Storyline Sessions

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, author and podcast host Michael Vadney talks about his debut nobledark fantasy novel Crownfall, writing multiple POVs, politics in fantasy, magic systems, his writing method and much more.Find Michael here - https://michaelvadney.com/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Listen to Storyline Sessions on other streaming platforms - https://taplink.cc/storyline.sessionsSupport Storyline Sessions on Ko-Fi - Ko-fi.com/storylinesessions Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:51 - Conversation start01:04 - What is nobledark - talking about genre05:26 - Political fantasy09:02 - Scope, perspective and single location stories10:55 - Plotting stories and authors as D&D DMs15:12 - Setting writing goals for yourself17:54 - Staying confident and motivated19:13 - Initial vision for Crownfall vs the final draft22:10 - A system for writing multiple POVs24:45 - Beta readers, writing groups and feedback30:50 - Genre homework34:14 - Project Arcanist35:43 - Standalone vs series38:31 - Writing to market41:41 - How do you know when you're done?45:39 - Key takeaways after writing the debut47:53 - Podcasting and importance of community54:35 - Dealing with reading goals58:02 - What does a magical engineer do?01:02:05 - Two important things for a good magic system01:06:05 - Influences that aren't Sanderson, spice and old school fantasy01:12:03 - Getting the right cover art01:16:11 - Advice for other debut authors01:17:54 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, author and illustrator Adam Basset talks about his short story collection Digital Extremities, worldbuilding, the art of making maps and much more.Find Adam here - https://www.adamcbassett.com/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Listen to Storyline Sessions on other streaming platforms - https://taplink.cc/storyline.sessionsSupport Storyline Sessions on Ko-Fi - Ko-fi.com/storylinesessions Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start & disclaimer01:03 - Conversation start01:42 - Reacting to readers' comments03:35 - Short vs long form writing10:35 - Connected world building through separate stories12:20 - Adam's writing process14:56 - Black Mirror Comparison and character-focused Sci-Fi18:25 - The future is now - the cyberpunk of today21:57 - Choosing story locations25:30 - How do you know when you're ready to publish?29:40 - Working with beta readers and editors31:27 - Campfire and getting into fantasy36:20 - Making maps, the science behind it and current trends47:05 - Book cover design49:36 - Best medium for Digital Extremities to be adapted51:35 - Writing for games54:00 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, bestselling author and winner of the Firebird Book Award, Pinnacle Achievement Award, and runner-up Page Turner Award winner Starr Z. Davies talks about the launch of her new book - Stormvalor: A Noblebright Fantasy (Divica Stormborn Chronicles Book 1) that marks her genre shift from dystopian fiction to epic fantasy.Find Starr Here: https://www.starrzdavies.com/Watch on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@StorylineSessionsFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Listen to Storyline Sessions on Spotify or Deezer - https://taplink.cc/storyline.sessionsRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:47 - Conversation start01:20 - How does this release feel different from the others?02:10 - Marketing vs Writing02:50 - Beta readers, initial reviews and changing the ending04:18 - Making the first book feel more than just a setup for sequels07:00 - Difference in writing and worldbuilding process between genres08:28 - Deciding to shift genres10:18 - From YA to adult12:04 - THE CHARACTER ASSASIN - letting go of your characters16:24 - Surprising yourself and choosing the POV for your story18:20 - Organized chaos and worldbuilding20:40 - MAPS!23:10 - Naming characters24:30 - How to be a prolific writer and stick to a schedule?28:38 - Writing awards33:22 - Finding the right artrwork36:34 - Kickstarter process and crowdsourcing40:55 - Audiobooks44:32 - Self publishing vs Trad vs AI48:05 - Building your audience50:15 - What would you do differently if this was your first series?53:02 - Future plans55:16 - Outro

