2012 April

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Master Procrastination and the Disciplinary Imperative

I’m currently 63,000 words into my second novel attempt. Sounds fairly impressive, but I’ve been at 63,000 words for the last six weeks. Sure, I’ve written two short stories, a couple blog entries, participated in recording ten-or-so Roundtable episodes(my favorite distraction besides my wife), taught, graded papers and lesson-planned for about 60 hours a week, etc., etc., and on, and on. A lot like you! But is all of that really keeping me from writing my book? Yes. Because I let it.

We all are experts at wasting time, and the successful few have learned to at least minimize the bastard! We’ve all heard and read countless papers and pamphlets and programs on how to beat down the maniacal villain known as Master Procrastination. That is not what this post is going to do.

By Dave Robison

20 Minutes with Mur Lafferty

Mur Lafferty has a book coming out, a Not-A-Hugo award nomination (trans. the prestigious John W. Campbell Award) is editing Escape Pod and Angry Robot Books Worldbuilder Project and continues to produce the exceptional “I Should Be Writing” podcast and STILL she managed to swing by the Roundtable Skype line. We’re glad she did (and you will, too) as Mur discusses her experiences with depression, her current challenges as a writer, why she writes specfic, and more

By Dave Robison

Literary Alchemist: Mur Lafferty

Showcase: 20 Minutes with Mur Lafferty Workshop: Workshop Episode 9 (Guest Host: Mur Lafferty) Website/Blog: http://www.murlafferty.com Other Sites: I Should…

By Dave Robison

Actors Write Better Characters

There is no one better equipped to build rich authentic characters than someone who has actually “lived” (for a few hours) as someone else. In order to appear authentic on stage, an actor has to be able to respond to cues and events AS THEIR CHARACTER. If they don’t, the performance is flat and uninteresting. Writers are striving for that same authenticity… and suffer the same consequences if they fall short of the mark. So how do actors do it?

By Dave Robison

Workshop Episode 8 (Guest Host: Justin Macumber)

Justin Macumber – author of Haywire, co-host of The Dead Robots’ Society and The Hollywood Outsider, writer of a diverse spectrum of intriguing speculative fiction – rejoins us for an awesome Workshop episode. We are joined by Scott Roche, an accomplished author and podcaster in his own right, offering up a very cool YA superhero tale that generates an epic Roundtable Podcast discussion.

By Dave Robison

20 Minutes with Justin Macumber

Justin Macumber – founder and host of the Dead Robots Society, host on the Hollywood Outsider podcast, and author of the newly released scifi novel “Haywire” – somehow finds a away to pull out of the literary fast-lane and join us for a delightful and informative session around the Roundtable. Justin pursues what he loves with honesty and passion, and generously shares some of his mojo as we explore some of the big (and small) questions that all writers have.

By Dave Robison

Workshop Episode 7 (Guest Host: P.G. Holyfield)

P. G. Holyfield – author of “Murder at Avedon Hill” (and the podiobook!), evil genius behind SpecFic Media, and curmudgeon of the “Beyond the Wall” podcast – finds a chair at The Roundtable and helps us workshop an epic story by Dan Eagles. We’ve got extinction viruses, “infectants”, alien technology, and the Hadron Collider… does it GET any better than that? I think not!

By Dave Robison

Literary Alchemist: Justin Macumber

Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Justin Macumber Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 8 Website/Blog: http://www.justinmacumber.com Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Justin.Macumber Dead Robots Society…

By Dave Robison

20 Minutes with P. G. Holyfield

P.G. Holyfield is a walker of many worlds. Author and podcaster (http://www.pgholyfield.com), blogger and web architect (http://specficmedia.com/), his experience spans across most conventional media (and some unconventional ones), so we were delighted when he agreed to join us at the Roundtable for a chat. The topics of discussion for this showcase include worldbuilding, the relationship between plot and character, and the pitfalls of editing while you’re still writing.

By Dave Robison

Workshop Episode 6 (Guest Host: Phillipa Ballantine)

Phillipa Ballantine – author, podcaster, and maven of amazement – takes time from her frightfully busy schedule to take a seat at the Roundtable for an unforgettable episode. She’s joined by the talented and charming L. L. McKinney who offers up a fabulous story based on Lewis Carrol’s “Alice in Wonderland” (though Alice was never so badass). The show went a little long but dang… with great hosts, awesome guests and an amazing story what are we supposed to do?

By Dave Robison

20 Minutes with Phillipa Ballantine

Pip Ballantine – New Zealand’s first podcasting author – takes time from the wonders of the Ministry, the Order, and the Shifted Worlds to join us for (a little more than) a twenty minute chat. In spite of her many achievements and gift for crafting exquisite worlds, Pip has her feet on the ground and speaks frankly and with ease about her work, the evolution of a story, the role of mythology in her work, and the characters she’s crafted.

By Brion Humphrey

Love Your Bad Self!

“We want to believe the best of who we are, and ignore and deny the worst. The most intriguing moment…

By Dave Robison

Workshop Episode 5 (Guest Host: Alasdair Stuart)

Alasdair Stuart leaps across the Atlantic Ocean to take a seat at the Roundtable and help workshop a story by the founder of New Fiction Writers, Tony Whitford. Tony offers up the tale of a down-on-his-luck government agent who stumbles upon an alien serial killer which proves to be fertile ground for a fabulous discussion.

By Dave Robison

Literary Alchemist: P. G. Holyfield

Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with P. G. Holyfield Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 7 (Guest Host: P. G. Holyfield) Website/Blog: http://pgholyfield.com…

By Dave Robison

Literary Alchemist: Phillipa Ballantine

Showcase Episode: 20 Minutes with Phillipa Ballentine Workshop Episode: Workshop Episode 6 Website/Blog: http://www.pjballantine.com/ Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/groups/pjballantine/ Born in…