I Should Be Writing: Recent Episodes
LiveWriters
S20 Ep21: In Which Mur and Mary Pascual Talk Writing and Mental Health "I refuse to feel like or believe that [ADHD] is a detriment. Honestly, there are so many things about ADHD that I personally love."- Mary Pascual (This post went live for...
S20 Ep20: In Which Mur and James L. Sutter Discuss Editing, Outlining, and Ghostly Romances "I think that is the beating heart of any novel, is characters changing."- James L. Sutter Join Mur and guest James L. Sutter as they delve into the...
S20 Ep19: In Which Mur Explores the Deck of Worlds and Story Engine "You know, if you use the word 'modified,' you can get away with anything."- Mur (This post went live for supporters on July 1, 2024. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes...
S20 Ep18: In Which Mur Explores Tarot and Historical Fiction with Susan Wands "Action is always better than no action. You can always fix what you've done. You can't fix not getting started."- Susan Wands (This post went live for supporters on June...
S20 Ep17: In Which Mur Reflects on Creativity and Ambition "It's really easy. It's so relaxing to not be creative."- Mur This week, Mur shares her journey through book edits, the struggles of low energy, and the comforting realization that creation...
S20 Ep16: In Which Mur Tackles Short Fiction Submissions "You're not gonna be Wiswell or Chambers. You're gonna be you."- Mur In this episode, Mur delves into the intricacies of submitting short fiction, sharing invaluable tips and personal...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
I Should Be WritingSeason 20, Episode 7 In this episode, I discuss trusting yourself because sometimes no one else will. We also talk , , I mispronounce "chutzpah," make a Wizard of Oz reference, and how should I celebrate 20 seasons of ISBW?...
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 "," writing retreats, and heist structure. If you order The Frame Up from ,...
ISBW S20 Ep5 Debut author comes to tell us about the Odyssey Workshop and the various programs! Evergreen Links I don't talk enough about the . It exists. Did you know that? Mur's newsletter, ...
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 as an...
If you're a creator, when someone wants to give you money, you say, "yes, please!"
I'm taking a break from podcasting to finish my book. Doing some housekeeping and then presenting an excellent interview with Wole Talabi, author of Shigidi and the Brass Head of Obalufon!
August 10, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 28 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
ISBW S19 Ep27
T. Kingfisher, Richard Dansky, and I are all nominated for the Manly Wade Wellman Award! It will be given at Congregate this weekend.
Escape Pod is a finalist for the Hugo Award, Best Semiprozine category!
Black Mirror says just tell the story instead of worrying about the science. Gene Wolfe said it too.
There are many voices that tell us different things, and some of those voices aren’t writers.
Interviews will be more frequent moving forward.
I don't talk enough about the I Should Be Writing book. It exists. Did you know that?
Evergreen Links
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate.
- Theme by John Anealio
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
(some book links are affiliate)
CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, site design by Clockpunk Studio and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon or Substack. July 13, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 27 | murverse.com "Beyond the Mental Editor vs Writer Battle" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Short episode this time, and not having the best brain day. So I'm sharing with you because this happens to everyone.
Transcript
Mur Lafferty: And maybe what I write is crap, but I'll never know unless I write it. And then I think lies the key. It's not even allow yourself to write crappy first drafts, It's: a pro thinks they suck, but they write it anyway. And there's your Deep Thought for the Day. What I'm Reading: Savage Crowns and Dead and Gondola. Affiliate links to all of these and the other books I mentioned in the episode.
Evergreen Links
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate.
- Theme by John Anealio
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
(some book links are affiliate)
June 21, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 26 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
I got to interview game designer turned YA romance writer James L. Sutter in this episode, and it was a blast. So much good stuff here! I also talk about my latest anger at ADHD and what I'm reading.