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović shares his story about growing up with gaming magazines in the 90s and early 2000s, nostalgia, jorunalism and tries to clean up his apartment.Game Informer Is Back - https://www.gameinformer.com/letter-from-the-editor/2025/03/25/game-informer-is-backFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/, https://www.theverge.com/news/635915/game-informer-return-gunzilla-gamesListen to Storyline Sessions on Spotify or Deezer - https://taplink.cc/storyline.sessionsRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, Hungarian-born SFF author and the winner of the best Fantasy Choice Award in Hungary Norbert Zsivicz talks about his novel Sealed Empire, experience with translations, mixing genres, building an audience and much more.Find Norbert here - https://www.sealedbooks.com/en/the-book, https://www.instagram.com/authornorbert/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Listen to Storyline Sessions on Spotify or Deezer - https://taplink.cc/storyline.sessionsRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start01:26 - Conversation start01:41 - Serbian vs Hungarian02:22 - Fantasy scenes in Europe05:44 - Self publishing as an author in Hungary08:46 - Winning an award as a newcomer10:02 - English translation and finding an international audience13:46 - Mixing genres and worldbuilding17:31 - Using multiple POVs and timelines19:51 - The cover scene21:13 - World map23:20 - Prologues - yay or nay?25:34 - Comparing original and the translation27:25 - The setting - medieval fiction and history30:47 - Planning the end - how to get from A to B?32:26 - Showing his manuscript to others and trusting yourself34:21 - Dealing with reviews36:28 - Using a pseudonym or writing under your name?38:38 - European SFF41:00 - Marketing as a self published author - finding your audience44:20 - The unavoidable AI talk48:00 - Working on scripts for streaming shows and films52:33 - Gaming54:35 - Series timeline and future plans59:03 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, Nebula award-nominated author R.R. Virdi talks about his upcoming book The Doors of Midnight, a sequel to The First Binding, using myths and legends as inspiration, his experience with trad publishing and many more interesting topics.Follow R.R. Virdi on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rrvirdi/Get Grave Tidings for free - https://www.subscribepage.com/graveti...Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Watch Storyline Sessions on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@StorylineSessionsRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:45 - Conversation start00:55 - Reactions to The First Binding03:40 - Working on the sequel04:52 - Using mythology in writing - South Asia, Silk Road and beyond12:00 - Meta layer - storytelling in storytelling14:36 - Clues and breadcrumbs - foreshadowing16:52 - POVs18:35 - Mixing multiple timelines22:20 - Writing with ADHD22:47 - Surprising yourself24:25 - Urban fantasy vs epic fantasy - different influences27:46 - Writing to market and different genres32:41 - Lengthy books and "purple prose" vs editors41:09 - Using appendix and how books change on re-reads43:24 - Creating maps45:34 - Cover art and different book editions47:56 - Trad publishing vs indie51:20 - Getting paid as an artist57:46 - Advice for younger/starting writers01:02:00 - Teasing The Doors of Midnight01:03:32 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, internationally best-selling author and the host of The Greatest Podcast in the Multiverse Herman Herman Steuernagel talks about his 10th novel The Bartender Between Worlds, changing genres in writing, experience with podcasting and much more.Find Herman here - https://linktr.ee/hermansteuernagelFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Listen to Storyline Sessions on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@StorylineSessionsRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start01:05 - Conversation start01:16 - The power of podcasting and building a writing community05:20 - If he was starting now, what would he do differently07:27 - Why Sci-Fi?08:42 - Switching from YA to adult fiction09:55 - Using tropes in writing11:12 - Switching genres14:20 - Why did cozy fantasy get popular?16:05 - Introducing The Bartender Between Worlds18:18 - The appeal of standalone novels20:42 - Herman's writing process24:16 - (Not) using beta readers25:31 - Experience with editors26:55 - Dropping two books at the same time30:14 - Audience feedback, reviews and getting into libraries33:44 - Trying Kickstarter and promoting your work37:31 - Audiobooks38:47 - Getting the right cover art41:52 - Authors doing their own marketing44:09 - Trends in fantasy46:35 - Exploring the multiverse48:31 - In a parallel world, how would a different decision affect your life?52:03 - Cocktail recommendation53:00 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, writer, director and actor Kelton White talks about his journey from writing a sci-fantasy novel to creating award-winning short films, his experience in the industry so far, screenwriting process, being independent and many more interesting topics.Watch Kelton's work - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSakHkWrohU&t=2sKelton's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kelton423white/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Watch Storyline Sessions on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@StorylineSessions/videosRiverside.fm software for recording podcasts affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:35 - Conversation start01:25 - Kelton's origin story04:21 - The Mysterious Files of Mr. Chimes05:45 - Process of writing prose vs writing scripts11:36 - Writing for the market15:04 - Experience with YouTube and connecting with your audience24:26 - WHAT FOUND ME IN THE WOODS... (short horror film)36:25 - FOLDING IN (Sci-Fi/Romance short film)41:06 - ODE FROM MALUM (Dramatic short)45:04 - Writing roles for yourself as an actor49:56 - Horror and western55:42 - Influences and inspirations58:59 - Gaming01:01:36 - Collaborative storytelling01:03:21 - Plans for the future01:46:01 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, speculative fiction author and the host of SFF Adicts podcast Adrian M. Gibson talks about his upcoming novel Mushroom Blues, blending genres, creating immersive experiences in writing, influences of social and political themes on fiction and many more interesting topics.Adrian's Website - https://adrianmgibson.com/Adrian's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adrianmgibson/SFF Adicts Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sffaddictspod/Listen to SFF Adicts Podcast - https://linktr.ee/SFFAddictsFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:52 - Conversation start01:00 - Why fungi and what is the Fungalverse?08:24 - Colonialism, Japan and cultural inspirations13:08 - China Mieville, traveling and modern SFF dealing with politics19:10 - Cover, map and other visuals24:21 - Book soundtrack and immersive experiences30:48 - Juggling podcasting, writing and life changes35:35 - Learning from mistakes37:00 - Genre fluidity, Philip K. Dick42:44 - Disco Elysium love46:38 - Personal stories, traumas and choosing POVs52:24 - Making the world feel real54:20 - Writing process1:04:12 - Future of the Fungalverse1:06:55 - One weird random fact1:09:15 - One piece of writing advice1:12:11 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, award-winning sci-fi and fantasy author Sam Paisley share his writing journey, talks about how psychology influences his work, dives into symbolism of the magic system in his debut novel and many more exciting topics.Sam's website - https://elementsoftime.ca/ Sam's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/elementsoftimebook/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start00:47 - Conversation start01:04 - Awards02:34 - Nine years of writing his debut novel05:02 - Long books - editing and pace08:14 - Importance of giving your story enough space09:39 - Writing multiple POVs14:48 - Film and TV influences16:34 - Creating his magic system20:05 - First draft vs final version22:06 - Plotting process24:22 - Knowing when a scene/chapter/story is over25:35 - Getting good feedback and improving31:10 - Experience with the writing community35:48 - Book signing in Sam's high school and writing for young people39:53 - Benefits of reading and understanding psychology44:16 - Working on other projects and 2024 goals46:57 - Reading vs listening to books47:34 - Cover art process51:34 - The Elements of Time symbolism56:48 - Creating merch58:32 - Signed copies and bookmarks1:00:17 - The most important moments of 20231:01:55 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, horror author and Bram Stoker Award nominee Laurel Hightower shares her experience with writing grief and different sensitive topics, being traditionally published, choosing the right cover art and many more interesting subjects.Laurel's website - https://laurelhightower.com/Laurel's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/laurelhightower/Laurel's Twitter - https://twitter.com/HightowerLaurelFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoTimestamps:00:00 - Start01:04 - Conversation start01:18 - Silent Key reception03:25 - Switching up genres and writing strong characters06:23 - Picking the right cover08:08 - Traditional vs self-publishing12:01 - Editing process14:52 - Co-editing short story anthologies and representing important issues in genre fiction20:02 - Every Woman Knows This and writing about women issues26:10 - Diversity in genre writing and biases28:23 - Grief in horror32:52 - Audiobooks36:10 - Short vs long form39:00 - Below novella and Bram Stoker Award nomination42:50 - Cryptid horror and other types of horror Laurel enjoys45:50 - Using pen names47:55 - Splatterpunk50:15 - Give Me Your Fingers51:25 - Piracy54:25 - Day job impact on writing57:48 - Day of the Door (new novel)01:00:42 - Mike Flanagan01:03:05 - 2023 favorites01:06:20 - Outro

