Posts Tagged ‘ditchdig’

Podcasts, Projects

DD 6.19: Andrea Phillips, Transmedia, and America, Inc.

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We welcome Andrea back to the show, talking transmedia, marketing, and her new book, America, Inc.

  • Matt and Mur come to you live from the library of witty comebacks in the Ditch Diggers manor with special guest, author and transmedia writer, Andrea Phillips!
  • Mur begins the show by depressing everyone immensely with a reminder of fire, ice, and plague, but Andrea is quick to point out it’s all about the friends we made along the way (during Mur’s intro).
  • Professional updates! Mur is doing kind of okay (and starting a trend), Matt did his first reading for an audience in five years, and Andrea had a rough week with copy and script writing (NDA’s abound!).
  • Andrea talks about the collaborative process of writing transmedia content over Zoom for established IP’s, most of which she can’t mention, supervising other writers, and how it proscribes forming a regular routine.
  • The phenomenon that is Blaseball is discussed at length. What it is, how it has evolved, why it is so compelling, how the developers achieved all of that, and how that all relates to what Andrea does with transmedia and game content.
  • Andrea talks about her new author-published novel AMERICA INC, what it is, why she decided to self-release it, and her process of transparency with sharing her sales numbers and marketing process publicly.
  • How online marketing can affect sales of a self-published novel, and where authors can fall short in marketing their self-published works.On the subject of “the only way you really fail is if you stop putting out work” and Andrea apologizes needlessly for her lack of sunny optimism.

The patented end of episode shilling commences! Spoiler Alert: Buy AMERICA INC by Andrea Phillips (only on Amazon right now, but possibly moving to other platforms soon!). Also, Mur yells at games. And Matt has written a middle-grade novel that may or may not be for people who eat children (it isn’t).

Mentioned In This Episode…

 

NOTE- We are changing our formatting around here, and there will be, as the cute similes say, a lot of dust. We are determining each year a season, so the titles of these episodes will be changing — ie, 2020 is our 6th year, and this episode is our 19th. If you have already downloaded this or older episodes, nothing will change. Only new downloads will get the new numbering of old episodes. 

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #106: Mike Underwood and Marketing

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annihilation aria coverMike Underwood comes on to talk to us about his new book, ANNIHILATION ARIA (The Space Operas, Vol. 1), but the talk also goes into Mike’s experience with book marketing, and, boy, the stuff he tells us, no lie, is enlightening.

  • Matt and Mur come to you live from the haberdasher in the Ditch Diggers Manor that is also occasionally a Mansion, with special guest, author, podcaster, and book selling/marketing veteran, Michael R. Underwood!
  • Very important cowboy hat discourse preempts the main topic of the episode, with an aside into the difference between a comically small bowler hat and a fascinator.
  • Everyone talks about what’s new in their freelancing lives, and Mike discusses being an SWFA mentor working with multiple mentees.
  • Mur is a runaway Twitch sensation, and anyone who hasn’t joined in on the phenomenon is going to be left behind (according to Matt. Mur insists she’s having to build a new platform from scratch and it is difficult).
  • Mike talks about his new space adventure found family novel, ANNIHILATION ARIA, and Matt and he discuss how their careers have intersected at multiple points in weird ways.
  • Mike discusses the spectrum of traditional publishing, small presses, and self-publishing from the perspective of someone who has released books through all three, and worked as a bookseller and publisher rep.
  • Different ways to think about marketing your book as an author.
  • The big ways the publishing industry is broken, how that affects the staff, including publicists, at the publisher itself, and your relationship/dynamic with them as an author.
  • Virtual book tours, and the importance of diversifying your marketing content in the age of COVID, and balancing everything with self-care.
  • The traditional end of episode shilling commences!
  • Mike will return in Michael R. Underwood vs. The World Crime League (no, seriously, Mike will be back in a future episode to talk more about publishing and marketing).

Mentioned in This Episode…

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #105: Career Changes with Gail Carriger

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We welcome the godmother of our podcast, Gail Carriger, back to talk about her new book, The Heroine’s Journey, venturing into nonfiction, and the path from traditional publishing to self-pub. 

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #104: Kickstarter with Shawn Pryor

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Comics creator Shawn Pryor returns to Ditch Diggers! We talk to him about Kickstarter, career transitions, and Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.
  • Matt and Mur come to you live from the Ditch Diggers Weeping Closet where Mur is lamenting the departure of her daughter to college, with special return guest, author and comics creator, Shawn Pryor!
  • A lot has changed since the last time Shawn was on the show. Most of it is bad because the world, but some of it is good.
  • Matt and Mur reminisce with Shawn about meeting him for the first time over a game of Bang! (the rules of which are loosely explained).
  • What’s going on in our hosts’ and their guest’s professional lives? Mur talks about the daughter-sized hole in her life and how it is affecting her work, and Shawn talks about signing with his first agent after 13 years in the business without professional representation.
  • How, despite our acclimation to it culturally, many creators are still intimidated by the thought of launching a Kickstarter, and Shawn’s thoughts on the basics of KS, having created and run several successful campaigns.
  • The unique relationship between Kickstarter backers and Kickstarter creators, how crowdfunding differs from traditional selling in that way, and how to function in that dynamic as a KS creator.
  • Shawn talks about the pressure creators put on themselves to achieve career goals and benchmarks by a certain age, how to overcome that arbitrary measurement of success, and his new five-year plan.
  • The environments of comics as opposed to other creative mediums/industries, and the assholes you meet along the way (also the kind people, like Matt and Mur, at least according to Shawn).
  • The patented end-of-episode-shilling commences! Shawn has so much cool content to shill, including Power Rangers and Flintstones fan works!
Mentioned in This Episode…
Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #103: Feedback

