Be mighty, and keep your axes sharp!
In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I talk about how I’m normally not the biggest fan of worldbuilding in fiction, but recognize when it’s necessary. (And not just because “Rockbiters” required some up-front worldbuilding!)
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In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I talk about new years and my motivations to acknowledge several specific dates in each calendar year.
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In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I talk about why almost half of all tales, here, feature violence to some degree…
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In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I answer a listener question about the narrators I choose to sometimes work with. After that, I talk about how I have never been much of a fan of puzzles and riddles, but why I chose to write a short story featuring both.
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In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I get personal and talk about why a character in “Godspeed, Crazy Mike” has Tourette syndrome…and how I approach writing about people with disorders and disabilities…
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It’s not uncommon for people to assume stories are a reflection of the author — especially stories in which an author features a writer as a protagonist. “Revisions” is about a writer who was raised by a single mother. Some people who know me mentioned they felt it was heavily influenced by my mother.
I discuss where my life is similar to the protagonist in the story and…how our situations and views greatly differ.
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It was a strange year, but also a productive year for Not About Lumberjacks.
As we close out 2021, some thoughts on the year that was…and some hopes for the year ahead…
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“In Cypress Slough” includes two gay characters, but it’s not a story about being gay in East Texas.
In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, I talk about representation, the stories I’d never write (and why), and how I approach writing disenfranchised characters who have experienced lives I can only imagine.
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Links to some people and things mentioned in this episode:
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While “Milkboy” is based on a true story, it definitely ends up a work of fiction. When I started the story, I had no idea where to take it. Discovering what to do with the story led to a ridiculous and heartfelt tale of friendship that is one of my favorite stories on the site.
I talk about that — and much more — in this behind-the-scenes look at the latest episode of Not About Lumberjacks.
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“Calling Out of Time” started with a tweet. Without a random thing I saw on Twitter, it’s unlikely this story would exist.
Ideas are everywhere if you’re open to them, but it’s not as easy as picking them out of the air — it helps to know which ideas are worth working through vs. those best ignored.
While there is an effort involved in writing any story, ideas aren’t so hard when you know the one simple test I talk about in this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story…
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