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Inside Writing

Inside Writing

By Gotham Writers

Brought to you by Gotham Writers Workshop, Inside Writing gets you the inside scoop on the writing industry, from book to screen to stage. Each episode, host Josh Sippie interviews one or two creatives (writer, agent, editor, producer, director), every guest excelling within their endeavors. They discuss what works, what doesn't, and what you need to do to get closer to your goals.
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Inside Writing vs Life

Inside WritingMar 25, 2021

00:00
59:04
Inside Writing—Lindz Amer
Jul 09, 202259:14
Inside Writing—Keaton Wooden
Jun 20, 202250:52
Inside Writing—Varud Gupta
Jun 16, 202254:34
Inside Writing—Sharan Dhaliwal
Jun 10, 202255:54
Inside Writing—Daphne Palasi Andreades
Jun 02, 202254:46
Inside Writing—Tomi Obaro
May 24, 202248:41
Inside Writing—Fred Koehler
May 13, 202256:06
Inside Writing—Jonathan Auxier
May 04, 202257:10
Inside Writing—Albert Samaha
Apr 21, 202256:46
Inside Writing—Ryan McKinny
Apr 10, 202254:36
Inside Writing—Chantal V. Johnson
Mar 26, 202256:42
Inside Writing—Teodoro Leo
Mar 11, 202256:49
Inside Writing—Mateo Askaripour
Feb 28, 202257:46
Inside Writing—Phil Cohen
Nov 30, 202156:20
Inside Writing—Adam Borba
Nov 12, 202155:38
Inside Writing—Sensitivity Readers
Nov 05, 202157:10
Inside Writing—Ken Davenport
Nov 03, 202155:35
Inside Writing—S.B. Divya
Oct 29, 202157:48
Inside Writing—Jasmin Darznik
Oct 19, 202154:10
Inside Writing—Tommy Dean
Oct 06, 202156:30
Inside Writing—Erin Entrada Kelly
Oct 01, 202156:06
Inside Writing—Aaron Mahnke
Sep 17, 202154:02
Inside Writing—Ken Liu
Sep 09, 202157:25
Inside Publishing Law
Sep 03, 202156:26
Inside Writing—Madhuri Shekar
Aug 27, 202156:15
Inside Writing—Chuck Wendig
Aug 12, 202153:13
Inside Chapbooks and Anthologies
Jun 17, 202101:02:50
Inside Page to Screen
Jun 10, 202156:27
Inside Writing Groups
Jun 03, 202101:01:26
Inside The Creative Pivot
May 28, 202156:20
Inside Grants and Fellowships
May 13, 202153:23
Inside Rejection
May 06, 202101:01:47
Inside Freelancing
Apr 29, 202157:37
Inside Publishing Advances and Royalties
Apr 23, 202101:01:07
Inside BIPOC Writing Resources

Inside BIPOC Writing Resources

In this special episode of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, guest host Angie Chatman conducts a panel discussion with #BlackStoriesMatter Co-Director and TMI Project Workshop Leader Dara Lurie and writer/actor Twinkle Burke. They discuss what resources exist for BIPOC writers, what the TMI Project is all about, and how to get involved in the movement. 

Links mentioned during the show:
TMI Project:
https://www.tmiproject.org/
The Writer’s Hour: https://writershour.com
London Writer's Exchange: https://londonwriterssalon.com/
New Play Exchange: https://newplayexchange.org
Sundance Collab: https://collab.sundance.org
Lies My Teacher Told Me, by James Loewen: https://bookshop.org/books/lies-my-teacher-told-me-everything-your-american-history-textbook-got-wrong/9781620973929
Writing The Other:https://writingtheother.com/the-book/
Dominique Morisseau: http://dominiquemorisseau.com/
Jeremy O. Harris: https://jeremyoharris.me/
We See You White American Theater: https://www.weseeyouwat.com/
Fade-In Pro: https://www.fadeinpro.com
Angie Chatman’s website: https://angiecwriter.com/

Connect on social media!
TMI Project
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmiproject
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmiproject
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmiproject/

Dara Lurie on Twitter: https://twitter.com/darajoycewriter
Twinkle Burke on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datwinksta/?hl=en
Angie Chatman on Twitter: https://twitter.com/angiecwriter
Gotham Writers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/gothamwriters

Apr 16, 202154:19
Inside Writing Conferences and Retreats
Apr 15, 202159:07
Inside Changing Mediums
Apr 08, 202101:01:05
Inside Writing Contests
Apr 01, 202159:28
Inside Writing vs Life

Inside Writing vs Life

In season three, episode three of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with writers Sarah McColl and Daniel Jose Older. They discuss what writing time really means, how to find the routine that works for you, and the subtle art of writing even when you’re not writing.

