All Episodes
The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe — 266 episodes
Hollywood Is Replacing Morality With Loyalty (The Running Man 2025)
Dare to Write a Story That Matters
The Conflict Your Story Needs Is the One You're Avoiding
Stop Writing "Christian" Stories - Why Many Faith-Based Stories Feel Shallow
This Film Was Morally Broken… Until I Understood It
When Plot Forces Stupidity
If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You — Why This Dark Film Feels True — But Isn’t
Your “Fatal Flaw” Is Killing Your Hero
Why Writing Great Characters Requires Emotional Work
Everyone’s Praising Sinners… But They’re Missing This
The Villain’s Favorite Weapon
Writers: When Shame Kills Character Arc
Writers: It’s Not Post-Truth — It’s Post-Referee
Writers: When the Verdict Comes Before the Story
Writers: Are You Telling the Truth — Or Writing Propaganda?
Writers: Your Character’s Wound Isn’t the Flaw — The Lie Is
Stories Are the New Authority
Your Character Doesn’t Need to Change (Writers, Read This)
Why Humor Makes Serious Stories More Powerful
How to Raise the Stakes in Your Story (Without Gimmicks)
Want Your Novel Adapted? Do THIS First.
Hemingway Had No Rules—Why You Don’t Either
Think Your Character Is Active? Think Again.
How to Fight Self-Doubt as a Writer
How to Dodge the Subplot Trap
Historical Accuracy vs. Creative License—What Writers Must Know
Series Writing 101: How to End a Story the Right Way
How to Avoid Preachy Writing (WITHOUT Losing Your Message)
Unlikable Characters? Here’s How to Make Your Audience Care
Should Writers Use AI? The Truth No One’s Admitting
Do You Really Need a Villain? Or Is Life Enough?
Unlocking the Power of the Aha Moment: Make Your Climax Unforgettable
Show, Don’t Tell: Give the Clues, Not the Police Report
Can a Selfish Character Still Be Sympathetic? Here's How.
Turning Your Book Into a Movie? The #1 Mistake to Avoid
Mastering Act Three: How to Craft a Final Showdown That Delivers
Act Two vs Act Three: What's Really Happening at the Transition
Short Film, Big Story: What You Must Keep—And What You Can Drop
Are Your Story Beats Driving Change—or Dulling Impact?
How to Ditch Contrived Dialogue for Good
Goal Diggers: Characters Who Actually Do Stuff
Unveiling Depths: The Secrets to Engaging Characters
Heroes vs Anti-Heroes: The Battle You Didn’t Know You Were Writing
The Real Inciting Incident: Why It’s More Than Just Big Events
Pressure of Perfection: When Your Story Won’t Speak (& Your Characters Don’t Either)
Plot Points & Character Arcs: How to Avoid Paralysis and Focus Your Story
Mastering Character: A Back-to-Basics Approach for Writers at Any Level
Offend to Enlighten: The Ethics of Writing
Why We’re Obsessed with Characters (and How to Make Yours Irresistible)
Fatal Flaws vs. Wounds: How to Deepen Your Characters' Arcs
Create Characters Who Evolve: The Power of Rituals and Breaking Patterns
Crafting Powerful Scenes: Tone, Theme, and Plot Transitions
The Power of Conflict: 3 Types of Obstacles That Build Heroes
The #1 Thing That Makes a Story Memorable (And 4 Ways to Nail It)
Stop Dreading Loglines: A Simple 4-Step Approach to Get It Right
Rated R for Redemption: Deep Truths, Thoughtful Portrayals
Unfiltered Faith: Writing Beyond Family-Friendly Limits
Masterclass in World Building: Red Rising and The Dresden Files Explored
Master World Building in Any Genre: The 5 Core Rules Every Story Needs
S4_E32. Character Thoughts Unleashed: Transform Your Narrative!
