The Every Day Novelist: Recent Episodes
J. Daniel Sawyer
Joe asks:
How has living on a homestead affected your writing life? If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently?
The post Question 1122 How does the Homestead Affect Writing? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: What is a play? Not the mechanics of how documents are formatted or anything like that, but what Plays are, what they aren’t, and why people would write one.
www.storybundle.com/steampunk
The post Question 1120: What is a play? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks:
I want to write short stories to give my readers an extra taste of my characters and side characters, but my mind goes blank trying to come up with a story. I imagine scenes and situations all the time, but they don’t feel very standalone. I also have lots of ideas for long things like novels or novellas, but when it comes to shorts, I come up short, too.
Q-in-Law by Peter David
A View from the Gallery Babylon 5 episode
The Eugenics Wars by Greg Cox
The Kobayashi Maru by Julia Ecklar
Lone Ranger
Have Gun will Travel
The Destroyer by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir
John Carter Edgar Rice Burroughs
Tarzan of the Apes Edgar Rice Burroughs
Conan The Barbarian Robert E Howard
Hadrian’s Flight
The Antithesis Progression Archives
The A-Team
Magnum PI
All in the Family
The Jeffersons
Andy Griffith
Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina
Tales from Jabba’s Palace
The Han Solo Adventures
The Lando Calrissian Adventures
Lost Days, Last Nights
The Open Source Woman
www.storybundle.com/steampunk
The post Questions 1119: Filling Up the Corners appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks:
A while back on Twitter you said you give every protagonist a feature you hate and even antagonist one you admire to prevent creating characters who are just your avatar in the story.
What is your process for inserting them transparently and selecting the traits? What are some examples from your work?
Hadrian’s Flight
Insensitivity Readers
Revenge of the Sith
Suave Rob’s Amazing Ass-Saving Association
Raiders of the Lost Ark
www.storybundle.com/steampunk
The post Question 1118: Preventing Author Avatars appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks
I love Star Wars, but in the most narrow way. Episodes IV-VI and a few other things are pretty cool. But, I want new stories, not dozens of prequel movies and series. Why are they afraid to go forward vs living in the Star Wars past?
It’s not just Star Wars, either. I see the same thing with Game of Thrones and many popular book series. Why are they so obsessed with filling in the past and giving fans all those empty Easter eggs?
Star Wars original trilogy
Godfather 2
A Subversive Masterpiece: Alien 3 article
Alien/Aliens/Alien 3
Alien Vs. Predator
Fire and Blood (Game of Thrones prequel)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Dune Messiah
Children of Dune
God Emperor of Dune
The post Question 1117: Why Have Sequels Gone Out of Fashion? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks:
A lot of authors say they’re writing a prequel (as a lead magnet) when they haven’t published, or even finished, Book 1 yet. I know what they mean, but if they release ‘the prequel’ first, then isn’t that just Book 1 and not actually a prequel?
The Hobbit
The Three Theban Plays: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone
Romeo and Juliet
The post Question 1116: Is it a Prequel, or Just Book One? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks:
Indie authors are obsessed with prequels to their Book Ones but I don’t get it. I almost never want to know MORE about what happened before Book 1.
Why have prequels become such a thing these days?
Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Star Trek V
Job (the Bible)
Clash of the Titans (1981)
The Story of King Josiah
The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings
Dune
The Complete HP Lovecraft
The Homeric Hymns
Star Trek The Original Series
The Nitpicker’s Guide For Classic Trekkers by Phil Farrand
The post Question 1115: Why Are People Writing Prequels? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Listener Ian has a progress report on doing the Bradbury Challenge for NanoWriMo
The post Feedback: The Bradbury Challenge appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim asks:
Previously I mentioned I had a character who was 10 years old in a first book in a series. I had used him as a reader proxy, who gets into a little trouble but isn’t really a protagonist. How do I take a character who is now 15, grow him beyond proxy and make him interesting enough to turn pages, but not so interesting that he’s trying to drive an adult book with adult-sized life-or-death stakes?
Hadrian’s Flight
Between Planets
The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile
The post Questions 1114: Developing a Young Character appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Pablo asks:
I have been struggling with a manuscript for a novel since 2015. I begin, stop, give up, take it up again, and all the time it keeps evolving in my head. Now it’s an unfinished chaotic first draft, only 38 pages so far.
I’d like to be done with it so I can move to something else. I’ve never finished anything except for a 20-page short story during pandemic lockdown. The narratives for the short story and the novel merged in my head, so the finished short story has details that connect with the unfinished novel.
I’d like to start writing the novel from scratch again, but that feels like more of what I’ve done before. So, do you have any recommendations on how to proceed?
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Radio series
Down From Ten
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries
The post Question 1113: Troubles Finishing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Khellan asks:
What happens to the stuff you and Kitty write during nanowrimo?
Lost Days, Last Nights
The post Question 1112: Products of NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim asks:
I may have asked something like this before, but how does one rekindle the enjoyment of writing? It used to be a thing I did to avoid doing things I didn’t want to do, like finding time in the middle of the work day to sneak in some words, or a thing I did to prove to myself I could do it. It seems like as soon as it became a thing to do as a potential career, suddenly it’s the thing I don’t want to do, and it became the video games rather than the writing, which is now the expected work. How do I fix it?
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries
Chinatown
The post Question 1111: Tough Truths About Loving Writing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
What does it mean for an author to “break faith” with his readers?
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan
Poodle Springs by Raymond Chandler and Robert B Parker
Variable Star by Robert A Heinlein and Spider Robinson
The Silmarillion
The Game of Thrones
Writing Excuses podcast
A Subversive Masterpiece
The post Question 1110: Breaking Faith With Readers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim said:
In my last question I talked about re-discovering the sequel I was supposed to be writing after spending 95,000 words on the wrong idea.
As I approached the writing of the appropriate sequel, I bogged down early. I think I’ve figured out that the problem was not understanding the motivations of the various characters and whose perspectives told the story best. I have some ideas, but what are ways you establish those motivations to keep up the story momentum?
Suave Rob’s Rough & Ready Rugrat Rapture
Ideas, Inc.
Lost Days, Last Nights
Crime and Punishment
War and Peace
Rope
Macbeth
The Tell-Tale Heart
The post Question 1109: Writing the Right Sequel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim asks:
A little while back I dove into a sequel featuring my protagonist about fifteen years down the road. It was a big time jump, one I was ready for in the character, but so much more would have occurred, and so much left undone that it was the wrong book. I realized this when I was 95,000 words in. I wrote a whole novel to figure out it was the wrong one.
Has this ever happened to you? How does a writer rectify it?
Archivos
The post Question 1108: Writing the Wrong Novel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Indiana Jim:
A couple years ago you did an epic twitter thread on what the Lord of the Rings films got wrong. Could you do an episode on this topic so we can learn how to avoid these pitfalls in characterization?
Original twitter thread
We Need To Talk About Frodo
Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
Lord of the Rings film series
The post Question 1107: Film vs. Book: Characterization in Lord of the Rings appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
A guide to surgery for writers and an update from the hosts.
Healthy Living Can Be Deadly
The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile
The post Where The Hell Have We Been? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Quick show announcement – we will be back Monday.
The post Quick Announcement appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim asks: You’ve spoken before about how ADD and its derivatives can be a boon to the creative person, and the dangers of medicating it out. What are some ways the writer can manage the symptoms while appreciating the benefits?
The post Question 1106: Creativity and ADD appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback from Khellan on changing the way you listen and getting out of your own way.
archivos
The post Question 1105: Changing the Way You Listen appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Joe asks: Lots of young people want to be writers, but don’t have enough life experience to write anything interesting. What ways do you recommend to gain that sort of life experience?
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
The Bed of Procrustes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
City Slickers
The post Question 1104: Building Life Experience appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Indiana Jim asks: Stephen J. Cannell produced some of the best television shows ever, and I know you’re an aficionado. What was his secret sauce for engaging and enduring episodic storytelling?
Wiseguy
Rockford Files
The A Team
Silk Stalkings
The Commish
The post Questions 1103: Cannell’s Secret Sauce appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
A handful of announcements, or what we’ve been up to.
The Write Stuff
50 by 50 Challenge
Lost Days, Last Nights announcement post
The Shoes I Wore This Morning, a sample of the Lost Days collection
Unfolding the World substack
And Then She Was Gone
The post Catch-up & Announcements appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Joe asks:
I’ve been enjoying these short q&a podcasts! Here’s a question for your next one: what is your take on reading as a writer? Do you believe it’s important to read widely in the genre you write, or to avoid your genre and read widely in everything else? I’ve heard arguments for both sides. Or is it better not to read at all?
The Bible
The Homeric Epics
The Aneaid
The Divine Comedy
Shakespeare
The Arabian Nights
Sophacles
The post Question 1102: Reading as a Writer appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
What’re your opinions on pacing an Action-adventure novel? How much action is actually necessary?
King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard
Sahara by Clive Cussler
Indiana Jones
Romancing the Stone
The Killing Floor by Lee Child
Jurrassic Park (film)
Congo (film)
The Lost World by Doyle
The Mummy
The post Question 1101: Pacing in Action-Adventure appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Where/how do you go to track down and read those books out of copyright? You mentioned King Solomon’s Mine recently and I’d love to get a copy of that on my ereader if there’s a free resource to grab it.
Notes:
Archive.org
SFFaudio.org
LibriVox
The post Question 1100: Finding Public Domain Books appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks:
In a self evaluation of our own skill sets/aptitudes as a writer, what identifiers should exist that would indicate we have developed into a substantial professional writer? How do we know that we have what we need skills wise? What should we be able to do? What should we be NOT doing?
King Con by Stephen J. Cannell
The post Question 1099: Measuring Yourself as a Writer appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Khellan asks:
I’ve recently started carving out some “guaranteed” time to write fiction 3 times a week. It’s been a long time. Do you have any tools or tricks to get you back in the particular headspace or mood for the specific story you’re working on, or have you ingrained the habit well enough that not writing is always the problem for you?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1098: Getting Back In The Mood appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Khellen asks:
You mentioned punctuation and that stuff in another episode… Do you have enough to create a mini ebook with that stuff in? It is 123.6% worthwhile, because I forget and have to find a couple of books to figure out the rules!
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1097: We Need a Punctuation Master Class appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Joe asks:
Lots of people have opinions about how to write a bestseller. What are some of the more interesting and counter intuitive ways to write a book that never sells at all?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1096: How To Write a Worstseller appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
I’ve noticed dictation results in a more twisty story than typing, at least for me. I guess I’m curious if there are any techniques you use that alter the kind of story that results?
Resources Mentioned:
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries
J. Daniel Sawyer Fiction Podcast
The post Question 1095: Dictation and Twisty Plots appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
Grit. How do you express a character’s mental toughness whether they’re a Point of View character or not?
Resources mentioned:
The Gulag Archipelago
Witness
Taken
John Wick
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1093: Mentally Tough Characters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Joe asks:
What writing advice would have totally tanked you as a writer if you hadn’t ignored it?
Resources Mentioned:
The Collected Poems of Emily Dickenson
The Best of Hemingway
The post Question 1092: Destructive Writing Advice appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
Do you see your characters more like real people or more like toys with all manner of features to employ in the narrative?
Resources mentioned:
On Fairy-Stories by JRR Tolkien
Last Days of Socrates by Plato
Biblical Book of Job
Collected Classic Novels of HG Wells
David Mamet Masterclass
The post Question 1091: Individual Characters or Chessmen? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
Can you riff on creative partnerships, particularly long term? What makes them succeed? What makes them fail? How does one find a creative partner? And how does one adapt or change when a creative partnership ends?
Resources Mentioned:
The Expanse by James S.A. Corey
The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein by John Lauristen
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1090: Creative Partnerships appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Khellen asks:
My antagonist hasn’t shown up halfway through the book and I’m not sure what to do. How do you build an effective antagonist for your stories?
Resources Mentioned:
Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1089: Creating Effective Antagonists appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks:
Which is best for writing: typing, longhand, or dictation? Why?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1088: Writing Implements appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
I’m having trouble expanding my short story into a novel. Can you give some techniques and examples?
Resources:
Predestination and Other Games of Chance (full cast audio podcast by J. Daniel Sawyer)
Nightfall by Isaac Asimov novel, short story
The post Question 1087: Expanding a Short Story Into a Novel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks:
How should a lonely writer go about networking with other writers?
The post Questions 1086: Networking for Writers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
How does one show the gender of a first person narrator?
Resources: I, Claudius by Robert Graves
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1085: Showing Narrator Gender in First Person appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
What makes you (and other listeners) want to tell stories?
Resources: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1084: What Motivates a Writer? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks:
How do freelancers deal with breaks and vacations?
