The Written Scene

Author and editor Shane Hawk is not afraid to rebel, even if it means teaching actual history outside of the curriculum to high school students. Respect.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Shane talks about what happens when you open an anthology submission window to multiple submissions per author, not being to turn off editor brain when teaching, the challenge of getting kids to write and the repercussions, struggling in high school with required stories and books he couldn't connect with, requiring an agent when submitting screenwriting for film or television, making sure you do the work so the needed luck for a successful writing career finds you, the last minute nature and process of the audiobooks for Never Whistle At Night, amplifying Indigenous voices and presence through publishing, fighting back against the Big 5 publisher rejections of authors deemed unknown, the pros and cons of self-publishing, teaching AP European History and the struggle it created, and so much more.

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Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For Indigenous horror author and editor Shane Hawk, opening up the anthology submissions to multiple submissions allowed for a wider variety of stories to read through no matter the place on the writer's path.

Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Shane.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Andrew Rubin can pretty much write anywhere, though the beach parking lot might have been his most productive writing spot.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Andrew discusses the tricky nature of tricky names, loving mythology as a kid, the joyful things about being a writer, researching yourself out of writing, reading (and editing) physical copies of books and stories, writing by hand at the beach without internet access, the trouble with the "write what you know" mantra, eavesdropping and other ways of gathering character traits, when the gods have addictions, not using (a lot) of substances when writing, the positive energy of being around other writers when writing, when your home town is in books and movies, and much more.

Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Andrew Rubin, there's a big draw and fascination when it comes to writing fiction within a significant historical event.

Please enjoy this teaser with Andrew ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Whether it was librarian or flight attendant, author Patricia Aya Williams was always drawn to writing.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Patricia discusses starting writing very early on in life (11 years old), understanding her parents better through writing, studying poetry in retirement, writing every day or at least trying to, having personal deadlines for our own writing plans, finding writing and community in libraries, what a library science degree did for her writing, working as a flight attendant but still being pulled to writing, not anticipating public speaking as a librarian, seeking out online publishers with a user friends website experience, viewing paying to submit for publication as a way of supporting a publisher, ensuring where you submit for publication publishes the kind of things you write, why short stories are a perfect format, enjoying performing poetry in front of an audience, and shockingly much more.

Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Trauma will often let you know it's ready to be processed. For author Patricia Aya Williams, a tragic childhood event at 11 years old took some time before it became clear she had some writing therapy to do.

Please enjoy this teaser with Patricia ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Pat Gaffey had long and vibrant careers writing in both broadcast and print, sometimes at the same time, and all the time worth the hard effort it required.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Pat talks about the catalyst for his new biography about the radio DJ Bobby Rich, how radio has always been corporate, when disco killed the momentum of some radio DJs, getting fired and it being a rite of passage, memorizing poetry in school, reading adventure and prison escape books as a kid, when calm under pressure is required for journalism, the oddness of writing a 3rd person biography for someone you worked with and including yourself in it, the length of time it can take to finish a book, diligence as a writing skill, finding work that suits your beliefs and passions, and much more.

Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Influencers are nothing new, according to author Pat Gaffey. In fact, they've been around as long as Top 40 radio has.

Please enjoy this teaser with Pat ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Jordan Coburn, the Executive Director of So Say We All, doesn't shy away from books with dense, complex subjects. But if it's general fiction, she's guessing the ending after reading the first page.

In this episode of The Written Scene, Jordan discusses personal but real life stories, finding connection in the depth of stories, preferring writing jokes over improv comedy, the bad art we create when we start creating art, getting past the fear of telling a story in front of an audience, struggling with impatience while reading, what the desired entertainment consumer looks like, gravitating toward dense reading subjects, being a deep thinker in formative years, storytelling skills learned from copywriting, the pros and cons of overwriting, the delicate nature of hooks and stakes in a story, preconceived notions about storytelling, and much more.

Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.

Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

A big part of the job for Jordan Coburn, the newly appointed Executive Director of So Say We All, is spent on the phone. While unexpected, she welcomes every second of it.

Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Jordan.