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This week, I talk with Tim Grahl, CEO of Story Grid and author of The Shithead, a novel that's both thrilling and deeply personal. Tim made a name for himself as a book marketer who landed multiple titles on the New York Times Bestseller list at the same time. Tim's work with Story Grid, alongside his partner Shawn Coyne, has guided hundreds of aspiring authors in mastering the essential elements of storytelling, helping them transform “I hope I can write a book someday” into a published reality. We cover a range of topics, from Tim's journey as a book marketer to his insights on the power of structure in storytelling. We also dive into his personal experiences, including the impact of therapy on his growth as both a person and a professional. Tim's work ethic and passion for meaningful storytelling are infectious, and I think you'll find our conversation both inspiring and thought-provoking. Let's get to it! In this episode: (00:00) - Intro (05:06) - Tim's perfect vacation (11:54) - Doing work that people don't understand (15:19) - The "secret" to Tim's success (20:34) - The moment Tim knew his business was broken (31:06) - What is an object of desire? (34:10) - The problem with online courses (and how to fix it) (01:03:47) - Behind the scenes of writing a meaningful book (01:13:37) - Success and the half warm beer theory (01:18:03) - Reflecting on regret (01:24:28) - How therapy changed everything (01:32:58) - Chasing insight vs integration (01:38:19) - Tim's beautiful future (01:42:47) - Who Tim is becoming Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com. Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.
In this episode, host Mark Miller and guests John Vervaeke and Shawn Coyne, delve into the transformative project "Mentoring the Machines." This innovative work bridges the gap between scientific inquiry and narrative storytelling to grapple with the existential challenges posed by artificial general intelligence (AGI). John Vervaeke, renowned for his insights into the meaning crisis in contemporary society, and Shawn Coyne, a seasoned narrative philosopher and editor, collaborate to articulate the complexities of AI's impact on human existence. They discuss their approach to transforming Vervaeke's seminal online video essays into a narrative format accessible to all audiences, transcending the boundaries of academia and professional domains. The conversation highlights the urgency of understanding AI's rapid evolution and its potential to reshape our world fundamentally. From deep fake videos to ethical dilemmas in AI governance, the discussion navigates through the ethical, philosophical, and practical dimensions of this transformative technology. This episode sets the stage for a series that promises profound insights into how we can navigate and thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world, exploring not only the scientific and technical aspects but also the profound existential questions that arise from the convergence of technology and humanity. Join us as we contemplate the future and confront the deep impact of an artificially intelligent tomorrow.
Many people dream of becoming writers one day. The possibility of making money selling books filled with their creative writing, stories, or solutions is exciting. However, many don't know what it takes to get their books traditionally or self-published or how much money they can make as writers. In this episode, long-time MILMO Show listener Randy Surles gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to write, edit, and publish a book that will have commercial success, whether traditionally or self-published. SGM Randall Surles (Ret.) served for nearly 32 years in the Army as an infantryman in the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he parachuted into Panama during Operation Just Cause. He then served over 20 years as a Green Beret in various positions, specializing in medicine, weapons, tactics, and intelligence. While still serving on active duty, Randy completed his BA in U.S. History from Campbell University and his MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Texas at El Paso. After retiring, Randall Surles trained under editor Shawn Coyne to become one of a handful of Story Grid Certified Editors. He currently works as a Podcaster, Developmental Editor, Book Coach, Ghost Writer, and Author. He specializes in editing military fiction and non-fiction books, but also enjoys editing/ writing Fantasy, Science Fiction, and Thrillers. The show notes can be found here: https://milmo.co/podcast/earning-a-living-as-a-writer
As I wrote the outline and script for the show on value shifts, I realised that there is a smaller unit of story that I need to discuss that's integral to understanding value shifts or how a scene turns. So, I considered adding it to that episode but soon discovered that the final version of the episode would be too long. That's why I created this, hopefully, short bonus show where I discuss what is a story beat. And how you can use them to create better scenes.Course, Podcasts, Books, and Tools MentionedCheck Out the Show Notes ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/tap047/The previous Episode ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/tap046/TAP045, The Anatomy of a Scene ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/tap045/TAP041, What is a Scene? ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/tap041/Story by Robert McKee ⇢ https://amzn.to/49VnLAe *Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell ⇢ https://amzn.to/3Wcq8eN *Story Grid by Shawn Coyne ⇢ https://amzn.to/4aZNs3O *Suggest an Episode Topic ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/request/Ask a Question ⇢ https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/question/Products I RecommendScrivener ⇢ https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener-affiliate.html?fpr=authorpreneurpod *Grammarly Premium ⇢ https://www.grammarly.com/Pro Writing Aid ⇢ https://prowritingaid.com/?afid=22911 *AutoCrit ⇢ https://www.autocrit.com/Marlow/Authors.ai ⇢ https://authors.ai/marlowe/?awref=rt2q4bq7zq *Fiverr ⇢ https://www.fiverr.com/DIVI Theme ⇢ https://www.elegantthemes.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=66529 *Other Useful LinksLooking for an affordable premade book cover? | https://levillainbookcovers.com/shop/ **Be on the Podcast | https://authorpreneurpodcast.com/podcast/interview/Host Your Author Website with SiteGround ⇢ https://www.siteground.com/go/authorpreneur *Support the Show.Connect with me on Social MediaTwitter: https://twitter.com/writeradhayFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpreneurpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorpreneurpodcast/YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/authorpreneurpodcast/videosGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/authoradhay/Merch Store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/WriterADHay/shop* This is a service or product offered by me** My bookish merchandise store
This episode, first released on the “Into the Impossible” channel with Dr. Brian Keating, brings together the brilliant minds of John Vervaeke and Shawn Coyne to discuss the advent of artificial general intelligence and its potential consequences. The conversation starts with the motivations behind major tech figures' drive towards AI development and touches upon the issues of trust, adaptation, and the inherent human susceptibility to self-deception. Vervaeke and Coyne, through their book "Mentoring the Machines: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow," advocate for a nuanced understanding of AI, urging for a mentorship approach to machine development that could ensure AI's alignment with human flourishing. Their dialogue also ventures into the realms of psychology, cognitive science, and the philosophical underpinnings of AI, making a compelling case for the transformative power of AI, not only technologically but also existentially for humanity. Bios and Links: Dr. Brian Keating is the Chancellor's Distinguished Professor of Physics at UC San Diego, specializing in cosmic microwave background research to explore the universe's origins. An acclaimed writer, his book "Losing the Nobel Prize" is an Amazon Editors' favorite. He excels as a public speaker, inventor, and podcaster. Explore more at his website, follow him on Twitter, or watch his insights on YouTube. Shawn Coyne, creator of Story Grid, brings over three decades of publishing expertise, notably with the Big Five publishers, as an independent publisher, literary agent, and head of Genre Management Inc. Dive into his editing method and explore more at Story Grid. Embark on a journey with us to tackle the Meaning Crisis by joining our exclusive Patreon group: John Vervaeke | Responding to The Meaning Crisis with The Vervaeke Foundation. Connect with John: Website | YouTube | Patreon | X Resources: The Vervaeke Foundation Awaken to Meaning Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne John Vervaeke Video Essay: AI: The Coming Thresholds and The Path We Must Take | Internationally Acclaimed Cognitive Scientist Quotes: "We should really be framing artificial intelligence as a mentoring of intelligent beings who have the capability and potentialities of becoming even perhaps better than we are." - Shawn Coyne [00:05:52] "It's only when you have genuine intelligence for the actual system or entity itself—an autopoietic system—a system that cares about information because it's taking care of itself in a moment by moment basis. Only then could you have something that would actually care about what's going on—the true, the good, or the beautiful." - John Vervaeke [00:15:05] Glossary of Terms: AGI (Artificial General Intelligence): A level of artificial intelligence that can understand, learn, and apply knowledge across a wide range of tasks at a level of competence comparable to or surpassing that of a human. Relevance Realization: The process by which cognitive beings determine what information is relevant to their goals and what is not. Autopoiesis: The property of a living system (such as a bacterial cell or a multicellular organism) that allows it to maintain and renew itself. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:45 - The Genesis of "Mentoring the Machines" 00:08:50 - AI, Psychology, and the Alignment Problem 00:16:40 - The Evolution of Editing and Publishing in the AI Era 00:21:00 - Bridging Knowledge and Wisdom 00:29:00 - Einstein, Imagination, and AI's Emotional Depth 00:37:30 - Deciphering Consciousness: AI and the Hard Problem 00:44:40 - Educational Evolution: AI, Pedagogy, and the Future of Teaching 00:53:50 - AI's Impact on Personalized Storytelling 00:58:30 - AI, Psychology, and the Future of Psychotherapy 01:04:20 - Conclusion
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Explore the complex relationship between AI and human insight in this thought-provoking episode with John Vervaeke, Ken Lowry, Jonathan Pageau, and DC Schindler. While deeply engaging with the scientific and philosophical aspects of artificial intelligence, the panel discusses its broad implications for our understanding of consciousness, culture, and rational thought. Key points include AI's challenge to our self-perception, its potential to reshape societal norms, and the critical examination of whether AI can approach human-like wisdom and ethical reasoning. The dialogue invites listeners to contemplate AI's role in redefining human rationality, wisdom, and the foundational structures of our societies. Ken Lowry is a dedicated explorer of the good, true, and beautiful through his channel Climbing Mt Sophia, focusing on wisdom and virtue dialogues. His work fosters key collaborations, enhancing discussions on spirituality and philosophy. Jonathan Pageau, a French Canadian icon carver and speaker, examines symbolic patterns to reconnect modern life with traditional arts, advocating for the re-enchantment of our contemporary world through ancient wisdom. DC Schindler, a philosopher and professor, delves into metaphysics, ethics, and cultural philosophy, examining classical philosophy's impact on modern challenges, including AI, and its influence on culture and understanding. John Vervaeke: Website: https://johnvervaeke.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke X: https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VervaekeJohn/ Ken Lowry: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@climbingmt.sophia Substack: https://kenlowry.substack.com/ Jonathan Pageau: Website: https://thesymbolicworld.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jonathanpageau DC Schindler: Website: https://www.johnpaulii.edu/academics/faculty/d-c-schindler/ Join our new Patreon https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke The Vervaeke Foundation - https://vervaekefoundation.org/ Awaken to Meaning - https://awakentomeaning.com/ Books, Articles, Publications, and Videos AI: The Coming Thresholds and The Path We Must Take | Internationally Acclaimed Cognitive Scientist - John Vervaeke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-_RdKiDbz4&list=PLND1JCRq8Vui2YOOfrxbeRwJk5jZPmAth&index=1 Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne https://www.amazon.com/Mentoring-Machines-Orientation-Artificially-Intelligent-ebook/dp/B0CBXKL7P1 Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CH8W8XLF Divination and Human Nature: A Cognitive History of Intuition in Classical Antiquity - Peter Struck https://www.amazon.com/Divination-Human-Nature-Cognitive-Intuition/dp/0691183457/ Quotes "I do not honestly see how it is possible for humans to make something that is not derivative of themselves... the idea that these things could not be either ways to increase certain people's power or parasites on our own consciousness seems to me not conceivable." - Jonathan Pageau [00:24:22] "One of the problems that I'm seeing is that a lot of this is motivated by economic, by greed, by the capacity to be economically superior to other companies... what is actually driving AI is something like mammon." - Jonathan Pageau [00:21:39] "I wonder whether it's possible to be intelligent without first being alive. There's something about the nature of a living thing that allows intelligence to emerge. Intelligence is a way of being before it's a way of acting and is analogous to what it means to be alive rather than just carry out functions that look like life." - DC Schindler [00:42:59] Chapters [00:00:00] - Opening Remarks: AI's Scope and Impact [00:03:00] - Defining AI: Weak, Strong, and AGI [00:18:30] - Ethical and Philosophical AI Considerations [00:32:35] - Integrating Wisdom with AI Development [00:41:40] - Distinguishing Intelligence and Rationality in AI [00:51:48] - Aligning Humanity to AI-Driven Cultural Shifts [01:23:00] - Consciousness and Technology: Extending the Human Mind [01:42:23] - Speculating AI's Future Directions [01:57:44] - Final Thoughts: Reflecting on AI's Complexity
Paid subscribers get full access to my interview with John Vervaeke and Shawn Coyne. The first half of this episode is available to all listeners. To hear the entire conversation, become a paying subscriber here. Meghan has been threatening to do an episode on artificial intelligence, and finally she makes good. This week, she welcomes two guests: the philosopher, neuroscientist, and popular YouTuber John Vervaeke and the editor and publishing entrepreneur Shawn Coyne. They have collaborated on Mentoring The Machines, a series of short books–technically, it's one book in four parts–about artificial intelligence. Their aim is to offer a clear understanding of the implications of AI and to invite readers to think about their own participation in its development and how their own choices can move that development in a positive or negative direction. In this conversation, they explain what drew them to this subject, how they came to work together, and how worried we should be about computers destroying civilization. GUEST BIOS John Vervaeke is an award-winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series, “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis,” “After Socrates” and the host of “Voices with Vervaeke.” Sean Coyne is a writer, editor, and the founder of Story Grid. Learn about Mentoring The Machines. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING
