in your story.Read instead of listen at: writeintothewoods.com/2025/10/30/writing-lessons-from-mary-and-george/Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom For more on these topics, check out the following past episodes:Episode 13: Save Yourselves!Episode 5: GirlbossEpisode 10: BarbieMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka When a Character Changes the StoryThis week it's all about all three series of Starstruck, available on BBC iPlayer, and Jessie's journey.The episode looks at: middles are so tough the importance of listening to your characters how sometimes the story isn't the one you thought it would be, sometimes it's something better.Read instead of listen at: https://writeintothewoods.com/2025/10/24/writing-lessons-from-starstruck/Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom For more on this topic, check out the following past episodes:Episode 12: Alien EarthEpisode 11: Growing a Family in SitcomsEpisode 3: TMNT Mutant MayhemMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka When One Idea Inspires a Whole StoryAnd what to do when that original idea no longer quite fits with the story that grows around it.Have you ever heard of Save Yourselves!? It's worth having a watch if you can find it, especially for the ending. But if you can't, enjoy this spoiler-full episode!Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromFor more on the topic of endings, check out the following past episodes:1: A Quiet Place2: Ozark5: GirlbossMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka Start Your Third Act Without Being Boring!This is the longest episode (so far) of Writing Lessons From... and why is explained in the intro.If you'd like to go straight to the writing lessons, they begin properly at 15:26.But there's also an important message for all storytellers at the beginning and the rest of it is context, so I hope you'll listen, even if you already know all this stuff because you've watched Alien: Earth and want me to get to the point!Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromFor more on these topics, check out the following past episodes:Seven: Hannah Gadsby, andTen: BarbieMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family.The writing lesson in this episode focuses on something every single storyteller needs to know, so it's worth 12 minutes of your time. While you're walking the dog or on the treadmill or making lunch and cleaning the toilet (careful those earbuds don't fall in!).Without giving a spoiler as to the big writing lesson in this episode, the general gist is around character development and writing believable characters.For more on this topic, check out episodes 3: Mutant Mayhem and 4: Platonic and Mythic Quest.Please hit follow wherever you listen to your podcasts, and leave a rating or review. It all helps!And come join the mailing list for more storytelling goodness at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromMusic by ReneSchulze1984 and Dmitrii from Pixabay

aka Big Themes, Little Themes, Cardboard BoxFinally, I managed to watch Barbie! And I tried to stay away from the big themes and focus on the things that I found interesting as a storyteller.Come and join the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfromJohn Cena is also mentioned in episodes 8 and 6! He gets everywhere.

aka A lesson in originality and lazinessI almost didn't record this one, but here we go. Writing is joyful, but it can also make us angry, resentful, confused... All of these stories help us to learn too.Also my new novel is out! And I said I'd put the link in the show notes...Yellow Petals at Christmas: https://mybook.to/YellowPetalsJoin the Writing Lessons From... mailing list: https://writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom/

aka Writing a Billion-dollar Soap OperaThis week we're looking at WWE documentary Unreal, on Netflix, and the secrets (pure gold!) from their writers room. If you're interested in telling stories, or in the storytelling business, this one is a must watch/listen!Please hit follow, rate/review, and come subscribe to the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom

aka Creating Subplots and Tangents That Mean Something. Today we take a look at Hannah Gadby's comedy special Something Special, available on Netflix, and work out just why and how the storytelling works so well, so we can apply it to our own stories.Please hit follow, and join the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom

aka Killing Off a Great Character. Should you do it? When should you do it? HOW should you do it?This week I take a look at season four of Only Murders in the Building (Disney+) and Peacemaker (Sky Max), and the agony but beauty in killing off a character who is well loved or vital to some part of your story.Don't forget to hit follow, and come join the mailing list at writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom

aka What the Hell Was That Ending? Yes, it's another episode about endings. Endings are so hard! Also, about dislikable characters AND writing fiction from fact.If you enjoy this episode, please hit follow and you can find the blog post and the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com/writinglessonsfrom

aka Can Two Characters Just Be Friends Without Kissing? Can two characters just be friends without resorting to kissing or sleeping together? Let's look at the creative writing and storytelling lessons from Platonic and Mythic Quest, both available on Apple TV.Hit follow and sign up to the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com.

aka Writing with 40 Years of Character Development. I am a HUGE Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fan. HUGE! Was Mutant Mayhem everything I wanted it to be? Yes and no. But what glorious animation and what glorious writing and storytelling lessons we can learn from it!Please hit follow or subscribe, and sign up to the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com.

aka Doing Your Characters Justice. Let's talk about that ending of Ozark (available on Netflix and very bingeable!) and the creative writing and storytelling lessons we can learn from it. Massive spoilers in this one, I'm talking life and death. So hit follow/subscribe, make sure you've watched Ozark, then hit play!Please hit follow or subscribe, and sign up to the mailing list at www.writeintothewoods.com.