Keystroke Medium

Coffee & Concepts - Ep. 10 - Writing Your Best Experience

March 17, 2020

Walt is trying his hand at balance, seeing as he has one leg off the floor, and talking up experience.

Ep 5.10 - LIVE! Breaking Down True Detective

March 16, 2020

A masterpiece in storytelling, True Detective season one is not only a fantastic series, but also a legitimate case study in character, story structure, plot, and conflict. Josh, Scott, and Chuck break down the first episode "The Long Bright Dark" and discuss the elements of an excellent, compelling story.

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Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com

Keystroke Medium Anthologies

Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I

Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX

Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or where ever else you found us!

Behind the Scenes at Writers Conferences | Jonathan Maberry & Marie Whittaker, Ep. 2.11

March 15, 2020

Attending writers conferences can be a great way to make the connections that springboard your writing career, but what goes on behind the scenes?

Marie Whittaker, Superstars Writing Seminars maven, and New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry discuss how to pull off a fantastic conference and share their top tips on getting the most out of the experience.

Coffee & Concepts - Ep. 09 - Real Life Inspiration

March 15, 2020

Special Guest Supah Stah Josh Hayes stops by to give his impressions on using real life scenarios in your fiction.

Storytelling - Ep. 05 - Len Kabasinski

March 14, 2020

It was a real bucket list item for Joshua to hang out with Len (Big thanks to him for taking the time).

And if you haven't checked out RedLetterMedia yet...whyyyy?

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Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/

Don't forget to Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium

If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium

For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/

Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com

Keystroke Medium Anthologies

Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I

Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX

Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or where ever else you found us!

Ep 5.09 - LIVE! Making the Unreal Real

March 13, 2020

Sometimes as speculative fiction writers, we forget that in addition to creating fantastic and interesting worlds, we also need to ground our reader in that world. On this episode of LIVE! Josh, Scott, and Chuck discuss how to give your reader just enough realism, so they'll belive the unreal!

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[00:00] Opening remarks—Dragon Award Nominations are open!

Thundar the Barbarian!

[06:00] Weekly update

Chuck: About 4-5 days away from completing first Jack Dark #1. Internet woes and home improvement advice from Josh.

Josh: Still working on Valor #3, short story for super secret project was accepted, and Coffee & Concepts with Walt tomorrow. Valor memes galore.

Scott: Finishing Reaper #10 and moving into editing mode.

[14:10] Main Event: Making the Unreal Real!

-Imaginative concepts and ideas that can override the human and relatable in your story.

-Grounding depends on timeline. Ex. Urban Fantasy just has magic added to the real world where far future science fiction has more changes and worlds.

Example: Peter F. Hamilton’s works [link]

Counter-Example: Brandon Sanderson’s steep learning curves in the Stormlight Archives [link]

-Juxtaposition the familiar with the unfamiliar (Sanderson’s chickens)

Example: Richard K. Morgan’s Altered Carbon series [link]

-How to get there? Technology for science fiction.

Example: Josh Haye’s Link in Valor series

Example: Peter F. Hamilton’s cybersphere in Commonwealth Universe

Example: Babylon 5 aliens [Vorlons and Shadows]

-What about urban fantasy? Putting a price on the power. Less of a price for superheroes.

Chuck Explains Pocket Dimensions in Dr. Strange.

Example: Chuck’s Master of Hounds: The Pickman Files #1 [link]

-Enlightening the reader through a story or skeptic to introduce to the unbelievable

Example: Joe Abercrombie’s First Law Trilogy [link]

-How do we get the believability?

[31:00] Sponsor: Ralph Kern’s A Rain of Fire (The Great War #1) [link]

[35:45] Main Event: Making the Unreal Real, Continued!

-Using a Mary Sue or a rookie character to show the reader the unreal.

-Portal fantasy where you bring someone from the real world directly into the unreal world.

Example: George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series with low magic and grounded in reality. [link]

Example: Dan Simmon’s Hyperion Cantos [link]

-Too much unreal may not stick with the reader.

Example: Larry Niven’s Ringworld [link]

Portal fiction example: Stephen King’s Dark Tower Series [link]

Example: Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere [link]

Example: Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book [link]

Example: Neil Gaiman’s American Gods/Anansi Boys [links]

-Magical realism vs. Urban fantasy

Example: Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate [link]

-20Booksto50K conference segue

[58:50] Closing remarks

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Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/

Don't forget to Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium

If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium

For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/

Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com

Keystroke Medium Anthologies

Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I

Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX

Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo

If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or where ever else you found us!

Writing Tips from Harry Potter, Ep. 2.10

March 12, 2020

Editors Ellen, Kalene, and Lauren take a look at passages from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to see what makes it work (or not). From it, they pull No-Nos and Do-Dos for authors.

Yes, we just said "do-do."