The Shared Desk

00:00 Introduction

• Tee and Pip are in a metal mood thanks to Halloween
• Their velvet purple skull Twitchy is here for the season.
• Welcome to new listeners

02:30 The James River Writers Convention

• Ways to read signs ahead
• The James River Writers Conference is an example of a well run convention. Others should take note of some of the things they do.
• Pip can’t leave Twitchy alone.
• JRW Conference has been going for many years.
• JRW provide year round support to local writers.
• Pip recalls with relish the first contact where Tee was her +1

• Tee tried to stream… and failed…
• Conventions have to fork out a lot of money for wi fi
• Seriously Pip leave the skull alone!
• Follow Tee on Twitch to find out when we go live.
• JRW make an effort to have a diversity of writers, agents and publishers
• Tee missed out on the Dating Game

• Tee did a pitch and met some agents
• How many people attended?
• Pip feels a little out gunned
• Not just chairs—tables too!
• Moderators are prepared and know who their panelists are
• Shout out to Bill Blume
• Panel on podcasting moderated by Sharvette Mitchell was a good time
• Tee’s Shop Talk was about writing what you don’t know
• Writing outside your experience? Reach out to those who are in the community
• Pip feels uncomfortable writing from a first person POV outside her community
• The importance of beta readers
• Tee recounts a tale from his theatre days
• The naming of a podcast… like the Shared Desk?
• Tee really gets into what the theme music is. It’s important!!
• Tee did a branding panel. Why does branding matter to authors?
• World building… important but not everything

• Your world can change… and that’s OK
• The James River Writers Convention is worth attending as a panelist, or if you want to improve your writing.

28:50 Pip and Tee go into the Kitchen

• Pip and Tee stayed at the Linden Row Inn supposedly haunted, but no ghosts came to visit
• Pip has a crazy idea…
• Richmond has speakeasies… with 100% less poisonous bath tub gin
• Grandstaff and Stein Booksellers.

• A bookseller, a secret password, and there you are!

• Tee and Pip enjoyed a flight!
• Some interesting history behind speakeasies, helped along with some well dressed servers.
• Not just drinks, the food was also excellent
• The whole thing was streamed
• Seriously, Richmond has it all!

43:19 Wrap up

• What shall we do for our 100th episode?
• Tee is working with Steve Saylor for the month of October to raise money for Able Gamers. Go here to donate. See if two knuckleheads can beat Mountain Dew!
• Tee shaved his beard for this… and Pip is still recovering…

• If you have an event and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us… 703.791.1701
  [email protected]
  [email protected]
  …and social media, of course.

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

00:00 Introduction

• Tee has some new dropins for us from Aggretsuko
• previous 96 audio wasn’t good enough, so it is a lost episode now. Spooky!
• Pip comes out from behind the mic
• Shout out to Key City Steampunk. You’re still awesome.

02:53 A Writer Beware Moment

• Ways to read signs ahead
• Marie Bilodeau’s blogpost to read
• Anyone we know through Katie is a good egg
• Our sore point gets triggered… not getting paid
• You need to be getting statements at least every six months
• Do check out SFWA’s Writer Beware
• Examine your contract before signing… a trick for new and eager writers
• Tee was smarter than the average author, and checked out his first contract throughly
• Pip did not
• Tee recommends research and get a lawyer to check it out.
• Make sure the lawyer is one versed in contract law and Intellectual Property
• Be as serious about your contract as you are about your writing career
• Pip confesses to grabby hands… and that rare time when Tee is smarter than she was

• Make sure your contract specifies how you can get out of it.
• Tee admits he did make other mistakes
• Don’t make your author copy transactions too complicated
• Keep yourself in charge of pricing when working conventions and events
• Small press has the most varied of contract, but every contract needs to checked
• Small presses also far less likely to pay advances and agents therefore usually won’t get involved on your behalf

19:07 Trust Your Gut Too

• Tee dives into some bad memories from the past… and Pip points out that was ancient times
• A party makes an impression
• An uncomfortable conversation where Pip gets a vibe
• If you can’t get a straight answer out of someone, ask yourself if you want to be in business with them
• Be alert for red flags
• Check with author groups (some good ones on Facebook) on the reputation of the publisher
• When a contract is broken, it still takes money to fight
• Legal fights in different states and countries can be tricky
• Tee did have to threaten legal action to get paid… but he did get there eventually. But he was in the same state as the company who hadn’t paid.
• Tee got a great birthday present!
• Professional organizations can help you get your money, often without needing to resort to courts
• Also, without statements you don’t know how well your books are selling
• Wiley statements showed a renewed interest in Podcasting for Dummies—so new edition happened
• Such are the nuts and bolts of the business

