15 minutes worth of brainstorming?

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Okay, I'm behind. But over at http://www.writingexcuses.com/ Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells are putting out a weekly series about writing called Writing Excuses. It's audio, not text, but I tried the first one today (it was put up Feb. 10) and it was pretty good!
( Summary of Episode 1 Brainstorming behind the curtain . . . )

Well worth spending some time listening to (only 15 minutes). And despite the term podcast, Firefox was perfectly happy playing this in a popup for me. Of course, it took me a moment to realize that I needed to press the forward icon in the popup window, but that's just me.

And you can find out about Howard's Pepsi habit, too. Now there's a sticky image. :-)

Writing Excuses, Episode 2

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Episode Two of Writing Excuses: Blending the familiar and the original

From over at http://www.writingexcuses.com/

This was kind of hard to summarize - lots of great ideas and interplay. So this is rough notes, not a nice transcript or summary, but I think it gives an impression of the episode.

Key Points: First, some discussion about what is meant by combining an ordinary idea and an extraordinary idea to make something unique. Then some discussion of how this juxtaposition changes. Postponed discussion of writing the story you want to write for another time as a can of worms. Third was some talk about keeping up with trends and anticipating them.
( Lots of stuff . . . )

Parting thoughts that were excellent: Don't just stand on the shoulders of giants and look around at the view, look far out and take a leap! To improve a book explain the heck out of one unimportant thing, then don't explain some important thing at all. Make sure your original is really original -- if you have a strong familiar, you can probably take a few more steps with your originality.

Writing Excuses Episode 3: Killing Your Darlings

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The Thoroughly Unauthorized Summary of Writing Excuses Episode 3: Killing Your Darlings
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/02/24/writing-excuses-episode-4-killing-your-darlings/

In which we learn that sometimes little darlings need to get the hatchet because they just don't fit anymore, that keeping them on tap for the right time and place may make it easier to cut them out right now, and that someone else can see which ones need the axe better than we can. Oh, and Howard spits Diet Pepsi on the table when someone suggests that our first book really should be killed.
( Many details . . .  )

Practice cutting your darlings. Write more, and don't worry about cutting this little darling, because you can always make more.

Only three episodes behind.

Writing Excuses Episode 4: Beginnings

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Writing Excuses Episode 4: Beginnings
http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/03/02/writing-excuses-episode-4-beginnings/
starring Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells
( Ze bits and pieces . . . )

The short form: don't try to write your first line first. Do make sure that your first line makes a promise that the rest of your book fulfills. Get to character and conflict fast.

Writing Excuses 5: Heroes and Protagonists

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Writing Excuses 5: Heroes and Protagonists
From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2008/03/09/writing-excuses-episode-5-heroes-and-protagonists/

In which we learn that Professor Google likes Charlie and The Chocolate Factory; main characters, heroes, and protagonists aren't always the same thing; and that everyman needs to be competent at something. Oh, and didgeridoo and rutabaga.
( Lots of little stuff . . . )

On to next week!