Writing Excuses

20.02: Q&A Aboard the Writing Excuses Cruise, with Mark Oshiro and Kate McKean

Jan 12, 2025

Recorded during a unique cruise retreat, this insightful discussion involves authors and a literary agent tackling compelling writing questions. They delve into the balance between plot and character development, emphasizing purposeful character roles. The talk also highlights the intersections of worldbuilding and character growth, while offering motivation strategies for writers. Tips on financial literacy and recognizing when a manuscript is finished round out the conversation, encouraging continuous growth and community engagement in the creative process.

24:54

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Quick takeaways

Writers must assess character contributions and avoid redundancy to ensure narrative cohesion and thematic depth.

Establishing small goals and embracing a routine can help maintain motivation and manage deadlines effectively during writing projects.

Deep dives

The Importance of Vaccination for Pneumococcal Disease

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Intro

2min

Navigating Character Relevance in Storytelling

8min

Connecting Character Development with World Building

2min

Empowering Writers Through Financial Literacy and Motivation Strategies

2min

Finding Motivation in the Creative Process

11min

The Journey of Writing: Growth and Revision

3min

This episode was recorded live at our 2024 Writing Excuses Cruise. (Did you know that we host a writing retreat on a cruise every year!?! You can learn more at https://writingexcuses.com/retreats/.)

While on a boat in Mexico, we were joined by author Mark Oshiro and literary agent Kate McKean. In addition to our hosts, they answered questions that were asked by our cruise attendees. Our answers included things such as how much space a character should take up and how to find the balance between plot-focused and character-focused novels. We also tackled questions about worldbuilding, motivation, and deadlines.

Homework: Ask someone a question about writing, either to learn more about what they're working on or to work through a project of your own.

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

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

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