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PODCAST

Writer Syndrome

Russ Capasso and Tim Letteney

Writer Syndrome is a podcast about writing – from start to finish. Russ and Tim chat about writing and their process as they work towards publishing their first books. Learn with them in this unscripted podcast navigating the absolute sh**show that is writing.

arts books

All Episodes

44:57

Book Swap: The Troop / The Killing Floor

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/12/17

Book swap! In this episode, Russ and Tim trade books from their favorite genres and give a review. Russ read Nick Cutter's The Troop while Tim read Lee Child's The Killing Floor.

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48:12

What To Leave Out

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/12/03

Is that an adverb? Ditch it. Overly verbose exposition? Delete. Detailed descriptions of everyday objects? Get rid of it! In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss killing their darlings and reflect on what they left in their novels and why.

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32:03

Epilogues

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/11/20

Epilogues—who needs them? Isn't your story already over? In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss how epilogues are used, why they exist, and whether or not you should use one.

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48:56

Prologues

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/11/05

To prologue or not to prologue? That is the question. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss the ins and outs of prologues, what makes a good one, and why people don't like them.

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42:36

Mistakes & Expectations

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/10/22

Have you ever made a mistake that kept you up at night? Or maybe you set an expectation that you couldn't quite meet? In this episode, Russ and Tim explore their own writing mistakes and expectations, how they recovered from them (if they did), and how they adjusted to maintain writing productivity.

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52:55

Influences

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/10/08

Who or what influences you and your writing? Influences can come from anywhere and are important in shaping the stories we tell. This episode Russ and Tim get into the authors, movies, art, music, and even family, that influenced their stories.

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41:45

Self-Censorship

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/09/24

We're not fans of novels getting censored, but what happens when you're the one doing the censoring? There is a fine line between being true to the vision of your story and being shocking or sultry just for the sake of it. In this episode, Russ and Tim talk about how they self-censored their own work based on genre, reader expectations, and what they learned through the process.

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36:30

Book Titles

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/09/10

You only get one chance to make a first impression. Title your book wrong, and you may lose out on potential readers. Is your title intriguing enough? Is it too similar to others? Does it fit within your genre? In this episode, Russ and Tim tackle these questions and explain why they named their first novels and what they did.

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46:25

Pop Culture References

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/08/27

Pop culture references are a fun way to build on a character, setting, and world within your story. Yet too many references can ruin your reader's suspension of disbelief. So, where's the line? How much is too much? In this episode, Russ and Tim reflect on how they used pop culture references in their first works and the lessons they've learned.

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40:37

Character Names

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/08/13

What's in a name? Character names can allow readers to peer into and gather insight into what makes them tick. Does your protagonist need an epic name? How about your villains or secondary characters? Russ and Tim get into naming characters in this episode and dive into their own naming experiences and missteps in early drafts.

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37:31

Symbolism

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/08/03

Symbolism is yet another tool in the author's toolkit for enhancing a story. Whether it be big-picture themes, character behaviors, or a setting, symbolism is a great way to enrich a reader's experience. In this episode, Russ and Tim chat about how they applied symbolism to their stories and lessons learned.

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50:21

Backstory

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/07/16

Backstory is essential to establishing who your characters are and the decisions they'll make in your story, but how much is too much? In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss backstory, how they approached it for their first novels, and how they plan on using it in their new works.

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34:42

Where To Begin, Again

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/07/02

Writing your first novel is hard, but is writing a second novel any easier? In this episode, Russ and Tim chat about how to plan a new project, when to stop researching and start writing, and why their approaches have changed since completing their first works.

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40:36

Humor

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/06/18

Knock, knock... no, we won't do that to you. In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss writing with humor, how they approach it in their works, the different types of humor authors can use, and when to use it.

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43:29

Special Guest - Michael Bahler

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/06/05

In this episode, Russ and Tim are joined by Michael Bahler, a New Jersey-based writer whose short fiction and nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times, Glimmer Train, Nerve, and many others, including the Brooklyn Rail. He joins us to chat about the publishing industry, writing short stories, and his jump from short to long-form writing.

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42:47

Act III Pitfalls

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/05/22

Have you ever read a book and thought the end wasn't particularly satisfying? Well, you're not alone! In this episode, Russ and Tim explore common Act III pitfalls, why they can make your final act fall flat, and how to avoid them.

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37:14

Scene Transitions

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/05/08

Why are scene transitions important? Not ony to they ground the reader in POV, setting, and time. They can change mood and create pacing that keeps a reader engaged. In this episode Russ and Tim get into their own approaches to scene transitions and if they were intentional from the start.

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45:01

50th EPISODE! Where Are We Now?

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/04/23

50th episode! We made it! Russ and Tim do a pulse check on their projects, how far they've come, and the path ahead. Here's to fifty more!

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55:10

Structuring Chapters

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/04/11

Structure is a good thing, right? In this episode, Russ and Tim discuss chapter structure and how a well-structured chapter can impact pacing and tension and influence the reader to keep turning pages.

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52:57

Video Game Narratives

Writer Syndrome ·

2024/03/27

Are video games art? What elevates a video game narrative to make it memorable? Will Russ and Tim ever stop playing and get back to writing their second novels? In this special video game-themed episode, we tackle these questions and more.

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87 results

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