Links from the panelists:
Sarah McColl’s website:
https://www.sarahmccoll.com/
Sarah’s memoir, Joy Enough: https://www.sarahmccoll.com/joy-enough
Sarah’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahmccoll
Sarah’s substack, “Lost Art”: https://sarahmccoll.substack.com/

Daniel Jose Older’s website: http://danieljoseolder.net/
Daniel’s books: http://danieljoseolder.net/books
Daniel’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/djolder
Daniel's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danieljose1/?hl=en
Daniel's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@danieljoseolder?lang=en
Daniel's upcoming book, Ballad & Dagger: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57121666-ballad-dagger

Stuff mentioned during the show:
Jennifer Egan’s quote:
“You can only write regularly if you're willing to write badly”

The poem that Daniel mentioned, by Antonio Machado, is found in “Border of a Dream: Selected Poems.” The specific quote mentioned was “Traveler, there is no path. The path is made by walking.”

Other important links:
Inside Writing on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIOByuSHCqP7V9mSsoqU5FojJys2LsvYi
Gotham Twitter: https://twitter.com/gothamwriters​
Josh Sippie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sippenator101

Mar 25, 202159:04
Inside Writer's Block

Inside Writer's Block

In season three, episode two of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with writers Athena Dixon, Amy Alkon, and William Dowd. They discuss the many forms that writer’s block can take, how to fight through it, or if you even should, and how to find the routine that works best for you.

Links from the panelists:

Athena’s website: https://athenadixon.com/

Athena’s books and publications: https://athenadixon.com/portfolio/

Athena’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/AthenaDDixon

Amy’s website: http://www.advicegoddess.com/ag-columns-blog/masterarchives.html

Amy’s books: http://www.advicegoddess.com/amys_books/

Amy’s “Science Made Practical” blog on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-made-practical

Amy’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyalkon

Will’s website: https://www.willdowd.net/

Will’s book: https://www.willdowd.net/areasoffog

Will's Twitter: www.twitter.com/watershipdowd 

Will's Facebook: www.facebook.com/DowdWill

Links mentioned in the show:

Frank Sinatra has a cold (or the closest thing to it, since it was published in 1966): https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a638/frank-sinatra-has-a-cold-gay-talese/

Will’s article about writer’s block at Writer’s Digest: https://www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/re-thinking-writers-block

Athena’s article about ‘Derek’ at Moving Forewords: http://www.movingforewords.com/the-craft-column/thoughts-on-impostor-syndrome/

Amy’s article at Psychology Today about the indulgence of writer’s block: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-made-practical/201909/there-s-no-such-thing-writer-s-block?amp

Other important links:

Inside Writing on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRdv8wWc6DyfPvgzYYB1W7A

Gotham Twitter: https://twitter.com/gothamwriters

Josh Sippie's Twitter: https://twitter.com/sippenator101

Mar 19, 202152:59
Inside Social Media
Mar 10, 202157:48
Inside Cartoons and Comics

Inside Cartoons and Comics

In season two, episode thirteen of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with comics editor at The Rumpus Brandon Hicks and writer-illustrator Teresa Wong. They discuss how good of an artist you have to be to make comics, what comes first between words and pictures, and what style means in comics and cartoons.

Links mentioned in the show: 

Teresa’s website: https://www.byteresawong.com/

We talk at length about Teresa’s comic “This Is Not A Feel Good Movie”: https://believermag.com/this-is-not-a-feel-good-movie/

Her book, Dear Scarlett: The Story of My Postpartum Depression is also discussed: https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/D/Dear-Scarlet

And Teresa’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/by_teresawong/

The Rumpus comics: https://therumpus.net/sections/comics/

Brandon Hick’s posts on The Rumpus: https://therumpus.net/author/brandon-hicks/

We talk about his comic “Like A Kid Again”: https://therumpus.net/2020/10/like-a-kid-again/

Brandon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonhickscomics/

Brandon also has a book forthcoming from Humorist Books (https://www.weeklyhumorist.com/books/) called Seven Easy Steps To Go To Hell. Check it out this February!

