Excelsior Journeys: The Road to Creativity

Enjoy Part 2 of the Day 28 2-parter that's been posted just in time for you to wake up on Day 29 of the National Novel Writing Month & National Podcast Post Month Challenges. You're just a couple of days away from finishing the foundation of what will be your book. It is the concrete that will become your basement. You still got a lot of work to do before you move in and decide the color of yo...

You're reaching the finish line. You've come so far in a month's time. You're almost there, just a little bit more. I hope you're as ready to celebrate your success as I am. And I hope you've been enjoying Excelsior Journeys for over 250 episodes now! Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creat...

For today's episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois offers you something to think about for your second draft. Put in some ambiguity, find some spots in your draft where you can play with the setting and even play with time. Give your draft a dash of Tarantino and really throw your readers off-balance. Have some fun with it. But remember you got to finish the first draft f...

On today's episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois has some very important advice for those who are planning to take out chunks of their drafts during the rewriting. Whatever you do, Don't! Hit! Delete! Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (autho...

Today's episode focuses on a constant issue I've been dealing with most of my life, and how I saw the issues that come with procrastination match the two Super Bowl eras for the New York Giants. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics,...

As we enter the final week of National Novel Writing Month AND the National Podcast Post Month Challenge, what are you thankful for? Let your fellow listeners know by emailing the show at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, sta...

In this episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois not only discusses how you can turn what others may label failures into the early steps of success; he also discusses the several failures of his story now known as From Parts Unknown, and how it became a very unexpected success. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journe...

Simple mantra for tonight's episode: Keep moving forward! You're in the last 10 days of finishing your novel draft OR your podcast series... or both. Don't stop, keep looking ahead, and I'll be at the finish line with you to celebrate. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kind...

What music has been inspiring your National Novel Writing Month draft? What songs did you grab and put into a playlist so you can hear them over and over while the scenes come together in your mind? Host & producer George Sirois wants to know and he wants to share your Spotify playlist. Send it all over to george@hesgotit.com! Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicki...

It's the week of Thanksgiving, so what are you going to do to shake up your routine as we're getting to the final days of National Novel Writing Month? Host & producer George Sirois has some ideas and he'd like to discuss them with you. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all...

For this very mini-episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois has some very good news about what's been occupying his writing time over the past two weeks. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice...

Now that he's ready to get back into his word count, host & producer George Sirois has a tip for those who are stuck in a specific spot with some of their characters. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand-up comics, musicians, voice artists...

Have you been keeping up with your word count for the past 15 days? If so, guess what? You hit the halfway mark and host & producer George Sirois is ready to celebrate with you, even if getting caught up seems like a very difficult goal to accomplish over the next 15 days. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primari...

Thanks to some unforeseen circumstances, host & producer George Sirois has had to hit pause on his manuscript for Greater Glory: Part Three in The Excelsior Journey, but at least the National Podcast Post Month Challenge is still going strong. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives...

During the annual trip to Archon in Collinsville, IL, host & producer George Sirois caught up with friend and fellow author Dana Lockhart (The Un-Life of William Moore), who had quite a bit to share about what happens every April: National Poetry Month. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for...

We're on Day 13 of the National Novel Writing Month challenge, and by now, there are likely plenty of writers like host & producer George Sirois who have fallen behind on their word counts. Today, George has a very simple solution for the self-doubt they're likely feeling: forgive yourself, stop beating yourself up, calculate your word debt - the amount of words you've missed each day - and ad...

In this episode of Excelsior Journeys, host & producer George Sirois reminds all fellow NaNoWriMo participants that the object of this month is to keep moving forward. Don't look back and try to edit what you've done earlier that day or the day before. Focus on laying out your story from start to finish, and THEN go back and start the editing process. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a...

Host & producer George Sirois isn't ready to share his latest word count yet, but he does have a special assignment for all of you fellow NaNoWriMo participants. Step away from the monitor and take a walk around the block with music that's an ideal fit for your story. You never know what scenes or characters or full stories will come to mind once you hear the right piece of music to inspire yo...

Guess what, NaNoWriMo participants? You're 1/3 of the way through this challenge. Same as all of you doing the National Podcast Post Month challenge. I hope you're still pushing and getting as much as you can down on that screen every day throughout the month. What are you working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clickin...

Calling all NaNoWriMo participants! Host & producer George Sirois wants to hear from you! How is your progress going? And what are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists primarily as a platform for creatives of all kinds (authors, filmmakers, stand...

Host & producer George Sirois is sticking with his miniseries of micro-episodes and that's what we currently have available between now and tomorrow, November 10. How are you doing with your word count? Let me know so I can root as loud as possible for you. What are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network...

On September 30, 2023, host & producer George Sirois met with several different creatives at the sci-fi / horror / fantasy convention known as Archon, and one special conversation he had was with Anthony Briggs, CEO of Frozen Dawn Entertainment. The two of them sat down in a fairly crowded room and not only discussed Anthony's career as a creative, but the latest concept that is slowly moving...

This episode of Excelsior Journeys may be the shortest (so far) of its five-year-long run, but to make up for it, host & producer George Sirois is giving you NaNoWriMo participants a little bit of homework. What are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast...

It's posted much later than usual, but host & producer George Sirois is still keeping up to date with his daily podcast posts AND the daily word count for Greater Glory: Part Three in The Excelsior Journey. George is currently up to 8500 words and gets to talk more about the accompanying challenge that's been met by his 6-year-old daughter. What are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell...

For today's episode of the NaNoWriMo / NaPodPoMo hybrid challenge, host & producer George Sirois not only celebrates passing 6000 words; he also gets to read his first piece of mail from a listener. What are you currently working on for NaNoWriMo? Tell me at george@hesgotit.com. Subscribe to all shows in the Once Upon a Podcast Network by clicking HERE . The Excelsior Journeys podcast exists p...