Sponsored by Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures!
The post Question 1083: Vacations for Freelancers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks:
Is there ever a time in one’s life when you shouldn’t start writing?
Sponsor:
Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures
The post Question 1082: When Not to Write appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
So what’s the skinny on all the edible plants up there on your homestead?
Resources mentioned:
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The post Question 1081: Edible Plants appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Alexis asks:
I always feel behind. What kind of advice do you have for work-life balance for freelancers?
The post Question 1080: Work-Life Balance appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
We’re back after far too long an absence. In this episode you will find a feeble justification for our delinquency, as well as a brand new sparkling question from Dawn.
Dawn asks:
How do you get around a fear of writing?
Sponsored by
Archivos
The post We’re BACK! Question 1079: Fear of Writing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
How can I keep the momentum going in a series that I haven’t planned out from the beginning?
Resources Mentioned:
Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster
The post Question 1078: Sustaining an Unplanned Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
Will AI push our world in a more libertarian or totalitarian direction?
The post Question 1077: AI and the Politics of the Future appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
Which of your stories was the most fun to write?
Resources mentioned:
Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring-Do
Suave Rob’s Rough’N’Ready Rugrat Rapture
Chicken Noodle Gravity
Funeral Hats
The post Question 1076: The Most Fun Story to Write appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
What will happen to AI, and what will AI do, as the bottom falls out of the world’s demography?
The post Question 1075: AI and the Demographic Collapse appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
Have you ever tracked how many hours it takes you to write a book? If I were to do this, what would be the advantages?
The post Question 1074: How Many Hours to Write a Book? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
How can I make my first person narrator voice more distinctive? If I changed to third person, would that work better?
Resources Mentioned:
I, Claudius and Claudius the God, both by Robert Graves
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1073: Using Voice in Character and Narration appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
How can you make your character dynamics grow in intensity over the course of the story?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1072: Intensifying Your Character Dynamics appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
I have a question for you about designing colonies and how they would look if they were in a biodome. Currently I am designing one for a story. I was thinking to go in the direction of an old wild west town, but I know that there would be changes due to the local materials, planet hazards and it would also be different because you’d be constrained by whatever would fit under biodome.
Any thoughts on this or any advice for where my research should go?
Resources Mentioned:
Biosphere 2
The Wisdom of Psychopaths by Kevin Dutton
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
The post Question 1071: Biospheres and Self-Contained Worlds appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we explore the different things it might mean when someone complains your story is “predictable,” or when you default to that description with a story you’re trying to enjoy.
Resources mentioned:
LOST
“…All You Zombies…” by Robert A. Heinlein
Predestination (film staring Ethan Hawke)
Looper
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Soulless by Gail Carriger
The Force Awakens
The Last Jedi
Pulp Fiction
The Usual Suspects
The Sixth Sense
The Village
Battlestar Galactica (reboot series)
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
The post On Predictability… appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jim asks:
What do you think of the idea of writing the first draft free-form, then using story structure guides to help in revising and editing?
Resources Mentioned:
The Story Solution by Eric Edson
The Anatomy of Story by John Truby
The Battle (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 1 episode 8)
Film Courage (YouTube Channel)
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1070: Story Structure as Quality Control appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
Should I avoid anthropomorphizing or personifying body parts and other such things?
The post Question 1069: Anthropomorphization appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
How do sexual taboos work in a shame based society? How much is internalized “don’t do this” vs. “don’t get caught”?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1068: Guilt Cultures vs. Shame Cultures appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
If you were going to set up a fiction preorder, what is the shortest timeframe you’d schedule for it?
The post Question 1067: Fiction Preorders appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks:
On episode 1063 of The Everyday Novelist you stated the following:
“If you lead with analysis beyond at any layer beyond the practical, your asking for years and years and years of spinning your wheels, it will not work”
I feel strongly that I’m in this zone right now. I’m spinning my wheels, if the above is not the exact issue, then it’s a large portion of what I’m going through.
Can you please go deeper into this point? What exactly is happening (in a general sense, since you don’t live in my head)? How am I contributing to it? What do I do to stop it?
Sponsored by Suave Rob
The post Question 1066: How to Stop Spinning Your Wheels appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
What value can you get converting a first person narration to third? What are the obstacles?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1064: First Person Considerations appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks:
How would you handle writing your storylines as separate novels?
The post Question 1063: Interleaving Novellas into a Novel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole shares an ingenious time management hack for getting more elbow room for her writing.
The post Feedback: Life Hacks: Finding Writing Time appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
I’ve had some trouble writing steadily lately, as I understand you’ve been having issues with that, as well (Thanks for the NaNoGang 2022, regardless). How would you go about rebuilding a habit or writing steadily as of now?
The post Question 1063: Rebuilding the Writing Habit appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks:
What are your thoughts on keeping your cover to the conventions versus standing out a little?
Resources:
By Darkness Forged by Nathan Lowell
The Resurrection Junket by J. Daniel Sawyer
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1062: Cover Design Considerations appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:
Could you describe your current approach to a long series? For context: I’m getting ready to launch a new project of many shorter books.
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1061: Strategic Concerns for Long Term Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
Do you have any writing books/websites or YouTube Channels that you would recommend?
Any recommendation for books/websites/youtube channels on writing Science Fiction and fantasy?
Fiction Writing Master Class by William Caine
Empire of the Mind
Literature Devil YouTube Channel — Episode on Rey Skywalker and Fixing Rey
Collative Learning by Rob Agar
Writing to Sell by Scott Meredith
Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card
Writing the Blockbuster Novel by Albert Zuckerman
The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger
The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile by J. Daniel Sawyer
Robert’s Rules of Writing by J. Daniel Sawyer
Becoming an Every Day Novelist by J. Daniel Sawyer
Drawing on the Power of Resonance in Writing by David Farland
Writing Excuses (First few seasons)
Brandon Sanderson’t BYU lecture series
Film Courage YouTube channel
Cinema Therapy YouTube Channel
Sposored by Archivos
The post Question 1060: Writing and SciFi Educational Resources appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
What are your most memorable writing sprints?
Throwing Lead
Down From Ten, podcast or paperback
And Then She Was Gone
Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile
The Coffee Service short story or podcast
Psyhco IV: The Beginning
Hadrian’s Flight
The post Question 1059: Best Writing Sprints appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks:
What’s the best way to deal with burnout?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1058: Dealing with Burnout appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
How do I smoothly handle time jumps in my stories?
The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien
The post Question 1057: Time Jumps appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed Asks:
With regards to descriptions and narration, how much detail is too much detail?
The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy
Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Pure Heat by ML Buchman
Nathan Lowell’s Trader’s Tales
Episode Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1056: Too Much Detail appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole talks about her writing journey and the part that The Every Day Novelist has played in it.
The post Feedback: Many Thanks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:
I’m trying to find good resources to help me do better spacing with my paragraphs, and such for my fiction writing. I have a good grasp on overall grammar. (Though my hurried emails don’t show this…) But some of the different spacing for paragraphs, when to indent and how much, or there is dialogue and such are still mystifying to me. Do you have any thoughts on this? Or resources?
The post Question 1055: All About Paragraphing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Indiana Jim asks:
You said on Twitter you had read a 500-page book by a reputed master, whom in the last eight pages, “breaks all thematic, plot, and character logic.” Without throwing this particular author under the bus, could you provide more detail on how this was accomplished so that we might avoid such a pitfall?
Resources Mentioned:
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries
Down From Ten
The Ring
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Greg Iles Natchez Trilogy, Book 1, Book 2, Book 3
The post Question 1054: How to NOT Break Your Novel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Kitty talk about all the hidden things that city slickers don’t know about rural life and characters. In this final episode, they talk about how things are differ between off-grid and on-grid rural life.
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Writing Rural, Ep 3: Rural and On-Grid appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Kitty talk about all the hidden things that city slickers don’t know about rural life and characters. In this episode, they talk about the rural worldview and how order of operations conditions it.
The post Writing Rural, Ep 2: Worldview and Order of Operations appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Kitty talk about all the hidden things that city slickers don’t know about rural life and characters. In this episode, they start with basic survival, logistics, and supply line issues.
The post Writing Rural, Ep 1: Equipment and Strategy appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks:
I know that stealing from two sources versus one is the difference between being inspired and plagiarizing, but what good old “I could have told that tale better.” I can’t be the first new writer to be inspired in part by watching some movie or reading some book and thinking “That’s a good idea, but here is how you tell it.” I know it has lead to classics in film. “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” is a perfect example of remaking a bad movie.
Is filing off the serial numbers and writing your version of a badly done novel a valid choice for an author looking to publish?
Dune
Hercules (myth)
Samson story (Book of Judges Chapters 13-16)
Conan (film and original books by Robert E. Howard)
Star Wars
Flash Gordon
The Hidden Fortress
La Morte D’Artur by Thomas Mallory
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 1053: Filing Off the Serial Numbers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Gail discuss the obstacles they faced throughout the month, and give their word totals.
The post The Nanogang Goes Boom — Day 31: The Nature of Failure appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Gail discuss the relationship between age, experience, and the voice of the artist.
The post FIXED — The Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 17 — Beauty and Perspective appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
After fighting through nearly two weeks of obstacles, Dan and Gail get some words on the board.
The post FIXED — The Nanogang Goes Boom — Day 09: Setbacks and Traction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Gail gets her feet under her, while Dan gets hit by an early winter.
The post FIXED — Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 01 — Getting Started appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Gail discuss their grand writing ambitions for the coming month.
The post FIXED Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 00 — Pre-game appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Gail discuss the relationship between age, experience, and the voice of the artist.
The post The Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 17 — Beauty and Perspective appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
After fighting through nearly two weeks of obstacles, Dan and Gail get some words on the board.
The post The Nanogang Goes Boom — Day 09: Setbacks and Traction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Gail gets her feet under her, while Dan gets hit by
The post Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 01 — Getting Started appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Gail discuss their grand writing ambitions for the coming month.
The post Nanogang Goes Boom, Day 00 — Pre-game appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mike asks:Dean Wesley Smith, Harlan Ellison, and other authors have talked about the quotes they’ve used to stay motivated and on task. What are some of yours? Resources mentioned:Dreams with Sharp Teeth
The post Question 1051: Useful Aphorisms appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks: I know you’re a big fan of cycling for revision, but what about retyping. Lawrence Block in his book on writing novels, which is from the 70s, spends some time discussing how retyping to make a clean copy for submission is a great way to add polish. In …
The post Question 1050: Re-typing as Editing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:Have you ever developed ancillary materials for one of your stories? The Man in the Rain
The post Question 1049: Expanded Universes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are your Editorial pet peeves? Resources Mentioned: All You Zombies and The Door in to Summer, by HeinleinBack to the Future trilogyThe Time Machine by HG WellsDonnie BrascoStar Trek IVThe Big Sleep Crudrat Open Vistas Anthologies My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Question 1048: Editorial Pet Peeves appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:What kind of pressures work best for you creatively? Deadlines? Self-imposed or other consequences? No pressure at all?
The post Question 1047: Positive Pressures appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are your favorite 80’s TV shows and why? Any that work especially well from an adult’s and writer’s perspective? Quantum LeapThe Greatest American HeroMagnum PIWiseguyDallasThe A TeamBattlestar Galactica (original)Buck RogersThe Real GhostbustersBabylon 5Murder She WroteDuck Tales (original)RevengeScarecrow and Mrs. KingMoonlighting
The post Question 1046: Great 80s TV Shows appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks:I remember you telling Dave Robison on the Roundtable, when discussing one of his story ideas, that he should ‘try to stay interested, rather than obsessed’ and I’m curious if you could elaborate on the difference between the two states of mind. Resources MentionedRoundtable Podcast: First Anniversary Episode
The post Question 1045: Interest vs Obsession appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks:What would the world be like if AI could make and remix film/tv/novels to your tastes and preferences, on demand.