Also, there were some questions asked about Graphic Novels. We did an episode specifically about Graphic Novels in season 1, and that can be found here—

YouTube: https://youtu.be/0Rd2NNks57w?list=PLIOByuSHCqP7V9mSsoqU5FojJys2LsvYi

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4gKWyCCtcny8jMSaJVPgIf?si=CPkl3SE1SSqUpNeAGpA8DQ

Anchor: https://anchor.fm/inside-writing/episodes/Inside-Graphic-Novels-eh48k7

Jan 06, 202101:02:45
Inside Satire and Parody

Inside Satire and Parody

In season two, episode twelve of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Hard Times Bill Conway and writer Meredith Dietz. They discuss what material makes for the best satire, when it's okay to satirize something, and how to be the judge of your own humor.

Links mentioned in the show:  

The Hard Times: https://thehardtimes.net/ 

Meredith's website: https://www.meredithdietz.com/ 

Meredith mentions the Onion Book Of Known Knowledge: https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/the-onion/the-onion-book-of-known-knowledge/9780316133265/ 

Both panelists mentioned Poking A Dead Frog: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313460/poking-a-dead-frog-by-mike-sacks/ 

To submit to The Hard Times:  https://editors.outvoice.com/bill-conway 

Connect with the panelists on social!  
Meredith's Twitter: https://twitter.com/dietz_meredith
Bill's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihatebillconway/?hl=en 

And you can find host Josh Sippie on Twitter as well: https://twitter.com/sippenator101 

Gotham Writers Twitter: https://twitter.com/gothamwriters 

To sign up for the next episode of Inside Writing: https://www.writingclasses.com/classes/description/inside-writing

Dec 30, 202001:01:47
Inside Short Genre Fiction, Pt. 2

Inside Short Genre Fiction, Pt. 2

In season two, episode eleven of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with F(r)iction editor Dani Hedlund and writer Robert Repino. They discuss how to create in a boundless universe, how to keep one foot in reality, and what steps to take to get published.  

Links mentioned in the show:  

F(r)iction Magazine: https://frictionlit.org/  

Brink Literacy Project: https://www.brinklit.org/  

Robert Repino's website: https://robertrepino.com/  

And his books—
The War With No Name Series: https://sohopress.com/books/darc-the-war-with-no-name/
Leap High Yahoo: https://www.amazon.com/Leap-High-Yahoo-Kindle-Single-ebook/dp/B00YUZ92QE
Spark and the League of Ursus: https://www.quirkbooks.com/book/spark-and-league-ursus#  

Robert mentioned a piece by SFWA about world-building: https://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/04/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/

Dec 23, 202059:57
Inside Flash Nonfiction

Inside Flash Nonfiction

In season two, episode ten of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Brevity editor Dinty Moore and writer Alysia Sawchyn. They discuss what experiences make for the best flash nonfiction, what really matters in a work of nonfiction, and where to send it when it's ready. 

Links mentioned in the show:

Brevity Magazine: https://brevitymag.com/

Brevity's "Where To Publish Flash Nonfiction": https://brevitymag.com/where-to-publish-flash-nonfiction/

The Best Of Brevity: https://rosemetalpress.com/books/the-best-of-brevity/

Alysia Sawchyn's website: https://alysiasawchyn.com/

Alysia mentioned a piece in Brevity about aging, "Some Childhood Dreams Really Do Come True" by Beth Ann Fennelly: https://brevitymag.com/nonfiction/some-childhood-dreams-really-do-come-true/

Alysia mentioned a piece she wrote in Hobart called "Seven Mournings": https://www.hobartpulp.com/web_features/seven-mournings

Alysia's book of essay, A Fish Growing Lungs: https://burrowpress.com/product/fish/

Dinty Moore's memoir Between Panic and Desire, which came up a few times in discussion: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9780803229822/

Alysia mentioned the book Several Short Sentences About Writing, by Verlyn Klinkenborg: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/93789/several-short-sentences-about-writing-by-verlyn-klinkenborg/


Dec 17, 202001:01:20
Inside Short Genre Fiction, Pt. 1

Inside Short Genre Fiction, Pt. 1

In season two, episode nine of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Apex editor Lesley Conner and writer Lavie Tidhar. They discuss how much thought to put into world-building, what the reader needs to know about the world in the story, and how to sell stories, no matter the genre.

