33: Getting The Details Right with Eric James Stone

Nebula Award winner and Hugo Award nominated author Eric James Stone was our guest tonight to discuss what elements make up a "Hard" Science Fiction story or novel. Eric also shared with us elements aspiring authors must include if they want to write a credible hard SF story and errors he has seen as an assistant editor of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show that would cause an editor not to consider an author's story for publication. For all of these topics and more from Eric James Stone, press "Play" below:

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Eric James Stone's Website: http://www.ericjamesstone.com/blog/home/ Find Eric James Stone's stories on Daily Science Fiction

32: Planning A Series with J. Scott Savage

For this episode, we welcome back Middle Grade and YA author, J. Scott Savage to discuss his approach to the process of planning a novel series. We talk a little bit about Scott's approach to going from the initial idea that inspired you to write your book to the ins and outs, from Scott's perspective, on series planning. For a detailed discussion of how to go from your "Cool Idea" to finished series, press "Play" below.

28: J. Scott Savage on Middle Grade Voice

Our guest tonight writes as J. Scott Savage, mainly because "Jeff Savage" was already taken (by another Middle Grade author who writes about sports--not fantasy). He goes by Jeff, but answers to just about anything now. He is friends with James Dashner and Nathan Bransford. They have a podcast together, called WordPlay Podcast.

Jeff is amazingly knowledgeable about the Middle Grade genre, and shared with us his tricks of the trade. Among these are:

• Middle Grade spans from about 3rd grade to 7th grade, and the protagonist should be at the upper end of those ages
• Short chapters equals happy kids who might get mom to read "just one more" (1500 words or less)
• Each chapter should be a complete story
• Kids are fanatical about the rules of the worlds they play in, so you better get it right ALL THE TIME or they'll call you on it
• You have only a few paragraphs to catch a kid's interest... and you can lose it just as fast
• Girls and boys are much more similar at that age... but girls still like a bit of romance
• Kids like scary stuff, but make it safe scary

He has a new series coming out in 2013: CASE FILE 13, starting with ZOMBIE KID.

For about an hour and a half, Jeff shared his wisdom with us. You can download the MP3 here, listen to it below, or subscribe to the Authors' Advisory podcast here.

16 Larry Correia: The Mechanics of Writing Action and Pacing

Tonight we spoke with Larry Corriea, author of the Monster Hunter series and Hard Magic: Book One of the Grimnoir Chronicles. During our conversation this evening, Larry "The Action Guy" shared with us ways we can improve the pacing and the flow of the actions our characters choices (or the choices placed upon them by the circumstances we put them in) play out in our books or stories.

Improving the action in our writings can include (but is not limited to):

1. Balancing the amount of action vs the amount of characterization.
2. Making sure you as the author don't overstimulate your reader with Action sequences.
3. What "If its boring, fix it!" actually means.

Put on your "Big Boy" (or Girl) pants, sit down, belt up and hang on- Larry "The Action Guy" has something to tell ya!

You can access the MP3 here or you can listen to it below: