Shows
How to Write GoodSteal Shakespeare's StrategyMy Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
2020-11-2409 minHow to Write GoodYour Storytelling Goals Will Direct Your WritingMy Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
2020-11-2308 minHow to Write GoodDoing Weird Stuff in Your WritingMy Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet:https://www.spreaker.com/show/one-last-toast-for-ebenezer-fleet
2020-11-2006 minHow to Write GoodWords You Don't KnowYesterday, we talked about words that we didn't like to use. Each writer has words he dislikes, but sometimes those words are exactly what is needed. As writers, it can also be tempting to use words that mean a very specific thing. Now, I am not opposed to this at certain times, especially if the writer uses this words naturally in speech, but big words can be something that obscures rather than clarifies for the reader.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie...
2020-11-1907 minHow to Write GoodUsing Words You Don't LikeSome words sound gross (gross!). Some words are annoying. They don't roll off the tongue. They are overused, etc. . . There are a lot of reasons why a writer might want to disregard some words. Some of these reasons are better than others. In this episode of How to Write Good, we are going to be talk about words you dislike that you might not want to blacklist forever. Every part of language is useful, and I think we need to remember that.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletter
2020-11-1707 minHow to Write GoodMaking Your Writing Easy to ReadWhen you first start writing, I think your goal should be clarity. Can a regular person understand what you are writing. It is more complex than it seems. If you can't write clearly, the purpose of your writing (being understood) has been stymied. One of the next goals I have when writing is making my writing easy to read. But this does not mean I am making my writing simple or childish. Maybe a better way to express this second goal is for me to say that you should try to make your writing pleasurable to read.My...
2020-11-1617 minHow to Write GoodThe Reader Will Fill in the GapsA lot of writers are perfectionists. Personally, I think this is funny because the big authors I have run into who are perfectionists seem to not be that great of writers (Great sentence construction there, am I right?). Now, I am against perfectionism, but that is for another podcast episode (or maybe I've posted one about that already. Who knows). Today we are going to talk about something that writers forget when they writer: the reader. But we are not going to talk about it in the way you think. We are going to talk about how the reader reads...
2020-11-1316 minHow to Write GoodThe Place Artists Take In SocietyFor whatever reason, celebrities think they should be listened to. And it works. People see that someone has a following whether because they are an actor or an influencer on instagram (like me, lol, SAD), but it is generally the case that these people don't know what the heck they are talking about. On this episodes of How to Write Good, we are going to talk about how you should stop listening to celebrities. We are also going to talk about how artists (whether that is a painter, a musician, an author, etc. . .) don't have some special knowledge that the...
2020-11-1212 minHow to Write GoodSix Month ProjectsTim Ferris of 4 Hour Work Week fame, talks about an enticing idea in his book (He has a lot of enticing ideas in his book). It isn't about working only four hours a week. It isn't about setting up a muse business. It is about the way he approaches goals. He works in 6 month stints. I think that this is a great thing to adopt for any writer. This is what we are going to talk about on this week's episode of How to Write Good.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:...
2020-11-1110 minHow to Write GoodWords on the Tip of Your TongueWriters block is a real thing. I think it is a thing that can be avoided, but is is a real thing. What we typically think of writers block is sitting at a blank page and not even knowing how to start writing. Another type of writers block exists though. Have you ever been writing and you suddenly get to a word you cannot remember. You have written that words perhaps thousands of times, but it has slipped your mind today. On today's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to be talking about how this problem of...
2020-11-1008 minHow to Write GoodShould you stick to one genre?If you do some research on working as a writer, you will find one piece of advice that comes up in relation to marketing. That advice is to stick to one genre. This advice makes marketing sense. If you write in the same genre, the people who enjoy your books will enjoy all your books. If you are going to write westerns, and you build an audience that enjoys your westerns, they are less likely to enjoy the scifi you write. You are throwing them a curveball of some sort. But what if this marketing advice leads you down a...
2020-11-0913 minHow to Write GoodFollow Your Own Writing RulesThe first thing you should know before anything else is that you should not listen to me. You shouldn't listen to me. You shouldn't listen to other writers telling you what to do. What you need to do is figure out your own way of writing. But I don't think that setting out on your own trail is the way most writers decide to go. Most writers are reading or listening to other writing advice. The reason why people usually don't want to figure things out themselves is because it is hard, but it might be the case that you...
