Murdering A Podcast: Recent Episodes

Tash & Steve

Two writers’ journey to create a narrative murder mystery podcast. Introducing Tash and Steve of The Mystery Lounge, who are going to be discussing how they go from nothing to having a finished podcast series in as quick a time as possible. Dive headlong into the creative process and discover the peaks and pitfalls of how they deal with producing such a massive project, helping you to solve your own problems with writing, producing, acting, directing and much more. You will see how they approach the writing process, as they share the tips and tricks for scripting they find along the way... Tips that you can use to advance your own writing. Listen as they hit barriers and overcome obstacles that could destroy their project - Obstacles that you can then avoid in your own work. Both Tash and Steve have been writing professionally for some time. Steve has been working on scripts for comedy and drama in both film and radio as well as having ghostwritten several books and had short stories published. Tash is the creator of the Killtondale universe which she has used to great effect when creating her popular murder mystery evenings and events, as well as bringing her vision to the podcast world in 2021. You are going to learn about world-building, script structure, writing dialogue, recording podcasts, working with actors and the technical issues faced by recording remotely. You will find solutions that you can use in your own writing and production process which means you avoid the traps ahead of you. All of this is delivered by our co-hosts discussing subjects with occasional interviews from some really interesting folk. Subscribe today and join us on this first step in our journey of a thousand miles.

View Details

022 - Some of the best characters in fiction are the villains but creating a good villain is not always easy to do.

In this chat, Tash & Steve chat about some of the villains they love, hate and fear. You might want to hide behind the couch.

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/022

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

021 - In this episode, Tash & Steve talk about writing for audiences. What do they expect and what should you do, if anything, to make sure your writing is hitting the right stride?

In the process of the discussion, we talk about some of the shows that work for us and ones that don’t.

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/021 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

020 - In this episode, Tash & Steve talk about the new Sandman series as well as why there are some controversies surrounding that and what, as writers, we should take away from that.

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/020

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

019 - I have no idea how to really describe this episode but, basically, we are talking about different types of scenarios and how the characters interact with them.

So, you could have an ordinary or extraordinary character and they can be placed in either an ordinary or extraordinary world… We explain it better in the episode. 

Cabin Pressure: A-Z

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/CabinPressureA-Z 

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/019

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

018 - You often hear advice that politics should be kept out of writing but many political shows (Game Of Thrones, for example) are horrendously popular.

In this episode, we explore the politics of writing and how it is dealt with. Why do some political shows work whilst others fall by the wayside?

Doctor Who: The Green Death

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/DoctorWhoTheGreenDeath 

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/018

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

017 - This week, Tash & Steve have a ramble about writing dialogue and jokes (even telling a few bad jokes along the way).

The last time they talked about writing dialogue, it was from a much more practical standpoint. Well, the two are now heavily into the writing process for their respective series and they’re talking about the actual processes they’re using for dialogue. 

Fade In Screenwriting Software

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/fadeinpro

Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense by Rory Sutherland

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/Alchemy

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/017 

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

016 - In the last episode, Tash & Steve went over the nuts and bolts of The Wolfman, the parts they liked and the parts they didn’t, and they took a dive into what they could remember about the film. It’s now time to start re-building the story…

In this episode, they take the concepts of the story right back to their bare bones and flesh out the plot of a new movie that they think will solve the problems of the old one.

Can they create something that would be more entertaining than the 2010 original? You’ll just have to listen and find out.

WARNING: This episode does contain explicit language, unlike most of the Murdering A Podcast episodes.

The Wolfman (1941) on Amazon Prime

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfman1941

The Wolfman (2010) on Amazon Prime

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfman2010

The Wolfman (1941) on Physical Media

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfmanlegacy1941

The Wolfman (2010) on Physical Media

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfmanbluray2010

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/016

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

015 - We had so much fun talking about Supergirl the other week that we decided to do the same again, this time with the 2010 remake of The Wolfman.

