Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Writing Excuses

Fiction EN ↓ 996 episodes

Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler discuss writing techniques in a fast-paced format. A weekly podcast about the craft and business of writing.

Author

Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Episodes

Writing Excuses 9.19: Showing Emotion 05.05.2014 17:49

How to go about showing a character's emotions without them seeming emo. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com...

Writing Excuses 9.18: Microcasting 28.04.2014 18:40

We answer questions on tropes, narrative styles, editing, rule-breaking and more. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry...

Writing Excuses 9.17: Microcasting 21.04.2014 18:54

A Q&A episode with Eric James Stone Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com Support this podcast at — https://red...

Writing Excuses 9.16: Coming up with a New Ending Halfway Through 16.04.2014 19:45

What to do when you discover your planned ending isn't actually going to work... Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkia...

Writing Excuses 9.15: Becoming a Writer—Full Disclosure 07.04.2014 18:18

Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard talk about the unpleasant surprises their careers dropped on them. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https...

Writing Excuses 9.14: How to have an Opinion as a Public Figure 04.04.2014 20:15

We talk about expressing controversial opinions on the Internet. And just talking about it might be controversial... Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for...

Writing Excuses 9.13: Three Pronged Character Development 30.03.2014 20:05

We explore a three-value model for troubleshooting characters: Competence, Proactivity, and Sympathy Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: ht...

Writing Excuses 9.12: Microcasting! Twice in a row! 24.03.2014 18:20

A Q&A covering editing, rule-breaking, writing the other, gift-giving, and more. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkia...

Writing Excuses 9.11: Microcasting 17.03.2014 20:20

Eric James Stone joins us to answer questions about editors, pitching, pantsing, and encouragement. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: htt...

Writing Excuses 9.10: Engaging Characters 10.03.2014 18:33

What makes characters engaging, and how is that different from them being sympathetic? Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talk...

Writing Excuses 9.9: What to do When Truth is Stranger than Fiction 03.03.2014 17:48

How do you put true stuff in your books when the truth is just too strange? Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com S...

Writing Excuses 9.8: When is your Handwavium Good Enough? 24.02.2014 15:52

What is handwavium? How does it work? What happens when it doesn't work? Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com...

Writing Excuses 9.7: Last Pass Revisions with Eric James Stone 16.02.2014 18:51

Eric James Stone joins us for a discussion of revision, and what the final pass process looks like. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: htt...

Writing Excuses 9.6: The Experience of Time 10.02.2014 20:16

Time passes, and we have lots of ways to tell readers how quickly that's happening. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.tal...

Writing Excuses 9.5: Hijacking the Knowledge You Already Have, with Mette Ivie Harrison 03.02.2014 19:05

Mette Ivie Harrison joins us to talk about how to "hijack" the knowledge you already have in order to make you a better writer. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Ta...

Writing Excuses 9.4: Artificial Intelligence with Nancy Fulda 27.01.2014 19:40

Nancy Fulda talks Artificial Intelligence with Brandon, Mary, and Howard. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com Sup...

Writing Excuses 9.3: Character Perception vs. Narrative Perception with Nancy Fulda 19.01.2014 19:04

Nancy Fulda joins the cast for a discussion of narrative versus character perceptions Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talki...

Writing Excuses 9.2: Hard Science Fiction with Eric James Stone 13.01.2014 17:57

Eric James Stone joins us for a discussion of hard science fiction -- what it is, what it isn't, and how to do it well. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/...

Writing Excuses 9.1: Chronology of a Book Deal with Eric James Stone 06.01.2014 22:16

Eric James Stone joins us to talk about the book deal chronology for UNFORGETTABLE. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiat...

Writing Excuses 8.52: You Think You Don’t Have Time to Write, with Mette Ivie Harrison 30.12.2013 18:30

Mette Ivie Harrison joins us to talk about the reasons you think you don't have time to write. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: http...

Writing Excuses 8.51: Creative non-fiction with Mette Ivie Harrison 23.12.2013 17:49

Mette Ivie Harrison joins us to discuss creative non-fiction, the genre in which the tools of creative writing are applied to factually accurate narratives. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiat...

Writing Excuses 8.50: Q&A with Mercedes Lackey 15.12.2013 20:47

Mercedes Lackey joins Brandon, Mary, and Howard to field listener questions at GenCon Indy. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www...

Writing Excuses 8.49: Hard Social Science Fiction with Joel Shepherd 08.12.2013 16:06

Joel Shepherd joins Brandon, Mary, and Howard to talk about hard social science. Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry....

Writing Excuses 8.48: Long-Form Storytelling with Sam Logan 01.12.2013 20:43

Sam Logan of "Sam and Fuzzy" talks long-form storytelling with Brandon, Mary, and Howard Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https:...

Writing Excuses 8.47: Roguishness with Scott Lynch 25.11.2013 19:15

Scott Lynch, author of The Republic of Thieves, joins Brandon, Howard, and Mary before a live audience at GenCon Indy to talk about roguishness. Why do we like rogues? What can a roguish character accomplish in terms of story purposes? Can the rogue accomplish things a more classically moral character cannot? Most importantly, what do authors need to do in order to help readers like the rogues, ra...