2020-11-0612 minHow to Write GoodHow the Publishing Industry Should WorkThe publishing industry has been around for quite some time. Nowadays, the advent of self-publishing pushes against traditional publishing, but indie publishing has only created a tiny dent. We still live in a world that is dominated by the traditional publishing industry. I think there is a good reason for that at this time. But I have issues with the publishing industry (one major one, in fact), and I think that self-publishing can help us shift the publishing industry in a better direction.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletter
2020-11-0513 minHow to Write GoodWrite for Non-WritersSome writers are elitists. Some writers want to write the next great American novel (or English novel or Australian (if they read down there)). And writing for regular people is something that is left for bad writers. I think this is stupid (because I think a lot of things are stupid). Instead of writing for a small group of elites, consider writing for regular people. Just think of how much larger your impact could be.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com
2020-11-0408 minHow to Write GoodThe Goal of WritingWhy do we write? That is is common question I ask when thinking about writing. Some people think that writing is only to make words sound good together, but I think this misses the point of the writing completely.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppieHTWG Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielpoppieOne Last Toast for Ebenezer...
2020-11-0307 minHow to Write GoodThe Importance of Self-Forgetfulness when WritingI have a theory about most writers. I think most writers function with a higher level of anxiety than the rest of society. Maybe I am wrong about this. Maybe only I have this problem, but I doubt it. When I look around, I see a lot of writers you obsess over little and big things within there writing to an unhealthy degree. I don't think this is wholly a negative. I think this can be really helpful if you can direct it the correct way, but if you have trouble in this way, this episode is for you. In...
2020-11-0216 minHow to Write GoodFantasy is Another WorldSome people dismiss fantasy fiction. They see it as something that is not serious. It is not considered high literature. High literature does not deal with things that aren't real, or high literature carries around specific ideas. But fantasy is a very unique type of story. It allows us to go into a different world, and that new world as so many different possibilities. I think that looking at what fantasy is can be extremely useful when understanding fiction. It provides us with a certain type of opportunity we would not otherwise have.My Book: https://amzn...
2020-10-3010 minHow to Write GoodPolitics in FictionPolitics in annoying. Politics is the worst. I am not a fan of politics at all. Unfortunately, politics invades other spaces. Because politics involves others spaces, we need to talk about how we should approach politics in fiction. Should politics in fiction? Should we put politics in our work? What is the purpose of fiction? On today's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to talk about this joyous topic.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG...
2020-10-2916 minHow to Write GoodMusic Follows LanguageI have a writing rule. I think it is one of my first writing rules. That rule is that writing follows language, which means that writing follows the sound of language. More recently, I have run into some information about music that has challenged my conceptions about the art-form. Now, I am not a musician, but as I look how language manifests itself across the world, it seems that my writing rule can be adapted so that it is applicable to language as well. Which means that music would follow language too.My Book: https://amzn.to/31...
2020-10-2811 minHow to Write GoodThe Through-Line of a StoryYou have probably heard the idea of theme within a story, and you probably have specific ideas of what a theme is. First, I think you are probably wrong about what a theme is because any deviation of what I think about theme is incorrect, so I am going to set you straight on that. But I am also going to be talking about something else, something I like to call a through-line that runs through your whole story, and I think that it is going to be different than what you would expect.My Book: https...
2020-10-2717 minHow to Write GoodInternet AddictionThe internet is ubiquitous in our modern culture. The only person who doesn't have a smartphone of their own is my mom. We are always listening to podcasts or music in our ears. We always have something going on, and with this new and strange technology that we have developed, so to arrives problems. One of those problems is the ability to become addicted to the internet itself. In this episode of How to Write good, we are going to be talking about how getting addicted to the internet works and how we should approach it as writers. ...
2020-10-2614 minHow to Write GoodDaily MinimumsLife is hard. Maybe there is someone out there with an easy life, but when I look around, it just looks like a lot of people have hard lives, especially if you are trying to do anything creative. I have learned something about life in general, and this something is a strategy you can use to do better in any area of your life. This is not my original thought, but I think it is something that you can take and apply directly to your writing. It is a strategy called daily minimums. And that is what we are going...
2020-10-2322 minHow to Write GoodThe Compost of ImaginationI've heard that writers need bad memories because everything they hear or read gets composted into a big pile. That compost becomes fertile, and then these writers can pluck from their bad memories anything that they need. I am not sure imagination works that way, but I think it is a good place to start. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielpoppie
2020-10-2208 minHow to Write GoodShould you write what you know?Write what you know is one of the most well-known pieces of writing advice. Write what you know. It seems like a simple piece of advice, and I think many people have taken this advice to heart to their peril (peril, peril, peril). Is 'write what you know' a good piece of writing advice? On today's episode of How to Write Good, I am going to talk about this simple piece of writing advice. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com
2020-10-2107 minHow to Write GoodStart with the Bad IdeaBad ideas are bad (It is a tautology. There is really know way to argue with this). So, we should avoid bad ideas. Bad ideas should not be in our writing, right? But what if this is the incorrect way of understanding bad ideas? What if bad ideas are a gift given to us to help us be better writers. What if, instead of trying to avoid that bad idea at the beginning of our writing journey, we grab onto that bad idea by the horns and let ourselves slip so far into that bad idea that we find something...
