Joe asks: How has living on a homestead affected your writing life? If you had to do it over again, what would you do differently? The post Question 1122 How does the Homestead Affect Writing? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Brad asks: Do you ever collaborate or bounce ideas with other authors? And any advice on writing a screenplay first, then adapting the story into a novel? Down From Ten And Then She Was Gone The post Question 1121: Sacred ideas and Adapting from Screenplays appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Caine asks: What is a play? Not the mechanics of how documents are formatted or anything like that, but what Plays are, what they aren’t, and why people would write one. www.storybundle.com/steampunk The post Question 1120: What is a play? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Roland asks: I want to write short stories to give my readers an extra taste of my characters and side characters, but my mind goes blank trying to come up with a story. I imagine scenes and situations all the time, but they don’t feel very standalone. I also have lots of ideas for long things like novels or novellas, but when it comes to shorts, I…

Herb asks: A while back on Twitter you said you give every protagonist a feature you hate and even antagonist one you admire to prevent creating characters who are just your avatar in the story. What is your process for inserting them transparently and selecting the traits? What are some examples from your work? Hadrian’s Flight Insensitivity Reade…

Roland asks I love Star Wars, but in the most narrow way. Episodes IV-VI and a few other things are pretty cool. But, I want new stories, not dozens of prequel movies and series. Why are they afraid to go forward vs living in the Star Wars past? It’s not just Star Wars, either. I see the same thing with Game of Thrones and many popular book series.…

Roland asks: A lot of authors say they’re writing a prequel (as a lead magnet) when they haven’t published, or even finished, Book 1 yet. I know what they mean, but if they release ‘the prequel’ first, then isn’t that just Book 1 and not actually a prequel? The Hobbit The Three Theban Plays: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone Romeo and Julie…

Roland asks: Indie authors are obsessed with prequels to their Book Ones but I don’t get it. I almost never want to know MORE about what happened before Book 1. Why have prequels become such a thing these days? Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Star Trek V Job (the Bible) Clash of the Titans (1981) The Story of King Josiah The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings …

Listener Ian has a progress report on doing the Bradbury Challenge for NanoWriMo The post Feedback: The Bradbury Challenge appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Jim asks: Previously I mentioned I had a character who was 10 years old in a first book in a series. I had used him as a reader proxy, who gets into a little trouble but isn’t really a protagonist. How do I take a character who is now 15, grow him beyond proxy and make him interesting enough to turn pages, but not so interesting that he’s trying to…

Pablo asks: I have been struggling with a manuscript for a novel since 2015. I begin, stop, give up, take it up again, and all the time it keeps evolving in my head. Now it’s an unfinished chaotic first draft, only 38 pages so far. I’d like to be done with it so I can move to something else. I’ve never finished anything except for a 20-page short s…

Khellan asks: What happens to the stuff you and Kitty write during nanowrimo? Lost Days, Last Nights The post Question 1112: Products of NaNoWriMo appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Jim asks: I may have asked something like this before, but how does one rekindle the enjoyment of writing? It used to be a thing I did to avoid doing things I didn’t want to do, like finding time in the middle of the work day to sneak in some words, or a thing I did to prove to myself I could do it. It seems like as soon as it became a thing to do …

Ed asks: What does it mean for an author to “break faith” with his readers? The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan Poodle Springs by Raymond Chandler and Robert B Parker Variable Star by Robert A Heinlein and Spider Robinson The Silmarillion The Game of Thrones Writing Excuses podcast A Subversive Masterpiece The post Question 1110: Breaking Faith With…

Jim said: In my last question I talked about re-discovering the sequel I was supposed to be writing after spending 95,000 words on the wrong idea. As I approached the writing of the appropriate sequel, I bogged down early. I think I’ve figured out that the problem was not understanding the motivations of the various characters and whose perspective…

Jim asks: A little while back I dove into a sequel featuring my protagonist about fifteen years down the road. It was a big time jump, one I was ready for in the character, but so much more would have occurred, and so much left undone that it was the wrong book. I realized this when I was 95,000 words in. I wrote a whole novel to figure out it was …

