Pendragon Variety – Season 2, Episode 2 – Culture Clashes as External Conflict

Have you ever traveled to another country, or another part of the country you live in, and thought, “the way these people act is just plain weird?” I’ll bet if you haven’t, you have one or two things to say about those Japanese game shows they play on Spike TV. But what happens when two major groups of people with very different ideas about the world suddenly butt heads? As you may have guessed, we’re going to talk about using culture clashes as external conflict.

• What makes conflict external? How is it different from internal conflict in the way it’s used?

• What are some ways conflicting cultures can be used as external conflict?(e.g. genesis of war due to perceived slight, expansionism, etc.)

How can you make the cultural conflict enhance or give rise to your characters’ internal conflicts?

What are some good times to introduce this kind of external conflict into the story?

• What are some examples of cultural conflict, both real-world and in fiction?

Listeners, have you used cultural clashes in your writing? Tell us how on our Facebook Fan Page, tweet @LadiesPendragon, or send us an email at PendragonVariety@gmail.com.

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Pendragon Variety – Season 2, Episode 01 – Ratings in Young Adult Fiction

Movies, TV shows, and video games have ratings; the Ladies Pendragon discuss the implications of books–specifically the vast and varied Young Adult market–adopting a rating system.

• What would a rating system mean for writers, publishers (agents, editors, marketing), & booksellers?
• What effect might ratings have on consumers? On school libraries and the selection of classic literature in school required-reading? At public libraries? At home?
• Opinion time: what do you think of adopting a rating system for Young Adult fiction?

What do you think about Ratings in Young Adult fiction? Comment below, leave us a message on our Facebook Fan Page, tweet @LadiesPendragon, or send us an email at PendragonVariety@gmail.com.

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Pendragon Variety – Season 1, Episode 11 – Ethics & Paid Five-Star Reviews

The Ladies discuss the relevance of book reviews to consumers and the murky ethics of paid five-star book reviews.

Are all paid reviews bad? Are they bad only if they’re required to be five-star? Are they bad because they’re not marked as paid reviews? Are they bad because they don’t represent an accurate opinion? How is that different from regular advertisement or marketing?

What do you think of paid book reviews? Which of the many components involved tips you over, and what would you be okay with?

LINKAGE

Fiverr Article:

http://dearauthor.com/argolinkroundups/wednesday-midday-links-torforge-us-and-uk-goes-drm-free-anonymous-author-shares-fiverr-experience/

Galleycat Debate Article:

http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/galleycat-readers-debate-paid-reviews-on-amazon_b43254

Two articles from Writers Weekly:

First Article: http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/006495_01122011.html

Second Article: http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/006508_01192011.html

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Pendragon Variety – Season 1, Episode 10 – Concept to Construction

The Ladies discuss their methods for taking a story from the spark of an idea to the RAGING INFERNO of a fully-fledged story.

The ladies also answer a couple of questions from the Facebook Fanpage.

Also, apologies for being AWOL recently! Scribe has been burning the figurative candle at both ends, which means she’s been a total bum about editing the podcast. You can expect the rest of season one to come out shortly, as well as the first story submission for one of our cooky promps!

Keep those coming, we love ‘em!

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Pendragon Variety – Season 1, Episode 9 – Narrative Mode

The Ladies Pendragon discuss narrative mode (in the form of tense and perspective), what we prefer to read and write, how the popular narrative modes have shifted over time, and the different types of stories we think are suited to each mode.

Also, your twitter questions answered! Thanks to @MelissaDominic and @JeremyMcNabb.

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Pendragon Variety – Season 1, Episode 7 – Libraries

Topic: Libraries – how did they shape us as readers, how do they affect the publishing industry, and how can writers utilize them?

Book of the Week: Storm Front, by Jim Butcher

WTF: How to troll a 14-year-old WOW player.

Ladies: Sammy’s having anxiety dreams about her wedding, Adryn went to the Sapporo Snow Festival, Mica’s toddlers are crazy, Skrybbi started a new job, and Scribe finished a short(ish) story.

Also, singing trucks.

What are your experiences with the library? How did it shape you as a reader?

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