Writing Excuses

Latest Episodes:

12.47: Screenwriting and the Writers Room, with JD Payne Nov 19, 2017

Show notes

Screenwriter JD Payne joined us before a live audience at LTUE to talk about writing for the screen, specifically regarding doing this work with others in a room full of writers.

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12.46: Reinventing Yourself Nov 12, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Mary Anne, and Wesley We discuss the idea of "reinventing yourself," which can mean anything from "trying something new" to "completely re-branding yourself as a writer," and how it's a difficult thing to do without figuring out what it actually is that you're currently doing. We talk about how we've done it, how others have done it, and how important it is to continue learning as a writer. Credits: This episode was recorded in Chicago by Andrew Twiss, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.45: Structuring a Series Nov 05, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard Before you can decide on a structure for your series, you may find it helpful to decide what kind of series you're actually building. We talk about a few of the available options, and how each of them affects the structure. Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.44: NaNoWriMo 2017 Primer Oct 29, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard We're going to share some of our experiences with NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in an effort to encourage you to participate in ways that will advance you toward your goals. Note: After a week, this is the only photo we've found of Wounded Howard. Dan took it, and Howard was clearly putting on "angry face" for show. Also, he doesn't look nearly as pale as any of us remember him looking. Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.43: Serialized Storytelling Oct 22, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Piper, Dan, and Howard We're talking about the extreme long-form serial story here, and how to keep things interesting without forcing the main characters into an absurdly high number of character-developing moments. Brandon leads by aiming the question at Howard, since Schlock Mercenary has been running now for seventeen years (it was only 16 at the time we recorded.) We also talk about how long romance serials avoid "sequelitis" by swapping out the love interests, and how the tools used here apply across multiple styles and genres. Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.42: Adapting Your Stories for Game Play, with Alan Bahr Oct 15, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Mary, Dan, and Howard, with guest host Beth Meacham Alan Bahr of Ragnarok Publications, joined us at LTUE 2017 to talk about adapting a licensed property for a game, and preserving the feel of the work while doing so. Credits: this episode was recorded live at LTUE 2017 by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex JacksonRecorded

12.41: Raising the Stakes Oct 08, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Mary Anne, and Wesley When we talk about "raising the stakes," we mean making the outcomes of the events in a story increasingly important to the reader. In this episode we talk about the tools we use to raise the stakes in ways that are more sophisticated than just queuing up larger and larger explosions. Credits: This episode was recorded in Chicago by Andrew Twiss, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.40: Structuring a Novel Oct 01, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard What makes something a novel, rather than just a serialized collection of stuff that happens? How do we use structure to turn collections of stuff into something more cohesive? What tools do we use to outline, map, and/or plan our novel writing? Reference Note: "Scene and sequel" comes to us from Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling Writer, first published in 1965 (52 years ago.) Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.39: Q&A on Short(er) Fiction Sep 24, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Brandon, Piper, Dan, and Howard Our listeners sent us some questions about writing shorter fiction. Here are the questions: How do you market short stories today? Has ebook self-publishing made novellas more viable? How do you structure a short story? How short is too short? Is publishing sections of a novel a viable way to get traction for that novel? What should I look for in the semi-pro market if professional publications have rejected my work? What aspects are crucial in novels, but which don't belong in short fiction. Publication "reputation" references: Preditors and Editors, Absolute Write, Writer Beware Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered by Alex Jackson

12.38: What Do Editors Really Want, with Toni Weisskopf and Cat Rambo Sep 17, 2017

Show notes

Your Hosts: Dan and Howard Toni Weisskopf and Cat Rambo joined Dan and Howard to discuss what it is that editors "really want." Question To Help You Decide Whether Or Not To Send Your Editor Bad News: "Will this news get better if I wait?" Credits: this episode was recorded at GenCon Indy 2016, and mastered by Alex Jackson

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