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, the author of dark fantasy epic Gunmetal Gods and progression sci-fantasy Lightblade Zamil Akhtar shares his experience with the Kickstarter success, talks about his writing process, influences, gives some horror movie recommendations and many more interesting subjects.Zamil's website - https://zamilakhtar.com/Zamil's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zamilakhtarauthor/Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:35 - Conversation start00:42 - Kickstarter success05:23 - Growing as an author07:12 - Building a community08:42 - Different influences on Gunmetal Gods and its setting11:53 - Zamil's prose and descriptions in fantasy14:31 - Writing process17:51 - Historical fiction19:26 - Worldbuilding and gaming influences on Lightblade20:58 - Creating magic systems23:16 - RPGs24:08 - Grimdark and horror26:49 - Lovecraft, Ito and writing a horror novel28:55 - What Zamil likes in modern fantasy30:25 - Using tropes vs experimenting33:14 - Fantasy adaptations35:16 - Potential Gunmetal Gods adaptation36:34 - Changing genres and using pen names38:49 - How he came up with Lightblade40:32 - Difference between writing Gunmetal Gods and Lightblade41:40 - Future plans for Lightblade43:05 - Endpoint for Gunmetal Gods45:26 - Editing process48:24 - Traditional publishing vs indie publishing 50:24 - Audience supporting authors directly54:15 - Reviews57:18 - Horror movies58:00 - Hidden gems recommendations01:01:20 - Future plans01:02:42Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/ Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović shares his favorite tools for writing, editing, recording and everything in between.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:46 - Writing tools03:35 - Podcasting tools05:28 - OutroFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, this was the best audio I could salvage from my talk with Bryan as there were some sound issues. I decided to publish the conversation because I think it was great and it would be a shame for you not to hear it. It's listenable, but just wanted to put a disclaimer out because this isn't the norm. Hope you'll still give it a chance!In this episode of Storyline Sessions, the author of SciFi/Fantasy novel The Forsaken Planet Bryan Wilson talks about how he managed to complete his debut novel after 20 years, his influences, experience with the writing community, the sequel The Son of the Prophets and many more interesting topics.Bryan's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bryan.wilson.author/Timestamps:00:00 - Start/Disclaimer00:56 - Conversation start01:24 - Landing on the series name (Power of the Stars)01:56 - Second book cover reveal and thoughts on book art06:31 - 20 years in the making09:05 - The story evolution10:11 - YA vs Adult fiction12:18 - Influences16:11 - Prologues18:38 - Info-dumping22:45 - Writing process and pace26:22 - Beta readers28:32 - Dealing with perfectionism32:24 - Construction business, local community and writing35:03 - Fan interactions and dealing with reviews40:08 - The indie writing community and working with other authors44:40 - Promoting his work47:30 - Crowdfunding and audience connection50:58 - Adaptations, The Wheel of Time, The Rings of Power56:58 - Future plans for the Power of the Stars series59:46 - OutroFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this episode, we are starting a new type of videos on the channel - original fiction written by the Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović. This will not affect the usual content, there are still author interviews and talks about storytelling coming each Thursday."No Return Address" is a magical realism short story about a girl on a tropical island where the letters from around the world end up in search of the right recipient.If you prefer reading to listening, you can find the story here - https://bit.ly/No_Return_Address Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Music used in the video - In Your Memory - Peace Reels (from Canva Pro)

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović shares his recommendations for cozy winter books, graphic novels and short stories of different genres, including fantasy, sci-fi and horror.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:09 - Intro00:44 - Novels00:47 - Hogfather by Terry Terry Pratchett01:35 - Misery by Stephen King02:28 - Drood by Dan Simmons03:18 - Northern Lights/The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman03:46 - Winternight trilogy by Katherine Arden04:15 - Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky04:40 - Let the Right One In by Jon Ajvide Lindqvist05:07 - Short stories05:18 - A Pail of Air by Fritz Leiber05:43 - Nightfall by Isaac Asimov06:17 - Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood06:52 - At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft07:16 - Graphic novels07:25 - Grandville by Bryan Talbot07:57 - Snowpiercer by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, Olivier Bouquet and Jean-Marc Rochette08:32 - Glacial Period (Louvre Collection) by Nicolas de Crécy09:19 - OutroFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, Aidee Sea, the author of After Death Comics, talks about many topics including the process of creating webcomics, building a community, differences between writing short form and long form stories and AI's impact on art.