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Writing Excuses

Writing Excuses

Fifteen minutes long, because you're in a hurry, and we're not that smart.

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19:12: A Close Reading on Voice - Red's Perspective - Muscular Prose

Today, we are doing a very close read of Red's opening narration and how Red?s voice communicates both character and world in an effective and efficient way. We read several sections aloud and dive into what each sensory detail is doing. Also Mary Robinette talks about what she thinks is the most effective way to draw your readers attention to something. 

Thing of the Week: Planet Crafter 

Homework: Take a sentence from your work in progress and rewrite it to adjust the age of the character to make them a child. Do it again to make them from a different region. And again to give them a different profession.

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-03-24
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19.11: A Close Reading on Voice- An Overview, and Why Time War

The book that became a New York Times Bestseller because of a tweet. Well, it won LOTS of awards when it came out, but it was rediscovered by a Twitter account with a large following. So-- let's get into it!

On our first episode diving into Voice using the short novel "This Is How You Lose The Time War", we talk about why Voice is essential and some working definitions of how we want to talk about it. We also explain why we chose this book and highlight some of the things it's done well, and what you can learn from it!

Thing of the Week: Scavengers Reign

Homework: Take a sentence from a work you love that has a strong and clear voice. Write a scene based on that as a prompt, in the same tone and voice as the original.

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-03-17
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19.10: Introducing Our Close Readings Series

You?ve probably seen us posting about our Close Reading Series, and in his episode, we finally officially introduce it! 

For most of the remainder of 2024, we?ll be diving into five core elements of writing by focusing on five different literary texts. We?ll spend five episodes on each one, and then we?re going to? drumroll please? interview the author(s)!

As you know, we?ve spent lots of time reading, writing, talking, and recording our thoughts about different elements of the craft. But this year, we wanted to ground our episodes in specific texts that you could read along? and analyze? with us!

Below is the schedule for each book or short story we?ll be diving into. The date on the right in parenthesis is the air date of the first episode in our series that will begin talking about that text. We highly recommend you read the book by that date, as we will be talking about the entirety of the text for all 5 episodes (including spoilers!) 

First up: This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar

You can buy this (and all the other books!) through our bookshop link-- this is linked in our bio in addition to right here:

https://bookshop.org/lists/close-readings-season-19

Close Reading Series: Texts & Timeline

Voice: This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar (March 17) 

Worldbuilding: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine (May 12) 

Character: ?You Perfect, Broken Thing,? ?The Cook,? and ?Your Eyes, My Beacon: Being an Account of Several Misadventures and How I Found My Way Home? by CL Clark (July 7) 

Tension: Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark (September 1) 

Structure: The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (October 13) 

Thing of the Week: SHINOBIGAMI: Modern Ninja Battle RPG

Homework: Take a scene from a work that you love and five highlighters/crayons/colored pencils - use one color to underline/highlight places where the voice comes through, one for great worldbuilding, one for character moments, one for any moments of tension, and one for moments that move the plot forward. What colors do you end up with? Where do they overlap? What are the colors of the moments you love the most? What would the colors of one of your scenes be?

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-03-10
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19.09: LIVE Recording - Rituals, Rites, and Traditions

Hosts Erin and DongWon are joined by Fonda Lee and Mahtab Narsimhan for a special episode about creating traditions in your fictional writing. In this episode, we'll explore some of the following: 

-How do you build traditions and rituals in your fictional world (choosing what becomes a tradition or ritual and what doesn?t)? 

-How can you use rituals or traditions to advance a novel?s plot, give characters more depth, and create conflict? 

-What are the pitfalls to avoid (depiction of closed practices, over-ritualizing common traditions)?

Homework: 

Pick a ritual or tradition that you are very accustomed to and make it the center of a fictional scene. You can change its meaning or impact, but the content of the tradition should stay the same.

Thing of the Week: 

Shanghai Immortal by AY Chao (especially the audiobook version)

Liner Notes: 

This podcast episode idea was inspired by ReaderCon 2023, where Erin Roberts was a panelist.

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Fonda Lee and Mahtab Narsimhan. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-03-03
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19.08: NaNoWriMo Revision with Ali Fisher: Working with an Editor

An agent, an editor, and a writer walk into a Zoom room and record a podcast... but really... that's (part of) what this episode is!

First off, a reminder that your agent, your editor, and you are all on the same team! They are all trying to make the same book (your book!) a better book. Whether you've published before or are just starting your first short story, we are so excited for you to dive into this episode.

For our final episode in our three-part series on revising your NaNoWriMo manuscript?or any other large writing project?we are diving into how to work with an editor! We wanted to show you a peek behind the curtain that is publishing and editing-- what does this relationship look like? How do you handle differences, conflicts, and priorities? What IS an edit letter?

Our guest for this series has been the inimitable editor Ali Fisher, who works at Tor. Thank you, Ali, for your advice, stories, and time!

