Dec 15, 2023
While fiction is born from imagination and creativity, many authors explain how they came to the stories they create through lived experiences. This is definitely true for Blair Fell, author of The Sign for Home, whose work in the deafblind community taught him about nuances, details and issues facing that community. This debut novel takes readers on a journey through a fascinating community and the lives of compelling characters.
In the latest episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, host Lynne Golodner interviews Blair about his writing process, the importance of research and the value of participating in a writing group. He discusses his background as a playwright and television writer, and how he transitioned into writing novels. Plus, Blair offers advice for writers, emphasizing the need to just write, join a writing group, and prioritize writing amid perpetual other commitments.
In this episode, Lynne and Blair discuss:
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Finding inspiration in your work and relationships
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Researching and interviewing deafblind individuals
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Finding an agent and a publisher
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Writing a second book after a celebrated first book
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Working through a horrible first draft
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Motivation from setting deadlines and fear of disappointing others
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Building a successful writing career
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Why so many writers have a day job
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Authors who find success later in life
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Audiobook opportunities
Links and Resources:
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“Take care of the sense, the sounds will take care of themselves” - Alice in Wonderland
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Writing group with Marian Fontana & Louise Crawford
Find Blair Fell:
If you enjoyed this episode, you’ll like these other Make Meaning Podcast episodes:
Episode 152 – Ami Irmen – Character-Driven Narratives
Episode 150 – Lisa Peers – First Novels & Writing Friendships
Episode 145 – CL Walters – Young Adult & New Adult Fiction from Hawaii
Episode 143 – Annie Cathryn – Dreams Come True: The Friendship Breakup
Episode 139 – Desiree Cooper – Being “Genre Agnostic”