Indiana Jim: A couple years ago you did an epic twitter thread on what the Lord of the Rings films got wrong. Could you do an episode on this topic so we can learn how to avoid these pitfalls in characterization? Original twitter thread We Need To Talk About Frodo Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings film series The post Question …

A guide to surgery for writers and an update from the hosts. Healthy Living Can Be Deadly The Secrets of the Heinlein Juvenile The post Where The Hell Have We Been? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Quick show announcement – we will be back Monday. The post Quick Announcement appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Jim asks: You’ve spoken before about how ADD and its derivatives can be a boon to the creative person, and the dangers of medicating it out. What are some ways the writer can manage the symptoms while appreciating the benefits? The post Question 1106: Creativity and ADD appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.…

Today we have feedback from Khellan on changing the way you listen and getting out of your own way. archivos The post Question 1105: Changing the Way You Listen appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Joe asks: Lots of young people want to be writers, but don’t have enough life experience to write anything interesting. What ways do you recommend to gain that sort of life experience? Meditations by Marcus Aurelius The Bed of Procrustes by Nassim Nicholas Taleb The Notebooks of Lazarus Long City Slickers The post Question 1104: Building Life Exper…

Indiana Jim asks: Stephen J. Cannell produced some of the best television shows ever, and I know you’re an aficionado. What was his secret sauce for engaging and enduring episodic storytelling? Wiseguy Rockford Files The A Team Silk Stalkings The Commish The post Questions 1103: Cannell’s Secret Sauce appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.…

A handful of announcements, or what we’ve been up to. The Write Stuff 50 by 50 Challenge Lost Days, Last Nights announcement post The Shoes I Wore This Morning, a sample of the Lost Days collection Unfolding the World substack And Then She Was Gone The post Catch-up & Announcements appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.…

Joe asks: I’ve been enjoying these short q&a podcasts! Here’s a question for your next one: what is your take on reading as a writer? Do you believe it’s important to read widely in the genre you write, or to avoid your genre and read widely in everything else? I’ve heard arguments for both sides. Or is it better not to read at all? The Bible The H…

Tim asks: What’re your opinions on pacing an Action-adventure novel? How much action is actually necessary? King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard Sahara by Clive Cussler Indiana Jones Romancing the Stone The Killing Floor by Lee Child Jurrassic Park (film) Congo (film) The Lost World by Doyle The Mummy The post Question 1101: Pacing in Action-Ad…

Where/how do you go to track down and read those books out of copyright? You mentioned King Solomon’s Mine recently and I’d love to get a copy of that on my ereader if there’s a free resource to grab it. Notes: Archive.org SFFaudio.org LibriVox The post Question 1100: Finding Public Domain Books appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.…

Caine asks: In a self evaluation of our own skill sets/aptitudes as a writer, what identifiers should exist that would indicate we have developed into a substantial professional writer? How do we know that we have what we need skills wise? What should we be able to do? What should we be NOT doing? King Con by Stephen J. Cannell The post Question 10…

Khellan asks: I’ve recently started carving out some “guaranteed” time to write fiction 3 times a week. It’s been a long time. Do you have any tools or tricks to get you back in the particular headspace or mood for the specific story you’re working on, or have you ingrained the habit well enough that not writing is always the problem for you? Spons…

Khellen asks: You mentioned punctuation and that stuff in another episode… Do you have enough to create a mini ebook with that stuff in? It is 123.6% worthwhile, because I forget and have to find a couple of books to figure out the rules! Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1097: We Need a Punctuation Master Class appeared first on The Every Da…

Joe asks: Lots of people have opinions about how to write a bestseller. What are some of the more interesting and counter intuitive ways to write a book that never sells at all? Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1096: How To Write a Worstseller appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Tim asks: I’ve noticed dictation results in a more twisty story than typing, at least for me. I guess I’m curious if there are any techniques you use that alter the kind of story that results? Resources Mentioned: The Clarke Lantham Mysteries J. Daniel Sawyer Fiction Podcast The post Question 1095: Dictation and Twisty Plots appeared first on The E…