From Nebulous to Concrete: Transform Character Wants into Actionable Objectives
Navigating Writing Challenges: Balancing Voice, Clarity, & Industry Expectations
From Believable to Brilliant: The 3 Pillars of Dynamic Character Development
Unpacking AI’s Role in Writing: Tools, Techniques, and Ethical Implications
Writer’s Gold: Zena Dell Lowe’s Bite-Sized Brilliance
Unlocking the Power of Loglines, Taglines, and Synopses: A Writer's Toolbox
Character Development: Beyond Likability and Into Resonance
Creating Compelling Scripts: The Importance of Visual Details
How to Shine at a Writers Conference: Insider Tips
The Journey to a Sellable Script: Tips and Tricks for Aspiring Writers
From Script to Screen: Josh Smith’s Directing Insights and Writing Evolution
Story Crisis Averted: Discover the 4 Vital Traits Your Protagonist Must Have
Building Trust Through Questions: A Path to Effective Leadership
Dynamic Dialogue: Letting Conflict Speak Louder Than Words
Expert Writing Advice from Comic Book Insider, David Avallone
Captivate Your Audience: 5 Proven Techniques to Hook and Hold Them
Character Unveiled: 5 Expert Techniques Using 'Show Don't Tell'
The Character's Journey: From Inciting Incident to Ultimate Objective
Deconstructing Iconic Characters in Casablanca and Silence of the Lambs
Beyond First Impressions: Crafting Characters with Depth
Crafting Characters: Top 7 Tips For Distinctive Character Voices
7 Ways to Cultivate Your Unique Voice as a Writer
Subtext: What it is and How to Write it into Your Story
What Are the Major Genres for Film and Why That Matters for Novelists
10 Ways to Test if Your Story is Commercial
3 Ingredients Hollywood Wants in Your Story: Heart, Smarts, & Sparkle
Unlocking Story Potential: Elements of a Good Story
The How To Guide to Fatal Flaws in Character Development
Are There Major Differences Between Screenplay Writing and Novels?
Keeping Your Protagonist Active: Zena's Talk on Reality Coaching for Writers
Author & Screenwriter Jennifer Dornbush on Evidentiary Trails & Genre
Jennifer Dornbush on Forensics, Story Structure, and Character Arc
Fear Shows Up in the Stories We Allow Ourselves to Tell
Not All Stories Need a Happy Ending
How to Create Dialogue Your Audience Can Enjoy
Setups and Payoffs - Don't Let Them See It Coming!
How to Write Meaningful Scenes That Help Advance Your Story
George Lucas Ruined Star Wars by Breaking This 1 Rule for Storytellers
2 Tips on How to Write Captivating Opening Scenes
The #1 Skill Writers Need for Conquering Character Development
Top 10 Signs Your Character is Active - You WANT This!
How to Bring Character Thoughts to Life in Story
Is Your Hero REALLY a Hero? Or Just a Terrific A-Hole?
How to Show Character Growth in Story by Establishing a Pattern and then Breaking It
Mastering the Art of Show, Don't Tell Using Significant Actions and Visual Cues
Need Help With Your Story? Here's a Glimpse of What You Can Expect From Your Free 30-Minute Consultation With Zena Dell Lowe
Book Proposals that Sell with Industry Insider Terry Whalin
Why Christians Create Subpar Art
Stop Writing Trite Christian Fluff Pieces!
4 Simple Steps to the Perfect Logline
From Wounds to Words: How Trauma Shapes and Challenges Truth in Storytelling
Artists: Enduring the Unknowns on a Quest for Connection
SPECIAL EPISODE: Do Humans Need Art To Know God? Insights and Warnings from Asbury’s Recent “Revival”
SPECIAL EPISODE: Seasoned Screenwriter Sean Gaffney Exposes the Top Three Most Common but Avoidable Writing Mistakes
SPECIAL EPISODE: Zena’s Guest Appearance on Reality Coaching for Writers with Eddie Jones
WGA vs. AMPTP: What You Need to Know
5 Predictions from George Orwell's 1984 that Eerily Apply to Today
Protest Literature: Writers Who Changed the World
What is Protest Literature and Why Do We Need It?
Jesus Revolution: Good Movie or No?
8 Key Indicators Your Story is Self-Indulgent
PART 2: Three Tactics to Flip the Burden of Proof on Woke Ideology
Three Tactics to Flip the Burden of Proof on Woke Ideology
Reading the Signs of the Times: Do Storytellers Need to Reprioritize?
Why Writers Have a Moral Obligation to Their Audience
5 Mind-Blowing Insights to Help Writers Show and Not Tell
Ethics in Storytelling: With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Zena Dell Lowe: The Dangers of Autobiographical Material - Avoid These Pitfalls
The Three Types of Obstacles Your Character Must Overcome in Story
Let’s Get Crazy! How the Truest Character is Revealed Through Extreme Behavior
SPECIAL EPISODE! Zena Spills It All in This Intimate Interview
Three Clever Ways to Up the Ante in Your Multiple Character Scenes
It's All About Those Stakes: Engage Your Audience With This One Easy Tip
Can You Be Too Healthy in Real Life to Write Good Conflict in Story?
