Are you stuck in a writing slump? Have you ran out of story ideas? Are you puzzled and confused over the publishing industry? Do you need guidance on becoming a professional wordsmith? There are lots of resources – good and bad – out on the web, and they all claim to improve your writing, improve your sales, etc. But who has the time to browse and keep up with dozens, if not hundreds, of writing-related websites, blogs, forums, and workshops?
That’s why I’ve compiled a list of the best creative writing-related podcasts for all you creative writers out there. The beauty of listening to podcasts is that you can listen to them while doing other things, like cleaning your house or doing the dishes. Or writing.
Writing Excuses
Writing Excuses is a fiction writing podcast run by Brandon Sanderson (Mistborn, The Wheel of Time, and The Stormlight Archive), Dan Wells (I Am Not a Serial Killer), and Howard Tayler (Schlock Mercenary). They live and die by their tagline:
Fifteen minutes long, because you’re in a hurry, and we’re not that smart.
This podcast is popular and garners over 10,000 downloads per episode. Every Monday, they come out with a new episode that covers a specific topic related to creative writing, whether it’s about literary techniques, idea farms, plotting, or the publishing industry.
On top of that, they’re just plain fun and funny. Definitely one of the best writing podcasts out there – period.
The Writing Show
The Writing Show has been around since 2005 and it’s still running strong today. Hosted by Paula Berinstein, this podcast is chocked full of information and inspiration for all kinds of writers – novelists, contract writers, copywriters, screenwriters, technical writers, and more!
Topics on the show range from interviews with authors to roundtable discussions on the state of the industry, from tips and tricks on writing to publishing and marketing your finished books. Each episode goes on for 30 to 60 minutes and there are over 180 episodes available in the archive. There’s literally a library full of great information here.
Dead Robots’ Society
The Dead Robots’ Society is a podcast/community that was started by Justin Macumber. The aim of the show is to offer advice and support for aspiring writers.
Interesting fact – Macumber was inspired by the next podcast series listed in this article, I Should Be Writing.
Topics covered include author interviews, writing tips, genre and book reviews, industry analysis, and discussions about writing in general.
I Should Be Writing
I Should Be Writing is an award-winning podcast about writing, hosted by the charming Mur Lafferty. Like most writing podcasts, the show’s central aim is to help and encourage aspiring writers to become better, even professional.
Lafferty’s credentials include freelance writing, podcast producing, and editing for Escape Pod magazine. She is also a self-professed geek and fangirl. For all of you readers looking for nerdy girls, chew on that!
There are over 200 episodes in the archives. If you have the time, definitely give this podcast a listen.
The Secrets
Michael A. Stackpole, the New York Times bestselling author, once ran a podcast series called The Secrets. What kind of secrets does he talk about? It seems he gives you the nitty gritty details – the secrets – on how to succeed as a fiction writer.
He covers everything from inspiration to planning to execution to querying to marketing. If you’re a new creative writer, you’ll learn pretty much anything you’ve ever wanted to know about the writing world in his podcast.
The Secrets was discontinued sometime between 2005 and 2006, but the audio files are still available for download and the information is still relevant today.
Scriptcast
If you’re thinking of specializing in screenwriting, Scriptcast is one podcast that you won’t want to miss. It’s hosted by a guy who calls himself Script Doctor Eric, a professional screenwriter and script reader. Screenwriters from all over the world have sent in their testimonials describing how much Scriptcast has helped them, so it’s hard to come up with a good reason why you shouldn’t listen to this.
As of December 2011, there have been 29 episodes. As far as I know, episodes are still being produced, even if they are released somewhat irregularly.
Do you know any great creative writing podcasts that were left off of this list? Share them with us in the comments. We’re always open to hearing about what’s still out there on the web.
Image Credits: Abizern, Writing Excuses, The Writing Show, I Should Be Writing, Stormwolf
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