Is it a problem when kids jump right from early reader to YA novels? How in the world can someone with a family and/or a full time job find time to write? To outline or not to outline? And how do you solve the dreaded writers block?
Listen to Jeff, James, and Nathan discuss all this and more, count how many times they can refer to Stephen King, and win this awesome new book that hasn’t even hit bookstore shelves yet!
It's easy to win. All you have to do is comment or tweet a link to the wordplay podcast with the hastag #wordplaypodcast and you are entered. Do both and you are entered twice. We will draw one winner on Sunday, October 2nd. And remember, if you like the show, please tell your friends about us!
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Hi! Thanks for the giveaway!
tweet–> http://twitter.com/#!/MollyGibsonMee/status/118380424882950144
Molly
Is the new podcast missing? The topic sounds like a lot of fun, but the ‘cast in the post is the same as last week’s.
Kristy,
Thanks for the catching that. It is the right one now! How embarrassing.
Thanks for putting this one up. I enjoyed what y’all had to say!
Hi all,
Thanks for another great podcast. Please consider this my official entry into the Variant giveaway! Might just have to start a twitter account to enter twice.
David Dickson
I just finished reading Miss Peregine’s too (and posted a review on my blog). And I also skipped the middle readers, but mostly because they didn’t exist when I was a middle reader (shows how old I am).
Loving the podcast! Keep up the good work. (And Scott, when will the next Farworld book come out?!?)
Great Podcast guys. Us newbies and hope-to-be authors really appreciate the straight talk. I really like the topics. Keep upthe good work.
Very interesting topic. Thanks for the great podcast!
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/Dani_Nguyen/status/118698699797954560
Great podcast! Hopefully I can actually get myself to use those writers block tips (instead of trying to just go back to something later and never actually going back it it).
And also, I can’t wait for The Death Cure to come out! Already have my copy pre-ordered!
I think kids today are reading at more advanced levels because they know and understand more than kids used to. The section on writer’s block was particularly helpful to me right now. I’m really glad to hear that staring at the computer is progress. I’ll keep doing it.
Love the podcast. Always excited to see a new one. Plus giveaways (hope I win Variant).
My daughter is still too young to worry about editing her reading but I can see the dilemma between wanting her to read and worrying about what she is reading.
I really enjoyed the discussion about the young readers reading ‘older’ books. When I was young I wasn’t interested in the books for ‘my age’ and read adult books. I’ve been reading adult books since middle school and skipped YA entirely, but now I’m reading a lot of those books…and enjoying them! Maybe they didn’t have them when I was growing up (but I’m not that old!), but that’s one of the reasons I’m writing now. Anyway, as a parent I agree that you should be reading what your kids are reading and discussing their books with them. There are certainly books that I will have to make sure my children are ready for when the time comes, but nothing that I will refuse them forever. It’s important to teach them discernment, and the only way to do that is talk about the books they’re reading and the themes they’re promoting and why those are good or not…
Another great podcast! Can’t wait to share the link with my writer’s group tonight.
You guys rock! (Ever think of adding a female author’s voice to the discussion?)
I dunno if kids just skip. I started reading adult fantasy when I was twelve (Lord of the Rings, Sword of Shanara), then picked up Redwall, then Harry Potter…and I still read a mix of adult/YA/MG. I’d hate if anyone tried to tell me I couldn’t read those big, fat adult books I loved. Though I wouldn’t have minded a list of books heavy on awesome sword fighting and light on mushy-ick.
Wow! You guys sure packed a lot into one episode. I’m glad there’s a giveaway because I was dying to comment along with the entire podcast anyway.
Regarding younger kids who “read up”, my three teenagers have no problem switching between middle-grade, YA, and adult-level books since they started reading. My dyslexic son taught himself to read by reading Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series along with the audiobooks. Now – seven years later – he is just getting around to the decidedly-younger Gregor the Overlander series. Awesome stories are just awesome! We should read them all.
And I also have found that watching movies is the perfect way to break through a writing lull. It’s like an injection of imagination! Works every time.
Great episode. Keep ‘em coming!
My Creative Writing for Publication class, filled with students grades 7-9, totally enjoy these podcasts. We listen to one every week as part of our Thursday writing days and it helps the students get their ideas flowing.
You covered lots of great stuff in this podcast – thanks.
I have a question. I’m wondering how many times each of you revises your novel-in-progress before you feel that it’s finished. To mention Stephen King one more time, I read that he writes a draft, revises it twice and is done. That seems amazingly quick to me! (I’m on draft number five of my first novel and I can tell that there’s still lots of work to do.)
I would also love to win Variant!
Just discovered these podcasts and they are brilliant!!
Very helpful for aspiring writers.
I would love to be entered for Variant!
X
Great podcast! Made me remember my rebellious reading youth years.
Loved the podcast and hearing about your process, and how you break out of writer’s block.
Loved this podcast. I’ve been trying to get re-motived after a tough summer and this was just what I needed. You guys rock with your spot-on advice. It’s right to the point and very informative. Keep it up!!
Really enjoyed the podcast, especially including the discussion of writers’ block. I also find that taking some time to do something else can allow my brain to recharge. Sometimes for me the best thing is cleaning, because it keeps my hands busy but lets my mind drift and wander a bit. In fact, my friends have said they know that they know when I have a deadline is approaching because there are no dishes in the sink.