Character Arc Hack: One Easy-to-Use Tool to Steer Your Character Towards Growth
Stop Trying to Fix It: How Efforts to Rescue Those in Pain and Suffering Can Actually Make it Worse
Counterculture Boundaries: Five Key Indicators That Today's "Self-Love" Craze is Making You More Selfish
Say What You Mean, But Don't Say it Mean: Finding Freedom in Radical Honesty
How to Stop Victimizing Yourself and Others with this One Essential Recovery Tool
Called to be Bold: The Top Three Ways for Writers to be Courageous in the New Year
How to Write R-Rated Stories with a Clear Conscience: The Seven New Absolutes
Free at Last: Key Creative Guidelines for Christians Writing Stories for Adults
Seven Keys to Unlocking Great Stories for Christian Writers, Producers, Publishers, and Consumers
Three More Reasons Why Christians Are Afraid to Write Rated R Stories
What the World Needs Now are R-Rated Stories Written by Christians
SPECIAL EPISODE: Why You Need to Vote and How You Can Start with Siaka Massaquoi for District Assembly #43
Four Professional Breakthroughs I've had as a Writer that have Immediately Improved My Outcomes
SPECIAL EPISODE: In this Keynote Presentation from Day 2 at The Well, Zena Demonstrates Four Clever Ways to Employ Visual Images that will Instantly Increase the Power of Your Story
Three A-Ha Moments from Other Writers that have Radically Impacted My Craft
SPECIAL EPISODE: In this Keynote Presentation at The Well Creativity Conference, Zena Unravels Key Mistakes that Faith-based Writers Make
Immediately Improve Your Ability to Set Goals and Meet Deadlines with This One Easy Tip
The Top Ten Indicators that Your Main Character is Driving the Action
Four Critical Nuances to Incorporate When You Have a Selfish Protagonist
Not All Stories Need a Happy Ending: Daring to Make Others Uncomfortable for the Sake of Truthful Storytelling
Crucial Factors Writers Must Overcome to Successfully Engage Culture in Story
EMPATHY: The Number One Tool Writers Need to Develop Dynamic Characters
Five Essential Dialogue Tricks to Help Clarify Your Storyline for Your Readers
What Writers Need to Do at the Start of Each Scene to Keep Their Reader Hooked
SPECIAL EPISODE: Zena Unpacks Critical Changes in the Marketplace that Impact the Types of Stories Being Sold as a Guest on Writer's Chat
The Best Tip Ever on How to Reveal the Evolution of Important Character Relationships in Story
Unlocking the Secret of How to Write Great Setups and Payoffs
Two Easy Tips to Immediately Maximize the Dramatic Potential of Each Scene
How to Handle Coincidence and Avoid Red Herrings in Story
Writing Funny: Why Comedy Feels Dangerous and How to Avoid Crossing the Line
Writing Funny: My Three Favorite Tools to Create Comedic Moments in Story
Writing Funny: The Cardinal Rule of Comedy is Surprise
Writing Funny: 2 Rules and 3 Tools to Build Suspense and Create Anticipation in Comedy
Writing Funny: Good Humor is a Combination of Realism and Exaggeration
Writing Funny: The Presence and Purpose of Hostility in Comedy
Writing Funny: How to Target the Subject of Your Joke Without Destroying it
Writing Funny: Foundational Tools & Principles for Using Humor in Story
Special Episode: Zena Highlights the Crucial Role of the Storyteller in Culture as a Guest on the Act One Podcast
Using Objects & Metaphors to Show the Internal Emotional Arc of Your Character
How to Use Rituals and Traditions to Reveal Deeper Meaning in Story
Why Establishing a Pattern and then Breaking it in Story is One of the Best Tools You Can Learn
The Business of Hollywood: Why You Need a Producer to get Your Project Made
The Business of Hollywood: How do I get My Story Made into a Movie?
What Writers Need to Know to Avoid Getting Scammed by Hollywood
The Top 10 Habits You Need to Become a Successful Writer
Elements of a Christian Worldview: It All Comes Down to Morality
Elements of a Christian Worldview: Why Theology and Psychology Matter
How to Break Your Story in Five Easy Steps (Part 5 - How Does it End?)
How to Break Your Story in Five Easy Steps (Part 4 - What's the Inciting Incident?)
How to Break Your Story in Five Easy Steps (Part 3 - What Does Your Character Need?)
What is Gratitude and Why is it so Important?
How to Break Your Story in Five Easy Steps (Part 2 - What Does Your Protagonist Want?)
How to Break Your Story in Five Easy Steps (Part 1 - Find Your Main Character)
Seven Things that are NOT Heroic (but are often Characterized as being so)
Why the Success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Gives Me Hope
An Example from the Christian Community of a Story that Violates a Biblical Moral Worldview
From Hopelessness to Hope: The Defining Characteristic of a Biblical Moral Worldview
How has the Anti-Hero Archetype Influenced Modern Storytelling?
