Podcasts about discovery writing

Episode 268 / Legal thriller author Aime Austin joins us to discuss writing legal thrillers, discovery writing, and blending psychological suspense. Topics:Choosing writing over practicing lawRealities of learning writing craft and why writing is sometimes a “plumber job”Aime's writing process and discussion of pantsing/discovery writingCrafting legal thrillers and legal detailsInsights from podcast conversationsCommitting to one creative path

The term "pantser" has been used to describe writing a book without an outline. At writers conferences, outlining and "pantsing" (also known as discovery writing) are often framed as rivals. However, most writers fall between the two extremes.I've seen successful authors across that spectrum. What truly matters is finding the method that works best for you.While there are countless books on outlining, there are very few on discovery writing. So how do you learn to "write by the seat of your pants"?In this month's episode, I interviewed bestselling author Steven James, who shared his secrets for discovery writing—the art of writing "by the seat of your pants" while creating gripping stories.He shared✔️ Four questions that can solve any plot problem✔️ What truly drives a great story to a satisfying ending✔️ How to use pivots to surprise and satisfy your readersIf you've ever struggled with outlining or wondered if  "pantsing" could work for you, this episode will give you the guidance and courage to give it a try. Listen in or read the blog version to learn more.Support the show

his week our hosts, authors Steve Diamond & Larry Correia, share with us a zany story about each working in the other's wheel house. Larry has used the Outlining method for his last 29 books but now he's trying Discovery Writing for the first time as he works on his new progression fantasy. Steve is a Discoverer who is working with an actual outline for once. Hilarity ensues in this heartwarming episode as the two friends discover the real treasure is the books they wrote along the way. If you would like to join our supporters, you can support this podcast with a small monthly donation to help sustain future episodes at: https://anchor.fm/writerdojo _______________________________ This week's episode is sponsored by *Mountain of Fire* by the man, the myth, the legend- Jason Cordova! - available now on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3MmR6Kt (affiliate link) ____________________________ "Word Mercenaries" (the WriterDojo theme) is by Craig Nybo https://craignybo.com --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/writerdojo/support

We are going on an adventure! Love The Lord of the Rings? Why not read along with us as we consider the books from the writer's point of view! Taking it chapter by chapter, novelist Julia Golding will reveal new details that you might not have noticed and techniques that will only go to increase your pleasure in future re-readings of our favourite novel. Julia also brings her expert knowledge of life in Oxford and English culture to explain some points that might have passed you by.    For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fantasy.com/Instagram Facebook: https://centre4fantasy.com/Facebook TikTok: https://centre4fantasy.com/tiktok   0:00 Introduction 2:06 Finding Refreshment in Nature 3:57 Tolkien's Discovery Writing 5:51 The Evolution of Sam 7:35 The Humour of Hobbits 8:03 Traversing the Shire 10:53 Elegiac Moment Under the Elm Tree 11:51 Pippin Leading the Way 12:16 Encounter with Farmer Maggot 14:52 Farmer Maggot's Encounter with the Black Rider 17:09 Frodo's Wild Past 20:13 Manners in the Maggot Household

