What happens when a story is pitched in the query letter as a mystery, but doesn't read like one in the opening pages? Where did the confusion creep in and how can you avoid a genre mismatch? We discuss this and much more (including writing unnamed protagonists and passive characters) in today's Hook Your Reader episode. Enjoy! -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Of all the types of protagonists, audiences/readers love the underdog the most, and our discussion of this beloved archetype led us down all kinds of interesting story theory roads including tension, stakes, objects of desire, the use of consequences as plot devices, suspension of disbelief and the Disneyfication of fairy tales! Meanwhile, Melanie continues her study of the premise statement and logline — what the difference between them is, how to formulate them, why they're important and, of course, when a writer would use them. This episode is jam-packed! Enjoy! -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Sicario presented us with a few surprises this week. Valerie thought she’d be analysing a hero, but Kate is an underdog. She’s not presented as a typical underdog, nor does she have the typical underdog resolution. On my end, the logline for the movie misses some essential information. I try a new method of creating a premise that clarifies the conflict and story climax, and it delivers a surprising discovery about the real antagonist. -M
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Can you write a killer opening line? Can you define what a killer opening line is? In this week's episode, we give our professional advice on the opening pages of a story described as upmarket with suspense elements, starting with a debate about the opening line. Don't get me wrong ... the first 10 pages are quite good, but we've got suggestions for how to make them great! Don't miss this episode! -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

What type of protagonist does your story feature? There are 4 types, each of them can be a constant character or a change character, and each one evokes a different emotion from your reader/viewer. And that's exactly what I'm studying this season starting with the hero which could be a literal superhero, or it could be a little old lady. And Melanie is studying the story premise and how to articulate a story in one sentence (because it's a skill EVERY writer needs!). There's loads of great stuff coming up this season, starting with this episode all about Murder, She Said. Enjoy! -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Poles apart - and not the dancing kind!
Anora won the 2024 Palme d’Or at Cannes and five out of six categories at the 2025 Academy awards including Best Original Screen Play and Best Film. Plus, it was nominated for a multitude of other awards and won its fair share. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an aggregated rating of 93%. That’s impressive. 
However, we disagree about What Went Right. I saw how the writer director crafted a pessimistic story arc combined with a negative character arc. Valerie believes that nothing went right in this movie because of the characters, dialogue, and lack of originality. If you’ve seen the movie, let us know what you think. -M
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

It's AMA time! When is the best time to query an agent? When is the best time to go out on submission? How on earth does a writer choose comp titles? Literary agent, Kathleen Foxx, answers these questions and more on today's Hook Your Reader episode. If you want our feedback on your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample, visit storynerd.ca for details on how to submit. We look forward to reading your work! -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

I'm convinced that the screenplay for this film was generated by AI. Of course, I have no proof for that, but 80 for Brady is so completely bizarre that if AI wasn't involved, I'd like to know what the filmmakers were smoking. It misses the mark at every turn and has so neglected (ignored? forgotten?) the fundamentals of storytelling that not even four legends of stage and screen can save it. This just might be the worst movie ever made. Oy with the poodles already! - V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

In the season roundup, we share all our best advice about the speech in praise of the villain (what it is, how to craft it, and why it's important), and constant characters (they're waaaaaay more common than you think!). -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

This is the first episode of our brand new HOOK YOUR READER series! In these episodes, literary editor Kathleen Foxx and I review query letters and first ten pages writing samples from you, our listeners! While we're getting this off the ground, and to give you time to prepare your work, we've devoted this week's show to answering your questions about AI, writing and publishing. It's a good one! And, to find out how you can send in your work for review, be sure to stick around to the end of the episode. -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

What if you could get professional advice on your query letter and first ten pages writing sample BEFORE you started to send it off to agents? Well my friends, you're going to love this! Starting tomorrow, literary agent Kathleen Foxx and I are going to do just that (and it's free). For all the details about how you can get our feedback on your work, visit storynerd.ca. -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

In a twist that no one saw coming, not even us, the villains in this movie are Val and Mel! 
Despite this, I thought Thunderbolts would be better. :( However, the constant characters in this movie support a protagonist with a change arc, and fill archetypal roles in the movie. In another surprising twist - switching the villain in the end of the movie has a big impact on the effectiveness of the speech in praise of the villain. This episode has more twists and and turns than the MCU - and that is saying something! -M
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Season 5 kicks off with Men in Black. Valerie is studying plot structure, and Melanie is studying resonance. Now, admittedly, plot structure doesn't sound very sexy but it's one of the first decisions a writer must make. If you haven't chosen a structure for your novel, how will you know if what you've written is working? Do you know what the structure options are? Resonance is the ability to evoke or suggest images, emotions, and memories, and all successful writers use it to draw on their readers' experiences. So, how are you putting it to use in your own WIP? - V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Sometimes, studying a story that you love can be a bit scary. What if it turns out that the story is rubbish, and what you really like is the soundtrack, or the actor, or the costumes? Well, you can cast those worries aside this week because The Devil Wears Prada is solid. In terms of structure, it isn't fancy. It doesn't waver from the Hero's Journey/Archplot form, and that's okay. In fact it's more than okay because it teaches us what can happen when we focus on the fundamentals.-V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!

Does the nickname "baby" bother us? Why yes, yes it does. But we've got to admit, Dirty Dancing is an excellent example of the heroine's journey, as well as female archetypes and how women are presented in stories. It also happens to be, structurally, an excellent film. It's not a complex story, but it's well told. -V.
The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more.Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca.For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklistTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website.To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here.Watch us on YouTube!