2020-10-2011 minHow to Write GoodWorking in Layers as You WriteHave you ever seen someone paint a picture (Of course you have). When someone paints a picture, they do not pick up a bucket full of all types of paint and throw it at a canvas. It does not happen all at once. When a painter paints, he must put the paint on the canvas one single stroke at a time. He must also work in chunks, oftentimes working from the background to the foreground. On today's episode of How to Write Good, I am going to be talking about how one of the best ways to edit a book...
2020-10-1909 minHow to Write GoodDon't Worry About Being OriginalOriginality. Is it something that we should seek to achieve when we write. Mark Twain doesn't think we should worry. In fact, he said something to the effect that all writing is derivative, so you should not worry about whether yours is as well. Now, is this good advice to follow. Today on How to Write good, we are going to dive into why you don't need to reinvent the wheel, you don't need to try to find that one idea that will break someone's skull open. On this episode of How to Write Good, we are going to be...
2020-10-1610 minHow to Write GoodWriting Follows the Sound of LanguageI think Ursula Le Guin. If you want to read a writer who knew her craft (RIP), you should read some Ursula Le Guin. Of all the writers I have ever read, I think she is in the top 10 (seriously). So, when she says something about writing, I think that people should perk up their ears and listen. Le Guin talks about this idea that when you start writing, you should start with how the language sounds. What does the language sound like? Enjoy the pleasure you get from the words and sounds themselves. Today, on How to Write Good...
2020-10-1509 minHow to Write GoodUsing Memory and Writing the Little DetailsLynda Barry has a really interesting view on how to start writing. She says that if we become curious about memory, we can use it as a spring board to begin writing. The example she gives to show how this would work is when you lose someone for whatever reason. In that period you are dealing with loss, it is the little things in life that bring the memories of that person back the most. Lynda Barry says that you should use the little details within your story to show your reader what is happening. On today's episode of How...
2020-10-1410 minHow to Write GoodWill Quantity Make Up For Quality?Ray Bradbury. I am a big fan of Ray Bradbury. I think that he is one of those writers who has put out a lot of different stories that capture people's imaginations. Ray Bradbury puts out a piece of writing advice that seems very simple and doable for everyone. His piece of advice states that quantity will make up for quality. If you write enough, you will gain experience, and you will become a better writer. If this piece of advice is true, then it is good for everyone because a huge component of being a better writer is practice...
2020-10-1311 minHow to Write GoodFrom Where Does Art Originate?Robert Butler talks about how art does not originate in the mind. He states that art originate in the core of a person. He states that you cannot arrive at good art if you are trying to think to that end. Now, if you have been listening to me for quite a long time, you know that I don't like to make writing or storytelling into something that is mystical. Though I have run into stories and writing that seem to rote, I think that Robert Butler's approach and philosophy on art misunderstands art, because it isn't just about tapping...
2020-10-1215 minHow to Write GoodIs Writing Just about what to Omit?Samuel Delany, a science fiction author, once said that writing is more about what to omit from your writing. He states that most writing advice you receive is about what you should not do. Though I don't disagree with this second statement, I disagree with this idea that the core of writing is getting rid of things. This does not seem to make sense to me. If the core of good writing is what we should get rid of, isn't it the case that that this should make up the bulk of our writing? On Today's episode of How to...
2020-10-0914 minHow to Write GoodSetting Aside Time to WriteLisa Dordal gives the specific piece of advice that writers should sets aside a specific day for reading and writing instead of trying to write every day. I don't think this is just a piece of writing advice, but a piece of advice we can apply across all types of platforms. Today, on How to Write Good, I am going to talk about whether I think this piece of advice is good or not, and why or why not. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:
2020-10-0807 minHow to Write GoodBuilding Yourself Up to the Writing ProcessDenis Johnson gives the advice that you should build yourself up to the actual act of writing. Johnson does this by what he calls "tinkering." He takes time to play around with specific things within his writing, whether that be the voice a a character, dialogue, setting, etc. . . On Today's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to be talking about whether this writing advice is good or bad. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:
2020-10-0709 minHow to Write GoodWrite Even What You Won't UseCormac McCarthy has a piece of writing advice that says you should write everything, even scenes you are not going to use. Now, Cormac McCarthy is a good write, so we should look into his writing advice. On today's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to talk about whether this piece of advice is good or not. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG Twitter: ...
2020-10-0611 minHow to Write GoodShould we Work in Short Chapters?Anthony Doerr gives an interesting piece of writing advice. He says that we should work in short chapters. His reason for doing this is because it is easier to work in short chapters. In this week's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to talk about if working in short chapters is better than working in long chapters, and why. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:www.danielpoppie.com HTWG Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/howtowritegoodHTWG...
2020-10-0511 minHow to Write GoodIs Writing Anything Better than Writing Nothing?Katherine Mansfield has a specific piece of writing advice that we are going to talk about today: "Writing anything is better than writing nothing" (Or something to that effect. Is it better to write anything, even if that thing is bad, or should be only be writing something that is good. We know what Katherine Mansfield's opinion is, but is when he analyze that piece of advice, is it shown to be a good piece of advice. That is what we are going to be talking about on How to Write Good today. My Book: https://amzn...
