{"podcast":{"title":"Story Nerd","slug":"story-nerd-5321719","podcast_index_feed_id":5321719,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/valerie3v/feed.xml","website_url":"https://valerie3v.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/22517313/story-nerd-trademark.jpg","author":"Valerie Francis","episode_count":100,"summary":"For novelists, memoirists and screenwriters who want to write stories readers will love, and who want to work with a literary agent. Each week, editors Valerie Francis and Melanie Hill use films to explain how to craft a story that hooks the reader on page one and holds their attention all the way to the end. On alternate weeks, Valerie and literary agent Kathleen Foxx offer their professional feedback on query letters and writing samples submitted by Story Nerd listeners. The goal is simple: to help writers realize their dreams of becoming published authors. If you love to write, and you love to tell stories, and you want to see your book out in the world, this podcast is for you! ”The only thing that matters, and that ever will matter, is the story. That’s it.” - Tom Hanks (Oxford Union 2024)","last_synced_at":"2026-07-29T16:18:10.114788+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719"},"episode":{"title":"Killer Opening Lines","slug":"killer-opening-lines","published_at":"2026-05-22T07:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/killer-opening-lines","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719","url":"https://valerie3v.podbean.com/e/killer-opening-lines/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/9ovatqt0f98qazcf/d_5a89041c-c813-40c4-890d-a8e249ba1095_ecc02378-71a1-4297-8fb1-cd4d834eddb7_episodes_audio_group_e745d4d4-4fed-4cb2-9c2e-7c30eeb6beed_group-item_f20bea04-4da6-4551-8068-b14bda8d8770_128_default_tc.mp3","summary":"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.","meta_description":"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…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2910,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/story-nerd-5321719/episodes/killer-opening-lines/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/story-nerd-5321719/killer-opening-lines.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}