Pay Attention To What You Are Learning / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-July-2024

Pay close attention to what you are learning.

I had a meeting with one of my colleagues and they were asking what they should be doing to prepare for an upcoming leadership role.

This is an interesting question, and can be applied to many jobs or learnings as there is a multitude of information out there.  Take leadership for a moment.  There are a ton of books, and they run the gambit from dreadful to spectacular.  Okay, so how do you know?  You don't.  And here's the caveat: what one finds no value in, others do.

I have read a lot about time management over the years, and there are good ideas and there . . . well, mediocre ones at best.  But what one finds that works, others do not.  And vice versa.

It's easy to get caught up in the soaking up of knowledge.  In the end, the best way is to actually do the job.  Take writing.  The best way I have found is to sit down and write.  Read too, but also write.

The Grim Worlds Podcast - a new must-listen to / Happenings In The Outhouse 14-May-2021

Over the past few weeks, I've lamented the fact that I've cut back on the number of podcasts that I listen to.  Although this still remains true, once in a while I come across a podcast, a diamond in the rough, that cuts through and finds it way home to my earbuds.

Welcome to the Grim Worlds podcast.

At the time of this post, the podcast has two episodes, and you may find something familiar about the second episode--it features two stories (for the price of one, which is free) by yours truly.

The podcaster, Derek Olson, may be new to the podcast world, but its quality ranks up near the top when compared to all of the others I've listened to over the years.  This podcast, and other works he creates in the future, will be one you will want to watch out for.  Not only is he a unique voice, the music and sound effects put this in a podcast class all its own.

Be sure to subscribe and listen to this one!

Finding Value, Finding Fun / Happenings In The Outhouse 25-Dec-2020

Merry Christmas!

I didn't purposefully intend for this blog post to drop on this blessed day.  Some blogs I plan out a week or more in advance.  Others are more spur of the moment, something that sparked a thought in my mind.  This one was planned.

In fact, I had another one in mind, one that has been generating a bit of news throughout the publishing and financial community, but decided to put that one off for a bit.

If you've been reading this blog for quite some time, you know that once every year or so, I go on what I call a "podcast fast."  This is where I completely distance myself from podcasts--or dramatically cut down on the number of them.  My goal is to be able to listen to all of the episodes that drop in a single week.  But there are only a handful of weeks where I'm able to do this.

Hence, I question on what I find value in.

Finding value is the barometer in which I select not only my podcasts, but even podcast episodes and other content.  Some of a more Christian nature I will listen to the majority of them.  But given how people have become in 2020, especially since late May 2020 and even leading up to the U.S. Election, I have cut out a number of podcasts.  I even tried to listen to a podcast that had a political view much different than mine, just so I could diversify my knowledge.  But when I found their facts as grounded as wet sand, I didn't find any value in it and unsubscribed.

I have two measurements in which I consume content.  Does it have value?  Or is it fun?  Or both?

If it's something I find value in, I will latch onto it.  If there's no value, I question whether or not to consume it.  Chances are, I dismiss it and move on.  There is too much going on for me to waste with mindless drones--can anyone say mainstream media?  Yup.  No value there.

New mindset for outlining / Happenings In The Outhouse 20-May-2016

A month ago, I said I was going to try my hand at outlining the fourth thriller book in the Central Division Series.  It went well, brainstorming the beginning, middle, and end, and a lot of pieces in between.

But after two days, I was itching to just start writing the book, because that's the way I roll.

What brought about this urging for me to outline?

I discovered a new podcast a few months ago called the Story Grid Podcast with Shawn Coyne and Tim Grahl.  When I started listening, I knew I had to listen to them all.  And I highly recommend it, if you want a new sense of storytelling and why some stories work and many don't.

Shawn Coyne has been an editor for over twenty-five years and wrote a book called the Story Grid.  Check it out.  It's well worth the investment, no matter what genre you write.

In a number of the podcast episodes, Shawn suggested not necessarily planning out one's day in word count but in writing a specific scene or two.  The scene or two may take up the word count you need for the day, but it's a different mindset to have, looking at it by scene instead of words.

