The Darkness Stares Back

Reaction and change

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 11:50:30 PDT

Well, it seems that the last podcast experiment was fairly well-received. I don't know how my literally tens of subscribers liked it, but everyone new to it from the Write Anything side seemed quite happy, so I think I'll have to make it a regular thing. Given the time needed to do it, it means I'll also need to get my article sorted out earlier in the week. Sunday is a good day for recording, but not when your article is supposed to go live that day!

What does this mean for the entity that used to be known as Clamouring to Become Audible...? I might switch those from Sundays to publishing on a mid-week, I'm not sure yet. Probably yes, just to avoid clashing with Write Anything.

And yes, used to be known as. The sharp-eyed may have notices a name change, and the podcast is now called The Darkness Stares Back. Couple of reasons. Clamouring to Become Visible... is my blog, and is based on a Nabokov quote. Audible... may have been a nice pun on that, but it was a total son of a bitch to say as a show name. The number of words is the same, but the number of syllables is less, making it snappier. Another reason is it kind of fits my writing style a little better now - I am reconciled to the darkness, and pretty sure that dark fantasy/gothic romanticism/seriously fucked up shit is my thing.

Anyone linking, if you've got time I'd appreciate if you update the name!

Write Anything Podcast Episode 001

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 31 May 2009 17:26:11 PDT

This is an experiment in the format for my Sunday column on Write Anything, so feedback will be appreciated. From now on my Sunday article posts will appear here as well as on the Write Anything site, and will be complemented by a podcast. You are free to read the post alone, listen to the audio alone, or do both. Let me know what you think of this idea, and if it proves popular, I'll repeat it in future.

At the start of this year I entered the Kingston Readers Festival Micro Story Competition 2009. Sadly, my story was not shortlisted, so I present it today (in audio) as an example of redrafting and critique.

The competition sought entries of 500 words or less. This sounds easy, until you try to craft a complete story in under 500 words. My first full draft, which you'll hear in the audio, came in at 554 words. The final entered story was 494 words.

I have had writing critiqued before. I have redrafted writing. But never before has any of my writing undergone such a focused and repeated draft, critique, revise cycle. Including the final version, there were six full drafts, and numerous intermediate stages. I showed the story to six different people, three of whom were providing full critiques. It was painful, frustrating, and ultimately rewarding.

Time and again I had to remind myself that any comments on the quality of the story were not slights against me personally. I knew this, yet each suggested revision, each instance of "this doesn't work" cut me. And I could just about guarantee that for every change I made, for every two people that liked it, one would hate it. President Roosevelt said "you can't please all of the people all of the time", and this was certainly the case here. Thankfully I could please two-thirds of the people most of the time, so took that as a win.

Putting your work out there for review and critique is something writers shy away from when they are starting out. They fear harsh words, the mean voices of jealousy which intone the dreaded but vague verdict - "I don't like it". Such a personal attack on your work, a cherished part of you, is intolerable. So the words go unread, the story sits in a drawer, and the writer never improves.

In truth, you will not grow as a writer unless you allow your work to be critiqued, otherwise you will never learn what works, what doesn't, where your strengths and weaknesses are etc. If fear of criticism puts you off, then lock your pen and paper in the drawer and give up now, because nobody, be they just starting, or a New York Times bestseller, is immune from criticism. You will never please every ready. But the more you write, the more you work on your craft, allowing your work to be read, critiqued, then revised, the more people you will be able to please.

As you do this, you will learn to distinguish constructive criticism, fairly given, from petty insults and harsh words. Fair criticism must never be feared. It must be embraced, utilised, and owned. It strengthens your skills as a writer, and means that when you do encounter those mean voices, you can judge whether there is merit to their words.

Inevitably, you will find those words have no merit at all.

Dusts off recording equipment...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Fri, 01 May 2009 02:43:58 PDT

... plugs in microphone.

"Testing, testing, 1, 2... 1, 2...."

Bank holiday weekend coming up, so might just get down to recording something!

Episode #026 - Listeners of a nervous disposition, please turn off now

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 15:02:52 PST

Both a difficult and an easy podcast to record. Oddly, the scene was easy to record. Talking about it, about why it affects me, why I stopped writing it, and why I need to go back to it and finish it - that proved to be a little harder.

Tags: podcast writing The Long Watch

Episode #025 - Sound and fury signifying nothing...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 11:44:50 PST

In other words, it's another one of those damn talking episodes, with none of the interesting fiction. Hell, he's not even got a story or a poem to read this week!

