Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Podcast recs for spec fic writers

I still read some blogs, especially review blogs (my favorites are Love in Panels and Whiskey With My Book), but life moves fast these days and, let's face it, most of that movement is either in cars or on workout equipment. In those two situations, podcasts are my way to go. I especially dig these:

  • Myths and Legends: These guys take folk tales, retell them in a relatable way, give them context, and almost always put a surprising spin on things. This podcast is a treasure trove for story tropes and themes.
  • Strong Female Characters: More of a fandom resource than a writing one, this podcast helps me connect with my people on a shared-coolness level, plus it's fun. It's run by SyFy Wire and "celebrate[s] the countless badass women in geek culture through funny, witty, and unfiltered deep dives into the nerdverse."

  • Writing Excuses: Some folks have already mentioned this podcast, but it can be mentioned again. It is the definitive writing craft show, best one out there, and if you haven't listened to it and think of yourself as a writer of any sort, get thee to some earbuds.
  • World Building for Masochists: This is a newer podcast, but it is specifically aimed at writers who like to deep-dive into their world building. One of its hosts is former SFF Seven blogger and writer of all things Maradaine, Marshall Ryan Maresca, and if you've read his blog posts in the past, you know he is  a very meticulous world builder.

Also, because I typically season my stories with a lot of romance, I also really enjoy a couple of romance-leaning podcasts that give good insight into writing craft and the publishing biz:

  • All The Kissing: The ATK group arose out of PitchWars and offers some great craft discussion. If you can deal with some mention of fictional smooching -- and honestly, even if it makes you cringe, you should do it anyway, because romance is human -- you might want to check this one out. The guests are all super accomplished writers.
  • Wicked Wallflowers: This podcast is purely about romance fiction, but it features not only high-profile (think, NYT bestsellers) writers but also industry professionals, like agents and editors. So if you've ever wondered what those sorts of people think about the current state of publishing and its future, this podcast might be interesting.


Currently I'm looking for a what-if, futurist, or even conspiracy theory podcast. I used to love listening to Art Bell-type black-helicopter radio late at night, but it's become unpleasant in recent years and I haven't really found a replacement for it. So if you know of a good our-alien-lizard-overlords sort of podcast, give it a shout in the comments. Thx in advance.