Why do we love horror so much? On the surface, it makes no sense. Why would anybody enjoy media that focuses on upsetting, grotesque topics? The post Finding Beauty In Darkness by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Dec 10, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Cultural criticism has always been an essential part of our media ecosystem, especially when it comes to geek culture. But is any of this really meaningful, or is it just another part of the big corporate content marketing machine? The post Saving Criticism from the Corporate Marketing Machine by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 29 min
There are many writing advice columns that won’t help you write good—that will actually encourage you to write bad, or at best mediocre. The post Bad Writing Advice by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Filthcore queen Gretchen Felker-Martin returns to talk about unlikable female characters. What makes a woman unlikable? The post I’m Not Here to Make Friends: On Unlikable Female Characters by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Oct 08, 2020•1 hr 32 min
SFF author and professional translator Mário Seabra Coelho talks to us about the art of translation. Writing translations, even only as an exercise, can open a writer’s eye to new perspectives, new devices, and new poetic turns of phrase. The post Translation, or Mi Tio Es Infermo, Pero la Carretera Es Verde! by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Sep 17, 2020•1 hr 17 min
Horror writer G. Emerald, who has a background in the medical system, joins us to talk about the healing power of stories that leave us with a bad taste in our mouths. The post The Bitter Medicine of Unhappy Endings by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Aug 27, 2020•1 hr 19 min
Sci-fi/fantasy author Karlo Yeager Rodríguez joins us to talk about the relationship between storyteller and in-universe audience. The post Who Are You Talking To? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr
In this episode, Mistress Snow, PhD joins us to talk about sex work in writing. What do writers get wrong? How do writers promote inaccurate and harmful stereotypes about sex workers? How can writers do better? The post Writing About Sex Work by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 2 min
In this episode, filmmaker Shannon Strucci and critic Leslie Lee of Struggle Session were kind enough to join us to talk about why we need to tell our own stories instead of waiting for someone else to tell it for you. The post Telling Your Own Stories by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Jun 04, 2020•1 hr 7 min
In this episode, we talk to writer/editor Sarena Ulibarri about what it means to be a writer during a global climate crisis. Do writers have a responsibility to address the problem? Are we a part of the problem? Does art matter when the world is on fire? The post Writing While the World Burns: What Does It Mean to Be a Writer During the Climate Crisis? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Apr 23, 2020•52 min•Season 1Ep. 18
In this episode, horror writer Gretchen Felker-Martin joins us to talk about the importance of making space for transgressive fiction by queer writers. The post Transgressive Queer Fiction and the Right to Be Messy by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Apr 02, 2020•1 hr 13 min
In this spooktacular episode, we talk to Ash and Jon of the Horror Vanguard podcast about the internet-based form of horror fiction known as creepypasta. The post Creepypasta and Other Eerie Starches by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Mar 19, 2020•1 hr 13 min
The road to publishing can be a thorny one, filled with con artists lying in wait to pounce on unwary writers. Fortunately, Victoria Strauss of Writer Beware is here to tell us how to avoid being scammed. The post Writer Beware! Spotting Shady Agents, Vanity Presses and Other Scams by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Feb 28, 2020•47 min
In part two of our discussion on the dark side of fandom, RS Benedict talks to Tim Heiderich about parasocial relationships, Twitch streamers, Nazis, Pink Floyd's The Wall and fans who want to watch their idols burn. The post The Dark Side of Fandom Part 2: Friendship Simulator by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Feb 14, 2020•1 hr 7 min•Season 1Ep. 14
RS Benedict talks to Stephen Mazur, Assistant Editor of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, about originality. How important is it, really? The post Originality: Feh, Who Needs It? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Jan 02, 2020•1 hr 35 min
Much of speculative literature focuses on superheroes and Chosen Ones. But what about ordinary people or flawed people who don't save the world? Do they matter? The post No More Heroes with JR Dawson by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Dec 12, 2019•40 min