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Matt and Mur come to you live from their separate but equally teddy bear and unicorn-filled bedrooms in the Ditch Diggers Mansion.

  • Pan-corns versus unicorns, and popular usage in podcasting terminology.
  • Matt and Mur are starting their own line of lumberjack body pillows (according to Matt, anyway).
  • Matt finished a new draft of a book (not to be confused with finishing a new book, again according to him), and Mur is still experimenting with her burgeoning career as a streaming star.
  • Patreon and Kickstarter culture, what creators “owe” their audiences, the associated guilt, and how being a freelance creator means running a small corporation in which you are every department.
  • How writers and their writing change over time.
  • It is the patented, storied, practically legendary Ditch Diggers Feedback Episode! In which Matt and Mur catch up on their mail and @’s!
  • Gay romcom recommendations for Mur (and everyone else).
  • How to expand your platforms beyond writer networking and industry-facing to be more reader/consumer-facing.
  • Transitioning from a full-time job (in this case back) to full-time freelancing. Spoiler Alert: Probably not right now in 2020.
  • Unplugging and focusing on your projects. Also, structure and timed lock boxes (Mur is very smart and says very smart things).
  • Selling novellas, from self-pub to “traditional” publishers, and ability to pivot and adapt.
  • The traditional end-of-episode shilling commences! Lameece Issaq, narrator of the audiobook version of Matt’s epic fantasy SAVAGE LEGION (out now from Simon Audio), gets some love.

Mentioned in this episode…

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #102: That Darn Hugo

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The Hugo thing happened. So we talked about it.

  • Mur and Matt come to you live from the hermetically sealed Hugo Award storage chamber in Ditch Diggers Manor (because Hugos get dirty).
  • AITA because I had a good day?
  • Mur discusses her new adventures in Twitch and Crowdcast live-streaming, including ascending above the level of “YOU ARE NOTHING!” on Twitch.
  • Matt is still a YouTuber (technically).
  • Mur makes Matt think about his own death and Matt accuses Mur of trying to make people date the Grand Canyon (sort of).
  • The inevitable Hugo Awards Ceremony debacle discussion ensues, including a summary of what happened at the 2020 ceremony.
  • The disconnect between the amazing writers and creators who won Hugo Awards (and their eloquent and relevant speeches) and the time machine from which the majority of the presenters stepped out.
  • The infamous Balloon Guy Story (that does not involve kink shaming).
  • Q&A! A listener asks Matt about his upcoming novels and the issue of appropriation when it comes to writing the Other. Also, questions about Substack and Medium.
  • The traditional end-of-episode shilling (and Matt denounces Spotify).

Mentioned in this episode…

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #101: Live Savage Legion launch!

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Matt and Mur had a virtual book launch for Savage Legion last week. Gotta adapt in a pandemic, y’all.

  • Matt and Mur come to you from Matt’s online launch party for his debut epic novel, SAVAGE LEGION, recorded on Crowdcast in front of a live chat audience on July 20th, 2020!
  • Matt and Mur are drinking, or at least Matt is (Mur forgot her booze). Ditch Diggers merch is briefly discussed.
  • The difference between a Citroën and citronella.
  • Doing a live video Crowdcast in front of a crowd is very different from recording an audio podcast.
  • Matt actually talks about SAVAGE LEGION (Mur’s copy of which must have gotten lost in the mail) a little bit, including the production of the book itself, and his reaction to receiving his copies of it.
  • Matt and Mur tell old convention stories, including drunken flights and playing Funny Friends (and Mur’s daughter, Fiona, makes one of several special appearances).
  • Matt fields questions from chat and talks about writing such a long (for him) novel, and the time it took on spec versus the time it takes when you’re under contract with a publisher deadline.
  • Mur and Matt discuss the process of Ditch Diggers, recording podcasts in general, and the key to the longevity of the show (spoiler: it’s not preparation).
  • Matt wants to create an 80’s-themed podcast.
  • Star Wars dubbed in German, and a severe and aggressive German Han Solo.
  • Mur discusses her recent binge/love of gay romcoms, her desire to write one, and everyone discusses straight authors writing gay characters.
  • Mur’s daughter comes out as professionally gay.
  • Matt answers more questions about SAVAGE LEGION, including drinking while writing, and discussing his epic fantasy influences, good and bad.
  • Night falls and it is time to end the party, but not before shilling SAVAGE LEGION one final time.

