Slush Pile Workshop #26
Saturday, April 28, 2012
With Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, Writing Show host Paula B. will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Paula B.
Date: April 28, 2012
Running time: 55:29
File size: 27 megabytes
Rating: G
A Conversation with Author Taylor Stevens
Saturday, April 21, 2012
With author Taylor Stevens and guest host Alanna Klapp
Four years ago
This is where he would die.
On the ground, palms flat to the earth, fighting against thirst and the urge to drink from a mud-filled puddle. Blood was in his hair, on his clothes, and, beneath dirt and grime, it painted his face. It wasn’t his blood. And he could still taste it.
From The Informationist
Taylor Stevens is the New York Times bestselling author of The Informationist. The first novel featuring Vanessa Michael Munroe, it received critical acclaim and has been published in seventeen languages. Raised in communes across the globe and denied an education beyond the sixth grade, Stevens broke free of the Children of God and now lives in Texas.
Interviewee: Taylor Stevens
Host: Alanna Klapp
Date: April 21, 2012
Running time: 43:54
File size: 21 megabytes
Rating: G
Slush Pile Workshop #25
Saturday, April 07, 2012
With Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, Writing Show host Paula B. will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Paula B.
Date: April 7, 2012
Running time: 01:02:58
File size: 30 megabytes
Rating: G
Slush Pile Workshop #24
Saturday, March 10, 2012
With author Tracy Marchini and Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, we will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Tracy Marchini and Paula B.
Date: March 10, 2012
Running time: 01:08:36
File size: 33 megabytes
Rating: G
Download and listen to Slush Pile Workshop #24
How Not to Annoy Readers
Saturday, February 25, 2012
With author Ronald J. Craft
What are your pet peeves when you read a book? If you're like this week's guest, it really bugs you when authors get the details wrong. Join us as Ronald J. Craft describes the kinds of mistakes fantasy writers make and offers advice for avoiding similar pitfalls.
Interviewee: Ronald J. Craft
Host: Paula B.
Date: February 25, 2012, 2010
Running time: 43:04
File size: 21 megabytes
Rating: G
Download and listen to "How Not to Annoy Readers"
Famous Books Slush Pile Workshop with Neil Trigger
Saturday, February 11, 2012
With author Neil Trigger
In this special edition of our slush pile workshops, Writing Show listener Neil Trigger analyzes first chapters from three fantasy stories by famous authors.
Host: Neil Trigger
Date: Februarly 11, 2012
Running time: 37:30
File size: 18 megabytes
Rating: G
Download and listen to Famous Books Slush Pile Workshop with Neil Trigger
Slush Pile Workshop #23
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
With Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, Writing Show host Paula B. will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Paula B.
Date: January 17, 2012
Running time: 46:38
File size: 22 megabytes
Rating: PG (profanity)
Slush Pile Workshop #22
Saturday, December 17, 2011
With Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, Writing Show host Paula B. will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Paula B.
Date: December 17, 2011
Running time: 44:36
File size: 22 megabytes
Rating: PG (profanity, violence)
Slush Pile Workshop #21
Saturday, November 05, 2011
With Writing Show host Paula B.
This podcast series is designed to help you practice capturing readers’ attention. Inspired by literary agent Kristin Nelson’s two-page pitch sessions, Writing Show host Paula B. will play agent and comment on your anonymous submissions on the show.
Host: Paula B.
Date: November 5, 2011
Running time: 39:14
File size: 19 megabytes
Rating: PG (profanity)
Download and listen to Slush Pile Workshop #21
The Writing Show Is Now Syndicated!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Paul "The Book Guy" Alves is creating a 24/7 book-related audio stream, and we're part of it!
Check it out after May 1st and let us know what you think.
Check out this cool poster for horror writer David Schembri's upcoming short story/flash fiction collection:
New article, "42 Common Mistakes Novelists Make," now available
My new article, "42 Common Mistakes Novelists Make," is now available at the Amazon Kindle store for 99 cents:
Story consulting from Paula B.
Are you having trouble writing your story? Getting nowhere with agents? Writing Show host Paula B. helps writers get unstuck. Time to break through that barrier and make your dreams come true. Details here.
"In practically no time, Paula grasped our complex sci-fi time-travel thriller, wrote three tiers of outlines, and provided a full analysis of its strength and flaws. She assessed our story against multiple story structures; made countless suggestions to increase reader interest, boost suspense, and develop our characters; and helped us bring out the theme in our story. But most of all, we felt she really understood what we were trying to say. As a result, we now have a much improved book with a strong theme, higher suspense, greater conflict, and more compelling characters. We highly recommend Paula's services, and we plan on working with Paula for years to come."
--Edward Miller and J.B. Manas
"I would recommend Paula to anyone (and have been), and will be calling upon her often in the years to come. Here’s to you, Paula!"
--Marty Young - Australian Horror Writers Association Founding President, 2005-2010
"It's not always easy working with writers; the egos, the authorial control, the tightly defined visions of our stories. Paula has the special kind of patience and knowledge that is required for the task."
-- Mayowa Atte
The Writing Show is now all slush pile workshops
How to participate (it's free!)...
The Writing Show Slush Pile Workshop is designed to help you practice engaging readers. In each workshop podcast, Paula B. plays agent and comments on your anonymous submissions. Does she want to see more, or does she lose interest?
We’re sure you know how important it is to hook a prospective agent or publisher in your first couple of pages. But if you send your work out before it’s ready, you could squander an important opportunity. Don’t risk it. Try your material out on us first—for free!
Submissions selected for the show will be available to read from our site at WritingShow.com.
We know how hard it is to put your work out there, so we want to stress that all pitches will be anonymous! (We must know who you are because we need a disclaimer from you, but we won’t divulge your identity.)
Listen to our slush pile workshops:
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #1"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #2"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #3"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #4"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #5"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #6"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #7"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #8"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #9"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #10"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #11"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #12"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #13"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #14"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #15"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #16"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #17"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #18"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #19"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #20"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #21"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #22"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #23"
Download and listen to "Famous Books Slush Pile Workshop with Neil Trigger"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #24"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #25"
Download and listen to "Slush Pile Workshop #26"
Paula's Self-Mentoring Checklist for Novelists available at the Amazon Kindle store for 99 cents! Check out my Writing Dialogue series too. Five articles for $3.99. Such a deal.
Our 2008 Holiday Short Story Celebration
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Here are some of the terrific stories we received as submissions this year. Enjoy!
"Black Peter," by Gwenyth Love. "We all know that good children get a visit from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, but few know the tale of Black Peter!"
"Wassail Hassle," by Don Walker. "Far from festive--closer to shell shocked"
"Holidaze," by Tim Lewis. "If you consider the holidays, do you think of food comas, shopping frenzies, Christmas music, and aliens? This is what you have in store for you when you read 'Holidaze,' a short story written especially for the Holiday Short Story Celebration. "
"Jack in the Box," by Dorothy Piper. "High expectations of a small boy - and a clumsy one at that."
"Sanity Claus," by Anthony G. Craine. "Down on his luck, an unemployed man concocts a plan to strike back at all of the department-store Santas who have ruined his holidays since childhood. "
"Marry Christmas from Moldova," by Terri Elders. "As much as I treasure 'Hello, Dolly' and 'Fiddler on the Roof,' I truly believe that marriages are made in heaven, and that mere earthlings lack the acumen to match one stranger with another. "