“It might seem strange to start a story with an ending, but all endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time.” - Abigail K. PerryIn this episode, we're talking about The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom to see how and why it works. Join Abigail K. Perry and me as we break down this first chapter to see how it hooks our interest and pulls us into the story. Here's a preview of what's included: [02:40] Chapter summary: Abigail reads a summary of the first chapter and talks about how (and why) the author gives away the ending of the story upfront.[15:52] Macro analysis: We talk through the 7 Key Questions as laid out by Paula Munier in her book, The Writer's Guide to Beginnings, and how the chapter serves as a compelling opening for a character-driven story.[21:42] Abigail talks about how this story is a great example of a novel with a unique voice.[45:46] Micro analysis: We talk through the structure of the scene using the 5 Commandment scene framework as laid out by Shawn Coyne at The Story Grid, including the use of “postcard scenes”—a term they borrowed from Donald Maass.[58:30] Final thoughts: The first chapter is essential in driving the story forward so writers should ensure that they are delivering enough of the big picture to engage readers. Click here to check out the LitMatch Podcast with Abigail Perry! You can also get in touch with Abigail through her website or on Instagram @abigailkperry.Support the showIf you enjoyed this episode of the Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast, please rate, review, and follow this show! Follow me on Instagram @savannah.gilbo
In this first episode of the "Philosophy of Meditation" series, Rick Repetti and John Vervaeke take listeners on an engaging exploration of the intricate world of meditation and its deep roots in philosophical thought. John shares his transformative journey from a strict fundamentalist Christian background to finding solace and depth in Eastern philosophy and the practice of mindfulness. Rick and John's conversation navigates through the nuances of meditation and contemplation, shedding light on how these practices enrich the pursuit of wisdom and self-awareness. The discussion also bridges the gap between academic and practical philosophy, illustrating their vital role in understanding and cultivating wisdom. For listeners, this episode offers a deep, reflective insight into the philosophy of meditation, providing a comprehensive view of how these ancient practices are relevant and transformative in the modern world. The outcome is a rich tapestry of ideas, encouraging listeners to explore their own paths toward wisdom and self-realization. Glossary of Terms Dialogos: A form of dialogue that affords a reciprocal flow state. Mindfulness: The practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences. Cognitive Science: An interdisciplinary field exploring the mind and its processes. Neoplatonism: A philosophical system developed as a version of the teachings of Plato. DIME Model: an ecology of practices for philosophical wellbeing: D=Dialogue, I=Imaginal, M=Mindfulness, and E=Embodied practice. John Vervaeke: Website: https://johnvervaeke.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@johnvervaeke Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke X: https://twitter.com/vervaeke_john Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VervaekeJohn/ Rick Repetti: Website: https://www.rickrepetti.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickrepetti/ X: https://twitter.com/rickrepetti Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philosophicalpractitioner/ Join our new Patreon https://www.patreon.com/johnvervaeke The Vervaeke Foundation - https://vervaekefoundation.org/ Awaken to Meaning - https://awakentomeaning.com/ John Vervaeke YouTube Awakening from the Meaning Crisis https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLND1JCRq8Vuh3f0P5qjrSdb5eC1ZfZwWJ After Socrates https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOwjmZx12gk&list=PLND1JCRq8Vuj6q5NP_fXjBzUT1p_qYSCC AI: The Coming Thresholds and The Path We Must Take | Internationally Acclaimed Cognitive Scientist https://youtu.be/A-_RdKiDbz4 Books, Articles, and Publications Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation - Rick Repetti https://www.amazon.com/Routledge-Handbook-Philosophy-Meditation-Repetti/dp/036764746X Experimental Phenomenology: An Introduction - Don Ihde https://www.amazon.com/Experimental-Phenomenology-Introduction-Don-Ihde/dp/0887061990 Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne https://www.amazon.com/Mentoring-Machines-Orientation-Artificially-Intelligent/dp/1645010821/ Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CH8W8XLF The Republic by Plato - The Internet Classics Archive https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.html Relevance, Meaning and the Cognitive Science of Wisdom Vervaeke, J., & Ferraro, L. (2013) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286508333_Relevance_Meaning_and_the_Cognitive_Science_of_Wisdom Quotes "Mindfulness and philosophy converge in cognitive science, enriching our understanding of wisdom." - John Vervaeke "Meditation and contemplation are integral for a holistic philosophical understanding." - Rick Repetti "The journey to wisdom involves integrating academic philosophy with life practices." - John Vervaeke Chapters with Timestamps [00:00:00] Introduction to the Series [00:03:00] John's Personal Journey to Philosophy and Meditation [00:06:00] The Convergence of Mindfulness and Academic Philosophy [00:11:40] Defining Meditation and Contemplation [00:19:24] Discussion on Academic Philosophy and Its Practice [00:22:20] Exploring the Philosophy of Meditation [00:41:00] The Impact of Meditation in Personal Life [00:52:00] Neoplatonic Levels of Meditation [00:55:50] Integration of Eastern and Western Philosophical Practices [01:17:16] Exploring the Verveke Foundation and Its Role [01:24:00] The Importance of Community and Shared Practices [01:28:00] Final Thoughts and Reflections Timestamped Highlights [00:01:00] - Introduction to the Philosophy of Meditation series. [00:02:01] - Rick's reflection on how the series began. [00:03:13] - John's journey to meditation, philosophy, and philosophy of meditation [00:07:12] - Integration of academic philosophy and mindfulness practices. [00:11:48] - Defining meditation and contemplation. [00:14:39] - Deepening the understanding of consciousness. [00:19:49] - The role of academic philosophy. [00:22:29] - The philosophy of meditation within cognitive science. [00:31:02] - Can meditation contribute to philosophy? [00:41:00] - The importance of meditation in personal life. [00:52:00] - Explanation of Neoplatonic meditation levels. [00:55:50] - John Vervaeke discusses integrating Eastern and Western practices. [00:58:19] - Discussion on balancing personal idiosyncrasies and universal challenges. [01:00:38] - John shares his mystical experience of Plato's forms. [01:02:41] - Reflection on the transformative impact of mystical experiences. [01:06:40] - Critical perspective on the current state of mindfulness practices in North America. [01:09:00] - The need for a deeper understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and wisdom. [01:14:22] - Advice for practitioners of meditation and mindfulness. [01:17:16] - Introduction to the Verveke Foundation and its objectives. [01:24:00] - Emphasizing the need for community and shared wisdom practices. [01:28:00] - Closing remarks and gratitude for the podcast series.
John Vervaeke and guest Sam Tideman delve into the intricate world of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its intersection with healthcare. Sam, an expert in biostatistics, machine learning, and AI, shares valuable insights from his professional experiences, particularly in healthcare system optimization. The conversation navigates the ethical and moral challenges of applying AI in complex environments like emergency departments, the intricacies of predictive modeling, and the broader societal implications of AI, including its energy consumption and public perception. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in understanding the nuanced interplay between technology, healthcare, and ethics, offering a comprehensive perspective on the current and future potential of AI to transform lives and systems. Sam Tideman, an accomplished healthcare data scientist with an MS in Biostatistics, blends his analytical acumen with a passion for theology in his podcast, "Transfigured." The podcast features long-form discussions exploring the identity of Jesus, reflecting Sam's unique intersection of scientific expertise and spiritual inquiry. Glossary of Terms AGI (Artificial General Intelligence): An AI that has the ability to understand, learn, and apply its intelligence to a wide range of problems, much like human intelligence. Biostatistics: The application of statistics to a wide range of topics in biology. Resources and References: Dr. John Vervaeke: Website | YouTube | Patreon | X | Facebook Sam Tideman: YouTube The Vervaeke Foundation John Vervaeke YouTube Awakening from the Meaning Crisis - series Artificial Intelligence - series The Crossroads of Predictive Processing and Relevance Realization | Leiden Symposium Books, Articles, Publications, and Videos Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Predictive processing and relevance realization: Exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences. Andersen, B., Miller, M., & Vervaeke, J. (2022). Related Resources Chicagoland Bridges of Meaning Meetup Chapters with Timestamps [00:00:00] Introduction of Sam Tiedemann and Episode Overview [00:01:15] Sam's Background and Intersection with AI [00:04:11] The Role of AI in Healthcare and Emergency Departments [00:14:26] The Limitations of AI in Morally Complex Environments [00:24:34] Discussion on AI's Capability to Predict vs. Normative Decision-Making [00:53:06] The Energy Consumption and Environmental Impact of Training AI Models Timestamped Highlights [00:00:00] John opens the discussion by welcoming Sam and introducing the topic of artificial general intelligence (AGI). [00:01:15] Sam shares his diverse background, which spans theology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence. [00:06:15] The conversation focuses on AI's potential and dangers, setting the stage for the day's discussion. [00:09:28] Sam reflects on the complexities he faced while trying to implement AI in emergency department forecasting. [00:14:53] Sam points out the practical limitations of AI in real-world applications. [00:21:38] Sam criticizes the inflated expectations surrounding AI in healthcare projects. [00:26:26] John and Sam discuss how predictive processing and relevance realization can be integrated into AI. [00:29:37] They delve into the potential of AI to emulate human qualities like intentionality and care. [00:34:11] John emphasizes the need to recognize the limitations of AI in solving complex real-world problems. [00:38:30] Sam's parable features an AI model in healthcare that prescribes drugs probabilistically and learns from outcomes, hinting at AI's emerging agency. [00:42:10] The feasibility of AI replicating human intuition and judgment in complex scenarios is questioned. [00:46:15] John highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and developing AI. [00:49:57] Philosophical aspects of AI, such as intentionality and consciousness, are explored in-depth. [00:53:30] Sustainability concerns in AI development, especially compared to the human brain's efficiency, are discussed. [01:06:40] The episode concludes with a discussion on AI's inability to align with human normativity and the limitations of its social, cultural, and biological understanding.
John Vervaeke explores the intricacies of predictive processing and relevance realization within cognitive frameworks. His dialogue unpacks complex concepts like the frame problem, the relevance problem, and how these theories intertwine within the larger quest for artificial general intelligence. Vervaeke debates the nature of intelligence, discusses the importance of managing the overwhelming influx of information, and the trade-offs between general and specialized problem-solving. John provides detailed explanations of how these cognitive processes are foundational to our interaction with the world and links them to broader philosophical notions of meaning and connectedness. Resources and References: John Vervaeke: Website | Patreon | Facebook | X | YouTube The Vervaeke Foundation Books Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne The Rediscovery of the Mind - John R. Searle Publications Relevance Realization and the Emerging Framework in Cognitive Science - Vervaeke, J., Lillicrap, T., Richards, B. (2012) The naturalistic imperative in cognitive science - Vervaeke, J. (1997) Predictive processing and relevance realization: exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences. - Andersen, B. P., Miller, M., & Vervaeke, J. (2022) Flow as spontaneous thought: Insight and implicit learning - Vervaeke, J., Ferraro, L., Herrera-Bennett, A. (2018) Gaining Insight Into the “Aha” Experience - Topolinski, S., Reber, R. (2010) The Frame Problem -Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Chapters with Timestamps 00:00:20 - John's introduction to predictive processing 00:01:23 - Explanation of the frame problem 00:03:56 - The relevance problem in artificial intelligence 00:08:23 - Discussion on bioeconomic levels of cognitive processing 00:13:06 - How the brain solves environmental fitting 00:22:35 - The integration of predictive processing and relevance realization 00:34:01 - The concept of optimal grip 00:47:39 - Linking flow state to expertise and wisdom 00:54:40 - How wisdom relates to complex problem-solving 00:55:00 - The importance of reorienting oneself in complex situations
Riffing with Rhea Wessel about writing today, she provided great insight into lining up singular problems, creating solutions through headlines, and packing in knowledge to "enable constraint." Rhea speaks fondly of your mentors, especially her English teacher- Mrs. Thorpe, Shawn Coyne and Stephen Pressville. From them, she learned to deconstruct stories and bring conversations forward. Enjoy hearing lessons from her youthful Mom and Dad that include "never give up" and "love and accept others." In her role of leading the Institute for Thought Leaders, her quest is to help subject experts be heard. And there's more- Understanding thought-leadership writing is one thing.Doing it, and doing it well, is another.How do you quickly attract people to your idea and engage the reader? How do you find the right point of view?Simply put: You've got to think like a journalist and find the right story angle.That process is called story framing.When a story is framed well, sophisticated readers will gladly hear what you have to say. Visit www.rheawessel.com Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/success-made-to-last-legends--4302039/support.
Riffing with Rhea Wessel about writing today, she provided great insight into lining up singular problems, creating solutions through headlines, and packing in knowledge to "enable constraint." Rhea speaks fondly of your mentors, especially her English teacher- Mrs. Thorpe, Shawn Coyne and Stephen Pressville. From them, she learned to deconstruct stories and bring conversations forward. Enjoy hearing lessons from her youthful Mom and Dad that include "never give up" and "love and accept others." In her role of leading the Institute for Thought Leaders, her quest is to help subject experts be heard. And there's more- Understanding thought-leadership writing is one thing.Doing it, and doing it well, is another.How do you quickly attract people to your idea and engage the reader? How do you find the right point of view?Simply put: You've got to think like a journalist and find the right story angle.That process is called story framing.When a story is framed well, sophisticated readers will gladly hear what you have to say.Visit www.rheawessel.com
Open positions at EB. Shawn Coyne and Sen Joe Courtney talk about filling those positions.