The post Question 1044: All-Powerful AI appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts regarding the theory about “ancient aliens” directing and interacting with early humans. Resources:Chariots of the Gods by Erich von DanikenAt the Mountains of Madness by HP LovecraftBattlestar Galactica (original series)Stargate film and seriesThe Book of MormonExodus story of the Rod …
The post Question 1043: Ancient Aliens appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts regarding the theory about “ancient aliens” directing and interacting with early humans. Resources:Chariots of the Gods by Erich von DanikenAt the Mountains of Madness by HP LovecraftBattlestar Galactica (original series)Stargate film and seriesThe Book of MormonExodus story of the Rod …
The post Question 1043: Ancient Aliens appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: I’ve looked back to the first novel I ever wrote – when I was 14 – over the last week. I was surprised to find it had a stronger theme than most of my books. What kind of value do you place on the theme, whether discovered or …
The post Question 1042: Strong Themes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Indiana Jim asks:In Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile, chapter 18, you write about the protagonists making adult moral choices. Can you go a little deeper into specifically how modern YA fiction manifest the “native idealism, flippant _fait accompl_i, and/or deep self-seriousness,” and how to avoid it? Resources MentionedThe Secrets of …
The post Question 1041: Adult Moral Choices in YA Stories appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Could you talk about different things that you do or can’t do if you want to go out to the wilderness and write? 100w Portable Solar KitPortable Power Bank1500w Inverter GeneratorManual Typewriter My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Off-Grid and Overlanding appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks:I have two stories told out of order. I’ve tried rearranging them sequentially but I hate them that way. Can non-linear storytelling work, and what approaches are most successful? Resources Mentioned Pulp FictionReservoir DogsDouble IndemnityDS9: The EmmissaryVoyagers!Doctor WhoSlidersThe Highlander The Usual SuspectsGenesis and Catastrophe by Roald Dahl (in the …
The post Question 1039: Non-Linear Storytelling appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How have things been going on the homestead since your last update?’ Resources The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile
The post August State of the Podcasters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Charles has feedback on the replies to his question, Question 1028: Writing with a Full-Time Life Resources Huberman Lab: The Science of Making and Breaking Habits
The post Feedback: Charles Replies/Mental Friction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed has feedback on the episode on showing formality. Question 1035: How Formality Works
The post Feedback: The Drawbacks of Formality appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Herb has feedback on Hero and Heroine’s Journeys, and Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile. The Secrets of the Heinlein JuvenileThe Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph CampbellThe Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler
The post Feedback on Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim has feedback on dictation and word count. My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Feedback: Dictation Rides Again appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are different ways to get material to beta readers and what are some different ways to get their feedback?
The post Question 1038: Beta Reader Tech appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nicole asks: What is the etiquette around stories written for an anthology call but rejected? When you self-publish it, is it acceptable to advertise it as “originally written for anthology X” or even to direct readers to an anthology you were rejected from? Archivos
The post Question 1037: Story Rejection Etiquette appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Simon has feedback on Charles’ question on finding time to write.
The post Feedback on Charles’ question on finding time appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose has some feedback for the episode Writing with a Full-Time Life References Mentioned Becoming an Every Day Novelist by J. Daniel SawyerThe Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienRoverandom by J.R.R. Tolkien
The post Feedback: Tough Love for Charles appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb has feedback on the topic of gaining life experiences from the episode Staying In Your Lane.
The post Feedback: Life Experience appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim has feedback on writing with a full-time life using dictation.
The post Feedback: Dictation and the Full-Time Life appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:What exactly is speculative fiction? How is it different from sci-fi? Resources MentionedLooking Backward by Edward BellamyUtopia by Sir Thomas MoreLife-Line by Robert A HeinleinStar Wars Original TrilogyDune by Frank Herbert
The post Question 1036: What is SpecFic? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks: How do you write dialog that is formal but not archaic? Dying Earth by Jack VanceBabylon 5
The post Question 1035: How Formality Works appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:How do you balance writing on a new project and revising another one? What are the different processes that you’ve tried? Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of the RingsAmadeusDrawing on the Power of Resonance, by Dave Farland
The post Question 1034: Writing, Revising, and Creative Flow appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks:How do you define an adventure story? What events or needs does it have? Resources Fear Cay by Lester Dent/Kenneth RobisonThe Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. TolkienThe Hobbit by J.R.R. TolkienKing Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider HaggardThe Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleConan the Barbarian Series by Robert E HowardFast Ice …
The post Question 1033: All About Adventure appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How goes work on the ranch?
The post Question 1332: Working the Ranch appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: I’ve spent years on the computer but, due to social stigma in my youth, never took a formal typing class. Now, I want to learn? What resources do you recommend learn to type well and improve typing speed?
The post Question 1031: Learning to Type appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: I hear a lot about “story beats” but, what is a “beat” exactly? And how do I know the right ones for mine?
The post Question 1030: What Are Story Beats? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:I’m realizing how much more there is to dialogue punctuation and the like. Do you know of good resources that address this?
The post Question 1029: Dialogue, Punctuation, Pacing, and Packing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: How can write with a full time life?
The post 1336 Question 1028: Writing with a Full-Time Life appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How does copyright work when short stories are turned into novels?Nightfall by Isaac AsimovNightfall and Other Stories by Isaac AsimovOrphans of the Sky by RAH
The post Q1027: More on Short Stories and copyright appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How does copy right work for short stories that later become longer novels or novellas? My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Questions 1026: Copyright, Escaping Shorts, and Fix-ups appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks:I loved hearing you read the poems on the podcast, it really brought them to . Can you recommend any great poetry podcasts? My Luck, by Mel Todd Scribl.comLibravox
The post Question 1024:Poetry and Poetry Corner appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nicole asks: What are good ways to tag flashbacks in a short story so that it’s clear to the reader? Resources Mentioned: Witcher (netflix series)Conan the Barbarian Series by Robert E HowardChicken Noodle Gravity by J. Daniel SawyerSunday Morning Giraffe by J. Daniel SawyerAt The Edge of Nowhere by J. Daniel SawyerThe Coffee Service by …
The post Question 1023: Short Story Flashbacks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon says: A book that has stuck with me for years is one I was rooting for the bad guy and the detective even though they were pitted against each other. I wanted them both to succeed… impossible as that was. I’d love to hear your thoughts on why it …
The post Question 1021: Villains and Antiheroes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What is the Every Day Novelist’s origin story?
The post Question 1020: EDN Origin Story appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Do you add any randomness into your characters to give them texture and interest? Archivos
The post Question 1019: Adding Character Texture appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nicole asks: What exactly are writing prompts? Are they helpful? Resources Mentioned Open Vistas: After the PeakThe Society of Miserable Bastards by J. Daniel SawyerBuried Alive in the BluesChicken Noodle Gravity by J. Daniel SawyerSuave Rob’s Double-X Derring-Do by J. Daniel Sawyer My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Question 1018: Writing Prompts (What Are They Good For?) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Is it better for writers to stick to characters that are like them? Are the costs of trying to write something outside of your own experience too high? Resources: Adventures of Huck Finn by Mark TwainStarship Troopers by Robert A HeinleinThe Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel HawthorneThe Foundation by Isaac …
The post Question 1017: Staying In Your Lane appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: What is the young adult genre? Is it just young protagonists, or is there more to it than that? Resources Mentioned Secrets of the Heinlein JuvenileHarry Potter seriesTwilight by Stephanie Meyer
The post Question 1016: What is YA? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: How can a writer oppose the moral panic du jour without being consumed by it? Resources MentionedAdventures of Huck Finn by Mark TwainStarship Troopers by Robert A HeinleinThe Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel HawthorneEvery Day Novelist Success Stories: Mel ToddMel Todd on KDP Select Archivos
The post Question 1015: Opposing the Current Thing (and State of the Podcasters) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles has feedback on mid-life crises and writing. Resources Mentioned: Watership Down by Richard AdamsLittle House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls WilderBill and Ted’s Excellent AdventureQuarter Share by Nathan LowellPure Heat, by ML Buchman
The post Feedback: Mid-Life Crises appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Can you recommend any particularly great uses of an unreliable narrator? I mean, aside from Suave Rob… Resources Mentioned: Suave Rob’s Amazing AdventuresThe Usual SuspectsAn Instance of the Fingerpost, by Iain PearsLolita, by Vladmir NabakovThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark TwainA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, by …
The post Questions 1014: Unreliable Narrator (pt 4 of 4) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Can you push an unreliable narrator too far, and just break people’s immersion? Resources Mentioned: Lolita, by Vladmir NabakovSuave Rob’s Amazing Adventures
The post Questions 1013: Unreliable Narrators (pt 3 of 4) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: What are the pitfalls with using an unreliable narrator? Resources Mentioned:The Usual SuspectsThe Sixth SenseThe VillagePenn and Teller Fool Us
The post Questions 1012: Unreliable Narrators (pt 2 of 4) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Are there any rules or conventions when using an unreliable narrator? I’m writing in first-person already which feels like it would be recommended if not outright required. Resources MentionedThe Usual SuspectsAn Instance of the Fingerpost, by Iain PearsClueThe Murder of Roger Akroyd, by Agatha ChristieLolita, by Vladmir NabakovTime …
The post Questions 1011: Unreliable Narrators (pt 1 of 4) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon has feedback on ways to experiment with genres to see what you’re good at or enjoy writing. Resources Mentioned Clarke Lantham MysteriesFeedback: Short Cuts to Identifying Your GenreFeedback: Knowing What You’re Good AtFeedback: More on Knowing What You’re Good At My Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Feedback: Short Stories and Experimentation appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed has feedback on the episode Romance Tropes and Healthy Relationships. Archivos
The post Feedback on Healthy Romances appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on a recent episode. Resources Mentioned:The Living DaylightsMy Luck, by Mel Todd
The post Feedback: More on Knowing What You’re Good At appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on showing language barriers in fiction. Nanogang Bangs On — Day 1/Using Foreign Languages Coupling: The Girl With Two BreastsThe Journeyer by Gary JenningsAztec by Gary JenningsThe Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
The post Feedback: On Language Barriers in Books appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles has feedback on Nanogang Bangs On: Day 13 on figuring out what you’re good at. Resources MentionedSoullessYoung Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the BluesDirty JobsOpen Vistas: After the Peak Archivos
The post Feedback: Knowing What You’re Good At appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: What are the deadlines for submissions to the Open Vistas anthologies?
The post Question 1010: Open Vista Deadlines appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How do I get to older episodes of Every Day Novelist?
The post Question 1009: EDN Archives appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: Do you consider psychology of your characters in your writing? If so, at what point in the writing process and how deeply? Resources Mentioned Star Wars original trilogyStar Wars prequel trilogyAmerican Graffiti
The post Question 1008: Psychology and Character Design appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: How do work through personal or intellectual issues in writing without letting it take over? Resources Mentioned Gulliver’s Travels and A Modest Proposal by Jonathan SwiftThe Screwtape Letters by CS LewisLetters from the Earth (Twain)Candide by VoltaireSuave Rob’s Amazing AdventuresDown From TenThe Name of the RoseLord of the …
The post Question 1007: Writing as Therapy and Polemic appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How can I get rid of the passive voice words while still conveying past tense? Resources Mentioned: King James Version BibleDeadwoodThe Complete Works of Shakespeare Open Vistas Anthology: Swords In Space!
The post Question 1006: The Passive Voice appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn: How do connect my story (plot, theme, or characters) to current events without it being obvious? Resources Mentioned: Star Wars original trilogyStar Wars prequel trilogyLord of the Rings by JRR TolkienThe Zero EffectA Scandal in Bohemia
The post Question 1005: Relevant but Not Topical appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: How do I balance writing healthy relationships with popular tropes that depend on unhealthy dynamics, especially in romance? Resources Mentioned: Friday by Robert A HeinleinSuave Rob’s Amazing AdventuresTwilight by Stephanie Meyer50 Shades of Gray by EL JamesThe Firm by John Grisham
The post Questions 1004: Romance Tropes and Healthy Relationships appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: Why is The Joker so popular with fans? Or is he? Resources Mentioned: Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman, tv series (1966)The Dark KnightBatman Begins
The post Question 1003: What Makes a Good Villain? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole: Any thoughts on good versus bad use of adverbs in writing?
The post Question 1002: Adverbs! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback from Kell, Nichole, Rose, and Roland on a variety of topics. Resources MentionedBird by Bird by Anne LammottYoga For WritersArticle on Formatting ebooksQuestion 978: Ergonomics and Exercises
The post Feedback: Bird by Bird, Writers Yoga, and Text Message Formatting appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb has feedback on the topic of Swords & Sorcery and Sexism, with a few recommendations for examples of the genre with interesting female characters. Resources Mentioned: Gate of Ivrel by CJ CherryhThe Birthgrave series by Tanyth LeeSavage RealmsAgainst the Horde by David GemelEdgar Rice Burroughs’s Barsoom series and Venus …
The post Feedback: Swords Sorcery and Sexism appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on the episode on Franchise Decay, with thoughts on the Battlestar Galactica reboot. Resources Mentioned Battlestar Galactica (2003)Stargate SG-1And Then She Was Gone Archivos
The post Feedback: More on Franchise Decay appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Christopher has feedback on Episode 952 and ponders short cuts to identifying the genre of your story. Resources Mentioned The Pillars of the Earth by Ken FollettThe Eye of the Needle by Ken Follett Lie Down With Lions by Ken FollettThe Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster BujoldDune by Frank …
The post Feedback: Short Cuts to Identifying Your Genre appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole says: I need to learn more about the implications of a shrinking economic world. Still working on my story but as I have not read up on this, I worry the story may go in implausible directions. Do you have any recommendations for writers on this topic? Resources Mentioned:The …
The post Question 1001: The Post-Growth World Anthology appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rob asks: When using different author names for different genres to avoid confusing the recommendation algorithms, what are potential knock-on affects or implications to consider?
