180: “Work” by Denis Johnson

180: “Work” by Denis Johnson

July 15, 2026 · 34 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Denis Johnson's story 'Work' and explores various storytelling techniques and narrative voice.

Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at napleswritersworkshop@gmail.com If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show running. Find out more at http://www.patreon.com/whyisthisgoodpodcast You can also subscribe to our monthly newsletter at http://www.napleswritersworkshop.com In this episode, we discuss “Work” by Denis Johnson . What can we learn from this story with a strong voice? How does the narrator shape the way we understand and experience the story? How does detachment play a part in the emotions of the story? How are connections and analogies drawn to help develop the feelings of important moments? How does the linear nature of prose writing dictate how we guide the reader through this kind of connective narrative? How can we create the right voice for our own stories?

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