Writing Excuses

Eric James Stone joins us for a discussion of hard science fiction -- what it is, what it isn't, and how to do it well.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Eric James Stone joins us to talk about the book deal chronology for UNFORGETTABLE.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mette Ivie Harrison joins us to talk about the reasons you think you don't have time to write.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mette Ivie Harrison joins us to discuss creative non-fiction, the genre in which the tools of creative writing are applied to factually accurate narratives.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mercedes Lackey joins Brandon, Mary, and Howard to field listener questions at GenCon Indy.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Joel Shepherd joins Brandon, Mary, and Howard to talk about hard social science.Our Sponsors:* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wxSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Sam Logan, Cartoonist of Sam and Fuzzy, discusses the evolution of his webcomic from a gag strip to a long-form story. The speakers explore the evolution of their storytelling process, balancing plot progression and daily payoff in webcomics, and the challenges and changes in the world of webcomics.

Scott Lynch, author of The Republic of Thieves, joins Brandon, Howard, and Mary to discuss roguishness. They explore the appeal of rogues, their role in storytelling, and how authors can make readers like these morally ambiguous characters. They also touch on writing dialogue and the challenge of creating transgressive characters.

Aeryn Rudel, an editor from Privateer Press and Skull Island X, joins Writing Excuses to discuss editing. They talk about the art of making mistakes in editing and the challenges of editing manuscripts that don't fit a specific setting. Mary recommends 'The Blade Itself' by Joe Abercrombie. They also explore the editing process for writers, emphasizing the importance of editors in identifying and fixing story issues.

Wesley Chu, an author, joins Brandon, Mary, and Howard for a live audience Q&A at GenCon. They discuss challenges of writing in first person POV from a different gender, avoiding stereotypes, writing schedules, adding depth to prose, and using language to convey emotion.