How can you lean into intuition and curiosity to embrace discovery writing? How might serial fiction fit into your business model? KimBoo York gives her tips and more in this interview. In the intro, BookVault now has integration with PayHip; 7 lessons learned from 5 years writing full-time [Sacha Black, Rebel Author Podcast]; My author […] The post Intuitive Discovery Writing And Serial Fiction With KimBoo York first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Main Topic: Discovery Writing with KimBoo York PATREON: Thank you to our existing patrons for believing in our work offline and here in the podcast.  Become a patron of the arts at Patreon.com/valerieihsan for books, writing instruction, coaching, and planning. Go to Patreon.com/strangeairstories for short stories in the paranormal mystery genre. Announcements: PNW inspired horror caretakerpress@gmail.com; Submissions closed. Reading stories now. Garden Home Community Library Writers Series "Self Publishing Success" June 25 gardenhomelibrary.org 2024 Writer Craft Writing Retreat and Workshop registration open; https://valerieihsan.com/retreat (Day Passes $400) Three Story Method: Writing How-To Books out now. Focus and Finish: Goal-Setting and Strategic Planning for Writers (First in Series) Focus and Finish Group Coaching Cohort Black Springs Saga Book 1 out now (it's the prequel) 99 cents (Accidental Stranger Book 2 preorder this coming week)   Author Update: Erick: launched new book series (Black Springs Saga) June 21st, Importance of Telling Your Story. 90.7 FM KBOO Erick 9am-10am frustrated with the stories coming in (writers are not listening to submission requirements) Valerie: injured, humping along speaking Alaska Writers Guild conference in October Moose's Tooth Pizza (Erick recommends I eat there.) I'm reading: Thunder Song by Sasha taqŵšeblu LaPointe Erick: Cold Victory by Karl Marlantes KimBoo York is reading: Nirvana in Fire (English translation) (This is the graphic novel/manga version.)   Notes: Writing fan fiction helped [KimBoo] come into her own voice and writing process.  Discovery writing is a technique. Leaning into your curiosity.  Writing into the Dark (Dean Wesley Smith) Can intuitive writers use it? Dear Writer, Are you intuitive? Becca Syme. Instinct comes in. Study and practice = intuition Discovery writers lean on intuition heavily. New writers may have a hard time with discovery writing until they practice. After one million words, you will discover your writing style. Discovery writing as improve "Yes And" -- leaning on knowledge. Not free association writing. Writing into your curiosity (guard rails, not stream of consciousness). Going on the journey with the character.  Don't get stuck on what "should" happen. Just follow the curve as it goes around. Start small. Practice. Discovery writing before the page (Erick). Write out of order.  Reverse story beats, reverse outline. How can you use this in nonfiction or blog posts and essays? YES. A different process.  Nonfiction: Start with the introduction. Choose sentences to pull out as a section header. Move things around in manuscript for flow. Writing it out is what helps her (KimBoo) understand the organization.  First draft or second is not the finished product.  Do this with your marketing! Take two days to do it and stay curious. Stay curious until it's done. Purposely leave holes so readers will be curious and explore. Plug: houseofyork.info By the Seat of Your Pants: Secrets of Discovery Writing One Million Words Club on Discord (productivity, mindset) Find Us:   Valerie's Linktree: https://linktr.ee/valerieihsan Erick's Linktree link: https://linktr.ee/erickmertzauthor Writer Craft Facebook Group Valerie's Services: https://valerieihsan.com Valerie's Author Site: https://valerieihsanauthor.com Valerie's Facebook Page and Instagram account Erick's Services: https://erickmertzwriting.com Erick's free book on Ghostwriting: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/cexki4kp5n Erick's Author Site: https://erickmertzauthor.com Erick's Facebook Page and Instagram account Patreons:  https://patreon.com/valerieihsan    https://patreon.com/strangeairmysteries Tools: Passion Planner: https://passionplanner.rfrl.co/e86j8 (affiliate link) Discount Code: VALERIE150 ProWriting Aid: https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=9378 (affiliate link)   Resources:  "How to write an eavesdropping scene" on Erick's blog Reading Critique Group for Writers FB Group (Jennie Komp's group) 3 Bird View FB page (Jennie Komp's business page) Author XP (marketing for authors) (bi-monthly promotions) Raven Publicity (publicity for authors) The Shades of Orange (Rachel, Book Blogger on YouTube) for book recommendations SF/Fantasy/Horror Contact Erick for business-starting advice or building a website. Contact Valerie for author coaching. Thomas Umstattd Jr, at Novel Marketing Podcast. Ep255: How to Create an Email Onboarding Drip Campaign Russell P. Nohelty and Monica Leonelle's book, Get Your Book Selling on Kickstarter. Balance meditation app. Story Rubric version 1.1 and podcast episode. Three Story Method worksheet Book Recs for writing/creativity/business: Thinking in Pictures by John Sayles Take Off Your Pants: Outline Your Books for Faster, Better Writing by Libbie Hawker Story Hypothesis: A Writer's Guide to Crafting Resonating Stories by JP Rindfleisch IX Fast-Draft Your Memoir: Write Your Life Story in 45 Hours by Rachael Herron Three Story Method: Foundations in Fiction by J.Thorn and Zach Bohannon The Anatomy of a Best Seller by Sacha Black Slow Productivity by Cal Newport 

