Shows
ALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 18: THE END…NOW WHAT? Sneak Peaks and the future, that’s what’s up!We made it! We’ve finished the drafts of our novels. In this, our last episode of our podcast, we share some excerpts from the novels we've talked so much about.
Hananya starts us off by reading a scene from her book set in the days of kingdoms, rebellious princesses, and age-old family drama.
Then, we shift gears to the 1980s with Shameem’s story where she reads an excerpt starring her narcissistic antagonist which leaves Hananya and Leslie ready for a fight.
Leslie’s tale captures the atmosphere and dialogue of The Great...2024-01-081h 00
ALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 0: Welcome to the Conversation!Always The Other: Conversations about writing from the
margins, with LD Farrell & Shameem Smillie is a podcast born from our belief that many voices and perspectives (especially those straddling more than one culture) are going unexplored and unrecognized. Celebrating what makes us unique and adding a diverse perspective to the world of writing is important to us.
Always the Other, is a hub for writers to discover stories and hear conversations that reflect their communities and life experiences. In each episode we will be joined by other writers, bloggers, filmmakers, journalists, and thinkers who are from or...2024-01-0822 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 17: Kill Your Darlings with editor Lauren Humphries-BrooksOn this episode we are very excited to announce that we have a special guest! Literary editor Lauren Humphries-Brooks!
Lauren is a published author and freelance editor who answered the questions that many new authors have when writing their first novel: When is my manuscript in good enough shape to hire an editor? How can editors help with storytelling? What kind of feedback should I expect. What do editors expect from us? And much, much more.
For more info about Lauren check her out at:
Lauren Humphries-Brooks, Freelance Editor
https://linktr.ee/laurenhbrooks
Office Hours: M...2023-12-2547 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 16: Cut, Paste, Tear Your Hair Out: Or how to approach editing your novelIn this episode, Shameem shares how Leslie’s and Hananya’s suggestion for her to get started editing has paid off for her even though she broke all of her own rules. She also reveals her fear of beta readers.
Hananya shares how using text to speech helps her to identify problems in her manuscript. She also shows us some of her organization techniques that keep her book on track.
While Leslie talks about the pitfalls of getting lost in the timeline of her historical novel and how narrative continuity is an important element in storyt...2023-12-1143 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 15: And Now for the Scary Part: Editing!It’s time to celebrate! In this episode we pat ourselves on the back for a nanosecond before the reality of the next phase sinks in…
Hananya reveals this is the first of her novels she has fully completed and will edit. She shares how she found beta readers outside of her writing community.
While Shameem is just diving in after letting her draft rest for a few weeks. She finds herself challenged to make the big changes first so that she can get through her first edit pass before tackling the fine fixes.
Th...2023-11-2738 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 14: Sisters Doing it For Themselves: The Author's PlatformIn this episode we check in with each other about what we are doing and should be doing to create and maintain a successful author’s platform.
Shameem brings the research defining what elements make up a good platform and she shares her takeaways from a Curtis Brown webinar.
Hananya discusses how being an Authortuber adds to her platform and helps her to expand her writer community.
While Leslie talks about the importance of authors marketing their own books in the current publishing landscape.
We also make fun of Leslie’s expl...2023-11-1337 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 13: How Much Research Will Kill You…or Your Story?Research is an important foundation to any story. Whether you’re writing a historical, contemporary, fantasy or science fiction novel, a certain amount of background based in fact can elevate the world of your book and bring authenticity to your writing.
Leslie shares how uncovering historical firsthand accounts helps her to get into the mindset of her characters. Hananya discusses how she adds accuracy through archival literature and contemporary reference books. While Shameem uses music, her own experiences, and attention to historical lingo to bring her story to life.
But can you do too much re...2023-10-3039 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 12: To Plot or Not to Plot…or Somewhere in BetweenHow can three friends approach novel writing so differently? That’s what we wonder as we talk about the methods each of us used to write our books.
Hananya discusses how her pantser ways may be changing after trying plotting. While Shameem was a confirmed plotter, by the end of the discussion she has a surprising realization. And Leslie is all over the place.
What type of writer are you? Take the test and find out!
