Show Notes
There's nothing worse than finding yourself slowly growing more confused as you read a book – realizing that you're not sure if you're meant to know what's going on, in which case there's a problem, because you don't, or whether the author wants you to stick with them because all will be revealed in good time. How do we as writers reassure them, and show them that they should stick with us? The answer to this dilemma is that we hang a lantern: shine a light on the unanswered questions they have, making them visible and acknowledging them. It's our way of saying 'that's here on purpose – I know it's there, and I'm going to do something about it. Stick with me, and all will become clear.' Today we're going to talk about three situations where hanging a lantern will help. You can find a transcript of this episode at my website, where you can also subscribe to my newsletter, get behind-the-scenes peeks at how I write, and any other news about new books, events or the podcast. You can also submit a question for the podcast on my website. You can find me on Twitter or Instagram.
More from Amie Kaufman On Writing
We're re-releasing this much beloved episode because it's the perfect introduction to Amie's new Finding North mail club. Imagine a letter arriving in your mailbox every month for a whole year. A real envelope, waiting to be opened. Each letter is an invitation to step away from the noise and spend time with your creativity: who you are, how you relate to it, and how you want to move forward. How you'll hold your centre, when life gets hard. These letters are for anyone who knows there's something in them they want to nurture.These letters are about finding your north—strengthening your creative compass, so you can return to yourself and your creative work with more ease. You can sign up now for your year of letters at Amie's website. To keep up to date on all of Amie's creative adventures, make sure you're on her mailing list, which you can join at amiekaufman.substack.com
We're back after a long break with a new episode -- maybe the most useful one yet -- and an update on future plans. If you want to stay in the loop re future opportunities to learn from Amie, make sure you're on the mailing list, which you can join at amiekaufman.substack.com
We'll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. When I got a question about how to turn a character idea into a story idea, I knew Lili was the person to answer it. Listeners, you can find Lili on Instagram at @liliwilkinson, or online at her website, where you can learn more about her new book, A Hunger of Thorns - a sapphic, witchy, botanical book about lost girls, and an adventure into an abandoned power plant that's built on the remains of a magical forest - and her many other works. Don't forget that my newest book, The Isles of the Gods, is out now! I hope you love it. You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my newsletter there, which is full of information about upcoming releases and events, and my other podcast, Pub Dates, which will take you behind the scenes on The Isles of the Gods.
We'll be back in a couple of months with the second half of Season 4, and in the meantime, I have a couple of fantastic bonus episodes for you. First up, we're going to hear from James Sutter. James is the co-creator of the Pathfinder and Starfinder roleplaying games—if you're not a tabletop gamer, they're similar to games like D&D. He's also an author, and his latest novel, Darkhearts, came out on June 6th. Listeners, you can find James on Twitter at @jameslsutter and Instagram at james_l_sutter, or online at jameslsutter.com, where you can learn more about Darkhearts and his other work. Don't forget that my newest book, The Isles of the Gods, is out now! I hope you love it. You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my newsletter there, which is full of information about upcoming releases and events, and my other podcast, Pub Dates, which will take you behind the scenes on The Isles of the Gods.
Creating a magic system that really works takes effort. Every time you think you've got it working, someone points out some what-if hypothetical, and you're back to the drawing board, trying to plug more leaks in your logic bucket. When it does work, though – well, all of us have been swept away at one point or another by the feeling we're truly in another world, and a story full of magic you can believe in is really special. I'm going to give you three questions I ask myself when I'm creating a magic system, using one of my own as a case study. My new book, The Isles of the Gods, is officially out! The Isles of the Gods is a fantasy novel set on the high seas, full of magic, romance, slumbering gods, gangsters' dens and forgotten temples. It's about a sailor girl who ends up saddled with an annoyingly handsome prince, who has to save him, if she wants to save the world. I think you're going to love it. You can find a transcript of this episode on my website. You can also sign up for my newsletter there, which is full of information about upcoming releases and events, and my other podcast, Pub Dates, which will take you behind the scenes on The Isles of the Gods.