Keystroke Medium

Keystroke Medium

By Josh Hayes and Scott MoonArts
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Keystroke Medium episodes

  • Ep 5.25 - LIVE! Writing Roundtable - July 2020
    Josh, Scott, Chuck talk about everything writing-related! Come join the conversation!
    ***
    Hosts: Josh Hayes, Scott Moon, C. Stephen Manley
    [00:00] Opening remarks
    [06:30] Weekly update—Tase Me, Please Edition
    Josh: Vacation Sunburn™, wrote some chapters in the coauthored work, listening to more audiobooks.
    Scott: Victory Day (Alien Invastion #3) is on pre-order. How great covers can change a book. Serious side quests and plots.
    Chuck: Extended Kid Time™ dealing with family medical issues per 2020®
    [18:00] Main Event: LIVE! Writing Roundtable July 2020!
    -Josh postulates that 2020 is the way that it is because the Chiefs won the Super Bowl.
    -Josh is enjoying The Demon Cycle series by Peter V. Brett
    -Confusion over titles of demon races and finally picking up the concepts that were introduced in the first book. Super grim dark.
    -A character that goes from a child to an adult over the course of a series, which can be troublesome for a series.
    -Not for the faint of heart, but the characters were more developed than Joe Abercrombie’s First Law characters
    -Scott’s Magic Yeti
    -Chuck was in the hunt for high fantasy that wasn’t grimdark but not epic, but more like D&D fantasy of the 80’s.
    -What has changed in the last 30 years?
    -It depends on the fantasy you read; Josh wasn’t compelled to read Priori of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon because of the prose and POV shifts.
    -An overload of characters from that book.
    -Josh also read The Shadow of What Was Lost (Licanus Trilogy) by James Islington
    -It was a boy going on a Hero’s Journey with two different types of magic and a bit obvious.
    -Josh recommends The Way of Kings (Stormlight Archives #1) by Brandon Sanderson (of course)
    -Working title for The Way of Kings was Writing This for Josh.
    -Chuck chose Web of Eyes (Buried Goddess Saga #1) by Rhett Bruno and Jamie Castle
    -Josh explains the indoctrination into Stormlight is much like Scientology….
    -Scott did not like most of the characters, but he liked Shallan.
    -Scott reacted differently to The First Law trilogy than Josh.
    -Chuck was curious about the concept of the generic character, but there’s an appeal there.
    -Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time starts as a clone of JRR Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings but diverts after the first book.
    -Magic system fatigue.
    -Follow along with the Everyman™.
    -Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Tales series has parallels to A Song of Fire and Ice – magic.
    -A discussion of explaining the magic or not (hard v. soft).
    -Josh explains Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson
    -Josh then explains Stormlight magic…
    Anyone read some steam punk?
    -Josh started The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
    -Scott and Chuck read some Cherie Priest Clockwork Century novels
    -Deadwood with Magic would be fun.
    -Chuck enjoyed Stephen King’s The Outsider, but Josh did not like the show.
    -Scott loved Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, which is a mix of fantasy and historical fiction
    -Josh surprisingly enjoyed The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North
    -
    [1:03:31] Closing remarks
    Coffee and Concepts
    Writer’s Journey
    Storytelling
     ***
    Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/
    Don't forget to Like and Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium
    If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium
    For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/
    Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com
    Keystroke Medium Anthologies
         Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I 
         Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX
         Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or wherever else you found us!
    1 hr 8 min
  • Get the Most Out of Your Author Website | Rob McClellan, Ep. 2.28

    Got a lonely author website gathering dust somewhere on the internet? Got a feeling there's way more you could be doing with it if you only knew what... and why... and how... Yep, us too.

    Fortunately website wizard Rob McClellan is here to answer just those questions and more on this episode of The Writer's Journey.

    ***

    Today’s book spotlight is on Platform Mastery: An Indie Author Mastery Guide by Nick Thacker

    Build your platform... launch your career.

    Most authors have a website. Few authors have a true platform. No matter where you are in your author career — just starting out with a single book or you're a 5-figure-per-month author of multiple series — there's another level to reach.

    In Platform Mastery, full-time USA Today Bestselling Author Nick Thacker breaks down what it means to launch an author platform, and what it means to use it to reach the next level.