34:20 Writers off the Clock: Binge Worthy Media

• We have a plan for a certain Amazon Original
• Time for Mindhunter on Netflix. Just as good as Season 1!
• Being typecast as Manson
• Serial killers doing audiobooks
• A nice look at expanding a series
• The Boys on Amazon Prime
• New Zealanders FTW

48:38 Wrap up

• Find Tee at TwitchCon 27-29 September
• Find Pip and Tee at the James River Writers Convention 12-13 October
• and at the Maryland Renaissance Festival 19 October

This is the third attempt at an episode 95. Honestly, it seems like the universe doesn’t want us to get one of these out! But we shake our fist in front of those barriers.

We are now streaming the Shared Desk live on Tee’s Twitch stream. Following costs nothing, and you’ll get an alert that we are going live. Not only do you get firsties on listening to the show, and the chance to comment live… but also we do a little half hour chit chat after the main show.

Membership has its privileges as they say…

00:00 Introduction

• We think we remember how to do this.
• Trapped in a car together all the way to Indiana, but we made it back alive.
• We met new people, saw some familiar faces.

02:17 What is Gen Con?

• The best four days of gaming.
• Tee wants to edit the episode, but Pip actually is doing this!
• Check out the history of Gen Con
• It takes over Indiana and Indy itself!
• 70,000-80,000 people
• So many neat people have stands there, but for authors Cherie Priest was the Guest of Honor
• GAWR was at Gen Con, but we missed them. No surprises considering how big it is!
• Pip and Tee compare Gen Con and DragonCon as far as treating writers…
  
  

07:27 The Gen Con Writers Symposium

• Well laid out, with authors events in one of the hotels. Not even having to cross into the street.
• So well organized, with tickets, a green room, and 50 minute panels. This gives everyone a chance to get between panels, and panelists a chance to set up.
• The morgue, for those writers who need some real quiet
• The green room was a place to chit chat. Pip loved having a place to chill. Would recommend.
• Kicking it off with a nice free meal, but Indy had more treats in store…

11:32 The long drive

• A nine hour drive, straight to Indy.
• Tee hates driving through Ohio freeways, and needed emergency caffeine.
• Thank you Wayze for Cookie Monster. He got us there! Pip and Tee imitate him…

13:12 Corralling Authors

• Authors all housed in Marriott East, about 10 miles from Indy.
• The shuttle was brilliant
• No hotels for 50 miles around Gen Con

14:05 Pip and Tee wax lyrical about the con badges

• Melanie Meadors and Kelly Swails put on a heck of a symposium
• Nice convention pouch with your events on the back.
• No dodgy pin primed to break and come loose!
• Pip says it is the best she’s ever seen

15:04 Thursday panels

• Tee brings the Big Score, and despite technical difficulties managed it
• Tee found a fellow trombone player!
• Tee stumped many con goers than usual.
• Tee did a podcasting panel with Anton Strout and Cat Rambo
• Tee (and Pip) are both OP (original podcasters)
• Tee Morris from the Dawn of Time….
• So we went out for dinner with local friend Kevin. Bluebeard was amazing.
• We ate and drank well. There may have been bread pudding.

21:23 Friday

• Pip and Tee worked separate panels.
• Pip talked about being your own boss. Trials and tribulations meant we could have been there for hours.
• Pip disagreed with someone!
• Tee ended up on a panel about Scrivener (a great piece of software for writers)
• But when you want to edit, you have to use Word
• It has a screenwriting section, with built in macros!
• Pip talked about about keeping secondary characters in their place.
• Lots of good solid topics in every panel
• Pip and Tee have a slice of humble pie at their Q&A
• Pip plans to use steampunk to lure people in next time…
• Tee gets to meet his Wiley editor, Steve Hays
• Got to meet Aloysius Fox, who runs two events. International Steampunk Symposium and the Chicago Steampunk Exposition
• Ran into all sorts of people, even in this huge event!
• Signing a bit of a wash…
• Pip signed a literary brick
• Tee also did some pop up streams at the event, but technical difficulties bit
• Three hour nap turned into just falling on our face. Huge events take it out of a person…