Homework:

Take a work written by someone else (anyone else!) and come up with three questions you have for the author that would help them clarify their intention in the text.

This could be a movie you've seen, a project you're beta-reading for a friend, or a short story you've stumbled upon.

Then, apply these questions to your own work in progress!

Thing of the Week from Ali: 

Ali has two podcast recommendations for you!

Rude Tales of Magic

Oh These, Those Stars of Space!

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Ali Fisher. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-02-25
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19.07: NaNoWriMo Revision with Ali Fisher: Intention

For our second episode in this three-part series on revising your NaNoWriMo novel?or any other larger project you have?we are diving into intentions with Tor editor Ali Fisher. We asked her how she helps writers figure out what their books are about, and how she helps set intentions for revisions.

Ali talks with us about how its important to be kind to yourself -- and your writing-- during the revision process. She also gives us advice for how you, as a writer, can lean into what you do well.

Homework: 

From editor Ali Fisher: write down what you like best about your book. Find a spot in your book where you can incorporate that element where it isn't now.

Thing of the Week: 

I Will Not Die Alone by Dera White, illustrated by Joe Bennett

A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping or Peeing but Using the Bathroom as an Escape by Joe Pera; illustrated by Joe Bennett

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, and Ali Fisher. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-02-18
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19.06: NaNoWriMo Revision with Ali Fisher: Length

Ali Fisher, editor at Tor Books and member of the podcast Rude Tales of Magic, joins us for a three-part series on editing.

First up: length! How do you edit your work?whether it's a book or a short story or a novella? Maybe you wrote a draft during NaNoWriMo, maybe you didn't-- either way, we want to help you figure out how to make your writing the perfect length.

Homework: Find two scenes next to each other from your writing. Remove the scene break and write bridging text between the two of them instead. Then, find a different scene that has that bridging text, and cut it into two different scenes so that you are removing it and creating new signposts. See what this does to length and your perception of the pacing.

Thing of the Week (from Ali Fisher): Infinity Alchemist by Kacen Callender

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, and guest Ali Fisher. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-02-11
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19.05: LIVE Recording - Revisions with Mahtab Narsimhan

Some writers love revisions and some would rather scrub the toilet than revise their writing. On this episode, we are joined by author Mahtab Narsimhan, who many will recognize as a host from past seasons! Mahtab talks with our hosts about how she thinks about revisions. How do you revise your writing? What is the difference between revising and rewriting? Mahtab describes her favorite techniques and provides tips to make it more manageable. 

Homework Assignment from Mahtab Narsimhan:

Take the first 3 chapters of your finished draft and distill it by 1) Chapter 2) Scenes 3) Key plot points per scene 4) POV 5) Setting 6) Time of day/timeline 7) How many pages per scene and/or chapter. 

Thing of the Week: 

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Liner Notes: 

The Revision Template that Mahtab mentions is a free resource on our Patreon! You can find it at www.patreon.com/writingexcuses

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-02-04
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19.04: LIVE Recording - Pacing with Guest Fonda Lee

Pacing is one of the most subjective and difficult aspects of storytelling to get right. What is pacing? How do you know what the right pace is for a story, and what techniques can you use to speed up or slow down your narrative?

Homework Assignment from Fonda Lee: 

Take a page of a work-in-progress project and experiment with the pacing. Ideally, this should be a page with some dialogue or tension between characters. First, try to speed it up: cut description, be tight with dialogue, move the scene quickly. Then do the opposite: rewrite the scene but this time slow it down. Include more context, character interiority, exposition, and scene building. Compare the two versions. Which serves your story better?

Thing of the Week: 

The Book of Witches

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-01-28
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19.03: Behind The Scenes with our Producer and Recording Engineer

A few months ago, we were on a cruise ship in Alaska recording podcast episodes for 2024!

This live recording features a Q&A with cruise attendees, who were given the opportunity to ask questions to Marshall Carr, our audio engineer, and Emma Reynolds, our producer. In this episode, we talked about the benefits of MFA programs, astrology, and how to continue learning without being overwhelmed. 

Homework from Emma Reynolds: 

What homework would you give yourself as a writer today? What homework would you have given yourself a year ago? Let us know your answers on instagram, tag us @Writing_Excuses and we'll repost you!

Thing of the Week from Marshall Carr: 

A Necessary Chaos by Brent Lambert

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-01-21
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19.02: Q&A Episode with WX Core Cast

We have a LIVE podcast recording from September 2023, when we were hosting one of our writing retreats on a cruise ship in Alaska! (To learn about our next WX Retreats, check out: https://writingexcuses.com/retreats/ 

Or apply for our scholarships by January 31 at https://writingexcuses.com/scholarships/

This episode features questions from our writers, and those who attended our 2023 WXR Cruise to Alaska! We answered questions about success, what happens after you?re a NYTimes bestseller, and how you can record your own audiobook. 