In this episode of Fully Booked, we dive into the fascinating world of discovery writing, featuring returning guest KimBoo York. KimBoo, an accomplished author, librarian, technology historian, and former IT project manager, brings a unique perspective to the art of "pantsing" — writing without an extensive outline. In fact, she's written a book on the subject: "By the Seat of Your Pants: Secrets of Discovery Writing." Today, KimBoo takes us through the contrasts and overlaps between plotting and discovery writing, highlighting the freedom and creativity that come with embracing a more spontaneous approach to storytelling. There are a variety of techniques and mindset shifts necessary for successful discovery writing, such as relying more heavily on intuition or embracing the concept of reverse outlining, but KimBoo provides some intriguing exercises that can help writers develop these and other discovery writing skills. So whether you're a seasoned plotter looking to incorporate more spontaneity into your process or just curious about the world of pantsing and discovery writing in general, this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice to enhance your writing journey.   KimBoo York https://houseofyork.info/   Hidden Gems Need our help publishing or marketing your book?  https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/   All episode details and links:  https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Send us a Text Message.Episode 220 /  KimBoo York joins us to share how to embrace flexibility and spontaneity in your writing process through discovery writing. Whether you thrive on outlining or prefer a more free-flowing approach, there are different techniques to suit your writing style.

In this podcast we talk to KimBoo York about her latest book Secrets of Discovery Writing. We dive into how you can successfully use discovery writing when crafting your novel. It's an awesome podcast and one the pantsers among us will really enjoy.

In this podcast we talk to KimBoo York about her latest book Secrets of Discovery Writing. We dive into how you can successfully use discovery writing when crafting your novel. It's an awesome podcast and one the pantsers among us will really enjoy.

let's talk about 'plotting' vs. 'panstering' and why i think discovery writing is a lot more rewarding for writers and their projects. of course, if plotting is how your brain works - i don't mean to deter you! i just wanted to chat about the pros and cons of different approaches to writing and how i, personally, find discovering writing a lot more rewarding...

Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they chat with author Chelsea Abdullah about how she got into writing, her debut novel The Stardust Thief, folklore inspirations and 1001 Nights, discovery writing and (not) planning things, writing The Ashfire King on contract, reverse outlining and much more. NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with Chelsea. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Writing Beginnings. SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selection of tees, tote bags, mugs, notebooks and more) - Subscribe to the FanFiAddict YouTube channel, where this and every other episode of the show is available in full video - Rate and review SFF Addicts on your platform of choice, and share us with your friends EMAIL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: sffaddictspod@gmail.com ABOUT OUR GUEST: Chelsea Abdullah is the author of The Stardust Thief, her debut novel. Find Chelsea on Twitter, Amazon or her personal website. ABOUT OUR HOSTS: Adrian M. Gibson is a podcaster, writer and illustrator, and is currently working on his debut novel. Find Adrian on Twitter, Instagram or his personal website. M.J. Kuhn is the author of Among Thieves, her debut novel. Find M.J. on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or her personal website. FOLLOW SFF ADDICTS: FanFiAddict Book Blog Twitter Instagram MUSIC: Intro: "Into The Grid" by MellauSFX Outro: “Galactic Synthwave” by Divion --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sff-addicts/message

Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and M.J. Kuhn as they delve into a mini-masterclass with author H.M. Long, where she explores the process of discovery writing. During the episode, Hannah explains the concept of discovery writing, how it became her go-to writing approach, the benefits of discovery writing for workflow, plot and worldbuilding, spontaneity in storytelling, editing while drafting, potential challenges and more. NOTE: This is part two of a two-part chat with H.M. Long. Click here to check out part one. SUPPORT THE SHOW: - Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more) - Merch shop (for a selection of tees, tote bags, mugs, notebooks and more) - Subscribe to the FanFiAddict YouTube channel, where this and every other episode of the show is available in full video - Rate and review SFF Addicts on your platform of choice, and share us with your friends EMAIL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS & COMMENTS: sffaddictspod@gmail.com ABOUT OUR GUEST: H.M. Long is the author of Hall of Smoke and its sequels, Temple of No God and Barrow of Winter. Her next novel, Dark Water Daughter, is out on July 11. Find Hannah on Twitter, Amazon or her personal website. ABOUT OUR HOSTS: Adrian M. Gibson is a podcaster, writer and illustrator, and is currently working on his debut novel. Find Adrian on Twitter, Instagram or his personal website. M.J. Kuhn is the author of Among Thieves, her debut novel. Find M.J. on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or her personal website. FOLLOW SFF ADDICTS: FanFiAddict Book Blog Twitter Instagram MUSIC: Intro: "Into The Grid" by MellauSFX Outro: “Galactic Synthwave” by Divion --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/sff-addicts/message

