I Should Be Writing

ISBW 22.25 The black dog of depression has been visiting a lot lately, and this episode is to address it and list out the things I do to fight back. Not a lot of writing talk, but discussing the reasons why we may NOT be writing is important too.  Couple of important notes:  I am not a mental health professional. If you need help, please seek professional guidance .  Please don't worry about me. I...

ISBW 22.24 I take a determined look at outlining again, going through some tried and true methods, mainly the  Snowflake Method and a brief look at the StoryGrid site...which has changed a bit since the last time I was there.   This post went live for supporters on October 28, 2026 . If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon ! Remember you can join us most Thursdays, 3pm Eastern o...

ISBW 22.23 I got to interview the delightful Gillian Daniels, whose debut novel Jenny Will Eat You Now is available now! It's a rom-com horror novel, so of course we had to talk about genre mixing, how to write romance, and her agent hunt story. Titles discussed in this episode: Heated Rivalry , Something Extraordinary , Manhunt , Wide Sargasso Sea , Frankenstein , Roadside Picnic , Sweet Berries...

ISBW 22.22 In classic Mur style, I am posting this mid October, not beginning. I need a minder. But the concept still works, if you can start now as day 1, or wait till November, or do it any time, really. We talk about Roger Zelazny's book, A Night In the Lonesome October , and how I map it to a writing challenge, then we cover the Snowflake Method . Did you hear we have merch? Yes, we do, with t...

ISBW 22.21 It's time to talk about Imposter Syndrome, where it comes from, and how to handle it. If we can. I'm not sure I'm qualified.  In other news I have a new logo, leaning into the age of the podcast and the shiny new fountain pen crow friend designed by NumbersNinja!  (Yeah i'm gonna have merch soon) This post went live for supporters on September 30, 2026 . If you want early and ad-free ep...

ISBW 22.20 I met Durham author Isaac Green at a local reading and loved his work, so I invited him on the show. Get ready for some talk about MFAs, writing energy, agent hunting, and writing consistency! Award-winning author and teacher Isaac Green NC State MFA program , and North Carolina Central University Small Worldcon report, and Covid report. This post went live for supporters on September 1...

ISBW 22.20 After a heartbreaking Q&A session at a recent convention, I felt the need to say something that's cold and honest. And that is about the magic bullet. Shorter episode, the last one before worldcon. And since I'm posting it after worldcon, I cut out a lot of the "see me at worldcon" bits—also because no one saw me because I got covid. We catch up in a few days with this week's interview...

ISBW 22.18 I had imposter syndrome so sneaky I didn't even realize it! (recorded before WorldCon). We all talk ourselves out of good ideas.  Convention rules, updated for 2026! (But you still have to 3,2,1. That will never change.) We talk 2k-10k and Page One to Done . Regrettably, Roberts Rules of Order is discussed. All the other perks that come with a Worldcon membership.  See you in Montreal i...

ISBW 22.17 So much to talk about! Worldcon is looming, and we take listener questions. How do you handle writing after a long break? What books do you recommend for writing fight scenes? Books by Alan Baxter and Marie Brennan are mentioned Mur is reading Page One to Done . Mur also has silly notebook problems that no one else seems to have. The HWA sent a ridiculous newsletter out and we are all s...

ISBW 22.16 I finished the book, I started a short story, and I have been looking at the concept of confidence a bit lately. Also been enjoying Charisma on Command videos . So let's talk about confidence. Don't forget the book giveaway from last time! You have a week to enter! The Books (along with links if you want to just order right now!): The Good Girl Effect by Sara Cate Nemesis Mine by Ann Ar...

ISBW 22.15 I want a lot of books. I buy a lot of books. I get sent a lot of books. I can't with all these books. So you get to benefit! I'm discussing five new or upcoming books of several different genres and then doing a giveaway! All you have to do is email me (mightymur at gmail) and tell me which one you want to be in the drawing for! I will draw the winners August 15! This is open to anyone,...

ISBW 22.14 The scammers are getting wilier, and we have to keep up, folks. They want you to pay to join book clubs, they catfish you to make you fire your agent and take theirs, and they are really into helping you promote a book you have forgotten about, and have zero control over because it was work for hire. GLOSSARY: Work For Hire: It is an exception to the general (copyright) rule that the pe...