Homework: 

Go listen to the most recent episode of the podcast Just Keep Writing

Thing of the Week: 

Just Keep Writing is a podcast cohosted by Marshall, our incredible recording engineer. It?s a podcast for writers, by writers, to keep you writing. The podcast focuses on building community and lifting marginalized voices. Learn more at justkeepwriting.org, or listen wherever you get your podcasts!

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Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-01-14
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19.01: Interview with Abraham Verghese

In our first episode of 2024, we interviewed author and physician Abraham Verghese, who most recently published "The Covenant of Water." We talked with Verghese about how to convey technical information in fiction.

Verghese explains how he shares medical and world-building details in the most engaging way. We also asked Verghese how to make things feel real without overwhelming your reader, and how he has mastered conveying the passing of time. We also discussed verisimilitude, translation, point of view, and revision (we love revision!).

Homework: 

From Abraham Verghese: Write a landscape in three different moods. Imagine that someone dear to you has died and you are now gazing at the landscape. Describe it without any reference to this event in your life. The second time you write it as if you were experiencing a moment of great joy, and you're looking at that landscape. The third time, imagine you are in a terrible rage and you are describing this landscape. This allows you to explore how descriptions of the physical world can reflect the various moods of characters.

Thing of the Week: 

"How To Draw A Novel" by Martín Solares (recommended by Abraham Verghese)

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Erin Roberts, and Howard Tayler. Our guest was Abraham Verghese. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2024-01-07
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18.53: Funding the Writing Life

Rent isn't paid in words alone. How do all of us, in various stages of our careers, keep ourselves afloat as we go about the writing life? We're getting in the weeds with this one - tips, tricks, and tools. 

We share our thoughts on diversifying your income stream outside of traditional publishing? Let?s get creative. We?re talking about school appearances, copywriting, fellowships, consulting, and teaching. We also share advice about newsletters, Patreon, monetizing yourself, and how an agent can help you overcome your imposter syndrome,  

Homework: 

Write an artist statement for yourself. Think about who you are, what?s important to you, and what are you trying to put out in the world? 

Thing of the Week: 

Joyland directed by Saim Sadiq

?Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-12-31
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18.52: Writing Inside The Box

"Your short story should definitely be a novel." It's something writers are often told when they write short stories. What tips and tricks can you use to keep your idea within the length of the story you're trying to tell? We dive into worldbuilding in miniature, pacing, and character development. We also think about where you can edit your writing down?whether it?s words, plot threads, or characters. 

Homework: 

Write a scene with two different endings - one that puts a button on the story (for short fiction) and one that asks a new question (for a novel). Identify what else would need to change for each to make those endings work.

Thing of the Week: 

Scenes From a Multiverse by Jon Rosenberg

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-12-24
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18.51: So You Wanna Play With Format?

Are you interested in experimenting with different writing forms? Do you want to try an unusual or different way of writing? Well this week, we have an episode dedicated to non-traditional formats for writing. 

In this episode, we think about experimental short fiction from the point of view of publishing and writing. DongWon shares about the incredible success of their publishing of .. Why short stories might be the perfect place for new ideas. 

We talk about second-person narratives, epistolaries, footnotes, and stories written as research papers. When does it make sense to use a non-traditional format for a story, what should you know as you do it, and who exactly decided on those traditions anyway?

Homework: 

Take a scene from a story you've written or are working on (maybe from NaNoWriMo!) and put it into a new format. What did you learn in the process?

Thing of the Week: 

These Vital Signs: A Doctor's Notes on Life and Loss in Tweets by Sayed Tabatabai 

Liner Notes: 

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Love, Death, and Robots (Netflix) 

Bite Size Halloween (Hulu)

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-12-17
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18.50: The Unreliable Narrator

All unreliable narrators aren't unreliable in the same way. How do they differ and how does that change the way that we write them? Erin shares her unified theory (look at the graphic below!) of unreliable narrators. 

Homework: 

Take an event that you're familiar with, and write about it as truthfully as possible. Then write about it from the point of view of someone who knows the basics, but not the whole truth, but who tries to tell the entire story anyway. For bonus points, tell the story a third time from the point of view of a lying liar with an agenda.

Thing of the Week: 

Lost Places by Sarah PInsker 

Liner Notes: 

Unreliable Narrator Graph

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-12-10
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18.49: Giving Your Story A Voice

What does it mean if your writing is voice-y?  How do you give your character a natural voice? We approach this question from the high-level perspective of craft, and the granular level of word choice and sentence structure. Erin talks about the research she did about Appalachian English for her short story Wolfy Things. And Mary Robinette Kowal tells us what it?s like to be an audiobook narrator, and how this helps her bring characters to life on the page. 

Just a reminder that our final episodes of the year will be guided by three of host Erin Roberts? short stories: Wolfy Things, Sour Milk Girls, Snake Season. Note: these books involve some darker themes. All of these short stories are available for free online and also have audio versions available. 

Homework: 

Listen to someone's voice (a person in a coffee shop, someone on a podcast, etc.) Now write a scene from your WIP trying to approximate the essence of that voice. 

