About this episode

The episode discusses the importance of practicing writing, inspired by Edgar Alan Poe, and emphasizes the need for scenes in storytelling.

Writing is like learning the violin. We can get better. Here are reasons we should practice, and suggestions how to do so. And what sparked Edgar Alan Poe's imagination? Also: how much of our story should be scenes rather than summary? The answer: should fill our story with scenes that play out in real time in front of the reader like a movie. Support the show Buy the master class.

People in this episode

Host: James Thayer

Topics covered

• writing practice
• Edgar Alan Poe
• storytelling
• scenes vs summary
• imagination

Keywords

• writing
• practice
• Edgar Alan Poe
• story scenes
• summary
• imagination
• novel writing

More episodes of Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

• Episode 219 - How to get our story going. · May 29, 2026 · 25 min
• Episode 218 - Our writer's voice. · May 22, 2026 · 27 min

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