Tons of stories feature guns, but they're usually portrayed in a wildly unrealistic way. Nate Bethea of "What a Hell of a Way to Die" was kind enough to stop by to talk to us about what writers get wrong about firearms. The post Guns: How to Feature Them in a Realistic Way by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Nov 25, 2019•53 min
R.S. Benedict and guest Meg talk about the creepy, objectifying, or just plain ridiculous way that all too many male authors write female characters. The post Men Writing Women (Badly) by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Nov 07, 2019•33 min
In this episode, special guest Jennifer Albright of Have You Seen This? drops by to talk about Mary Sues, a term used to describe an overly-perfect female character created as a self-insertion wish fulfillment vehicle for the author. The post Writing Mary Sues, or What Even IS a Mary Sue? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Oct 16, 2019•1 hr 26 min
In this episode, learn a simple exercise that will help you cultivate your inner witness. It might even help with your anxiety, too. The post The White Room, or Paying Attention to Sensory Details by R. S. Benedict appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Aug 29, 2019•9 min
In this episode, we look at things other than fiction that a well-rounded writer should read—poetry, literature in a foreign language, nonfiction and literary criticism. The post Reed Gud, Part 2: Poetry, Literature in a Foreign Language, Nonfiction and Literary Criticism by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Aug 05, 2019•39 min
In order to Rite Gud, you've got to Reed Gud. In this episode, R.S. Benedict is joined by Gareth and Langdon of the Death Sentence Podcast. The post Reed Gud, Part 1, or Other Books Than ‘Harry Potter’ Exist: Fiction by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Jul 15, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Do you like dark humor? Sure, we all do! But it can be tricky to write without coming off as an edgelord jerk — but R.S. Benedict tells you how! The post How To Write Dark Humor Without Sounding Like a Total Sociopath by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
Jun 17, 2019•43 min
Criticism is important, as is learning how to both give and recieve it. Recognize criticism as a good thing, and don't flip out like Anne Rice. The post Giving and Receiving Criticism Gracefully, or How Not to Be Anne Rice by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
May 22, 2019•20 min
If you've ever noticed how writing on the internet often seems stilted and weird, you've got SEO — or Search Engine Optimization — to thank. The post This Garbage Brought to You By the Letters S-E-O: How Google Is Ruining Writing by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes .
May 08, 2019•18 min
This isn’t a podcast for total beginners. We’re going to assume that you know what plot structure is, what a protagonist is, where ideas come from, and how to use a semicolon. This is a podcast for people who can already write okay, but want to do better. The post Welcome to Rite Gud, a Podcast Dedicated to Helping You Write Better by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Apr 26, 2019•3 min
It’s time for episode three of The Painful Threshold! The Painful Threshold is a brand new panel show where all the questions come from the Internet at large! You! Send in questions questions to the official show Tumblr, our Twitter account or our Facebook page!... The post The Painful Threshold Episode 3: What Is The Meaning Of Life? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Nov 25, 2014•27 min
This is NOT the new episode of the Painful Threshold, but rather a special teaser for Episode 3, which is coming soon! This is not going to be in the episode proper, but it was way too good to lose — especially... The post The Painful Threshold After Dark: William D. Drake tells us about the Television Organ by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Nov 20, 2014•5 min
Check out episode 2 of The Painful Threshold! The Painful Threshold is a brand new panel show where all the questions come from the Internet at large! Anyone can send in questions questions to the official show Tumblr, our Twitter account or our Facebook... The post The Painful Threshold Episode 2: Kittens or Pie? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Oct 16, 2014•46 min
Welcome to the very first episode of The Painful Threshold! The Painful Threshold is a brand new podcast where YOU provide the questions to our lovely panel! The show runs off questions sent to the official show Tumblr, our Twitter account or... The post The Painful Threshold, Episode 1: Do You Like Pigs? by Matt Keeley appeared first on Kittysneezes ....
Oct 05, 2014•50 min