Transcript
James L. Sutter 34:10: And so it was hugely enlightening for me to see, sort of these authors were very talented and established, going through the same outline process, you know, struggling with their pitches, struggling with characters and realizing that like, oh, every great work of art, like starts out as a pile of garbage. And like, I can make a pile of garbage. (emphasis Mur's)
What I'm Reading: Darkhearts, of course, but also These Prisoning Hills and People You Meet on Vacation. Affiliate links to all of these and the other books I mentioned in the episode.
Mentioned: The Artist's Way podcast (Apple link)
Evergreen Links
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate,
- Theme by John Anealio
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
(some book links are affiliate)
June 14, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 25 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep24
It's June, and I have had some disappointments (She Podcasts, Live! and Blaseball), but at least I'm not worrying about travel so much. Got my 10k words turned into my agent, and lament the loss of the podcast community. But Tee Morris, Scott Sigler, and Christiana Ellis are all live streaming too. And so is Grant Baciocco!
(from the transcript)
Mur Lafferty 00:59 ...Whatever you're afraid of, you're not alone. And the thing is about those fears, if everybody has them, no matter how successful you are, does it really have to do with writing?
What I'm Reading I'm currently reading The Other Side of Infinity by Joan Smith, magical real world YA romance about seeing the future and wondering if you can make a difference.
- Savage Crowns launch party next week on Twitch! (2pm EDT June 13, 2023)
- We have a transcript! Support the Patreon if you'd like to see the annotated transcripts!
- RIV Blaseball
Evergreen Links
- Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Socials: Bluesky, Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate,
- 19 years of archives, Discord, workshops, and more if you support via Patreon!
- Theme by John Anealio
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
June 7, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 24 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep23 Thinky bits about reading and pacing and migraines. I'll be clever next week, promise. But what I'm really excited about is the interview with Arley Sorg, editor, writer, and now a new agent! We have a transcript! Support the Patreon if you'd like to see the annotated transcripts! Patreon support will also get you ad-free episodes! New Agent in Town: Arley Sorg! * Arley Sorg * KT Literary * Writer Beware * Preditors and Editors * Query Tracker * Readercon
Evergreen Links * Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic * Socials: Bluesky, Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate, * 19 years of archives, Discord, workshops, and more if you support via Patreon! * Theme by John Anealio * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
June 1, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 23 | murverse.com | Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Hey folks! I'm starting a new podcast, re-releasing old ISBW episodes with commentary! This episode is the ONLY one that will clog up the ISBW feed; to continue listening you will need to go to the site to get the new-old podcasts.
--
And so it begins: I Should Be Writing is new again with classic podcasts from 2005! If you wonder what I Should Be Writing sounded like back in the old days, when podcasting was new and before I was published, look no farther! I'm releasing most of my old episodes with commentary, and maybe some new interviews with old friends. The shows will also be released with transcriptions for free, but Patreon supporters will get the episodes first, and annotated transcripts too!
The show is super new, but for now you can subscribe via the feed. I'll have specific podcatcher links soon!
Where It All Began I Should've Been Writing S1 Ep1
Transcribed Thu, Jun 01, 2023 Downloadfull transcript with annotations.
Links
- Music: Dana Countryman
- The Secrets
- Sonar
- Playing for Keeps
I Should've Been Writing is copyright Mur Lafferty, 2005-2023. BY-NC-ND.
S19 Ep21 Recorded live, April 27, 2023 Good News Good News * Station Eternity gets a second printing! * Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered! * Team Rejection 2023 Count: 111 * Mur will be attending the Nebula Conference in Los Angeles (May 12-14, 2023) * Mur will be speaking at She Podcasts, Live! (June 19-22)
Main Topic: Welcome Stina Leicht! * We were nominated for the Astounding Award at the same time, and we talk about the last 10 years since that nomination. * Stina's book Loki's Ring is out now! * Space Fantasy vs Space Opera vs Science Fiction
Links * Stina's website, Patreon, and books! * The Hot Mic * Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate, NEW: Bluesky * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
April 27, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 21 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep20 Recorded live, April 24, 2023
Good News Good News
- Station Eternity gets a second printing!
- Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered!