In this first part of the discussion, Tash & Steve talk about the plot of the movie, what they like and don’t like, what they want to keep and what they want to get rid of.

WARNING: This episode does contain explicit language, unlike most of the Murdering A Podcast episodes.

The Wolfman (1941) on Amazon Prime

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfman1941

The Wolfman (2010) on Amazon Prime

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfman2010

The Wolfman (1941) on Physical Media

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfmanlegacy1941

The Wolfman (2010) on Physical Media

http://links.murderingapodcast.com/thewolfmanbluray2010

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/015

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

014 - We promised that we would share with you all of the pitfalls we run into when producing our new podcast, and this one is a doozy…

Our company lost £7,000 to a banking scam. You would think the bank would be on your side when it comes to this. The bad guys are the criminals, right? But, banks have a horrid track record when it comes to dealing with vulnerable customers and that’s what happened to us. 

In this episode, we talk about that story, what happened, how the same scams can affect you and what you can do about it. 

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/014

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

013 - What happens when you set something up but it doesn’t pay off? Or, when the main character pulls out the solution to a problem without the audience having seen it before? Ultimately, it’s not satisfying…

In this episode, Tash & Steve discuss Chekov’s Gun, the dramatic principle of not making false promises and that you only draw attention to items that will become significant in your story. 

If you want to find out more about Chekov’s Gun and how it has been used in the past, tune in to this episode. 

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/013

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

012 - In the last episode, Tash & Steve went over the nuts and bolts of Supergirl, the parts they liked and the parts they didn’t, and they took a dive into what they could remember about the film (getting a lot of it wrong but the spirit of it right). It’s now time to start re-building the story…

In this episode, they take the concepts of the story right back to their bare bones and flesh out the plot of a new Supergirl movie that they think will solve the problems of the old one. 

Can they create something that would be more entertaining than the 1984 original? You’ll just have to listen and find out.

SuperGirl on Amazon Prime

Supergirl on Physical Media

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/012

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

011 - In the summer of 1984, the ‘Superman Cinematic Universe’ (that one with Christopher Reeve) had its first spin-off. Supergirl took flight on July 19th but only raked in a measly $14 million at the box office, less than half of its estimated budget. As children, both Tash & Steve loved this movie but time has not been kind to it… So, they decided to see if they could fix the Supergirl movie for a more modern audience.

In this first part of the discussion, Tash & Steve talk about the plot of the movie, what they like and don’t like, what they want to keep and what they want to get rid of.

Much of their discussion is based on what they remember of the movie. Some of the facts are wrong but the spirit of what they are saying is right. 

SuperGirl on Amazon Prime

Supergirl on Physical Media

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/011

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

010 - Carl Hodgetts joins Tash & Steve in this episode where we focus more on the business of writing and talk about social media and other ways writers can get their work out there.

Carl is a disabled writer who started by writing songs in the late 90s and is currently working on a sitcom with an American producer. 

But, everyone wants to get their work in front of people, so we discuss TikTok, Steve’s inability to currently write, and how to get into the industry. 

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/010

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

009 - There are two ways to attack your story, through character and through plot…

But, the fact is, these two approaches are two sides of the same coin and two approaches that Tash and Steve are using to construct their episodes.

In this episode, we talk about the differences and similarities between the two approaches, how they work and how they’re working for us.

Resources mentioned in the show:

Character Driven v. Plot Driven Writing: What’s the Difference?

I, Psychopath

The Invisible Man

Sam Vankin

The Conflict Thesaurus

Stephen Fry’s Greek Myths

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman

Norse Mythology: BBC Dramatisation

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/009

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

008 - What did the fox say? Well, anything you like… This week, we’re talking about writing dialogue and revealing some of the tricks we use to make dialogue more believable, as well as talking about some of the dialogue we really like from other shows.

From two people who treat the writing process differently, it’s interesting to see how similar much of our dialogue writing process is.

