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Writing Is Hard Work

Writing Is Hard Work

By Roger Colby

This is a podcast for the hard working independent writer. Join Roger Colby as he shares his years of experience writing and publishing independent science fiction novels, interviews local independent authors, and answers listener questions on air about writing and publishing topics. Check out the website for more self-publishing information and writing tips!
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Jason Meuschke - Author of "Nine Mile Bridge" and "A Novel Idea"

Writing Is Hard WorkMar 07, 2021

00:00
01:02:51
12 Things I've Learned In 12 Years of Indie Writing

12 Things I've Learned In 12 Years of Indie Writing

Are you new to the independent author game?  Are you an old salt?  On this 12th anniversary of my first self-published novel, I thought I'd take the time to list twelve things I've learned throughout this process.  I hope they are some things that will save you a lot of time and money.

Apr 05, 202133:04
A Turning Point

A Turning Point

Have you ever been writing a work in progress and hear the call to write something else right away?  What about writing outside your genre?  Currently I've had an epiphany and I'd like to share it with you on this very short episode.

Mar 30, 202110:06
Author Ian Primeaux

Author Ian Primeaux

Mar 22, 202128:43
Author Erik Buchanan

Author Erik Buchanan

Mar 15, 202139:34
Jason Meuschke - Author of "Nine Mile Bridge" and "A Novel Idea"

Jason Meuschke - Author of "Nine Mile Bridge" and "A Novel Idea"

Mar 07, 202101:02:51
What Makes a Great Story with Trey Cabler

What Makes a Great Story with Trey Cabler

I was able to sit down and interview my former student teacher about story.  What you have in this podcast is two English teachers who have studied fiction for most of our lives providing observations about what makes a great story. Trey Cabler also has a wonderful podcast called "Teacher's Pet" where he interviews average teachers about their thoughts on the state of education in the United States.  You should check it out!

Mar 01, 202133:59
Creating Quirky Characters

Creating Quirky Characters

What are the ingredients for compelling and interesting characters?  How do you create characters that are not cliche or which follow overused tropes?  Tune in to this episode where I give you some tips about creating characters with interesting quirks which cause readers to hang on to them.

Feb 21, 202117:04
5 Ways to Break Writer's Block

5 Ways to Break Writer's Block

In this episode I discuss how I break writer's block, one of the worst problems a writer can face.  I also touch on a 6th method not discussed on my latest blog post.  You can check out a host of blog posts about writing on my blog "Writing Is Hard Work", found at my website: http://www.rogerdcolby.com 

Feb 16, 202111:54
I'm Back! Planning with Mind Node

I'm Back! Planning with Mind Node

I am back after a long hiatus.  I know. It's been a year.  Hopefully I will be recording weekly podcasts from here on out.  I talk specifically about a planning and mind-mapping software I use called "Mind Node".  It helps me plan out novels like the one I'm working on right now.  You can find it in the App store or the Google Play store.  

Find my article on this subject here: https://rogerdcolby.medium.com/why-i-use-mind-node-for-planning-writing-projects-85912fe369ae 

Feb 09, 202105:16
Final Draft Unboxing

Final Draft Unboxing

I broke down and bought "Final Draft 11". This will be the first in a series of podcasts chronicling my journey as a first-time screenwriter using the program. I purchased it using educator pricing (thank God) and am working on a screenplay to enter in a contest in April of 2019. In this episode I break down the basics of the program and discuss the reasons you should use Final Draft if you are going to get noticed as a screenwriter.
Nov 26, 201809:05
Writers and Social Media

Writers and Social Media

After a long hiatus, I've returned to talk about social media, specifically Facebook and why I no longer use it. I discuss many other forms of social media and how the writer can use them to their advantage. I discuss botometer (https://botometer.iuni.iu.edu/#!/) and how you can use this simple tool to remove bots from your Twitter followers. I also talk about my friend Jerry Bennett and how he's used social media to build a following that has worked to his advantage.
Nov 21, 201816:48
Story Structure

Story Structure

On this episode I talk about submitting to Pitch Wars and also about what screenwriting can teach us about story structure when writing a novel.
Sep 03, 201807:15
Writer Stephen McMurtrey!

Writer Stephen McMurtrey!

I interviewed Stephen McMurtrey over the phone and boy did we have a great conversation! We talked about writing comic book scripts for Okie Comics Magazine, writing spec scripts vs shooting scripts (screenplays) and how we are both entering our submissions on 8/29 for Pitch Wars. Good luck to us both!
Aug 28, 201824:22
An Idea About Screenwriting

An Idea About Screenwriting

This episode is really just a primer for the upcoming blog post about a direction my writing will be taking soon. The blog post hits my website on Tuesday 8/14. I hope some of you out there are thinking the same thing.
Aug 13, 201805:44
The Epistolary Novel

The Epistolary Novel

I'm working on an epistolary novel, and I dish all the good tips I've discovered about writing in this format. How do you compile all of the "real-world" documents into a readable text that a reader can follow easily and not get bogged down.
Jul 21, 201811:24
What Makes a Great Writer?

What Makes a Great Writer?

Like I'm an expert, but as a student of great literature and a teacher of great literature I can tell you what makes our writing that much more amazing. Tune in for my four tips to helping you go beyond good to great.
Jul 09, 201807:18
Lessons from Fahrenheit 451

Lessons from Fahrenheit 451

I can't think of a better book to discuss at this time in our history than the prophetic "Fahrenheit 451". I spend some time discussing it, but mainly I discuss the fount of writing advice found in the pages of the afterward Bradbury wrote some 30 years after it was first published.
Jul 03, 201812:18
Writer Guest: Myloe Yeager

Writer Guest: Myloe Yeager

Sometimes I will interview up-and-coming artists on this show and today is a real treat. I had the privilege of interviewing Myloe Yeager. She's a writer in my writing group, Rose Rock Writers. She's been writing for some time and is working on a thrilling crime novel currently. Listen as she shares her writing advice, experiences and how she is currently trying to market herself.
Jun 11, 201819:53
Screenwriting With Michael Dean

Screenwriting With Michael Dean

I was able to sit down with screenwriter and fellow member of the Rose Rock Writers Group to talk screenwriting. Michael Dean is a teacher like me (he teaches science) but like me he is also working on a writing career. Mike had some great advice!
Jun 03, 201830:02
Tolkien's 10 Tips for Writers

Tolkien's 10 Tips for Writers

In this first episode Roger discusses the 10 writing tips he gleaned from J.R.R. Tolkien's letters. He originally researched and wrote the tips back in April of 2012, but he wanted to talk further about each one and explain the context of each in detail. Tune in for more podcasts where Roger will offer writing tips, interview local authors and generally provide help for writers who have not yet quit their day-job.
May 28, 201813:45