- Team Rejection 2023 Count: 110
- Mur will be attending the Nebula Awards in Los Angeles (May 12-14, 2023)
Main Topic: Rule One of WiP Club (I had to.)
- Had some real thoughts about what happens when I tell people what I'm working on, and decided not to do that anymore.
Links
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
S19 Ep19 Recorded live, April 20, 2023 Good News Good News * Station Eternity gets a second printing! * Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered! * Team Rejection 2023 Count: 108 * Mur will be attending the Nebula Awards in Los Angeles (May 12-14, 2023)
Main Topic: Kat Howard Interview! * The amazing fantasy author and comic book writer Kat Howard joins us to talk about her new book, A Sleight of Shadows * Why are sequels so hard? * Kat's site, and substack newsletter
Links * The Hot Mic, Mur's Newsletter * Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate. * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
April 20, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 19 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep18 Recorded live, April 6, 2023
Good News Good News
- Station Eternity gets a second printing!
- Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered!
- Team Rejection 2023 Count: 103
- Mur will be attending the Nebula Awards in Los Angeles (May 12-14, 2023)
Main Topic: The Push to the Finish Line
- The end of your story should end things in a way that makes the journey worth the trip
- Supporting characters and bit players should inhabit the import & impact of their roles
- Writing comedy is still hard
Links
- The Void Door by VM Amalya (aka spacevalkyries)
- Writing the Other classes
- K-Drama Inspirations to Maximize Your Story
- Marple: Twelve New Mysteries
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
April 6, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 18 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep16 Recorded live, March 16, 2023
As much as I've talked about agents, I still get questions, so here are some answers. However, I realize I misused a lot of words in this one. I'm having a bad day. Please don't assume anything about me like Benoit Blanc*.
All agents will look at contracts, try to sell your books to publishers, handle foreign rights and film (and other) sales, and be your best cheerleader. Beyond that, each one is different.
Links
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
*Glass Onion. Go see it if you haven't already
April 10, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 17 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep16 Recorded live, March 16, 2023
Good News Good News
- Station Eternity gets a second printing!
- Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered!
- Team Rejection Count: 37
Books in the Wild
- Savage Crowns by Matt Wallace
Main Topic: Questions Writers Field
- Handling the common yet still not so simple questions people ask a writer
- Ie, “How long does it take you to write a book?”
- Midsomer Murders Story Bot has it made
Links
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
March 16, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 16 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep15 Recorded solo, April 10, 2023
The Picasso quote that I mangled: "We artists are indestructible, even in a prison cell or a concentration camp I would be all right in my own world of art. Even if I had to paint my pictures with my tongue on the dusty floor of my cell."
It's hard to feel invincible, but we are. Remember that.
- The word I was looking for to equal contagonist was Mirror Character, who is a lot like the protagonist but interferes.
- AITA letter referenced ("I am a train enthusiast..." what is it with these guys and their vehicle obsession? First this guy, then the "pilot" guy...)
Links
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
April 10, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 15 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S19 Ep14
Good News Good News
- Station Eternity gets a second printing!
- Chaos Terminal can be pre-ordered!
- Team Rejection Count: 32
Books in the Wild
- Mr & Mrs Witch by Gwenda Bond, Death Watch by Stona Fitch, Arca by G.R. Macallister
- Congrats to the Nebula Award nominees
Main Topic: Challenge Me, Challenge You
- Going beyond the routines now and again to keep the good habits strong
- Revisiting The Morning Pages routine (from The Artist’s Way)
Links:
- The Hot Mic
- Socials: Twitter, Mastodon, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Station Eternity is OUT by the way.
