Writing Excuses

The hosts discuss the concept of 'voice' in writing and its manifestations, emphasizing the importance of embracing one's personal voice. They explore character voice and the influence of background, discussing the challenges of writing accents in fiction. They delve into the power of voice in storytelling, examining code switching and the role of voice techniques. They also provide techniques for incorporating a different aesthetic voice into your writing.

The hosts discuss writing the end of a book, including elements such as environment, pacing, inversions, character changes, and the denouement. They emphasize that there is no right way to do NaNoWriMo and reassure listeners that not finishing or reaching 50,000 words is still a success. They also provide advice for writing the ending of a series and discuss the importance of leaving some questions unanswered and creating emotional impact. The importance of finishing, revising, and giving characters insecurity is also discussed.

Topics discussed in this podcast include writing climaxes, resolutions, and the three-quarter mark. The hosts share tips on maintaining tension while finding resolution, writing emotional resolutions before a climax, and using the 7 point plot structure. They also discuss leaving notes during NaNoWriMo, finding solutions for the climactic battle, and editing tricks. Plus, they offer motivation and celebrate accomplishments in a challenging writing project.

Learn how to raise the stakes in your story by making it more personal to your character. Explore the importance of multi-thread plots, emotional investment, and asking for help. Discover techniques such as tri-fail cycles and grounding stakes in realistic character relationships to increase tension and create engaging narratives.

Learn how to write an engaging inciting incident for your novel. Find out the different types of inciting incidents and how they establish stakes. Explore character objectives and their trauma attachment points. Discover how a character's self and physical symbols can impact their journey. Take the homework to reflect on your character's failures.

The hosts discuss the importance of a strong opening, strategies for overcoming writer's block, getting started with NaNoWriMo, and exploring trust and breaking rules in writing.

The hosts discuss the role of world-building in short stories and emphasize the importance of focusing on key aspects. They explore the significance of world-building in storytelling and provide examples. The speakers discuss how world-building adds depth to storytelling and the significance of making the world matter to the characters and the reader. They highlight the importance of distinguishing between decorative flourishes and elements that have a deep impact on the story. The hosts also discuss the unique qualities of short fiction and encourage listeners to participate in National Novel Writing Month.

Topics include writing about magic, building believable fantasy worlds, cultural differences in magical systems, surrealism and dream logic, exploring magic in mundane places, and the role of magic in storytelling.

Topics discussed include writing outside of traditional genre classifications, the importance of antagonists and tone, deciding if a short story should become a novel, exploring horror and genre classification, ambiguity and horror in a story, the role of antagonists, and converting a short story idea into a novel-sized concept.

Sandra Tayler, editor and publisher for Schlock Mercenary, discusses turning a hobby into a business. They cover topics like self-publishing, pre-orders, and using Kickstarter. They also touch on Howard's experience with long covid and generating multiple income streams.