SHHHH! It's a secret.

The Secrets is Michael Stackpole’s contribution to podcasting. Here Michael offers his considerable experience in novel writing to help others achieve their dreams of writing a novel.

As Michael says, everyone has a novel in them, it’s just a matter of getting it down on paper.
Of course, that doesn’t mean it’s a good novel, but that isn’t the point.

In his earlier shows, Michael takes us through the steps of writing and its various aspects such as setting, character development and plot.

In later shows demonstrates these techniques by outlining a book from scratch, and giving assignments which the listener could do at home.

Presently, he is using one of his many Star Wars books, describing why he did what he did while writing it. This is especially interesting, as Michael goes in detail why a character was created, why another was introduced, and yet why another had to die and when.

This isn’t meant as a cut paste way of writing, but as a guideline, and offers details all writers should keep in mind while writing.

Michael believes in the 20 minute rule, that being, anything over 20 minutes is too long—so don’t expect long blocks of podcasts.

As with other podcasts, the release schedule for the show is uneven, with weeks going by without anything posted. I seem to recall him stating he would try to keep a regular schedule, but promising nothing. Well, the man does have other things to do, like writing books, so I guess I can forgive him.

On the whole, I would say this is the best podcast on the techniques of writing and is essential to any list of how-to podcasts. Try it .

Mike