The Storyteller’s Mission with Zena Dell Lowe

Updated: 19 Jun 2025 • 232 episodes
www.thestorytellersmission.com

Zena Dell Lowe is a seasoned and engaging teacher with a passion for writers and storytellers. Her focused, concise, and practical episodes (all roughly 20 minutes) not only explore the nuts and bolts of the craft, but also dive deep into the inner life of the artist and the "why" behind creativity. If you believe that story matters, you'll want to give this podcast a listen.

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Writers often get stuck at the transition between Act Two and Act Three—especially when the “all hope is lost” moment doesn’t quite fit their story. Is this moment supposed to be the character’s lowest emotional point? Is redemption supposed to kick in right away? What if your character is still flailing? In this episo

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Writing a short film script can feel like trying to squeeze a novel into a sticky note. Can you really fit a full character arc, plot structure, and emotional payoff into just 10 minutes of screen time? In this episode, Zena answers the question: does the Hollywood Plot Map apply to short films, or is it overkill? Her

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You’ve got a great premise, compelling characters… but something’s off. Your story feels stuck, and you can’t figure out why. Chances are, your story beats aren’t pulling their weight. 💡 In this episode: Zena Dell Lowe reveals how to turn every scene into a powerful turning point. You’ll learn how to spot weak story b

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Are your characters saying all the right things—but somehow it still feels off? Contrived dialogue is one of the fastest ways to pull your reader or viewer out of the story. Whether you"re a novelist or a screenwriter, when your dialogue feels stiff, forced, or unnatural, it kills immersion and weakens emotional impact

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Ever feel like your story should be working — but something’s just... off? Chances are, your characters are missing the one thing that drives truly compelling fiction: a clear, active goal. In this episode, we dig into why so many screenplays and novels lose steam, how to spot the silent killer of narrative momentum, a

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Click to listen – your characters (and audience) will thank you. Have you ever created a character that felt… flat? No matter how detailed the backstory or how polished the prose, something just doesn’t click — and worse, your audience doesn’t care. That’s the pain point. And we’ve all been there. In this episode, we d

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