ISBW 22.13 Believe it or not, we got a feedback question to answer! We talk about how to get moving when you've stalled out on your writing routine, and a few of my secret anxieties. It boils down to: Why are you doing this? Notes: Escape Pod is a finalist for the Hugo and Ignyte awards! Amazing! I attended Viable Paradise once upon a time. Fix the News! Gail Carriger on Ditch Diggers JoCo's Thing...

ISBW 22.12 Happy Pride! Recently we welcomed Isabel J. Kim to the show to talk about her debut novel, Sublimation ! We not only talk about her mind-bending Severence -like novel, but her use of point of view, second person, and about her award-winning story " WHY DON'T WE JUST KILL THE KID IN THE OMELAS HOLE ". This post went live for supporters on June 19, 2026 . If you want early and ad-free epi...

ISBW 22.11 (There will be a giveaway of Ruinous Creatures! I'm taking entries until May 21! Email me with GIVEAWAY in the subject line! You do not need to be a paying supporter to enter.) Recently we welcomed Jessi Cole Jackson to the show to talk about her debut novel, Ruinous Creatures ! We cover Jackson's unique bone-specific magic system and her inspirations, not to mention how to wrap your he...

"If you injure somebody, that injury tells a story, and you have to decide whether that story fits the rest of your story." 22.10 In this episode, I go into "realism" with regards to injuries and health. Are injuries for pain? For an instant of shock? To give the character a new hardship? We talk about some of Stephen King's works and how to balance realism with narrative flow. This post went live...

"Every character is the star of their own story." ISBW 22.9 In this episode we talk about how different writers view characterization, from the ones who struggle to the ones who say the characters live in their heads. How do you manage all these wily beasts who want their stories told? I will also be appearing next week at Ravencon, and then the following week at Demicon! This post went live for s...

"I think the thing people have the most problem with is, 'This was very good, but it didn't excite me.'" ISBW 22.8 Mur is back solo, talking about Rejectomancy and how to interpret the rejections you get, and more importantly, how to move forward after getting said rejection. And the bad news: you're aiming to make writing a job, which means you have to deal with the bad parts along with the good....

"Acceptance is built on a pile of rejections." ~ Justin C. Key ISBW 22.7 Dr. Justin C. Key joins us to discuss his debut novel, The Hospital at the End of the World, exploring intersection of medicine and AI. Justin shares his experiences as a psychiatrist and balancing a medical career with being an author. We go over writing process, community, and the lessons learned from both success and setba...

"Weird is hot right now." ISBW 22.6 CW- pet death. It's been a rough week, so I'm talking regret and spite. Can they help and fuel us? Or is it just wasted bile? Then we talk about new book releases, like Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite and Hell's Heart by Alexis Hall. And we touch on our next show, an interview with Justin C. Key, author of The Hospital at the End of the World. Remember you can joi...

"Take your time, there's no rush. The audience will be here whenever your story is ready." ISBW 22.5 In this episode we welcome author Olivia Waite to discuss her latest books, including Murder by Memory and Nobody's Baby. We touch on one of my favorite topics, writing science fiction mysteries, but we also delve into compelling beginnings and how to avoid the cringe in romance.  Chapters: (00:00)...

"It might be too much, but it looks really fun." ISBW 22.4 I've had a strong opinion about writing contests for years, but things have apparently evolved. I was reading about writing contests and found two that were quite interesting. A bit of housekeeping: I am no longer doing an exclusive version of Patreon episodes. They will still be early, still ad-free, but I've found that making two version...

"If [I] start thinking about the details, [I] will either go down the wrong path and not record or [I'll] talk [my]self out of it." ISBW 22.3 I finally finished the archives, and learned quite a bit about myself, not all good things. We also touch on Hugo season, book club scams, and AI publicists. This post went live for supporters on  February 20, 2026 . If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes...

"Not every opportunity is equal, and you don't have to chase everything." ~Tim Minneci ISBW 22.2 What do you need to have when you're wrangling several pro writers? What can a writer expect from an assistant? Meet Tim Minneci, writer, podcaster, musician, and my assistant. (And Ursula's, and Kameron's.)  We discuss the challenges of being a writer, the importance of having an assistant, and the va...

"All I can do is what I can do right now." ISBW 22.1 First episode of the year, and we talk about the things we may not want to take along with us into the new year. New books, new shows (Patreon-only Evil Mur podcast called STET!), and all that other stuff. (This post went live for supporters on  January 12, 2026 . If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon !)...