Podcasts about taos toolbox

Just search in your favourite podcast app for us!Apple Podcasts: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/65fa92b91c46ed0017ea13a2Spotify Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OK9R9yAKasMqcjcJ0BSatMain fiction: "Oasis on the Edge of Trappist" by Chris BallietChris Balliet is a speculative fiction writer who lives in Philadelphia with his wife and daughter, traversing the city in search of playgrounds and good coffee. He is a graduate of Taos Toolbox in 2023 and has degrees in history and finance that inspire his work. You can find him on Threads/Instagram @chrisballietwrites, Twitter @chrisballiet or his website chrisballiet.com.This story is original to StarShipSofa.Narrated by: Mark NelsonMark Nelson began audiobook narration in 2006, and now has over 180 titles at LibriVox, and recording as “Harry Shaw,” more than 100 for Audible. While Mark mainly records sci-fi, fantasy, and horror titles, he has also ventured into the classics, including Hugo and Dostoyevsky.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/starshipsofa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nibble garlic naan with Jo Miles as we discuss how what began as a short story blossomed into a trilogy, the way to juggle multiple points of view and keep them balanced, the science fictional precursors which helped them create their sentient ship, how to properly pace the arc of a burgeoning romance, the importance of making sure a redemption arc feels earned, the way their mandate for writing optimistic science fiction came to be, the differing ways we were each affected by the pandemic, how the Taos Toolbox workshop teaches writers to break down the beats  of their stories (and why that terrifies me), plus much more.

In this episode of SaaS Origin Stories, Phil speaks with Scott Hurff, Founder and Chief Product Officer at Churnkey, a SaaS product that fixes every type of churn for you, supercharges all aspects of customer retention, and optimizes your company's growth. They explore Scott's journey to founding and growing Churnkey, the differences between running a B2B versus a B2C SaaS company, and what every SaaS founder should do to scale a successful business.Guest at a Glance:Name: Scott HurffAbout Scott: Scott Hurff is a product maker, designer, and writer. He is the Founder and Chief Product Officer at Churnkey, a SaaS product that fixes every type of churn for you, supercharges all aspects of customer retention, and optimizes your company's growth. Before Churnkey, Scott was the Founding Designer and Head of Design at Casa, Director Of Product Design at Philosophie Group (now InfoBeans), and Product Manager and Lead Designer at Tinder.He wrote Designing Products People Love, a book that highlights how product designers work at places like Twitter, Product Hunt, Facebook, and more. He is a keen writer who works on science fiction stories and is a member of the Sudowriters' writing group. In 2019, Scott graduated from the Taos Toolbox workshop.Scott on LinkedInScott's WebsiteChurnkey on LinkedInChurnkey's WebsiteTopics we cover:How does Churnkey handles retention for you?What can SaaS founders do to reduce their churn?The difference between running a B2B versus a B2C SaaS companyInsights for SaaS founders to succeedKey Takeaways:Cracking the Customer Churn CodeReducing customer churn is a top priority for every company, particularly in the SaaS industry. To tackle this issue, start by identifying the customers who haven't paid for two months but are assumed to be interested in continuing their subscription. This step alone can reduce churn by twenty to forty percent.Additionally, launch a well-designed survey at the point of cancellation to understand why customers are leaving. It's crucial to ensure that the survey is discreet, thoughtful, and crafted to elicit valuable feedback.To further decrease churn, consider implementing a cancel flow and regularly review as a team why customers are leaving on both the product and customer success sides. Make this an ongoing part of your routine and iterate as necessary to keep improving.“De-stigmatize the notion that that data can't be helpful because it's biased, and I think you'll make some great gains.”B2B Versus B2CWhen running a B2B company, you develop a more personalized relationship with your customers compared to B2C, where the focus is on scaling. B2B companies concentrate on resolving specific problems at a more human level. Additionally, B2B SaaS companies typically have smaller and more proficient teams, while B2C companies tend to have a more pronounced separation and specialization of various functions as they grow. However, some B2B founders make the mistake of adopting B2C practices that they believe would work similarly. This is not always the case. If you run a B2B company, your priority should be finding ways to connect with your customers as efficiently as possible.“You have to go through the process and figure out what not to do. Take the wins and then go in and build something of your own and build it your own way.”Wisdom for SaaS FoundersBe open to fundraising and showcasing your product. You won't know if it works if you don't try. Without trying, you won't know if it's effective and capable of scaling. Avoid assuming that your efforts are not good enough. Instead, consider it a motivation to drive you and your company forward. Going through the process can help in identifying your values, abilities, and limitations.“We didn't know if this was gonna work at scale. It's working now. And maybe there's that part of us that we don't want to be told that what we're doing is not good enough.”