Every fiction author will (eventually) find their own method for writing but all fall somewhere on the spectrum between outlining/plotting and discovery writing/pantsing/writing into the dark. In this excerpt from How To Write a Novel, I share two chapters on the topic from the audiobook, narrated by me (Joanna Penn). You can listen above or […] The post Writing Tips: Outlining/Plotting Vs Discovery Writing/Pantsing first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Join literary agent Peter Cox and his guests from the publishing business live every Sunday for POP-UP SUBMISSIONS, the net's first live manuscript submission event! Each week we look at five submissions. Then it's up to Peter and his guests – and the geniuses in the Pop-Up Genius Room – to deliver their verdict! Each monthly winner goes forward to a quarterly knock-out: the winner is fast-tracked to a leading publisher for serious publishing consideration. _________________________________________________________ Join us live in the YouTube chat room every Sunday at 5pm UK / 12noon EST _________________________________________________________ Today's submissions are: * Delirium - Apocalyptic / Dystopian by Alexander Fisher; * After London - Dystopian murder thriller by Lloyd Shepherd; * Blood Atonement - Historical Fiction by Michael Wojciechowski; * Brothers of the Sword - Historical fiction by Jon Byrne; * A Shadow On Main Street - Apocalyptic / Dystopian by Matt Zodrow. _________________________________________________________ Featuring special guest and challenger to Amazon's dominance in the book discovery arena… Ben Fox! Plus Dean Baxter! _________________________________________________________ Check out Ben Fox's website: Shepherd.com Make a submission⇛ https://subs.litopia.com Audio podcast⇛ https://pop.litopia.com Our Narrators⇛ https://voice.litopia.com We're doing something exciting, a little bit risky, and very new… Please support us by subscribing to our channel and by spreading the word on your social media! #writingcommunity #writingtips

Intentional Discovery Writing for Pantsers and Plantsers Discovery writers, a.k.a. pantsers, are people who come up with the story as they write. Plantsers may have a rough outline, but they mostly come up with the story as they write it. So what is intentional discovery writing? Listen and find out. THE CREATIVE WRITER PODCAST The Creative Writer Podcast is a podcast for writers and authors. Especially those of you who write fiction but non-fiction authors are also more than welcome here. On this podcast, I talk about topics you've requested or lessons I've learned on my writing journey. I like to keep the episodes somewhat short, so all you busy writers and authors have the time to listen or watch the episodes. After all, you need all the possible time to get your writing done! JOIN MY MAILING LIST Get your free gifts when you join: 90 Questions To Ask Your Characters, Writer's Guide To 16 Emotions, chapters from Revenge Undone, and TBR list templates JOIN HERE: https://mailchi.mp/72e7c29f6677/senja-laakso REVENGE UNDONE https://books2read.com/RevengeUndone https://www.bookdepository.com/Revenge-Undone-SENJA-LAAKSO/9789526980911?ref=grid-view&qid=1633971192621&sr=1-1 https://www.adlibris.com/fi/kirja/revenge-undone-9789526980911 LET'S CONNECT! :) Website: https://senjalaakso.com/ Email: senjalaaksoauthor@gmail.com Instagram (writing coach): https://www.instagram.com/stoorily/ ( @stoorily ) Instagram (author): https://www.instagram.com/senja.laakso/ ( @senja.laakso ) More links: https://linktr.ee/SenjaLaakso For questions, requests and feedback, please, email me or DM me on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!