Thing of the Week: 

?Exhalation? by Ted Chiang 

Liner Notes: 

?A House with Good Bones?by Ursula Vernon/ T. Kingfisher

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-12-03
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18.48: NaNoWriMo Week 5 - Writing Endings

Welcome to the last week of National Novel Writing Month! It?s okay if you aren?t going to finish your book, and it?s also okay if you don?t have 50,000 words! You still did a thing?you created a story that didn?t exist 

We want to talk about endings. How do you even write the end of a book? How do you do NaNoWriMo? There?s no right way! But there are several elements that can help you figure out how to write the end of your book. Our hosts give you guidance for environment, pacing, inversions, character changes, and the denouement. 

DongWon tells us why writing an obvious ending is not a bad idea, and Mary Robinette gives us advice for writing the ending of a series. 

Also, Dan offers a wonderful reframe for November if you?re not near the end of your book, or you didn?t reach 50,000 words. (Spoiler: it?s okay. You did, in fact, succeed.) 

Homework: 

Aim towards the MICE elements you opened. We're talking about the big ones here. In an ideal world, you begin letting your character have simple Yes or No answers to the "does it work" to close out the major threads in the inverse order that you opened them. Nesting code.

Thing of the Week: 

A final pep talk from Mary Robinette! 

Liner Notes: 

Better Call Saul

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-11-26
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18.47: NaNoWriMo Week 4 - Climaxes, or OH MY GOD NO

It?s week four of NaNoWriMo! Or, National Novel Writing Month, which happens every year for the month of November. This week, we are talking about how to write climaxes, how to write resolutions, and what exactly the three-quarter mark is. 

How do you write a climax scene? How to keep your tension going while also finding some resolution. How do you keep track of what you promised your reader at the start of your book? Our hosts dive into these topics and share examples from their own published writing. We talk about how to write emotional resolutions before a novel?s climax. 

We also learn how Dan taught Mary Robinette to use the 7 point plot structure, and how you can use it while you?re writing your novel (or short story or general writing project). 

Homework: 

Read through what you wrote during your last session. You can make minor edits, but you can?t edit anything. Use brackets to make notes about things you want to plant earlier. But don?t make any of these changes! You?re just using this as a launching pad for yourself and your book. 

Thing of the Week: 

A pep talk from DongWon

?Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-11-19
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18.46: NaNoWriMo Week 3 - Raising the Stakes

We are now three weeks into NaNoWriMo?where writers are attempting to write a novel in the month of November. For this episode, our writers talk about how to raise the stakes in your story.  

To make something feel more threatening, you don?t have to make it bigger or flashier, but you do have to make it more personal to your character. Often, you don?t need to add an event or plot element, but simply ramp up your character?s connection and reaction.

We also talk about multi-thread plots, Star Wars, and getting your reader to be emotionally invested in your characters? goals. Also?don?t forget to ask for help. (And surprise surprise, the same goes for your characters.) 

Homework: 

Pick an aspect of craft that you feel weak on and choose to focus on it during your next writing session.

Thing of the Week: 

A pep talk from Dan!

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-11-12
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18.45: NaNoWriMo Week 2 - Inciting Incident

Welcome to the first official week of National Novel Writing Month (or, almost the end of this week)! In this episode, we dive into how to write an inciting incident. 

What is an inciting incident? It is often the thing that goes wrong in your story. Within the first page, writers should have something go wrong. But what should this thing be? Our writers have some advice for questions you can ask yourself in order to understand your novel?s inciting incident. 

Also, Dan shares a recipe for an inciting incident that he learned from screenwriting, and Mary Robinette talks about the three ?trauma attachment points.? 

Homework: 

What does failure look like for your character? Use this to direct your inciting incident. 

Thing of the Week: 

A pep talk from Erin! 

Liner Notes: 

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

?Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-11-05
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18.44: NaNoWriMo Week 1- Getting Started

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month! For November, writers all over the world are trying to complete a novel, or write 50,000 words. In honor of NaNoWriMo, all of our November episodes are going to focus on writing a novel or big project. 

For our first week?starting! How do you start writing? What do you need to give your readers in at the beginning of your story? How much information is too much information? We answer all of these questions, and talk about how these factors will help shape your story, in our NaNoWriMo kickoff episode! 

You have a few days left to prepare! Think about when during the day you?ll be writing, and see if you can find some people to help hold you accountable. Do you have a friend who could join? A writing group online or in-person? Check out the NaNoWriMo website at https://nanowrimo.org

A note: all of our episodes for NaNoWriMo will feature a pep talk from a host in the middle of the episode! (These will be taking the place of ?thing of the week,? but only for these 5 episodes.) 

This week, Howard tells us how our mindsets can help us realize we?ve already succeeded. 

Homework: 

Write two different openings. The first one should be action-driven, where your character is doing a thing. The second one can be anything. 

Thing of the Week: 

A pep talk from Howard!