Polish off a Polish meal with Walter Jon Williams while we discuss why when he started out he didn't think he was good enough to make it as a science fiction writer, how if I were to read his first drafts they'd terrify me, the con at which Gordon Dickson wandered around trying to sell one of Walter's novels to editors, why the '50s was the Golden Age of historical fiction in America, the way in which his first science fiction novel was an inversion of all the historical fiction he'd written before, which issues of Fantastic Four got him so angry he quit reading comics for 20 years, how deep he was into his career before he finally realized he might actually make a go at this writing thing, the most frequent problem found when teaching Taos Toolbox, what he learned about his Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated “Surfacing” by leaving it untouched in a drawer for six months, his motivation for the one time he had to say no to an editorial suggestion, what his extremely rare bouts of writers block — lasting only a few days — were really about, and much more.

Pig out on Peruvian with Lawrence M. Schoen as we discuss how he was able to release 12 books in a difficult year affected by both a pandemic and chemo, the pseudonym he was relieved he never had to use, what caused him to say "you find the answers to the problems of your life by writing a story about it," the RPG improv which led to the creation of his Barsk universe, what he learned at the Taos Toolbox workshop which caused him to completely rewrite one of his books, the all-important power of the subconscious, how transcription software affected his style, why he doesn't want people to read the final paragraph of his second Barsk novel, his relationships with the indie side of publishing, the many joys of mentoring, how he uses hypnotism to help other writers, and much more.

Interview with celebrated author Walter Jon Williams, author of several books, including the Dread Empire and Praxis series. His most recent novel in that series is Fleet Elements. Walter recommends new readers start with book one of the series, called The Praxis: Dread Empire's Fall. Once you're done with that book, get the rest of them and finish up with Fleet Elements. To get a look at out of print books that Walter has brought back to life, you can look at his list of books at THIS LINK. To learn more about Walter’s writing, check out his website at: (WEBSITE LINK). You can also find him on Facebook. You can also visit the Taos Toolbox, a workshop co-hosted by Walter and science fiction author Nancy Kress, at THIS LINK. Like the podcast episode? You can "Buy me a Coffee" as a thank you! I'll even give you a free short story to show my gratitude. Thank you!* Links in these show notes may be affiliate links. I may make a small percentage from your purchase. I would always want you to buy from a local, independent store, but if you are looking to use Amazon, I would appreciate you considering my links. Thank you!

Nancy Kress is the author of thirty-three books, including twenty-six novels, four collections of short stories, and three books on writing. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and has been translated into two dozen languages, including Klingon. In addition to writing, Kress often teaches at various venues around the country and abroad, including a visiting lectureship at the University of Leipzig, a 2017 writing class in Beijing, and the annual intensive workshop Taos Toolbox, which she teaches every summer with Walter Jon Williams.In this interview, Nancy discusses world-building addressing these key topics:1. How much do you have to do?2. When?3. How?What are the resources? Who and how is the authority? What is the power line? What is the finance line? How are resources allocated? How is authority enforced? Who has rights? What are the caste levels in that society? A great start to Nancy's writing is her novel, the near-future speculative fiction "Beggars in Spain."If you prefer thrillers is "Stinger."For space opera read "The Probability Series."       Show less

Nancy Kress is the author of thirty-three books, including twenty-six novels, four collections of short stories, and three books on writing. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and has been translated into two dozen languages, including Klingon. In addition to writing, Kress often teaches at various venues around the country and abroad, including a visiting lectureship at the University of Leipzig, a 2017 writing class in Beijing, and the annual intensive workshop Taos Toolbox, which she teaches every summer with Walter Jon Williams. In this interview, Nancy discusses world-building addressing these key topics: 1. How much do you have to do? 2. When? 3. How? What are the resources? Who and how is the authority? What is the power line? What is the finance line? How are resources allocated? How is authority enforced? Who has rights? What are the caste levels in that society? A great start to Nancy's writing is her novel, the near-future speculative fiction "Beggars in Spain." If you prefer thrillers is "Stinger." For space opera read "The Probability Series." Show less

Nancy Kress is the author of thirty-three books, including twenty-six novels, four collections of short stories, and three books on writing. Her work has won six Nebulas, two Hugos, a Sturgeon, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, and has been translated into two dozen languages, including Klingon. In addition to writing, Kress often teaches at various venues around the country and abroad, including a visiting lectureship at the University of Leipzig, a 2017 writing class in Beijing, and the annual intensive workshop Taos Toolbox, which she teaches every summer with Walter Jon Williams. In this interview, Nancy discusses world-building addressing these key topics: 1. How much do you have to do? 2. When? 3. How? What are the resources? Who and how is the authority? What is the power line? What is the finance line? How are resources allocated? How is authority enforced? Who has rights? What are the caste levels in that society? A great start to Nancy's writing is her novel, the near-future speculative fiction "Beggars in Spain." If you prefer thrillers is "Stinger." For space opera read "The Probability Series."

