J. Daniel Sawyer

J Daniel Sawyer
20 (more) Minutes with J. Daniel Sawyer

He was our first Guest Host and now the first person to BE a Guest Host three times. But it’s always worth it… J. Daniel Sawyer – author of “Predestination”, “The Resurrection Junket”, “Making Tracks: A Writer’s Guide to Audiobooks (and How to Produce Them)” and much more – is a rare combination of deep knowledge, savvy business, and writerly mojo.

Joined by Mighty Mike Luoma (of the “Glow in the Dark Radio” podcast), we engage Master Sawyer in 20(ish) minutes of superb writerly discourse, exploring how to prepare and develop a multi-book story arc, the value of using screenplay structure for developing stories, how to assess the storytelling format, and more. The writerly goodness flows as soon as you hit that “PLAY” button.

First Anniversary Episode, Part II (Guest Hosts: J. Daniel Sawyer and John Mierau)

The Roundtable Podcast, First Anniversary Episode pt II, with J. Daniel Sawyer, John Mierau, and Dave RobisonWe conclude our anniversary celebration with a remarkable workshop worthy of the first year of our quest for Literary Gold.

We have our returning Guest Host, J. Daniel Sawyer – author of sweeping sci-fi thrillers, rich and complex mysteries, comprehensive guides and resources for writers, and so many more artistic and literary explorations – lending his substantial vision and experience to the workshop. Add to that the articulate and insightful John Mierau, another veteran Guest Host of the Roundtable and crafter of exquisite tales with casts of nuanced and complex characters. With these two creative trailblazers as our guides we launch into a workshop… of my story!

My tale of a young woman’s shame in denying her child an honorable death in a culture that reveres their sacrificed innocents spawns a remarkable discussion, affirming once again our decision to bring seasoned and experienced authors to the table. Dan, John, and Brion all helped reveal layers of both the story AND my approach to it that gave a new appreciation of my own process and the depth of the story I had undertaken. In short, it was a smorgasbord of Literary Gold.

J Daniel Sawyer
20 (more) Minutes with J. Daniel Sawyer

Dan Sawyer – consummate storyteller, media producer, and creative visionary – was our first Guest Host. One year ago, nervous and uncertain, Brion and I interviewed Dan and launched a podcast, starting a journey that has led to so many discoveries, friendships, and opportunities to explore the creative process. Dan is the ideal catalyst for such a journey, given his diverse and extensive experience in the art of expression.

During this celebratory 20(ish) minutes of conversation, we delve a bit deeper into Dan’s writing process, discuss the pros and cons of genre-jumping, uncover some strategies to keep your audience guessing, and more.

J Daniel Sawyer
20 Minutes with J. Daniel Sawyer

Showcase Episode: Brion and Dave sit down with J. Daniel Sawyer and discuss character development, beta readers, genre, audience and more. We think you’ll agree, the twenty minutes is over too quickly, but listeners will find a wealth of writing insights.

Episode Zero-Point-Five

Each week (starting March 6, 2012), Roundtable hosts Dave Robison and Brion Humphrey – joined by authors, publishers and other literati – invite writers to present ideas for stories they’re developing. What follows is a no-holds-barred discussion of the story’s plot, character, pacing, and theme, in an attempt to transform rough concepts and unformed ideas into literary gold (i.e. a writable story).

In this second pre-episode Dave and Brion share some news about upcoming Guest Hosts, clarify misconceptions regarding copyright, and explore some of the discoveries made in the last few weeks.

Irrational Fears

Fear is the great un-balancer.  It distorts and narrows our awareness until we can only see what’s directly in front…