I love the Holy Worlds Podcast. I also know that many of you do as well. However, after much thought and discussion, it has been decided that our Podcast is not being used to its fullest potential. It is for this reason that I come before you, fellow Holy Worlders, with an announcement of new and exciting changes headed your way. We are expanding our Podcast, and adding new formats to our recording sessions. We are very excited about some of these changes, and hope you will be, as well.

The Podcast will, over time, begin to look very different than it does currently, making it more user friendly and organized. Podcasts will be broken up into different “types”, each type of Podcast being housed in its appropriate folder. Now, at present we really only have one type of Podcast, but this will soon be changing. So, with this in mind, let us discuss these new “types”.

Type 1: Round Table Discussions

The goal is to have a round table discussion once a month, consisting of myself and 2 or 3 other people, concerning a book or movie falling into one of the three Holy Worlds Genres. This discussion would be approximately 30 minutes in length and would consist of the Round Table group discussing themes, pros and cons, things that didn’t work for the story and why, ways that we think things could have been improved— basically we go through the book/movie as authors and take from it things that authors can learn from; good and bad. This will be housed under the Round Table section of the Podcast, eventually.

Type 2: HWP Microcast

This new Podcast is one which we are considering implementing on a small scale basis, and will be test run by Captain Nemo for us with Ridley Pearson, to see how it works. The Microcasts will consist of a 15 minute interview with an author. More information will become available, as time goes on.

Type 3: Topic Snippets

Topic snippets will consist of 15- 30 minute interviews that deal specifically with a genre or writing topic. We intend to have authors join us that we have interviewed in the past (or possibly forum members) and ask them to discuss the topic of “allegory”, “death”, “redemption”, and so forth. How to write it, why is it important, what clichés or pitfalls to avoid, those types of things. Basically we have short, topical discussions that we house under the Topic Snippets.


Type 4: Holy Worlds Podcast #___

This is how we currently run our Podcast. Tim and I have no desire to dispense with the Podcasts we have typically run, up to this point. We both love them and think they offer good advice for young writers. So, our longer, in depth author interviews will be housed here, under some sort of clever name.


The goal is to reach a bigger audience with our Podcast, as well as staying true to the original purpose of the Podcasts.

Sounds fantastic to me!

So all we need is a clever name for the longer interviews...

For the folder, yes. They will still be labeled by number, as they have in the past.

The changes sound good.


I am one of those who do.

*grins * Yes, you are one of the faithful listeners.

Good deal. So the podcast will stay the same, but you'll have more "Bonus episodes" in specific categories to spice things up, add variety, keep it interesting, etc.

Sounds good to me! I want in on some of those topic snippets.

Yes, exactly.

We'd love to have you. Shoot me an e-mail or something about what topics you would specifically like to do. Also, you and I should talk about your new book. *waggles eyebrows persuasively *

This sounds great! I'm looking forward to hearing these changes, being another one of the fans of the HW podcast.

Sounds great.

It's looking good! I like the changes, I think that having shorter ones is a great idea too, because sometimes I struggle with the hour ones, so a 15 or 30 minute one would be perfect.

I am glad you all are excited about it.

As a side note, I am taking volunteers for the Topic Snippets. I already have several that Katie and I will be scheduling to talk about. If you have a specific subject you are passionate about and would like to discuss, please contact me.

And be forewarned, some of you will be hunted down if you do not volunteer of your own free will.

Matt, you are on that list, by the way. I have a couple topics I would love to have you give your snippets of wisdom on. So you can do this the easy way, or you can do this the hard way. Knowing how you like the hard way, I do have rope ready to lasso you in with.

Well...I'd love to volunteer, but I'm not sure if I'm qualified...I really like to talk about worldbuilding in general (I can try to get more specific if you need me to).
I'm not sure just how good I would be for this, but I think I'd have enough to say for a short podcast like that.

What are the candidate requirements?

Qualified? Wolf, she goes and hunts you down anyway.

*laughs heartily at Azzie * You know me too well, darling.

Wolf, if you would like to discuss world building as a topic snippet, then don't hesitate. To be honest, I'd rather have eager HWers who want to help out but will need me to coach them along a bit, then have people not believe in themselves and be afraid to speak up and volunteer on the forum. It's not my job to squash creativity, passion, or the desire to help. I make no secret of the fact that the HW members come first for me as a Council Member. I see it as my job to cultivate and build the creativity, passion, and desires of the forum members.