2020-10-0212 minHow to Write GoodShould You Kill Your Darlings?Kill your darlings. This is one of the most popular pieces of writing advice of all time. I don't know why this specific piece of writing advice rose to the top out of the entire book Stephen King's writing advice, but it is one of the biggest. Now, Stephen King does know how to write. I have read his writing, and that is clear to see. And I think that what he is trying to say with this piece of writing advice is good, but most people understand this idea as this simple phrase of killing your darlings. So, should...
2020-10-0111 minHow to Write GoodAnother Strategy for Writing DialogueI love dialogue. Have I ever told you I love dialogue, because, dang, I love dialogue. Dialogue is the aspect of writing that sticks out more than anything, and it is the type of writing we remember. What do you remember from the movies? What do people quote from books? Most times it is dialogue. I think the stories we love most come to a head in dialogue. We are all waiting for that great piece of dialogue. Today on How to Write Good, I am going to be talking about a specific strategy you can use to write dialogue.
2020-09-3010 minHow to Write GoodShould You Omit Unneeded Words?Omit unneeded words. This is a famous piece of writing advice from The Elements of Style by William Strunk, and his little manual on writing might be the most famous book on writing to exist. But is the advice above good advice. On Today's episode of How to write good, I am going to talk about whether we should follow this advice and how we should think about it.My Book: https://amzn.to/31UI7ZgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2HTWG Facebook:https://www...
2020-09-2916 minHow to Write GoodThree Strategies for Writing CharactersWhat is the best part of a book? Or maybe I should ask another question: what is the core of a story? I would say the answer to that question is character. Who am I journeying with? Who am I getting to know. Now, you most likely learned a specific way to describe characters in your stories. That strategy is likely by blocking all the text about when character is introduced. Now, I don't think this is a bad start, but on today's episode of How to Write Good I am going to talk about three strategies that will help...
2020-09-2814 minHow to Write GoodHow to Start Tension in Your StoryTension. That is the good stuff. If we can create tension in our stories, we can grab those readers, and if we can grab those readers, we can rule the world with a microphone (Or a piece of paper. Something like that. It doesn't really matter). But if we can create tension in our story, we are another step closer getting readers who love what we are writing. I talked about tension in a past episode, but I wanted to take this episode to talk about how tension starts within a story. My Book: https://amzn.to/31...
2020-09-2509 minHow to Write Good1st vs 3rd PersonWe write from two different viewpoints in English. We either write in first person or third person. And some people have very strong feelings about writing in one or the other of these tenses. I don;t really care. I think they both useful, and I am willing to write in either. In this episode of How to Write Good, I am going to be talking about how the reader experiences these two ways of writing. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UI7ZgMy Newsletter:danielpoppie.com/newsletterMy Website:...
2020-09-2414 minHow to Write GoodFall In Love with LearningThis is a piece of life advice, but it is also something that is good to remember when you are writing: fall in love with learning. Benjerman Frankerlman once said that if you want to be remembered you either need to do something worth writing about or write something worth reading. Since we are not in the business of doing something worth remembering, we are left with the latter option. We need to find a way to write something worth reading. Now, we could come up with a whole bunch of BS (Bologna Sandwichs for you kids), but I think...
2020-09-2308 minHow to Write GoodWhy Writing Frustrates YouI was going to make this episode about how to finish your book. In the future, I will actually make an episode about that, but when I was going through this topic, I found I had something I needed to say about the act of writing itself. Specifically, I thought it was very important to explain why I think people get frustrated with writing. Now, this isn't the only reason, but I think this is the main reason people get frustrated. And the good thing about this frustration is that you can do something about it. My Book:
2020-09-2216 minHow to Write GoodShould you use tropes?Cowboy hats. Metal walls with rivets. Redshirts. Duels. Towering skycrapers. There are many tropes that show up in stories. Where these show up depends up which type of story they are in. Because these things have been used over and over again, people have learned to hate them. But if you are one of those people who hate tropes, I think you should reconsider your attitude toward them. Tropes can be extremely useful, and on today's episode of How to Write Good, I am going to tell you exactly why I think that. My Book: https://amzn...
2020-09-2114 minHow to Write GoodInvisible WritingWhat shoot you shoot for when writing? What is the goal of the writing? My first answer to that question would be to make someone understand what you are thinking. Another way of saying this is that you are trying to express things as clearly as possible. Besides this goal, I have another goal that I think helps writers move from good writers to great writers, and I don't no whether this goal is intuitive or non-intuitive. That goal is to make my writing disappear. I think that the best writing is the writing you do not even notice when...