The post Question 999: Different Names for Different Genres appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert Asks: How do the differences between an Everyman protagonist and an expert affect the start of novels? Jurassic Park by Michael CrichtonPatriot Games by Tom ClancyTakenDeath WishSilence of the Lambs by Thomas HarrisRed Dragon by Thomas HarrisThe Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford and Other Short Stories Philip …
The post Question 998: Everyman vs. Expert appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: Most sci-fi brush over the issue of different day lengths on different planets. What might change with the structure of days if we became an interstellar species? Babylon 5: Day of the DeadBabylon 5 : By Any Means Necessary Swords In Space!
The post Question 997: Day Lengths on Other Planets appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
New anthology now accepting submissions. Give me swashbucklers, knife fighters, booby-trappers, batons-wielders, pirates, Mafiosos, Robin Hoods, cops, priests, robbers, fugitives, and assassins. Give me Swords In Space! Submit your story using the form on this page, or email editor @ everydaynovelist.com
The post Call for Submissions: Swords in Space! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Do you have advice for writing a character with dyslexia? Related EpisodesQuestions 228: Spelling and Grammar for the Dyslexic WriterQuestions 903: Dyslexia and Writing
The post Question 996: Writing Dyslexic Characters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks: People are telling me to “stay in my lane.” How do I deal with this? Stargate SG-1Pulp FictionThe Hateful 8
The post Question 995: Crossing Lines vs. Staying In Your Lane – fixed appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What do you think of subscription writing groups?Any advice on them or how to find a good one?
The post Question 994: Subscription Writing Groups appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon has feedback on DC, Marvel, and franchises losing their shine as time go on. Resources Mentioned: Batman vs. SupermanRogue OneThe Oldest Honorable Profession (blog post at jdsawyer.net)Isaac Arthur’s Youtube channel
The post Feedback: Franchise Decay appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback from several listeners, plus a question from Nichole on the transition from Word CountGail: 52742Dan: 21176 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 410pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Resources Mentioned http://jdanielsawyer.substack.comStar Trek TNGThe Heroine’s JourneyBusiness 101 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On Post Game — The Secrets To Going Pro appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: My latest short story turned into a novella… is there a market for that? Word CountGail: 50114Dan: 22793 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 410pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 28– Editors and Escaping Short Stories appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What has been the most difficult story/book/series you’ve written, and what was the easiest? Word CountGail: 45633Dan: 21176 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 410pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Resources Mentioned BlamelessSoullessChicken Noodle GravityTales of the Lombard AlchemistThe Coffee ServiceDown From TenAnd Then She Was Gone everydaynovelist dot com slash …
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 25 — Difficult Books and the Beta Process appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Nichole asks: Do you save the bits you cut out, and do you ever reuse them elsewhere? Word CountGail: 33562Dan: 10975 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 410pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 21 — Deleted Scenes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks:How to organize an author website when you have several author pen names? Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 383 pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Word CountGail: 27669Dan: 13560 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 19 — Managing Pen Names appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Catherine asks: What do you look for in a writing retreat? How structured? How organized? How many other participants? Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 383 pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Word CountGail: 20183Dan: 13560 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 17 — Writing Retreats appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Nichole asks about our writing software and formats. Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 281pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Word CountGail: 20120Dan: 10051 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 14 — Why Writing Programs Suck appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Word CountGail: 19110Dan: 9708 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 250pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul by Douglas AdamsRobert’s Rules of WritingThe Heroine’s Journey — book and Writing Story BundleBuried Alive in the BluesAntithesis podcastDown From TenCrudratSoullessChangelessBlamelessKevin J. Anderson interview on Every Day NovelistDeep Characterization …
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 13 — Pen Names, Algorithms, and Wordcount appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Simon has feedback on the sports episode. Word CountGail: 14733Dan: 8547 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 220pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Resources Mentioned:FireflyCool Runnings
The post Nanogang Bangs On — Day 10 — Feedback on Sports from Simon appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Nichole asks Kitty about daily schedules and day jobs, asks Gail about the difference between writing steampunk and sci-fi, and Dan whether he’s a concept writer or character writer? Word CountGail: 12776Dan: 6952 Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 170pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 Resources Mentioned: The Open Source WomanThe Coffee …
The post Nanogang Bangs On Day 7 — Challenges, Scheduling, and Concepts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Quick update on where the heck we’ve been and when’s the next episode anyway…
The post Quick Update… appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about cheating at continuity… Word CountGail: 10398 Dan: 4762. Pub/Bus BoardKitty: 120pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5
The post Nanogang Bangs On — Day 5 — The Luxury of Continuity appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Leader board: Dan: 2760.Kitty: 80pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums The Catcher in the Rye
The post Nanogang Bangs On — Day 3 — Developing Characters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Leader board: Dan: 2760. Kitty: 80pgs edited, 1.5 marketing task, compliance 0.5 everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums
The post Nanogang Bangs On — Day 2: Taking Notes Can Save Your Butt appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Word CountsDan: 2534 Pub ChallengeKitty: 1 editing task 1 marketing task Q993: Using Foreign LanguagesNichole asks: Is there a good way to incorporate foreign languages into fiction?The Journeyer by Gary JenningsAztec by Gary JenningsThe Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoThe Dragonbone Chair by Tad WilliamsThe Lord of the Rings …
The post Nanogang Bangs On — Day 1/Using Foreign Languages appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we announce the January Nanowrimo. (Najawrimo?) and we have feedback from Simon. Resources MentionedBatman vs. SupermanRogue OneThe Oldest Honorable ProfessionQuestions 965: Marvel Vs. DCIsaac Arthur’s Youtube channel everydaynovelist dot com slash edn dash forums/
The post Nanogang Bangs On Pre-Show appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks:Will AI be able to create reasonable stories over the near-term, or within our lifespans? Resources Mentioned We Create Worlds
The post Questions 1274: Competition From AI appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: What is the social place of sports? What served that function in the distant past, and what might serve that function in the future? Braveheart Disney’s Pocohantas The Patriot Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures Starship Troopers (film) Free Solo Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The post Question 991: The Social Function of Sports appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole Asks: One of my chapters had ballooned out of control so I divided it up into three new chapters, but rather than reordering the chapters multiple times, I’ve temporarily renumbered them as subsets of the original – 6a, 6b and 6c. Are there other ways to manage of your …
The post Questions 990: Chapter Management appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: Who/What are your top three favorite Doctor Who baddies and why? Resources Mentioned Doctor Who
The post Q989 Dr. Who Bad Guys appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: Do you have any suggestions for writing an effective blurb for a sequel, as opposed to a blurb for a standalone or a first in a series?
The post Question 988: Sequel Blurbs appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Simon asks: How can “I’ll give you one” work with sci-fi and fantasy, where there’s often multiple aspects of the stories that one needs to suspend disbelief. Walt Disney: The Plausible Impossible Protective Mimicry by Clifford D. Simak Dead Alive
The post Question 987: I’ll Give You One appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole has feedback on the Suspension of Disbelief episode. Best Science Fiction Stories of Clifford D. Simak Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams The Complete Stories of Isaac Asimov The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison Soylent …
The post Feedback on Suspension of Disbelief appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on the episodes Adjusting Your Future History on the Fly and Don’t Abandon That Future History! Resources Mentioned The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle King David’s Space Ship by Jerry Pournelle http://www.chronology.org/pournelle/
The post Feedback: Future Histories and Jerry Pournelle appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, Herb has feedback on the recent episode on author burnout, with a unique solution to refilling the tank. The Ray Bradbury Challenge (from a speech at the University of California) Sonnets from the Portuguese by Elizabeth Barrett Browning The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats The Collected Poems of Robert …
The post Feedback: The Rest of the Bradbury Challenge appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charlie says: I plan to have the Heroine join the Hero in parts of the journey, but without a sexual relationship. How to maintain interest and tension in an opposite sex friendship without sex or romance? Black Jack Justice series page Black Jack Justice (book 1), by Gregg Taylor Encyclopedia …
The post Question 986: Swords, Sorcery, and Buddyhood appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Finally professionalish feedback on my short: they liked the plot but felt it had too much exposition. Is having too much exposition a hallmark of a beginning writer? Fairy Debt (audiobook) by Gail Carriger, produced by ArtisticWhispers Productions, Inc.
The post Question 985: Exposition and the New Writer appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
The podcasters with an update on the state of the podcast. AWP Anthologies page link AWP Anthologies Episode
The post State of the Podcasters Dec 2021 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What is your take, is Sci-fi/Fantasy mostly a genre guys read? Will being a woman writing a guys’ genre be a detriment to sales? Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein The Forever War by Joe Halderman Song of the Lioness by Tamora …
The post Question 984: A Man’s Genre? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jon has feedback and recommendations for serialization platforms. Royal Road Patreon
The post Feedback: Serialization Platforms appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: What are some good examples of writing that sticks the landing? Resources Mentioned Lost Game of Thrones Babylon 5 Breaking Bad True Blood BattleStar Galactica The Sixth Sense The Village Unbreakable Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie Star Wars (Original Trilogy) Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Star Trek …
The post Questions 983: Good Examples of Sticking the Ending appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: I recently realized that I am conflict avoidant, and I find it difficult to put my characters through the wringer. If story is conflict, what’s a conflict avoidant writer to do? Resources Mentioned The A Team Magnum P.I. Quantum Leap JAG NCIS
The post Questions 982: Internal vs. External Conflict appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we answer a question that a lot of you have asked about… anthologies! Resources Mentioned: Anthology Submission Page
The post Special: AWP Anthologies appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Herb has feedback on the epidode Pandemic to Endemic, and whether or not to rewrite future histories to match the current future.
The post Feedback: Suspension of Disbelief appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole: Any thoughts on the 1960s British spy series The Avengers. The Avengers (1998 film) The Avengers (1961-1969 series) Batman & Robin
The post Questions 981: The REAL Avengers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: How do I write the sword & sorcery genre with less sexist tropes?
The post Questions 980: Sword and Sorcery and Sexism appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Christopher asks: I realized after listening to episode 952, I realized I was writing romance novels in a sci-fi setting. How can I figure out my genre sooner next time?
The post Questions 979: Recognizing Your Genre appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Do you know of any exercise programs designed for writers?
The post Questions 978: Egronomics and Exercises appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks: What are your thoughts on the story grid method for self-editing?
The post Questions 977: The Story Grid appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are some ideas for building a reader base?
The post Questions 976: Finding Your Readers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks: Is there a way to format text messages so it looks the way it does on a screen?
The post Questions 975: Formatting Text Message Conversations appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What was your best/worst acceptance and rejection letters? Archivos
The post Questions 974: Best Acceptance and Rejection Letters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: I’ve heard that, in action adventure, I need to introduce a change every 3-4 pages. Thoughts?
The post Questions 973: Action Adventure Story Beats appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Nichole has feedback on the podcast and last year’s NanoGang
The post Feedback on the Whole Podcast appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are good fairly cheap platforms for setting up your own website?
The post Question 972: Your First Website appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: If there is another writer with the Pen name you were thinking of but they write in another genre, do you think it is a good idea to go ahead with the Pen name?
The post Question 971: Pen Name Strategies and Copyright appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on the Future History episode. Resources Mentioned Adjusting Your Future History On the Fly Feedback on Science Changing West of Honor, Jerry Pournelle’s Future History, book 1
The post Feedback: Don’t Abandon That Future History! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: My first rejection letter was a form letter. Should I retool my story before sending it out again, or submit it as is?
The post Question 970: Interpreting Rejection Letters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: When writing fast, how often do you STOP and think to steer the story? The analogy here is a sailing catamaran, whereon you stop moving to tack, and catch the wind again. How long does that typically take if and when you do it?
The post Question 969: Stopping to Breathe Between Creative Bursts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Kitty, what has been your writing/editor’s Journey? And what do you think makes a good editor?
The post Question 968: Kitty’s Editorial Journey appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: Ray Bradbury’s Zen and the Art of Writing is an interesting collection to me, though I’ve not read much of his fiction. What do you think about taking advice from authors whose fiction you haven’t engaged with? Monty Python and the Holy Grail Bird by Bird by Anne …
The post Questions 967: Advice From Authors You Don’t Read appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What is your advice for writers conferences? How can you get the best out of them if you are not a presenter? I plan to go to my first this summer. Writer’s Conventions: Are They Worth It?