So, if you want to do this, but are unsure how well you will do, then I'll work with you. I'll help get you comfortable with what you would be doing, I'll run over the questions and points with you.

So, why don't you pm me, and we'll work on figuring out specifics and times.

I think the goal with these is not to be an interview anyway, so you'll be on the podcast with other people, which should make it more comfortable for everyone in general. (Safety in numbers...)

Good point, that would help. Yeah, I am going to volunteer then, at least as long as my Dad says it's fine (he's at work right now though).

*raises hand timidly* It could be interesting if you and I did one on portraying the theme of revenge, Airi. Is there anyone else that's dealt with that extensively?


Also, can we suggest books/movies for the round table discussions?

Oh, yes! We should!!! You and I have good experience with that. We need to plan a date, then.

You most certainly can!! I chide myself for not having mentioned that. *considers headdesking * Let the suggestions pour in!

*is alternately and *

*will confine herself to two suggestions for the present*

I think Pegasus (Robin McKinley) and Crown Duel/Court Duel (Sherwood Smith) Note: A number of S.S.'s books are indecent; my mentioning Crown Duel is not an endorsement of the others. Please read with caution. would be very cool for round table discussions.

*Grins broadly* Happy to be of service!

*raises obsessive hand* I'd like to do 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for the round table discussion. 1. It would help others see me more than just the clown fish. *cough* 2. The book has so many different aspects to it, and a discussion on Captain Nemo himself would be fascinating. Because it's so mysterious, can be seen in so many different ways, and has so much depth! It would make such a good discussion. 3. I love that book. 4. It would be sci-fi (since it was sci-fi when Jules Verne wrote it), so it would cover a genre other than fantasy, which I think you were wanting more of.

Awesome, Zoey. Both of those are books, correct? I shall look into them.

@Nemo: Actually, great minds think alike, because I thought that would be a great book for the Sci-Fi side, as well. I assume you would like to join in that one, my dear, correct? I love Jules Verne.

Of course. *tries to think* The only problem anyone might have with the book, as far as I remember, is there may be some references to evolution in the book, I haven't read it for so long... but I don't think there was. I'm probably just mixing it up with something else... *shrugs* But you've probably thought all of that through already, Airi.

Yeah. All of that could be discussed in the Round Table.

Yes, they are books.

Ooh! I just remembered a good HF book too: Revolution is not a Dinner Party by Ying Chang Compestine.

*makes more notes *

Oh, just so you know, I have TONS of really good Historical Fiction books up my sleeve. So, if you ever need any, I've got 'em.

I'd love to do a round table discussion on scifi TV shows. (I can list off several.) Or maybe a comparison between scifi TV and scifi novels...

That would be fun, Jaynin! Ooooh. Maybe something like MacGyver. It's older, and less "techy" than other sci-fi shows, but I'd call it sci-fi.

Should we create a thread in Projects for nominations for the Round Table Discussions? Because I have a feeling there'll be a LOT. That way we could keep track of the nominations by keeping a list? Have people edit in their suggestions or ask someone else to edit it in for them? And then we delete the ones we do to keep it in order?

Excellent idea, Nemo. That way I don't have to keep a running list. Would you like to start it for me?

Katie, I think that would be excellent. I imagine you would want to include Doctor Who, Star Trek, and Star Gate, am I correct?

Gotcha covered, Airi. *goes to create thread*

Those are definitely the most important ones, yes. If we could, getting a Noorhoek in on those would be fun.

The nomination thread is available in the Projects area, here.

And I agree, Jaynin. That would be amazing to get one of them on there.

*dusts hands off and looks around*

There now, that's better, isn't it?

Thank you for doing that, Katie!

Cool! A subforum for the podcast!

I am very grateful for this subforum, Katie. I have groused about finding podcast threads multiple times, but never did anything about it. Thank you. Makes things easier on me.

Yes, we need a Kondrael on there!

I am rather ill at the moment, but hope to be better by Tuesday (has a podcast on Thursday, so must get better soon), at which time I will be contacting everyone about all of this and firming up more dates to put on my calendar.

I would love to see Doctor Who in a Round Table discussion.

Go ahead and nominate it in the TV show nomination thread, and then someone will edit it in for you.