2020-09-1807 minHow to Write GoodWriting for the Sake of WritingI stumbled on a piece of writing advice that rubbed me the wrong way today. The piece of writing advice was that you should write for the sake of writing. Now, this got on my bad side because I believe writing has one very clear goal. That goal is to take what is in my head and put it into another person's head using words. But when I started to think about this advice that said "Write to write," I actually came to the conclusion that I agreed with it. In this episode of How to Write Good, I am...
2020-09-1707 minHow to Write GoodThere Is No MuseI used to write on a boom and bust model. I would write a lot. Maybe I would stay up most of the write. I would have a surge of inspiration, and then I would have long periods where I would not write. And I can tell you, it is not a very effective model because you can go for loooooong stretches without writing. I did this because I wanted to wait until I felt like writing. I wanted to wait until inspiration came to me. In some sense, I was waiting for the gift of the muse. Now, we...
2020-09-1610 minHow to Write GoodTeasing Out Your StoryYou ever read one of those books that almost forces you to finish it. I have read those books as well. I have stayed up late into the night so that I could finish a book. I love books like this. I think most people like books like this. But as writers, how do we learn to be writers who can grab readers attentions in this way. It think that what is happening in the writing is similar to what is happening for movie teasers. That might sound weird, but that is what I am going to be talking about...
2020-09-1510 minHow to Write GoodWhy do people read books?Why do people read books? Why do people read books? Fantasy? Escapism? The style of writing? The shape of the story? The reasons people give for why they read and like stories are many. When I look at myself to determine why I read stories, these ideas come to my mind as well. But as I have continued to think about why a people read stories, another idea has come to my mind. Something has risen to the top as making the most sense. In this episode of How to Write Good, I am going to talk about what I...
2020-09-1408 minHow to Write GoodDirecting the Plot of Your StoryHave you ever written or plotted out a book and when you went through that writing later, if felt disjointed or did not make sense together. I think this happens to everyone at some point for various reasons, and I think that there is a strategy that can help you connect plot points of your story together in a way that will make them flow. I think this strategy will help your plot points be more organic. Today on How to Write Good, I am going to be talking about the way I develop my plot, and I hope it...
2020-09-1111 minHow to Write GoodFour Practices to Better WritingI want to be a better writer. You want to be a better writer. We all want to be better writers. It is a long process. Some think it is an arduous process (Writing hasn't really felt arduous to me in a long time. I love it). It can by annoying. Sometimes we don't want to do what we need to do to be a better writing. But we can be better writer, and that is a good thing. In this episode, I am going to be talking about four things I think you need to do to be a...
2020-09-1012 minHow to Write GoodYou Write AloneI think it is very important to know that if you want to be successful in writing, you will need others around you for support. I don't know how you could do it alone. And if you think you could be successful as a creative all alone, just try doing it without any fans. That fact that you need other people is something you will learn as you make your creative journey. But doing something creative, especially writing, is something I believe you do yourself. I believe that good art is the result of one person's vision. In this episode...
2020-09-0912 minHow to Write GoodThe Value of Bad ArtI do not like modern art. I think most of it is rubbish. I think most of it has very little value. Did I mention I don't like modern art? Most of the time I want to dismiss modern art without giving it any chance. The issue is that I know deep down inside that even the worst art can have some value in it. Today in How to Write Good, I am going to art about the value of bad art (even though I really don't want to). My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPg...
2020-09-0813 minHow to Write GoodHow is Writing Different than SpeakingWriting follows language. This is one of my writing rules. Writing follows language, but writing is not the same thing as language. Though I have given the advice of speak what you want to write and then just write it, I am aware that it is important to develop what you are putting down on paper. In this episode, I am going to be talking about the differences I see between writing and speaking. I think it is important to look at the differences between these two things. Since writing is based on how a person speaks, we can use...
2020-09-0709 minHow to Write GoodLuck Doesn't Make a Good BookI have run into conversations where people talk about how Star Wars came together into a good movie by pure luck. George Lucas somehow caught lightning in a bottle. In some ways, it wasn't even his hard work that made that first trilogy great. I don't know about that because I don't know enough about film making to make that assessment. What I do know is that writing a book is not based on luck. And that is what I am going to be talking about this episode. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy...
2020-09-0408 minHow to Write GoodPublish Early; Publish OftenMaybe you are one of those writers who has been working on an epic fantasy story for the last twenty-five years. Maybe you are one of those writers who changes the same word a dozen times. You probably have the attitude that everything has to be absolutely perfect. I get this attitude. I used to be so much of a self-critic that I didn't want to show anyone what I was writing. It took me at least a decade before I thought I had something good to push out into the world, but if I had to do it over...
2020-09-0307 minHow to Write GoodShould I be a Writer?It is hard to pick which direction you want to go in your life. For some of us, picking our direction can be excruciating. If you are someone who is thinking about being a writer, this episode if for you. Maybe you are thinking that writing would be a cush job (I kind of think that too), but just because that job seems like it would be a great gig doesn't mean you should necessarily go down that road. In this episode, I am going to talk about some questions you need to ask yourself before you decide you are...
