This is

to the 56th episode of the word play podcast. July is shaping up to be a very good month indeed.

A new computer, which I'm still having fun exploring.

A new pair of eyes, thanks to LASIK surgery,

and possibly most exciting of all, the beginning of the

first written draft of my word in progress, the deepest breath.

Standing at the beginning of a new story is very much like getting ready to pariseel off the edge of a cliff.

You're facing down excitement, adrenaline, and a fair amount of terror.

Typing those first words, even though they're inevitably going to get deleted a dozen times.

It's a moment of breathless, exhausting, petrifying exhilaration.

What a marvelous way to spend my summer. How to strengthen your story with symbolism, the latest post in the video series on my blog

explores how a deft use of symbolism can strengthen your story's thematic and climactic elements.

You can watch the video on my blog at wordplay-K-M-Yland, that's W-E-I-L-N-D,

dot blog spot. New videos are posted. at W E I L A N D. Blogspot.com.

New videos are posted every Wednesday.

Meanwhile, enjoy this week's podcast.

Should stories be soapboxes. Common wisdom insists that fiction is meant to entertain, not preach. The novel isn't a soapbox for our religious, political,

social, and philosophical views. If we try to use it as such, we're likely to sacrifice our

stories and alienate our readers.

And yet, ironically enough, many of the world's greatest and most beloved pieces of literature

are stories with blatant moral messages.

John Truby in his brilliant book The Anatomy of Story comments on this seeming contradiction.

...