The Hero's Paradox: How to Write Flawed Characters without Undermining their Heroic Potential
The Rise of the Anti-Hero and a Cynical Moral Worldview
The Rise of the Anti-Hero and Morally Questionable Characters
What the World Needs Now are Heroes
70. The 8 Essential Ingredients that Every Great Story Must Have
69. How to Get the Story Out of the Character's Head and onto the Page
68. Optional Character Qualities You Can Apply to Your Villains
67. The Distorted Character Qualities of Villains - Part 3
66. The Distorted Character Qualities of Villains - Part 2
65. The Distorted Character Qualities of a Villain
64. What Makes a Great Villain
63. Three Essential Elements of a Well-Constructed Scene
62. SPECIAL BONUS EPISODE - Zena's Interview as a Guest on The Story Blender Podcast
61. Professional Etiquette Q&A: How to Adapt a Story and Navigate Breakdowns of Communication
60. How to Keep Your Main Character Active when Someone Else is Calling the Shots
59. How to Keep Getting Re-hired as a Writer-for-Hire
58. Five Additional Tools to Make Your Story Good Before God
57. 21 Heroic Character Qualities that You Can Reveal in Story
56. The Primary Purpose of Art is to Promote Human Connection
55. What Constitutes Redemption and How Do Characters Achieve It?
54. A Good Story Leaves Room for The Possibility of Redemption
53. How to Portray Good and Evil in Story
52. How To Tell The Truth Without Violating Your Audience
51. Is Your Story Good Before God?
50. Developing Story Ideas, Setting Expectations and Establishing Your Stylistic Rights
49. When it Comes to Genres and Sub-genres, it's all about Evoking Certain Emotions
48. What Is Genre and Why Is It So Important?
47. Is Your Story Idea Commercial?
46. Make Your Story Good Before Hollywood with a Formula that Works: Heart, Smarts & Sparkle
45. Finding Your Story: How to Test Whether or Not Your Story Idea is Good
44. Ritual & Tradition: The Gift of a New Year
43. Understanding Justice and Suffering: Three Kinds of Suffering that Radically Impact Our Perceptions of God
42. Five Empowering Phrases to Transform Your Professional Life
41. How the Desire to Get into the "Inner Circle" Can Destroy You
40. Common Mistakes that Writers Make: Missed Opportunities & Tangential Content
39. Common Mistakes that Writers Make: Passive Objectives & Flawed Mythologies
38. Dialogue Tools: How Unexpected Dialogue Creates Intrigue for Your Audience
37. Dialogue Tools: Here's How to Expose Backstory Through Dialogue
36. Dialogue Tools: Three Tricks to Flesh Out Your Character and Bring Out Their Nuances
35. Dialogue Tools: Understanding Human Psychology and the Three Major Roles People Play
34. Writing Great Dialogue: It All Depends on High and Low Context Character Relationships
33. Writing Great Dialogue: How to Avoid Writing Clunky Dialogue that Lacks Subtext
32. Writing Great Dialogue: How to Make Sure Your Characters Sound Right for the Story
31. Writing Great Dialogue: Why Conflict and Tension are Essential
30. Writing Great Dialogue: Five Criteria to Determine if Your Dialogue is Essential and Crucial to Your Story
29. How to Write Great Dialogue: Laying the Foundation
28. Turning Procrastination from an Enemy into an Asset: Part 2
27. Turning Procrastination from an Enemy into an Asset: Part 1
26. The Actor's Craft and Writing: Character Traits that Impact the Audience
25. The Actor's Craft and Writing: Great Characters Don't Hold Back
24. The Actor's Craft and Writing: Make Your Characters Active and Believable
23. The Actor's Craft and Writing: How to Not Be Self-Indulgent
22. Six Points About The Actor's Craft that Writers Should Apply to their Own
21. Four Essentials to Know About Your Story Before You Even Start to Write
20. How to Identify Qualities that Your Character Needs to Accept or Change
19. How to Use Character Flaws and Personality Traits Properly in Your Story
18. How to Tell the Difference Between a Character Flaw and a Personality Trait
17. How to Apply Positive Affirmations without Getting Weird
16. Distorted Perceptions of Reality and What to Do with Them
15. How to Tell the Difference Between Bias & Worldview and Agenda & Theme
14. How Writing with an Agenda Undermines the Credibility of Your Story
13. How Approaching Story with a Bias Breaks Your Audience's Trust
12. How to Make Your Characters Credible and Believable
11. The Character Arc: How to Show Character Growth and Change
10. The Character Arc: Why Your Character Must Grow and Change
9. Why Characters Cannot Be at Heart What They Seem to Be at Face
8. Better than Real: Why We Prefer Characters to Real People
7. Five Clever Techniques to Make Your Audience Care
6. How to Keep Your Main Character Active and Not Passive
5. SHOW, DON’T TELL - Mastering the Art of Revealing Character Through Action
4. How Do We Know When Something's Good?
3. The Impact of Trauma on Truth
2. Why Human Beings are so Obsessed with Story
1. All Artists are Storytellers