Podcast Picks for Writers - March 2015

Since January, there have been some changes in my household that left me struggling with balancing my writing work, my teaching work and my family life. So even though I've been listening to podcasts, I haven't blogged about any for a while. My goal is to get back to that a little more often. Here are three that I found especially interesting this March:

Writing Excuses 10.9 – Where Is My Story Coming From?

This year, the team at Writing Excuses is following a different format, where for three of their weekly podcasts in a month, they focus on one aspect of creating a book, e.g., characters, structure. I found this episode on structure especially useful. 

Something that stuck with me was their discussion about considering the overall tone of the book during the planning stage.

Dabblers vs Doers with Dan Blank: Interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I recently started listening to this series of podcasts about creative professionals taking risks as they develop their craft. I really enjoyed this interview with author-illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi, and not just because she's my friend. Like Debbie, I’m a total introvert.

Debbie:  “I bet there are so many introverts out there who were in my position, getting rejections, who could feel they were on the edge, on the cusp of success. If I could talk to my younger self, I would say, get out and starting meeting people.”

Debbie's latest picture book WHERE ARE MY BOOKS? is coming out on May 12, 2015 from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.

Introducing Generation Z: A Special Edition of The Current with Anna Maria Tremonte at CBC Radio.

These three podcasts aren't focused on writing, but if you are writing YA or upper MG, they might give you a peek into what teens are thinking and talking about and how they view the world.

Stop Writing To Think

This probably sounds crazy, but I sometimes feel so caught up in the need to use any spare moment for writing that I forget to take time to think. As I move along with rephrasing, adding emotions, or enriching descriptions, I'm thinking, but not deeply enough.

It's usually a comment by a critique buddy that makes me stop and really consider one of the elements I've put into my story. Does it need to be there? Why did I put that there? How can I make it work? Lately, I've been stopping a lot, even for elements that seem to be working, to think, 'What if...'

And it's been exciting. Even when I thought I had my story all worked out, thinking about what might happen if one element was a little different has led me to changes that increase tension, deepen character motivation and streamline the plot.

Do you ever ask "what if" when you're revising?

The Confidence to Take Risks

With the second draft of my third novel moving along so well -- I'm on Chapter 10 and plan to finish it by the end of February -- I'm feeling more and more confident about myself as a writer. Part of it is that I've learned so much through writing and reading. Another part is that I belong to a really great critique group. We've never met each other, but we support each other through highs and lows, and hearing about their acccomplishments inspires me do to more.

One of the things my group has inspired me to do is to take more risks. For me, this includes actually sending out some queries about my completed novels, and to push myself to write about something that is a little bit outside my comfort zone. What risks are you taking in your writing?

By the way, Marcia Hoehne, a published author and ICL instructor, is having a free critique giveaway! Today is your last day to enter.