Dr. John Vervaeke engages in a multi-faceted conversation with Carla Groom, who is ingeniously incorporating cognitive science into her work. Vervaeke provides a scholarly background on mental models, drawing from philosophy and cognitive science to elucidate how humans make sense of their world. Groom shares her front-line experiences, revealing how these theories translate into actionable insights in government. The discussion evolves into a kaleidoscope of ideas, from the dynamics of mental models in decision-making to the nuanced philosophy of 'we agency' and collective intelligence. The conversation not only dissects the complexities of problem-solving in the public sector but also expands to the cosmos as they explore how NASA scientists navigate rovers on Mars. Focusing on the intricate balance between human cognition and the demands of large organizational structures, this episode is an intellectual treasure trove for anyone fascinated by the crossroads of cognitive science, governance, and human behavior. Carla Groom is a pioneering force in the realm of behavioral science, currently steering the field of Human-Centred Design Science at the UK's Department of Work and Pensions. With a doctorate in social psychology from Northwestern University, she identified fundamental flaws in traditional empirical research methods, leading her to become a luminary in policy and organizational decision-making. Carla's unique practice focuses on debunking false assumptions in policy design by digging deep into contextual human behavior. Not only is she a sought-after conference speaker and academic peer reviewer, but she also thrives on educating others in her transformative methods. Her multidisciplinary team of experts continually enriches her own understanding, making her a perpetual student in a field in which she has substantially evolved. Resources: Carla Groom: LinkedIn | X John Vervaeke: Website | Patreon | Facebook | X | YouTube The Vervaeke Foundation Circling & Dialogos - workshop John Vervaeke — YouTube: Bridging Behavioral Science & Government Policies for a Meaningful Work Experience AI: The Coming Thresholds and The Path We Must Take | Internationally Acclaimed Cognitive Scientist The Future of Governance: The Future of Governance Part 1 | Jordan Hall and John Vervaeke The Future of Governance Part 2 | Jordan Hall and John Vervaeke The Future of Governance Part 3 | Jordan Hall and John Vervaeke Climbing Mt. Sophia Compassion: A Dialectic into Dialogos with John Vervaeke, Christopher Mastropietro and Ryan Barton Books Mental Models - Philip Johnson-Laird Dynamics in Action: Intentional Behavior as a Complex System - Alicia Juarrero Context Changes Everything: How Constraints Create Coherence - Alicia Juarrero The Blunders of Our Governments - Anthony King, Ivor Crewe Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Mentoring the Machines: Origins - Part 2: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Publications Predictive processing and relevance realization: exploring convergent solutions to the frame problem - Brett P. Andersen, Mark Miller & John Vervaeke Distributed Cognition and the Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke The Enactment of Shared Agency in Teams Exploring Mars Through Rovers - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke The Experience of Presence in the Mars Exploration Rover Mission - Dan Chiappe, John Vervaeke Cognition in the Wild - Edwin Hutchins Miscellaneous UTOK Conference 2023 | Full Video Library Mundus Imaginalis or the Imaginary and the Imaginal - Henry Corbin Wolfgang Smith & John Vervaeke at The Meaning Code People Brett Andersen Mark Miller Geoffrey Hinton Cory Lewis Timecodes: 00:00:00 — Dr. John Vervaeke introduces Carla Groom, a UK government employee who is working on integrating cognitive science into her work. She acts as a liaison between various UK civil service departments. 00:01:20 — They discuss the challenges of understanding the underlying assumptions and mental models that people bring to problem-solving and communication. 00:07:33 — Dr. John Vervaeke discusses the concept of mental models as proposed by Philip Johnson-Laird, which he describes as a mixture of a picture and propositional labels used to model a situation. 00:15:00 — Carla Groom talks about simulating changes and responses in the UK government's hierarchical system. 00:19:20 — Dr. Vervaeke elaborates on how models act as emissaries for a worldview. 00:24:31 — The discussion centers on causality in understanding and solving issues. 00:30:09 — Groom raises questions about the hidden factors that influence our paths to success. 00:33:20 — Dr. Vervaeke shares an anecdote about NASA scientists forming connections with rovers. 00:39:07 – Vervaeke emphasizes the importance of understanding a minister's worldview. 00:44:30 — Carla emphasizes the need for new mental models in systemic thinking. 00:47:28 — Carla Groom agrees with Vervaeke on the necessity for evolving worldviews. 00:50:38 — The challenge of translating specialist language is discussed. 00:55:40 — The tension between domain specificity and professional specialization is examined. 00:58:20 — John Vervaeke explains the practice of oscillating between specialized processing and collective reasoning. 01:03:40 — Carla urges appreciation for the complexity in government problems.
Hooboy, this movie gets better with age. Why? Because when we watch it through the lens of 2023 it has much more depth and nuance. Glenn Close's character (Alex) is supposed to be the villain, but is she really? If you want to create a multi-dimensional antagonist who drives the plot and raises the stakes, you've got to listen to this episode.For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircleFor information about Valerie's upcoming webinars, visit: www.valeriefrancis.ca/webinarsTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website: www.melaniehill.com.auFollow Valerie on Instagram, Threads and X (Twitter) @valerie_francisFollow Melanie on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor
In this episode of Voices with Vervaeke, Dr. John Vervaeke and guest Alexander Beiner, a leading voice in the world of psychedelics, discuss psychedelics' role in contemporary society. They tackle complex topics like the dangers and potentials of mixing politics with psychedelics, the mechanics of mystical experiences, and the modern meaning crisis. The duo also delves into the risks and rewards of commodifying psychedelic experiences. They explore the latest scientific studies, personal accounts, and anecdotal evidence, weaving them into an intricate narrative that invites listeners to consider psychedelics beyond recreational use. From trials at Imperial College London to DMT injections and the exploration of meta-cognitive skills, this episode serves as a comprehensive guide for anyone interested in the intricacies of the human mind, altered states, and the possibility of a collective conscious awakening. Alexander Beiner (@AlexanderBeiner) is an author, journalist, and facilitator who is dedicated to bringing countercultural perspectives into mainstream conversation. With an approach that blends writing and experiential transformation, he's committed to helping us navigate the complex era we find ourselves. Alexander is the author of 'The Bigger Picture: How Psychedelics Can Help Us Make Sense of the World'' and also pens a popular Substack with the same name. He serves as an executive director for Breaking Convention, Europe's seminal conference on psychedelic medicine and culture. Additionally, he co-created and co-facilitates Regenerative Stewardship, a legal psilocybin retreat. A pioneer in alternative media, he was one of the founders of Rebel Wisdom, a platform that delved into the realms of systems change and cultural sensemaking. Resources: Alexander Beiner: Website | Substack | X John Vervaeke: Website | Facebook | X The Vervaeke Foundation Rebel Wisdom — YouTube: Psychedelic Capitalism and The Sacred John Vervaeke — YouTube: John Vervaeke: Artificial Intelligence, The Meaning Crisis, & The Future of Humanity Conversation with John Vervaeke - AI edition - Jordan Hall Regenerative Stewardship Breaking Convention Challenging Psychedelic Experiences Project ‘I took part in a radical psychedelic clinical trial and it changed my life forever' 'Why Socrates was a Monster' with John Vervaeke We Will Call It Pala Books: The Bigger Picture: How Psychedelics Can Help Us Make Sense of the World - Alexander Beiner How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence - Michael Pollan Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the Origins of Knowledge - Jeremy Narby The Razor's Edge - W. Somerset Maugham Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values - Robert M Pirsig Heidegger, Neoplatonism, and the History of Being: Relation as Ontological Ground - James Filler Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne Publications: Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans: II. Subjective Effects and Preliminary Results of a New Rating Scale - Rick J. Strassman MD; Clifford R. Qualls PhD; Eberhard H. Uhlenhuth MD; Robert Kellner MD, PhD A Model for the Application of Target-Controlled Intravenous Infusion for a Prolonged Immersive DMT Psychedelic Experience - Andrew R. Gallimor, Rick J. Strassman On Revelations and Revolutions: Drinking Ayahuasca Among Palestinians Under Israeli Occupation - Leor Roseman, Nadeem Karkabi The Self-Organization of Insight: Entropy and Power Laws in Problem Solving - Damian G. Stephen, James A. Dixon People: Ram Dass Timothy Leary Terence McKenna Marc Lewis Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner Robin Carhart-Harris Juensung Kim Michel Ferrari Daniel Schmachtenberger Iain McGilchrist Émile Durkheim Bernardo Kastrup Nicholas of Cusa Ben Sessa Peter Gasser Friederike Meckel Aldous Huxley Timecodes: 00:00:00 - Dr. John Vervaeke introduces his guest, Alexander Beiner, a founding figure of Rebel Wisdom. 00:03:22 - Beiner shares how the psychedelic counterculture influenced him and his exploration of the potential role of psychedelics in societal change. 00:06:50 - The conversation turns to the transformative possibilities offered by psychedelic experiences, highlighting both their enlightening and limiting aspects. 00:11:38 - Dr. Vervaeke probes the relationship between the duration of a DMT trip and its perceived intensity while contrasting mystical and visionary experiences. 00:18:00 - Delving into the sensory richness of psychedelic trips, Alexander expounds on the accompanying emotions like relevance, mystery, and familiarity. 00:23:00 - Skepticism and belief intersect as both speakers explore the advantages of an agnostic viewpoint when interpreting profound experiences. 00:26:40 - Dr. Vervaeke advocates for mindfulness as preparatory groundwork, cautioning against blindly conferring authority to psychedelic apparitions. 00:29:19 - Alexander talks about the research done by his wife, Ashleigh Murphy-Beiner, in the psychedelic world. He emphasizes the significance of leaning into what's coming up but also acknowledges the need to zoom out and take a step back. 00:34:00 - Vervaeke introduces the concept of overfitting and underfitting in machine learning, drawing parallels to our mental processes and how psychedelics can introduce noise to prevent overfitting. 00:40:43 - Reverence as a virtue is discussed, accompanied by reflections on the cultivation of epistemic virtue. 00:47:20 - Alexander suggests that even partial acceptance of panpsychism or idealism can enrich our perspectives in a meaningful way. 00:54:39 - John and Alexander discuss the dark side of AI and the manipulative potential of making things salient and opening people up to misinformation. 01:01:18 - Dr. John Vervaeke talks about the importance of the dialogical character of experiences and how they differ from traditional enlightenment experiences 01:09:51 - John describes the stages of Dialogos, including interpersonal intimacy, intimacy with the logos, and intimacy with the ground of being itself. 01:10:49 - John praises Alexander's book and his efforts to address the meaning crisis and explore the psychedelic renaissance.