33:21 Saturday

• Pip talked about reading other genres. Don’t be in a bubble as far as reading.
• Tee checks his photos, and stand corrected
• Pip was done, but Tee jumped on a bunch of panels that needed help
• Tee talked about passing time in writing
• CAT BUTT turns up!!
• Training montages!!
• Tee is the sole writer in the midst of editors, what happens to my story after I send it in?
• Tee talks Twitch
• Pip and Tee contemplate a writing stream

• Tee does a panel where he has to think about writing action.
• After the last panel, we went out with Diana Pho of Beyond Victoriana, and an editor at Tor. And Jen Gunnels also from Tor.
• Jen and Tee bonded over theatre and single malt.
• The story of Harry & Izzy’s was worth every penny!
• If you need to get into a place, stick close to a New Yorker…
• The food was amazing… but the ending was epic! Bread pudding with Woodford Reserve!
• 2.5 hour of dinner was so much damn fun. A great way to cap off Gen Con
• Pip passed out, but Tee went out for beer with Danfinity
• Find Tee on Untappd

51:15 Indy wrap up

• Pip and Tee think Indy is a cool city. 19th century architecture, and public art
• People were lovely, and our Uber drivers were all charming… and they all love FIFA. Futbol!

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

Remember The Shared Desk? That was a pretty cool podcast. Too bad it podfaded, right?

Well, no — we didn’t go anywhere! Well, hold on, actually, yeah, we did go somewhere. It was Clockwork Alchemy and it was a right blast!

The Shared Desk, now recorded LIVE on Twitch at Tee’s Twitch Channel, finally got behind the mics after the dust from a government furlough and a trip out west finally gave them a chance to catch their breaths and record. What are we talking about, you wonder? Well, we’re specifically talking about writers consuming media. Sometimes, writers need to relax. Thing is, that can be hard when we’re always critically looking at how other writers do things. Can writers effectively turn their brains off, relax and enjoy the show?

Let’s find out.

00:00 —  Introduction

• Well yeah, there was another Episode #94, but Tee never got to the editing part of it…
• the audio may sound a little weird. Wait until you find out why! (At the end of episode, of course.)
• Adult beverages all around?
  • Kill All the Golfers for Tee
  • Pip has a drink, but she wants Tee’s drink instead.
• When is Game of Thrones coming back? Oh yeah…
• Tee is not hip, but he is old.
• Addressing the stream and a changing of the guard.
• A nod to Destiny and Happy Hour from the Tower
• Sorry, Katie! Maybe we can do something special with that episode? Maybe drop it into Pip’s Patreon?
• The original bell will not go quietly!

05:18 —  Episode #94: Writers Consuming Content 

• So where did this all start?
  • As many ideas comes from, it started with a series of rants on Facebook…
  • Pip defines “turning your brain off” as a writer.
  • What inspired the show topic …

• Tee and Pip have really been enjoying Star Trek: Discovery.
  • Is it worth the cost of CBS All Access?
  • This will be a spoiler-free episode, we promise!
• Going back to Season One, we meet THIS CHARACTER…
  • We want to know MORE about THIS CHARACTER.
  • The, in Season Two, we get an episode dedicated to THIS CHARACTER…
  • …so we could watch THIS CHARACTER die.
• Then we get Discovery’s next stop in the galaxy: Talos IV.
  • A bit of Star Trek history
  • Some nods throughout the series coping with canon
  • Where Tee is triggered in all this
• The writing crew of Discovery handles canon with real reverence, but the new, original stuff is slightly clumsy.
• Sprinkling seeds throughout chapters or episodes versus cramming it all into one moment
• After a moment’s rant, Tee asked “Maybe I’m expecting too much from these writers?”
• Pip thinks writers make terrible media consumers.
  • Pip’s current read is dickering around with time jumps, and she’s got issues.
  • Writing passages in time are not always easy.
  • Tee still believes he can relax and enjoy it, but Pip is struggling…
• The dice-roll in reading another’s book for the purpose of blurbing it
• Tee loves a slow burn, and it triggers him when shortcuts are taken.
• A good example of new canon and a slow burn done right…

• Massive shout-out to Ethan Peck who gives great Nimoy without doing an impersonation of Leonard Nimoy.
• As a writer and an actor, Tee’s got a jelly on.
• Want a glimpse at Lauren Harris‘ next cosplay?

