Writing Excuses
Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
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.
Episodes (1996)
21.36: Twists: How to Make the Unexpected Feel Inevitable
Writing Excuses
21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu
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21.34: Knowing the Distance
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21.33: When To Shift Gears
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21.32: Barrier Breaking- Time Constraints
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21.31: Deconstructing Save the Cat
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21.30: Chapter Breaks Soon
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21.29: How to Make a Scene
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21.28: Narrative Transitions
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21.27: The Expository Throttle
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21.26: Setting the Pace
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21.25: Follow the Bouncing Ball
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21.24: Deconstructing the Seven Point Plot Structure
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21.23: Barrier Breaking: Interruptions
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21.22: The Order of the Telling
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21.21: Rhythm and Words
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21.20: Sequencing from Mega to Micro
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21.19: Getting Everything Connected
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21.18: Deconstructing the Three Act Structure
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21.17: The Up and Down Escalators
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21.16: Tension and Release as Call and Response
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21.15: Using Contrast for Maximum Effect
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21.14: Because at First, They Don’t Succeed
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21.13: Does The Middle Have To Be Soggy?
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21.12: Breaking Down Barriers- Environment
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21.11: The Cold Open- Action
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21.10: The Cold Open- Voice
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21.09: Grounding The Reader
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21.08: Setting Expectations
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21.07: Deep Dive- “With Her Serpent Locks”
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21.06: Begin and the Beginning
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21.05: The Same But Different
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21.04: Deconstructing the Hero's Journey
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21.03: Deconstructing Plots
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21.02: My Process is Not Your Process
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21.01: Welcome to the New Year!
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20.52: 2025 End-of-Year Wrap Up
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20.51: Howard Tayler’s Personal Writing Process
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20.50: Dan Wells’ Personal Writing Process
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20.49: Using Tone and Mood
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20.48: Now Go Write- How to Pitch Your Work
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20.47: Now Go Write- All the Eggs in All the Baskets
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20.46: Now Go Write- Break All The Rules (Part 2)
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20.45: Now Go Write- Break All The Rules (Part 1)
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20.44: Now Go Write- How to Handle Relationships
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20.43: An Interview with Dr. Tara Lepore on Paleontology
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20.42: Erin Roberts’ Personal Writing Process
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20.41: DongWon Song’s Personal Writing Process
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20.40: Mary Robinette Kowal’s Personal Writing Process
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20.39: Wrapping up our Conversation about Lenses
Writing Excuses