I've got a powerful storytelling tip to share today.Back in my fiction writing days, I thought non-stop action made a great story. But I was missing something vital, which I found in Shawn Coyne's "Story Grid."Here's the key: Every great story has two journeys. First, there's the external journey, like Frodo's quest or Luke Skywalker's mission. But beneath that, there's the internal journey…the hero's struggle with identity, self-doubt, and purpose.The magic happens when these two journeys mirror each other. As external action intensifies, so does internal conflict. The hero's doubt and self-discovery peak as the external battle climaxes.Remember, it's not the explosions that make a story, but the hero's internal transformation.For instance, when my fiancee left me, I was in a van with debt. The external struggle was clear, but the internal battle, questioning my self-worth, was the real story.So, when crafting your stories, intertwine both journeys. It's a game-changer for connecting with your audience.LEAVE A REVIEW if you liked this episode!! Let's Connect On Social Media! youtube.com/anthonyvicino twitter.com/anthonyvicino instagram.com/theanthonyvicino https://anthonyvicino.com Join an exclusive community of peak performers at Beyond the Apex University learning how to build a business, invest in real estate, and develop hyperfocus. www.beyondtheapex.com Learn More About Investing With Anthony Invictus Capital: www.invictusmultifamily.com Multifamily Investing Made Simple Podcast Passive Investing Made Simple Book: www.thepassiveinvestingbook.com
Dr. John Vervaeke reunites with guest Damien Walter in an engaging second episode to unpack the fascinating theory of Star Trek as a potent contemporary mythos. They dissect storytelling as a "psycho-technology" that mirrors human cognition and immerses us in collective human experiences. The episode focuses on how Star Trek bridges the gap between traditional, modern, and postmodern narratives, with discussions on metamodernism and its relevance in narrative reconstruction. Vervaeke and Walter delve into Plato's influence on narrative crafting, modern myth-making, and the cultivation of new ways to access the sacred. Walter elucidates the unique structure of Star Trek, explaining its appeal to society's conservative aspects and its subversion of the military-industrial complex. Vervaeke aligns Star Trek's philosophy with the Enlightenment's mythos, further establishing its significance in our modern narrative. Timecodes: [00:00:00] Dr. John Vervaeke introduces Damien Walter, setting the stage for an exploration of Star Trek as a contemporary mythos. [00:01:03] Damien Walter shares his video essay, inspiring the conversation around the postmodern deconstruction of Star Trek. [00:03:16] Walter discusses how storytelling enables persona creation, marking a critical moment in understanding narrative impact. [00:07:00] Vervaeke probes the authority of metanarratives, challenging postmodernism's stance, and introduces metamodernism, hinting at a new stage of societal narratives. [00:11:07] Walter addresses our need to integrate different stages of civilization and personas into our narratives. [00:13:06] Emphasis on the need to appreciate past narratives while fostering narrative evolution. [00:18:15] Highlighting societal desire for dismissed narratives, using "Top Gun Maverick" and "Lord of the Rings" as examples. [00:20:35] Vervaeke discusses liminal spaces, focusing on the reinvention of narratives. [00:25:24] Walter delves into Plato's influence on myth-making and his innovative approach to philosophy through dialogues. [00:30:38] Vervaeke explores the philosophical ideas of Heraclitus and Parmenides and their interplay in Plato's thinking, then the conversation shifts towards the cultivation of myths, discussing the organic growth of narratives. [00:35:44] Walter presents Gene Roddenberry as a modern myth-maker, transitioning to Star Trek's narrative analysis. [00:39:05] Comparing the idealized order in Star Trek's Enterprise to Plato's Republic. [00:43:01] Vervaeke commends Damien Walter's thesis, aligning Star Trek's philosophy with the Enlightenment's mythos, dissecting Star Trek's ability to cater to conservative aspects of society while still providing a platform for progress. [00:47:14] Walter discusses Star Trek's critique and subversion of the military-industrial complex, demonstrating its dual appeal. [00:50:15] Vervaeke builds upon Walter's point, illuminating the series' progressive elements rooted in the Enlightenment's mythos. [00:52:47] Walter and Vervaeke delve into the idea of Star Trek's Federation as a utopian vision, a 'sacred' space for exploring societal issues. [00:57:00] The episode concludes with reflections on how Star Trek, as a modern mythos, offers a new perspective for understanding our society and its future. Resources: Voices with Vervaeke: Part 1: Science Fiction & Philosophy: Star Trek's Deep Commentary with Damien Walter | The Transformational Impact of Story Telling with Shawn Coyne Why Do Movies Feel So Different Now? Culture Series by Iain M. Banks
Dr. John Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques once again welcome Brendan Graham Dempsey to engage in profound explorations of transcendent naturalism, wisdom traditions, and the crucial significance of adaptive insight within our current existential landscape. Through discussions on religious reconstruction, animism, hyper-agents, and the role of wisdom in technology, the episode explores the connections between the sacred and the modern world. Dr. Vervaeke emphasizes collective intelligence and agency, while Brendan Graham Dempsey passionately speaks on the unfolding process of the sacred. Gregg Henriques proposes concepts like "wise NAGI" and reflects on collective awakening. Together, they inspire listeners to rethink the integration of religion, science, and reality, emphasizing the need for understanding and harmony. Resources: Brendan Graham Dempsey Unified Theory of Knowledge Publications: Relevance, Meaning and the Cognitive Science of Wisdom - John Vervaeke and Leonardo Ferraro Approaching awe, a moral, spiritual, and aesthetic emotion. - Dacher Keltner, Jonathan Haidt Videos: Ep 67 | UTOKing with Howard Bloom | The Blooming Universe Neuroenlightenment: John Vervaeke at TEDxUofT John Vervaeke: Artificial Intelligence, The Meaning Crisis, & The Future of Humanity. John Vervaeke and Paul Vanderklay Dialogue about the Quest for a Spiritual Home Books: Mentoring the Machines: Orientation - Part One: Surviving the Deep Impact of the Artificially Intelligent Tomorrow - John Vervaeke, Shawn Coyne The Romance of Reality: How the Universe Organizes Itself to Create Life, Consciousness, and Cosmic Complexity - Bobby Azarian Quotes: "I think the key here is to appreciate the roles that individuals can play when culture has reached its limits, and that is something that we have to take up the task of individually, of saying, alright, how do I explore this domain of the sacred, what are my intuitions, what are my sensitivities to the transcendent, and begin to give voice to those, to write them down, to externalize them, to objectify them, to put them back into culture so that we can collectively bring these new symbolizations together, ideally in a new networked way that allows for new collective representations of the sacred of the God concept of the divine." - Brendan Graham Dempsey "There's a reconceptualization of the sacred, not as the perfect or complete, but as an inexhaustible fount of intelligibility that simultaneously always shines in and always withdraws from our grasp because relevance realization is incompletable and the world contains radical uncertainty, not just unfound or uncalculated risk." - Dr. John Vervaeke Timecodes: [00:00:20] Dr. John Vervaeke introduces Brendan Graham Dempsey's work on merging Vervaeke and Gregg Henriques's work related to transcendent naturalism. [00:06:38] Dempsey discusses the Religious Reconstruction Project and the learning process, confronting the limits of world models. [00:11:40] Gregg Henriques reflects on the idea of finding meaning at the edge of what we know. [00:13:55] Dr. Vervaeke introduces the concept of the sacred as an always-beyond intelligibility, challenging traditional views. [00:21:03] Delving into schemas, animism, and the risk of misunderstanding reality. [00:28:03] Brendan Graham Dempsey introduces the concept of a new God, an iconic representation of the infinitely receding and illuminating element of reality, suggesting this could help us better understand our world. [00:32:00] Gregg Henriques introduces the concept of the "fifth joint point" and the need for collective awakening and understanding of the underlying structure. [00:35:00] Vervaeke mentions his upcoming book, suggesting that the proposals that prepare us for the future should have authority, and mentions the internet as a potential common ground for dealing with the advent of AGI. [00:38:37] Speaking on the transformative power of encountering the "really real" and how it's woven into everything else suggests that this profound understanding of reality has a sense of authority. [00:45:20] Dr. Vervaeke and Dempsey discuss logos and multi-layered symbolic articulation underscoring the importance of language in expressing this multi-layered form. [00:49:18] Emphasizing intermediary models in learning complex concepts. [00:52:19] Brendan Graham Dempsey discusses the idea of humans as a way for the cosmos to know itself, and how this perspective gives meaning to his life. He emphasizes the need for these truths to work at an embodied, lived reality. [00:59:15] Stressing the need for alignment between religious conceptions and reality. [01:02:02] Gregg Henriques shares his perspective on the enlightenment gap and the inadequacy of science in grounding our fundamental relevance realization across all modes of being. [01:04:22] Proposing a trans-subjective epistemology, recognizing interplay over time. [01:05:44] Discussing naturalism's role in framing the context for science.
6e de couverture vous transmet la technique imparable pour éviter que votre lectorat s'ennuie et abandonne votre histoire ! Vous apprendrez dans cet épisode : que l'écriture c'est bel et bien de la musique, on n'arrête pas de le dire dans ce podcast, mais c'est vrai ; que si vos personnages ne rencontrent jamais de difficultés, votre lectorat risque de s'ennuyer ; que nous aussi, on a déjà abandonné des œuvres et on va vous expliquer pourquoi. Les références utilisées : « The Story Grid » de Shawn Coyne (livre, site Internet et podcast). « Le Magicien d'Or » de Bastien Garcia. 3 moyens de nous soutenir : Vous abonner est le meilleur moyen de nous rejoindre ! Vous pouvez partager ce podcast sur Insta en taguant @florence_georgeon et retrouver Bastien sur Youtube à PhiloGeek-L'Alchimiste (cela nous fera très plaisir). Vous pouvez laisser une chouette évaluation sur la plateforme de podcast de votre choix.
writing coach Kevin T. Johns says goodbye to The Story Grid Podcast, which published its final episode last week. Kevin discusses the importance of the podcast, and his admiration for its hosts Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl, and explains how their podcast was a profound act of generosity for both writing coaches and students of writer's craft.
Season 5 kicks off with Men in Black. Valerie is studying plot structure, and Melanie is studying resonance. Now, admittedly, plot structure doesn't sound very sexy but it's one of the first decisions a writer must make. If you haven't chosen a structure for your novel, how will you know if what you've written is working? Resonance is the ability to evoke or suggest images, emotions, and memories, and all successful writers use it to draw on their readers' experiences. So, how are you putting it to use in your own WIP?For access to writing templates and worksheets, and more than 70 hours of training (all for free), subscribe to Valerie's Inner Circle: www.valeriefrancis.ca/innercircleTo learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website: www.melaniehill.com.auFollow Valerie on Instagram and Twitter @valerie_francisFollow Melanie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @MelanieHillAuthor
Prêt(e) à donner des frissons à votre lectorat ? Non ? Suivez nos conseils pour écrire une histoire d'horreur qui empêchera votre public de fermer l'œil la nuit. Vous apprendrez dans cet épisode : - ce qu'est un thread horreur ; - ce qu'est un subreddit ; - comment écrire une histoire d'horreur. Les références utilisées : - « Bleak » de Squeezie ; - « The Story Grid » de Shawn Coyne. 3 moyens de nous soutenir : - Vous abonner est le meilleur moyen de nous rejoindre ! - Vous pouvez partager ce podcast sur Insta en taguant @florence_georgeon et @alchimistepodcast (cela nous fera très plaisir !). - Vous pouvez laisser une chouette évaluation sur la plateforme podcast de votre choix.
Vous n'êtes plus seul(e) face à l'écriture de votre roman, on vous accompagne et on vous donne des conseils en analysant le roman de Bastien intitulé « Le Magicien d'Or ». L'épisode commence d'ailleurs avec un extrait de son manuscrit. Vous apprendrez dans cet épisode : quel est le but d'un accompagnement littéraire ; ce qu'est un conte philosophique ; de quoi parle le roman de Bastien ; qu'est-ce que le genre en fiction ? pourquoi c'est important de définir le genre de son histoire avant d'écrire. Les références utilisées : IMDb https://www.imdb.com/ ; « The Story Grid » de Shawn Coyne. 3 moyens de nous soutenir : Vous abonner est le meilleur moyen de nous rejoindre ! Vous pouvez partager ce podcast sur Insta en taguant @florence_georgeon et @alchimistepodcast (cela nous fera très plaisir !). Vous pouvez laisser une chouette évaluation sur la plateforme podcast de votre choix.
Thanks for tuning in to the Activated Authors podcast. If you're ready to ACTIVATE your author career, head on over to https://activatedauthors.com/ On today's episode, Dan and Sam dive into their understanding of what story is, and explore what exactly goes into the makeup of a “good” story. Recommended Resources The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson https://www.amazon.co.uk/Snowflake-Method-Advanced-Fiction-Writing-ebook/dp/B00LWBZ696/ref=sr_1_1?crid=20CNK5PWQEV1Y&keywords=the+snowflake+method&qid=1664734849&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjE2IiwicXNhIjoiMi4wMiIsInFzcCI6IjEuNzkifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=the+snowflake+method%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1 The Complete Works of Shakespeare https://www.amazon.co.uk/William-Shakespeare-Complete-Works-Oxford/dp/0199267189/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=the+complete+works+of+william+shakespeare&qid=1664734966&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjMwIiwicXNhIjoiMi43MiIsInFzcCI6IjIuODUifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=the+complete+works+of+%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-6 Elementary https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Deductionist/dp/B00FZGWU2K/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=elementary&qid=1664735043&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIzLjgyIiwicXNhIjoiMy43MiIsInFzcCI6IjMuODcifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=elemen%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-3 Save the Cat by Blake Synder https://www.amazon.co.uk/Save-Cat-Only-Screenwriting-Youll/dp/1932907009/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=save+the+cat+blake+snyder&qid=1664735806&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjU5IiwicXNhIjoiMS40MiIsInFzcCI6IjEuNTcifQ%3D%3D&s=instant-video&sprefix=save+the+cat+blak%2Cinstant-video%2C81&sr=1-1-catcorr The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne https://www.amazon.co.uk/Story-Grid-What-Good-Editors-ebook/dp/B00WT7TP8A/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=story+grid+shawn+coyne&qid=1664735856&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIxLjk1IiwicXNhIjoiMS41NiIsInFzcCI6IjEuNTAifQ%3D%3D&s=instant-video&sprefix=story+grid%2Cinstant-video%2C117&sr=1-1 Three Story Method by J Thorn & Zach Bohannon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-Story-Method-Foundations-Fiction-ebook/dp/B085272J6B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1J5FFBYWI7B72&keywords=the+three+story+method&qid=1664736005&s=books&sprefix=the+three+story+method%2Cstripbooks%2C71&sr=1-1 Watch on YouTube https://youtu.be/mzJrka7K8o8 Claim your FREE 30 days of Activated Authors! https://activatedauthors.com/ Find out more about Daniel Willcocks https://www.danielwillcocks.com/ IG: @willcockswriter Twitter: @willcockswriter Find out more about Samantha Frost https://www.mastressofnone.com IG: @mastressofnone Special thanks to: Show theme: Karl Hughes Show editing: Sam Frost
Recorded on July 14th, 2022In this episode, I go back and share my entire writing journey up to this point. From my first confrontation with rejection in elementary school, to how I believed I was a literary genius in my teenage years & early twenties (and how I was brutally brought back to reality), to my worst writing years and how I got through them!Mentioned in this episode:On Writing by Stephen King: https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781982159375NaNoWriMo: https://nanowrimo.orgShawn Coyne & The Story Grid (website): https://storygrid.comThe Story Grid by Shawn Coyne (book): https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781936891351Rachael Herron: https://rachaelherron.com/write/Scrivener: https://a.paddle.com/v2/click/49535/150971?link=1570The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781936891023Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield: https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781936891030Do the Work by Steven Pressfield: https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781936891375Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert: https://bookshop.org/a/85049/9781594634727Writers of the Future Contest: https://www.writersofthefuture.com/J. Thorn: https://theauthorlife.comKsenia Anske: https://www.kseniaanske.comHorror Writers Association: https://horror.orgThe Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction: https://www.sfsite.com/fsf/Read the full transcript of this episode: https://leftie-aubes-writing-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes/episode-1-my-journey-so-far/transcriptSupport the show (and my writing career!): https://ko-fi.com/leftieaubeTag me on your screenshots of the show @leftieaube and follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leftieaube/⬇️ Visit my Bookshop page: https://bookshop.org/shop/leftieaube ⬇️When you buy a book from this page, you are supporting an indie bookstore, the author of the book AND me, all at the same time!Try out Scrivener (my favorite writing tool ever, the one I use to write all my novels!): https://a.paddle.com/v2/click/49535/150971?link=1570This podcast is recorded and edited using Descript: https://www.descript.com?lmref=V_4suQIt is hosted by Simplecast: https://simplecast.comIntro music credit: “Cinematic Cello Arpeggio Trailer” by Gregor Quendel, found on Free Sound https://freesound.org/s/555995/Disclaimer: Some of the above links are affiliates. At no extra cost to you, I'm receiving compensation for any purchase made through those links. Buying through those links supports my writing journey, which I highly appreciate!
