Gaming and Speculative Fiction are inextricably linked… whether the tales of Conan the Barbarian led you to explore Dungeons & Dragons, or…
Dialogues
A gathering of visionaries to intent on exploring the face of modern storytelling
David Annandale describes horror as “the cluster of tactics and strategies that set about to create the effect of horror.” As such, it can be…
E-books, audiobooks, websites, podcasts, transmedia, social media, Scribd, WattPad… compared to just a decade ago, the ways to tell a story have multiplied exponentially. Readers (or listeners) can not only find the stories they want with a click of the mouse, but they can also find the authors themselves, creating a whole new dynamic of fandom.
As formats and delivery models transform and evolve, the question has to be asked: Has the ancient craft storytelling – an instinct hard-coded into the DNA of every human being – been changed as well? And if so, how? And, more importantly, what should an author know in order to tell their stories in this ever-shifting terrain?
Joining me to help address this question is Cat Rambo, Joe Bonadonna , Michael A. Armstrong, and Janet and Chris Morris, veteran tale-weavers straddling the traditional and the modern. Together, we set out to examine the “new” storytelling models, discussing ebooks, audiobooks, mobile technologies, episodic and serial storytelling, and more.
Tales around a fire. That’s how it started… the oral tradition, the first way knowledge was stored and transmitted.
Thousands of years later, we’ve rediscovered the power and presence of the human voice in the telling of new tales. Digital technology has made the recording and delivery of high-quality audio narration both convenient and affordable. Now storytellers everywhere are lifting their words from the page (or pixel) and breathing new life into their tales through audio fiction podcasts and audiobooks.
Translating a written tale into an audio presentation has unique rewards and challenges… and that’s the terrain we set out explore on this Roundtable Dialogue episode.
One of the most intriguing formats that has permeated nearly every corner of our awareness is Transmedia Storytelling. By implementing diverse content threads across multiple media platforms, storytellers are able to transcend the limitations of printed word and provide their audiences with a richer, more engaging story experience.
Joining me for this transformative dialog is a cast of Transmedia luminaries, each with years of diverse experience in developing these unique storytelling experiences: Amanda Havard, Andrea Phillips, J. C. Hutchins, and Robert Pratten. I was also most fortunate to have Matthew Wayne Selznick agree to join me as co-host and bring his experience and insight to the table.
Brion and I are joined by authors Colin F. Barnes, Alasdair Stuart, Starla Hutchton, and Stephen Godden to discuss the challenges of writing near-future scifi in a world where science fact keeps out pacing our imaginations. Along the way we manage to debunk the reported “death of cyberpunk” as well as explore the sources of the trend towards genre mash-ups.