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
March 9, 2023 | Season 19 Ep 14 | murverse.com Copyright 2023, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
ISBW PSAs * Brainstorming for NaNoWriMo Project
Good News Good News * Team Rejection count: 355
Main Topic: Inspiration for Different Story Genres * Screenwriter Jule Selbo’s new book: 9 Days (Book #2 Dee Rommel mystery series) * On moving from Hollywood to novels * The structure of the Dee Rommel series * Choosing, and sometimes combining genres * Jule’s novel writing & story research routines * (many pro screenwriters also use Fade In, is more flexible & affordable than Final Draft) * Web: https://www.juleselbo.com, https://pandamoonpub.com * Twitter: https://twitter.com/juleselbo, https://twitter.com/pandamoonpub
Station Eternity is OUT by the way. Go get your copy from your favorite bookseller!
Links * Mur on Focusmate! * Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube * Newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
Twitch schedule Oct. 31-Nov 3(Eastern time): * M 4:30pm: Ditch Diggers with Kameron Hurley * T 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing NaNoWriMo Launch! * W - Canceled for time being until I restructure * Th 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing - Live write? Chat? Who knows?
October 27, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 69 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
ISBW PSAs
- Brainstorming for NaNoWriMo Project
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 353
Main Topic: Humor, with a little Death
- Eden Robins new book: When Franny Stands Up
- Finding catharsis in humor
- “Write from your trauma” https://www.brentforrester.com/
- Looking at Death as the ultimate mystery
- Funny obits, mean obits, and the snark in between
- Web: https://www.monkeythumbs.com
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/edenrobins
Station Eternity is OUT by the way. Go get your copy from your favorite bookseller!
Links * Mur on Focusmate! * Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube * Newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
Twitch schedule Oct. 31-Nov 3(Eastern time): * M 4:30pm: Ditch Diggers with Kameron Hurley * T 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing NaNoWriMo Launch! * W - Canceled for time being until I restructure * Th 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing - Live write? Chat? Who knows?
October 25, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 67 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 31, 2022
There's not much more to say. It's the last day of prep and I'm frantic and wired. Wish me luck. As I wish you luck! Remember, the daily show goes to Patreon-only starting tomorrow! Join the ISBW NaNoWriMo Discord! Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 31, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 73 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 30, 2022
What are you going to do to make your day go smoother? Set up coffee, tea, rewards, snacks, get it all in place!
Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 30, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 72 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 29, 2022
When we avoid taking a chance on something, we tell ourselves that we could have succeeded if we had made the choice to do so. I could have done that -- if I'd wanted to. It saves us from realizing that sometimes things don't work out when we take the chance. But it also means we don't accomplish some things we may have otherwise, had we taken the chance. And I'm not entirely talking about y'all... Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 29, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 71 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 28, 2022
When doing your outline, don't be afraid to consider books you've already read. Remember, great artists steal.
Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 28, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 70 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Capitalism says today must earn/be better than yesterday! But how feasible is that? A look at the stock market says... not very much.
October 26, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 68 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 24, 2022 So apparently there's a Comic Sans Trick that is good at helping productivity. I'm testing this today. Also I hate recording on the weekend. I will have to take this into account when planning for daily NaNo show next month. Comic Sans trick article at Lifehacker Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 24, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 66 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
ISBW PSAs
- 2022 Total Word Count: ???
- Solo RPG project
- Daily Podcast Schedule for NaNoWriMo Prep
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 348
- Fountain pen: $14k. Is it really a magic wand?
Main Topic: Point of View
- The subtle and overt bigotry against various groups is still strong, in life & in fiction
- The POV of privilege and misconception
Links * Mur on Focusmate! * Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube * Newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
Twitch schedule Oct. 24-Oct 27 (Eastern time): * M 12:00p,: Ditch Diggers * T 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing with Eden Robins (rescheduled) * W - Canceled for time being until I restructure * Th 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing with Jule Selbo (rescheduled)
October 20, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 63 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded October 22, 2022
What to do when your NaNo project makes everything else in your life depressing?
What would you change if you were marathon training? You'd change the time you got up, the time you went to bed, what you ate, when you ate, and your weekends would likely be dominated by long runs. And until you got used to it, your daily life and daily chores would be affected.
NaNoWriMo is marathon training. Treat it like that. Expect it. You got this.
Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
- TikTok (Evil Mur is getting on TikTok Again!)
October 22, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 65 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Let's ask the tough questions. How do you make a dead baby funny? How do you make a cozy murder mystery cozy when there's a decapitated corpse in chapter 4? It's all about emotion. This works for sex too, which I don't mention. In the 90s, Rachel and Monica on Friends were considered the feminine sex appeal of the decade, but both appeared in lingerie on the show and it was ... not sexy because of the emotion in the scene. ("The One With Rachel's New Dress" and "The One with Rachel's Sister", respectively) Oh- Doggo update, the vet didn't want to do XRays since they won't do anything immediately anyway, and we already have sedation + Xrays planned for next month schedule and paid for, so we are going to wait till then. So she got to go to the vet for free and get fussed over by her fan club all day with no actual vet prodding, which is not a bad way to live, all things considered. (She loves the vet because they love her there.) October 21, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 64 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep62
Time to talk prep, but honestly, the biggest obstacle in front of you is your existing day-to-day life. What will have to move aside?
Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
October 20, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 62 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep60: NaNoWriMo, Habits and Change ISBW PSAs
- 2022 Total Word Count: ???
- Solo RPG project
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 338
Main Topic: NaNoWriMo Cometh
- The distractions of emotional expectations
- The untapped powers of the random number generator
Station Eternity is OUT by the way. Go get your copy from your favorite bookseller!
Links * Mur on Focusmate! * Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube * Newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends * Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more! * OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
Twitch schedule Oct. 24-Oct 27 (Eastern time): * M 12:00p,: Ditch Diggers * T 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing with Eden Robins (rescheduled) * W - Canceled for time being until I restructure * Th 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing with Jule Selbo (rescheduled)
October 13, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 60 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
I've gone to doing a daily show to get in shape for my yearly NaNoWriMo daily show. The daily show will be in the main feed until Oct 31, but then in November it goes to Patreon only. Join us in the Ink Stained Fabulists on Patreon for only $1 a month for the next two weeks!
In this tiny episode we talk about NaNoWriMo, and what traditionally published authors have power to do (and not do) with their books. Also, I talk about the doggo.
Where to find me!
- Website
- Patreon
- Twitch
October 19, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 61 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Recorded live Sept 29. 2022
My entire production team is either sick, or has a sick loved one, so show notes will be minimal.
I talked with Desideria Mesa about Bindle Punk Bruja, her historical magical book about Kansas City, Prohibition, and Mexican magic!
Station Eternity is OUT by the way. Go get your copy from your favorite bookseller!
September 29, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 58 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 328
Main Topic: Gwendolyn Kiste, “Reluctant Immortals”
- Gwendolyn talks about the “reluctant immortals” in her new novel, well-known characters from Classic Literature
- Brainstorming is work
- Questions from chat
- https://www.gwendolynkiste.com/
- https://twitter.com/GwendolynKiste
Links
- Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
Twitch schedule Sept 25-Oct 1 (Eastern time): * Sept 28 3:00pm: Gaming: The Wandering Village * Sept 29 3:00pm: I Should Be Writing with Desideria Mesa * Oct 1 7:00pm: Station Eternity LIVE! Mini Audio Drama performance on Twitch!
September 22, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 58 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep57 NOTE- we had a number of technical difficulties, including a part where the stream drops off and then returns. Please take note. I can't remember if we swore in this one, but just in case, this has an EXPLICIT tag. T. Kingfisher and What Moves the Dead Mur's Page
ISBW S18 Ep56: Guest Tanvi Berwah and Writing Myths Good News Good News
Team Rejection count: 328
Main Topic: Tanvi Berwah, “Monsters Born and Made”
Tanvi talks about her new novel, the Indian & Arabic myths her story’s monsters are based on, exploring biases and caste and class discriminations through the characters & the story, and more.