In this episode, we discussed:How writing fiction and having conversations with characters that help yu work through challenging times in your own lifeThe importance of allowing for situations our character's lives to arise organicallyWriting about difficult situations and pain in fiction allows us to deal with and understand difficult issues from a variety of perspectivesThe importance of trusting your own writing process whether you're a planner or a discovery writer Piper's Books & Books We MentionedHer new short story, The Nice IslandThe Murder Lawyer, by Piper PunchesA Fine Balance by Rohinton MistryLucky Boy by Shanthi Sekaran Meet Piper PunchesPiper Punches is the Amazon bestselling novelist of The Waiting Room, 60 Days (Missing Girl Series - Book 1), The Murder Lawyer, and the novella, Missing Girl. Her books have been read by readers across the globe and she strives to write fiction that connects. Whether she's writing a legal thriller, a family drama, or a psychological thriller, relationships are always at the center of the story. Piper believes that the more we know each other, the better chance humanity has of surviving.Connect with Piper PunchesPiper on InstagramPiper on FacebookPiper's Website Like the Podcast?Are you a subscriber? If not, I invite you to subscribe, so you'll get notified every time a new episode goes up.Click here to subscribe on iTunes.Click here to subscribe on Stitcher.And, if you're enjoying what you're hearing, I'd be super grateful if you left me a review. Those help other creative souls find this show, and they're fun to read. To leave a review, open up the podcast in your podcast player, and scroll down to the bottom where it gives you the option to review the show.Stay Connected with AmyJoin the bi-monthly cowriting/creating sessions, you can subscribe to the newsletter to get ideas, tips, and inspiration to get started creating and acting on those creative callings.Connect on FacebookConnect on LinkedIn.Connect on Instagram.

There are two kinds of writing that you may have heard about: discovery writing (i.e. pantsing) and outlining. Most writers do a combination of both. In this episode, we share our techniques in either outlining or discovery writing.

Episode 089 / Science fiction, fantasy, and horror author Angeline Trevena joins us today to talk about worldbuilding and being a discovery writer. Intro links: Jami Albright free book Historical Mystery Day Show notes: The value of a university degree in writing versus the value of experience when it comes to novel writing The pros and cons of not writing specific tropes How Angeline came to run a sci fi/fantasy convention for her local library Why Angeline doesn't have a reader Facebook group Angeline's three rules of worldbuilding Myths about discovery writers Question of the Week: Are you a discovery writer or an outliner? Come over and say hi to Jami and Sara in the WIKT Facebook group! You can find show notes and links at wishidknownforwriters.com. Genres discussed include science fiction, fantasy, urban fantasy, and dystopian Links: Angeline's website: https://www.angelinetrevena.co.uk Twitter: @angelinetrevena Instagram: @angelinetrevena Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/angelinetrevena/ The Big List of Craft and marketing books mentioned on WIKT podcast episodes Jami's Launch Plan Sara's Book Release Timeline Checklist

What do you write before you write Chapter One? Eliza and Adrienne discuss their discovery writing process...and also a dessert brothel for some reason.

How to write a successful novel using the discovery (or 'pantsing') method.

Today I'm going to talk a bit about where I think I fall on the spectrum between discovery writing vs. planned writing. I'm starting to feel like I'm somewhere in the middle, so I'll talk about how I'm approaching this book now and how that's going. I'm trying to find a blend of the two approaches that works for me.

In late May, host Patricia McLinn was a guest on fellow independent author Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn podcast. Joanna writes nonfiction for authors and is an award-nominated, bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn. She's also an award-winning podcaster and creative entrepreneur.   In the Creative Penn podcast “Discovery Writing And Sustaining A Long-Term Writing Career With Patricia McLinn,” they discussed discovery writing (a.k.a. pantsing), how to write a novel with structure if you don't plot in advance, and building a writing career for the long-term. In this Authors Love Readers “Continuation” episode, Patricia reflects on her interview with Joanna about the current trends and the future of the publishing industry, shares more tips for writers, and talks about why she wrote Survival Kit for Writers Who Don't Write Right. In Patricia's words: “I wanted to write the book to encourage writers who don't write 'right' to respect their process, test it against reality, but not to throw it away. You're given this ability (at least this is the way I feel). I've been given this ability and this is the way the stories come to me and I am not going to turn my back on that. I'm not going to refuse those gifts.” [39:15] For a full Authors Love Readers interview with Patricia and Joanna, check out Episode 54: You Have to First Be a Reader, with J.F. Penn. You can find Patricia at her: Website Facebook or Twitter And: Patricia's Word Watch page You can also go to Joanna Penn's The Creative Penn podcast site, which includes both the original podcast interview with Patricia and a transcript of the show. Thank you so much for listening. We hope you enjoyed the podcast enough to want to support us for future episodes. You can do that with as little as $1 a month by pledging at Patreon. It's vital to Authors Love Readers to have your support. Thank you! Please also consider rating/reviewing the podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks to DialogMusik for the instrumentals that accompany this podcast.

