September 3, 2022
SW SPECIAL J‘s Beginner‘s Guide (part 6) PLOT FROM SCRATCH
WATCH ON YOUTUBE (with cool visuals): https://youtu.be/i4lClv8DSF4
Episode 6 of A BEGINNER'S GUIDE to Writing a Novel is the easiest way to write a plot!
We start with a letter from a listener, and we address questions like these:
- Should I write my story from the finale and work backward?
- Should I just figure out the plot as I go or should I write an outline?
- How does George Martin plan his FANTASY NOVELS?
- How do you fix a broken plot?
- Is it faster to just skip outlining and just start writing?
- What models can I structure my plot around?
- What’s the absolute simplest way to think of plot?
If you have questions, EMAIL US: pleasestartwriting@gmail.com
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Buy our books!
JOSEPH BENDOSKI: https://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Bendoski/e/B06XX7LYKL
J WASHBURN: http://library.jwashburn.com/
January 29, 2022
Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HHTHEKlHZd8
Jeanne Cavelos is an author, editor, scientist, and writing coach. In this episode, we talk about several of her works, including THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS, several BABYLON 5 novels, and her upcoming near-future scifi novel called FATAL SPIRAL. She is the founder of a nonprofit that brings out the best in writers called the ODYSSEY WRITING WORKSHOP.
Apply to the Personal Odyssey Workshop here:
http://www.odysseyworkshop.org
Read some writing tips on the Odyssey Workshop Blog:
https://odysseyworkshop.wordpress.com/
Listen to the Odyssey Workshop Podcast:
https://www.odysseyworkshop.org/resources/podcasts/
[NOTE FROM J: Sorry for the audio quality in this episode. That's my mistake. But I'm absolutely delighted to have had this conversation with Jeanne. And my thanks to you for listening!]
January 7, 2022
SW SPECIAL J‘s Beginner‘s Guide (part 5) VILLAINS
WATCH ON YOUTUBE (with cool visuals): https://youtu.be/egTvuOQI6Ns
HOMEWORK: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IYvaxzh7cfys4LP6CJZqje1wspxuNy5U-970mH7EvMY/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 5 of A BEGINNER'S GUIDE to Writing a Novel is about how to create DEEP CHARACTERS. This means making them dynamic. Villains can be the opposite of heroes, meaning they're dislikable and bad. Or villains can simply have opposing goals, ones that conflict with what they hero wants. These villains are not bad by nature, but they provide antagonism in a competitive, zero-sum game.
http://www.jwashburn.com
J Washburn is the author of STARCHILD, an epic space opera about a rogue pilot in a galactic revolution.
September 23, 2021
Episode 3 of A BEGINNER'S GUIDE to Writing a Novel teaches about building characters from the ground up. In this episode, J Washburn and Joe Bendoski tag team in a lecture that covers emotional intelligence, mimicry, and character names. We look at examples from Charles Dickens, George Lucas, J.K. Rowling, and George R.R. Martin.
To see the visuals from the slide deck, check out this episode of Start Writing on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uVdnrFxhscg
August 27, 2021
This episode covers how J Washburn goes through the worldbuilding process. He touches on examples from J.K. Rowling, Brandon Sanderson, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. He explains how to make a Story Bible. Oh, and maybe most importantly, he teaches you about finding and defining your genre.
Watch the episode on YouTube if you want to see the slides: https://youtu.be/7Gyd-Lyn4bo
July 22, 2021
We've had a lot of listeners ask us where to start. Our backlog spans many years! So this is meant to be tips for a beginner. It was put together with J as the lead, rather than Joe. See the video version here: https://youtu.be/rogG8TCFQtc
Let us know what you think: me@jwashburn.com
June 16, 2021
We talk to Bryan Collins about writing dialogue in non-fiction, and how journaling can be used to inform and fuel it. He talks about how he and other authors build a business around their non-fiction writing, and how time and events can change things.
Email: Pleasestartwriting@gmail.com
Patreon.com/startwritingpodcast
Website: http://joseph-bendoski.com/start-writing