Although I do have an apology to make. I've noticed that in the "Comments" section on iTunes when I put in the full copyright information for the show, it comes out truncated when you download the show from iTunes.

This is fine for me and the Creative Commons Licence, but not so great for the guy who actually wrote and performed the music I use in the show. So, although I do mention him in the end credits, I think it's only fair to give credit where credit is due, and reproduce the full copyright information you are supposed to get with the download.

Music: "Children's Theme (part)", "Heart of the Beast" (part), "Inner Sanctum" (part), and "Zombie Hoodoo" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0" (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)

Much better. I'll keep playing about with the settings and see what I can do to get this info contained in the file.

Also mentioned in the show is The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. For those interested please visit http://www.theartistsway.com/

Tags: podcast writing The Artist's Way

Episode #024 - Happy Haggis Day

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 12:53:26 PST

And also a happy Australia Day for those down under for tomorrow.

It is 250 years since the birth of Scotland's national bard, Rabbie Burns. Burns Night celebrations are observed annualy by dewey-eyed ex-pat Scots like myself, who have haggis, neeps and tatties when, if they were back home, they'd probably have a fish supper and fail to remember it was Burns Night!

The highlight of any Burns Supper is the Address to a Haggis, which you have the dubious pleasure of hearing me recite today.

And you also get to hear my parody/homage to Poe's The Raven...

Tags: podcast Rabbie Burns Robert Burns 250th Anniversary Address to a Haggis

Episode #023 - The Poecast

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:08:32 PST

Happy 200th birthday Mr Poe!

Long may you continue to delight, enthral and terrify us mere mortals.

A return to podcasting, with new music, and a treat for today - a reading of Edgar Allan Poe's poem, The Raven.

Tags: podcast The Raven Edgar Allan Poe 200th Anniversary

Not good...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 04:44:26 PST

... not good at all. How long since the last one? Uuuurgh, everything seems to just slide at the same time...

There might be another podcast in the next week or two, but if there isn't, there will be an end of the year/Christmas podcast (like last year) that will be posted by 21 December.

Honest, there really will!

Episode #022 - Just talking...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:30:00 PDT

Nothing but talking in this episode:

Revealed - sort of...

Why I'm late with this episode.
When you might get another episode.
What I'm up to elsewhere.
Updates on The Long Watch.

A wee mention to my older brother Terry who is designing the logo for The Long Watch. Go visit his website http://www.terryandersonfizzers.co.uk/.

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Episode #021 - Salvage the good (Part 3)

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 11:17:28 PDT

*** WARNING - HIGH PITCHED NOISE IN THIS EPISODE ***

Hallelujah! Part three at last! If you missed the first two parts, just head on over to the site and check out Episodes #19 and #20.

After a month, I come back with a teensy, tiny, rushed episode that isn't near my best. In fact, I'm pulling a Lucas on this one - it's the Return of the Jedi of these three episodes. Rushed to a finish just to be done with them.

This develops into a little bit of a whiney moan at the end, so if you want to skip that, please feel free!

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Episode #020 - Salvage the good (Part 2)

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:05:24 PDT

My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-9f25c71b2a813e22130ef1d58c00c654}

Part two of a three part story this week folks. If you missed the first part, just head on over to the site and check out Episode #19.

I have a poll asking you, the listening public, what I should be working on for NaNoWriMo 2008. At the moment, Long Watch 2 is winning hands down. So, if you want more of that, add to its storming victory. And if you want something different, well, you've got an uphill struggle! The poll is in the show notes for Episode #18, and is also on the regular blog site.

Speaking of The Long Watch, head over to the new site at http://www.thelongwatch.com - subscribe to the post feed, there is new teaser content going up each week, and make sure you don't miss out when it starts.

And we're done. Catch you later!

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Episode #019 - Salvage the good times...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:07:58 PDT

Don't be alarmed by the static crackle between the intro, story, and end - it's deliberate, sort of a way of marking out the story from the rest of the podcast!

First of a two-parter, maybe a three-parter - hell, if it works, it may be the first of a long, long story.

This was meant to be used as an entry for the very first Monday's Musical Musings meme, which I failed to finish it for. Instead, the idea I had of losing your memory collided with another idea that came to me, about manipulating memories. This in turn is feeding into a third story that has been brewing for some time. So, we'll see if these elements all combine well, or whether the net result is just horrible...