Remember, ad-free versions of our podcast are available on our Patreon!

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-10-29
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18.43: Worldbuilding in Miniature

If you're writing short fiction, how much of your world do you even need to figure out? Should you have it all written out? Can you just wing it? This week on the podcast, we discuss how much of a world to build for a short story (and how). We provide some guiding questions that you can use to build the world of your novel or short story. We explore different narrative structures, DND worlds without police, and the reader's experience. 

Homework: 

Take a big world-building concept and pick one or two iconic elements that bring it to life. Take one and make it a key part of a short scene.

Get ready for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month! For the month of November, writers all over the world are trying to complete a novel, or write 50,000 words. In honor of NaNoWriMo, all of our November episodes are going to focus on writing a novel or big project.

You don't need to write a whole book, though! We encourage you to work on a smaller project, or simply commit to writing every day.

Thing of the Week:

The Quiet Year (a map-drawing tabletop role-playing game)

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-10-22
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18.42: Creating Magic Outside of a System

How do you write about magic? How do you build a world with magic and spells and potions? We dive into the rules and laws behind magical worlds. We often think of magic as being with a system, but what if it's not? What opportunities and challenges do intrusive magic/emergent fantasy and fabulism create for writers and stories?

Our writers and publishers talk about cultural differences across magical systems, and how you can build a fantasy world that is believable. We also talk about surrealism, dream logic, and how sometimes the belief in magic is enough. 

Homework: 

Write a scene that brings an element of magic into a mundane place you know well (grocery store, bank, etc.), Try to make it impactful without explaining how it all works.

Thing of the Week: 

The World Wasn?t Ready For You by Justin C. Key

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-10-15
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18.41: Deep Dive: Erin's Short Fiction Extravaganza

If you write short stories or enjoy speculative fiction, this episode is for you. Our host Erin Roberts has written short stories, interactive fiction, and has built worlds for tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs). For the next 8 episodes, we?ll be diving into three of her short stories. This week, Erin explains how to write outside of traditional genre classifications. We talk about the importance of antagonists, tone, and the horror genre. And we discuss how to decide if your short story should become a novel. 

We highly recommend you read Erin?s three short stories to get the most out of these next 8 episodes! Read Erin?s short stories: Wolfy Things, Sour Milk Girls, Snake Season. Note: these books involve some darker themes. All of these short stories are available for free online and also have audio versions available. 

Homework: 

Take a line you've written a while ago that you absolutely love. Try rewriting it as the writer you are now.

Thing of the Week: 

Never Have I Ever by Isabel Yap 

Liner Notes: 

Interview with Erin on the podcast Just Keep Writing

Wolfy Things by Erin Roberts 

Sour Milk Girls by Erin Roberts 

Snake Season by Erin Roberts 

Writing Wonder

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-10-08
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18.40: How To Make Money From Your Hobby (with special guest Sandra Tayler!)

 Or, The Business of the End of Schlock Mercenary

How did Howard start making money from his hobby of drawing and writing comics? How did he self-publish? We have a special guest on this episode! Sandra Tayler?Howard?s wife, the editor and publisher for Schlock Mercenary, and a published author?talks about starting their business. We dive into uncertainty, quality of life, and ?manic optimism.? We learn about how to use pre-ordering, PayPal, and Kickstarter. Howard also shares about his experience with long covid, how to generate multiple income streams, and what comes next. 

Homework: 

Make a plan for how to monetize one aspect of your work. Start thinking like Sandra! This could be submitting a short story for publication or making a plan to submit your novel or making a plan for a paid newsletter. It doesn't have to be something you do today or tomorrow, but start thinking about what you can be doing to make this creative work part of your future income. 

Prepare for our next Deep Dive with Host Erin Roberts (starting next week)! Read Erin?s short stories: Wolfy Things, Sour Milk Girls, Snake Season. Note: these stories involve some darker themes. All of these short stories are available for free online and also have audio versions available. 

Thing of the Week: 

Fluent Pet buttons - go to fluent.pet and use code "elsiewant" for a discount!

Liner Notes: 

Sandra Tayler, who also offers one-on-one creative business consulting

Creative Community Classes

"Risk Assessment"?tthe Schlock Mercenary bonus story that Sandra wrote

The Alchemy of Creativity, Writing Excuses episode with Sandra 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-10-01
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18.39: How To Write An Ending

Deep Dive: Sergeant In Motion

How do you write an ending to a book? How do you finish something you?ve been writing for over 20 years? Howard Tayler talks to us about writing the ending to his serialized webcomic and space opera, Schlock Mercenary. We dive into how to write a resolution, how to finish a book, and how to finish a series. And we dive into the art of leaning into the tropes without leaning ON them.

Homework: 

Write a one page outline for the ending of your current work in progress. 

Prepare for our next Deep Dive with Host Erin Roberts (starting in two weeks)! Read Erin?s short stories: Wolfy Things, Sour Milk Girls, Snake Season. Note: these books involve some darker themes. All of these short stories are available for free online and also have audio versions available. 