In this episode, Valerie and Melanie review their key takeaways from the ten films they studied this season. Tune in to learn their best advice for authors, ah-ha moments and resource recommendations.
Mentioned: - The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne – https://amzn.to/2Yw6Elx Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody – https://amzn.to/3xf7TFV - Sarah Beth Yoga - https://www.youtube.com/c/sarahbethyoga - Yoga with Kassandra - https://www.youtube.com/c/yogawithkassandra - Yoga with Bird - https://www.youtube.com/c/YogaWithBird - A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Old Globe Theatre, San Diego, CA - https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/22-season/a-midsummer-nights-dream The My Imaginary Friends podcast is a weekly, behind the scenes look at the journey of a working author navigating traditional and self-publishing. Join fantasy and paranormal romance author L. Penelope as she shares insights on the writing life, creativity, inspiration, and this week's best thing. Subscribe and view show notes at: https://lpenelope.com/podcast | Get the Footnotes newsletter - http://lpen.co/footnotes Support the show - http://frolic.media/podcasts! Stay in touch with me! Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Music credit: Say Good Night by Joakim Karud https://soundcloud.com/joakimkarud Creative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported— CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ Music promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/SZkVShypKgM Affiliate Disclosure: I may receive compensation for links to products on this site either directly or indirectly via affiliate links. Heartspell Media, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Prêt(e) à écrire un polar que vos lecteurs et lectrices ne risquent pas d'oublier ? Non ? Pas de panique ! Dans cet épisode, on vous explique comment captiver votre public à la façon d'Agatha Christie. Nous parlons du film « Mort sur le Nil » plutôt que du livre, car un film est plus rapide à terminer qu'un livre si vous souhaitez avoir les références avant d'écouter l'épisode. Vous apprendrez dans cet épisode : - ce qu'est un polar ; - à quoi sert le MacGuffin ; - ce que les lecteurs de polar s'attendent à trouver dans une histoire. Les références utilisées : - « Mort sur le Nil » (film sorti en 2022) ; - « The Story Grid » de Shawn Coyne ; - « Mais qui est donc MacGuffin ? » de l'émission Gymnastique, la culture en s'amusant sur Arte : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCGTQ_hD1tY ; - « #2 Memories of Murder - Comment écrire un thriller poignant » de 6e de couverture : https://open.spotify.com/episode/4gthqTQX23mE0qJPOmHUH9?si=PWmkpxzPTpW_Rd1zEC2sgA 3 moyens de nous soutenir : - Vous abonner est le meilleur moyen de nous rejoindre ! - Vous pouvez partager ce podcast sur Insta en taguant @florence_georgeon et @alchimistepodcast (cela nous fera très plaisir !). - Vous pouvez laisser une chouette évaluation sur la plateforme podcast de votre choix.
While this film may not be listed among Pixar's Top 10, there's still plenty to love about Turning Red and we need more stories that explore these themes. From a craft perspective, Melanie sees it as a good example of how the beginning of a story sets up the end, and Valerie considers whether the red panda is a metaphor that works.
In this episode, Melanie takes us on a deep dive of spy stories, their conventions and subgenres. It turns out that what we usually think of as spy stories might not be spy stories at all! Meanwhile, Valerie examines the testing plot and offers advice about how to write historical fiction that works.
If you're interested in character development, this award-winning film is one you want to study. However, if you're interested in studying examples of crime stories (which is how this movie has been marketed), maybe give it a pass. Tune in to find out why!
What does it take to launch your book and build a fanbase? What do most writers misunderstand about the craft of writing and launching their book? Tim Grahl has dedicated the last 10 years of his life helping over 100 authors – from bestsellers to first time writers – get their books into the hands of more readers. In this episode we talk about smart and authentic marketing steps every writer can take to find their first 1000 readers and give their book a chance of reaching the bestselling lists. We also dive into Tim's memoir Running Down a Dream and talk about writing about devastation and grief.Tim Grahl has worked with authors like Dan Pink, Ramit Sethi, Shawn Coyne, Pamela Slim, Dan and Chip Heath and has launched dozens of books to the top of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other bestseller lists. He also runs The Story Grid podcast, where he had his own book edited live by editor Shawn Coyne. Tim has written books on building an audience: Your First 1000 Copies; on building a business: Running Down a Dream, He has also been the architect behind the hugely successful Story Grid writing community and works with Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne at Black Irish Publishing.*SHOW NOTES[03:46] Tim talks about the vulnerability of being critiqued live on The Story Grid podcast with Editor Shawn Coyne[09:38] How to build the right audience, and the benefits of learning in public for accountability[12:12] How a successful book launch always starts with a good plan[12:23] What went wrong with The Threshing's launch, and the things Tim did right to market The Sand and Sea (280,000-word epic fantasy) [15:38] Why it's harder to get people to read a book than buy one, and what Tim and his team did to sell The Sand and Sea[19:38] Building an email list as the number one marketing tactic sell and promote your book[23:51] The importance of building a habit and why being consistent is better than doing one big push on anything that you do[26:22] Tim's advice for those who are trying to build their email list, and why you should treat the process as an adventure. Plus how to get your first 100 subscribers.[30:56] The value of being consistent in whatever you do[32:25] Tim's definition of marketing[34:07] The story behind Tim's memoir, Running Down a Dream, the dream he was running down and how it's evolved over time*QUOTES FROM TIM GRAHL“If you see any books that are still selling ten years after they came out, it's not because the publishing house did an amazing job marketing the book ten years ago. I think of it as a rocketship. If you turn off the engine when it's halfway out of that atmosphere, it's going to crash down to earth every single time. So if you can just get it out of the atmosphere, now we can see if it's going to live on its own. And that's how I think of marketing a book is the job of the publisher / author is to get that book out of the atmosphere. And the goal is to get 10,000 people to read the book. At that point, you find out if the book's going to fly on its own because, again, I can force 10,000. I can't force a million or five hundred thousand or a hundred thousand.”*RESOURCESStory Grid Podcast by Shawn Coyne and Tim GrahlRunning Down A DreamBook LaunchMentioned authors:Dan PinkRamit SethiPamela SlimDan and Chip HeathRyan HolidayJames ClearSteven PressfieldJeff GoinsMentioned books of Tim Grahl:Your First 1000Running Down A DreamThe ThreshingOther books mentioned:Tales of Iceland by Stephen MarkelySave The Cat! By Robert MckeeMachine Man by Max BarryThe Sand and Sea by Michael McClellanThe War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle by Steven PressfieldAtomic Habits by James ClearThe Amazing Scrolls of Wonder by M.J. ThomasThe Dip by Seth GodinAnything You Want by Derek SiversOthers:Hugh MacLeod - author and cartoonistConvertKit - a marketing platformMatt's blog post where he mentioned Chris Guillebeau's booksSong: Runnin' Down a Dream by Tom PettyDerek Sivers' CD BabyJoe Rogan's podcastElizabeth Gilbert - journalist and author*FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALONFor show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.comFor free writing sessions, join free Writers' Hours: writershour.comTwitter: twitter.com/WritersSalonInstagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalonFacebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon*CREDITSProduction by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen
A story makes one point. If your story is about everything, then it's about nothing. Understanding genre is a vital skill for writers because everything in a story flows from it; it's the key to telling a story in an entertaining and effective way. Can you boil your story down to one idea? Does your choice of genre help your story make its point?
Is it first or third person? Past or present tense?As you'll see in this week's podcast episode, Point of View is about way more than this.See more here:https://storygrid.com/point-of-view/A story's global Point of View includes the technical choices writers make to deliver the story to the reader. The POP premise and Narrative Device suggest Point of View combinations that create the effect of the story told by the Author to the single Audience member.Person refers to the vantage point from which the written story is presented the reader.First Person: I (or we) wrote a story.Second Person: You wrote a story.Third Person: Alex (or she or he or they) wrote a story.Tense distinguishes the timeframe of the story.Past: I wrote a scene.Present: You write (or are writing) a scene.Future: Alex will write a scene.Mode: The final technical choice focuses on how the information is presented. This is the storytelling Mode.Showing is an objective and immediate mode that creates the effect of being present and observing the events of the story. Here are some examples.First Person: The Hunger Games by Suzanne CollinsSecond Person: Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerneyThird Person: A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín, or “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest HemingwayTelling is a subjective mode that readers experience as if someone or something is collecting, collating, and sharing the events and circumstances of the story.First Person: Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, or Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen FieldingSecond Person: “How to Be an Other Woman” by Lorrie Moore.Third Person: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin, Animal Farm by George Orwell, or Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa CatherListen as Shawn Coyne, Tim Grahl, Leslie Watts, and Danielle Kiowski work through the Point of View for the the short story EYE WITNESS by Ed McBain: https://www.amazon.com/McBain-Brief-Ed-ebook/dp/B01KFBQEY4/This is a Episode 254 of the Story Grid Podcast - https://storygrid.com/podcast
In this week's episode, we take a deep dive into a topic that most people who enjoy pop culture have thought of at some point: “What is Science Fiction?” In this first part, we lay the groundwork for discussing our favorite Sci-Fi across all media by defining terms of science fiction. If you enjoy this episode, please like, share and subscribe to the podcast. You can reach us at Secretoriginsmc@gmail.com and visit the Facebook group The Secret Origins of Mint Condition. We are also on Instagram @secretoriginsmc. :11 James introduces the show with our special guest, Jack Adrien, to try and answer the question, “What is science fiction?" James gives a background of how this question evolved as a topic we wanted to discuss and then turns it over to Jack for some opening thoughts. We begin with different ideas centered around the question, “how do we define science fiction?” 3:45 Jack starts by defining the subject based on the definition given by Shawn Coyne in “The Story Grid,” sharing all the possible sub genera of science fiction. Jack then goes on to talk about a broader idea of science fiction called the Novum. First coined by Ernst Bloch, it means “an element of science that one could imagine could exist.” Chris responds with his own thoughts based on the definitions that Jack presented. 10:18 Joe brings up the topic of “Cognitive Estrangement” that Darko Suvin coined, estranging us from reality. This leads to Joe giving his thoughts about the definition put forward by Jack. James also weighs in with his thoughts and how they have changed from when he first started consuming science fiction. 13:48 Jack provides a definition of “Cognitive Estrangement” this leads to talking about a purist definition of Sci-Fi. This brings us to the works of Ted Chiang. Jack admits that he likes his sci-fi in between a purist definition and the larger, more forgiving definition, like “The Matrix”. Chris asks the question: does the genre advance the story that the person is telling? This leads us to a comparison of The Expanse vs Game of Thrones. 22:20 Joe responds and weighs in on the idea of story. He quotes Isaac Asimov and brings up how sci-fi grew into its own brand of literature. James expounds upon this with Joe, and how that job of sci- fi is to inform and entertain. Jack weighs in with his thoughts on story; how story can define how we fit in the real world and what is going on in the real world. 28:45 Joe responds to Jack and gives his own definition of science fiction: “speculation through introspection." Where do we fit in the universe? Chris builds upon what Joe said about story and how binding history to a story made him more interested in learning about history. 32:35 Jack talks about how frustrating it is when science fiction gets lumped in with action adventure, arguing there is no story or substance with these stories or movies. This leads to a conversation about why a science fiction movie has not won an Academy Award. Joe backs up Jack's thoughts on how people misclassify sci-fi and that is part of what prevents it from getting the respect it deserves. Chris talks about gatekeeper culture and how that is seen in many parts of society, and not just sci-fi. 38:52 Jack goes over Shawn Coyne's 5 leaf infographic (this will be available below). This breaks down stories and sub classification. Jack also defines “miracle exemptions:" how far removed from reality is a story before it becomes fantasy. Story Grid - How to Write a Book People Will Read available at https://storygrid.com/ The Story Grid Five Leaf Genre Clover Infographic available at https://storygrid.com/resources/five-leaf-genre-clover-infographic/
My debut novel I AM JUSTICE is now available for purchase. https://www.amazon.com/Am-Justice-D-P-Watkins/dp/1645010759/ Shawn Coyne is a thirty year book-publishing veteran. He's acquired, edited, published or represented works from everyone from Michael Connelly and David Mamet to Don Winslow and Betty White. During his years as an editor at the Big Five publishing houses, as an independent publisher, as a literary agent both at a major Hollywood talent agency and as head of Genre Management Inc., and as a bestselling co-writer and ghostwriter, Coyne created a methodology called The Story Grid to teach the editing craft. Story Grid - https://storygrid.com/ Sign up for my newsletter, Chapter 1, where I break down the first chapter of mysteries and thrillers to figure out how they hook us—or why they fail to. https://firstchapter.substack.com/ Support the show at https://www.donswriting.com/support You can follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/donswriting --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/don-watkins/support
In this talking shop episode, we reviewed two different writing tools. Ashley's choice this month was The Elements of Style (4th Edition) by William Strunk Jr and E.B. White, and Sarah reviewed the Story Grid, with the book being written by Shawn Coyne, and the accompanying podcast produced by Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl. In our leisure reading time, Sarah talked about Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng, and Ashley discussed The King Must Die by Mary Renault.
