Download EpiCast #014

A quick follow-up EpiCast to share the latest news about webfiction and the publishing industry, but especially to talk about... the Seventh Annual Web Serial Writing Month, which is almost upon us!

Hosts Kira (yours truly) and Michael begin with a varied selection of news items, including some serial premieres and finales, a new way a massive serial community is trying to help writers fund their work, and an upcoming convention for those in the indie publishing world.

From there we shift into WeSeWriMo Prepration mode, reminding everyone that Web Serial Writing Month is nearly here, with a deadline of August 1 for signing up (meaning you can register up to and including August 1, just to be clear). After explaining exactly what WeSeWriMo is, we then offer some incredibly useful tips, offered by past participants of the month-long writing challenge, on how to best ensure that you succeed without driving yourself crazy in the process.

An EpiCast first follows: a brief commentary plus an inspiring musical break (at least I think so) from me regarding battling the fears that can cripple writers no matter what their experience level. Finally we give our thanks one last time to the donors for last year's fundraising drive, thank our participants and say our farewells as we gear up for the EpiGuide's yearly marathon.

Once you've listened, hop on over to our Podbean site, the EpiGuide forum, or our new Webcast Beacon site (links below) to share your own thoughts on these topics and this episode.

Many thanks to everyone who helped out by submitting your recaps and news stories!

Episode Notes:

Recording date: This episode was recorded on July 14, 2013 (except for the commentary at the end, recorded on July 21, 2013).

Rundown:

• 00:00 - 01:19 : Opening pleasantries and teasers for the episode ahead


• 01:20 - 16:07 : Around the Webserial World News


• 16:07 - 36:54 : WeSeWriMo 2013: Tips for Success


• 36:54 - 45:23 : Commentary and Song: "Fraud," by Jonathan Coulton


• 45:23 - 47:53 : Thanks to sponsors, closing thoughts and fare-thee-wells

Lyrics to "Fraud," by Jonathan Coulton. (As with all songs written and recorded by Coulton, these lyrics are licensed Creative Commons by-nc.) From the album Artificial Heart, individual songs and complete collection available for purchase on JonathanCoulton.com

It wears you thin

Unpacks a bag and it settles in

Ten times an hour you'll wish it dead

Ask it to leave but it stays instead



So unkind

Acting as if you could read its mind

Making it hard to explain without

Finding new things to complain about



Sharp teeth test your skin

Too late, you let an angel in



It's all been done

So many accidents, only one

Paints you the picture you want to see

Cover one eye and look carefully



Big surprise

It doesn't care about second tries

You're afraid whatever choice you make

Won't be exactly the right mistake



Sharp teeth test your skin

Too late, you let an angel in



I bet you feel tapped out and nothing left to talk about

I guess you're right

You fraud



It tells you lies

You say you won't but you compromise

Just don't imagine you'll ever win

Any race you aren't running in



It follows through

Four in the morning it's calling you

What's the over-under on getting it

Done without always regretting it?



Sharp teeth test your skin

Too late, you let an angel in

Many thanks to the special donors who helped make this podcast possible! Please see the sidebar for the list of Podcast sponsors.

Links to the sites mentioned in this episode:

• EpiGuide Webseries and Webserial Community


• WeSeWriMo: Web Serial Writing Month


• WeSeWriMo 2013 Sign-up Thread at the EpiGuide


• About Schuyler Falls


• Footprints


• EpiGuide at the Webcast Beacon Network


• American Legacy


• Blissful


• The Book Designer


• Copyblogger Web Content Blog


• Indiegogo


• Kickstarter


• Lovergirl


• Metal Shadow Prelude


• One Day at a Time


• Online Novel Blog


• Self Publishing Book Expo


• Sitepoint
  
• Storm Lake


• The Street


• The Surprising Life and Death of Diggory Franklin


• Tales of the Big Bad Wolf


• They Live Among Us


• Twitter


• Wattpad: Fan Funding


• Web Fiction Guide


• Wordpress Blog: "Going Serial..."
  

Music credits: "Dance, Soterios Johnson, Dance" (EpiCast opening theme), "The Big Boom" (News intro/closing theme), "Sticking it to Myself" (WeSeWriMo discussion closing theme), "Fraud" (Commentary), "Take Care of Me" (EpiCast sponsor theme), and "I Feel Fantastic" (closing theme) as always all written and performed by Jonathan Coulton, host Kira Lerner's personal musical demigod.

These tracks are licensed Creative Commons by-nc.

Technical notes: We used Skype for the conversation and interviews, Replay Recorder for recording, Audacity and The Levelator for editing/post-recording fine-tuning, and Podbean for hosting. If you have any suggestions, questions, comments or brickbats you want to throw at us regarding this episode, please let us know!