Les and Jack on Writing - Uncensored

Les Edgerton and Jack Holland discuss the writing of a publishable novel in a relaxed, chatty format. They saw the need for some real-life info on effective writing versus the cookie-cutter bumper sticker advice many podcasts are based on. Their advice is based on what works in the real world of publishing. Example: Write what you know. Bullshit, bumper sticker advice. Better: Write what you can convince the reader you know. If a writer followed the first piece of advice, chances are pretty good he or she would never write a book based in the far past or distant future… they couldn’t as they didn’t live then so they don’t know. Same applies to writing a murder mystery, a man writing as a woman and vice versa, and any other number of other instances. Therefore, it’s bullshit advice. But, if one writes a novel about a physician and their day job is selling hamburgers at Mickey D’s. and they’ve researched a doctor’s life and craft, they can probably pen a book that most readers (even including doctors) can accept as a true account. This is just one example of the bad and misleading writing advice that’s out there and is our raison d’ etre for this podcast. Jack Holland is a screenwriter, playwright and filmmaker. As a playwright, he has had thirty staged readings and a couple of productions in Los Angeles and New York. As a screenwriter, he has had a script optioned, worked as a script analyst for the Delaurentiis Company, worked as a script doctor on several independent projects, and developed various projects for Rhythm and Hues Studios. He also produced and directed several short films including the award winning GUILT KNOCKS which was featured at the Mata Hari film festival in Bonn, Germany. He is now working on his first novel. Les Edgerton is the author of 23 books, including the writing craft books, HOOKED and FINDING YOUR VOICE. He has taught creative writing at various universities, including UCLA, the University of Toledo, Vermont College and several others. He has conduced an online novel-writing class for over ten years from which over three dozen writers have published the books they wrote in class. He is also an ex-con which gives his crime novels a level of verisimilitude most other authors don’t enjoy. Jack and Les discuss in each episode the many examples of poor advice regularly trotted out to beginning writers. Plus, as a bonus, they’re often funny. And, often… not.