Josh, Chuck, and Lauren sit down to talk with the author of DARK OPERATOR the latest Galaxy's Edge tie-in novel by Doc Spears.

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Hosts: Josh Hayes, C. Stephen Manley, Lauren Moore

[00:00] Opening remarks

[05:33] Weekly update, Coyote Roundup Edition

Lauren: Researching Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves (Race and Ethnicity in the American West) by Art T. Burton Started editing a military science fiction.

Chuck: More Family Time™, working on Jack Dark #2 and other projects.

Doc: Giving training for security/police forces.

Josh: Vacation Time™ and attempted to water ski with some success but after effects were not good.

[10:33] Main Event: LIVE! With Doc Spears!

-The motivation behind writing Dark Operator and history with the Galaxy’s Edge creators Nick Cole and Jason Anspach.

-In the fever of food poisoning, pitched writing a dark ops novel.

-Ended up pitching a series.

-The concept of special operations in the world of military structure in the fictional world.

-You don’t have to know or have personal knowledge of a subject as long as you do the research.

Example: Tom Clancy

Example: Michael Connelly’s Bosch series

Example: Jay Posey’s Outrider series

-A relatable story that resonates with readers is important.

[34:45] Sponsor: Doc Spears’ Dark Operator: A Military Science Fiction Special Forces Thriller

[38:51] Main Event: LIVE! With Doc Spears, Continued!

-Build the world first—political, military, culture, etc. that defines why the character is even there in the first place.

-Special Operations are political instruments.

Example: David Drake’s Republic of Cinnabar series

-Common mistakes in military science fiction according to Doc:

Be a student of military history

If you can’t form a basis for something that’s happened factually, then you will have trouble drawing in a reader or make a believable world.

-Plotter vs. Panster? Plotter 100%; first three novels outlined within a day.

-Every writer teaches himself how to write.

Example: Jim Harrison’s Legends of the Fall

-Know the beginning and the end and figuring out the middle.

-Chuck’s is more like an island chain. There are some points that he can work toward and still do some discovery writing.

-A ‘throwaway’ character who becomes a major character.

-Know when your story is over vs. writers who don’t know how to end a series.

[1:03:43] Closing remarks

Coffee and Concepts

Writer’s Journey

Storytelling

 

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