51 episodes
So I'm Writing a Novel... Oliver Brackenbury
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- Arts
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4.8 • 5 Ratings
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The show where you join me, Oliver Brackenbury, on the journey of writing my next novel, from first ideas all the way to publication & promotion. In this unique, one-man-reality show I’ll share you with you my ever evolving thoughts and feelings on how I write, being a writer, and everything that entails at each stage of the process. I’ll also answer listener questions and, sometimes, interview people who write fiction.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to learn how things are made, and get to know the people making them, then this is the show for you.
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Ep1 So, I'm Writing a Novel...
Meet host Oliver Brackenbury as he introduces the podcast, himself, and the titular novel "Untitled Sword & Sorcery novel". He also discusses the genre of sword & sorcery, then shares his experience working with an editor on the short story which become the first chapter of the novel.
It can be lonely writing a novel, and Oliver would love some company. Maybe, through the podcast, you'll join him?
Want to see inside The Denim Notebook Oliver mentions, the one where he's outlining the novel? Check out this public blog post over on the show's Patreon!
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury -
Ep2 My Protagonist
Oliver shares with you the path he took from being inspired by a famous painting, through to his creating the protagonist of "Untitled Sword & Sorcery Novel", Voe, roughly nine years later. He also answers a listener question about best practices when soliciting and receiving feedback on your work.
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury -
Ep3 Brainstorming Stories
Oliver discusses what a short story cycle is in novel form, his initial brainstorming of stories to include in his novel, and reclaiming dry or even dispiriting material from your school days as a source of pleasure later in life.
This episode's listener question comes off of episode two's discussion of protagonists, with Oliver answering in further detail how Norman Rockwell's Rosie the Riveter inspired him, and why he's been drawn to write several protagonists birthed from that inspiration.
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury -
Ep4 Compare & Contrast: People of the Black Circle vs Conan the Buccaneer
Concerned about just creating a shallow expression of the genre, and wanting to better understand what he likes about sword & sorcery before going further in outlining "Untitled Sword & Sorcery Novel", Oliver compares and contrasts Robert E. Howard's The People of the Black Circle with Lin Carter & L. Sprague De Camp's Conan the Buccaneer to see what he can learn from it. You, dear listener, may wish to read the former (available for free online), but absolutely don't have to in order to enjoy this episode.
In the listener question segment Oliver speaks more about anxieties that have made writing difficult, and how he overcomes them (most of the time). At the absolute end of the episode, Oliver also reads his favourite scene from People.
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury -
Ep5 Outlining My Outline
Oliver discusses how, after the initial sugar rush of brainstorming for the novel, he stepped back to make several important decisions that would help keep him from getting lost while finishing the outline of the novel, as well as writing the dang novel itself! This involves choosing tense, perspective, primary POV, theme, all that good stuff, as well as discussion of having a healthy attitude toward writing advice, and your own ever-evolving approach to writing.
In the listener question segment he discusses when to call on the services of a story editor, and how he's found the ones he's worked with.
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury -
Ep6 The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction
In this episode I share the essay I found that helped me envision the ending of the novel, an almost anti-sword & sorcery essay, The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction by Ursula K Le Guin. First I read it to you (click here if you want to read it yourself), then get into how it helped me see the story I want to tell so much more clearly.
Then in the listener question segment I discuss how I discovered, and was drawn to work with, a remarkable speculative fiction archive, The Merril Collection. In this I promise some links, which are as follow:
The Merril Collection: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/merril/
The Merril Collection Digital Archive: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/search.jsp?Erp=20&N=38537+38532&view=grid
Friends of Merril: https://friendsofmerril.org
Unknown Worlds of the Merril Collection podcast: https://unknownworlds.podbean.com
www.soimwritinganovel.com
PATREON: www.patreon.com/soimwritinganovel
BUY OLIVER'S BOOKS: https://www.oliverbrackenbury.com/store
SO I'M WRITING A NOVEL... TWITTER: https://twitter.com/so_writing
OLIVER'S TWITTER: https://twitter.com/obrackenbury
Oliver's Link Tree (For everything else): https://linktr.ee/obrackenbury
Customer Reviews
So I’m writing a novel
Love it now thinking about writing a sword and sorcery novel
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