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Fiction

Writing Excuses

by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
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Today: #123 in Fiction on our combined chart.

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#123 New on this chart
#94 Pulse 4

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DateApple Podcasts
Oct 1#94

About the show

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

Latest episodes

  • 21.39: Write What You Feel

    September 27, 2026 · 26 min

    Your life is probably weirder—and more useful to your writing—than you think. This week, our hosts explore how to turn lived experience into fiction, from borrowing sensory details and emotional reactions to reshaping real people and…

  • 21.38: Rules, Tools, and History’s Fools

    September 20, 2026 · 24 min

    Today, we’re celebrating Erin’s birthday by talking about a topic of her choice. Which means we’re flipping “tools, not rules” its head. Our hosts revisit the Turkey City Lexicon, a snarky collection of writing “rules” that circulated…

  • 21.37: Barrier Breaking: The World Is on Fire

    September 13, 2026 · 28 min

    How do you keep writing when the world is on fire? This week, our hosts talk about protecting our narrative energy when the news, social media, or our own lives feel overwhelming. We explore boundaries, boredom, intentional information…

  • 21.36: Twists: How to Make the Unexpected Feel Inevitable

    September 6, 2026 · 24 min

    A great twist shouldn’t just surprise us—it should make us rethink everything that came before. This week, our hosts explore reader expectations, misdirection, and hiding clues in plain sight. We look at twists from The Sixth Sense, The…

  • 21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu

    August 30, 2026 · 22 min

    This week, our hosts explore kishōtenketsu, an Asian story structure that appears under different names in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Unlike the Western three-act structure, it isn’t built around conflict. Instead, it moves through…

  • 21.34: Knowing the Distance

    August 23, 2026 · 24 min

    How close is your reader to the story? Should they be closer? Today, our hosts get nerdy about narrative distance: the space between reader, narrator, character, and world. We talk POV, sensory detail, and familiarity—and how each can zoom…

  • 21.33: When To Shift Gears

    August 16, 2026 · 23 min

    A story doesn’t always need the same tools from beginning to end. In this episode, we talk about recognizing when it’s time to shift gears—and how to make those changes feel intentional rather than abrupt. Our hosts look at transitions…

  • 21.32: Barrier Breaking- Time Constraints

    August 9, 2026 · 28 min

    There never seems to be enough time to write—but is time really the problem? Our hosts explore the reality of working within limited hours, changing life circumstances, and competing priorities. We share practical strategies like time…