Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson, M.J. Kuhn and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on How to Write Unlikable Characters with bestselling author Joe Abercrombie. During the episode, Joe unpacks the core traits of unlikable characters, including what makes an unlikable character likable, why readers are fascinated by awful people, the process of creating an unlikable character, the importance of character voice, conveying character details through dialogue, morally gray character arcs, active vs. passive characters, revealing character vulnerabilities and flaws, reader investment, morally gray worlds, external conflict and more.
Interview
SFF Addicts Ep. 153: Joe Abercrombie talks The Devils, Grimdark, Ensemble Casts & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson, M.J. Kuhn and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling author Joe Abercrombie about his new novel The Devils, first attempts at writing, working in film, TV and music video editing, the world of The First Law and gradual success, his opinions on grimdark, writing (absurdist) alternate history Europe, going down historical research rabbit holes, creating an eclectic ensemble cast, writing multiple POVs, giving characters distinct voices and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 152: Writing for Different Mediums with Luke Arnold (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on Writing for Different Mediums with author/actor Luke Arnold. During the episode, Luke breaks down his approaches to four different mediums (prose, comics, screenwriting and video games), including expressing your creativity through various mediums, learning from other mediums, researching and understanding your medium, as well as comparing story structure, pacing, expectations, character development and worldbuilding across mediums.
SFF Addicts Ep. 151: Luke Arnold talks Whisper in the Wind, Acting, Noir & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with author/actor Luke Arnold about his new novel Whisper in the Wind, the pros and cons of writing a series, character development in The Fetch Phillips Archives, his nostalgia for films and video games, lessons learned from acting, audiobook narration and voice acting, noir inspirations and tropes, urban fantasy and genre mashups, creating compelling mysteries, keeping setting/themes fresh and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 150: Writing Nature & Wildnerness with Hannah Kaner (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on Writing Nature & Wilderness with bestselling author Hannah Kaner. During the episode, Hannah ventures out into the wilds of storytelling, including incorporating your natural surroundings into fiction, drawing influence from environments you’ve never visited, using landscape/environment to enhance story elements, awe and the unknown, nature as a character, the economy of nature and its resources, agency and control in the natural world, elemental magic, spirits and monsters, cities in contrast to nature and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 149: Hannah Kaner talks Faithbreaker, Gods, Perseverance & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling author Hannah Kaner about her new novel Faithbreaker, completing The Fallen Gods Trilogy, perseverance and the marathon of publishing, querying and what to look for in an agent, the challenges of writing a series, community and pushing yourself, creating a pantheon of gods, writing about faith and religion, opening scenes, multiple POVs, character relationships, pilgrimage, trust and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 148: Finding the Emotional Core with Nicholas Binge (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on Finding the Emotional Core with bestselling author Nicholas Binge. During the episode, Nick delves into the emotional heart of storytelling, including what “emotional core” means, why characters and relationships are vital for emotional investment, developing a character’s emotional journey, emotional resonance through plot and structure, the malleability of the emotional core, how worldbuilding can reflect the emotional journey, endings, expectations, emotional payoff and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 147: Nicholas Binge talks Dissolution, Memory, Story Structure & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling author Nicholas Binge about his new novel Dissolution, memory and identity, writing elderly characters, the joys of teaching and podcasting, agents and querying, getting books optioned for TV and film, living up to hype, marketability vs. artistic vision, experimenting with story structure, antagonists, dementia, grandparents and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 146: Bringing the Funny to Sci-Fi with John Scalzi (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on Bringing the Funny to Sci-Fi with bestselling, award-winning author John Scalzi. During the episode, John sets up the punchline for sci-fi comedy, including what humor means to us, humor as a skill that you develop, Douglas Adams and the progression of humor in sci-fi, the marketability of humorous sci-fi, why sci-fi and comedy combine so well, deciding how to infuse humor into a story, balancing humor with drama, action, etc., character voice and comedic delivery, worldbuilding with humor in mind, the subjectivity of humor and more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 145: John Scalzi talks When the Moon Hits Your Eye, Publishing, Luck & More
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling, award-winning author John Scalzi about his new novel When the Moon Hits Your Eye, luck and career longevity, major changes in the publishing landscape, Old Man’s War book 7 and writing without pressure, fandom and avoiding burnout, turning the moon into cheese, using the lunar cycle as a story structure, writing dozens of POV characters, cheese science, research, touring and much more.
SFF Addicts Ep. 144: How to Train Your Character with C. L. Clark (Writing Masterclass)
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they delve into a writing masterclass on How to Train Your Character with award-winning author C. L. Clark. During the episode, Cherae works out the fundamentals of character strength and training, including the body and the stories we tell ourselves, convincing fictional examples of physicality, how the body affects plot and character, biological sex, body type and societal standards, how to determine your character’s starting strength, an early defeat and setting the stakes, finding the ideal method for training your character, satisfying climaxes, boss battles, injuries and more.
Author Interview: Breanne Randall
Breanne Randall is a freelance writer by trade and an author by vocation. She graduated with honors with degrees in English Literature, Psychology, and Religious Studies, and her articles have been published in national magazines such as Parents, Fit Pregnancy, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle et al. as well as regular contributions to sites such as […]