2020-09-0211 minHow to Write GoodFiction is Based on Oral StorytellingLong, long ago in a world that is still under our feet, people did not write. They had no writing system at all. All communication was conveyed either through the spoken words or odd hand signals. At that time, when a person wanted to tell a story, they needed to speak that story. Over the course of history, many different types of writing systems have been developed. We have multiple ways in which we can tell stories. But I think that the original ways in which people told stories can help us understand the modern ways in which we tell...
2020-09-0109 minHow to Write GoodBut How do I Edit that Dang First Draft?Once you get to the first draft, it feels like you have finished your book. Doesn't it? Doesn't it? You want to run through the streets. You want to tell everyone that you've written the book. You want them to congratulate you, but I am going to burst that bubble you've created for yourself. You have not written a book. That thing you've got right there, that messy mass of paper and words is not a book. I feel bad saying that, but I am telling the truth. You've got a ways to go before that thing curls up inside...
2020-08-3112 minHow to Write GoodWhen Arguments are a Good ThingMost of the time we view argumentation as a bad thing, but when I think of arguments, I do not think of two people yelling at each other. I think of a long string of statements that connect together logically. I think of clearly defined definitions. I think of debate. I think of scholars instead of two people saying the same things over and over again with only the intention to win. In this episode of How to Write Good, I am going to argue (did you see what I did there) that taking on a logical framework when understanding...
2020-08-2815 minHow to Write GoodBuilding Statements Off of DefinitionsI have been talking about how logic relates to writing. If you haven't checked out the last two episodes on this topic, I would suggest listening to those two before you listen to this one, because thinking about logic when you write involves the entire process rather than just one part (Or you can just listen to one part I guess. You do you. Don't let me tell you what to do). The first step of the logical process is defining things. It is determining what a thing actually is. By doing this, you can write about things more clearly...
2020-08-2707 minHow to Write GoodThe Importance of Definitions when WritingIn my last episode, I talked about how understanding logic is extremely important when developing your writing. I talked about how we need to learn more academic logic because it can help us understand the world, and because we are able to understand the world, we will be better able to take those ideas and put them into our writing. This week, we are going to be talking about the first step of logic. This step is called definitions. We need to learn to define what we are talking about before we begin anything else. What does it mean to...
2020-08-2610 minHow to Write GoodLogic can Help you Write BetterLogic. I probably here this word a dozen times a week. Logic. Common sense. Make sense. That doesn't make sense. That is illogical. That is ridiculous. This person doesn't know how to think. I hear about logic, or I hear about information related to logic all the time. What is really depressing to me is that most people who talk about logic do not actually think logical. I do not say this to insult them. I do it to make a statement about the sad state of how we think all around the world. Most people do not use good...
2020-08-2511 minHow to Write GoodWhat is Good Writing?We all want good things. We want to eat good food. We want to listen to good music. We want our chair not to fall apart under us. We want the plane we are flying across the country not to fall from that sky. These are all good. And for some of these, it is clear to see why they are good. When we write, we want to write in a way that is good. Another way to say that is we want our writing to be good. But what is good writing? That is hard to say. When I...
2020-08-2416 minHow to Write GoodMy Opposition to False Victories in StoriesIn my past episode, I talked about how I do not like false victories. Maybe this is just my own preference. Every writer has certain things they enjoy. Every writer has their own quirks and idiosyncrasies, and though I do not want to admit it, I am subjective (there, the truth is finally out). But I think that taking a look at any aspect of writing to see what is going on with it is important. I think false victories are something we should look at. Are they good? Should we include them in our stories? Do they even fit...
2020-08-2109 minHow to Write GoodThe Uniqueness of MetaphorMetaphors are fun. They may be one of my favorite things in writing. Of course, they aren't the only thing in writing. Writing is a complex thing. Many different things go in to make writing happen, and good writing not only takes into account how the language works, but it also takes into account your audience, culture, the genre, and many other things. But metaphors are fun, and I think that metaphors have a special role within writing and art. I would go so far as to say that metaphors are not some subordinate thing in writing. If this is...
2020-08-2013 minHow to Write GoodFive Tips for Developing the Habit of WritingEveryone (I am just going to assume this is the case) wants to get in shape. Everyone wants to eat healthier. All of us want to be better. I know of know writer who does not want to be a better writer, and we all as writers know that the only way we are going to become better writers is if we practice writing. Some of us believe that we should be writing every day. Though I do not know if we need to be writing every single day, developing a habit of writing is something that is necessary. We...
2020-08-1916 minHow to Write GoodThe Story is at the Center of ThinkingI used to think that logic was at the center of our thinking. This does not seem to be the case when you look at people, because people often do things illogically. But as I looked at people and saw them respond to events, it seemed to be the case that though they did not move through the world with perfect logic, they moved through it in a way with some sort of reason. They did not just respond to the world. They try to make sense of their world as well. So, they had some soft of fuzzy and...