The post Question 966: Your First Writer’s Conference appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What’s up with D.C.? Why can’t they compete effectively with Marvel?
The post Question 965: Marvel Vs. DC appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: After a years-long slump from serious depression, I’m finally writing again. Should I still take to avoid burn-out? Is it possible to write too much?
The post Question 964 Burn-out and the Writer appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks: Is there a publishing platform on which I could potentially monetize a serialized story? Substack Kindle Vella SubscribeStar Patreon Gumroad
The post Question 963: Serial Publishing Platforms appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Special announcement on Nanogang for 2021 in 2022.
The post Nanogang 2021 Announcement appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: What’s the real difference between commercial genre fiction and less mainstream stories, besides target audiences? Is there anything the genre fiction can take from lit fic, or vice versa? Resources Mentioned: Down From Ten Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin Bored of the Rings
The post Question 961: Genre vs. Lit Fic appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Do either of you happen to be Whovian’s? If so, what is your favorite classic Who Dr. and favorite Who reboot Dr. or top three for each? Resources Mentioned: Chicken Noodle Gravity Tales of the Lombard Alchemist Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency Doctor Who Jonathan Creek episode: The …
The post Question 960: Whoovians Represent! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: A while ago I read an interview about quest formulas with Michael Moorcock. It occurs to me that he codified many of the tropes he used from mythology into the fantasy genre. What’s your viewpoint on tropes and conventions in commercial fiction? Resources Mentioned: TV Tropes entry “Chat …
The post Question 959: All About Tropes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: So what are some different options if you know you can’t commit to a new novel in November but want to participate with NaNoWriMo in an alternate way? Archivos
The post Question 958: Alternate Approaches to NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks: I think it would be helpful to many listeners to hear some of the different ways to prepare for NaNoWriMo. How much do you need to prepare your story before NaNo? How do you find (or make) the time to write 1,666 words per day?
The post Question 957: Prepping for NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Just a quickie update about your friendly neighborhood podcasters.
The post State of the Podcasters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
A Conversation With Toni Weiskopf of Baen Books.
The post A Conversation With Toni Weiskopf appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: You mentioned high paying markets in episode 935. What are highest paying markets and how do you find them? Ralan.com
The post Question 956: High-Paying markets appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: When writing a series of short stories, how can I introduce recurring characters and places to my new readers without boring existing readers?
The post Question 955: Short Story Series Exposition appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: I have considered the idea of insensitivity readers, who will point out where you are holding back out of fear of giving offense. Thoughts? 1984 by George Orwell Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
The post Question 954: Insensitivity Readers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What is your take on commissioning cover art for a short story? Resources Designing with Type Throwing Lead and Making Tracks Suave Rob series Becoming An Every Day Novelist, Business 101
The post Question 953: Cover Art for Short Stories appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: I often hear about story beats for romance, but is there something similar for a sci-fi/fantasy novel? Resources Mentioned: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
The post Question 952: Beat Sheets for Sci-fi appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: “How important are pre-sales, and what is the benefit?”
The post Question 951: What’s the Deal With Pre-sales? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Herb has feedback on science changing beneath you. And Then She Was Gone The Clarke Lantham Mysteries
The post Feedback on Science Changing Beneath You appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ed has feedback on Kitty’s do-over story idea, and on the problems of immortality. Agyar, by Stephen Brust www.heinleinsecrets.com
The post Feedback: Life’s Do-Overs appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Kitty reads an excerpt from Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile heinleinsecrets.com
The post The 5 Formulae – excerpt from Secrets with Kitty’s Commentary appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Christopher asks: I have a terminal case of “the shinies” when I’m writing. I’ll start one story, when suddenly ideas pop into my head and I’m writing six others while the first is left untouched for another month. Help? Resources Mentioned: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy heinleinsecrets.com Archivos
The post Question 950: Squirrel Brain appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: When doing a pen name how important is it to have set everything up for it before using it? Newsletter Ninja book heinleinsecrets.com kickstarter tiktok videos
The post Question 949 Pen Name Order of Ops appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: How would one get a hold of all the Heinlein Juveniles? Amazon only has a few of them on Kindle, and not all of them are in print. Resources Mentioned: Rocket Ship Galileo Space Cadet Red Planet Farmer in the Sky (audio) Between Planets The Rolling Stones Starman …
The post Question 948: What are the Heinlein Juveniles, and where can I find them?? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: Now that it’s gone endemic, what will the impact of COVID be on “contemporary” fiction? Resources Mentioned: Unfolding the World: http://jdanielsawyer.substack.com heinleinsecrets.com
The post Question 947: Pandemic to Endemic appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Richard asks: Has Trump’s Space Force caused you to rethink anything in how you write future sequels to your Antithesis books, rewrites, or new properties? The Moon is a Harsh Mistress The Man Who Sold the Moon Rocket Ship Galileo Destination Moon heinleinsecrets.com
The post Question 946: Adjusting Your Future History on the Fly appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Is the Heroines Journey a good vehicle for a Heimlein Juvenile? The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger heinleinsecrets.com
The post Question 945: Heroine’s Journey and Heinlein Juvenile appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, Kitty rants about immortality and wisdom (or the lack thereof) in modern fiction. Dracula Twilight Interview with the Vampire Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Devil’s Advocate Lucifer heinleinsecrets.com
The post Characterization and Wisdom–Kitty Rants appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks: I tried searching YouTube for good tone playlists but so far no luck which strikes me as a bad search by me rather than a genuine lack of results. Could you throw the “How to find good mood-setting playlists” question open for feedback? heinleinsecrets.com
The post Question 944: Finding Mood Music Playlists appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: In a previous book you mentioned the Autodidact’s Bible. I was wondering how that was coming? In a similar vein, is it good or bad etiquette to ask an author how their book is going? Resources Mentioned: heinleinsecrets.com Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home A Song of Ice …
The post Question 943: The autodidact’s bible and asking “how’s it going?” appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Doc asks: I’m getting my second novel ready for publication, which means it’s time to record the first novel’s audiobook so I can release that at about the same time. I was planning on doing this through ACX, but I was listening to the podcast this morning when the phrase …
The post Question 942: What ACX Debacle? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are your thoughts on literary contests and using them to get feedback on your work? Do you have any that you would recommend? Tales of a Lombard Alchemist Saint Joan of the Stockyards, a play by Bertold Brecht Glimmer Train Playboy College Fiction Contest heinleinsecrets.com
The post Question 941: Literary Contests and Feedback appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Christopher asks: What’s your take on the benefits as well as problems involved in writing fan fiction? What should writers keep in mind when moving from fan fiction to writing all original content with the intent to publish it? Every Day Novelist Success Stories: Mel Todd Tales of the City, …
The post Question 940: Fan Fiction, Serials, and Originality appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Herbert has feedback on Question 929: Cultural Appropriation Suave Rob promo heinleinsecrets.com
The post Feedback: Cultural Appropriation and Courage appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ephriam asks: I’m almost done with my first novel, and while I’d always intended to write a sequel next, I’m now thinking a prequel featuring one of the secondary characters from this book. Is there a way to write a series out of sequence without disappointing or annoying my readers? …
The post Question 939: Sequencing Books in a Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback (and a correction!) from Joel on Q926 on Historicals and Research regarding Imperial China. heinleinsecrets.com
The post Feedback: Correction About Imperial China appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have a special introduction to our current Film Commentary series mini-course on Eroticism in Storytelling. heinleinsecrets.com Support Basic Instinct Attack of the Giant Blurry Finger Sirens Down From Ten Sponsored by Archivos
The post Introduction to the Eroticism in Storytelling appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
You’ve been waiting, now it’s coming! Listen to get a taste of the upcoming book The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile. The first taste is free–but you’re gonna want more! Kickstarter launches in 6 days!!!
The post The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile Revealed appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Doc has feedback on how to get feedback from recalcitrant beta readers.
The post Feedback: A Great Beta Reader Hack appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole has feedback on guest hosts and Down From Ten.
The post Feedback: Guest Hosts, Ebook Troubles, and Down From Ten appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: How does one best balance historical accuracy and modern sensibilities, particularly in a hybrid genre like historical fantasy? Resources Mentioned: Mississippi Blood trilogy by Greg Iles Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Autobiography of Malcolm X By Any Means Necessary: the collected speeches of Malcolm X
The post Questions 938: Balancing Historical Accuracy Against Modern Sensibilities appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks: Did your characterization series cover con artists? How can you write them believably, when so many real-life con artists have paper thin back stories? Resources Mentioned: The Big Con: The Story of the Confidence Man by David Maurer and Luc Sante The Adventures of the Stainless Steel Rat …
The post Question 937: Con Artists as Characters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks: In a recent question about how to get beyond a first novel, you used the term ‘Burner novel’ in reference to letting a first book go. If “every writer has one million words of crap to get through,” how many books should one consider as practice novels?
The post Questions 936: Burner Novels and a Million Words of Crap appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: I’m thinking of submitting my short story to publications both in the US & abroad. Any recommendations? Resources Mentioned ralan.com Playing the Short Game by Doug Smith
The post Question 935: Finding Short Story Markets appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert has feedback on the episode “Poetry and Prose” books that are meant to be read aloud. Resources Mentioned: The Silmarillion Patrick Stewart’s Shakespeare Sonnets A Day
The post Feedback: Books Read Aloud appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How do you decide which scenes get grouped together to create a chapter? Resources Mentioned: Down From Ten
The post Question 934: Chapter Construction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Any thoughts on choosing your pen name if you write somewhat whimsical sci-fi/fantasy? Resources Mentioned: Torchwood Number of the Beast, Robert A Heinlein
The post Question 933: Selecting a Pen Name appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert has feedback on the May 19 episode on dialog, Alan Sorkin, and the value (or not) of recycled dialog.
The post Feedback: On Re-Using Dialog appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: What are some techniques for maintaining tension in a series-long character arc for a longer, open-ended series? Resources Mentioned: Clarke Lantham Mysteries Moonlighting Moonlighting: An Oral History Dexter Bablylon 5 True Blood Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bjould …
The post Q932: Maintaining Character Tension in an Open-Ended Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: What are your thoughts on the best way to self-publish short stories? Resources Mentioned: Playing the Short Game by Doug Smith
The post Question 931: Short Story Self-Pub Strategies and Figuring Cost/Benefit appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: I have a lot of willing “beta readers,” but they don’t ever get back to me with feedback. I’ve seen I can hire beta readers on Fiverr. What is a reasonable price to pay for beta readers?
The post Question 930: Paying For Beta Readers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on good places to get audiobooks. Librivox Libraries (Libby App by Overdrive) Amazon Kindle Kobo Chirp Libro.fm Audiobooks.com EPIC! Spotify Youtube.com Lindsay Buroker’s Audiobook Playlist – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKJZyogOFzg&list=PLF295gYtb6lVRx8Cb_D_2hD8AanNFRAeS Lindsay Buroker’s videos for authors on why audiobooks on YouTube works: https://youtu.be/tfLNW0gnlCM https://youtu.be/IirTbyR9wrU
The post Feedback: More On Getting Good Audiobooks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charlie asks: I am a white, straight, male fantasy writer with little interest in ancient Norwegian culture and mythology. How far removed from real-world influences does my fantasy world need to be in order to be safe from the no cultural appropriation PC culture?
The post Question 929: Cultural Appropriation appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole has feedback and a message for Kitty.
The post Question 928: A Message for Kitty appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What are some good starting points into your books? Resources Mentioned: https://jdsawyer.net/books/reading-order/ Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer And Then She Was Gone The Clarke Lantham Mysteries Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures Ideas, Inc. Hadrian’s Flight Tales of a Lombard Alchemist, Vol 1.
The post Question 927: Best Intro to Dan’s Work appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: What is a good heuristic to determine how much historical research to do up front for a historical novel? Or scientific research for sci-fi? Should I rely on expert beta readers? Resources Mentioned: The Resurrection Junket Soulless I, Claudius, by Robert Graves Claudius the God, by Robert Graves …
The post Question 926: Historicals and Research appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: If I wanted to do my own audiobooks, what would you recommend? What did you do to train to be able to have a really good voice? Resources Mentioned: Making Tracks Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
The post Question 925: Becoming a Good Audiobook Reader appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: Are there lines a writer should not cross in fiction? Are there lines you won’t cross? Resources Mentioned The Persistence of Vision by John Varley
The post Question 924: Lines You Should Not Cross appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Which writers have done the best with friendship groups in their writing? Resources Mentioned Harry Potter series Crudrat by Gail Carriger The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer Suave Rob series Doc Savage The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams Splinter of …
The post Question 923: Great Friendships in Literature appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: What do you mean by the reviewer’s circuit, and how do I access it?
The post Question 922: The Reviewer’s Circuit appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How can I better keep track of character development? My current method takes me out of the story flow.