Links mentioned in the show:

Lavie Tidhar's website: https://lavietidhar.wordpress.com/

Lesley Conner's website: https://www.lesleyconner.com/

Apex Magazine: https://apex-magazine.com/

Dec 11, 202001:02:15
Inside Flash Fiction

Inside Flash Fiction

In season two, episode eight of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Fractured editor Tommy Dean and writer K-Ming Chang. They discuss how to navigate the limited word count of flash fiction, manipulating the three-act structure, and how to know if what you're writing is any good.  

Links mentioned in the show:  

From K-Ming, here's a link to her personal website: https://www.kmingchang.com/ 

She mentioned the story Black Jesus and Other Superheroes, which can be found here: https://lithub.com/black-jesus/ 

She also recommended a few books:
Know the Mother, by Desiree Cooper: https://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/know-mother 

House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/27844/the-house-on-mango-street-by-sandra-cisneros/ 

Revenge of the Mooncake Vixen, by Marilyn Chin:
https://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Mooncake-Vixen-Manifesto-Tales/dp/0393331458 

From Tommy, here's a link to his personal website: https://tommydeanwriter.com/ 

And the link to his literary mag, Fractured: https://fracturedlit.submittable.com/

Lastly, Tommy mentioned Literistic: https://home.literistic.com/

Dec 02, 202001:03:51
Inside Personal Essay

Inside Personal Essay

In season two, episode seven of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Hobart editor Aaron Burch and writer Nina Boutsikaris. They discuss how to get to the point of an essay, the differences between personal essay and memoir, and how to make your essay better in revision.  

Links mentioned in the show:  

From Nina, here's a link to her personal website: http://www.ninaboutsikaris.com/ 

From Aaron, here's a link to his personal website: https://www.aaronburch.net/ 

as well as links to the two literary magazines he's editor of— 

Hobart: https://www.hobartpulp.com/
Hobart After Dark (HAD): https://www.havehashad.com/about-had 

Here's the Tim Krieder essay, "Reprieve," Aaron mentioned a couple times: http://thenervousbreakdown.com/tnbnonfiction/2012/09/excerpt-from-we-learn-nothing-by-tim-kreider/  

And here's a pretty great interview with him: https://www.apr.org/post/essayist-breaks-free-conventional-relationships-because-i-love-you  

Here's Aaron's chainsaw essay I mentioned a couple of times: https://jellyfishreview.wordpress.com/2019/08/05/no-longer-there-by-aaron-burch/  

And then some favorite ongoing columns on Hobart:
https://www.hobartpulp.com/categories/games-of-my-youth
https://www.hobartpulp.com/categories/great-moments-in-cinematic-drinking
https://www.hobartpulp.com/categories/no-bull-bourbon-reviews
https://www.hobartpulp.com/categories/my-first

There were also a lot of questions about what quote from Barry Lopez we kept referring to, so here it is:   “It is, I think, the rarest of leisure to refine one's time of deep thought or light regard into the shape of the personal essay -- a story comprised of found fact, of analyzed emotion, of fictive memory.”

Nov 26, 202001:02:15
Inside Travel Writing

Inside Travel Writing

In season two, episode six of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Panorama Editor-in-Chief Amy Gigi Alexander and writer Cullen Thomas. They discuss how to pry the universality from a travel piece, the difference between commercial and literary, and what a good pitch looks like.  

Links mentioned in the show:  

Panorama: http://www.panoramajournal.org/ 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/aug/28/travel-writing-hugh-grant-booksellers 

https://matadornetwork.com/notebook/what-ad-execs-should-know-about-travel-writing/

Nov 19, 202058:52
Inside Short Memoir

Inside Short Memoir

In season two, episode five of Gotham Writers' Inside Writing, host Josh Sippie conducts a panel discussion with Barrelhouse assistant editor Lilly Dancyger and writer Kenji Jasper. They discuss how to write memoir that appeals to the masses, how to navigate the emotion attached to memoir, and what the creative process looks like.  

For more on Lilly Dancyger's recent memoir: https://bookshop.org/a/1925/9781951631031 

For more on Kenji Jasper's referenced memoir: https://www.amazon.com/House-Childress-Street-Memoir/dp/0767916794

Nov 11, 202059:40