Season 8 · Episode 422

EP 422 - Writing, Humor, and Teaching with Patrick MacPhee

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

June 27, 20251h 6m

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Show Notes

Mark interviews Patrick MacPhee, teacher and Writers of the Future award-winning author about his love of reading, writing, and helping to inspire students.

Prior to the interview, Mark shares comments from recent episodes, a personal update, and a word about this episode's sponsor.

This episode's sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.

In the interview, Mark and Patrick talk about:

Patrick's experience reading Fellowship of the Rings when he was rather young and how it impacted him in a profound way
The impact on the mind and imagination when reading something really slowly
How when you're a kid you play in a specific way when experiencing new things
Seeing speculative fiction as having that additional special spice that enhances a regular dish
The five-book epic fantasy series that Patrick mapped out years ago (and which he recently finished writing book one of)
Being influenced and inspired by Neal Stephenson's writing
Patrick's Writers of the Future Award-winning story "Thirty Minutes or it's a Paradox"
How the inspiration for this short story came from something Patrick was intimately aware of as a teacher
Some of the previous stories that Patrick has had published in semi-pro magazines
How Patrick learned about Writers of the Future and some of his submission history with the contest
Getting the call from Joni about Patrick's finalist position in the contest
Patrick's thoughts about the experience being in Hollywood and seeing the rendition of his story illustrated by Cam Collins
How Patrick got into teaching and an important thing that he learned in that vocation - What Patrick is going to be doing next
Advice for other writers
And more...

After the interview Mark reflects on a few of the things he discussed with Patrick.

Links of Interest:

In addition to being a writer, Patrick MacPhee considers himself very luck to spend the past twenty years helping young people become better versions of themselves in his role as a teacher. He has learned that almost every part of the curriculum has room for a little humor — sometimes a lot of humor. We talk about that as well as his writing, and what inspired him to write the Writers of the Future Award-Winning story "Thirty Minutes or It's a Paradox."

The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast ("Laser Groove") was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

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