For those who remember, we learnt a little of the events in Ewan's life in the [Fiction] Friday entry for 27 June 2008, so if you're interested, go check that out.

If you haven't yet voted, please vote in my NaNoWriMo 2008 poll - remember, you get to decide what I work on in November. The poll is in the show notes for last week's show, Episode 18.

Finally, if you haven't already, take some time to check out The Astonishing Adventures of Captain Juan - http://www.captainjuan.com, and for fans of The Long Watch, head over to the new site at http://www.thelongwatch.com and get ready for November.

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Episode #018 - In which our hero records a show...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:36:18 PDT

*** Apologies if you're getting this in your feed twice - there were "issues"...***

Another "no story" podcast. Man, this is really bad. And it's been waaaaay over a month since the last podcast. Yet, despite the gap in time, I have picked up some extra listeners. Admittedly, these extra listeners are writers I work with, but hey, it's still a result.

As mentioned in the podcast, Jodi (http://jodicleghorn.blogspot.com/) and Annie (http://annieevett.blogspot.com/) are collaborating with me on a new story blog, "The Astonishing Adventures of Captain Juan".

The site, and its ridiculously long URL is http://theastonishingadventuresofcaptainjuan.blogspot.com/.

And now, here's the NaNoWriMo poll. Please, vote and let me know what you think.

Oh, and speaking of NaNoWriMo, check out this coming soon teaser...

http://www.thelongwatch.com/.

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Episode #017 - Holy crap! CONTENT!!!!

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:12:03 PDT

What the hell is this? A podcast?

Yes folks, after too long an absence, I'm back. No original content I'm afraid, but I'm back.

The story Stirling will be back in two weeks, I'll have to repeat the first episode to remind everyone (including myself) of what is going on. But it will be a double episode, so quit complaining.

Also mentioned in the show...
Jodi is an Australian writer I met through [Fiction] Friday (http://writeanything.wordpress.com/fiction-friday/). Her site is http://jodicleghorn.blogspot.com/

She has set up a new writing meme called Monday's Musical Musings which you can take part in here:
http://mondaymusicalmusings.blogspot.com/

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction

Aaaaaand.... we're back

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 02:50:21 PDT

The building and decoration work is finished. The race is run. The Springsteen gig is attended.

I think I might be able to squeeze in a podcast. Since I owe you one and all that...

Maybe not any story content though, I'll need to recap Stirling, for myself as much as for anyone else!

Actually, I might have a little something hidden away for you...

Check back later.

Got the builders in...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 18 May 2008 14:48:12 PDT

... that's not a euphemism by the way. Builders are in for close to a month, carrying out extensive repairs and redecoration. Massive upheaval throughout the house.

Plus with the race weekend coming up, and a few guests visiting soon, I honestly don't know when I'm going to have the ability to record a podcast for a good long time.

So, this may be a month long hiatus. In which case I really wish I hadn't put the first part of the story up already.

Forward planning Paul... you're doing it wrong.

It's my birthday...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:11:29 PDT

... and I'll fail to record a show if I want to!

Maybe later this week, m'kay?

Episode #016 - Stirling - Part 1

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:11:10 PDT

Welcome back, and finally, the long-promised "enviropocalypse" multi-part story which I'm calling Stirling.

In this first part, after a cryptic and garbled message, we are introduced to our main character Alex. Alex recounts his earlier life, at the end of the first decade of the 21st Century, prior to beginning university, and more importantly meeting Darius, our second main character. Darius will feature more in next week's episode, and over the course of the parts the reason behind the title Stirling will become clearer.

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000. May 26th 2008.

I have a donation page set up, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction enviropocalypse

Episode #015a - This one's just for fun

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:10:54 PDT

Just a quickie today folks, been a busy few weeks. I sincerely hope you enjoy the show...

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000. May 26th 2008.

I have a donation page set up, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction rickroll

No show tonight folks...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:13:23 PDT

... still on the road so no time to record!

Be back soon, I promise!

Episode #015 - Sail away with me...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:10:30 PDT

Welcome back, this is the second of two "enviropocalypse" stories - a short tale of life aboard the Neo-Clipper Redemption.

Full text of the story can be found here:
http://www.paulanderson.org.uk/2007_09_01_archive.htm#1193182861593810801

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000. May 26th 2008.

I have a donation page set up, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction energy deficit enviropocalypse fuel crisis

Episode #014 - Apocalypse? Now?