• Where you can find them, watch “Short Treks” in between seasons.
• No, not all writers are perfect. It’s when you show how good you are, but then take cheap or manipulative short cuts?
• A spoiler from Season One that shows ridiculous, shoddy writing: grafting a personality to someone. (Beg your pardon?)
• Yes, we get it. We suspend disbelief. But there are limits.
• Can writers appreciate good writing better than their own? Oh yes!
  • True Detective, Season 3
  • The Marvel Cinematic Universe
  • Game of Thrones, Seasons 1 – 8
• But really? Cat scratch fever? Really? (Okay, we can give that a pass.)
• Good writing — no matter the media — should be inspirational to other writers.
• Since we’re talking about good writing and bad writing in media, it’s time to re-open this old wound…

32:04 — Writers off the Clock

• This is a beautiful theme, but it’s not ready for The Big Score (coming soon to AwesomeCon this weekend)
• How about this for an unexpected surprise?

• You’re going to want to see this. Seriously.
• Why Shazam! works
  • Giving Shazam’s suit a makeover
  • Really coherent, cohesive writing by keeping it simple but not stupid
  • Billy Batson is a teenager, so Shazam acts like a teenager. And it works!
• This was a fun ride, but it does go dark when it needs to. Billy Batson’s story, for example…
• Zachary Levi delivers as the Big Red Cheese.
• This is DC’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
• Tee and Pip wonder why Dwayne Johnson is an Executive Producer? Well, rumor has it…

39:57 — The Wrap-Up

• How long until Game of Thrones?!
• Wrapping up the podcast, but when you follow or subscribe to the stream, you get the extra content!
• Got some appearances lined up…
  • THIS WEEKEND, April 26-27 in Washington D.C. — AwesomeCon
  • May 21-24 in Baltimore, MD — Balticon
  • Tee weighs in on attending GuardianCon in 2019. Instead, Tee is aiming for TwitchCon in September.
  • Tee & Pip are coming to Key City Steampunk Festival.
  • And there’s a return to Richmond for the James River Writing Festival planned for this year!
• Twitch for Dummies, now in bookstores everywhere!
• Time to get to Westeros!
• If you have an event and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us…
  • 703.791.1701
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • …and social media, of course.

45:32 — Behind-the-Scenes Blooper

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

We are kicking off 2019 the only way we know how at The Shared Desk. We’re bringing in a special guest who has never been on the show, but is practically art of the family. Welcome to The Shred Desk author Tim Dodge.

Tim Dodge is a regular fixture at the Smoke Writers Retreat, and is taking first steps into professionally writing fiction, but he is no stranger to writing professionally as he writes technical documents on a freelance basis.

The Shared Desk, now recorded LIVE on Twitch at Tee’s Twitch Channel, after looking back on a year that was very 2018, turns its attention to what is coming this year, as well as looks at the not-so-simple life of a writer when writing is a 9-to-5 occupation.

00:00 —  Introduction

• Oh yeah, we’re kicking off the new year right…with a show recorded last year. (See what I did there?)
• It is a night of firsts!
• A mild spoiler from Bandersnatch
• It’s a night of adult beverages and seamless plugs.
• From one of the authors behind Podcasting for Dummies, Twitch for Dummies (advance copies) has arrived!

02:56 —  Episode #93: Looking Ahead to 2019 (with Tim Dodge) 

• Meet Tim Dodge
  • He was passing through and decided to spend some time with us.
  • Did you know that there is more to New York than just a big city?
  • Head north for some beautiful country
  • Tim is a writer of many backgrounds.
• The Life of a Working Writer
  • How does writing “day job” content affect productivity with fiction projects?
  • Tim’s initiation into The Shared Desk.
  • Tee’s own work with Code.gov and writing for them while working with other projects.
  • How does working on “day job” stuff affect your creativity?
  • The lure (and dangers) of a day job writing gig
• ….and juggling projects.
• Tim’s got both indie and professional publishing credits under his belt. Take a look at what he’s got available.
• Tim Dodge goes back home in his steampunk tale for Tee & Pip.
• Looking ahead to 2019
  
  • We already looked back to 2018.
  • So, what’s next? Well, we’re doing something special for Writers Digest.
  • Okay, exactly what did Tee mean?
  • What exactly is the Smoky Writers Retreat?
  • HUGH O’DONNEL IN CHAT!!! (The man behind the Legend of Lazerdick)
  • A brief tangent on New Zealand entertainment
• Tee’s looking even further ahead to a writing retreat he wants to do when he turns 55…
• Back on track and looking ahead…
  
  • RavenCon
  • Clockwork Alchemy
  • GenCon
  • …and somewhere in there, Tee, Pip, and Tim get together again at Balticon.
• Experiencing the K.T. Bryski Editing Experience
• The freedom of arriving to a writing retreat with a clean slate
• Still looking ahead…
  
  • Aiming for a return to the Maryland Renaissance Festival
  • Tee targets TwitchCon.
• Writing Goals for 2019
  • More Ministry spinoffs planned
  • Dope needs a home. This means, Tee needs to find an agent.
• The dangers of writing in Romance
• Just accept it — Pip is right.
• And Pip is aiming to return to The Books of the Order in 2019.