Tanvi also talks about how her writing is influenced by her mental health journey (you don’t have to suffer in order to create, so please take care of yourself and seek help when you can), and the expanded story she wants to explore in Book 2 and beyond.
https://tanviberwah.com https://twitter.com/tanviberwah https://www.instagram.com/tanviberwah/
September 16, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 56 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 313
- STATION ETERNITY: Library Journal Starred Review https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/station-eternity-1790821
Main Topic: Back to Basics: Ask Me Anything, featuring Evil Mur
- Evil Mur regales the audience with proclamations of self-promotion and awesome writerly advice that you should do everything you can to emulate in order to create your Best Ever Author Life.
- Do not listen to Evil Mur. Just, don’t.
August 18, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 55 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Open
- New short stories being worked on
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 257
- STATION ETERNITY: Library Journal Starred Review https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/station-eternity-1790821
Main Topic: Back to Basics: Turrible Writing Advice, Just Turrible
- Writing & Self Publishing suggestions found on Wisdom, well, kinda weren’t all that wise
- Old Wives Tale: You can successfully write if you don’t read widely or at all. Um, nope… reading while you’re writing is vital
- (I’m with you… I have no patience for Tolkien, but the first 3 movies are wonderful)
Links
- Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
August 17, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 54 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Main Topic: Back to Basics w/Valerie Valdes
- Writing processes: stand-alones and series
- Dragon Age games, storytelling and world building
- NaNoWriMo, Structure, and storytelling secrets
- Candle In Sunshine
- Valerie on Twitter
- Valerie's Home Page
Links
- New! Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for August:
- Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers (19th 4:30pm)
- Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Thursday 8pm: Arsenic and Old Dice, A Brindlewood Bay Livestream
August 11, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 53 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Main Topic: Happy Birthday, Oh Podcast, My Podcast!
- The startup history and baby steps of I Should Be Writing
- What Mur has Learned in 17 Years of Pro Podcasting
- The foundation was built for a networking platform
- Timeless Writing Advice: Don’t Stop Writing.
- Updating podcasts to reflect the times and the tech
- Meeting and Knowing other Writers Helps All
- The anxieties of being an author are real, but you’re not alone
Links
- New! Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for August:
- Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers (19th 4:30pm)
- Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Thursday 8pm: Arsenic and Old Dice, A Brindlewood Bay Livestream
August 9, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 52 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Main Topic: Mindy Carlson and Characters
- Mindy’s writing retreat imminent
- Building characters needs as much detail as building the world: traits, connections, behaviors
- Consistently believable emotional responses help mysteries flow
- Yes, Her Dying Day is loosely based on the real life disappearance of Agatha Christie
- Advice for new writers: Be brave and do the thing that scares you the most
- https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781639100125
- Mindy on Twitter
Links
- New! Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for August:
- Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers (19th 4:30pm)
- Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- Thursday 8pm: Arsenic and Old Dice, A Brindlewood Bay Livestream
August 4, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 51 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep50 Short episode. I've been feeling low lately, and then had to remember this little nugget that keeps me going. So I thought I would remind you, too.
Links
- New! Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for week of August 8:
- 8th Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers with Alasdair Stuart
- 9th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- 10th Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- 11st Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing, interview with Valerie Valdes
- 11th Thursday 8pm: Arsenic and Old Dice, A Brindlewood Bay Livestream
July 28, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 50 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep49 Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 226
- STATION ETERNITY: Library Journal Starred Review https://www.libraryjournal.com/review/station-eternity-1790821
Main Topic: Characters
- The Basic (Standard) Characters: characters have & need structure too
- The Protagonist changes, movement must occur
- The Antagonist creates obstacles, challenges Protagonist resolve
- Think about how your characters can & will interact while building them
- Reference: “45 Master Characters” by Veronica Schmidt
- ( ed note: author KM Weiland has a podcast, and she’s done a series on character arcs, and also positive, negative, flat and shadow archetypes, both in podcast and in book, https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/)
Live Stream Bar Con After Show
- Appearances Update: WorldCon, She Podcasts, (maybe) NYCC
Links
- New! Mur on Focusmate!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for week of August 8:
- 8th Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers with Alasdair Stuart
- 9th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- 10th Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- 11st Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing, interview with Valerie Valdes
- 11th Thursday 8pm: Arsenic and Old Dice, A Brindlewood Bay Livestream
July 26, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 49 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep47 Main Topic: Where Do You Find Your Story Inspiration?
