whenwordscollide's podcast

The celebration of past WWC festivals resumes with Collision Reconstruction: Life-Hacks. Previous guests Jack Whyte, Leanne Shirtliffe and Robert Runté bring words of wisdom on finding inspiration, battling self-doubt and the loss of literacy.

Regardless of the field, early adventures can be unexpectedly pleasant, eye-opening, or tragi-comic. Check out the latest Collision Reconstruction podcast for examples from WWC past guest authors Brandon Sanderson, Jacqueline Guest and Guy Gavriel Kay.

We continue to gather excerpts from WWC panels over the years. We put them in a blender and call them Collision Reconstructions. This time, we present three festival guests--Kevin J. Anderson, Lisa Mangum and Will Ferguson talking about their career starts.

The celebration of WWCs past continues with a new Collision Reconstruction. We combed through four panels from three past festivals for insights on marketing and labels. 

Voices in this reconstruction include Eileen Bell, Mark Leslie, Laini Giles, S. G. Wong, Michelle Beattie, Alyssa Palmer, Jade Buchanan, Kelley Armstrong, Jennifer Estep, Jessica L. Jackson, Ellie Lynn, Axel Howerton, and C.C. Humphreys

Are Canadian crime writers pigeon-holed? Can they "break through" with non-Canadian (read: U.S.) readers. Panelists from the 2012 and 2018 festivals offer their thoughts in another Collision Reconstruction. Anthony Bidulka, Dwayne Clayden, J. E. Barnard, David A. Poulsen, Susan Calder 

To whet your appetite for our first in-person festival in three years, we're dipping into the archive to revisit some past encounters, Collision Reconstructions if you will.

First is a mash-up of editing panels from 2012 and 2018. "We've Been Edited" featured Carrie Mumford, Peter V. Brett, Edward Willett, E. C. Bell, and Raina Schnider. "The Writer as Editor" included a panel made up of Steven Owad, Susan McGregor, Neil Godbout, Jack White and Virginia O'Dine.

(Youngsters--when the late, great Jack White talks about listening to a cassette, feel free to substitute your preferred digital audio format.)

Some of the best ways to get it right and make all the difference in the effectiveness of your story. (NB: embarrassingly, in a panel about facts, one fact is wrong--the Russian Tsar was Ivan the Terrible, not Peter the Great!)

Barb Galler-Smith, Ann Marston, Tony King, Shelley McAneeley, Michaela Ritchie (M)

Join prolific authors, Jonas Saul and Tracy Cooper-Posey, who've both had (or still have) literary agents and who have (and still do) self-publish. This interactive discussion covers the pros and cons of self-publishing and the ups and downs of having a literary agent. Get a feel for which direction to go in your own journey to publication after hearing from both sides.

Does a satisfactory mystery depend on plot? Or has the classic whodunit evolved into a mainstream novel with a murder or other significant crime? Panelists debate the elements of a good crime/mystery book (e.g. plot, character, action) and which elements are most important to the story.

Alice Bienia, Jim Jackson, P. J. Vernon, David Poulsen (M)

The rise of environmental fiction, both in literature and film, has spawned several sub-genres such as climate fiction, eco-thrillers, eco-mystery, eco-punk, and eco-romance. Is eco-fiction part of science fiction? Is eco-fiction simply a new fad or does it reflect a cultural awakening to current environmental issues? What role does eco-fiction play in storytelling and defining ourselves? Who are readers and why? Should eco-fiction educate? How can an eco-fiction writer prevent it from becoming a polemic?

Panelists Dave Sweet, Julie Hiner, P.D. Workman, Taija Morgan, and Dwayne Clayden (M) will take you on a deep dive into the minds of serial killers and the psychopathic and sociopathic thoughts during their horrific actions. (Some graphic content)

All fiction is speculative. Panelists will discuss the process and fundamentals of realistic worldbuilding, including how and when to combine imagined with real setting details for best effect.

@StrawmanKWeir, @monicasaglezwik, @AlienNextDoor, @scottfgray

The panel will discuss writing about other genders, races, classes, cultures with honesty and sensitivity. How can a writer be inclusive without appropriating or creating token characters? Panelists: Brandy Ackerley, Diane Terrana, Erin Weir, Jay Martin

Location, location, location! applies not only to real estate. Your setting impacts tone, plot, character. It can include both time and space. Learn how and why our panelists chose their setting, from prosaic to exotic, city to wilderness, modern to historical time period. Jonas Saul, Jayne Bernard, Jim Jackson, Axel Howerton, Robert Bose (M)

Does the crime have to be murder to make a good mystery? What other crimes can fuel a great story? Panelists Axel Howerton, P.J. Vernon, Alice Bienia, M.H. Callway discuss what types of crimes engage a reader for an entire novel; whether the crime has to be violent; and consider whether there are crimes that are too grisly to captivate an audience.

An open discussion on realistic themes in young adult fiction. What's out there, who's reading it, and how is it being received? Panelists Diane Terrana, Jenna Greene, Rhonda Parrish, Steve Swanson discuss trigger warnings, ratings, context and language. (Yes. This does come with a language warning.)

Showing what a character feels can be a big stumbling block for writers. Join a discussion on what works and what doesn't, and how we can move past generic description to create authentic, personal moments that will draw readers in.

Panelists: Angela Ackerman, Jonas Saul, Merilynn Ruth Liddell, Susan Calder.

Creating a character is a different process for everyone. Panelists Angela Ackerman, Karen A. Chase, Kevin Weir and Elissa McColl, share different strategies that work for them, the tools they use, and how much they need to know about a character before they are ready to start drafting. (The recording, alas, is missing the final question.)

The website referenced by Angela is https://onestopforwriters.com/.

Do writers need to visit a place to portray it accurately, vividly and with sensitivity? This discussion includes travelling for writers, memoirs by hunters, and finding the familiar in the foreign. Wherever you go, people are people. And remember, just because you've been somewhere, doesn't mean you understand the place like those who live there. Panelists: Diane Terrana, Elissa McColl, Jay Martin, Rena Mason

Spend an hour with Author James Alan Gardner as he offer a short reading, takes some questions and talks about Sleeping Beauty, superheroes, algorithms, publishers and view points.