Thing of the Week: 

The Sexy Brutale (an adventure puzzle video game)

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-09-24
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18.38: How Do You Write A Series With Books That Stand Alone?

Deep Dive: A Function of Firepower

How do you write the middle of a book? How do you write an ending to a story? For this week?s episode about writing, we focus on Book 19 of Schlock Mercenary, the penultimate book in Howard Tayler?s series. We discuss ways to make a book feel self-contained, rather than just something to keep the beginning and the ending further apart. 

For reference, A Function of Firepower is the 19th Schlock Mercenary Book. We highly recommend you read this first, because this episode contains spoilers and in-depth conversations about the book. 

Homework: 

Writing prompt: try to work these three words into your WIP (work in progress): expeditious, sock, and dragonfly. 

Thing of the Week: 

Kickstarter for Schlock Mercenary Book 18: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/howardtayler

(It's what Howard said, but "profile" is singular, not plural!)

Liner Notes: 

Fermi paradox

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-09-17
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18.37: Mandatory Failure

We talk with Howard Tayler about the story structure of a story with a BIG disaster in the middle - one which we don't recover from until the next book. We also talk about the weight of world-building, how to write for your ideal reader. And Howard considers the question, what is the cost of death if immortality exists? 

For reference, Mandatory Failure is the 18th Schlock Mercenary Book; 1st in the 3-book finale to the 20 book mega-arc. We highly recommend you read this first, because this episode contains spoilers and in-depth conversations about the book. 

Homework: 

Writing prompt: a major disaster has just occurred, write a scene in the aftermath. 

Thing of the Week: 

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi 

Liner Notes: 

Book 18 Schlock Mercenary: Mandatory Failure 

Sandra Tayler

?Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-09-10
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18.36: The Soggy Middle Pays the Rent (or, "Stand Alone With Series Potential")

How do you write the middle of a book? How do you end your book? How do you know what to write next? This week, our hosts ?who all work as a writers and publishers (and are sometimes teachers and puppeteers and many other things)? talk through how they have written the middle of their books.

?The middle is where most of the story takes place. How do you keep track of your characters and plot? How do you bring it toward an end, and stick the landing? Well, we?ve got some ideas. And some advice to help you write the middle of your novel. Or short story. Or play. Or really? anything. 

Homework: 

Identify the point of the middle where you are delaying because you feel like your character needs to "earn" the cool thing. Where can you cut and where can you turn it into an escalation?

Also! Make sure to catch up on Schlock Mercenary if you haven?t already. Our next 3 episodes will dive into the details, and include some spoilers. 

Thing of the Week: 

The October Daye Series by Seanan McGuire

Liner Notes: 

Mass Effect 2

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-09-03
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18.35: How to Organize Your Writing, or Managing the Mega-Arc

Let?s talk about organization! This week, we?re talking about how and what to keep track of? characters, places, names, etc. How do you organize a book? How do you outline a novel? 

And don?t worry, we dive into the messy question, what is worth keeping track of in your writing? We also hear about how Howard and Mary Robinette have turned their planning tools (and research!) into money. 

Homework: 

Build a tool (spreadsheet, wiki, whatever) for tracking things in the universe of your writing. Start by thinking of three things to track?these could be character-driven, thematic, emotional. 

Thing of the week: 

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler MRK

Liner Notes: 

Scrivener 

AirTable

Obsidian 

Schlock Mercenary Shop

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-08-27
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18.34: Seventeen Years of Foreshadowing

18.34: 17 Years of Foreshadowing

What can Normal Gossip teach us about foreshadowing and artful storytelling? 

Thinking about the 20 books that make up Howard Tayler?s Schlock Mercenary, our hosts discuss foreshadowing?our favorite examples, and our go-to tricks for structuring our own work. What does foreshadowing actually do for our work? Do we even need it? Well, yeah? it?s like invisible narrative scaffolding. But it?s also like a red herring. It?s so many things! Listen to us discuss the best ways to use it in your own work, in a way that sounds true to your own writerly voice and vision. 

Homework: 

Take a throwaway gag from one of your favorite things and outline a story or scene in which the throwaway turns out to have been foreshadowing. 

Thing of the Week: 

Babel by R. F. Kuang 

Liner Notes: 

Game of Thrones, Fonda Lee, Fermi paradox, Normal Gossip

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-08-20
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18.33.5: State Of The Podcast

Bonus Episode! Our first ever half-numbered episode!

We are making some changes here on the podcast, and we wanted to talk to you about them. We hired a producer (Emma Reynolds), we have new interactive offerings on Patreon (office hours, livestreams, Q&A?s), and we are going to begin advertising! Don?t worry, you can subscribe to our Patreon to listen ad-free.

Homework: 

Go check out our Patreon, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook! They are all linked below. 