- Start with paying attention to the people, behaviors and events right in front of you
- Non-fiction recommendations: Mary Roach (science), Ruth Reichl (food)
- When you watch TV, Movies, Video Games, pay attention to the dialogue & story structure
Links
- murverse.com
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for July:
- 18th Monday 4:30pm: Ditch Diggers with Kameron Hurley
- 19th Tuesday 3pm: Canceled
- 20th Wednesday 3pm: Stardew Valley
- 21st Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing with
- 25th Monday 12pm: No work, BIRTHDAY STREAM!
- 26th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- 27th Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- 28th Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
July 14, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 48 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
S18 Ep46 Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 218
- Virtual launch event at Mysterious Galaxy October 11
- Live launch event at Flyleaf Books, October 4
- She Podcasts Live conference/event October 11-14
Main Topic: The Tools at Your Disposal
- Think about your keyboard, and how typing stress can affect your writing
- Laptops, Tablets, or Phones?
- Software for your Writing Efficiency
Links
- murverse.com
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for July:
- 18th Monday 4:30pm: Ditch Diggers with Kameron Hurley
- 19th Tuesday 3pm: Canceled
- 20th Wednesday 3pm: Stardew Valley
- 21st Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing with
- 25th Monday 12pm: No work, BIRTHDAY STREAM!
- 26th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- 27th Wednesday 3pm: Gaming TBD
- 28th Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
July 12, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 47 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Back to Basics S18 Ep46 Good News Good News * Team Rejection count: 215
Main Topic: Steffanie Moyers * Author & Editor Steffanie Moyers talks about her new ebook, What Happens In… * Staging and shooting professional and fun photo shoots * Fiverr and working that freelance hustle to more leads * Writing the stories in your head (pantsing all the time!) * Vonnegut Love * https://www.steffmoyers.com * https://www.tiktok.com/@steffaniemoyers * https://www.instagram.com/steffaniemoyers * https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz1CL4w4mdgggJ1nIi0G--A * https://twitter.com/steffaniemoyers * Check out the official ISBW merch! * Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube * Newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for July 18-22: * 11th Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers with Ursula Vernon * 12th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing * 13th Wednesday 3pm: Thousand Year Old Vampire Solo RPG, 9pm (POSSIBLE) Stardew Valley stream with friends! * 14th Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
July 7, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 46 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Back to Basics S18 Ep45 The first in our twelve episode Back to Basics series! But did you know you could pre-order signed copies of my new book Station Eternity?
I'm going to be covering basic writing advice for the next twelve episodes.
Open
- STATION: ETERNITY will be out October 4 2022
- 2022 Word Count: 120k
- Upcoming changes to ISBW: themed limited series are the new normal
Good News Good News
- Team Rejection count: 204
Main Topic: Back to Basics
- Addressing the imagined fears that sneak up on you when considering a creative career
- Fear of failure when starting a project, Fear of success and its link to impostor syndrome
- Having the courage to say “yes” or “hello”
- There are a few real concerns when walking the path of a creative career
- Perfectionism: It’s A Trap!
- Refer to: Ira Glass, “The Gap”: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/extras/the-gap
- Comparison to others: It’s A Trap!
Links
- Check out the official ISBW merch!
- Mur on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
- Newsletter, The Hot Mic
- Support via Patreon!
- John Anealio on Bandcamp
- I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for July 18-22:
- 18th Monday 12pm: Ditch Diggers with Ursula Vernon
- 19th Tuesday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
- 20th Wednesday 3pm: Thousand Year Old Vampire Solo RPG, 9pm (POSSIBLE) Stardew Valley stream with friends!
