Be mighty, and keep your axes sharp!
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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“A Deathly Mistake” ended up becoming one of my favorite episodes of Not About Lumberjacks.
In this behind-the-scenes look, I discuss how it was a bit of a departure from other stories I’ve written for the show. I also talk about fears faced in recording “A Deathly Mistake”…and close with a request to everyone who listens.
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This year’s annual Christmas episode was anchored by a story based on real life. But what is “real life” when it comes to stories — even those claiming to be true? I discuss how fiction and truth have a way of coming together to create even greater truths in the process of their mingling.
Also, I chat a bit about 2021 plans for Not About Lumberjacks…
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In honor of five years of Not About Lumberjacks, this behind-the-scenes look is not the usual commentary about the latest episode. If you want to know how “Geocached” came to be, here’s the quick version:
My wife and I love hiking, but we’ve never gotten into geocaching. Still, it’s never lost on me the things we likely pass on our hikes. I jotted down a simple story idea in the file where I keep thoughts about future episodes:
A hobbyist begins finding strange items in geocaches.
The story was initially going to be part of the annual Christmas episode full of micro-fiction, but when I saw there was more to the story, I decided to make it this year’s anniversary issue. (With the 2020 election still lingering almost a month later, no one needed the humorous story about an election I planned to write anyway…)
Now you know!
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So, what is this episode of Behind the Cut about then?
It’s a Q&A from listeners of the show; specifically, these questions:
It was fun answering these questions — thank you to everyone who asked!
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If you’ve listened from the start, thank you for five years of caring about what I write.
If you’re new to the show, check out The Quick List for summaries of all the stories on the site.
I’m not about to run out of story ideas, so as long as there’s time, I plan to write, record, and release stories for years to come…
– Christopher
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Until the last minute, I didn’t like the latest story for Not About Lumberjacks. In this behind-the-scenes look at the episode, I discuss what was wrong, how I fixed things, and what I realized along the way…
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My good friend, Curtis Hart, requested this episode. He wanted to know why sometimes I tease an episode…only to release it much later — sometimes even releasing multiple episodes before it.
He gets his answer in this behind-the-scenes look at what goes into an episode of Not About Lumberjacks.
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In this behind-the-scenes look at “Under the Big Top,” I talk about what I like (and dislike) about mysteries — and why I tend to not write them…
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