Ever have trouble plotting? Can't figure out why your book isn't working? Want to get ahead of the editorial game? The Story Grid Method by Shawn Coyne has been a game-changer for both Megan and Grace. While Megan's still getting the hang of it, Grace's story grid is what type-a dreams are made of. Listen along as we discuss the various ways The Story Grid has helped us develop our novels and why we swear by it before starting our second drafts. Join our community on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thewritersclimaxpodcast Check out The Story Grid Method by Shawn Coyne here: https://storygrid.com/ You can also check out his podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/story-grid-podcast/id1049406375 Grab a copy of The Lost Apothecary: https://amzn.to/39tCnub Read Grace's short story here: Read Megan's short story here: https://thewritersclimax.com/?p=293 Submit your character story here: https://thewritersclimax.com/contact/ This week's prompt: Poetry - Longing - Daisy
Sat atop a Welsh mountain in 2007 in a moment of depression and despair, Chris Joseph had the first in a series of instances of clarity that would eventually lead him to coaching. On the brink of a meltdown, he knew his Ph.D. in Computational Mechanics was no longer serving him. Buddhism, yoga and mediation became the elixir for him and soon he found he couldn't sleep with excitement at the discoveries he was making. His life changed when he trained to become a mindfulness teacher with Breathworks, and Chris went on to complete his Ph.D. and launch his first coaching practice. But it wasn't a success and in the end he gave it up. His extraordinary journey includes a multitude of highs and lows, from making £10,000 a month in passive income to losing it all to a fraudulent trader. Now he's back coaching and headed for a seven-figure year with his highly successful practice.In this episode, we talk about:Where his practice went wrong the first time round.Why the inner work is so important - understanding that you can only take people as far as you can go yourself.Why a true insight always comes packaged with an action - an ‘outsight' or an ‘outer action'.How to invite an individual to coaching - how to make it feel like a gift to the individual and not a request for yourself.Alongside the practical we get into some big topics: death, impermanence, the importance of play and the effects of all these on our lives. And it is a total pleasure to be in a space with Chris' beautiful open-heartedness.For more information about Chris, visit www.christopherjoseph.co.uk, find him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/drchrisjoseph/ or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/chrisjoseph.uk/ For information about Robbie's wider work and writing, visit www.robbieswalecoaching.com.Music by My Good Man William listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4KmeQUcTbeE31uFynHQLQgTo support the Coach's Journey, visit www.patreon.com/thecoachsjourney and to join the Coach's Journey Community visit www.thecoachsjourney.com/communityThings and people we mentioned (that you might be interested in):~8: Rich Waterman: https://www.richwaterman.com/ ~10: The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.happinesshypothesis.com/~12: Michael Neill: https://www.michaelneill.org/~12: Dick Bettinger: http://3principlesmentoring.com/index.html ~12: Sydney Banks: https://sydbanks.com/~14: Breathworks: https://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/~20: Unleash the Power Within with Tony Robbins: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/events/unleash-the-power-within/ ~25: Unleash the Power Within with Tony Robbins: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/events/unleash-the-power-within/~26: The Coaching Academy: https://www.the-coaching-academy.com~26: Richard Bandler: https://richardbandler.com~26: John LaValle: https://www.nlplifetraining.com/trainers/john-lavalle~26: The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler and Rich Litvin: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosperous-Coach-Increase-Income-Clients/dp/1600250300 ~26: Breathworks: https://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/~27: Simon Coulson: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prosperous-Coach-Increase-Income-Clients/dp/1600250300~27: Peter Thompson: https://peterthomson.com/ ~27: Michael Neill: https://www.michaelneill.org/ ~27: Project Kairos with Rich Litvin: https://richlitvin.com/kairos/~30: Steve Hardison video: https://youtu.be/0Tine-9dz-Y~32: Rich Waterman: https://www.richwaterman.com/ ~33: Three Principles: https://threeprinciplesfoundation.org/ ~33: Eckhart Tolle: https://eckharttolle.com/ ~33: Bryon Katie: https://thework.com/ ~33: The Coaching Academy: https://www.the-coaching-academy.com~33: Tony Robbins: https://www.tonyrobbins.com/ ~37: Crazy Good by Steve Chandler: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1600250343/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_JMAKFbP0PYJ7E ~43: The War of Art by Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1936891026/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_xlBKFbG7XW11B~50: Loom: https://www.loom.com~1.11: Cardiff University: https://www.cardiff.ac.uk ~1.29: Wealth Warrior by Steve Chandler: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1600250408/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_EFCKFbY9VGH7M~1.29: Time Warrior by Steve Chandler: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1600250378/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_kICKFbB90WCJN~1.29: The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1608681890/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_8RCKFbEEPT36Y~1.31: The Meaning Revolution by Fred Kofman : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1524760730/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_BsSKFbKHQ773N~1.45: Chris's contact details: email address: chris@christopherjoseph.co.uk, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drchrisjoseph/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisjoseph.uk/~1.50: Steve Hardison: https://theultimatecoach.com/
This season we're launching a series of interviews with authors of middle grade fiction. First up, Valerie Francis, author of Nature Knights, Crossing the Rubicon, a middle grade fantasy. Valerie Francis is both author and Certified Story Grid Editor. She has published fiction for both women (love stories for busy women) and children (middle grade fantasy), and is currently working on her first thriller. As a bona fide story nerd, her passion for the craft of storytelling led her to become a Certified Story Grid Editor in 2017. Her non-fiction credits include a Story Grid Guide to Bram Stoker's Dracula (publication TBA) and regular articles for the Fundamental Fridays column on Shawn Coyne's Story Grid website. Valerie co-hosts two podcasts for writers. The first, The Story Grid Editor Roundtable, is focused on the craft of writing. Each week Valerie, along with four fellow Certified Story Grid Editors, analyze a film according to the editing method developed by Shawn Coyne. The second is focused entirely on book marketing. On The Book Launch Show, Valerie learns how to develop a relationship with her readers from book marketing expert, Tim Grahl.
This week, we're going backwards, looking at the original Mary Poppins movie after our analysis of Mary Poppins Returns last episode. This time, we're looking at it through the 5 Commandments of Story developed by Shawn Coyne of Story Grid.
Is it really worth it attending author conventions and events? And if it is, how can you ensure to get results from it? What is you would like to organize your own convention or event? What do you need to consider and are there financial risks to take into account? Zach Bohannon & J. Thorn from The Career Author podcast (http://thecareerauthor.com/) are sharing their experiences. New episodes EVERY single Monday. To subscribe on YouTube, go here: http://bit.ly/1WIwIVC PATREON! Many bonus perks for those who become a patrons. https://www.patreon.com/AmWritingFantasy LET'S CONNECT! Closed Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmWritingFantasy/ Blog and Courses: https://www.amwritingfantasy.com/ Jesper on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchmidtJesper Autumn on Twitter: https://twitter.com/weifarer Read the full transcript below. (Please note that it's automatically generated and while the AI is super cool, it isn't perfect. There may be misspellings or incorrect words on occasion). Jesper (0s): Have you ever wondered if it's worth going to writing events and is it worth your money and is it really worth your time and what if you are sort of further along in your career and then you won't be speculating about is it worth creating some of my own events? That's what we're going to talk about here today. If you're fantasy author then you've come to the right place. My name is Jesper and together with Autumn we've published more than 20 books and it is our aim to help you in your writing and marketing endeavors. Jesper (36s): So today I have been joined by somebody else. Then the, actually it's the guys from the Korea author podcast. I listened to their podcast every week and I will let her put the link in the description field below for our podcast so that you could go and listen to if you want. But the reason that I wanted them on here to cover this topic is because I know that they have talked about it before because, and they also have both of their perspectives on this thing, so they both joint conventions by themselves. As a participant, but they have also an art creating events for other authors themselves. Jesper (1m 10s): So we want it to try to cover both angles here and they're welcome to, uh, the amwritingfantasy, uh, channel. Uh, Jameson. J. Thorn (1m 19s): Yeah, thanks. That's for, we're really happy to be here. Thanks for having us. Jesper (1m 23s): Thanks a lot. And, uh, well I guess we can sort of just jump right into it. I know you guys have participated, if we start with sort of the participation angle, and I know you guys have gone to different events just as participants where you have not been new organized so a bit, but I wonder if you could sort of share a bit about is. Is it worth the time and the money that it takes to go to these events? And if you do go to these events, how should, could you go about it to make sure that you actually get anything out of it? Because, uh, it, it is at least, I think quite a both expension of time, but, but also as S introvert authors, maybe it's not the coolest thing that we can think of. Jesper (2m 1s): Is it worth it? J. Thorn (2m 3s): Yeah, I think it's totally worth it. I can say that without hesitation. Uh, I'm thinking back on some of the live events I've done more recently. So I've done, I did the indie author lab that was put on by publishers weekly. Uh, last year I did podcast movement I think in 2016, 2017 which sort of like a big convention. Uh, I did a story grid certified training and a and a story grid weekend with Shawn Coyne last year and a couple of years ago. J. Thorn (2m 34s): Uh, so yeah, participation I think is really important in those and. And I think what's most important is that it's not necessarily what you think you're going to get. It's going to be what happens when you're there that you can't plan for. You can't anticipate things like conversations with other authors over a cup of coffee that leads to a further discussion that leads to a possible project or you know, you meet someone who happens to know somebody else and it's a good connection way. And I, I hesitate to use the term networking cause especially for introverts that makes our skin crawl. J. Thorn (3m 6s): It's got sort of this really dirty connotation, but, um, it really isn't, it's not networking in the, in the sleazy internet marketers sense. It's more about making connections with other people and, and really allowing yourself to be in the moment and to absorb what's happening. Certainly the speakers and the content is important and I think people will probably only sign up for events that they believe are going to help further their career. Um, but I don't think that's the main reason for going to a live event. J. Thorn (3m 36s): I really believe it's the interaction with the other participants, possibly the people who are putting on the event and then all the potential that comes from that. And even if I don't meet someone and I don't have a very, uh, concrete outcome from that meeting, there's always a skill or a strategy or a new way of looking at things that, that comes out of those events that doesn't happen for me online. Jesper (3m 59s): Yeah. No. And I know, especially from what you've shared in the past, us facilitated that you get quite exhausted from Merde, sir, you said in person events or things. So how do you go about it? You know, if you, uh, if you are like an author who are very introverted and don't really like seeing other people, do you sort of mentally pitch yourself up to, okay, I need to talk to a few people today are, how are you doing? J. Thorn (4m 25s): Yeah, that's a great question. And uh, I mean it is, it's a very broad generalization that, that creatives are introverts. Not all creatives are introverts, but I anecdotally, in my experience, I've found most of the writers I deal with are introverted or towards the introversion scale of, of the Myers Briggs and and. There's really sort of two ways, uh, an introvert can approach a live event to make it more manageable. The first one is exactly yes for what you, what you mentioned, which is to kind of set a little game of buy it for yourself and just say, okay, today at this event I'm going to talk to at least two people. J. Thorn (4m 59s): I don't know. I'm going to introduce myself to two people or one person. Like it doesn't matter the number, right? It's that you are your creating a little incentive for yourself that will put you in the right mindset and sort of open, um, you know, you're sort of opening your mind to, to meeting other people. But then on the flip side, it's really important to both at the event and after the event to have time to decompress. And I think this is where introverts really have to do this for themselves because it's not usually built into the events. J. Thorn (5m 31s): You need time within the day of the event to go and sit by yourself for 30 minutes or go read a book or go journal or just go and not talk to anybody like you. That has to be built into the day. And then I think it's also good and I think this applies to for extroverts as well. Once you get home from the event, you need time to decompress as well. I think it's really hard to just kind of jump right back into your, into your daily grind. You need time to, you need time to recharge and get some of that energy back. J. Thorn (6m 2s): Because for introverts, being in those crowded environments is not impossible. And it's not that we hate it and that's a misconception. It's just very draining on your energy and you need to, you need to be able to wait to do that and not sort of at a secondary level. I think it's really important both leading up to during and after the event that you are paying very close attention to your biological needs, making sure you're getting enough sleep, your eating properly, you're exercising if possible, because there's a tendency at these events to kind of go off the rails and eat and drink and, and, and you know, and do things that you wouldn't do at home. J. Thorn (6m 37s): I call it living like a teenager. And so if you're not a teenager that, you know, that's gonna take its toll too. It's, I think all of that taking that sort of comprehensive approach can really make not only an experience great, but make the least amount of disruption in your day. Zack (6m 52s): I'll also add real quick, like, I mean I'm definitely JL straight up, call me an