This article previously appeared in the Weekend section of The Tribune here.
EVERY
November, writers around the world take part in the National
Novel
Writing Month challenge - known as NaNoWriMo. This week, we
look at
podcasts that help writers as they try to make the leap from
initial
idea to seeing their work in print.
DIYMFA
For writers, the DIYMFA site is a
treasure trove. The podcast section is just one part of this
sprawling collection of resources and advice for writers. The
podcasts themselves cover a wide range – but perhaps the best of
them are the interviews with various authors. Rather than
straightforward interviews, though, each takes a specific focus
with
regard to the process of writing. For example, there's a chat with
Linda Fairstein, author of the Alex Cooper series and a former
Manhattan prosecutor. She was chief of the Sex Crimes Unit in
Manhattan which inspired the Law And Order SVU series – and she
talks about bringing your setting to life. She speaks about adding
little details of history to your writing to make the setting a
vibrant part of your novel. She also chats about how you go about
getting access to locations so you really know what you are
describing – and the persistence that is sometimes needed in order
to get through that door. There's a real focus on the process of
writing and creation here, and it's full of useful advice.
Website: www.diymfa.com
The Worried Writer
In the same vein, there is the Worried
Writer site – the blog site of author Sarah Painter. As she says
on
the site, fear of failure (and success... and everything) stopped
her
from writing for many years, and the Worried Writer site is her
way
of paying back all the support and advice that helped her overcome
her self-doubt. There are guides, pointers and more here – and the
podcasts are a delight. I listened to the recent one featuring the
splendid Catherine Ryan Howard chatting about her process of
writing,
who advises: “The more you write, the more you want to write,”
but then freely admits that she often leaves things until the last
minute before getting the bulk of the work done. She also chats
about
the way she plans her writing, and how she deals with editing of
the
finished work. It's great to hear that perspective on the writing
process. She also talks about the differences between
self-publishing, which is where she started out, and traditional
publishing, under which she has her first book coming out next
year.
She is very open about it, including how to deal with bad reviews,
and it makes for a splendid listen – if a little long at a little
over an hour.
Website: www.worriedwriter.com
Planning or pantsing is often cited as the two strands of writing - setting out your planning in notes or flying by the seat of your pants and working out the plot as you go.
Get
Published Podcast
This
podcast may have come to an end this summer - but its archives
are
full to the brim with useful information. Its last episode was
a
straightforward interview with author Chris Hite - who was
published
for the first time in the Dimensional Abscesses anthology
earlier
this year. It's a good interview - with his father, Jeffrey Hite,
part of the Get Published podcast team - in which he discusses
what
the biggest challenges were in going through the process of
having
his story edited and what inspired him to do it, as well as
that
determination that authors need to "just keep going". Often
you'll find interviews with authors who are well established,
but
this is a chance to hear the rawness of the process from
someone
discovering it for the first time. Late last month, producer
Michell
said it was time to end the podcast - but don't let that put
you off
investigating, the episodes that are there are a treasure
trove - and
who knows what future plans will come.
Got a podcast you'd like to see featured in the column? Send me a tweet at @chippychatty.
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