Writing Excuses

Writing Excuses discusses the highly requested topic of collaboration in writing, sharing their plans for joint projects and offering tips for beginners. They explore different methods of collaborative writing, including the James Patterson approach. The hosts touch on successful collaborations in science fiction and share insights on managing challenges in collaborative work.

Explore the emotional appeal of tragedy in literature with a focus on classical storytelling. Discuss the impact of tragic endings and the role of tragic flaws in character development. Get insights on incorporating tragedy in writing through examples and personal experiences.

Explore the concept of antiheroes through examples like Frodo, Punisher, and Mr. Ripley. Discuss the appeal of sympathetic anti-heroes like Batman and Spider-Man. Dive into the dynamics of antiheroes in storytelling, emphasizing the need for captivating narratives and unexpected endings.

Explore the impact of unreliable narrators in storytelling, using examples from various books. Discuss how unreliable narrators can introduce plot twists and deeper meanings, contrasting them with omniscient narrators. Learn how to use unreliable narrators effectively to create tension and varied perspectives in your writing. Discover the significance of uncertainty in storytelling and the evolving reader preference for engaging narratives.

The podcast delves into world-building gender roles in fantasy and futuristic settings, exploring societal norms, character arcs, and audience connection. The speakers discuss crafting diverse societies, portraying gender dynamics in various media forms, and challenging traditional norms in fiction. They highlight the importance of authenticity, subtlety, and nuance in creating thought-provoking narratives.

In this episode, the hosts delve into blending humor with drama and horror in writing. They discuss why humor and horror complement each other, how to make jokes without losing character depth, and why 'Shaun of the Dead' is a brilliant example. The episode includes a writing prompt, an audible sponsorship, and a preview of the next episode on 'The Hero with A Thousand Faces'.

Join the hosts as they chat with local NaNoWriMo participants, discussing the challenges they face while trying to boost their word-counts. Dive into the process of writing, handling character decisions, balancing action scenes in a trilogy, and exploring writing progress and pacing. Don't miss out on a creative writing prompt to kill a character with a shovel!

Professional comic book writer Jake Black joins Dan and Howard to discuss breaking into the comic writing industry. They explore transitioning from fan fiction writing, navigating the challenges of the comic industry, and providing insights on routes to success as a comic writer.

Writer Jake Black joins the podcast to discuss comic script formats, collaborating with creative teams, writing comics based on existing properties, and breaking panel rules for dynamic action sequences. The hosts provide insights into the intricate process of creating comics and emphasize the importance of understanding the rules before breaking them.

Exploring the impact of plot twists in storytelling and the significance of character conflicts and resolutions. Discussing the concept of writing without twists, focusing on engaging narratives with clear conflicts and maintaining high stakes. Analyzing dialogue setups in Die Hard and Jane Austen novels and humorous writing prompts involving Jane Austen and terrorists.