With my new book, I decided to take this approach.  After the day's writing, I would plan out the next scenes.  It's still early in the process, but it seems to be working well.

My love of storytelling / Happenings In The Outhouse 13-May-2016

I've always been drawn to great storytellers.  Back when I was very young, I had several . . . well, books on records.  Yes, those circular vinyl things that spin around and around on a turntable.  Yes, I'm that old.  Then, as technology grew, it became books on cassette tapes.

But I will never forget the awesome storytelling power of Paul Harvey, on the radio, telling us about The Rest Of The Story.

I'd love listening to those Paul Harvey tales whenever I could, trying to guess who he was speaking about.  I could never guess them, and the surprise endings always amazed me.  But what amazed me the most was his ability to tell a great story.

Musicians who tell stories in their songs have also affected me.  Check out the early days of Will Smith as the Fresh Prince in the hit duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince if you don't believe me.  And he's certainly not the only one.  Some of my favorite musical storytellers are John Denver and Gordon Lightfoot.

Not only do I love the sound of a good storyteller.  This even grew from the voiceover works of Don LaFontaine (think of movie trailers that start with "In A World . . ." Yes, this is that guy) and James Earl Jones (the voice of Darth Vader).

I used to work as a dispatcher for the Sheriff's department in my county.  This involved many midnight to eight shifts.  In the wee hours of the morning (we're talking like four and five AM, mind you), when I grew tired of watching movies, I'd flip through the channels for something interesting to watch.  Trust me, there hardly ever was.

One show started to fascinate me.  It was called The Most (on the History Channel) and the host was Mike Rowe.  At the time, I didn't know who this guy was, but his voice was memorable and his storytelling ability was amazing.  Over time, Rowe went on to host/narrate various shows like Deadliest Catch and Dirty Jobs.

Earlier this week, while searching through my Stitcher app I discovered a new podcast by Rowe called The Way I Heard It.  On this podcast, he tells 5-6 minute stories in much the same fashion as Paul Harvey.  As of this posting, there are sixteen episodes, and all are amazing.  This is one podcast you need to listen to, if you loved the stories of Paul Harvey or you even love storytelling in general.  These weekly episodes are for the curious mind and gives the timely history behind many people who may (or may not) have heard of.

Guest of Honor featured on the Writership Podcast / Happenings In The Outhouse 04-Dec-2015

If you're a writer and aren't listening to the Writership Podcast, I highly recommend you add it to your list.

The Writership Podcast features two accomplished editors, Leslie Watts and Alyssa Archer, in helping indie authors master self-editing skills.  Their weekly show should be the stable of any writer who wishes to improve their skills.

Also, as an added bonus, my novelette Guest of Honor was featured this week on their podcast.  Please click on the link to listen to them critique the opening section of my novelette.

Also, if you haven't picked up Guest of Honor, it is still free . . . but not for much longer.  Here is a link to my website where you can find the e-retailer of your choice: Guest of Honor.

What I Listen To - The Rocking Self Publishing Podcast

A fair number of people who interview authors seem to take their task with an aura of "this is just a job" and exhibit no sense of interest at all in the author or their work.

That is not the case with Simon with the Rocking Self-Publishing Podcast.

Simon interviews authors on his weekly podcast from all aspects of self-publishing.  From online comics to book marketing to the big names in self-publishing today, his interviews go in-depth as authors share the nuts and bolts of their craft and business.

His interviews run roughly an hour in length.  Simon's skillful interview style is professional and thought-provoking.

The Rocking Self-Publishing Podcast is a new podcast I've picked up these past few months, and with a little more than 50 podcasts so far, they are well worth going back and listening to them all.  Simon always digs up the nuggets of gold in the self-publishing world and hand-delivers them right to you.

So check out Simon and the Rocking Self-Publishing Podcast.  You'll thank yourself for doing so.

What I Listen To - The Sell More Books Show

Thanks to Joanna Penn from The Creative Penn.com, one of my new favorite podcasts is the Sell More Books Show.

At the time I write this, they are on their 10th episode, and trust me when I say if you haven't listened to this show before, go back and listen to them all.  I listen to them on the Stitcher app on my Android phone.