Thing of the Week: 

??Autobiography of Red by Anne Carson

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-08-16
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18.33: Deep Dive: The Schlock Mercenary Finale

The first episode in our eight-episode Deep Dive into Howard?s weekly webcomic strip, Schlock Mercenary. We grill Howard on how he taught himself to draw, why he decided to self-publish (hint: his wife, Sandra Tayler, helped him), and how he managed to write an ending. 

Homework: 

The "How it should have ended" game: write your own ending(s) to one or more of your favorite things. (For reference, watch some of How It Should Have Ended.) 

Thing of the Week: 

The Expanse (DongWon) 

Mentioned Links: 

Schlock Mercenary

How It Should Have Ended

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-08-13
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18.32: The Kirsten Vangsness Expansion Pack

We have a special guest episode! Kirsten Vangsness, Criminal Minds star, joins us to talk about her experience as a writer, actor, and playwright. She taught us how she deals with imposter syndrome, and how she uses performance as a writing tool. We also talk about self-actualization, cats, and filling your metaphorical art well.

Homework:

From Kirsten: Record yourself, stream of consciousness, talking about one of the big questions that crops up in your work. Then write a scene that asks this question.

From us: Prepare for our next Deep Dive, by reading through Howard Tayler's Schlock Mercenary.

Thing of the Week:

Kirsten's Agenda Season 2

Blue by June Carryl

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-08-06
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18.31: Getting Personal: Mining Your Life for Themes

In our final episode diving into how and why Dan wrote ?Dark One: Forgotten,? talk about how you can take something personal and mine it for fiction. We also tackle the complicated question?Why should you be the one to tell your story?  We think about the personal touches that you can add to your writing, and how people can hear when your story is personal. 

Homework:

2 things! 

1. Have you watched Criminal Minds? If you haven?t, you should! Next week, we have a special guest?Kirsten Vangsness who plays Penelope Garcia! Explore her other stuff (like her web series and podcast), and get ready for an INCREDIBLE conversation with her. 

2. What's the thing in your real life that you keep thinking about when you aren't writing? Can you give that feeling or theme to a character? ALSO, prepare for our next Deep Dive, by reading through Howard Tayler's Schlock Mercenary. And feel free to re-listen to our interview with Howard earlier this year, 

Thing of the Week:

Everything Everywhere all at Once 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-07-30
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18.30: Planting Supernatural Seeds

How do you slowly reveal the supernatural in an obviously supernatural story? How can you prepare your audience for a reveal without disclosing it too quickly? If someone is familiar with your writing, they know the genre and what to expect from it. We talk about how we work within these confines while also making space for surprises, magic, and the supernatural.

Homework:

Do a reread or rewatch of something with a big reveal (like the reveal in "Dark One: Forgotten.") Think about how your understanding of the story has changed since you have that information earlier.

Also prepare for our upcoming Deep Dive, by reading through Howard Tayler's Schlock Mercenary. And feel free to re-listen to our interview with Howard earlier this year, here.

Thing of the Week:

Nope, directed by Jordan Peele

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-07-23
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18.29: Collaboration And Partnership

What are the best practices for collaboration? How do you write in an established intellectual property (IP)? How do you write a new story in an established world? We dive into working with an individual or a group. We hear stories from our hosts about how they have navigated creative endeavors with different types of collaboration.

Homework:

Grab something on your TBR (to be read) pile and pick a random paragraph from it. Use that as the opening for a short story.

Also prepare for our upcoming Deep Dive (starting in two episodes), by reading through Howard Tayler's Schlock Mercenary.

Thing of the Week:

The Original by Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal

Mentioned Links:

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-07-16
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18.28: Writing Conversational Dialogue

How do you write dialogue that sounds natural? We have some things to keep in mind when you write conversations between characters. When people converse, they do so with more than just words. Body language, tone of voice, and societal context all play a role in understanding what a person means. How do you convey that on the page or in audio?

Homework:

Take dialogue you've written. Delete every third line, and replace those lines with blocking.

Thing of the Week:

Cunk On Earth

Mentioned Links:

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-07-09
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18.27: Framing Stories

Have you ever framed a story within a story? Are you looking for a way to add structure or tension to your story? In this episode, we contemplate the value that can be added to your writing by putting it into a framework. Our hosts discuss various frameworks in fiction?from Frankenstein to Dark One: Forgotten to The House of the Spirits. 

[?Dark One: Forgotten? Deep Dive Ep. 4] 

Homework:

Take something you?ve already written (or are currently writing), and add a frame story to it. Start with a prologue and an epilogue. Has this changed anything that happens in the middle of your story?  

Thing of the Week:

Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective, by Katy Siegel (Published on June 27!) 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-07-02
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18.26: Broadening Your Writing Wheelhouse: Video Game Dialogue, RPG Adventures, & More

Let?s talk about the things you can write that are not typically what we talk about?formats that aren't novels and short stories. In this episode, we?re thinking about scripts, RPG adventures, video game dialogue, etc. What other forms are out there, and how can you apply the skills you already have to a new form? 