https://greatstorybook.com/writers-personality-test-lp/
We also talk about how the color orange is where Hananya dr...2023-10-1639 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 11: Amigas StyleHave you ever wondered why you can read two books in the same genre, then love one and hate the other? Often it comes down to the author’s writing style. But what does that mean? We’ll read passages from some of the books that have inspired us, as well as from our own novels as we talk about word choices, pacing, time period, and other elements that make up writing style. Leslie talks about the conversational and folksy tone of her story. While Shameem’s novel has an authentic Welsh voice with a bit of a potty mouth...2023-10-0241 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 10: What’s in a Name, Shameem?First money as a published writer, new blog, and how to drive yourself crazy finding the perfect names for your characters are just some of what we talk about in this episode. Shameem’s story takes center stage as she fills out the world of her novel with an intriguing cast of ancillary characters. She goes deep into the matriarchal tribe she’s created to surround her protagonist. Leslie discusses the differences between how men and women relate to each other in Shameem’s book and in real life. While Hananya gives a great writing tip about the need and pos...2023-08-0735 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 9: HANANYA’S KINGDOMIn this episode, Hananya takes us back to a time of princesses and kings as she fills out the world of her novel with her protagonist’s allies and foes. She talks
about how her ancillary characters help to push the narrative forward, while one of her sympathetic characters hits close to home. Shameem’s cats each make their individual appearances, as she questions whether or not Hananya should spare a chapter that is on the chopping block. And Leslie digs into the relationships between Hananya’s main character and her antagonists. Join us as we take another step toward...2023-07-2443 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 8: A World According to LeslieAntagonists and protagonists are important to every story, but what about the supporting cast? The ancillary characters in a novel can be crucial to filling out the imagined world of the story. In her book set during the early years of the Great Depression in smalltown USA, Leslie dives into her secondary cast and talks about how they help and hinder her protagonist. Shameem wonders whether or not she’s created too many characters and if that’s clouding her narrative. While Hananya discusses how she uses Scrivener to juggle multiple writing projects, storylines, and characters. Join us as we t...2023-07-1033 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 7 - Hananya Gets Published!Dreams do come true…if you work at them! Hananya has been writing forever and ever and now she’s getting one of her short stories published in “The Stygian Collection”. She talks about how she really stepped out of her comfort zone by creating a unique character that pushed her to write a story that is…HOLD THE PRESSES…not a romance! In fact, it’s something of a suspense thriller. Shameem digs into Hananya’s ability to change writing styles and how she has captured the voice of an American. While Leslie discusses the pacing and writing techniques Hanany...2023-06-2640 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 6: THE REVENGE OF HANANYA & LESLIE: Or How to Slay Your Antagonist, Part 2Maybe revenge is a strong word for dealing with an antagonist, but in this episode, we discover that women who are kept away from others “for their own safety”, is the perfect setup for a raucous journey through storyland.
Hananya’s antagonist lords over his kingdom and his daughter with a firm hand and the belief that he knows what is best for her and his subjects. But he is no match for his strong-willed daughter.
In Leslie’s novel it’s the mother who rules with an iron fist. She...2023-06-1231 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 5 – SHAMEEM’S NEMESIS: or How to Slay Your Antagonist!Every story must have an evil villain…er, antagonist!
In this episode, Shameem’s creation comes front and center. We discuss her character’s charismatic-narcissistic origins inspired by her personal experiences, while his motivations, actions, and deeds are purely imaginary. She talks about how her novel centers around a family of strong women who are confronted by the brutal realities of complex relationships. While Leslie probes the depths of Shameem’s story, she uncovers startling revelations that are fascinating to ponder. Hananya likens the foundation of his personality to studying psych 101. And it all culminates in a terrifying...2023-05-2921 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 4 - OUR MAIN CHARACTERS: The Struggle is Real!Main Characters, motivations, flaws, and the choices they make are on the agenda as we probe deep into our stories. Hananya talks about how her princess’ desire to be in control of her own life inspires her to escape the confines of the castle, setting off a slew of consequences. While we meet Shameem’s antagonist in a most chilling and visual scene, she weaves a tale of female empowerment that is familiar and foreboding. Then Leslie paints a picture of a teenager who is desperate to break the stranglehold of convention only to be thrust into a mystery that...2023-05-1537 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 3 - GENRE, WHY SHOULD WE CARE?On this episode we dive deep into the importance of understanding which genre a story falls into and why we need to be aware of this while writing our books. Leslie discusses the guide bookstores use to determine where to shelve a book and how that affected her Young Adult novel. Hananya shares the conventions of Romance and how her story fits into that genre. While Shameem considers the challenges of writing a Contemporary story with strong female characters that she wants to appeal to both genders. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in t...2023-05-0137 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 2 - MY STORY'S PREMISEIn this episode, we start off on a hilarious note as we chat about how our generational differences influence the stories we tell. Then, Leslie talks about how the premise of her story changed as her protagonist’s real conflict revealed itself and how that impacted the central battle in her novel. Shameem reveals a very personal story about family and discusses how some firsthand experiences formed the basis for characters in her book. While Hananya, shares that her characters’ attitudes and actions are often influenced by her own emotions at the time of writing. Join us as we take...2023-04-1741 minALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieEPISODE 1: WHY THIS NOVEL?Join us as we talk about our inspirations and anecdotes behind the novels we’re writing. Hananya shares the themes that cross many of her stories and why tragic challenges often befall her heroines. Shameem reveals that her novel started as a memoire and how she found perspective through change. While Leslie’s book began as a story about one relationship, she discovered it was actually about another, because characters really do take on a life of their own. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the T...2023-04-0331 min
ALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem SmillieWe are the Three Writing Amigas!We are three international friends on a mission to write and publish our first novels.
From the Netherlands, Hananya is a serial story writer, who has yet to publish. From the UK, Shameem is Welsh, and working on her debut novel. From the States, Leslie is a filmmaker working on her first book.
We were drawn together through our love of writing and an unrelenting determination to finally get published!! Join us every other week for updates on our writer's journey as we talk about our characters, plot, style, and tone… and learn about agents, query letters, pi...2023-02-0729 min