- 21st Thursday 3pm: I Should Be Writing
Coming in August: Return of podcasts, and a live RPG play of Brindlewood Bay!
July 5, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 45 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
I'm back from my break and not making you wait months for the next Spoiler's Club! We have John Scalzi talking Kaiju Preservation Society, with a chance to win! Email me at mightymur@gmail.com before July 15, 2022, to enter!
Watch the interview on Youtube!
To hear the whole episode, support at Patreon.com/mightymur
June 25, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 44 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
The first rule of Spoilers Club is talk about all the spoilers.
It's our very first Spoiler's Club episode, where we read One For All by Lillie Lainoff, and then she came on the show to talk all about the book with us! Check out the book and then listen to the episode!
For the full episode, support at Patreon. See all my podcasts, books, and more at Murverse.com
Pre-show Notes
- I've been stressed out finishing my book, and sat on SO MANY EPISODES. So we'll be releasing them soon. Don't forget Spoilers Club, June 25!
- Also: Goodreads STATION ETERNITY Giveaway (open through June 30)
- Total raw wordcount for 2022: 118656
S18 Ep42 Live from the Outer Banks, North Carolina, where Mur and Ursula do a free-wheeling brainstorming session about our epic shapeshifter rom-com. Not a very serious episode. Explicit for language. Links * Merch Shop * Mur on Twitter * Mur on Instagram * Mur on Youtube * Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon or Ko-Fi! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for June: * June 1-24: ON BREAK- I may pop in for a stream but nothing scheduled * Sat June 25: 6:00pm EDT: Spoilers Club with John Scalzi to talk The Kaiju Preservation Society
Coming in July: Return of podcasts, and a live RPG play of Brindlewood Bay! May 26, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 42 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Pre-show Notes * I've been stressed out finishing my book, and sat on SO MANY EPISODES. So we'll be releasing them soon. Don't forget Spoilers Club, June 25! * Also: Goodreads STATION ETERNITY Giveaway (open through June 30) * Total raw wordcount for 2022: 118656
S18 Ep41 Live from the Outer Banks, North Carolina, where Mur is trying to finish a book and has little brain room for anything else. This episode may be explicit. I can't remember. Links * Merch Shop * Mur on Twitter * Mur on Instagram * Mur on Youtube * Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon or Ko-Fi! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for June: * June 1-24: ON BREAK- I may pop in for a stream but nothing scheduled * Sat June 25: 6:00pm EDT: Spoilers Club with John Scalzi to talk The Kaiju Preservation Society
Coming in July: Return of podcasts, and a live RPG play of Brindlewood Bay! May 24, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 41 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Pre-show Notes * I've been stressed out finishing my book, and sat on SO MANY EPISODES. So we'll be releasing them soon. Don't forget Spoilers Club, June 25! * Also: Goodreads STATION ETERNITY Giveaway (open through June 30)
S18 Ep40 * 2022 Word Count: 73335 ?? (are we even in the same ballpark?) * Writing Retreat coming at the end of May
Good News Good News * Team Rejection count: 177
Main Topic: Interview with Gwynne Garfinkle * Debut novel: Can’t Find My Way Home by Gwynne Garfinkle * The Bishop’s Wife * Writing while managing chronic illnesses that make it harder to get writing done * Website: https://gwynnegarfinkle.com/ * Twitter: https://twitter.com/gwynnega * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gwynnega/
Links * Merch Shop * Mur on Twitter * Mur on Instagram * Mur on Youtube * Mur's newsletter, The Hot Mic * Support via Patreon or Ko-Fi! * John Anealio on Bandcamp * I Should Be Writing tea blends
Twitch schedule for June: * June 1-24: ON BREAK- I may pop in for a stream but nothing scheduled * Sat June 25: 6:00pm EDT: Spoilers Club with John Scalzi to talk The Kaiju Preservation Society
Coming in July: Return of podcasts, and a live RPG play of Brindlewood Bay! May 19, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 40 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
