Why Is This Good?
- Episodes
- 189
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Nov 1, 2026
About the podcast
The Naples Writers' Workshop presents lessons from successful writing
Episodes 189
187: “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. What can we learn from this magical story? What kind of story can magical realism create for the reader? How does a story establish a moral stance? How can we be sure our stories focus on human concerns? What is the difference between magical realism and surrealism?
186: “The Call of Cthulhu” by H P Lovecraft
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “The Call of Cthulhu” by H. P. Lovecraft. What can we learn from this classic work of gothic horror? How does a first-person narrator help develop the dawning dread? How does the way the story is told help lend it authority and realism? How does the unfolding of the story develop an emotional arc? How does the Gothic style propel the story?
185: “An Alpine Divorce” by Robert Barr
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “An Alpine Divorce” by Robert Barr. What can we learn from this old story? How quickly can we establish the dynamics among the characters to set up the story? How can we foreshadow what will happen and keep reader interest with the twist ending? How does a distant narrator function? How can a narrator guide a reader’s expectations?
184: “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene” by Gertrude Stein
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “Miss Furr and Miss Skeene” by Gertrude Stein. What can we learn from this story written as prose poetry? What is a prose poem? How can we overload a word’s meaning to dig deeper into a situation? What does the writing gain or lose by being poetry or being prose?
183: “The Fifty-Ninth Bear” by Sylvia Plath
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “The Fifty-Ninth Bear” by Sylvia Plath. What can we learn from this story by such an accomplished poet? How well can an author get outside of themself to portray a compelling character and story? How much can we read beyond the page into the motives and feelings of the characters, and how much should we?
182: “Say Yes” by Tobias Wolff
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “Say Yes” by Tobias Wolff. What can we learn from this quick story with great depth? How can a story create depth of character without relying on backstory and character history? How can a mundane setup help focus a story on its central point? How can a story introduce the main elements it will develop right at the start?
181: “At the Clinic” by Sally Rooney
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “At the Clinic” by Sally Rooney. What can we learn from this story about characters that are also the focus of a novel? How can we set up the threads that will be woven together through a story? How does point of view help focus what a story is about?
180: “Work” by Denis Johnson
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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?
179: “Roy Spivey” by Miranda July
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “Roy Spivey” by Miranda July. What can we learn from this delightful story of quirky characters? How can taking a character’s emotions to an absurd degree help get to the root of what it means to be human? How can we root a story in a truth about human experience?
178: “A Small Good Thing” by Raymond Carver
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
Show notes
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected]
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 “A Small Good Thing” by Raymond Carver. What can we learn from this masterful short story? How does a writer deliberately make a reader like or dislike a character? Can we deepen a character without exploring the character’s past? How does fiction employ empathy? How can we depict a character’s emotions by showing them in action?
177: “2BR02B” by Kurt Vonnegut
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “2BR02B” by Kurt […]176: “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “A Worn Path” […]175: “Foster” by Claire Keegan
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “Foster” by Claire […]174: “In the Heart of the Heart of the Country” by William H Gass
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “In the Heart […]173: “Teenage Wasteland” by Anne Tyler
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “Teenage Wasteland” by […]172: “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “The Necklace” by […]171: The Wedding Party by Taylor Koekkoek
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “The Wedding Party” […]170: “Eveline” by James Joyce
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “Eveline” by James […]169: “A Millionaire’s Girl” by Zelda Fitzgerald
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “A Millionaire’s Girl” […]168: “The Catbird Seat” by James Thurber
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “The Catbird Seat” […]167: “The Grasshopper and the Bell Cricket” by Yasunari Kawabata
Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] If you enjoyed this episode, consider joining our Patreon. Your support helps us keep the show …
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Interested in our novel mentorship program or have any other questions? Email us at [email protected] 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 “The Grasshopper and […]166: “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J. Kim
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 In this episode, we discuss “Why Don’t We …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “Why Don’t We Just Kill the Kid in the Omelas Hole” by Isabel J. Kim. What can we learn from this story that plays off another classic story? […]165: “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clarke
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 In this episode, we discuss “The Nine Billion …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “The Nine Billion Names of God” by Arthur C. Clarke. What can we learn from this classic story? What guides the length and development of a short story? […]164: “Hollow” by Breece D’J Pancake
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 In this episode, we discuss “Hollow” by …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “Hollow” by Breece D’J Pancake. What can we learn from this early success from a young writer? What does it mean for a writer to find their voice? […]163: “The Enormous Radio” by John Cheever
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 In this episode, we discuss “The Enormous …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “The Enormous Radio” by John Cheever (alternate version). What can we learn from this 1947 New Yorker story? How does the distinction between public and private life drive […]162: “A Conversation with My Father” by Grace Paley
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 In this episode, we discuss “A Conversation …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “A Conversation with My Father” by Grace Paley. What can we learn from this semi-autobiographical story? How can we develop stories from our own experiences? How can an […]161: “A Manual for Cleaning Women” by Lucia Berlin
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 In this episode, we discuss “A Manual for …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “A Manual for Cleaning Women” by Lucia Berlin. What can we learn from this story? How can we use a repeating structure in a story? How can the […]160: “Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O’Connor
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 In this episode, we discuss “Everything That …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O’Connor. What can we learn from one of O’Connor’s best parables? How do details make a story richer? What does it […]159: “Wood Sorrel House” by Zach Williams
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 In this episode, we discuss “Wood Sorrel …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “Wood Sorrel House” by Zach Williams. What can we learn from this story? Do we need to interpret what the story means? Is there a metaphor? How can […]158: “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges
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 In this episode, we discuss “The Garden of …
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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 In this episode, we discuss “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges. What can we learn from this seminal work? How does the Garden of Forking Paths function in the story? […]
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