As Discovery's writers reach the end of season four, Shazad Latif alludes to rumours of Section 31 and we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Voyager's return! The post Discovery Writing Wraps, Section 31 Rumours and Voyager's Anniversary appeared first on Trekzone.

What is discovery writing (sometimes known as pantsing)? How can you write a novel with structure if you don't plot in advance? How can you build a writing career for the long-term? All this and more with Patricia McLinn. In the intro, “98 percent of the books that publishers released in 2020 sold fewer than […] The post Discovery Writing And Sustaining A Long-Term Writing Career With Patricia McLinn first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Bestselling indie paranormal and fantasy author, Steff Green, explains how she hopes to inspire new readers through her style of discovery writing and the importance of appealing to market niches for self-published writers.

Episode 46: Welcome to the Equestrian Author Spotlight podcast! In each episode, you’ll hear inspirational stories from horse book authors including writing advice and marketing tips to help you write your own horse book. If you are an author, aspire to be an author, or simply love horse books then you are in the right place! In this week's episode, you'll meet author and lifelong horsewoman Diane Maccani. You'll learn ... About Diane's life as a horsewoman. She has been a breeder, trainer, instructor, judge, and showman of Quarter Horses, and she also is a horse show mom and grandma. How cleaning stalls inspired the start of her series 'What the Cowgirls Do!' The characters in the series live in the 'modern' west, and they deal with the problems facing those in the ranching/horse industry. The series has thirteen books. Thoughts on embracing technology and how she went about independent publishing before print-on-demand technology even existed. And MUCH more! Visit https://www.carlykadecreative.com/podcast.html where you can read the episode show notes and find the links and recommended resources. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, iTunes, Stitcher, or via RSS so you’ll never miss a show. Want a free guide to secrets of horse book authors? Gallop over to https://www.carlykadecreative.com/wisdom.html and join the Equestrian Author Spotlight email list to have the author advice resource delivered instantly to your inbox. If you are an author who writes about horses and would like to be spotlighted let me know. I’d be happy to include you, too. Visit my contact page at https://www.carlykadecreative.com to fill out a request.

Are you having a hard time, discovering just what you really want for yourself in this life? Join me on today’s episode as I share a form of therapy that will help get you there.

In this episode, we go into great detail on the pros and cons of creating outlines for your stories and for practicing what is known as writing by the seat of your pants; meaning that you don't plan anything out ahead of time. We also discuss what we think is the best style of writing and which we use in our personal work. Check out our fiction at www.drunkenpenwriting.com Follow us on Twitter @drunkpenwriting On Instagram @drunkenpenwriting And like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/drunkenpenwriting

Today we sat down with Hugo-award winning author David D. Levine to talk about how he got started in writing from short stories up to his latest novels. Grab a coffee and come learn his path to being a novelist, from engineering to fiction. … Continue...Episode 46 – David Levine

Less advice and more commiseration, I'm afraid. Cause I have this problem RIGHT NOW too.    Copyright 2019, Mur Lafferty -- BY-NC-SA 3.5 License -- murverse.com

Scrapisodes are segments not in the episodes that are too good to be left on the cutting room floor.This scrapisode is sponsored by Anthony Buck has been teaching people to sing with greater ease and strength and with more beautiful tone for over ten years. His students successfully sing musical theatre, pop, classical, and even rock music.Let Anthony help you meet your singing goals! Email atb@anthonythomasbuck.com to schedule a lesson today.Full interview with Candace J. Thomas available at www.patreon.com/LizChristensenSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/LizChristensen)