Roughly a year ago, I cut back on the number of podcasts I listen to, and have only added two lately (see next week's post for that one).  The Sell More Books Show is one of them.

The two hosts, Bryan Cohen and Jim Kukral, are energetic and brilliant.  They've been out in the field and have done great work in author marketing and entrepreneurship.  Both are authors as well.  They typically pick a few top tips at the beginning of their show, and after a quick pros and cons, pick which one they feel is the best.  Then, they go onto the top five news item in the world of indie publishing for the week.

Now, here's one of the big pluses for the show: its length.  Most shows run a little more than 30 minutes, and there isn't a whole lot of time wasted with mindless conversation you hear in so many other podcasts.  The Sell More Books Show is so concise and packed with useful information, it shouldn't even be free--but it is!

What I listen to - The Roundtable Podcast

Literary alchemists unite!

Ever wonder how a writer comes up with a story?  Ever wonder how the creative mind works, melting and mashing ideas and plots together to form the next (or so they hope) bestseller?

Never fear, The Roundtable Podcast is here and will serve up the literary gold we are so yearning to achieve!

Hosts Dave Robison and Brion Humphrey do something a little different with The Roundtable Podcast.  They typically run two shows a week.  The first one is called "20 minutes with" and they interview a writer or editor or podcaster or publisher about their work.  Then, that guest will return for the second installment where they workshop a story.  This second show features someone who needs help with their story and use the creative mojo of Dave, Brion, and the guest host to turn that idea into . . . LITERARY GOLD!

The Roundtable Podcast is on their second year (congrats!) and the energy that Dave brings to the podcast is infectious--in a good way!  His introductions to guest hosts and the workshop author are legendary, and his rich energizing voice will keep you coming back to the podcast for each and every installment.

You do not want to miss The Roundtable Podcast.  Add it to your growing list today.

What I listen to - Fictional Frontiers with Sohaib Awan

When it comes to shorter podcasts regarding the publishing industry of science fiction and fantasy, one perfect place to find these is Fictional Frontiers, hosted by Sohaib Awan.

Most of Sohaib's podcasts are fifteen minutes long, and jam-packed full of knowledge as he interviews such SF/F heavy-weights as Timothy Zahn, Brad Meltzer, Terry Brooks, Tara Bennett, James Berardinelli, China Mieville, Howard Andrew Jones, and many more.

One plus for me is that Sohaib serves up many of those who are working in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.  Very few podcasts I listen to ever do this.

Be sure to add Fictional Frontiers to your podcast feed.

You'll be glad you did.

What I listen to - SF Signal podcast

For all you podcast listeners out there, if you love science fiction and/or fantasy, you will definitely want to add the 2012 Hugo Award winning podcast SF Signal to your list.

Patrick Hester is the host of this fabulous show.  These shows can take on various forms.  He's had interviews with many of the big names in the SF/F publishing industry, like Chuck Wendig, Mary Robinette Kowal, Paul and Storm, Jay Lake, Jim Butcher, Laura Resnick, Patrick Rothfuss, and many more.

The other form of show are panels, where he'll line up industry experts to give their take on subjects such as Cyberpunk, Steampunk, the best debut novel you've ever read, and more.  These discussions always bring out so much knowledge of the SF/F industry that I find myself jotting down every story title they toss out.

Patrick is also a novelist in his own right, the host of another geek-related show (which I will cover in depth in a future blog post), and also produces Mur Lafferty's podcast "I should be writing."  Talk about one busy guy!

To listen to just the SF Signal podcasts: click on this link.

The full site, which includes tons of news articles on the world of sciece fiction and fantasy, click on this link.

What I listen to - Adventure in Sci-Fi Publishing

"And now, pod-structed on a zeppelin by an apprentice mage, and delivered by rocketship to a benevolent dragon . . . Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing."  And so is the vivid introduction of a highly successful science fiction and fantasy podcast titled Adventures in Sci-Fi Publishing, produced by author Shaun Farrell.

Ever want to hear from bestselling science fiction/fantasy authors and editors like Kevin J. Anderson, Lou Anders, James Enge, Mark Teppo, Jason Denzel, Travis Heermann, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Eric Flint, Ari Marmell, Peter Orullian, Tobias Buckell, and several more, then the Adventures In Sci-Fi Publishing Podcast is one of the best places to turn to.