You’ll also pick up a few tips about how you can bring a bit of psychology into your writing and we will discuss characters' voices and how phrases need to fit with the piece you’re writing.

Resources mentioned in the show:

The 6 Minute X-Ray

Dialogue: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting Effective Dialogue by Gloria Kempton

Writing Dialogue by Tom Chiarella

Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen by Robert McKee

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/008

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

007 - How do you make your secret cults believable? How do you know if your detectives are breaking the law? What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

… All these questions and more will be answered with one thing… Research!

In this episode, we’re going to take a dive into how we’re researching the episodes and the different approaches that both Tash and Steve take in order to make sure their scripts are believable and accurate…

You’re going to discover some of our favourite places, books and resources as we chat about some of the psychological research Tash has been doing to bring deeper meaning to her characters.

If you’ve struggled with research, worried that you’re not doing enough or too much, check this out today!

Resources mentioned in the show:

The 6 Minute X-Ray

Telling Lies

Word Anvil

Kanka

Scrivener

Campfire

For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/007

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

006 - Steve’s background is in writing comedy and he & Tash have often talked about some of the comedies they love, that inspire them and that they want to emulate. In this impromptu chat, the two talk candidly about the comedies that are on their radar, both old and new, and what they love about them. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/006

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

005 - The biggest problems in some of the biggest scripts out there can be resolved by taking a look at the structure. In this episode, we’re exploring some of the different story structures you might want to try, how to deal with this if you’re a planner or a pantser (and why even if you don’t like to plan, a structure is a great tool) and where you can go from there. As writers, both Tash & Steve love the mechanics of telling a story and you’ll learn how they both approach the process of telling a story, so you can try the same thing. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/005

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

004 - We’re not just about writing on this show, we also want to document the whole process that takes us from our initial ideas to finished production. A big part of that is understanding the kit you need to create a podcast… So, we thought it would be a great idea to explain what we’re using right now and what you could get if you want to get into podcasting too, or if you want to do voiceovers for your own productions. You’re going to see the actual kit we use and get some advice on the best things to buy, and what you should be avoiding. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/004

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

001 - Welcome to Killtondaleshire, the most dangerous county in England... Tash and Steve are the creators of a brand new podcast (not this one) which brings their brand of murder mystery and comedy to the podcasting world… But how are they doing that? Murdering A Podcast is for anyone interested in the process of creating narrative podcasts, from writing to casting, directing and recording. In this episode, we meet Tash & Steve and find out what you’re in for. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/001

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

002 - Tash & Steve focus on the tricky topic of world-building as they discuss how to create a universe you can be proud of. We look at how other authors have created popular worlds and discuss the steps Tash took to create Killtondale. If you’ve constantly worried that your characters don’t seem to inhabit a real place, or you’ve been so stuck on creating a world that your story is suffering, this is for you. You’re going to see how Tash & Steve approach world-building from two different angles (one for planners, one for pantsers) and how we’re fitting that together to expand Killtondale for our series. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/002

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

003 - Your story will live and die by your characters, so this week we’re tackling the thorny subject of character creation. Listen as we discuss the psychology of a good character as well as talking about some of the characters we love. Whether your hero is in distress, your villain is lacking motivation or your evil stepmother is only killing with kindness, this is going to be really useful for you. For more information and to grab a copy of the show notes, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/003

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations

View Details

Coming to a podcast provider near you, Murdering A Podcast. Two writers' journey to create a narrative murder mystery podcast. Discover how Tash & Steve go from nothing to having a finished narrative podcast series in as quick a time as possible… And discover the traps and pitfalls they fall into along the way, so you don't have to in your projects… Will their dream of creating a murder mystery podcast come to fruition, or will this turn into a nightmare they just can't wake up from. Subscribe now, wherever good podcasts can be found… And where some of the bad ones are as well. For more information, head over to http://murderingapodcast.com/

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/murderingapodcast/donations