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:54 - Conversation start01:05 - Horrorween comics - 4 years running02:32 - Long form comics03:39 - The After Death Comics origin and mixing genres07:05 - Aidee's process09:11 - Constructing stories in webcomics12:07 - Deciding between ideas14:56 - Keeping your style vs writing for the audience18:06 - The business side of creative work21:32 - Sponsorships, Patreon and crowd funding25:05 - Separating yourself from your work27:24 - Current events and universal feelings in comics29:45 - AI and art33:31 - People (not) stealing artists' work35:12 - Comic Collaborations39:00 - Unexpected genre that Aidee would like to try40:55 - Gaming and game influences43:29 - Working on video games46:38 - People and horror in different media47:26 - Influences50:11 - Writing and testing jokes52:30 - Readers' reactions and leaving clues for them58:31 - How to keep readers engaged1:01:07 - Limitations and creating different types of comics1:02:34 - Other comic authors as inspiration1:04:12 - Working on "traditional" comics1:06:46 - Horror film of the year1:07:44 - Spoilers for the Barbarian (2022)1:09:03 - Taking lessons from horror movies1:09:35 - Future plans for After Death Comics1:12:13 - OutroYou can find Aidee at linktr.ee/afterdeathcomicsFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović talks about his visit to the annual international Belgrade Book Fair and shares some key points from the talk with Simon Sebag Montefiore - British historian, television presenter and author of popular history books and novels.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:15 - Introducing the Belgrade Book Fair and its importance01:32 - This year's overview02:12 - Simon Sebag Montefiore02:50 - Simon on his writing process04:04 - Simon on witnessing historical events and research05:52 - Simon on his dreams coming true06:42 - Simon on writing history books07:16 - Simon on working with BBC07:57 - Simon on the idea behind his World book08:46 - Simon on great historians09:07 - Jerusalem - City of stories09:22 - Time travel - my question for Simon11:19 - Publishing landscape in Serbia11:58 - COMICS12:20 - Board games and Brandon Sanderson12:32 - Antique and used books12:52 - ConclusionFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, the author of Harbinger of Justice and a YouTube channel host Andrew Watson talks about how he got into the Booktube/Bookstagram community, inspirations and the process behind his debut novel, as well as its reception.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:37 - Conversation start00:51 - Spooky season video collab and reading horror02:25 - Starting with BookTube and creating a community07:11 - Filmmaking, visual mediums and choosing writing08:56 - Getting into self-publishing10:45 - The reality of traditional publishing14:22 - Choosing his editor and cover artist16:07 - Process of working with the editor and cover artist20:20 - Fantasy cover trends and using maps22:28 - Book reception after first 3 months25:12 - Choosing your POVs and writing process28:50 - The Shadowbinders Trilogy and beyond31:50 - Magic system and worldbuilding35:22 - Ancient Egypt influence and other inspirations41:56 - Potential adaptations of Harbinger of Justice43:19 - Picking topics for videos and algorithm45:50 - Applying different knowledge to writing and being visual48:57 - Reviewing other authors from the community53:17 - Book festivals55:07 - Signed books59:36 - Books, going digital and attention spans1:03:32 - Working on the next book1:04:47 - Beta readers1:10:35 - Pressure after the debut and not rushing1:13:06 - The trend of making everything a franchise1:15:37 - What to expect from his future work1:17:10 - OutroYou can find Andrew on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@the_fools_tale/videos and Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the_fools_tale/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - / storyline.sessions - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović talks about horror inspirations in different genres and types of stories, why even people who aren't fans of horror love the spooky season and different authors that implemented scary elements in their non-horror works.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:14 - Andrew Watson shout-out and video inspiration01:10 - Dark appeal of fairy tales and authors that use it02:17 - Classic authors who had horror themes in their work03:21 - YA love stories using horror03:41 - Bond between Sci-Fi and horror04:18 - Horror seeping into fantasy05:06 - Comedy and horror working together05:29 - Misunderstanding of horror05:58 - Spooky vs scary - why everyone loves the spooky season07:26 - Announcing the next interview07:42 - OutroFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, the author of the award-winning epic fantasy series The Beast Hunter of Ashbourn Christer Lende has an open talk about his writing process, inspirations as well as his challenges with former publishers. We discussed his passion for the craft, future of The Beast Hunter series, his upcoming Sci-Fi book Spectre, and we also touch upon the movie script he is currently working on.