Shaun recently reformated the show for 2013 to allow for more, and shorter, podcasts, which I for one was very pleased to experience.  For longer interviews, there is typically a part 1 and 2, bringing the majority of podcasts right at the 30 minute magic number.

Interviewees include: Shaun, Moses Siregar III, and Brent Bowen.  The questions asked by in these accomplished podcasts are not your typical "how did you get published" or "what is your writing style like".  They delve into the heart of each author, bringing out their masterful techniques and thoughts on the business of writing.

They currently have over 200 episodes (number 200 brought out an amazing interview with Lou Anders, accomplished editor of Pyr Books), so be sure to go back and listen to hours and hours of amazing interviews with Adventures In Sci-Fi Publishing.

What I listen to - Speculate!

Speculate! is one of my newly-discovered podcasts--another gem in the rough for anyone wanting to know more about the fantasy/science fiction publishing industry.

The hosts are Gregory A. Wilson and Bradley P. Beaulieu, successful bestselling authors of the genre, and they bring a whole new level of industry and publishing knowledge to each episode that you don't find anywhere else.

Greg and Brad have interviewed fantasy/science fiction authors or editors such as Myke Cole, Saladin Ahmed, Joe Abercrombie, Peter V. Brett, Howard Andrew Jones, Lou Anders, Brent Weeks, Brandon Sanderson, Kevin J. Anderson, Patrick Rothfuss, and many more.

Here's something unique Speculate! brings to the podcast table: they will occasionally do a series of three podcasts centered around a single author and their work.  On the first one, they will review an author's book, the second one they will interview the author themselves, and the third one they will discuss and dissect the book, educating the writers out there what worked and what didn't.  This is extremely valuable to both beginning and veteran writers as they give a unique perspective on a specific book.

Make sure you add Speculate! to your podcast list.

What I listen to - ThrillerCast Podcast

The ThrillerCast Podcast is a podcast for both readers and writers of the thriller genre.

The hosts are David Wood and Alan Baxter, both accomplished writers, and they are currently on their 64th episode.

Each episode runs 30-45 minutes in length, which is perfect in my opinion.  Also, since they talk about, and interview, the thriller genre, this one is a must for all of those who want to know more about publishing in the thriller genre.

Personally, I found the ThrillerCast Podcast when I was searching for podcasts and all I seemed to come up with were ones centered around fantasy or science fiction--not that there's anything wrong with it; it's just that none of them were talking about thrillers.  Well, the ThrillerCast Podcast was the answer.  And, quite frankly, I can't really find any other podcasts that do cover thrillers and they do a marvelous job of covering the genre.

Alan and David also interview various authors, from Chuck Wendig and Gail Z. Martin to Steven Savile and J. F. Penn (Joanna Penn).  They even talk at length regarding changes in the industry, from the Big Six (or is it Five at this point) to even Amazon.

So, be sure to add the ThrillerCast podcast to your list of podcasts to listen to.

What I listen to - The Dead Robots' Society Podcast

"By aspiring writers, for aspiring writers."

This is the tagline for the popular podcast called The Dead Robots' Society.  Currently at 259 episodes, as of this writing (although they may be at 260 when this actually posts), Justin Macumber, Terry Mixon, and Paul E. Cooley meeting weekly to talk about writing, the business of the craft, and even interview science fiction/fantasy/horror writers.

But their tagline is a bit of a lie, as all three are not aspiring writers--they are accomplished in the field with publications to their name:

Justin Macumber - author of A Minor Magic and Haywire, all of which can be found on his website and Amazon.

Terry Mixon - self-published author of several erotica fiction (I believe under a pen name).

Paul E. Cooley - author of the "Garaaga" series.

A bit of a warning for those not accustomed to foul language (not sure who you are, but I'm positive there are a few dozen out there by now), there is some thrown around, but the information concerning publishing and the craft of writing is valuable.

Podcasts around typically around an hour in length, and the episodes nowadays seem to be more the three of them talking about the business and craft of writing than interviews.

