Writers of the Future Podcast

Sean Williams has been very successful with his story collaborations. He originally read an article on collaboration by Larry Niven who famously co-wrote with Jerry Pournelle. This interview takes what he learned from that essay and expands on that theme with his own experience. Sean also covers this subject in more detail in his article entitled "Making Collaboration Work for You or Co-Writing with Larry and Sean" published in Writers of the Future Volume 36. International bestselling author Sean Williams was a Writers of the Future winner in volume 23 and became a Contest judge in 2003. Aurealis has called him "the premier Australian speculative fiction writer of the age."

Diane Dillon has been an Illustrators of the Future Judge since 1998. She along with her husband Leo (now deceased) lived by this motto: “Dream the dream, aim for the best you can do, and make the next job better than your last.” In this interview, we discuss how she and Leo began their career in art and design, as students at Parsons and the amazing obstacles they had to overcome to survive as artists. She provides personal stories that can help other aspiring artists. When we recorded this interview, she had only just found out that she had won the well-deserved Chesley Lifetime Achievement Award.

Orson Scott Card discusses L. Ron Hubbard's writing essay "Magic Out of a Hat" and how it is as valid today as it was when he wrote it. He compares the styles and techniques of several early masters and why Hubbard's work remains memorable. You can read this and several other essays, along with 13 videos featuring David Farland, Orson Scott Card, and Tim Powers in "L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future Online Workshop" available for free here: https://www.writersofthefuture.com/writing-workshop/

Matthew Rotundo (WOTF 25) wrote his first story when he was 8 years old and later in life remembered that story and became certain he wanted to be a writer. In this interview, he explains how to start a story and then watch it totally change direction as he proceeded with his trilogy, "Petra: The Prison World Revolt." You can reach Matthew at matthewsrotundo.com

Ken Scholes was rejected 75 times before his first story sale. After winning Writers of the Future in 2005, he sold his first novel within a year, got an agent and sold a 5-book series, "The Psalms of Isaak." He has been a gospel singer, preacher, a multiple award-winning writer, and a performing musician. He is a single dad with 10-year-old twins, still writes, and performs his own music as well around Portland!! Ken talks about his journey, successes and losses, and how he maintains his #1 priority, "I have to create." Learn more about Ken at www.KenScholes.com and discover his music at KenScholes.com/music

Illustrators of the Future Golden Brush Award winner Bea Jackson (vol 24) has been creating art all her life. She discusses the importance of communicating the words of the author through her art. She approaches digital art using traditional methods which she explains. She is an introvert who must step out of her comfort zone to meet new people, nerves, shakes, and all! But it has paid off. She tries to learn from other artists, who she doesn't see as competition. She recently had her illustration book "Parker Looks Up" hit the NYT bestseller list and became a finalist in the NAACP Achievement Awards. As regards the Illustrators of the Future Contest, her simple advice is, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Enter the Contest." You can see her art at www.beagifted.com

Jason Fischer (WOTF 26 winner, 2010) is a speculative fiction writer from South Australia who himself is on the autism spectrum. He runs Spectrum Writing (SpectrumWriting.com.au) to mentor young people anywhere on the autism spectrum who aspire to be a storyteller. He is predominantly recognized as a writer in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres. He talks about the value of Writers & Illustrators of the Future for students he works with as everyone is welcomed to enter and the only judging done is on the story or art submitted! Jason can be reached at jasonfischer.com.au and argonauticapress.com

Laurie Tom is a Chinese American living in Southern California. She won Writers of the Future in 2010 and was published in volume 26. She starting writing when she was 12 and has been writing 10 years before submitting her first story to F&SF and promptly got her first reject. Her skill eventually caught up with her enthusiasm. She can't not write. She is a compulsive outliner for her short stories which makes for amazing short fiction. You can find Laurie at www.curiousfictions.com/authors/52-laurie-tom Or on Twitter @writerrat

Kary English originally entered Writers of the Future as a high school student, quit, resumed after a successful career and discovered that a favorite author, Brad Torgerson, was a winner and the forum moderator. After several more entries, she won the Contest and a few years later was invited by Dave Farland to be Contest First Reader...and here is her story. Oh yeah, listen to her Neil Gaiman story at the 9 minute mark. :) www.karyenglish.com

Writers of the Future Coordinating Judge David Farland discusses how your novel doesn't have to just be a novel and how you can take it to the next level as an intellectual property generating considerable additional revenue. davidfarland.com