Posts tagged EpiGuide

Download EpiCast #011

The latest EpiCast takes a look at the design and website features integral to every webfiction site. Hosts Kira and Michael sought input from readers to find out what attracts—or, worse, distracts—visitors who check out an author’s site.

First, however, we start by continuing to share some news items from the world of webserials, including some newcomers, an ending of a serial, and a Kickstarter campaign for a new graphic novel by a webserial author.

And then it’s time for our discussion topic. Most writers hope that great content stands on its own, but like it or not, appearance matters…and thanks to our audience responses, we have a list of Design Delights and Disasters that every webfiction writer will want to hear. What ranks highest on the list of “Likes” and “Dislikes”? Listen and find out… you might just be inspired to fix your site accordingly!

There are also a couple of questions at the end of the episode that we hope you’ll help answer by visiting the EpiGuide and taking part in the conversation. Join us and let us know your thoughts on these topics and this episode. And thanks as always to everyone who took part!

Episode Notes:

Recording date: This episode was recorded on April 7, 2013.

Rundown:

• 00:00 - 01:24: Opening greetings and teasers for the episode ahead
• 01:25 - 08:26: Webserial news
• 08:27 - 46:29: Discussion: Design Delights and Disasters
• 46:30 - 49:43: Podcast sponsors, questions for the audience, and closing pleasantries

(In case you’re wondering, the news intro song, “Good Morning Tucson,” is a bouncy number about a morning news anchor who’s so sick of the banality of his job that he sets fire to his studio. Yes, the awesome never stops with Jonathan Coulton!)

Many thanks to the special donors who helped make this podcast possible! Please see the sidebar for the list of Podcast sponsors.

Thanks & Invitation: Join in! We received a couple of questions at the end of the podcast, and we’d love to hear your opinions and ideas on those as well as the sites and design topics we covered in this episode. As always, keep an eye out over at the EpiGuide for a Call for Submissions where we’ll be asking for webserial recaps and news, listener questions, and topic ideas.

For full episode credits, links and details, visit epiguide.podbean.com, and to take part in the conversation at the EpiGuide, visit this episode’s official thread at the Eppy.

Download EpiCast #009

Hi everyone! We have a fresh batch of webseries/webfiction news, recaps, and discussion, not to mention revolting self-promotion on the part of one of our hosts, all ready for you to enjoy in EpiCast #009. Your co-hosts Kira (yours truly) and Michael, the latter back after a break, offer up a few quick news items ranging from simple schedule changes to a site redesign (and our opinions thereof), a call for serial submissions from a renowned publisher, and a social media webseries in the making.

There are also the aforementioned storyline recaps, all but one submitted courtesy of some generous writers — and the lone instance of one of our hosts going rogue was Michael, who very generously decided to recap About Schuyler Falls, another series that reached its fifteenth birthday this year like his own Footprints, which we spotlighted last month. He then proceeds to embarrass his co-host by going on about it for a bit.

And finally, once that’s done, we get to a debate/discussion, which focuses on the nature of how writers treat their webserials: should these be fixed works that stand or fall proudly on their own, or fluid entities that can be revised after publication?

Listen on and decide for yourself!

Episode Notes:

As ever, sound quality remains a cruel beast who won’t be tamed. One of us sounds like she’s in a tin can, the other is apparently in an echo canyon. We apologize, as always, for the weirdness.

Recording date: This episode was recorded on November 24, 2012.

Episode timeline and links to sites mentioned can be found at http://epiguide.podbean.com: and the EpiGuide community. Enjoy!

Music credits: “Dance, Soterios Johnson, Dance” (EpiCast opening theme), “The Big Boom” (News intro), “Not About You” (Recaps intro), “So Far, So Good” (Recaps submission theme), “You Ruined Everything” (Intro to Fixed or Fluid discussion), “Bills, Bills, Bills” (EpiCast sponsor theme), and “I Feel Fantastic” (Closing theme), all written and performed by the brilliant Jonathan Coulton (except “Bills, Bills, Bills,” which is his cover of the Destiny’s Child song). These tracks are licensed Creative Commons by-nc.

Download EpiCast #007

The EpiCast is back — with a special episode looking forward to our annual writing marathon, Web Serial Writing Month (WeSeWriMo). In our seventh episode, we take a break from the past and focus on the future: webserial previews for the rest of the summer, where you’ll get some hints and teasers for some exciting storylines in the weeks ahead.

But the lion’s share of the podcast is devoted to WeSeWriMo, the only marathon dedicated to the unique world of web-based writing, from webserials to video and audio webseries to serialized novels, webcomics and beyond. And as far as we know, it’s also the only writing challenge that lets the writers choose their own goal. With registration open through August 1, that leaves just over a week as of this writing for you to take part.

For this supersized edition, co-host Kira Lerner interviewed six very different writers of very different forms of web entertainment series, and in our discussion about WeSeWriMo with them you’ll learn about the project itself, how the writers choose their ambitious goals, what obstacles they’ve faced over the years, how successful they’ve been, and their own tips on how to cross the finish line with your all your goals triumphantly met. Kira and fellow co-host Michael also discuss the history of how WeSeWriMo came about, and share their own thoughts on what this challenge means to them—and the entire webserial writing community.

Episode Notes:

Over the next couple of days we’ll be posting the full versions of these interviews, which contain much more information and let you hear some fascinating tidbits we couldn’t include due to time or content constraints (Kira, being the inquisitive type, asked the authors questions about their serials and other aspects of their writing process that didn’t involve WeSeWriMo; those didn’t make it into the podcast, but were so interesting we wanted you to get a chance to listen in).