The post Question 921: Keeping Track of Character Development appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan has a follow up on Ed’s recent question regarding what makes an “adult mindset.”
The post Special Episode: More on the Adult Mindset appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Where can I find audiobooks, other than Audible? audiobooksnow.com audiobooks.com scribd scribl.com
The post Question 920: Other Places To Find Audiobooks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Any advice on building up your descriptive skills?
The post Question 919: Building Up Your Descriptive Skills appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks: Does indie publishing mean there might be a market for long-form poetry? How do I find it?
The post Question 918: Poetry Markets appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Is code-switching possible in narration and characterization? Is it a good idea? Resources Mentioned: Sculpting God by J. Daniel Sawyer Frock Coat Dreams by J. Daniel Sawyer Daughter of Regals and Other Tales by Stephen R Donaldson
The post Question 917: Code Switching In Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herb asks: What are the benefits to writing poetry in structured formats?
The post Questions 916: The Benefits of Writing Poetry appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Longtime listener Mel Todd talks about how to effectively use KDP select and the secrets of her success.
The post Mel Todd on KDP Select appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Interview with longtime listener Mel Todd, who is now a successful indie author. Mel Todd’s Kaylid Chronicles Series
The post Every Day Novelist Success Stories: Mel Todd appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: How do you go about building your writer resume for queries?
The post Question 915: Writer Resume For Queries appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole asks: Any advice on where to go from here? I’m making a second pass and would like to deepen the friendship groups in it and I’d like to weave in more humor. A friend of mine has offered to look through it. I don’t know if I’d want to …
The post Question 914: After Your First Novel, Where Do You Go? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Nichole has feedback, and thanks, on the Nanogang series in 2019 and 2020. Nanogang episodes .
The post Feedback: Nanogang and Thanks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: I’m trying to build a habit to make writing easier after having deconstructed my life a few years ago. Are there ways I can increase the effectiveness of habitual writing? How do I capture a sense of joy in my fiction again?
The post Question 913: Structure and Joy appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: In Episode 911 on the Bildungsroman, you briefly mentioned that people need to have an “adult mental state” to appreciate some novels. What constitutes an “adult mental state?” And how do we encourage it through our fiction? Resources Mentioned: Suave Rob series Skin in the Game by Nassim …
The post Question 912: Bildungsroman and Adult Mindset appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Christopher asks: What is the secret to apparently conflict-free stories that are totally engrossing, such as Nathan Lowell’s Solar Clipper books?
The post Questions 911: The Bildungsroman appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Christopher asks: After a brain trauma, how can I improve my vocabulary recall?
The post Questions 910: Managing Aphasia and Brain Trauma appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: The different schools of thought on revision makes me think of a hack to avoid over-revising. What do you think?
The post Questions 909: Schools of Thought on Revisions appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: How do you keep a story going when you forget the original inspiration? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 908: Losing the Story Thread appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: How do I make room for writing when everything in life seems more urgent? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 907: Making Writing a Priority appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dawn asks: How do I get started again when there’s a long break? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 906: Restarting After an Interruption appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JR asks: How do I balance world-building, plot, and character without giving short shrift to any?
The post Question 905: Balancing World, Plot, and Character appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JR asks: When is one an author instead of a writer? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 904: When Am I An Author? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Listener Sarah has feedback on the episode on religion and writers. Questions 896: Religion, Faith, and Authors Who Do Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Writing Religious Themes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Sarah asks: Do you have any advice for a budding teen writer dealing with dyslexia? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 903: Dyslexia and Writing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback from Jillane on the book Throwing Lead. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback on Throwing Lead appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Mitsi asks: Is there a second volume of Throwing Lead coming? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 902: Throwing Lead Sequel appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
A listener has feedback on Suave Rob’s amazing voice and attitude. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Suave Rob Interview appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: If one is artistic, and wanted to get into the business of making book covers for indie writers, where would one start? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 901: Book Covers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: How much character suffering is too much? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 900: Too Much Suffering? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed has feedbacon on episode 888, on creative freedom and racist publishers. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Publisher Fit appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: How would I write about a topic without writing “message fiction”? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 899: Message Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ian asks: So, what’s the deal with Substack? https://jdanielsawyer.substack.com/ Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Q898: Substack appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Dan reads The Garden of Prosperine, by Algernon Charles Swinburne Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Poetry Corner – The Garden of Prosperine appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: How do you write polymaths, and develop a believable background for their knowledge? Resources Mentioned: Questions 646: Writing Believable Geniuses Questions 722: Resources for Writing Genius Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 897: Polymaths and Autodidacts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ian has feedback on the new feature, Poetry Corner. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Poetry Corner appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, Indiana Jim has feedback on writing dialog. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Dialog appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland has feedback on rewriting, and writers who don’t. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Rewriting appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today on poetry corner, Dan reads A Poison Tree, by William Blake Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Poetry Corner: A Poison Tree appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ed has feedback on gaming out your stories. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Gaming Your Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Sarah asks: Any thoughts on the Divine Comedy and the modern fixation on Inferno?And is there any great recent literature created by someone of faith dealing with issues of faith? Resources Mentioned: The Divine Comedy Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 896: Religion, Faith, and Authors Who Do appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JF asks: The recent episode on nested journey got me thinking: where / how would you suggest learning (apart from trial-and-error methodology) how story works? Ep 875: Nested Journeys and Long Story Arcs
The post Question 895: Story and Originality appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Dan reads The Riddle of the World, by Alexander Pope
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Today, Dan reads Invictus, by William Earnest Henley.
The post Poetry Corner: Invictus by William Earnest Henley appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: What are some “westerns” not set in the old west? How would you go about writing westerns, stories touching the themes and values of the genre, in a different setting? Resources Mentioned: The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian, by Robert E. Howard Firefly Star Wars: A New Hope …
The post Q894: Western Themes in Alternate Settings appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks: How is some dialog ‘good’ and other dialog ‘bad’? Isn’t it just a matter of taste? Resources Mentioned Dr, Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog Buffy the Vampire Slayer The Big Lebowski The Untouchables Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 892: Good vs. Bad Dialog appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Indiana Jim asks: In what ways can screenwriting best practices inform the writing of narrative prose fiction? What connections can be made between the two? The Complete Book of Scriptwriting by J. Micheal Straczynski Adventures in the Screen Trade by William Goldman Glengarry, Glen Ross by David Mamet The Collected …
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Melissa asks: What value, if any, are there in awards and writer’s associations in today’s world? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 891: Awards and Writer’s Associations appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: Writing small discrete sections feels easier than long chapters. Are there other story structures that could help a tired writer? I’m thinking short stories or novels told in epistolary format. Resources Mentioned 1632 by Eric Flint The Grantville Gazette ed. Eric Flint Join us at the Every …
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Herbert: A while back you said the 20s might see a resurgence of the Western. Do you have a list of books and authors to “do the reading” before tackling westerns? Resources Mentioned: Flint: A Novel, by Louis L’amour Union Pacific, by Zane Gray True Grit, by Charles Portis Butcher’s …
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Today on Poetry Corner, Dan reads Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven.
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JD asks: Do you have any advice for a middle aged White male trying to publish a fantasy novel that isn’t Vikings and Tolkien pastiches? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 888: Creative Freedom and Racist Publishers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: I’ve managed to write the first draft of a sequel to a novel, but I set up some plot elements I didn’t use, and I’m about 10k over my 60k word budget. Do you have any tips on cutting out aspects of a story that don’t lead anywhere? …
The post Question 887: Knowing What to Cut appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Robert asks: Have you ever tried gaming out multiple possible plot lines for a novel? Are there any advantages to offset the time spent? Are there any downsides? Resources Mentioned: Death by Cliche by Robert J. Defendi Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Today on Poetry Corner, Dan reads Ozymandias by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Melisa asks: Do you write short fiction for open anthology calls, or just for your own gratification? Resources Mentioned Contact This, a sci-fi anthology Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Melissa asks: What are your favorite fantasy creatures? Resources Mentioned Dumbo A Spell for Chameleon, Piers Anthony Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Robert asks: What’s your feeling on self imposed deadlines? Are they useful? Are they useful if you don’t stick to them? Do you like the whooshing sound they make as they go by? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 883: Deadlines — What Are They Good For? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Melisa asks: What are the pros & cons of using different pen names for fiction and non-fiction? Resources Mentioned: A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 882: Fiction and Non Fiction Pen Names appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today on Poetry Corner, Dan reads The Second Coming, by WB Yeats. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Poetry Corner: The Second Coming appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: Does the advent of indie make some genres abandoned by trad publishing, such as the family saga, the western, certain types of detective, and so on, viable? How would you go about finding the unserved market around these genres? Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist …
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Robert asks: It’s always interesting to hear what the pair of you are up to. How goes the rural life? What new adventures are you two having? Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions 880: How Goes the Rural Life? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JF asks: I envision “rewriting” as cleaning up this sentence, correcting that misspelling, polishing that paragraph, and adjusting the inconsistencies between these chapters. I sense that others see “rewriting” as starting again from scratch and writing a whole new 80,000 to 100,000 words, while keeping the original draft somewhere in …
The post Questions 879: How does rewriting work anyway? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Caine asks: I’m a huge fan of street level vigilante characters. How do I find other stories with a particular feel or theme, instead of a genre or a specific character? Related Resources: NightWing Omnibus Tales of the Red Panda: The Crime Cabal by Gregg Taylor Old Black Magic, Robert …
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Today on Poetry Corner: Dan reads Samuel Taylor Cooleridge’s Kubla Khan Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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JF asks: When approaching the different sections of various story structures, are there strict length requirements for each section? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 877: Relative size of story stages appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert Asks:What are your thoughts on writing with very text-centric tools such as vim or emacs? Have you written with emacs and used any special modes such as org-mode? Have you used a member of the Tex or roff families to layout print or electronic books? Join us at the Every …
The post Questions 876: Alternative Writing Tools appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have a dialog with author (and listener!) Tim Niederriter on dictation and it’s drawbacks. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Resources Mentioned Dragon Professional Dictation Software Digital Voice Recorder TASCAM DR-40 Portable Studio Recorder Shadow Prince by Tim Niederriter Michael Moorcock A Song of Ice and Fire …
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Today on Every Day Novelist’s Poetry Corner, Dan reads The Cremation of Sam McGee. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Today Dan introduces a new feature to The Every Day Novelist, which will follow shortly.
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Roland says: Any advise on keeping up with the long term arcs while making each short term arc satisfying and true to the characters? Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger Star Wars and the Rule of Cool Game of Thrones: The …
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Today special guest, author Mark Jeffrey, is on to discuss cryptocurrency and private commerce.