49:38— The Wrap-Up

• Time flies with friends.
• Wrapping up the podcast, but when you follow or subscribe to the stream, you get the extra content!
• Find Tim Dodge online…
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • All the good variations of Time Dodge were taken.
• Twitch for Dummies, coming soon…
• Pip’s Patreon is still going strong in case you were wondering.
• If you have an event and want The Shared Desk to appear there, or if you just want to share an opinion about the show, here’s where to find us…
  • 703.791.1701
  • [email protected]
  • [email protected]
  • …and social media, of course.

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,
leave us a voicemail or questions for the show at 703.791.1701,
or leave us a comment here at the blog.
We’ll talk about it!
And remember, you can find the show on iTunes or Stitcher!
Subscribe, listen, and review.

Enjoy the ride
and we’ll catch you later.

What a year it has been. 2018 was the best of times and the worst of times…

The Shared Desk, now recorded LIVE on Twitch at Tee’s Twitch Channel, hops, skips, and jumps its way through 2018, and looks at what was a hit, what was a miss, and what we have to look forward to in the coming year.

00:00 —  Introduction

05:05 —  Episode #92: Looking Back on 2018 

45:15 — The Wrap-Up

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,

Enjoy the ride

Well, it has been quite a spell, but it does not necessarily mean that we are taking it slow this year…

Welcome back to The Shared Desk, now recorded LIVE on Twitch at Tee’s Twitch Channel. So what is the difference between the live stream and the podcast, you wonder? We’re offering listeners a compact, condensed version of the show in the podcast feed for when you may have missed the show. The live Shared Desk will go longer, and be completely raw and unedited. We will also take your comments and questions as they come in. We are enjoying the whole Twitch experience, and hope you continue to listen (and reach out to us) on either platform.

Alright then. on with the show, where we address the changes at CreateSpace.

00:00 —  Introduction

04:48 —  Episode #91: Achtung, Baby! (The Germany Trip)

07:30 — Episode #91: R.I.P. CreateSpace

28:08 —  Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

36:04 — The Wrap-Up

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,

Enjoy the ride

Adjusting to new schedules is still hard.

An entire summer got by us, but we said we were going to make Show #90 count, and how did we do that? How about this?!

Yes, we are taking the show to Twitch, and on Tee’s Twitch Channel, bringing all the wackiness and goofiness that you expect from us, only now including video and the magic of going LIVE!

If you missed the show…well, you’ll just have to listen (or watch) and see if we will decide to do it again.

00:00 —  Introduction

04:51 —  Episode #90: Catching Up and Summing Up the Summer…LIVE on Twitch!

35:55 —  Loot Crate Lookie-Loo

42:26 — Writers Off the Clock

54:32 — The Wrap-Up

Find us on Twitter at either Tee’s or Pip’s account,

Enjoy the ride

A SYNDICATED SPECIAL

A special episode (dropped into the Shared Desk feed via the Geek Wolfpack Podcast feed) where Papa Wolf  (Nick Kelly) and his special guest (Tee, first time in studio!)  recap the events of MAGFest 2017. Hear these two discuss the unique vibe of this festival, cosplay, retro gaming, our panels, and all sorts of insanity from this incredible Washington, DC music and gaming festival over fine, malted beverages…

MAGFest Recap Notes

0:00 – Intro
1:07 – Fanboyglass – Destiny glasses

Rob Aldrich presents on the Top Ten Transformers Episodes

4:11 – What is MAGFest?

Squirrel Girl!

17:31 – Comics & Gaming

18:18 – Ashamei got new earrings

Thermal Wolff’s Assassin’s Creed jacket

36:14 – Rail Theory Kickstarter in February

43:42 – Do not Chipotle at MAGFest

Monty Python’s Spanish Inquisition showed up at MAGFest

54:55 – Why Nick is pissed about Heavy Metal 2000

View from the stage during the Thursday panel

74:22 – MAGFest is a two-way communication at all times

Finally….The Colossus Roar!