Main Fiction: "Burnover" by K.D. JulicherThis story first appeared in Intergalactic Medicine Show (June 2018).K.D. Julicher lives in Nevada, where she collaborates with her husband on stories and children. She has a passion for bears, hats, and bug fixes. Her work has appeared in Writers of the Future, Deep Magic, and Intergalactic Medicine Show.Narrated by R.M. AmbroseR.M. Ambrose is Assistant Fiction Editor (and sometimes producer and narrator) at StarShipSofa. He attended Taos Toolbox in 2017 and is an Affiliate Member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Later in 2020 he will re-launch and edit Vital: The Future of Healthcare, an anthology in which science fiction writers tackle the challenges of healthcare issues worldwide (more info at VitalAnthology.com).In regards to this episode's story, R.M. notes that new piece of firefighting technology, CalFire’s 747 Supertanker, saved his home from the Palmer Fire of 2017, and when he was growing up, his grandma was a volunteer firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician in Leicester, North Carolina.He can be reached via @rmambrose on Twitter, and @rmAmbroseFiction on Facebook and Instagram.Sound effects for this episode were obtained from zapsplat.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

AD Free StarShipSofa No 596 K.G. AndersonStarShipSofa No 596 K.G. Anderson.mp3Main Fiction: "Rowboat"Originally published in Metamorphosis K.G. Anderson is a Seattle-based writer, gardener, dancer, and cat-herder. Her short stories have appeared or are forthcoming in magazines and anthologies ranging from Galaxy's Edge and Weirdbook to the B Cubed Press Alternative Truths series, and are online at Factor Four Magazine, Ares Magazine and Far-Fetched Fables. She narrated StarShipSofa No 530, "The Stone Age Gap." K.G. is a graduate of the Viable Paradise and Taos Toolbox workshops. Find her online at writerway.com/fiction or on twitter @writerway.Narrated by: Farah Naz RishiFarah Naz Rishi is a Pakistani-American Muslim writer and voice actor, but in another life, she’s worked stints as a lawyer, a video game journalist, and an editorial assistant. She received her B.A. in English from Bryn Mawr College, her J.D. from Lewis & Clark Law School, and her love of weaving stories from the Odyssey Writing Workshop. When she’s not writing, she’s probably hanging out with video game characters. You can find her at home in Philadelphia, or on Twitter at @far_ah_way. Fact: Looking Back At Genre History by Amy H Sturgis See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Patreon support now standing at 430 – last week 431 Help us get to 500 Patreon Supporters. Main Fiction: "To Plant a Tree" by Adam RakunasThis story is original to StarShipSofa.Adam Rakunas is the author of the Philip K. Dick Award-nominated WINDSWEPT and its sequel, LIKE A BOSS. His short fiction has appeared in Futurismic.com, the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, and StarShipSofa. A former Southern Californian, he and his family now live in the Pacific Northwest. Find him online at giro.org and on Twitter @rakdaddy.Narrated by: Kate LechlerWhen she’s not teaching or editing, Kate Lechler writes about genetically-engineered unicorns from a lawn chair in her carport in Oxford, MS. She is a graduate of the Taos Toolbox workshop and her work has appeared in Podcastle, Fireside Fiction, and Metaphorosis, among other places. Find her at katelechler.com, or @katelechler on Twitter.Fact: Science News by J J Campanella See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Nebula Award-winning writer Kelly Robson had a little lamb (and you can eavesdrop) as we discuss how the first Connie Willis story she read changed her brain, the way a provocative photo got her a gig as a wine reviewer at a top national magazine, what she learned from the initial Taos Toolbox writers workshop, why completing Gods, Monsters and the Lucky Peach was like giving birth to a watermelon, how reading a Battlestar Galactica tie-in novel helped teach her how to write, where she would head if time travel were real, why she's contemplating writing a "frivolous" trilogy (and what that really means), the reason the story of hers she most likes to reread is a professionally published James Bond fanfic, and much, much more.