2020-08-1810 minHow to Write GoodIs the Book Done?I think almost every single author I have run into says the same thing about finishing their book: though they have the book in a completed state, they could go on working on that book until the end of time. I am sure I could do this as well. There is a little gremlin in my mind that tells me I need to make something better whether it is good or not. So, I could spend the rest of my life on one book, and I would not actually complete that book. I would die with that book incomplete, because...
2020-08-1707 minHow to Write GoodWhat to Put in Your ChaptersIf I were to ask the question, "What should you put in each chapter of your book?" you might look at me sideways. Finding out what to put in each of your chapters is easy to most writers. But this question is important. When you write a work of fiction, you start with nothing. Though you are constrained by a few things, such as the language you write in, the world is open to you. The story you can tell can go millions of different ways. Combinations are endless. As you develop your ideas for the story develop, you limit...
2020-08-1410 minHow to Write GoodEditing is WritingI enjoy writing the first draft of my book. It is an opportunity to dive into something new. It is an opportunity to explore the thing that I have been daydreaming about in me head for the last few months (and in some cases, years). First drafts are fun to me. One of the reasons they are fun to me is because I write them so quickly. But editing. . . Editing can be a bit of a drag because I am trying to make all the mess of my first draft work. I am trying to get my book to that...
2020-08-1307 minHow to Write GoodSeven Point Story StructureStory structure is important. Each story must follow the structure of a story. To understand what stories are, people have developed story structures that we can use to understand and develop stories. You have probably heard about the three act story. You have probably heard about the five act story. It is less likely that you have heard of the seven point story structure. On today's episode of How to Write Good, we are going to be talking about that final story structure, seven point story structure. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:
2020-08-1208 minHow to Write GoodThe Five Act Story StructureThere are a lot of different ways you can go about planning a story. Some people are pantsers. Some people are plotters. If you are a pantser, I would encourage you to do some plotting. When we go about planning, we have several different ways to go about planning. People have set up several different structures on how stories work. One of my favorite is the five act story structure. Shakespeare also used this. My Book: https://amzn.to/31UcCPgMy Newsletter:https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/a1r2k2My...
2020-08-1113 min
2020-08-0915 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Interrogation - Chapter EighteenDaniel is gone, but the other four Fleet brothers have one asset: a prisoner of their own.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Jeremiah Fleet finds himself trapped under Daniel's desk. He hears the fight in the rest of the room, and he feels a fire to fight as well.
2020-05-0325 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetGoodbye Daniel Fleet - Chapter SeventeenThanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Jeremiah Fleet finds himself trapped under Daniel's desk. He hears the fight in the rest of the room, and he feels a fire to fight as well. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral Bob
2020-04-0530 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetEntering the Office - Chapter SixteenAfter finding Isaiah, Ezekiel and his brother arrive at Daniel's office. Ezekiel knows they need to make a plan, but Isaiah's drug-addled brain has other ideas. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral Bob...
2020-03-0834 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetPixie - Chapter FifteenThe world was stripped bare when Isaiah took the pill again, but it did not seem like he was seeing something distorted. No. When he took that pill, it seemed to show him what the world really was. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex...
2020-02-0236 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetA Journey to War - Chapter FourteenHosea leaves for boot camp. In the past, war is just around the corner. In the present, Hosea and his brothers wait for the men in the hallway to break down the door. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music...
2020-01-0534 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetOne Final Hour Before - Chapter ThirteenTwelve years ago, Hosea went off to war. He thought he made his peace with that decision. In the present, Hosea finds himself in Daniel's office with an intruder at the door. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral BobExit Music: Hidden Blues by Pitx
2019-12-0134 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetAnd a Little Bit of Nausea - Chapter TwelveHaving escaped the house, Jeremiah finds himself sitting in the back seat of a car. He held Hosea's vomit-covered head on his lap, and he prayed that he would not vomit as well. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaParty Crowd sounds...
2019-11-0332 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetJunkie, junkie - Chapter ElevenHaving sneaked into the trunk of Daniel's car, Jeremiah breaks himself out to find himself in a ghetto. The way forward seems clear: the door right in front of the car gaping open. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music...
2019-10-0633 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetFinding Hosea Fleet - Chapter TenWith a drug addict as his guide, Daniel discovers his journey is more dangerous than he ever imagined.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaParty Crowd sounds and Hard Shoes sound by Daniel Simon
2019-09-0136 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Search for Hosea Fleet - Chapter NineIt has started to rain. Daniel is the only who cares about his father's death, and he does not know what to do next. How do you kill a man?Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds...
2019-08-1131 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThis Item of Power - Chapter EightAfter a week of dealing with his father being shot, Ezekiel finds himself in the shop again. Flashbacks to that day keep on haunting him, but he thinks he has a solution. And maybe it actually can be a solution if that solution does not destroy him first. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram...