Tim asks: Grit. How do you express a character’s mental toughness whether they’re a Point of View character or not? Resources mentioned: The Gulag Archipelago Witness Taken John Wick Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1093: Mentally Tough Characters appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Joe asks: What writing advice would have totally tanked you as a writer if you hadn’t ignored it? Resources Mentioned: The Collected Poems of Emily Dickenson The Best of Hemingway The post Question 1092: Destructive Writing Advice appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Tim asks: Do you see your characters more like real people or more like toys with all manner of features to employ in the narrative? Resources mentioned: On Fairy-Stories by JRR Tolkien Last Days of Socrates by Plato Biblical Book of Job Collected Classic Novels of HG Wells David Mamet Masterclass The post Question 1091: Individual Characters or Ch…

Ed asks: Can you riff on creative partnerships, particularly long term? What makes them succeed? What makes them fail? How does one find a creative partner? And how does one adapt or change when a creative partnership ends? Resources Mentioned: The Expanse by James S.A. Corey The Man Who Wrote Frankenstein by John Lauristen Sponsored by Archivos Th…

Khellen asks: My antagonist hasn’t shown up halfway through the book and I’m not sure what to do. How do you build an effective antagonist for your stories? Resources Mentioned: Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures by J. Daniel Sawyer The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1089: Creating Effective Antagonists appe…

Dawn asks: Which is best for writing: typing, longhand, or dictation? Why? Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1088: Writing Implements appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Nichole asks: I’m having trouble expanding my short story into a novel. Can you give some techniques and examples? Resources: Predestination and Other Games of Chance (full cast audio podcast by J. Daniel Sawyer) Nightfall by Isaac Asimov novel, short story The post Question 1087: Expanding a Short Story Into a Novel appeared first on The Every Day…

Dawn asks: How should a lonely writer go about networking with other writers? The post Questions 1086: Networking for Writers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Nichole asks: How does one show the gender of a first person narrator? Resources: I, Claudius by Robert Graves Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1085: Showing Narrator Gender in First Person appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Tim asks: What makes you (and other listeners) want to tell stories? Resources: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster Sponsored by Archivos The post Question 1084: What Motivates a Writer? appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Dawn asks: How do freelancers deal with breaks and vacations? Sponsored by Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures! The post Question 1083: Vacations for Freelancers appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Dawn asks: Is there ever a time in one’s life when you shouldn’t start writing? Sponsor: Suave Rob’s Awesome Adventures The post Question 1082: When Not to Write appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Nichole asks: So what’s the skinny on all the edible plants up there on your homestead? Resources mentioned: Monty Python and the Holy Grail The post Question 1081: Edible Plants appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Alexis asks: I always feel behind. What kind of advice do you have for work-life balance for freelancers? The post Question 1080: Work-Life Balance appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

We’re back after far too long an absence. In this episode you will find a feeble justification for our delinquency, as well as a brand new sparkling question from Dawn. Dawn asks: How do you get around a fear of writing? Sponsored by Archivos The post We’re BACK! Question 1079: Fear of Writing appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.…

Tim asks: How can I keep the momentum going in a series that I haven’t planned out from the beginning? Resources Mentioned: Splinter of the Mind’s Eye by Alan Dean Foster The post Question 1078: Sustaining an Unplanned Series appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Ed asks: Will AI push our world in a more libertarian or totalitarian direction? The post Question 1077: AI and the Politics of the Future appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer

Tim asks: Which of your stories was the most fun to write? Resources mentioned: Suave Rob’s Double-X Derring-Do Suave Rob’s Rough’N’Ready Rugrat Rapture Chicken Noodle Gravity Funeral Hats The post Question 1076: The Most Fun Story to Write appeared first on The Every Day Novelist.By J. Daniel Sawyer