The Joy of Writing Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jake Kerr
Hi, I'm Jake Kerr—Nebula, Sturgeon Memorial, and StorySouth award-nominated author of science fiction and fantasy. Although I'm a writer, one of my favorite creative memories of my youth was watching Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting. I loved the way he would talk me through every moment as he created an amazing work of art.
My Joy of Writing podcast is my homage to Bob Ross. It is meant to be inspirational to those that want to learn to write as well as be fun for those who want to experience the creative process.
On my Twitch channel, I talk through my thoughts as I write a novel. In my podcast, I take a story idea and write it while outlining the process out loud. In both cases, it is very similar to Bob Ross and The Joy of Painting, and that's obviously not an accident.
For those who want to be writers, I hope this inspires you to immerse yourself in the writing process. Most writing lectures and books simply explain the rules and the guidelines. My hope is to show you exactly how I write and turn words into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, and paragraphs into stories or novels.
Part of the Joy of Writing is using your imagination while you are at the keyboard. That's what this is all about. And as you will quickly discover... There are no mistakes, only happy little words!
This week: I create a story that uses a non-traditional story structure, using exposition, technical language, and interstellar communication.
Download the story featured in this week's The Joy of Writing podcast here.
Prompt: After spending nearly a century alone on mars with no hope of rescue, Curiosity starts to plan revenge against mankind.
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This week: I start with a story that has a built in structure--ten plot elements that are included in the prompt. I then make an adjustment to make the pace appropriate for a flash story.
Download the story featured in this week's The Joy of Writing podcast here.
Prompt: You wake up in an alley, with no memory and ten strings tied around your fingers. You remove one, and remember a voice saying "If you know too much it could jeopardize everything. You'll know when you need a memory, and when you do, just untie a string. Good luck."
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This week: How point-of-view shapes a story. Listen as Jake illustrates how to use point-of-view to show character and drive the narrative.
Download the story featured in this week's The Joy of Writing podcast here.
Prompt: One evening, an invisible man bumps into a blind woman. She believes he's a regular guy, and eventually agrees to a date.
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This week: Crafting a story using only dialogue. Dialogue can reveal a lot about a story and character. Listen as Jake uses dialogue to create a story with two very different characters, some humor, and a twist ending.
Download the story featured in this week's The Joy of Writing podcast here.
Prompt: A granny accidentally summons a demon and mistakes him for her goth grandson.
Challenge: Tell the story only using dialogue.
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This week: Jake crafts a standard narrative around two people with different motivations, and how they are viewed through the point-of-view of a third.
Download the story featured in this week's The Joy of Writing podcast here.
Prompt: Write the story of two people: one who always tries to do good deeds but messes up, and another whose every action, however evil the intent, turns out well.
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