So, be sure to check out The Dead Robots' Society Podcast . . . and be inspired.

What I listen to - This Is Your Life by Michael Hyatt

Want to know more about being more productive?  Having intentional leadership?  Or just plain improving your life, Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing, is one to read and listen to.

His weekly podcast, called This Is Your Life, is a must to listen to.

From leadership lessons to even the benefits of taking a nap everyday, and from improving the quality of your marriage to the best advice for first-time authors, Michael Hyatt's podcast (and blog) is one to subscribe to.

This past November, Michael even had a podcast dedicated to listener questions.  I had submitted one of my questions . . . and he answered it!  It had to do with becoming a fiction writer and building a platform.  (Thank you, Michael!)  Here is a link to that particular episode.

Be sure to check out Michael Hyatt's podcast titled This Is Your Life.  He currently has 40 episodes--and I have been listening from the very beginning.

What I listen to - "The Secrets" by Michael Stackpole (and Dragon Page: Cover to Cover)

Near the genesis of most podcasting (in my opinion, given the age of it which was around mid-2005) is by a bestselling science fiction author Michael Stackpole called "The Secrets"

Although it has long since been retired, and replaced by "The Dragon Page: Cover to Cover", you can still access most of the archives and gain much valuable information in regards to writing, including the predicted rise of epublishing.

Unfortunately, it has been a while since Michael Stackpole (and his co-host Michael Mennenga) have released a podcast, you can still download most of the shows--I have, and have gained a great insight into epublishing and how one can take advantage of it.

So, in this blog, you get two in one:

Michael Stackpole's "The Secrets"

and

Dragon Page: Cover to Cover

The George R. R. Martin Podcast

I stumbled upon this the other day--and I'm not really sure how I did it.  About the only conclusion I can come up with is that I was looking for any podcasts with George R. R. Martin in it . . . and I came upon this: The George R. R. Martin Podcast

I can't really say this has been added to the currently list of podcasts I listen to, simply because there are only eight podcasts and they were done back in October and November 2006.

However, despite them being roughly fifteen minutes long each, they are packed full of information.  He talks about his life, how he dealt with Hollywood, and even reads a little from one of his books.

So, for anyone who loves fantasy and/or George R. R. Martin, be sure to check out The George R. R. Martin Podcast.

Here's the full link below:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheGeorgeRRMartinPodcast

What I Listen To: The Tolkien Professor

With the new Hobbit movie, directed by Peter Jackson, out in theaters--no, I still haven't seen it yet at this point--I want to share a podcast series I listen to fairly often called The Tolkien Professor.

The Tolkien Professor is Professor Corey Olsen, who is an English professor at Washington College, and he has various lecture-style podcasts on . . . you guessed it: Tolkien!

His first introductory lecture is about "How to Read Tolkien and why."

He even has a lecture series on The Hobbit and has written a book on the subject.

With tons of various lectures, be sure to check out the lecture feed for a list of all the subjects.  So, if you love Tolkien and want to know more about Middle Earth, or even about medieval literature in general, be sure to check out The Tolkien Professor podcast.

For more information, here's a TED Talk Professor Olsen recently did:

What I Listen To - Reading And Writing Podcast

Early on in my pursuit to find as many fiction writing podcasts as I could fit on my MP3 player (no iPod or other Apple toy for this boy . . . yet), one podcast that always seemed to be within others' top 5 is the Reading and Writing Podcast, hosted by Jeff Rutherford.  And I rightfully agree!

Jeff currently has 89 episodes, and in the beginning has interviewed many thriller writers but has branched out to interview fantasy authors like Peter Orullian and Kevin J. Anderson, and screenwriter Nick Santora.  As well as several others.

Jeff has interviewed many of the greats in fiction writing, from:

Lee Child

Saladin Ahmed

Tobias Buckell

Kevin J. Anderson

Christopher Farnsworth

Jonathan Maberry

Jeff's interviews typically delve into how the author got published, what they're currently reading, and even what their writing style entails.  They may be short but they're definitely not short on information regarding these authors.

Be sure to include the Reading and Writing Podcast into your recommended listening podcasts.  You will not be disappointed--there's a reason it's on so many top 5 lists!