[Ep 188] In this series, you've discovered more about yourself through writing—you may have begun to heal emotional wounds. The act of writing has helped you find the courage to continue to write. Through writing, you've articulated your reason for doing the work. And you've identified your top themes and topics. Most recently, you've written to discover your ideal reader. Today, you'll see how the act of writing—the process of writing any given project—can lead us to discover what we really want to say. Discovery Writing to Unearth Ideas Before we begin to outline or research, we can use writing to probe what is on our mind—to unearth what we want to say. An effective tool for this—and I've talked about it before—is freewriting. I was introduced to the practice of freewriting in college, thanks to a book that was newly released at the time and used in two of my creative writing courses: Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. Her invitation to freewrite—to set a timer for, say, ten minutes and write, pen to paper, without stopping—gave me a way to shimmy past my stifling editor-mind to what Goldberg calls “first thoughts.”1 Those first thoughts unleashed in me the memories, stories, images, and ideas that I hadn't yet reached when I sat down to write using an outline. Over time, the practice generally led to my discovering what I really wanted to say in my next project—which, at the time, was usually a poem. Freewriting While Composing the Draft I still use freewriting as a tool to unstick my thoughts—often before even launching a new project. But freewriting can be also used while my writing is in-progress. I can be busy writing a paragraph—sometimes even when I'm following an outline I've developed—and pause to go deeper with freewriting. Priscilla Long agrees with this balance of writing into an essay form or structure while occasionally stepping away to further explore ideas and thoughts through freewriting. She refers to freewriting as “discovery writing” in The Writer's Portable Mentor, where she says this: [W]riting into a structure should be done in tandem with “discovery writing,” that is, writing to learn what you have to say, writing to work out your thoughts, writing to find out what your antagonist thinks (by writing from her point of view in your notebook, even though in the finished story you are never going to be in her point of view).2 In other words, when we need clarity, Long recommends we stop in the midst of writing to an outline or “template” and spend a few minutes freewriting. This avoids shallow treatment of our topic or story. Instead, we respect our mind's hesitation and take time to discover what we really want to say. After freewriting, we gain insight and turn back to the draft, adjusting our ideas as needed. Determine and Draft Your Project's Big Idea Let's say that you've spent a few minutes freewriting to determine what to write about. You've thought about it, you've researched, you've outlined. You have a good solid concept for this project. When you're ready to embark on the first words of your next project, determine and draft your project's Big Idea. What's this piece about? What's the focus? What's the driving theme? Articulating Your Working Thesis Writing this out is a kind of discovery writing all its own—you're trying to articulate a thesis. Remember the thesis? Back in high school and college you were probably trained to express it as one sentence—a statement that is, in fact, arguable. A thesis can be used in fiction, nonfiction, and some poetry; it encapsulates what your project is about. The thesis statement expresses the Big Idea of your project in that one sentence. You set out to explore and support this statement throughout the piece. Your thesis establishes strong focus for the project from the start. A working thesis is flexible, though. The further you get into your research and writing,