extrovert. I don't know if I'd go that far. I mean I definitely have introvert tendencies, but um, I'm definitely more extroverted than he is in a lot of other authors and but to me, one thing I've noticed being at these events though too is that, you know, this, it's not the same thing as going to like a cocktail party or like a work Christmas party or something. I mean, there's a lot of other people in the room who are Waikiki and I think that knowing that comfort and that you're not the only introvert, most of the room is going to be introverted from what I've seen. Zack (7m 25s): I think that really helps open up people talk. And I know with our bigger events, specifically our conferences, you know, we try to, uh, you know, we, we do like the round tables where people were kind of forced to sit together, but it's not like there's never really been any kind of uncomfortable thing for me. Then we have our genre at dinners where people put together by the genre. So like we're kind of encouraging people to kind of break out a little bit, but not in like a funky like, uh, you know, speed dating type of way or something like that. But it's like really uncomfortable, you know? Zack (7m 56s): So that's just kinda my perspective from being a little less introverted, much less introverting I should say. Jesper (8m 1s): Yeah. Yeah. I think, I think from my own experience when I've been to sort of conferences or events or stuff like that is it's not as hard to strike up the conversation as one might think in a way you just sitting at the table and as long as you're sort of smiling and are open to people, then usually you can start talking. But where I think it's a bit difficult and where I'm curious, what would you guys say about this? Because the aftermath of it, you know? Okay, so you've gone home, you talk to five people, but how and why should you get in contact with them again? Jesper (8m 32s): That that part is a bit mysterious mystical to be, you know, how are you supposed to do that? I mean, okay, I can just find a, send an email to somebody. Hey, it was great seeing you at that event. But that's it's a bit, yeah, I dunno. I think that's J. Thorn (8m 45s): a good first step. And a lot of times you don't really know how or when or if that's going to happen. Uh, I remember I went to podcast podcast movement when it was in Chicago. Brian Cohen up from somewhere book show and he's very outgoing and extroverted and he had no problem walking up and talking to a lot of people. And and I think that was good for me and I, and I think if you are, if you tend to be more introverted and you have a more of an extroverted buddy you can bring with you, I think you can play off each other's strengths in that way. J. Thorn (9m 16s): And so I was able to kind of kind of tag along with Brian and then like I was really good at sort of looking at all of the offerings and saying, okay, well why don't we look at this one and sort of thinking about this one. And that was not something Brian was like really good at. So we kind of, we kind of balanced that out. And then what I did was when I came home, of all the people I met, I did exactly what you said. I sent an email and just say, Hey, it was really nice to meet you, a podcast movement. Um, if you, if there's anything I can ever help you with, just reach out. J. Thorn (9m 48s): And I kind of gave myself permission to leave it at that and I thought, you know, I'm going to do that. It's sort of a, it's courteous, it's kind and um, if something's meant to come from that, I'll hear back from them. And some people, I didn't, some people I didn't and and you just never know. I think the big thing that we always preach is that if you start a relationship by giving as opposed to asking, it's always, it's always better that way. So even, even the following up with a thank you from a live event, I think if you're just saying, Hey, thanks a lot. J. Thorn (10m 19s): If I, if there's any thing I can ever do for you, just let me know and then leave it at that. I think, um, that's, that's a good way to approach it. Not feeling that pressure to sort of work all those contacts that you just, you know, you just got all, all those business cards, you collect it. I don't, I don't think you necessarily have to have to force yourself to, you know, make connections with those people that aren't a natural. Jesper (10m 41s): Is there any specific events that is spread? You mean, I'm going to hook you up on the spot here, so it's okay if you don't know, but, but I'm just thinking that some of the people who are watching this video and, or listening to this podcast might be people who are also pursuing my traditional publishing wrapped. So are there, in your view, certain places that are better than other, if anybody wants to walk over there? J. Thorn (11m 5s): No, it's perfect timing because as we're recording this, I'm about three weeks away from heading to New York city for thriller Fest for the first time. Uh, so I, I think, uh, you know, if your listeners are not familiar, thriller Fest is the annual gathering for the thriller writers and that's where they have all their awards and there's Pitchfest and agents are there. In fact, I'm going to pitch fast, I'm going to be pitching a project to am to several agents. And I think every sort of a top level genre has that annual gathering. J. Thorn (11m 36s): Like for the horror writers association, they have Stoker con, uh, waa, waa has a big gathering. Uh, the, uh, science fiction and fantasy writers of America have an annual gathering. So I think if you are looking for, you know, an agent or if you're more interested in sort of the traditional publishing world, those, those, those are the events that you want to attend. And those are the big ones. And, uh, and, and they're, they're somewhat affordable. Like they're not, they're not out of reach. I think for, you know, a few hundred dollars per ticket. J. Thorn (12m 8s): Uh, you can, you can go to any one of those. And, uh, and I think that that would be a great way for people to get to know what, what that industry is like. Jesper (12m 17s): So I guess we can conclude, conclude that it's definitely worth going to these events and you need to put a bit of your extrovert hat on and then go through wasn't and try to build a bit of relations but, but I'm wondering then if we sort of jump into the time machine he say then we fast forward a couple of years and now the people listening or watching the video, they have sort of grown a certain pattern to a certain level in their career and they're starting to thinking, okay, maybe it would be cool to actually organize some events on my own and thus maybe use it as something that supplementary income to my book selling or whatever it may be. Jesper (12m 53s): Maybe it would be worth if you guys just spend like a minute of talking a bit about what you guys are doing and who you, so just to set the scene a bit for talking about what kind of events you are renting and how you're going about it and what you're thinking about and so forth. Zack (13m 8s): Yeah, we, uh, the, the whole thing started kind of funny for us. I mean it really came out of, we ended up doing a authors on a train is kind of our like a event that responded and that came out of us going on a train trip with Lindsay broker and Joanna Penn and spending a week writing and a VALIC. We went, rode on a train plan to book out and it's been a week in new Orleans, Louisiana. I'm writing a whole novella together and you know, J and I were sitting outside one night, uh, having, having a burger before went to a concert while we were in new Orleans and we just kind were like, man, I'm like, why couldn't we do this with other people? Zack (13m 48s): This is like a really cool niche event type of thing that really we didn't, we don't see anyone else doing stuff like this. Like you see people doing writer's retreats from, they'll go like rent a cabin every, want to work on their own stuff. And um, you know, you see the conferences and stuff, but you really don't see these like smaller, really unique things. Like who else was taking people on a train? And then my, you know, the really weird thing and that's really what started it. And it's spa, you know, it kind of snowballed into the smaller, like the world, the world building type advanced or we'll go and we'll pick a unique place and go build a world out together. Zack (14m 24s): Um, and then of course we're stood in authors on a train and we have our bigger conferences as well, which is the career author summit, uh, formerly the somewhere bookshelves summit. Um, so yeah, that's, that's kinda the, the main stuff that we have going on and we can obviously as conversation goes down deeper in each one of those. J. Thorn (14m 39s): Yeah, I would add to that there's sort of an intermediary step for someone who's, who's thinking about this. And, and I, I think it's very, uh, this was really good. I think it's really great to be thinking about diversifying your revenue streams as an author. I would ha, I would highly encourage people who feel like either organizing or putting on one of these events sounds like something that like to do. I think that you should definitely do it. Am don't listen to that. The, there's too many or there's too many people doing it. I don't buy into that. Um, I think there's always room for more voices, new voices, new experiences. J. Thorn (15m 12s): But I think between being at an attendee and then, uh, running our hosting, there's this other space that I would recommend people explore, which is start, uh, talking or offering to speak at other events that you're not running. I think it's really important to not only refine your public speaking skills and your ability to present because as you know with a podcast, whether you're on a podcast or on a stage, you are performing, it's a performance. And it, and it takes a certain level of skill and practice. J. Thorn (15m 43s): It's not the same as having a casual conversation with somebody. So I think you need to practice getting in front of people. And the way I did it is I started offering to do talks for fruit for my local library system. And I would go in and I would hold these little workshops and I would do these talks. And I did that for years. And uh, and I was a classroom teacher before that, so I had sort of the presentation mode refined. But doing those presentations sort of gave me the understanding of, okay, number one, what do people want? And number two, if that's what they want, how can I provide it? J. Thorn (16m 13s): Or how can I find someone who can provide it? So I think there is this middle ground where you, you really have to kind of find tune your chops. And one of the ways you can do that, going back to our previous point is you could reach out to people who are organizing events and offer to speak for free and say, Hey, I'm, I'm getting, you know, experience and speaking. I love your event on, uh, you know, I've been following you. I would love to S I would love to present for free to your audience if that's okay with you. And you know, some people are going to ignore you and some people won't. But I think getting your feet wet and really getting experience presenting, especially on a stage live in front of people would be really important before you kind of go all the way to that point where you're going to be the organizer of the event. Zack (16m 54s): I think another, I think another step you could even take is not think this is kinda gonna depend on where you live. Um, but I almost feel like running some kind of really small event locally could be really good. And even if you don't charge anything, you know, go rent a room at like a local coworking space or something. And obviously you know, you, if you're probably gonna want to be in a city where there's like gonna be a lot of writers that could come, but there's a whole other level of complexity of planning event and risk when you're talking about go like, you know, and for instance, in September we're going to Seattle and we live in Cleveland and Nashville and Seattle is a like fi five or six hour plane ride for each of us. Zack (17m 34s): So like to plan an event in Seattle and not live there is like, there's a lot of complexity around that and you know, J and I both have a background playing music and I know me personally, I know he has some, like I used to plan like a festival on stuff. Like I'm a small music festival and so like I have some event planning background and um, and I mean there's a lot of little logistical things that you may not think about whenever you're playing an event. And you know, we're still learning as we go and learn along the way. Zack (18m 4s): But I think that doing something locally small, maybe you get, try to get 10, 15 people or something to come show up and you do like a lecture type thing. Or maybe you guys do like a world building, I don't know like, but I think that can kind of help you start to see kind of the logistics of putting something together and getting people to show up as well, which is kind of a step ahead of like having a library organized, something you showed up in speaking, which I also think that's a great, great way to get started on that too. Jesper (18m 30s): Yeah. And it is a great point around getting a bit of practice with people or speaking in front of people because even for an introvert is certainly doable, but, but you sort of need to to get used to it a bit and then you can, uh, you can make yourself do it, so to speak almost. But, but I want, I mean I, and I think it's a good point too, to sort of work your way up to it and, and do some of those smaller events for four. I started if that's what you want to go, but, but at the same time I also know that it's pretty important for you guys that the event doesn't grow too big. Jesper (19m 2s): So I'm wondering how do you balance this side of, okay, you, you're of, you'll have some costs into it because you have to rent a place and probably get some food and drink and whatnot. And then at the same time, if you don't have enough people come in, then I guess either you can have a very, very high ticket price, which I don't think you guys are doing either, unless I'm mistaken. Or you can have a ton of people at a lower price, but what but how do you balance it out? Because if you're doing, I mean if you're just doing it for fun, then it's fine. But if you're doing as a sort of supplementary income, then you need to learn a bit from it. Jesper (19m 35s): Right? So what are your thoughts on that? J. Thorn (19m 38s): Yeah, I think it's really important to be completely transparent and honest and say that anytime you're organizing an event, you're taking a risk, uh, financially, mostly financially, but you're, you're risking your reputation as well. I mean, I, I don't think we're at this point anymore, but I remember we had conversations of like, what if we went, if we roll out an event and no one shows up or no one's interested like that, you know, there's a cost that's involved there. Um, and at a certain point, but, but more importantly, you know, the, the events, you know, for, for authors on the train, we're renting a mansion in San Francisco. J. Thorn (20m 14s): Well, we had to put 50% down on that before we put up the landing page. And for the career author summit, we had to secure the, the, the conference center before we put the landing page up. And, you know, so part of that is you need some savings. You need to have some money set aside that you're willing to risk. I mean you can mitigate your risk, but at the end of the day, anytime you're putting money up before you're selling tickets, you are taking risks. So I think it's important to recognize that. And uh, and we've been, we've been willing to do that. J. Thorn (20m 44s): And you know, we've been successful. We haven't lost a ton of money doing and we've made money in most cases, but you do need to have many willing to sort of put up and to secure