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:50 - Conversation start01:37 - Christer's publishing story - starting with a publisher05:35 - First challenges with the publisher07:15 - Big changes before the publication (light spoilers for The Beast Hunter book)11:54 - First book published and new issues15:50 - Thinking about self-publishing18:20 - New issues and misunderstandings 22:46 - Going separate ways with the publisher25:25 - Self-publishing success and awards29:40 - Comparing his work to video games30:42 - Planning out the story and making a trilogy out of a single book33:00 - Spoilers for the book one ending and light spoilers for book two33:58 - The Witcher and Supernatural influence36:20 - Originality, creating new monsters and fantasy relying on tropes40:12 - Talking about the antagonist (book two/three spoilers)41:48 - Map, bestiary and worldbuilding44:50 - Norse mythology in fantasy and why he didn't want to do a viking story47:36 - Writing different POVs - culture, gender, emotions50:50 - Surprising yourself and emotions in writing54:15 - His background and getting into writing with fan fiction57:20 - His process and accountability1:00:45 - Consistency, enjoying the process and thinking about your stories1:09:30 - Teaser/hook for the new Ashbourn duology (spoilers for the first trilogy)1:16:05 - Importance of being passionate about your work1:20:06 - Getting into Sci-Fi - recreating feelings from childhood1:22:06 - The plot and the world of his upcoming Sci-Fi book Spectre1:28:58 - Potential for adaptations in his work1:33:21 - Improving his craft (and light spoiler for book one)1:36:15 - Getting into screenwriting and securing a deal for a movie script1:42:42 - Different genres in European film and Norway's focus on crime1:43:41 - Troll (2022) and SFX capabilities1:47:30 - Meg 2 (2023) and monster movies1:51:10 - Scandinavian noir1:54:35 - Christer's podcast and plans for the future1:57:36 - OutroYou can find Christer at https://www.instagram.com/christerlende/ and https://www.authorcalende.com/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

Three Decades of Stories - My Podcasting Origin Story | Storyline Sessions

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, self-published Amazon best seller horror author Boris Bacic talks about his experience as a foreign author making a name in the US. We discussed his writing process, inspirations, plans for the future and other interesting topics.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:47 - Conversation start01:05 - Serbian and Eastern European authors (self)publishing in English03:45 - Getting recognized and challenges of getting published locally06:08 - Getting trad published in The Netherlands07:30 - Publishing a children's book09:55 - Writing different (sub)genres13:07 - Zombies and staying original while writing popular subgenres15:35 - Series vs stand-alones17:00 - Outlines, editing and the process21:22 - Creepypasta and Reddit NoSleep25:45 - Listening vs reading stories27:50 - Audio books30:05 - Building a community34:10 - Being genuine and using personal experience in writing37:05 - Iceland and northern lights, US research40:45 - Bodybuilding43:35 - Alternatives to writing horror46:15 - Co-writing a Sci-Fi horror book49:40 - Deep sea and space horror52:45 - Atmoshphere54:10 - Good horror movies58:20 - Writing good characters1:01:00 - Using local themes and locations1:02:15 - Serbian horror heritage1:05:30 - Getting his work adapted1:09:10 - Picking titles1:12:42 - Picking covers1:15:05 - What readers want1:15:55 - Lessons learned and promotion methods1:20:55 - Signed copies and issues with shipping1:22:40 - Meeting readers in the US1:23:40 - New books - domestic thrillers1:24:52 - Ambitious goals and next steps1:26:20 - OutroYou can find Boris at https://www.instagram.com/author.boris.bacic/ and https://www.authorborisbacic.com/Follow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

In this solo episode, Storyline Sessions host Marko Bogdanović talks about his love for fiction and storytelling, its applications in the business world, and the constant non-fiction vs fiction debate.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:30 - Why is fiction important to me00:57 - Empathy01:43 - Resilience01:58 - Curiosity02:17 - Storytelling and journalism03:02 - Storytelling and advertising04:00 - Fiction and business05:30 - Growing up, eduacation and fiction06:42 - Positive examples07:45 - OutroFollow Storyline Sessions Podcast on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/The Global Read Aloud Project - https://theglobalreadaloud.com/

