Mur Lafferty's Blog, page 46

ISBW #382: Back to basics

WHY should you follow all those writing rules? These are the "story structure" and "no adverbs" and "Give your characters something to do" rules. Can't we all just break the rules and run amok? It's the digital age, we can do what we want!

ISBW 381

We talk awards and feedback and I wonder what happened at WorldCon. We will find out when I record again!

ISBW #380

I'm coming out of depression land and straight into the crazy that is August that is travel and WorldCon. So here is the podcast for the week of July 24, and the podcast for the week of August 7 is already queued. 

(Only I say it's for August 14 because calendars are hard)

Books mentioned: Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun

ISBW #379: Those Down Days

The bad thing about being on a regular recording schedule again is I have to podcast even when I don't feel like it. So sometimes it's just about the mental health. This is a short, low energy podcast, but I'm really fine, trust me. Just had a bad start to the week with migraine and super low energy. I'm doing much better now, but figured I should post this because I try to be honest with the look inside a writer's life, and sometimes there are days like this.

Mentioned: The War of Art.

ISBW #378: Preparations

I've decided I need some simple lists to help me when I travel and record, and figure those kinds of lists might help with writing, too. 

ISBW #377: Brain Weasels

I know I know I know I always say these supportive things but sometimes it's hard to listen to myself. Recently I've been suffering from "first draft must be perfect" syndrome, and had to step back and actually look at myself and what I was doing. 

First drafts don't have to be perfect. Write it 100x on the board.

ISBW #376: Must you write daily? And interview with Robyn Bennis!

Is Writing Daily a Necessity?

A new article has writer Twitter in a froth. It turns out that someone wrote a clickbait article about how if you aren't writing daily, then you might as well quit.

This is so, so, so wrong. Did I write daily for a while? Yes. Do I recommend the Magic Spreadsheet for others who want to write daily? Yes. Did it help me and others? Yes. But telling you that you MUST write daily because I did is like saying that since I ran a marathon, everyone must run a marathon else they have no chance of being an athlete. So I get into that more in this episode.

Then I talk to Robyn Bennis, author of the debut novel The Guns Above! (Note, the interview has some NSFW words but I reversed them, so there's no swearing but there are a few backward words. But I do have a new tool coming to make bleeping words easier!)

Also, don't miss the latest Ditch Diggers regarding parenting and a writing career!

ISBW #375: Feedback

Show Notes: 

ISBW (and Ditch Diggers) Wiki, a work in progress! Discussions of the magical negro: Further thoughts by Nnedi Okorafor: STEPHEN KING'S SUPER-DUPER MAGICAL NEGROES and Salon: The offensive movie cliche that won’t die Books I recommend: many books by Victoria Lynn Schmidt and Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress

 

 

ISBW #374: Writing conflict with two facets (at least)

I credit one of the things that is making me consistent lately to taking ADHD meds for the first time. Yay, mental health! Been feeling invisible lately. Not too bad, but it's strange. I can't go into details, but dang, it's not a good feeling. I started a new book! Alasdair Stuart code named it SPACE MEAT DINER for me. I probably will not submit the book under this title. Current wordcount (including proposal parts) 7706. Main Topic: Conflicts! Characters work best with an internal conflict to make fighting the external conflict harder. Internal conflicts include: phobias (India Jones and snakes), flaws (Hamlet's hubris), or basic human weaknesses (inability to address your own needs, like unrequited love). Internal conflicts will shape how the character deals with the external conflicts you put in their story.

We will see you in two weeks for a feedback show. Next week I will have a new Ditch Diggers for you!

ISBW #373: About all those rules

Don't use adverbs. Show, don't tell. Often blanket terms, what do they really mean, and why should we use them? And what does it mean when someone carefully follows those rules.

Recommended book: Nabokov's Favorite Word Was Mauve