I Should Be Writing
"I should be writing" is what people say, but they rarely do it. This podcast is designed to help you get past those blocks, whether it's what your teacher told you when you were a kid, to being totally sure you'll never be as good as (FAV AUTHOR) so you might as well quit.
Episodes
S20 Ep15: In Which Mur Muses on AI and the Writer's Journey
"I'm exaggerating a little bit, but if you look at the last 20 years, that's pretty much how I work."- Mur
In this podcast we dive into the depths of editing my novel, Infinite Archive, and how I'm navigating the murky waters of murder mystery tweaks. We also explore the increasingly complex landscape of AI in writing and its implications for creatives.
...
S20 Ep14: In Which Mur Dives into Conventions and Confidence
"You can't stop caring about something... You stop what you do about it, but you can't really just turn that switch off." - Mur
From the thrill of networking to the trepidation of tax season, Mur navigates the maze of a writer's life with humor and honesty. In this episode, she shares her experiences and insights on convention attendance, from choosing the right ones to t...
S20 Ep13: In Which Mur Attends Wole Talabi's Creative Alchemy
"The primary driver of my sense of success is, 'do I feel happy with what I've done?'" - Wole Talabi
Mur chats with Wole Talabi, an engineer turned author (but still engineer). They discuss the Schrodinger's Cat of publishing, the thrill of rewriting old stories for new audiences, and the joy of challenging the norms of fiction.
Links...
S20 Ep 12: In Which Mur Plans to Turn Hurt Feelings into Finished Drafts
"I read over the notes and I got mad and I got my feelings hurt." - Mur (being fussy)
I've received my edit letter about Infinite Archive, so I'm handling all the emotions that carries with it. ADHD complicated my perception of time, so figuring out how long it will take me is a challenge.
Valerie Valdes joins the chat with some excellent advice, ...
S20 Ep11: In which we travel "The Other Valley" with Scott Alexander Howard
"I wrote it in a blissful who cares? Mentality, like, 'oh, well, genre will sort itself out.'" - Scott Alexander Howard
In this episode, we're joined by Scott Alexander Howard, author of The Other Valley, a novel where literary meets speculative. Scott delves into his journey from philosophy to fiction, sharing how his background influenced the ...
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 10
"I felt like a cuckoo among very pretty birds." - Mur
Fresh off the JoCo cruise, we discusses the allure of nerd paradise and how navigating imposter syndrome is a frequent struggle. I share tabletop RPG antics, celebrity karaoke adventures, and the amazing feeling of having legitimately cool creators accept you. Self doubt did show up, and I'll talk about how I dealt with that.
Al...
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 9
"If you don't start out perfect, you're never going to be good." - Evil Mur
Evil Mur is back giving terrible advice and it's a wild ride through the looking glass of a writer's darker musings. We cover questioning the point of writing when perfection eludes us to the ruthless strategy of writing on the job. She gives some seriously excellent ad...
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 7
Transcript
I found myself looking for my own magic bullet and getting frustrated a the media who take the idea of a daily routine--something people with ADHD people need--and play it off as only done by stodgy, unfun dorks. I discuss Josh Zimmerman's videos, how creation is like jumping off a diving board for me, my solo RPG plans, and promote Premee Mohamed's books and bullying.
F...
I Should Be Writing
Season 20, Episode 7
In this episode, I discuss trusting yourself because sometimes no one else will. We also talk File 770, Genre Grapevine, I mispronounce "chutzpah," make a Wizard of Oz reference, and how should I celebrate 20 seasons of ISBW? Remember, advice is supplementary.
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Go buy it!
- My newsletter, T...
ISBW S20 Ep6
Author Gwenda Bond comes on the show to talk The Frame Up, heists, and point of view!
We also discuss being ballsy at Boskone, pen names, T. Kingfisher's "What Feasts At Night," writing retreats, and heist structure.
If you order The Frame Up from Bookshop.org, use the code FRAMEUP for 10% off!
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writi...
ISBW S20 Ep5
Debut author Avione Lee comes to tell us about the Odyssey Workshop and the various programs!
Odyssey Your Personal Workshop (deadline is soon!)
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate.
- Theme by John An...
ISBW S20 Ep4
Hugos are still messy, so check out Chris M. Barkley*, Paul Weimer, Alasdair Stuart, and Jason Sanford and the excellent fanwriting they do.
*Accidentally call him Charles in the recording. Sorry!
We talk character depth, using Baldur's Gate 3 as an example. Lastly we get in to the hybrid outline thing I'm trying to do to help me write.
Show Links
ISBW S20 Ep3
Debut author Eilish Quin joins us to talk about her retelling of Euripedes' classic story, Medea, with glorious descriptive prose and a feminist point of view. We talk about hurdles and wins and what to keep in mind when doing a retelling.
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
- Mur's newsletter, T...
ISBW S20 Ep2
I am not a lawyer or an accountant, and taxes mentioned in the podcast are specific to my understanding of US tax law.
No one like to talk about money. Either you admit how bad you are or you're awkward because you make a lot. Or you're a jerk, but we aren't talking to those people. I'm here to talk about my income, what an advance really means, and how to best use your writing income. We also discuss YNAB, m...
ISBW S20 Ep1
Why am I still doing this show after 20 years? Believe me, I was the first person to ask this. We talk about my career, my mental health, and, well, why?
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate. No more bird site. Alas.
- Theme by John Anealio
- I Should...
I got to talk to award-winning Nigerian author Chikodili Emelumadu about her new book Dazzling, and we wander all sorts of directions, including into ambition, what makes her write, and advice for new writers!
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
ISBW S19 Ep33
I wanted to discuss humor again, so my buddy Valerie came back on to talk about it because she's smarter than me. Even though she introduced us to "Diggy Diggy Hole." We also talk "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun," the Bridesmaids toast scene that makes me wanna die, The Hitchhiker's Gudie to the Galaxy, and Tom Cardy's "Perception Check" (NSFW language).
Evergreen Links
ISBW S19 Ep32
Steve Martin famously did his comedy acts to empty bars when he started. It's a good mindset to keep.
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
ISBW S19 Ep31
Self care, yo. It's dark, we're at the end of a big project, and time to be kind to yourself.
Minimal show notes. If you want something clarified, ask in comments and I will get you a link.
More shows coming soon!
Evergreen Links
- I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagra...
Popular Podcasts
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations.
Every week comedian and infamous roaster Nikki Glaser provides a fun, fast-paced, and brutally honest look into current pop-culture and her own personal life.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people.
A straightforward look at the day's top news in 20 minutes. Powered by ABC News. Hosted by Brad Mielke.