Mentioned in this episode…

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #100: HURLEY RETURNS

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  • Matt and Mur come to you live for the monumental 100th episode of the Ditch Diggers podcast, with special guest, and one of their favorites, author Kameron Hurley!
  • Ditch Diggers’ history with problematic celebrity mascots and why they finally ended the bit is briefly discussed.
  • Things are terrible, but Hurley rightly points out all three of the people in this podcast episode have a lot to be happy about, and those things are covered, including Hurley’s Hugo nomination for Best Novel for THE LIGHT BRIGADE!
  • What did Nero actually play on the fiddle while Rome burned, and was it “Freebird?”
  • Hurley, prompted by Matt, discusses the epic years-long process of turning the barren lot on which resides her home into an amazing woodland that is often mistaken for a public park.
  • The inevitable topic of doing business and getting business done during the pandemic is finally discussed at length.
  • The discussion suddenly degenerates into explaining Animal Crossing to Matt, including the economics of turnips, hamsters in suits of armor and their love lives, hosting TV-style talk shows on your island, and the housing market and economics of home ownership in Stardew Valley.
  • Mur tries to come up with an innovative way to create media in/using Animal Crossing and/or online gaming, and becomes very irate at Matt and Kameron’s lack of ability to come up with something for her, despite them both offering wisdom (which is different from advice).
  • Episode 100 Q&A! What are the Ditch Diggers drinking and what is everyone’s favorite cocktail? Also, what’s the best career lesson/advice everyone has learned from something that was said to them that wasn’t meant/presented as career advice.
  • Final plugs for Matt’s debut epic fantasy novel SAVAGE LEGION (including Mur and Kameron schooling Matt on his poor marketing skills) and Matt and Mur’s shared birthday.

Mentioned in this episode…

Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #99: World On Fire

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EDIT- the file is there now. I am a professional, dammit.

  • Matt and Mur come to you live in this penultimate installment of Ditch Diggers before the landmark 100th Episode from the Padded Room Full of Teddy Bears in DD Manor!
  • How is Matt? A seemingly simple question that feeds into the larger and much more complicated issues of the episode, recorded June 30th, which will deal with the harassers and abusers called out in June, particularly in the SFF publishing community.
  • Before that! Actual writing talk! Mur is restructuring a novel (for which she thanks Scrivener in a totally un-sponsored plug), and Matt has been writing a video game, because that’s his first full-time job, but he can’t talk about it, because you can never talk about the video game you’re writing.
  • Mur and Matt are going to talk about what’s been going on, but have made the choice not to use names in this episode, and they explain why.
  • Matt talks about how to respond (more specifically how he responded) when you have a professional relationship with someone who is called out for abusing or otherwise harming others.
  • The difference in perception between the privileged (e.g. cis able-bodied white dudes) and marginalized or at-risk folks dealing with powerful, abusive people in the industries and communities in which they exist.
  • The idea of not being aware you have power over others in your industry/community is discussed.
  • Making decisions based on your own safety, and deciding how your personal principles will factor into your decisions, re: dealing with the knowledge of working with abusive people.
  • Structures and organizations within SFF publishing where abusive people can be reported (and a brief aside about that wizard school author and Stephen King).
  • Matt and Mur thank their listeners for helping them reach episode 100, coming soon, and Matt STILL has a book coming out (SAVAGE LEGION— Be a dear and order, won’t you?) that he pitches poorly to the same listeners, because that’s where he is right now.
  • A final note on how alcohol/being drunk does not excuse your behavior. Ever.
  • Sites mentioned:
Podcasts, Projects

Ditch Diggers #98: Claire Rousseau and Booktubers

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  • Mur and Matt come to you live from the brand new film studio inside the Ditch Diggers manor with special guest, Hugo-nominated BookTuber Claire Rousseau!
  • Interesting shoulders are briefly unpacked.
  • The Ditch Diggers bring you up to date on their current events, including Mur’s daughter’s drive-thru high school graduation.
  • Claire graciously and eloquently explains what BookTube is, what it does, and some of the challenges associated with breaking into more traditional spaces as a BookTuber, e.g. the Hugo Awards.
  • The winding, serendipitous tale of how Claire got started as a BookTuber (and an explanation of concepts like Book Holes).
  • The challenges of breaking into BookTube and getting discovered by viewers, and how the same systemic racism and misogyny affecting other mediums extends to BookTube.
  • Claire shares some of her favorite recommendations for BookTubers to check out.
  • How companies deal and have dealt with BookTube/Tubers and vice versa, how those companies (namely Book Outlet) have fallen short in those dealings, and their response.
  • Claire finally shills her own channel, and tells the audience about her exciting new projects.
  • Booktubers from this episode:

HEY. Matt has a book, SAVAGE LEGION, coming out shortly. Be a dear and preorder, won’t you?

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