A long backyard hangout produces an in-depth discussion of the philosophy, business, and life of making comics and collaborating on art and writing. Featuring your host, Jonathan Ball, alongside Steven Kaul, GMB Chomichuk, and Lyndon Radchenka. Subscribe to the podcast: iTunes | Stitcher | GooglePlay | SoundCloud Music by Patrick Short (aka Electric Candles), who is better known as Kindest Cuts Photography […]
Book Launch for The Lightning of Possible Storms
On September 30, I launched my book The Lightning of Possible Storms (Book*hug Press) in a virtual event hosted by McNally Robinson Booksellers and MC’d by my editor for the book, the outstanding author Stuart Ross. You can find out more about the book at www.possiblestorms.com. You can watch the replay of the evening below, […]
Saleema Nawaz On Her Accidental Pandemic Novel And Her Writing Roots
Thrilled and privileged to have my wonderful friend Saleema Nawaz join the podcast guest roster! Do not miss her new book, Songs for the End of the World, which is available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook TODAY! Writing the Wrong Way with Jonathan Ball, PhD · Saleema Nawaz On Her Accidental Pandemic Novel And Her […]
The Seven Seas of Story
How do you move from an idea to a story? To have a story — a strong, well-developed story — you need to first focus on seven things. I call these the “Seven Cs of Story” but that looks bad on a piece of paper so I like the metaphor of the “Seven Seas of […]
Ranting, Raving, and Creative Careers with Lyndon Radchenka
Writer and comics letterer Lyndon Radchenka hosts me in his garage to discuss a variety of topics about starting and sustaining a creative career, from how to not drive your girlfriend up the wall to how to keep the lights on running a business. Visit Lyndon online at InfiniteStudio.ca where you can download a free […]
Lovecraft and Samurai, Kickstarter and Comics with Jordan Patrick Finn
Comics writer Jordan Patrick Finn on the Kickstarter for his upcoming graphic novel Death Kanji, the influence of Lovecraft, and his love for Kurosawa’s samurai. Jordan Patrick Finn is an indie comic writer and Lovecraft enthusiast from Ajax, Ontario. His debut graphic novel, Hellcraft, was self-published in 2018 with help from Kickstarter. Death Kanji, a samurai horror […]
Robert J. Sawyer on writing science fiction, The Oppenheimer Alternative, and your publishing rights
Science fiction writer Robert J. Sawyer talks about his latest novel, The Oppenheimer Alternative, his place in Canadian literature, and how authors should think deeply about their rights and publishing options in the digital age. View the interview on YouTube or listen to the podcast. Find out more about Robert J. Sawyer and his novels […]
Heinlein’s Rules for Writers with GMB Chomichuk
In a 1947 collection of articles titled Of Worlds Beyond: The Science of Science Fiction Writing, edited by Lloyd Arthur Eshbach, the author Robert A. Heinlein laid down a series of rules for professional writers. These rules have become something a craft canon and are sometimes blindly followed, sometimes brutally debated. Here are Heinlein’s “rules” […]
No Results Found for “I Hate Conceptual Poetry”
This poem gets mentioned briefly in my podcast interview with Anthony Etherin. I put it up here after Greg Hill tried to google for it and failed. The poem consists of found text from reviews of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy (which, like conceptual poetry, also concerns itself with themes of bondage and constraint). […]
Talking to Lisa Robertson: Poet, Essayist, and Novelist
My short list of the best writers in Canadian history would have to include Lisa Robertson, whose most recent book is her debut novel, The Baudelaire Fractal (Coach House Books). I talked to Robertson about her novel, writing poetry, and writing in general. You can read my review of The Baudelaire Fractal below, and also […]