[Ep 188] In this series, you’ve discovered more about yourself through writing—you may have begun to heal emotional wounds. The act of writing has helped you find the courage to continue to write. Through writing, you’ve articulated your reason for doing the work. And you’ve identified your top themes and topics. Most recently, you’ve written to discover your ideal reader. Today, you’ll see how the act of writing—the process of writing any given project—can lead us to discover what we really want to say. Discovery Writing to Unearth Ideas Before we begin to outline or research, we can use writing to probe what is on our mind—to unearth what we want to say. An effective tool for this—and I’ve talked about it before—is freewriting. I was introduced to the practice of freewriting in college, thanks to a book that was newly released at the time and used in two of my creative writing courses: Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. Her invitation to freewrite—to set a timer for, say, ten minutes and write, pen to paper, without stopping—gave me a way to shimmy past my stifling editor-mind to what Goldberg calls “first thoughts.”1 Those first thoughts unleashed in me the memories, stories, images, and ideas that I hadn’t yet reached when I sat down to write using an outline. Over time, the practice generally led to my discovering what I really wanted to say in my next project—which, at the time, was usually a poem. Freewriting While Composing the Draft I still use freewriting as a tool to unstick my thoughts—often before even launching a new project. But freewriting can be also used while my writing is in-progress. I can be busy writing a paragraph—sometimes even when I’m following an outline I’ve developed—and pause to go deeper with freewriting. Priscilla Long agrees with this balance of writing into an essay form or structure while occasionally stepping away to further explore ideas and thoughts through freewriting. She refers to freewriting as “discovery writing” in The Writer’s Portable Mentor, where she says this: [W]riting into a structure should be done in tandem with “discovery writing,” that is, writing to learn what you have to say, writing to work out your thoughts, writing to find out what your antagonist thinks (by writing from her point of view in your notebook, even though in the finished story you are never going to be in her point of view).2 In other words, when we need clarity, Long recommends we stop in the midst of writing to an outline or “template” and spend a few minutes freewriting. This avoids shallow treatment of our topic or story. Instead, we respect our mind’s hesitation and take time to discover what we really want to say. After freewriting, we gain insight and turn back to the draft, adjusting our ideas as needed. Determine and Draft Your Project’s Big Idea Let’s say that you’ve spent a few minutes freewriting to determine what to write about. You’ve thought about it, you’ve researched, you’ve outlined. You have a good solid concept for this project. When you’re ready to embark on the first words of your next project, determine and draft your project’s Big Idea. What’s this piece about? What’s the focus? What’s the driving theme? Articulating Your Working Thesis Writing this out is a kind of discovery writing all its own—you’re trying to articulate a thesis. Remember the thesis? Back in high school and college you were probably trained to express it as one sentence—a statement that is, in fact, arguable. A thesis can be used in fiction, nonfiction, and some poetry; it encapsulate what your project is about. The thesis statement expresses the Big Idea of your project in that one sentence. You set out to explore and support this statement throughout the piece. Your thesis establishes strong focus for the project from the start. A working thesis is flexible, though. The further you get into your research and writing,

The guys briefly summarize their progress this week and then dive into something that might present a challenge to discovery writers, particularly new ones like them: villains. It'd be easy to just tailor the bad guy to your hero, create them solely to oppose what the protagonists is trying to accomplish, but there is a lot more narrative traction you can get out of your antagonist if you're paying attention. 

Vito and John had some success in tweaking their outlines this week, but Vito in particular is finding that he's having more success discovering his story after combining his original idea (the Sicilian Vespers) with some other influences, most notably Irish Republican history. They guys also discuss the voice of the narrator in their stories, and how finding that voice can solve many other issues. Finally, they also discuss narrative distance, or how close your "camera" zooms in during your scenes. Also, John storms out after Vito makes a bad pun...

The original idea for this podcast came from Lani Diane Rich and she joins us for this episode! She does not fail to deliver. This is excellent content and we are so grateful to have her on the show! Chipperish Media Lani on Twitter Our Patreon

Your Hosts: Brandon, Piper, Dan, and Howard Our listeners had questions about outlining and discovery writing. Here are a few of the very best: Do you outline scenes? How? How do you know when to STOP outlining something? How much do you have to know about your character and/or world before you start writing? What do you to to diagnose and fix a structural problem with a discovery-written draft? What do you do to 'get into' an outline that you're struggling with. Are each of your projects similar in terms of procedure? What are some major indicators that a piece needs more structural work? Soundbite moment: DAN: "I had to learn the difference between a story, and a bunch of stuff that happens." Credits: this episode was recorded in Cosmere House Studios by Dan Dan the Audioman Thompson, and mastered via great mastery by Alex Jackson  

Your Hosts: Brandon, Piper, Dan, and Howard What can discovery writers learn from outlining? What can outliners learn from discovery writing? Is there a balance between the two that can serve as a happy, productive place for writers? (summary of answers: lots, lots, and yes-but-not-all-writers.)  

Today on StoryWonk Daily, we conclude Magic Week by talking about the ways in which you can use all that investment to make the rest of the writing process easier. Today’s links: WordWonk: Nostlagia Our Making Magic and Discovery Writing classes – sign up today! Send your questions and comments to podcast@storywonk.com, follow us on Twitter, […]

How to approach discovery writing, with your hosts Brandon, Dan, and Howard

How to approach discovery writing, with your hosts Brandon, Dan, and Howard