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:10:14 PDT

The first of two "enviropocalypse" stories (environment + apocalypse) - next week will see Redemption hitting the podcast feed, followed by my first attempt at a multi-part, episodic story. You can hardly contain yourself, I can tell...

The observant amongst you will have noticed that the intro music has changed - it is still from the same piece of music (by coincidence, called Apokalipsis), but hopefully it has less of the, in my older brother's words, "seventies porn movie" vibe... (I think that's what he said anyway...)

The Silent Hives was the first piece of writing that I put my name to in a public forum. Before, I had only posted things anonymously to the Creative Writing section on Gumtree. This was the first story I put my name to, and more importantly my web address! It's short, it's gloomy, it's a little twisted. I hope you like it.

Full text of the story can be found here:
http://www.paulanderson.org.uk/2007_06_01_archive.htm#2229190367221382243

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000. May 26th 2008.

I have a donation page set up, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction colony collapse disorder enviropocalypse bees

Episode #013 - Lusting for an explanation

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:09:51 PDT

OK, so I made you wait for a week to get an explanation. I apologise.

This is a long, rambling, shambolic trip through my mind, and I spend the first eight or nine minutes spouting random nonsense and pseudo-psychological crap in an attempt to capture what I was thinking when writing The Inquisitor. I'm not sure I succeed.

But there is a happy ending - as a bonus you get to hear the alternative Lust story I wrote - as a sin it was a failure, but as a sweet little story of 18th Century Italian/Spanish nobility (I had Italy in mind, but you may think different) it turned out nicely.

Enjoy!

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000. May 26th 2008.

I have a donation page set up, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction The Inquisitor explanations seven deadly sins lust

Episode #012 - I don't owe nobody no explanations!

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:09:24 PDT

Yeah, I'm a liar. I'm also a liar pushed for time. Did you want a podcast today, or did you want an explanation?

The explanation will come later. Honest. It will. As soon as I think one up...

Full text here:
http://www.paulanderson.org.uk/wip/fragments/wip003.htm

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000 Have I mentioned that I'm taking part in that? Have I? Yeah, I think I might have hinted at it once or twice...

I have a donation page set up now, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction The Inquisitor

Episode #011 - This show uses less energy that it takes to boil a kettle...

podcasts@paulanderson.org.uk (Paul Anderson) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 14:09:05 PDT

Another short this week folks, and still no explanation of what the hell I'm talking about. All will be revealed on Easter Sunday... or will it? Yeah, actually, it will...

Oh, if you're wondering about the episode title, I don't mention it in the show, but I got an energy monitor for the house this weekend, and it is my new favourite gadget. Running my podcast equipment uses surprisingly little wattage. But boiling a kettle, using a hairdryer, or running an electric heater? Wow. Those things just eat power like it's going out of fashion...

Full text of the story can be found here:
http://www.paulanderson.org.uk/wip/fragments/wip002.htm

Also mentioned in the show...

The BUPA London 10,000 Have I mentioned that I'm taking part in that? Have I? Yeah, I think I might have hinted at it once or twice...

I have a donation page set up now, so please visit it and please, please, PLEASE give generously!!! Thank you!

http://www.justgiving.com/paulanderson1979

Speak to you next time.

Tags: podcast short story fiction The Inquisitor

The Darkness Stares Back

Reaction and change

Write Anything Podcast Episode 001

Dusts off recording equipment...

Episode #026 - Listeners of a nervous disposition, please turn off now

﻿﻿Episode #025 - Sound and fury signifying nothing...

﻿﻿Episode #024 - Happy Haggis Day

﻿﻿Episode #023 - The Poecast

Not good...

Episode #022 - Just talking...

Episode #021 - Salvage the good (Part 3)

Episode #020 - Salvage the good (Part 2)

Episode #019 - Salvage the good times...

Episode #018 - In which our hero records a show...

Episode #017 - Holy crap! CONTENT!!!!

Aaaaaand.... we're back

Got the builders in...

It's my birthday...

Episode #016 - Stirling - Part 1

Episode #015a - This one's just for fun

No show tonight folks...

Episode #015 - Sail away with me...

Episode #014 - Apocalypse? Now?

Episode #013 - Lusting for an explanation

Episode #012 - I don't owe nobody no explanations!

Episode #011 - This show uses less energy that it takes to boil a kettle...

Episode #025 - Sound and fury signifying nothing...

Episode #024 - Happy Haggis Day

Episode #023 - The Poecast