Story Embers Podcast

Today Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller discuss what it means to depict characters with souls. How do we show readers the inherent worth of a person’s soul without being explicitly Christian? How do you think souls should be treated in fiction? What’s your favorite example of a book that effectively portrayed a soul as valuable? Let us know! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-19-depicting-souls-in-literature/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Today Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb discuss a writer’s worst enemy: discouragement. They share their own experiences with battling it and offer advice to anyone who is wondering if it’s time to quit writing.When was the last time you felt discouraged about your writing? What helped you overcome it? Please share in the comments! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-18-how-to-battle-discouragement/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

 As humans we’re prone to a multitude of sins, and as writers there are a few sins we tend to struggle with by virtue of our craft. Today Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller discuss two specific sins they and others have struggled with: envy and pride. They share their own experiences with envy and pride and give practical tips on how to work through these issues. What’s one thing you would say to your beginning-writer self if you had the chance? Let us know in the comments! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/common-sins-writers-struggle-with/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Today Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb tackle a famous piece of writing advice: show, don’t tell. What exactly is the difference between showing and telling? Why is showing important? Should writers ever tell instead? Listen to them answer these questions and more! What common “telling” errors have you seen in other works? Do you think telling instead of showing is ever appropriate? Let us know in the comments! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/the-many-applications-of-show-dont-tell/)Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Earlier this month, Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb shared their perspectives on crafting creative stories while remaining grounded in Christian theology. Today Josiah continues the discussion with Hope Ann and Brandon Miller. They reflect on how they’ve wrestled with this question in their own journeys and offer advice for storytellers who are struggling to find a balance between creativity and Christian orthodoxy.Have you ever wrestled with how to adhere to Christian orthodoxy within the perimeters of fiction? What are your thoughts on how to do this? Let us know here! Show notes: - Listen to part one of this discussion (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-14-balancing-creativity-and-orthodoxy-as-a-christian-storyteller-part-1/)- Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-15-balancing-creativity-and-orthodoxy-as-a-christian-storyteller-part-2/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

As storytellers, we thrive on finding new story ideas. However, as Christians, we’re called to uphold certain unchanging truths. What are the limits of orthodoxy when crafting a distinct fantasy world or exploring a unique theme? How can we seek to portray truth creatively yet remain grounded in Christian theology? In today’s episode, Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb answer these questions and share how they’ve navigated this issue in their own writing.Have you ever wrestled with how to adhere to Christian orthodoxy within the perimeters of fiction? What are your thoughts on how to do this? Let us know! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-14-balancing-creativity-and-orthodoxy-as-a-christian-storyteller-part-1/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Last month we discussed how to create flawed protagonists without chasing readers away. Today Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller tackle the other end of the spectrum—how to effectively write virtuous protagonists. They share their favorite examples of virtuous protagonists and explore what prevented them from being annoying. What’s your favorite example of a virtuous character who didn’t irritate you as a reader? Let us know in the comments! Show notes: - Listen to our episode on crafting flawed, yet likable protagonists (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-10-writing-flawed-protagonists-without-turning-off-readers/) - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-13-writing-virtuous-protagonists-without-turning-off-readers/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb discuss how we can accurately portray prayer in fiction. They share where they’ve seen prayer used effectively and give tips on how to impactfully show God’s will through both answered and unanswered prayers. Do you think answered or unanswered prayers are more powerful in storytelling? And what’s your favorite instance of prayer in a story? Let us know! Show notes: - Comment on this episode on our blog (https://storyembers.org/se-podcast-12-how-to-effectively-portray-prayer-in-your-writing/) Music credits: Legendary - Purple Planet Music (https://www.purple-planet.com/) Support the show

Today Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller talk about personal writing styles. What is a storyteller’s writing style? How do you discover your own? They tackle these questions and more. What are some prominent characteristics of your writing style? Do you struggle to be consistent to your style when reading other writers’ work? Let us know in the comments!Support the show

Today Josiah DeGraaf, Rolena Hatfield, and Daeus Lamb give tips on how to create flawed protagonists that readers still want to root for. They also share examples of where they’ve seen this done effectively. Listen to their discussion below! What is your favorite example of a flawed protagonist who doesn’t turn you off as a reader? Let us know here!Support the show

Welcome to the finale of Fawkes week! In today’s episode, Grace Livingston, Josiah DeGraaf, and Rolena Hatfield sit down with YA author Nadine Brandes to talk about her learning experiences while writing Fawkes. Nadine gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at what inspired the story, the challenges she encountered during the process, and how she felt about switching to the historical fantasy genre. Our giveaway ends tonight, so be sure to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Fawkes along with book swag! Support the show

Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller share how their faith has impacted their writing and discuss how a writer’s worldview can affect a story consciously or unconsciously. Want to share your perspective on this topic? Join us on the forum thread for this episode to continue the conversation!Support the show

Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Brandon Miller discuss the closing of LifeWay Christian Stores and the digitization of book selling as a whole. Does LifeWay’s closing mean that explicitly Christian fiction no longer has a place on the market? How will the shift to the digital world affect both authors and readers? Listen to them tackle these questions in today's episode.What do you think of the digitization of book selling? Do you prefer paperbacks or e-books? Let us know in the comments!Support the show

Today Hope Ann, Josiah DeGraaf, and Rolena Hatfield discuss the types of critique they’ve found the most (and least) helpful and share tips on handling feedback from both categories. What has been the most insightful bit of writing input you’ve received? And what mindset do you try to cultivate when dealing with critiques? Let us know!Support the show

In today's episode, Hope Ann, Josiah DeGraaf, and Rolena Hatfield discuss a specific type of character many of our subscribers love to write: the witty character. They share their favorite examples of this beloved trope, explore its dangers, and give tips for how you can create witty characters who are as complex as they are hilarious. Who are some of your favorite witty characters? Let us know in the comments!  Support the show

In today’s episode, Josiah DeGraaf, Hope Ann, and Rolena Hatfield tackle writing habits and disciplines. They share the writing habits that have proved the most beneficial and how you can develop successful ones of your own. What writing habits have helped you on your own writing journey? Let us know in the comments!Support the show

 In today’s episode, Josiah DeGraaf, Daeus Lamb, and Brandon Miller share their favorite contemporary Christian authors and discuss what elements set them apart. Who are some of your favorite contemporary Christian authors? Let us know in the comments! Support the show

In today’s episode, Josiah DeGraaf, Daeus Lamb, and Brandon Miller explore the ins and outs of Christian fantasy and allegory. They discuss the advantages and disadvantages of writing in either genre and share their favorite (and least favorite) things about this popular area of the Christian fiction market. Support the show

For our inaugural episode, Josiah DeGraaf, Daeus Lamb, and Brandon Miller discuss the current state of Christian fiction. They explore its strengths, its weaknesses, and what trends they’re seeing across the Christian fiction market.Support the show