2019-07-0740 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Devil in the Bathroom - Chapter SevenIsaiah thinks it is a joke when his professor hands out drugs to the class. After he takes the drugs, he wants to do whatever it takes to shake off the experience.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Chapter eight will be out July 7th.Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by...
2019-06-0959 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Wannabe Production - Chapter SixJeremiah finds himself alone. All his choices for the past year have been bad ones. His hopes and dreams seem to be slowly fading away, and he is greeted by a future of disorientation. His father is dying. How can he hope to step into adulthood without the man? How can he hope to ever fulfill his dreams?Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Chapter seven will be out on June 9th. Find out more about me and other...
2019-05-1257 minHow to Write GoodOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet - Chapter FiveIsaiah finds himself in a hospital room. The emotion of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah show clear on their face, but Isaiah feels nothing for this man on the bed, his father. He hears only the hushing breathing machine, the arguing of his brothers, and the whimpering of Jeremiah.Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral BobExit Music: Hidden Blues by Pitx
2019-04-0842 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Hospital Room - Chapter FiveIsaiah finds himself in a hospital room. The emotion of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah show clear on their face, but Isaiah feels nothing for this man on the bed, his father. He hears only the hushing breathing machine, the arguing of his brothers, and the whimpering of Jeremiah.Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral BobExit Music: Hidden Blues by Pitx
2019-04-0742 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetFather Figures - Chapter Four"Daniel, your father is in the hospital. A robbery at the store. Serious. Please come quickly." – MotherThanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro Music: Purple Nurple by Alex BerozaStory Intro Music: Longing for Tumbleweeds by Admiral BobExit Music: Hidden Blues by Pitx
2019-03-1038 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetBig Jim's Peanut Butter Bars - Chapter TwoEzekiel wakes up to peace, to fried eggs, day old coffee, and a shadow-covered world that can be anything he wants it to be until the sun comes up and the world sours. What he doesn't know is that his day could get worse.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info...
2019-02-1039 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetThe Testing of Ezekiel Fleet- Chapter ThreeEzekiel finds himself at the end of a barrel of a gun. The gunman demands payment. The barrel of the weapon is black, and Ezekiel may be desperate enough to do something about it. But desperate actions and no good deed goes unpunished. Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. Info Intro...
2019-02-1026 minHow to Write GoodOne Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet: Chapter OneThe seminal chapter of One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. Hosea arrives at his parents' house for their thirtieth anniversary with the fear of telling them that he is engaged, but this fear quickly goes away when he discovers something else, something wrong, very wrong.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. ...
2019-01-0931 minOne Last Toast for Ebenezer FleetRusset, Dying Day - Chapter OneThe seminal chapter of One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. Hosea arrives at his parents' house for their thirtieth anniversary with the fear of telling them that he is engaged, but this fear quickly goes away when he discovers something else, something wrong, very wrong.Thanks for checking out my story, One Last Toast for Ebenezer Fleet. If you enjoyed this story, please leave a review on iTunes. Find out more about me and other work that I am doing at www.danielpoppie.com. Follow me on Facebook @howtowritegood, Twitter @HTWGPodcast, and Instagram @howtowritegood. ...
2019-01-0731 minHow to Write GoodThe Creative Process and the Corporate MachineThis week on How to Write Good, I talk about bad storytelling and bad art. What is the culprit? Avoiding risk. Authors who make it big lose their edge because they have become comfortable and do not take risks. One of the reasons I like authors is because they get better with age (like a fine wine or something like that), but some authors I loved in the past seemed to have made some money, gotten comfortable, and decided that they could stop growing. Movies are a bit more complicated. There are many problems that can help create a crappy...
2018-08-0133 min
Pod WarsIn Studio Interview: Daniel PoppieMy friend Daniel Poppie joins me to talk about his self-published book "The Ninth Hour", the origin of the IPA, and why people write books & music. You can find Dan at www.danielpoppie.com and purchase his book on Amazon.com!
2018-07-3134 minHow to Write GoodFantasy Literature and its Importance in CultureLast week, I talked about how stories can draw us into a and can help us elicit memories and feelings that border on fantasy. This week, I continue talking about what fantasy is about. Historically, fantasy has been looked down on, but I think fantasy has much to offer the literature and people in general. Here is one very interesting book about fantasy, but it is a little long:https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=RVOtAwAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP6&dq=fantasy+fiction&ots=OC_tD4-V35&sig=p2jVnNMc_71Lgs6fbWR8PdQ2OFw...
2018-07-1835 minHow to Write GoodThe Creative Process with Daniel FehrDaniel Fehr guests to discuss his perspective on creativity. Daniel Fehr and I also discuss creating art, the publishing processes, and the different struggles that accompany trying to make something new.
2018-02-2837 min