The Writers' Block Party Podcast

Voice

Finding herself in a peculiarly belligerent mood, amateur author Pru speaks out strongly for the value of every author’s voice; acting as the wise soother of rough waters, Merry talks Pru off the ledge by reading her excerpts of books with undeniable “voice.” Pru gets caught up in the Voice Quest and finds a few examples of her own. Harmony is restored. 

Creating an Audio Book with Naomi Rose-Mock

Generous audiobook narrator, actress, director Naomi Rose-Mock walks book novice Pru through the process of creating an audiobook…because that’s what she’s doing for Meredith Bond’s “A Hand for the Duke.” All kinds of questions are answered, including how much it costs, how long it takes, how the platform works. Naomi’s cool!

Pantsing with Allison Garcia

What’s it like to write purely organic fiction? Author Allison K. Garcia walks us through her process as she creates queer Christian contemporary fiction. Her method is infused with a faith in the eventual outcome that makes Pru jealous. Waaahh—how do *I* trust that everything will come out right in the end?! A remarkable discussion!

A Double Header: Patreon and Archetypes

A surprise dual topic: Merry and Pru discuss the concept of Patreons and paying to subscribe to podcasts (Pru is suspicious). And then Merry lays out not one but two mesmerizing systems of archetypes—one by Carl Jung (founder of analytical psychology) and one by Tami Cowden (charming author of romances and mysteries). May this startling pair live together forever, enshrined in a mythical archetype paradise!

 

Here are the lists (in PDF form) of archetypes Merry read out during the podcast -- just in case you couldn't write as fast as she talked:

Tami Cowden Archetypes

Jungian Archetypes

Here's Tami Cowden's book on Heroes and Heroines: https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Writers-Guide-Heroes-Heroines-ebook/dp/B00HD176J2/

And here are two quizzes you can take to find out which archetype you are (or your character is): https://callingcardbooks.com/archetypes-for-writers-12-jungian-archetypes/

https://www.psychologistworld.com/tests/jung-archetype-quiz

Marketing with Jenny Kate

Every author on the planet secretly thinks they’ve failed at marketing their book(s). Merry and Pru (at very different stages of their writing careers) are both astonished and delighted with the toolkit of information provided by our guest, author, and brilliant marketer Jenny Kate. At last—an actual plan!!

 

Listbuilding class recommended by Jenny: Amy Porterfield

Services to buy list-building names: Ryan Zee. Also, Novel Publicity

Jenny's website: https://thewriternation.com/

 

Interview with Grace Burrowes

Pru and Merry (both plotters) welcome the “ne plus ultra” of the pantsing world—glorious author Grace Burrowes—who offers brilliantly practical ways to nurture the creative process, provides “I want to be that when I grow up” wisdom on career paths and self-confidence, and leaves us with a welcome reminder that this is supposed to be fun. “If my hands are on the keyboard, a part of me is happy.”

 

Grace recommends that Pru reads "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal and Ryan Hoover. Here's a link to the audiobook: https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/B00HZY1N0K/

Describing Descriptions

Among other things, Amazon has re-defined how the savvy author writes a book blurb…and Meredith knows all about it! She walks Pru through the modern book blurb, and Pru discovers a remarkable connection between the back-of-the-book copy and podcasts #28 and 29: Hooks! Ahh...it's all coming clear now!

Scrumptious Settings

What’s the difference between the dreaded “info dump” and a skilled description that draws the reader further into the story? Merry not only knows the answer but provides examples. In turn, Pru has “Eureka!” moments that, in retrospect, are a lot like saying “My, water is wet, isn’t it?” My role as the newbie author sure is coming to a middle…

Merry read from

The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe

The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett

The Merry Marquis by Meredith Bond

Picking up the Pacing

Dagnabbit, Meredith is just so SMART. Pru admits that she thought pacing was about the sequence of events. Meredith points out NOT that Pru is an idiot (because she’s kind) but that the very rhythm of the language is a tool that any author can use to propel the story forward. William Goldman’s “The Princess Bride” provides a highly useful example.

Some useful show notes:

Great book on writing: SCENE AND STRUCTURE, by Jack Bickham 

Great writing coach other than Merry: Alicia Rasley. There are lots of useful articles about the writing craft on her website at http://www.aliciarasley.com/

The quote that Meredith reads is by Gary Provost, as quoted in WRITING TOOLS: 50 ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR EVERY WRITER by Roy Peter Clark, which seems to have been updated to 55 strategies and can be found at Amazon.

This is the quote:

This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It's like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony.  I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals--sounds that say listen to this, it is important.

So write with a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Create a sound that pleases the reader's ear. Don't just write words. Write music.

Love Scenes

By reading excerpts and having heated discussions, Merry and Pru decide several things: A love scene doesn’t necessarily mean a sex scene; it doesn’t even have to involve both protagonists (if you’re as skillful as Merry). If you write a sex scene, then it must advance the plot. And if you’re writing sex scenes without emotion, then that’s just anatomy. You do you, boo-boo—-but that ain’t a romance.

If you want Pru's beautiful love scenes in Cyn and the Peanut Butter Cup, you can find it here.

If you want to read An Exotic Heir, from which Merry read a romantic scene, you can find that here.