[?Dark One: Forgotten? Deep Dive Ep. 3] 

Homework:

Take something that you?re working on, and identify two other formats that might work well for it (audio, video game, you name it). Think about how you would pitch?and tell? the story differently for each format.  

Thing of the Week:

Severance (2022 TV Series) 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-06-25
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18.25: To Narrator or Not to Narrator

In our second episode on Dan Wells? audio-only book, ?Dark One: Forgotten,? we provide you with tools and advice to consider when deciding whether or not to have a narrator. We also talk about location-aware dialogue, or how you can have your characters info dump without it being an info dump.

Homework:

Take something that you?ve already written, and adapt it for audio. 

Thing of the Week:

Earbuds Podcast Collective, a curated list of podcasts 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-06-18
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18.24: ?Dark One: Forgotten? Deep Dive

The team grills Dan on his audio-only book ?Dark One: Forgotten,? which he co-wrote with Brandon Sanderson. We find out how he wrote a book that became a six-part audio series, and why exactly that form is important. *Please listen to ?Dark One: Forgotten? before listening to this episode!*. 

Homework:

What's a thing you know, but everyone else has forgotten? Come up with a supernatural reason why this is.

Thing of the Week:

Zombies, Run! 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-06-11
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18.23: Our Advice on Giving Advice

?Show don?t tell? is probably the most famous advice given to writers. But. . . we don?t necessarily agree. In our final episode of our deep dive into publishing, we tackle advice: How do you give it? When do you not? Our hosts tell us about the advice they wish they followed and the things they don?t tell their students. Also: Mary Robinette teaches us a trick about puppet fingers. 

Homework:

Write a letter to yourself a year ago describing what kind of skills are they going to need in order to confront the challenges that are coming.We've finished our 8 episode deep dive into Publishing Is Hard! Next week, we'll be diving into Dan's audiobook "Dark One: Forgotten." Please find this and listen to it! (It's only 6 hours long)

Thing of the Week:

Stone Soup - Newsletter by Sarah Gailey

Mentioned Links:

https://www.publishingishard.com/this-is-not-advice/

https://www.publishingishard.com/get-jigae-with-it/

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-06-04
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18.22: On Mentorship: Sending the Elevator Back Down

How can we make publishing more inclusive? What role does mentorship play? And how can you reframe competition as collaboration? All this and more in this episode.

Homework:

What's one thing that you can do to make someone else's path easier? Can you take a step towards doing this this week?

Thing of the Week:

After Five - newsletters from Suyi Davies Okungbowa

Mentioned Links:

On Sending the Elevator Back Down by DongWon Song

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-05-28
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18.21: The Empathy Gap: How to Understand What Your Publisher is Telling You

The relationship between a writer and a publisher is? one that isn?t talked about enough. So we made an episode about rejection letters, email etiquette, and empathy. 

As a writer, how do you talk with a publisher? Well, luckily we have someone who knows all about the publishing world because they?re an agent at a large publishing house. DongWon offers advice on how to interact with publishers from the perspective of someone on the industry side. (If you?re new here: DongWon Song is an agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.) Then, we hear about our hosts? experiences with rejection (spoiler alert: there?s been a lot.) 

Homework:

Write a professional and kind rejection letter for a piece you like.

Thing of the Week:

Lavender House by Lev AC Rosen

Mentioned Links:

?The Empathy Gap? by DongWon Song

Munchkin Starfinder 

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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2023-05-21
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18.20: So You Want To Work In Publishing?

Have you ever thought of being a publisher, but don't know if it's the right choice for you? In this episode, DongWon (an agent at Howard Morhaim Literary Agency) walks you through this world and gives you some tips for how to decide if publishing is the right career for you.

Homework:

Come up with a list of 3 things you've read. Think of things that can act as comp titles for your professional career and/or personal brand.

Thing of the Week:

Letters to a Writer of Color Edited by Deepa Anappara and Taymour Soomro

Mentioned Links:

So You Want to Work in Publishing by DongWon Song

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.



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2023-05-14
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18.19: What is Publishing For, Anyway?

In this episode, we unpack what the publishing industry is, what exactly it does, and why it does it. We also outline the first steps for preparing to talk to an agent or publisher.

Homework:

If you had to sit down with a publisher today and convince them that there's a market for you book, how would you start doing it? Make a list of 3-5 titles that your book is similar to, and describe your target audience.

Thing of the Week:

Kate McKean?s Agents and Books on Substack

Mentioned Links:

"The Publishing Question" by DongWon Song

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.



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2023-05-08
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18.18: Launching an Author Newsletter

It's 2023 and people still use email newsletters. For some reason they're more important than ever, so let's talk about building one.



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2023-05-01
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18.17: Build Your Author Brand, 2023 Edition

An exploration of author branding and the social media tools we use. "Figure out who you are, and then do it on purpose" - Dolly Parton.



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2023-04-24
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