In this episode of Storyline Sessions, Eric R. Burgess talks about an array of topics. We covered game design and its connection to other aspects of life, his upcoming books (actually 3, not 2 as stated in the intro), using his creative work and degree in writing for software products, use of AI in writing, its implications on the future of art, as well as Disney's approach to entertainment.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:56 - Conversation start01:25 - About the importance of board games and Eric's upcoming book Optional Rules05:10 - Rewriting and the second book06:17 - Working with an editor - the big picture edit07:14 - Research about decisions 09:02 - The connection between life, business and board games11:12 - Dealing with shorter attention spans12:50 - The evolution of games16:10 - Gamification - applying games to other things19:40 - Minecraft is life-ification of games20:32 - Changing expectations from games23:17 - Collaborative storytelling26:15 - Impact of stories26:44 - Hopes for AI tools27:01 - How Eric uses AI in his writing31:00 - Bulletin board system and digital relationships33:06 - First draft of Eric's BBS novel34:04 - Online communities38:02 - Eric's writing process43:54 - About love45:14 - Creativity vs Structure 48:22 - Structure tips from James D. Houston50:29 - Transferrable writing skills54:27 - "Piffles" on Medium56:18 - Working with (creative) constraints1:00:32 - On Stephen King1:02:42 - AI helping writers and AI getting worse1:04:25 - Protecting authors from AI and industry standards1:14:10 - Opportunities for creators1:15:45 - Writing for Disney1:20:03 - Disney's approach to quality1:22:42 - Inspiration for his magnum opus game1:26:17 - Keeping focus on priorities1:29:54 - OutroYou can find Eric at https://twitter.com/erburgess and https://medium.com/@erburgess_AIRiverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko Storyline Sessions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/

In the first solo Storyline Sessions episode, Marko Bogdanović talks about dealing with procrastination in writing, what causes it, and shares the tools that he uses to overcome them.Timestamps:00:00 - Start00:20 - Personal connection to the topic00:45 - Ups and downs01:01 - Bukowski on writing01:26 - Vonnegut on writing01:50 - Dealing with resistance02:20 - What causes procrastination02:35 - Passion and comfort03:10 - Jorge Luis Borges on writing03:43 - How I deal with it03:48 - Setting goals03:57 - Writers' Hour04:44 - Journaling05:10 - Start with editing05:49 - Preparing for future sessions06:17 - Tools to help with inspiration07:12 - Getting the bad ideas out07:34 - Alphabet Superset and consistency08:47 - Instagram news09:01 - OutroStoryline Sessions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/London Writers' Salon - https://londonwriterssalon.com/Alphabet Superset project - https://www.alphabetsuperset.com/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=marko

We kick off the Storyline Sessions Podcast with a great conversation with writer Jason Fuhrman. He talked about how he completed 104 stories in 104 weeks, what significance Cormac McCarthy has for his work, the ways in which he battles the resistance and procrastination, key takeaways from publishing two novels, his YouTube experience and many more engaging subjects.Timestamps:00:00 Start00:41 - Intro00:48 - Jason's experience with YouTube so far04:06 - Importance of building a community as a writer06:51 - Reviewing other people's work as an author and negativity11:20 - Quitting books and House of Leaves13:28 - Style vs Gimmick and Cormac McCarthy17:01 - A Song For the End of the World and influences24:11 - The Field and young protagonists27:40 - YA vs Fiction with young characters34:27 - Writing with an end in mind36:27 - Writing process44:16 - "Compost pile"45:03 - Worth 1.000 words46:47 - Key takeaways from writing 104 stories in 2 years50:25 - Working inside "the box"51:01 - Discipline and resistance55:26 - How does finishing something feel57:56 - The feeling of getting your first book published1:00:47 - Editing process and dealing with criticism1:08:31 - Publishing Worth 1.000 Words stories collection(s)1:10:42 - Testing genres and discovering new directions1:11:27 - Writing "marketable" books and sticking to one genre1:19:12 - Dream director/writer for a movie/series adaptation1:21:47 - Trends in horror, streaming market and "self publishing" in film1:34:09 - Tabletop games, D&D and fiction podcasts1:37:11 - Hideo Kojima and the gaming industry1:44:22 - People connecting globally1:45:51 - What would you say to a younger you1:46:37 - OutroYou can find Jason at https://www.instagram.com/jasonwfuhrman/Riverside.fm affiliate link (I receive a recurring commission with no additional cost to you): https://www.riverside.fm/?via=markoStoryline Sessions Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyline.sessions/