I just came across a podcast that has helped me figure out my next step as an aspiring writer.
I finished my first novel last October and have stopped querying agents after I got rejections from 47.
I know there were a number of glaring flaws in my novel, but I was faced with the question:
Do I write something new? Or do I revise my last novel?
I thought the answer was the latter, so I started my second novel only to realize 6 chapters in that I still have no idea what I’m doing. Overwhelmed by all the mediocre advice from other “authors” on the internet, I began searching for some more legitimate advice and stumbled upon a fantastic podcast called, Writing Excuses.
“Writing Excuses is a fast-paced, educational podcast for writers, by writers. It airs weekly, with new episodes appearing each Sunday evening at around 6pm Eastern Time. The show is hosted by Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells, with guests featured from time to time.
Our goal is to help our listeners become better writers. Whether they write for fun or for profit, whether they’re new to the domain or old hands, we have something to offer. We love to write, and our listeners do, too.”
I downloaded Season 1 of the podcast and went for a jog.
I just got home (sweaty and exhausted), and holy guacamole I’m hooked! I ended up listening to 4 episodes in a row, because they’re like crack!
The podcast is hosted by Brandon, Mary, Howard, and Taylor, all seasoned writers themselves. The episodes are 15 minutes and tips they gave are so fresh, sensible, and strategic that I just couldn’t help clicking “next podcast”.
The hosts are super down-to-earth, funny, and most importantly completely relatable. Instead of just telling me what to do, they talk about their struggles and how they overcame them. I found myself nodding, “Yes. Yes, this is exactly me!”
Following the story of Dan, from from Episode 17: This Sucks and I’m a Horrible Writer, I now know what to do to become a better writer so early in my career. Dan tells about how he wrote 13 novels before getting published the first time. He attributes his success to finally revising his previous novels and analysing where he could improve. Then, voila! His next novel was a success, because he knew exactly where to start.
If you’ve been searching for a podcast that will help inspire you to become a better writer, you may also find this podcast very enjoyable. So far, I’ve found this to be the best podcast for writers.
Give it a listen here (it’s hilarious).
For me, I’m going to go back and start analysing my first novel.
BONUS
Here are some other wonderful writing podcasts suggested to me after I wrote this post:
- The Journeyman Writer (had 2 people super recommend this one. It’s next on my list!)
- The Writer’s Almanac
- Prompted
StoryWonk - The Self-Publishing Podcast Classics
- Death of 1000 Cuts
- Scriptnotes (more of a screenwriting focus)
Happy Writing!
Terry Ibele: Toronto Stop Motion Animator 