“Unraveling” by K.G. Anderson (Originally published in Triangulation: Beneath the Surface.) "Sarah -- he's using you!" My voice rose into the whine my daughter loathed, but I couldn't stop. I pressed the phone to my ear. "You're 16. I absolutely forbid -- " My runaway daughter informed me that she hated me. "Have fun with the old witches," she said, and hung up. I climbed out of the car, slammed the battered door, and slumped against the sun-baked metal. Gradually my heartbeat slowed, but still felt frighteningly uneven. Fail-ure, fail-ure, FAIL-ure, it thumped. K.G. Anderson grew up listening to her elders, many of whom held to the ways of the Old Country. What they talked about — and what they refused to discuss — inspires much of her fiction. You’ll find K.G.’s stories in anthologies such as Second Contacts, The Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper Stories, Triangulation: Appetites, and Alternative Truths, as well as online at Metaphorosis, Ares Magazine, and Every Day Fiction. K.G. attended the Viable Paradise and Taos Toolbox writing workshops. She currently lives in Seattle, where she works as a journalist and technology writer. You can find out more at writerway.com/fiction. About the Narrator: Fran Carris is whatever she decides to be when she wakes up each morning. She has also been known to be a voice talent, performance artist, and poet, and professional dabbler in other arts that express. You can find her online at misfran.com. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "A Book By It's Cover" by Colleen Anderson Originally published in Mirrorshards Colleen Anderson has been twice nominated for the Aurora Award in poetry, and longlisted for the Stoker Award. She has co-edited Tesseracts 17, and Playground of Lost Toys  which was nominated for a 2016 Aurora Award. She is currently editing for Alice Unbound. New or forthcoming works are in Grievous Angel, Futuristica, The Sum of US, OnSpec and others. Because there is not enough to do, she is working on an alternate history dark fiction novel and a poetry collection. www.colleenanderson.wordpress.com Her poetry chapbook Ancient Tales, Grand Deaths and Past Lives is available through Kelp Queen Press. http://kelpqueenpress.com/colleen_anderson.html. Narrated by: Kate Lechler When she's not teaching or editing, Kate Lechler writes about genetically-engineered unicorns from a lawn chair in her carport in Oxford, MS. She is a graduate of the Taos Toolbox workshop and her work has appeared in Podcastle, Fireside Fiction, and Metaphorosis, among other places. Find her at katelechler.com, or @katelechler on Twitter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Main Fiction: "Rocket Surgery" by Effie Sieberg Originally appeared in Analog Effie Seiberg is a fantasy and science fiction writer. Her stories can be found in the "Women Destroy Science Fiction!" special edition of Lightspeed Magazine, Galaxy's Edge, Analog, and PodCastle, amongst others. She is a graduate of Taos Toolbox 2013, a member of Codex, and a reader at Tor.com. Effie lives in San Francisco, recently and upcoming (but not presently) near a giant sculpture of a pink bunny head with a skull in its mouth. She likes to make sculpted cakes and bad puns. Find her online at effieseiberg.com and on Twitter @effies. Narrated by: Stephanie Morris Stephanie is a professional fangirl by day and your friendly, neighborhood, not-quite-a-librarian staffing the circulation desk by night. She has narrated short stories for PseudoPod, PodCastle, EscapePod, and Cast of Wonders, guest-blogged on subjects ranging from new books to zombie turkeys, and performed Shakespeare in a handful of weird churches. Until... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Interviews: Ryan Calo – Robot Laws Main Fiction: “Jump Cut” by Lauren C. Teffeau Originally published in Unlikely Story’s Journal of Unlikely Cryptography, Issue 11 Lauren C. Teffeau was born and raised on the East Coast, educated in the South, employed in the Midwest, and now lives and dreams in the Southwest. In the Summer of 2012, she attended Taos Toolbox, a master class in writing science fiction and fantasy. Her short fiction can be found in a number of speculative fiction magazines and anthologies. Once upon a time she wanted to be a film critic. She decided to write this story instead. To learn more, please visit http://laurencteffeau.com. Narrated by Mike Boris Mike is a freelance... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Coming up… Two stories based on “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” Fact: Main Fiction 1: “Greener” by Josh Roseman 03:10 Josh Roseman (not the trombonist; the other one) lives in Georgia (the state, not the country). His writing has appeared in Asimov’s, Escape Pod, and the Crossed Genres anthology Fat Girl in a Strange Land. His fiction has been reprinted by the Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine and StarShipSofa, and his voice has been heard on two Escape Artists and all four District of Wonders podcasts. He is a 2013 graduate of the Taos Toolbox writing workshop. When not writing, he mostly complains about the fact that he’s not writing. Visit him online at roseplusman.com, or follow him on Twitter @listener42. Fact: Film Talk by Dennis M Lane 50:00 Main Fiction 2: “Always Greener” by