those. As far as the event themselves are concerned. Our wheel house, our specialty is really these small sort of intimate gab world-building gathering since. So authors on a train and am PSI Phi Seattle and vampires in new Orleans, these are events, we're really taking a dozen people. J. Thorn (21m 14s): So we know that we don't need to have, you know, $100 in Facebook ads. Are they running to drive traffic to that landing page? Cause cause we're, we're going to sell them out. It's only 12 people and we charge enough that we're going to make some money, but it's not so exorbitant that people can't afford it. So that's sort of the, the one style of event that we really like doing. The career author summit, we kind of kind of fell into our lap. Um, it wasn't something we had planned on doing. Uh, summer book show, Bryan Cohen decided he didn't want to do that summit any longer and we had such positive energy momentum for that event. J. Thorn (21m 47s): We didn't just want to let it go and so Zach and I went to Jim Kukral and said, all right, well Brian doesn't want to want to do this anymore. And it was all good. In fact, Brian is going to be speaking at the career author summit, but we said, what if we continue it? We'll rebrand it as the career author but we made a very hard, definitive decision, very public decision and said, we're not growing it. It's at 120, 115 hundred 120 years about the match. Yeah, that's about the number of seats we're going to sell. And we're not growing it past that. I will not sell out those sell out. We could, we could buy, you know, we're, we're very close to having that sold out now and it's 11 months away, so it's not, and that's not a slight against events that grow larger become larger. J. Thorn (22m 29s): But we find in our own experience that, uh, once you go above 115, 120 people, it's, it starts to feel more like a trade show and less like a conference or a workshop. And that's just not what we do. We, we'd like to be able to walk around and interact with everyone. We like people to have the opportunity to meet all the other people there. And once you go North of one 25, it's hard to do that, Zack (22m 51s): I think. I think going back to kind of swing back to your original question too, is, you know, it's, it's very risky and J will tell you like what we kind of laugh because we joke that when we're coming up with these things, J always starts with yes. And I always start with no. So J comes to me with the super ambitious ideas and I'm always like, no, no, we've got to pare it down. And we ended up somewhere in the middle and it really works out. But I think that not getting too ambitious and trying to knock it out of the park so hard the first time when, if, when you're not really sure what all the costs are going to be in stuff, uh, it's, it's really important. Zack (23m 26s): So don't, you know, you obviously want to put on a good event, but you know, that doesn't necessarily mean you have to take all your attendees to the fanciest restaurant and have the fanciest venue. And we've made that mistake. I mean, we, we had, uh, one of our events, you know, we, uh, we're going to try to make it a little bit bigger and we rented a bigger type of, who ran a whole theater, you know, and, uh, we, we did a lot of different things and that event, as awesome as it wasn't as fun as we ended up having on it, uh, ended up losing money for us. So, and it's because we kind of went, we got too ambitious and we learned a lot from that though and and realized, you know, we, we'd rather deliver these really cool experiences. Zack (24m 5s): The problem was is that we were trying to get more people than we really should have and we really realized then like for our smaller well billing events like 15 people, max is kind of like that's really worse. Sweet spot is. And with that, you know, we can still make enough money to like be at the rock and roll hall of Famer at the Mo pop museum and see like we could still do really or rent a mansion. You know, we could still do this really cool stuff and still have room for us to make money as well. Jesper (24m 33s): One element is around the venue that you are reserving are paying for, but the other part is also how what type of event you're running. And by that I mean if you're running something like, like you're talking about here, like a willpower thing event where it doesn't take much prep in the way that, okay, maybe have some initial idea for a world that people then come to the UN and and basically the work is done, they're in the oven. But if you have more like a presentation type of event, either you would need to run the same presentations every time so that you don't have to prep too much or you what because if you do want to create a new presentation every time at the end of the day that his time away from writing and unless you are really earning money on that event, if you're just covering your cost or earning $1,000, you know, my question would be is that really worth it? J. Thorn (25m 26s): I I think that's a very legitimate question. I think the answer is going to be really dependent on on the individual situation Zach and I need to make enough money to make it worth our while. We sort of, we know between us what that is and that that's got to cover our own costs of, of getting there. The cost of not writing during that time, I think, I think that's an an another cost factors into it. And I think it depends on the event. So if you're talking about something like the career author summit, preparing to present at that, a lot of the work comes ahead of time and then you present and it's kind of over. J. Thorn (25m 59s): But world-building is kind of the opposite of that. So there's not a ton that we do leading up to it. But then once it's over, we published an anthology and Zach's right now is going through all the stuff from, from rocket park in Cleveland and that's, that's a full on anthology publication, revision, editing. It's a lot of work. So you know, and like that's, that's work that we're not quote unquote getting paid for. That was part of the ticket for the event. So that's just stuff that we're obligated to do that we enjoy doing. So I think it really, it really comes down to the person as far as like what type of event do you want, do you want to put on, what do you hope to get out of it and, and what sort of resources do you have to spend on it? J. Thorn (26m 40s): And that's both time and money. Zack (26m 41s): And I think too, I think, I think it is important to mention too that there's two of us, which are best, not obvious, but for people who don't know, you know, we do these events together, but we also write fiction together. So even when our fiction production doesn't necessarily have to stop you because J might go do be working on a presentation, but I might be working on our fiction. So I do think that's important to bring up cause, but that's not to say that one person's still couldn't manage this stuff on their own and still run their fiction business and do events. There's nothing that says that by any means. Zack (27m 12s): But, uh, I just think that's important to bring up for this conversation to those. Jesper (27m 16s): Yeah, true. Yeah. And I certainly don't think that this is anything, you know, the, the starting out author should really worry about or try to do. But even if you're not collaborating with somebody else, you know, if you're a bit further down your career path, you might have a virtual assistant who can help booking stuff and whatnot. So, so Zack (27m 34s): of course you're probably gonna need some help to do an event. There was no doubt. Yeah. Depending on the size and scope, what you're trying to do that you're probably gonna need some help. But like you said, you can definitely hire people out to help you or stuff. So Jesper (27m 47s): is there anything else we should cover around organizing events to say anything that I should have asked you that I do? J. Thorn (27m 56s): I mean, as far as organizing an event goes, I think it, you know, really the big takeaway, what Zach mentioned is is if you're, if you're really interested, do something very small and local for free. And that's the best way to get a feel for a lot of this. Everything from logistics to, uh, the type of people you want there to, the presentations or the workshops that you want to do. And maybe depending on where you live and who's near you, you can just invite a few of your friends and just say, Hey, come for free. You know, let's all do this together. J. Thorn (28m 26s): I'll, I'll sort of run it and I'd love to just get your feedback on it. And I think starting small and starting locally is probably the best way to do it. Because the last thing you want to do is to, is to think planning something like the career author summit sounds awesome. And you'd love to do that. And then you start to do it and realize it's not something you enjoy or it's, or it's something that you don't want to spend time on and then you're kind of stuck. So I think if you start small, then you're going to have a much better, uh, you'll have much, uh, a much better idea for yourself as to what, whether you can do something more grandiose in the future. Jesper (28m 60s): I think that's very good advices. And, uh, it's all, it's always good to get some advice to somebody who has actually done it, you know, rather than people speculate to be good on that. So I very much appreciate that. Sure, absolutely. I did mention the Korea author podcast in the beginning and I will put a link to that. So if you're watching on YouTube, it's going to be right below this video. And if you're on the podcast, just go to the show notes, but is there anything else, guys you want to mention where people can find your, or is this just the curiosity podcast you want to point people? Zack (29m 31s): Yeah, I mean, everything's over@thecareerauthor.com you can get the podcast there. Uh, if all our events are there. So if you're interested in attending one of our events, um, you know, we're, right now, we are, uh, all our 2019 stuff. Well, the only thing we have left to by Seattle, it's sold out. Our 2020 stuff is almost sold out. So, um, we, we have the career author summit in Nashville, Tennessee. That's a in may of 2020. We've got some great speakers will be there. We've got Joanna Penn, Lindsay broker, Brian Cohen, Jim Kukral, Mark Leslie, the fade, a honorary quarter. Zack (30m 7s): We've got some really good speakers lined up for that. Um, and we're getting really close to being sold out for that as of this recording. I don't know what it would be when you guys, when you air, but we're, I think we have like maybe 12, 15, 20 tickets, 15 tickets. Um, so we've got that going on. We have a authors on a train, California dream and is what we're calling that am. So we'll be taking a trip, we'll be taking a train from Los Angeles, California to San Francisco, uh, with a group of authors. And we will be doing, we'll be staying in a mansion for a few days and we're gonna build out an anthology together, write stories, collaborate. Zack (30m 43s): That's a collaboration event. Um, that has like one or two tickets available as of right now. Um, and then we also have vampires of new Orleans, which, uh, will be taking place Halloween weekend, which if anyone who's never been in new Orleans, that's like a the best time to go to new Orleans. The weather's really good. Um, and, and there's so much cool stuff that happens there during Halloween and, uh, we're going to be doing, we got some really cool stuff lined up. We're gonna be doing more. We're there, but then we're going to be writing vampire stories, publishing anthology. Um, and that is, we don't have any treats left for that either. Zack (31m 15s): I don't think so. And again, yeah, so this is all for 20, 20, so you can check all that stuff out. I mean, if you're someone, again who's interested in may rain events, you can, it's got all the stuff there. You can kind of see what we're doing and um, you know, maybe, maybe that will spark some ideas for you as well. So yeah, but everything's at the career author.com Jesper (31m 33s): yeah, and I don't take just anybody within this, a fantasy author audience here who doesn't like vampires. The only thing you need is you. You're missing the dragons, so you need to put them out there. We'll get there eventually. One a 21 maybe we'll come closer where you live and I will get a castle somewhere and dragons. Yeah, exactly. All right. Thanks a lot for coming onto amwritingfantasy guys. I appreciate it. Yeah. Thank you for having us. We appreciate it. All right, and to your opt in, see you next Monday.
In this episode, Leslie is joined by Shawn Coyne, the author of T_he Story Grid: What Good Editors Know_. They discuss the five commandments of story in the context of chapter five of _Animal Farm_ by George Orwell and what makes this story a great one to analyze. The five commandments (the inciting incident, progressive complications, crisis question, climax, and resolution) provide the basic structure for your global story, but also your acts, sequences, and scenes, like nesting dolls. If you learn to execute the five commandments in your story, you'll become a better writer. This week's mission encourages you to look for the five commandments in one of your favorite stories, and then use them to plan or revise your own work-in-progress.
Copyblogger FM: Content Marketing, Copywriting, Freelance Writing, and Social Media Marketing
Fiction needs what editor Shawn Coyne calls “obligatory scenes” — the elements that satisfy audience expectations and make the book a must-read. Do those elements exist for content? And if so … what are they? Today, Sonia Simone gives her thoughts on the “must-include” elements of a solid content marketing program. In this 28-minute episode,... Listen to episode --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/copyblogger-podcast/message
The Sweet Adversity Podcast: Entrepreneurship/Adversity/Lifestyle
In this episode, I interview Shawn Coyne, author of the book, “The Story Grid.” He talks about the writing process, and how adversity plays an important part in creating a great story that's engaging. Guest Bio: Shawn Coyne created Story Grid to help authors tell stories that work. He has edited and published hundreds of… The post SA 043: Shawn Coyne on the Importance of Conflict in Storytelling, Resistance, and Doing the Work appeared first on Nick Dinardo.
Welcome to The Horror Writers Podcast, the show with two horror authors discussing all things in the world of horror. The 90s was not only an awesome era for music, but also a great time for horror movies. Today, Zach and J. talk about their favorite horror movies of that decade. Also, making her podcast debut, Zach's daughter. Remember to subscribe and to leave comments. We answer all of them. Be on the lookout for new episodes being posted every Sunday. Episode Links: Support The Horror Writers Podcast on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/thehorrorwriterspodcast?ty=h V For Vendetta on Amazon - http://amzn.to/1ZDFQZL The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne - http://amzn.to/1tghH0S The Horror Writers Podcast Website - http://www.thehorrorwriterspodcast.com J's other podcast: The Intronaut - A Podcast for Introverts - http://theintronaut.com/ Zach Bohannon's Website - http://www.zachbohannon.com J. Thorn's Website - http://jthorn.net Zach's Top 3 90s Horror Movies: From Dusk Till Dawn - http://amzn.to/1UGzmVK The Haunting - http://amzn.to/1YeiTh7 Interview With The Vampire - http://amzn.to/1U4N4b4 J.'s Top 3 90s Horror Movies: The Sixth Sense - http://amzn.to/1YeiFGA The Silence of the Lambs - http://amzn.to/1U4NUUY The Blair Witch Project - http://amzn.to/1tghKK4 Honorable Mentions: Scream - http://amzn.to/1ZDFDWx Candyman - http://amzn.to/1Ukz5Ml Event Horizon - http://amzn.to/1YejAa0 Seven - http://amzn.to/1UGAWaj Jaco
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