ALWAYS THE OTHER: Conversations about writing from the margins with LD Farrell and Shameem Smillie

Always The Other: Conversations about writing from the margins, with LD Farrell & Shameem Smillie is a podcast born from our belief that many voices and perspectives (especially those straddling more than one culture) are going unexplored and unrecognized. Celebrating what makes us unique and adding a diverse perspective to the world of writing is important to us. Always the Other, is a hub for writers to discover stories and hear conversations that reflect their communities and life experiences. In each episode we will be joined by other writers, bloggers, filmmakers, journalists, and thinkers who are from or are allies of communities outside of the “mainstream” and whose voices are often unheard. We met in an online writing workshop and became long distance friends. Although we live thousands of miles apart, Leslie from the U.S. and Shameem from Wales, we quickly learned that we have more in common than not. As we began to edit our novels and turn our attention to the publishing phase of our journey it became clear that as people of color we had additional challenges to face. What better way to face challenges than to do it with others. And so, this new podcast was born. Always the Other: Conversations about writing from the margins aims to amplify diverse voices wherever we can find them. Don’t fit the mold. Break it!

We made it! We’ve finished the drafts of our novels. In this, our last episode of our podcast, we share some excerpts from the novels we've talked so much about. Hananya starts us off by reading a scene from her book set in the days of kingdoms, rebellious princesses, and age-old family drama. Then, we shift gears to the 1980s with Shameem’s story where she reads an excerpt starring her narcissistic antagonist which leaves Hananya and Leslie ready for a fight. Leslie’s tale captures the atmosphere and dialogue of The Great Depression while laying out a struggle between the protagonist and her domineering mother. We talk about the use of vernacular in worldbuilding, and Leslie offers to read aloud to Hananya. And we all bask in the glow of having done what we set out to do. We all now have a finished draft of our novels that are ripe for editing. We thank each of you for going on this journey with us! As we move toward our publishing dreams Shameem & Leslie are embarking upon a different journey with a new podcast titled, Always the Other: Conversations about writing from the margins. On this podcast they will chat with authors, writers, bloggers, documentarians, journalists, and others from non-mainstream communities about the importance, impact, challenges, and triumphs of telling their stories. Stay tuned at the end of Amigas for Episode 0 of Always the Other!

On this episode we are very excited to announce that we have a special guest! Literary editor Lauren Humphries-Brooks! Lauren is a published author and freelance editor who answered the questions that many new authors have when writing their first novel: When is my manuscript in good enough shape to hire an editor? How can editors help with storytelling? What kind of feedback should I expect. What do editors expect from us? And much, much more. For more info about Lauren check her out at: Lauren Humphries-Brooks, Freelance Editor https://linktr.ee/laurenhbrooks Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 10–5 ESTMember, Editorial Freelancers Association, ACES, PEN America Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

In this episode, Shameem shares how Leslie’s and Hananya’s suggestion for her to get started editing has paid off for her even though she broke all of her own rules. She also reveals her fear of beta readers.   Hananya shares how using text to speech helps her to identify problems in her manuscript. She also shows us some of her organization techniques that keep her book on track.  While Leslie talks about the pitfalls of getting lost in the timeline of her historical novel and how narrative continuity is an important element in storytelling. We all talk about how our editing journeys are going so far, and how the puzzle pieces are fitting or not and the domino effect of making changes to our storylines. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

It’s time to celebrate! In this episode we pat ourselves on the back for a nanosecond before the reality of the next phase sinks in… Hananya reveals this is the first of her novels she has fully completed and will edit. She shares how she found beta readers outside of her writing community. While Shameem is just diving in after letting her draft rest for a few weeks. She finds herself challenged to make the big changes first so that she can get through her first edit pass before tackling the fine fixes. Then Leslie shares her experiences with beta readers and how to analyze and implement (or not) their notes. She talks about Shameem as one of her beta readers and shares what Shameem wrote about her book. You don’t want to miss that! Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

In this episode we check in with each other about what we are doing and should be doing to create and maintain a successful author’s platform. Shameem brings the research defining what elements make up a good platform and she shares her takeaways from a Curtis Brown webinar. Hananya discusses how being an Authortuber adds to her platform and helps her to expand her writer community. While Leslie talks about the importance of authors marketing their own books in the current publishing landscape. We also make fun of Leslie’s explanation of a quarter, Shameem’s fear of the camera, and we let you in on who does what to bring this podcast to you! Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Research is an important foundation to any story. Whether you’re writing a historical, contemporary, fantasy or science fiction novel, a certain amount of background based in fact can elevate the world of your book and bring authenticity to your writing. Leslie shares how uncovering historical firsthand accounts helps her to get into the mindset of her characters. Hananya discusses how she adds accuracy through archival literature and contemporary reference books. While Shameem uses music, her own experiences, and attention to historical lingo to bring her story to life. But can you do too much research and can you adhere so tightly to that research that it hinders your creativity? That’s where our discussion got really opinionated and somehow the answers were found in the TV show “Bridgerton,” the movie “Monster”, and Hananya’s desire to have coffee with Jason Mamoa!   Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

How can three friends approach novel writing so differently? That’s what we wonder as we talk about the methods each of us used to write our books. Hananya discusses how her pantser ways may be changing after trying plotting. While Shameem was a confirmed plotter, by the end of the discussion she has a surprising realization. And Leslie is all over the place. What type of writer are you? Take the test and find out! https://greatstorybook.com/writers-personality-test-lp/ We also talk about how the color orange is where Hananya draws a line in the sand, Leslie’s fears around sending her novel out to beta readers, and Shameem and Hananya share some inspiring books to encourage us along our writing journeys.  Books that help us on our journey: Shameem recommends: WHAT MY SOUL TOLD ME https://amzn.to/3JCnTud To fully step into soul consciousness, you must learn how to align the beliefs of your ego with the values of your soul and commit to leading a values and purpose-driven life. Hananya recommends: CLAIM YOUR POWER https://amzn.to/3JE7s0C A 40-Day Journey to Dissolve the Hidden Blocks That Keep You Stuck and Finally Thrive in Your Life’s Unique Purpose: A 40-Day ... Finally Thrive in Your Life’s Unique Purpose. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

Have you ever wondered why you can read two books in the same genre, then love one and hate the other? Often it comes down to the author’s writing style. But what does that mean? We’ll read passages from some of the books that have inspired us, as well as from our own novels as we talk about word choices, pacing, time period, and other elements that make up writing style. Leslie talks about the conversational and folksy tone of her story. While Shameem’s novel has an authentic Welsh voice with a bit of a potty mouth. And Hananya delves into how her book is affected by the use of descriptive passages. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!

First money as a published writer, new blog, and how to drive yourself crazy finding the perfect names for your characters are just some of what we talk about in this episode.  Shameem’s story takes center stage as she fills out the world of her novel with an intriguing cast of ancillary characters. She goes deep into the matriarchal tribe she’s created to surround her protagonist. Leslie discusses the differences between how men and women relate to each other in Shameem’s book and in real life. While Hananya gives a great writing tip about the need and positive impact of getting distance from the characters in your story in order to gain perspective. Join us as we take another step toward our publishing dreams in this podcast about writing and friendship. We are the Three Writing Amigas!