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Ed asks: Suppose you wanted to avoid the Moral Panic du jour by selling your books via cryptocurrencies. What would be the pro’s and con’s? And how would you set it up? Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Ian asks: You mentioned recently that you plan to concentrate on non-fiction in the future. Did I understand correctly, and is this a pivot, to use start-up jargon? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 873: Pivoting to Non-Fiction? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks:Following up on question 868 and question 450 which I listened to again straight after, in question 450 which was about writing at pulp speed, you mentioned the concept of a creative glass box but didn’t go into it because you felt you might have mentioned it before. But …
The post Questions Episode 872: The Glass Box appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
The fourth and final episode in our series on sparkling dialog, we deal with timing and how to use dialog and dialog tags to establish timing and pacing. Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Upgrading Your Dialog ep 4–Timing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
In part 3 on our series on writing amazeballz dialog, we talk about using colorful metaphors to add authenticity to your characters. Resources Mentioned Star Trek Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home Psycho Fight Club, book and film Down From Ten TNG Ep: Darmok untranslatable.co
The post Upgrading Your Dialog ep 3 — Profanity, Slurs and Idiom appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Part 2 on the series on writing sparkling dialog deals with voice. Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett Django Unchained Hateful 8 Pulp Fiction Clerks Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Upgrading Your Dialog Episode 2: Voice appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim has feedback on Charles’ recent question on getting the magic back. Resources Mentioned Question 868: Mental Reset–Fear, the Dark Side, and Finding New Magic
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Ed asks: I’m a writer that starts at “It was a dark and stormy night” and writes straight though to “…and they lived happily ever after” (well, maybe “and they all died”), so I’m curious about coordinating multiple POVs in that approach. Write each POV straight through? Or write the …
The post Question 870: Writing Out of Order appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Following up to Charles’s most recent question about performance pressure and fear, Dan talks about different kinds of pressure, and why some kinds of pressure may be good for a creative person. Suave Rob’s Amazing Ass-Saving Adventures Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 869: Mental Reset–The Right Kind of Pressure appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: “How do I rediscover that youthful naivety to be able to write without fear, and finish what I start?” Resources Mentioned: How to Lose at Almost Everything and Still Win Big by Scott Adams Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Dave Robison joins us again, this time in his role as CEO of Archivos, the story-world management system that sponsors the show. We dive deep on what Archivos is, how it works, and who it’s for. Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Mark asks: How do I go about novelizing and expanding a short screenplay? Resources Mentioned: Down From Ten Predestination (film) All You Zombies by Robert A Heinlein Star Trek II and Star Trek III novelization by Vonda McIntyre Alien I-III novelization omnibus by Alan Dean Foster Hollywood Script Shop Fight …
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Melisa asks: How often should you change the cover art on your books? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 866: Cover Art Refreshment appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mark asks: If you didn’t have to think about making money from your writing, how would your writing change? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question ep 865: Poverty and Creativity. Are They Related? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Melisa asks: On Storybundle, how do I get asked to curate one? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Storybundle.com bundlerabbit.com draft2digital.com
The post Questions Ep 864: Curating a Storybundle appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Jeanne asks: Why don’t you do an anthology call from your listeners? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions Ep 863: Anthology Calls appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mark asks: If our writing only ever reaches a small audience, is it still something worth doing? Resources Mentioned Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions Ep 862: The Legacy Value of Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mark asks: If we want to do something with our lives that helps the world or others, how can we justify writing stories? Is writing important? Why? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Questions Ep 861: The Social Value of Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, JR asks us to a deep dive on writing memorable dialog that pops. So, here we have part one! Resources Mentioned: George Carlin: I kinda like it when a lot of people die George Carlin: Complaints and Grievances The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde A Portrait of …
The post Dialog Series – pt 1 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Khellan asks: Aare there any good tools that you can recommend to track word count? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Resources Mentioned Permanent Record, Edward Snowden
The post Questions ep. 860: Building a Word Tracker appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we have feedback from Jeanne on our episode on using poetry in fiction. Resources Mentioned; Episode 534: Poetry in Novels The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madaline L’Engle The Pendragon Cycle by SR Lawhead Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist …
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Ian asks: In terms of affiliate links and marketing, does it benefit you more when we buy from Amazon or from Kobo? and Kobo so a purchase from which site gets you the best results either in cash terms or marketing? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Question 859: Affiliate Links and Support appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ed has feedback on barbells, wedges, and risk management. Sponsored by Archivos Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Today Ed has feedback on the Going Pro series’ episode on finances. Resources mentioned: Going Pro Series Financial Prep
The post Feedback: Going Pro appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Roland has feedback on making a living with short fiction. Resources Mentioned Klytics SF report link ML Buchman Dean Wesley Smith Gail Carriger Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Making a Living with Short Stories appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Melisa asks: You’ve talked a lot about process and flow and documenting, but why? Anytime I do something, I learn the checklists, so keeping checklists doesn’t do anything for me. Do you mean something else by this? What’s the difference between War Boards/Process control and Checklists? Resources Mentioned Kanban wikipedia …
The post Questions 858: War Boards vs. Checklists appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: Are there ways to buffer your writing career against the coming chaos, besides going into the wilderness and starting a farm? Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Teleb The Naval Podcast Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Going Pro ep7: Surviving the Coming Chaos appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: How do you arrange your business for maximum flexibility? What do you absolutely not compromise on and what do you easily put on the chopping block? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Going Pro Ep 6: Flexibility and Trade-offs appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: In terms of production, what do you really need to learn? And how deep do you need to get into these subjects? Resources Mentioned w3c schools (website) Making Tracks by J. Daniel Sawyer The Creative Penn Mark Dawson’s Self-Publishing Formula Newsletter Ninja by Tammi Labrecque Join us at …
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Ed asks: What do you need to learn about small business to get started? And what business roles can you farm out to contractors? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Resources Mentioned: Tax Savvy for Small Businesses Accounting Made Simple C-corp, S-corp, LLC The Copyright Handbook News Article: …
The post Going Pro Episode 4: Small Business Education appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we continue with the Going Pro series with Financial Prep: What kind of financial preparation do you need before you can quit the day job?
The post Going Pro episode 3: Financial Prep appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: I’ve heard that you can’t make a living as a Indie writer unless you’re putting out 3-4 books a year. Is this true, and if so… how does one manage this, particularly in the transition to being full time?
The post Going Pro: Episode 2 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: What level does your craft need to be before jumping from hobbyist to pro? How do you know it’s ready without a gatekeeper? Decoder Ring Theater Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring Do Suave Rob’s Rough-n-Ready Rugrat Rapture Suave Rob’s Amazing Ass-Saving Association The Golden Ass by Apuleius Join us …
The post Going Pro: Episode 1 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today JR has feedback on researching law enforcement jurisdiction. Resources Mentioned Questions Ep 815 Police Corp Program Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
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Today JF has feedback on novel and short structures. Resources Mentioned: Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums
The post Feedback: Novel and Short Story Structure appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Ed has feedback with more examples of fix-up novels Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Resources Mentioned Callahan’s Key by Spider Robinson Callahan’s Lady by Spider Robinson Lady Slings the Booze by Spider Robinson Variable Star by Robert A. Heinlein and Spider Robinson Time for the Stars by …
The post Feedback: More Fix-up Novels appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks: Is the upcoming “Wolf of Venus” a direct sequel to Hadrian’s Flight? Join us at the Every Day Novelist Forums Resources Mentioned: Hadrian’s Flight Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 857: Wolf of Venus and Heinlein Juveniles appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: In fantasy and science fiction worlds, ending a cult is just a matter of killing the leader. How would that work in the real world, or at least a realistic setting? Resources Mentioned: The Wrong Way Home: Uncovering the Patterns of Cult Behavior in American Society, by Arthur …
The post Questions 856: Ending Cults appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Brad asks: Can you build a career with short fiction? Resources Mentioned: The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss Dune, by Frank Herbert The Real Story by Stephen R. Donaldson Join us at the Nanogang …
The post Questions 855: Short Novels and Short Fiction appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charla asks: When writing into the dark, how do you finish a story when the flow stops? Resources Mentioned: Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol Join us at the Nanogang Forums
The post Questions 854: When the Flow Breaks appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Brad asks: Given today’s climate, will censorship of writers and artists get worse? And how can we survive it? Resources Mentioned Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Join us at the Nanogang Forums Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 853: The Coming Censorship appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: What advice would you give someone who’s starting from zero as a writer? Resources Mentioned Becoming an Every Day Novelist, by J. Daniel Sawyer Rear Window and Other Stories, by Cornell Woolrith The Maltese Falcon by Dashiel Hammet Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler Cardiff by the Sea: …
The post Questions 852: Starting From Zero appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ian asks: Is there a magic formula of reading for pleasure or writing for fun and writing for publication? And would it be useful? Join us at the Nanogang Forums
The post Questions 851: Practice and Magic Ratios appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: “Now that I’m done with school and have time again… how do I get back into the writing groove?” Resources Mentioned The Cat Who Walks Through Walls by Robert A. Heinlein Join us at the Nanogang Forums Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 850: Re-Finding the Groove appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Herbert asks: “How you would go about writing two protagonists that are each other’s main antagonist?” Join us at the Nanogang Forums Falling Down Raiders of the Lost Ark
The post Question 849: Protagonist vs. Protagonist appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang debriefs on their experiences for this NaNoWriMo, discusses their future writing goals, and looks ahead to NaNoWriMo 2021. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Alexis’s obsession comic: “Freaking Romance” Word Counts: Dan 67468 Gail 81587 Tori 15162 Kitty 8799 Alexis 7138
The post Nanogang 2020 Post-Game: Reflections on Writing, Mentorship, and Madness appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we field a question from the forums on first time writers. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word counts Dan 67468 Gail 81587 Tori 15162 Kitty 8799 Alexis 7138
The post Nanogang Day 30: Nano for the New Writer appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields questions on POV and gets listener feedback on audiobooks and jargon. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums My Sister’s Song by Gail Carriger, audiobook by AWP Audiobooks Soulless, by Gail Carriger The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen …
The post Nanogang Day 29: Audio, Jargon, and Deep POV appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question on character depth, with particular attention to long series. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums League of Extraordinary Gentleman, by Alan Moore Crudrat, by Gail Carriger Blameless, by Gail Carriger Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling Word Counts: Dan 60766 …
The post Nanogang Day 28: Character Depth Tips appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question on sustainable daily word counts and slowly digests their Thanksgiving dinners. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums San Andreas Shifters Amazon series page My Sister’s Song by Gail Carriger, audiobook by AWP Audiobooks The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett Word Counts: Dan 57107 …
The post Nanogang Day 27: Outlining and Scaffolding appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question on revisions, and discusses our favorite foods. Which is appropriate, as it is Thanksgiving Day here in the US where we all are. Happy Thanksgiving, folks. May it be relaxing and full of deliciousness! GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Serious Eats Super Amazing …
The post Nanogang Day 26: Revisions and Mochi Donuts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about portable writing setups for writing anywhere, any time. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Count: Dan 53027 Gail 79654 Tori 10580 Kitty 7110 Alexis 6130
The post Nanogang Day 25: Writing on the Go appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question on using jargon so the layman can follow. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums A Wrinkle in Time by Madaline L’Engle Cold Welcome by Elizabeth Moon Word Counts: Dan 52326 Gail 79236 Tori 10009 Kitty 7110 Alexis 5941
The post Nanogang Day 24: A Pie of Coprolites appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about social rules in formal societies, and fields a listener question on subplots and POV. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Nori snacks Stargate SG-1 Circe by Madaline Miller (Circe) Last of the Wine, by Mary Renault (last of the wine) What Jane Austin Ate and …
The post Nanogang Day 23: Formal Respect and Point of View appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question on writing controversial topics and why eggs are an abomination. Julia Eklar “Divine Intervention” Nanocast eps: Nuclear Storytelling Options GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 4639 Gail: 78100 Tori: 9335 Kitty: 5966 Alexis: 5638
The post Nanogang Day 22: Playing Chicken and Courting Offense appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about mystery genres and the weather. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Catatumbo Lightning Storms wiki link Midsomer Murders And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie Resurrection Junket, by J Daniel Sawyer Down From Ten, by J …
The post Nanogang Day 21: Slashers are SO Cozy! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang discusses the appropriate travel times of tortoises in the Great Depression and fields a question on description. Resources Mentioned: Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K Dick Cape Fear by John D. MacDonald …
The post Nanogang Day 20: Descriptions and That Damned Turtle appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about perfectionism and insanity. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 38510 Gail: 74248 Tori: 8815 Kitty: 4720 Alexis: 5352
The post Nanogang Day 19: Perfectionism and Insanity appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question from the forums on increasing word count. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 37282 Gail: 72496 Tori: 8100 Kitty: 4170 Alexis: 5352