Recording date: This episode was recorded on July 19, 2012; the interviews were conducted from July 9 - 15.

Episode timeline and links to sites mentioned can be found at http://epiguide.podbean.com: and the EpiGuide community. Enjoy!

Welcome to the latest (in every way) EpiCast. For our sixth episode, “Crossing Over,” we focus on the usual web entertainment news and recaps, as well as answer a pair of interesting questions courtesy of our listeners. Topics range from your hosts’ promotional pet peeves to a bunch of new webseries launches to our advice on learning HTML to the merits, challenges and technical considerations of webserial crossovers — when two or more series exchange or share storylines and characters.

Episode Notes:

• Sorry for the delay in posting the episode! Some technical issues were causing us great agita this time around. On the plus side, this is our longest episode yet; on the downside, this means the new deadline for submitting any news or recaps is only a week away (May 20th).
• Michael also apologizes in advance for his bullfrog impression, but the poor dear was dealing with a cold, so excuse his increasingly hoarse voice throughout the ‘cast.
• Finally, this episode is dedicated to the memory of Bart Kahn, one of Kira’s closest friends from elementary school through college and beyond, who passed away suddenly on April 21, 2012, at far, far too young an age. He is missed by all the people whose lives he touched with his humor, talent and support.

Recording date: This episode was recorded on April 24, 2012.

Episode timeline and links to sites mentioned can be found at http://epiguide.podbean.com: and the EpiGuide community. Enjoy!

Download EpiCast #005

Celebrate spring with a new EpiCast, our fifth episode devoted to the world of webfiction, webseries and all original entertainment available on the web. This month cohosts Kira and Michael offer recaps, previews and new series introductions, as well as discussion about webserial networks and whether they help or hinder either the audience or the creators. (Spoiler alert: we like ‘em.)

Finally, we also discuss some new serials both text-based and video, share some news about an awards show for webseries, and welcome back an old series that’s returned from the dead.

Thanks to everyone who submitted recaps, previews and/or news items. As always, the recaps and news focus on the EpiGuide.com community but we do try to expand and look at a variety of serials whenever possible. To participate with your own webseries/webserial recaps, or to submit news for next month’s edition, please send the info to us by April 15 (for recaps) or April 20 (for news bulletins). The email address is mentioned in the podcast, or you can visit The EpiGuide, register an account, and send a private message to either me (Kira) or Michael.

Recording date: This episode was recorded on March 18, 2012.

Hey everyone. For our fourth EpiCast episode, we have the usual recaps, previews and new series introductions, as well as discussion on how much easier it is to read webfiction that’s been carefully edited. We answer a listener’s question about semi-controversial topic: Awards, and whether the EpiGuide will ever hold another award ceremony again–and also some chat about the pitfalls and benefits of awards in general. Finally, our co-hosts Kira and Michael also discuss some new developments in the ever-converging world of TV vs. video webseries, such as the new original programs appearing on Hulu and Netflix, share some new useful tools to help authors self-publish, and introduce you to new webserials and webseries.

To participate with your own webseries/webserial recaps, or to submit news for next month’s edition, please send the info to us by March 11 (for recaps) or March 17 (for news bulletins). The email address is mentioned in the podcast, or you can join the EpiGuide community and send a private message to either Kira or Michael.

Recording date: This episode was recorded February 19, 2012

For more info and links to all sites mentioned on the show, vist http://epiguide.podbean.com .

Hello all, and welcome to our first EpiCast of 2012. This is our third episode, #003: Extras., and we have the latest batch of recaps, some discussion about storylines that affected us during the past month, a few news items, and a rather extensive examination of the difference between self-created HTML sites and blog/CMS-based sites, and the related issue of ways to supplement one’s writing with extra features — what works, what’s not so great, and what our hosts (Michael and Kira, as usual) actually think is mandatory. Yep, we totally go there. (BTW, sorry for having to reblog this one last time. Our feed wasn’t updating so I’m trying this again.)

Recording date: This episode was recorded January 15, 2011.

For more info and links to all sites mentioned on the show, vist http://epiguide.podbean.com .

Download EpiCast #002

Happy holidays, everyone! And a little late in arriving but no worse for the delay is our second episode of the EpiCast,#002: Finales. As always, we focus on discussion, news and recaps from the world of original web entertainment, and more specifically, the EpiGuide.com community. This month’s installment is chock-full of recaps in particular from a variety of serials in a variety of genres, which is just how we like ‘em. From sci-fi to fantasy to melodrama, there’s surely something for everyone. We also take a look at the end of one highly popular serial, answer a related question from a listener that allowed us to reminisce about serials gone by, and finally offer some discussion topics and news tidbits for everyone. For more info and links to all sites mentioned on the show, vist http://epigude.podbean.com .

Download EpiCast #001

Welcome to the EpiGuide’s first podcast. This series of broadcasts will feature discussion, news and recaps from the world of original web entertainment, and more specifically, the EpiGuide.com community. We’ll cover everything that the Eppy does — from online fiction and web serials to webseries and webcomics, in all forms and in all genres.

This pilot episode is a bit of a test-bed for us, so please bear with us as we get used to and refine the format. It’s longer than we’ll probably aim for in the future (and actually we cut about twenty minutes of extra material, which may show up at a later date as “deleted scenes” or outtakes, if there’s interest).

Hosted by Kira Lerner (yours truly), admin of the EpiGuide, and Michael, longtime community member and webserial producer.

Recording date: This episode was recorded November 13, 2011.