    BOOK LINK: https://amzn.to/3gkYOTp 

    1 hr 14 min
  • Coffee & Concepts - Ep. 26 - The other side of the Coin
    Have you tried making coffee through a Vietnamese Phin? Why not? Let's talk about that and part two of the Fiction-Game Table connection.
    Intro to Editing with Ellen Campbell: https://youtu.be/ydLaFFntB4Q
    Get your Vietnamese coffee groove on with: https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/
    18 min
  • Ep 5.24 - LIVE! with Derek Kolstad
    Josh, Scott, and Chuck sit down with JOHN WICK creator Derek Kolstad to talk about his writing process, inspiration, and how he truly feels about dogs in film.
    ***
    [00:00] Opening remarks
    [05:15] Weekly update—Tase Me, Please Edition
    Chuck: Plugging away Jack Dark #2, more Family Time™, multiple family medical emergencies.
    Scott: LIEUTENANT MOON. Learning to be a Lieutenant. Editing a lot of books. Resistance Day is up for pre-order. Dog issues.
    Derek: Writing a LOT of scripts in quarantine. Lots of irons in the fire waiting for the green light for production. Doing spec writing to keep pen to page. Stumbling across lines that are iconic.
    [09:40] Main Event: LIVE! With Derek Kolstad
    -Writing and timing and being a fifteen year overnight success.
    -Loving writing and constantly writing even if it’s spec.
    -What books/movies gave you the inspiration for John Wick?
    -A lot of action and noir films growing up.
    -Whether the dog was a powerful enough motivation for the character and finding meaning behind that.
    -Working with Marvel Studios in tv series writing
    -Best Idea Wins
    -Making that difficult transition between the second act and the third.
    Die Hard, Die Hard 2, and Die Hard With a Vengeance
    The Raid
    -Growing up in the era of the best/worst action movies of the ‘80s (Dollman?)
    The Matrix
    -How many shells are in that shotgun in The Tombstone?
    -‘Great script, but not as good as the original’
    -Immediate Stakes vs. Big Threats
    -A buttload of will wins.
    -John Wick came from not enjoying a bunch of revenge movies.
    Three Days of the Condor
    The Ronin
    -Why is Boba Fett and Bossk interesting in Star Wars?
    -Difficulty of writing John Wick Chapter 2 by stripping away the fat and ideas and preconceptions.
    -Simplicity requires precision.
    -A drawer full of orphans.
    -Lance Reddick should kick someone’s ass (his comedic timing is great in Corporate)
    -Original title for John Wick was Scorn
    Better Call Saul
    -Delivering the work and the look of an action hero.
    -Subverting expectation can happen even in action movies.
    Presidio
    Justified
    Bourne Identity
    Raiders of the Lost Ark
    -Care about the character, care about the movie
    Breaking Bad Finale
    -James Bond is a sociopath, but he’s surrounded by a team that keeps him focused.
    Fast and the Furious
    Rocky
    First Blood
    -Lean and mean vs. Fatty buffet
    Ex. Tom Clancy’s Sum of All Fears [link]
    The Professional
    -Comic books are hard because you need to be a director AND a writer.
    Ex. Tom Clancy’s Clear and Present Danger [link]
    [1:04:57] Closing remarks
    Coffee and Concepts
    Writer’s Journey
    Storytelling
     ***
    Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/
    Don't forget to Like and Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium
    If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium
    For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/
    Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com
    Keystroke Medium Anthologies
         Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I 
         Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX
         Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or wherever else you found us!
    1 hr 7 min
  • June Book Sales | Kinga Jentetics, PublishDrive, Ep. 2.27
    2020--what a year! And we're halfway through it. More people are on their phones than ever, more people are reading than ever, and stories are moving hearts and minds. So what does that mean for authors?
    Let's talk about it.
    Tonight, Kinga joins us to talk book sales numbers--across genres, platforms, and global markets. We'll talk about the markets that are expanding, speculate as to why, and look forward to the second half of 2020. What steps should we be taking to take over the publishing world?
    ***
    This week’s spotlight is on The Writing Dream: and How to Make it to Happily Ever After by Lauren Moore, Josh Hayes, and Scott Moon
    Writing. 
    Something you've always dreamed of doing, but there's just not enough time. 
    Or maybe you've already written a book (or six) but they aren't doing well. 
    With nearly fifty million books on Amazon today, what can you do to make your book stand out? 
    From the popular podcast, Keystroke Medium Live, Josh Hayes, Scott Moon, and Lauren Moore pan the gold from hundreds of author interviews. Anecdotes, tips, and advice from authors across the publishing spectrum and all over the globe. We've chosen the very best of it, time tested and proven successful, backed up by our personal experience. 
    Whether you can't find the time to write, you don't have a clue how to market, or you just need to fine tune your process, there's something for you in this book.
    LINK:  https://amzn.to/2BaIeXv
    1 hr 3 min
  • Ep 5.23 - LIVE! with Doc Spears
    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.
    ***
    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
     
    Become a Medium today! https://keystrokemedium.com/mediums/
    Don't forget to Like and Subscribe and get involved with the mayhem and shenanigans in the live chat! http://www.youtube.com/c/keystrokemedium
    If you have any thoughts or ideas for show topics or if you have authors you'd like to see on the show, let us know. Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KeystrokeMedium
    For all the latest and greatest KSM Gear, check out our store at: https://keystrokemedium.com/ksm-store/
    Also, subscribe to Sci Fi Explorations for the best discounted and free books we come across through our contacts: http://www.scifiexplorations.com
    Keystroke Medium Anthologies
         Kingdoms of Iron and Stone - https://amzn.to/2GjbE6I 
         Horizons Beyond - https://amzn.to/2SrJ6uX
         Farthest Reach – https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    The Writing Dream – and How to Make it to Happily Ever After – Keystroke Medium’s first non-fiction book. https://amzn.to/2UZINeo
    If you enjoy this podcast, please leave us a review and rate the show on iTunes, Podbean, Stitcher, or wherever else you found us!
    1 hr 9 min
  • Fast Promo Graphics with Book Brush, Ep. 2.26
    Want to tap into the power of Facebook ads but have no idea how to make a good graphic? Book Brush is a quick and easy tool anyone can use to make an attractive ad. Corey Alderin joins the gang tonight to show us how to use it.
    This week’s spotlight is on Help! My Facebook Ads Suck! The Second Edition by Mal & Jill Cooper  https://amzn.to/2Nd1C8y
    1 hr 7 min

About Keystroke Medium

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Author interviews, discussing reading, writing, and everything in between.