The post Nanogang Day 18: Tips and Tricks and Road Trips appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the much reduced Nanogang talks about writing characters based on real people. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Black Holes and Time Warps by Kip Thorne Trapped In Time, by Ruth Chew Blameless, by Gail Carriger Down From Ten, by J. Daniel Sawyer Word Counts: Dan: 34470 Gail: 68930 …
The post Nanogang Day 17: Roman à Clef appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about conflict and conflict resolution in our stories. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums My Sister’s Song, by Gail Carriger (audiobook) Word counts: Dan: 34470 Gail: 68930 Tori: 7456 Kitty: 3697 Alexis: 5099
The post Nanogang Day 16: The Doldrums appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang discusses our preferred caffeinated beverages and how to enjoy them properly. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Gail Carriger’s Facebook Live Next10K episode 2: Ode to Coffee Word counts: Dan 33344 Gail 67506 Tori 5700 Kitty 3399 Alexis 4873
The post Nanogang Day 15: Caffeine Dosing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the nanogang talks about prioritizing your writing in a busy schedule. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 30183 Gail: 65917 Tori: 5700 Kitty: 2889 Alexis: 4526
The post Nanogang Day 14: Finding the Time appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang fields a question from Theresa on dictation. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Special Episode 3: Dictation, with Kevin J. Anderson Crudrat blooper reel Word counts: Dan: 26565 Gail: 65143 Tori :4327 Kitty: 2544 Alexis: 4286
The post Nanogang Day 13: Stammering Our Way Into Dictation appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Kelsifer has a worldbuilding question for the nanogang. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 24936 Gail: 64374 Tori: 4327 Kitty: 2544 Alexis: 4286
The post Nanogang Day 12: Sneaky Worldbuilding Tips appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about spelling without spellcheck and word processor software. GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 22829 Gail: 61378 Tori: 4249 Kitty: 2292 Alexis: 3555
The post Nanogang Day 11: Spelling Oeuvres appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, the Nanogang talks naming conventions, resets, and pantsing vs. outlines. Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 21627 Gail: 61036 Tori: 4249 Kitty: 2292 Alexis: 3278
The post Nanogang Day 10: Pants on Fire appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today conversation turns to our very first storytelling efforts from our childhoods. Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 18636 Gail: 58639 Tori: 3299 Kitty: 1844 Alexis: 2773
The post Nanogang Day 9: Our Early Efforts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today our Nanogang talks about the publishing industry. Resources Mentioned Blade Runner Maze Runner by James Dashner GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 16970 Gail: 57963 Tori: 3015 Kitty: 1445 Alexis: 2375
The post Nanogang Day 8: Publishing Pitfalls appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
And on the seventh day, we hear the results of Dan and Gail’s 3K challenge! Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts: Dan: 16296 Gail: 56675 Tori: 3065 Kitty: 1272 Alexis: 1046
The post Nanogang 2020 Day 07: The First 3k Challenge appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
On the sixth day of Nano, and we’re still writing! Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Count: Dan: 11953 Gail:54129 Tori: 2512 Kitty: 1202 Alexis: 1046
The post Nanogang 2020 Day 06: All’s Quiet on the Nano Front appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks natural disasters, colorful metaphors, and other interesting topics. Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Count: Dan: 10489 Gail: 53169 Tori: 2324 Kitty: 1202 Alexis: 877
The post Nanogang Day 5: Dude, the Spunky Lesbian appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today the Nanogang talks about writing characters with BIG personalities. Resources Mentioned: GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Word Counts Dan 8726 Gail 52146 Tori 1396 Kitty 780 Alexis 632
The post Nanogang Day 4: Big Personalities appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we discuss writing dialog which reflects rigid gender roles in historical and speculative settings. Resources Mentioned GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums Court of Fives by Kate Elliot Word countotals: Dan 6381 Gail 50080 Tori 1262 Kitty 654 Alexis 632
The post Nanogang 2020 Day 3: Dialog and Gender Roles appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
On the second day of Nanogang, we discuss what makes a good scene transition and finding your character’s groove. Resources Mentioned: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett GailCarriger.com Join us at the Nanogang Forums word counts: Dan 4211 Gail 49074 Tori 1000 Kitty 642 Alexis 204
The post Nanogang 2020 Day 02: Scene Transitions and Character Grooves appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
On the first day of Nanowrimo my true lo… wait. That’s next month. On the first day of Nanowrimo, Dan fields a listener question on writing, dyslexia, and nanowrimo, and the Nanogang talks about starting. Resources Mentioned: Uncovering the Logic of English: A Common-Sense Approach to Reading, Spelling, and Literacy …
The post Nanogang 2020 Day 1: Starts and False Starts appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today we introduce you to this year’s Nanogang participants and kick off the Nanogang 2020! Resources Mentioned: Crudrat, by Gail Carriger (audiobook produced by AWP) GailCarriger.com Nanogang 2019 and join us at the Nanogang Forums
The post Welcome to the Nanogang 2020 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Brad asks: In today’s world, is there still room for fiction that doesn’t have a “message” and just tells a really fun story? Resources Mentioned: The Left Behind Series by Tim LaHaye The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
The post Questions 848: Message Fiction vs. Enjoyment appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: Why aren’t historical cycles bunk? Resources Mentioned: Ages of Discord by Peter Turchin The Accidental Superpower by Peter Zeihan
The post Feedback–Historical Cycles appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Charles asks: How do you keep short stories from escaping? Resources Mentioned: Red Alert by Peter George Dr. Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb The Long Watch by Robert A. Heinlein (included in The Green Hills of Earth) The Society of Miserable Bastards by J. …
The post Questions 847: Keeping Stories Short appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks: Are there any examples of good fix-up novels that stand the test of time? Resources Mentioned: Caves of Steel and Robots of Dawn by Isaac Asimov Henry Reed, Inc. by Keith Robertson I, Robot by Isaac Asimov The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury The Canterbury Tales The Decameron …
The post Questions 846: Fix-up Novels appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: When times are dark, how do you write stories that give readers hope without telling lies? Resources Mentioned: Of Plymouth Plantation: In Modern English Night by Elie Weisel Heinlein Juveniles Power of the Powerless, by Vaclav Havel Fight Club and Choke by Chuck Pahlinuk Seneca and Marcus Aurelius
The post Questions 845: Hopeful Books in Dark Times appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: Do you have any tips for doing research effectively, and using the results well?
Resources Mentioned:
Prometheus
Girl with a Dragon Tattoo (Swedish Version)
Star Wars
Sherlock episode: His Last Vow
The Physics of Star Trek
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 844: Research and Learning appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today, Dan has thoughts about the relationship between the artist and the art.
Resources Mentioned:
The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt “the righteous mind”
The Lucifer Principle by Howard Bloom
The post On Separating the Art from the Artist appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: Has your fiction editing process changed?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Question 843: Fiction Editing Process Update appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: Is there a way to avoid the coming chaos, or do we just survive it?
Resources Mentioned:
The Storm Before the Calm by George Friedman
Guides to the Great Unraveling, blog post by Dan
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 842: Surviving the Chaos appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: How do you know when you’ve written enough for the day?
The post Questions 841: How Do You Know When You’ve Written Enough? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Kahlen asks: How exactly does cycling work?
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 840: How Cycling Works appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: Can writers write medically realistic knock-outs and still have exciting action scenes?
Resources Mentioned:
The A-Team (series)
The post Questions 839: Knock-Outs and Take-Downs appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Roland asks: What’s a good way to plan character arcs over a long series?
Resources Mentioned:
Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring-Do by J. Daniel Sawyer
Suave Rob’s Rough-n-Ready Rugrat Rapture by J. Daniel Sawyer
Suave Rob’s Amazing Ass-Saving Association by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Xanth Series by Piers Anthony
The Mediterranean Caper by Clive Cussler
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum
The Thousand Headed Man by Lester Dent/Kenneth Robeson
Indiana Jones quadrilogy
Babylon 5
The post Questions 838: Character Arcs Over a Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art Asks: What is the thrust of stories from old world cultures?
Resources Mentioned:
The Colors Trilogy by Kyslovski
The post Questions 837: New World vs. Old World Storytelling appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ed asks: How can one reduce risk in tumultuous times without running off to a bunker in the woods?
The post Question 836: Risk Reduction in Tumultuous Times appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Feedback from Roland on wasted deaths in fiction.
Resources Mentioned
Scott Sigler
Serenity
Star Trek 3 and Star Trek 2
The post Feedback: Wasted Deaths appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JF asks: “How can a big picture writer get better at writing the small picture stuff – or vice versa.”
Resources Mentioned:
Primer (film)
The Man From Earth
Down From Ten
The post Questions 835: Big vs. small picture appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Feedback from Roland and J.A.R
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The post Feedback: On Carving Out Time and Thinking Out Loud appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
JF asks: What’s the difference between including red herrings and poor foreshadowing?
Resources Mentioned:
The Usual Suspects
Scream
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The post Question 834: Red Herrings appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
(And also winter, but let’s enjoy autumn for now, eh?}
The post Special Announcement: Changes Are Coming! appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: How do you change the order of scene without causing a causal
Resources Mentioned:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The post Question 833: Re-ordering your scenes appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: When creativity is your job, how do you RELAX while working?
The post Question 832: Relaxing for Creatives appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: Have you ever lost the love of writing, and how did you fix it?
Resources Mentioned:
Becoming an Every Day Novelist by J. Daniel Sawyer
Rebel Without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez
The Trial by Franz Kafka
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 831: Losing the Love of Writing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Tim asks: “How do you deal with creative boredom?”
The post Questions 830: Creative Boredom appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Questions 829: Story structure and draft management
Tim asks: “How vital is it to adhere to a story structure when writing a rough draft?”
Resources Mentioned:
Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Tarantino films
The Resurrection Junket by J. Daniel Sawyer
The 5th Gender by Gail Carriger
Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer
The post Questions 829: Story structure and draft management appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: “What should a writer look out for when writing a real world location that they haven’t lived in?
Resources Mentioned:
One Shot by Lee Childs
The post Question 828: Faking Your Setting appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: “Does a storyteller make a contract with their reader? What are the terms, and how do you fulfill that contract?”
And Chris asks: “What kind of books can you not write, and why?”
Resources Mentioned:
The Sixth Sense
Signs
Soulless by Gail Carriger
Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Clarke Lantham Mysteries by J. Daniel Sawyer
Ideas, Inc. by J. Daniel Sawyer
The post Questions 827: Reader Contracts w/Gail Carriger appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mike asks: How do I avoid common business pitfalls as an author/publisher?
Resources Mentioned
Crudrat by Gail Carriger
Marine Biology by Gail Carriger
Calibre
Sigil
Asana
Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield (podcast)
Tax Savvy for Small Businesses
S-corp vs. C-corp vs. LLC
Resource page
20 Minute Delay (podcast)
The Copyright Handbook by Stephen Fishman
Archer
gailcarriger.com writer’s resources page
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 826: Publishing Pitfalls w/Gail Carriger appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Mike asks: “Some writing advice seems to contradict each other. Should authors control their audience’s experience? Or should they expect the audience to bring their own experiences to the writing so not bother with detailed details?”
Resources Mentioned:
Sweet Valley High
Understanding Other Minds: Perspectives from Developmental Social Neuroscience, by Simon Baron-Cohen
The post Questions 825: Fake Details appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Rose asks: I’ve heard that each scene needs to contain conflict and resolution. What elements do you recommend be in each scene? How do you define a scene?
Resources Mentioned:
Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger
The post Questions 824: Scenes, Rhythm, and Structure (Complicated Dinner Party Scenes) appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: What is the difference between acceptable artistic theft and plagarism?
Resources Mentioned
Monty Python
Douglas Adams
Saturday Night Live
A Bit of Fry and Laurie
The post Questions 823: Artistic Theft vs. Plagarism appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Ep 1000! Gail Carriger answers q822 about Highlander and the Heroine’s Journey
Resources Mentioned
Gail Carriger
The Heroine’s Journey
Hunger Games
Highlander
Lord of the Rings
Epic of Gilgamesh
Harry Potter
The post Questions 822 Highlander and the Heroine’s Journey appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Dan and Kitty (mostly Dan) reflect on the podcast.
The post Looking Back, Looking Forward appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Kitty asks: Is your writing a way to work out disparate ideas?
The post Question 821: Fiction as Dialectic appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Part 2 of a discussion on creativity in times of chaos.
The post Episode 820: Creativity in Times of Chaos, pt 2 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Kitty asks Dan to elaborate on the importance of creativity in times of chaos, and how to foster that.
The post Questions 819: Creativity in Times of Chaos, pt 1 appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Kitty asks: “Can you tell us about the evolution of the Kabrakan/Antithesis series?”
Resources Mentioned
Hitchhiker’s Guide To the Galaxy (radio play on CD)
Sting: Ten Summoner’s Tales
Predestination podcast
U2: Pop
And Then She Was Gone by J. Daniel Sawyer
Hadrian’s Flight by J. Daniel Sawyer
Down From Ten by J. Daniel Sawyer
The Resurrection Junket by J. Daniel Sawyer
Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring-Do by J. Daniel Sawyer
Suave Rob’s Rough-n-Ready Rugrat Rapture by J. Daniel Sawyer
Suave Rob’s Amazing Ass-Saving Association by J. Daniel Sawyer
Wolf of Venus notification signup page
The post Questions 818: The 30 Year Project appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Today Dan asks: “What is your secret to grokking story logic?”
Resources Mentioned:
The A-Team
Magnum, P.I.
The Wolf of Venus (notification page)
The Magnificent Seven
Starblazers
Gatchaman
Episode 783: Eastern Storytelling
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
Earthcore, by Scott Sigler
Lucifer
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Questions 817: Learning Story Logic appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Special Episode: Our host interviews author Travis Corcoran on writing, a Kickstarter, and unusual financial strategies for high risk careers like writing.
Resources Mentioned
Escape The City Kickstarter Campaign
Antifragile by Nicolas Nassim Taleb
Skin in the Game by Nicolas Nassim Taleb
Debt: The First 5000 Years by David Graber
Byrne Hobart’s Financial Newsletter
The Coming Plague by Laurie Garret
The Powers of the Earth by Travis Corcoran
The Lucifer Principle by Howard Bloom
Mao’s Little Red Book
Morlockpublishing.com
Sponsored by Archivos
The post Special Episode: Interview with Travis Corcoran appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
Art asks: What’s the difference between a contrived character death and a death that really matters?
Resources Mentioned:
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Breaking Bad
Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Serenity
The Walking Dead
Better Call Saul
Scott Sigler
Dallas
TNG ep Journey’s End
Stargate: SG-1 episode: Meridian
Babylon 5 episode: Gropos
The post Question 816: Tragedy and Character Death appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.
