Writing Excuses

Brandon, Dan, and Howard discuss what an alpha reader is, is not, and where one might find... more

Your Hosts: Mary Robinette Kowal, Cassandra Khaw, Dan Wells, James L. Sutter, and Howard T... more

Grounding a reader starts in the very first lines of a story. Where are we? Who are we wit... more

In this episode, we explore what it really means to set reader expectations at the beginni... more

To celebrate Mary Robinette’s birthday today (!!), she is taking us inside the craft (and ... more

In this episode, our hosts dive into what makes a strong beginning and why it matters so m... more

Today, our hosts dig into how stories can feel fresh without losing what readers love. The... more

Our hosts take on the Hero’s Journey—where it came from, why it endures, and why it can ma... more

Plot isn’t a set of commandments—it’s a collection of patterns we’ve learned to recognize.... more

This week, we turn our attention to one of the most stubborn traps writers fall into: assu... more

Season 21 kicks off with a new theme, a fresh tagline, and a renewed focus on what Writing... more

As our 20th season comes to a close, we reflect on the end of 2025 and a major transition ... more

A workflow that made daily writing (and comics) possible—Howard Tayler takes us through tw... more

2 quick reminders: Scholarship applications for our 2026 cruise are open now until Decembe... more

This week, Mary Robinette pulls back the curtain on some of fiction’s sneakiest power tool... more

In this episode, DongWon digs into one of the business topics of our upcoming craft book: ... more

Dan shares his experience of rebuilding and reinventing his writing career from his sectio... more

In this episode, Erin returns with the final two “rules” from her section of our forthcomi... more

In this episode, Erin shares a sneak peek from her section of our forthcoming book, Now Go... more