I Should Be Writing

[ISBW] The Lonesome October Club Oct 14, 2026 30:58 ISBW 22.22 In classic Mur style, I am posting this mid October, not beginning. I need a minder. But the concept still works, if you can start now as day 1, or wait till November, or do it any time, really. We talk about Roger Zelazny's book, A Night In the Lonesome October, and how I map it to a writing challenge, then we cover the Snowflake Method. Did you hear we have merch? Yes, we do, with the

[ISBW] Deconstructing Imposter Syndrome Oct 5, 2026 28:57 ISBW 22.21 It's time to talk about Imposter Syndrome, where it comes from, and how to handle it. If we can. I'm not sure I'm qualified. In other news I have a new logo, leaning into the age of the podcast and the shiny new fountain pen crow friend designed by NumbersNinja! (Yeah i'm gonna have merch soon) This post went live for supporters on September 30, 2026. If you want early and ad-free ep

[ISBW] Isaac Green says Start Before You're Ready Sep 21, 2026 39:26 ISBW 22.20 I met Durham author Isaac Green at a local reading and loved his work, so I invited him on the show. Get ready for some talk about MFAs, writing energy, agent hunting, and writing consistency! Award-winning author and teacher Isaac Green NC State MFA program, and North Carolina Central University Small Worldcon report, and Covid report. This post went live for supporters on September

[ISBW] The Magic Bullet Myth Sep 18, 2026 22:06 ISBW 22.20 After a heartbreaking Q&A session at a recent convention, I felt the need to say something that's cold and honest. And that is about the magic bullet. Shorter episode, the last one before worldcon. And since I'm posting it after worldcon, I cut out a lot of the "see me at worldcon" bits—also because no one saw me because I got covid. We catch up in a few days with this week's intervi

[ISBW] Emotions are Stupid Sep 14, 2026 38:15 ISBW 22.18 I had imposter syndrome so sneaky I didn't even realize it! (recorded before WorldCon). We all talk ourselves out of good ideas. Convention rules, updated for 2026! (But you still have to 3,2,1. That will never change.) We talk 2k-10k and Page One to Done. Regrettably, Roberts Rules of Order is discussed. All the other perks that come with a Worldcon membership. See you in

[ISBW] AMA and Silly Notebook Problems Aug 19, 2026 33:31 ISBW 22.17 So much to talk about! Worldcon is looming, and we take listener questions. How do you handle writing after a long break? What books do you recommend for writing fight scenes? Books by Alan Baxter and Marie Brennan are mentioned Mur is reading Page One to Done. Mur also has silly notebook problems that no one else seems to have. The HWA sent a ridiculous newsletter out and we

[ISBW] What does "confidence" even mean? Aug 9, 2026 35:10 ISBW 22.16 I finished the book, I started a short story, and I have been looking at the concept of confidence a bit lately. Also been enjoying Charisma on Command videos. So let's talk about confidence. Don't forget the book giveaway from last time! You have a week to enter! The Books (along with links if you want to just order right now!): The Good Girl Effect by Sara Cate Nemesis Mine by Ann

[ISBW] 2026 Book Giveaway (#1) Jul 29, 2026 22:46 ISBW 22.15 I want a lot of books. I buy a lot of books. I get sent a lot of books. I can't with all these books. So you get to benefit! I'm discussing five new or upcoming books of several different genres and then doing a giveaway! All you have to do is email me (mightymur at gmail) and tell me which one you want to be in the drawing for! I will draw the winners August 15! This is open to anyone,

[ISBW] Scams, scams, and more scams! Jul 24, 2026 35:54 ISBW 22.14 The scammers are getting wilier, and we have to keep up, folks. They want you to pay to join book clubs, they catfish you to make you fire your agent and take theirs, and they are really into helping you promote a book you have forgotten about, and have zero control over because it was work for hire. GLOSSARY: Work For Hire: It is an exception to the general (copyright) rule that the pe

[ISBW] Dance Like Nobody's Watching Jun 26, 2026 46:50 ISBW 22.13 Believe it or not, we got a feedback question to answer! We talk about how to get moving when you've stalled out on your writing routine, and a few of my secret anxieties. It boils down to: Why are you doing this? Notes: Escape Pod is a finalist for the Hugo and Ignyte awards! Amazing! I attended Viable Paradise once upon a time. Fix the News! Gail Carriger on Ditch Diggers JoCo's Thin

[ISBW] SUBLIMATION with Isabel J. Kim Jun 22, 2026 31:46 ISBW 22.12 Happy Pride! Recently we welcomed Isabel J. Kim to the show to talk about her debut novel, Sublimation! We not only talk about her mind-bending Severence-like novel, but her use of point of view, second person, and about her award-winning story "WHY DON'T WE JUST KILL THE KID IN THE OMELAS HOLE". This post went live for supporters on June 19, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes

[ISBW] Magic Systems and Ruinous Creatures May 14, 2026 38:51 ISBW 22.11 (There will be a giveaway of Ruinous Creatures! I'm taking entries until May 21! Email me with GIVEAWAY in the subject line! You do not need to be a paying supporter to enter.) Recently we welcomed Jessi Cole Jackson to the show to talk about her debut novel, Ruinous Creatures! We cover Jackson's unique bone-specific magic system and her inspirations, not to mention how to wrap your hea

[ISBW] Are you sure you want to injure that character? Apr 28, 2026 33:13 "If you injure somebody, that injury tells a story, and you have to decide whether that story fits the rest of your story." 22.10 In this episode, I go into "realism" with regards to injuries and health. Are injuries for pain? For an instant of shock? To give the character a new hardship? We talk about some of Stephen King's works and how to balance realism with narrative flow. This post went li

[ISBW] When Characters Go Rogue Apr 21, 2026 29:20 "Every character is the star of their own story." ISBW 22.9 In this episode we talk about how different writers view characterization, from the ones who struggle to the ones who say the characters live in their heads. How do you manage all these wily beasts who want their stories told? I will also be appearing next week at Ravencon, and then the following week at Demicon! This post went live for

[ISBW] Can Rejectomancy Save Our Sanity? Apr 6, 2026 32:05 "I think the thing people have the most problem with is, 'This was very good, but it didn't excite me.'" ISBW 22.8 Mur is back solo, talking about Rejectomancy and how to interpret the rejections you get, and more importantly, how to move forward after getting said rejection. And the bad news: you're aiming to make writing a job, which means you have to deal with the bad parts along with the goo

[ISBW] Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key Mar 30, 2026 46:40 "Acceptance is built on a pile of rejections." ~ Justin C. Key ISBW 22.7 Dr. Justin C. Key joins us to discuss his debut novel, The Hospital at the End of the World, exploring intersection of medicine and AI. Justin shares his experiences as a psychiatrist and balancing a medical career with being an author. We go over writing process, community, and the lessons learned from both success and set

[ISBW] Regret, Spite, and shiny new book haul Mar 24, 2026 36:37 "Weird is hot right now." ISBW 22.6 CW- pet death. It's been a rough week, so I'm talking regret and spite. Can they help and fuel us? Or is it just wasted bile? Then we talk about new book releases, like Nobody's Baby by Olivia Waite and Hell's Heart by Alexis Hall. And we touch on our next show, an interview with Justin C. Key, author of The Hospital at the End of the World. Remember you can j

[ISBW] Revisiting Space Murder with Olivia Waite Mar 16, 2026 39:24 "Take your time, there's no rush. The audience will be here whenever your story is ready." ISBW 22.5 In this episode we welcome author Olivia Waite to discuss her latest books, including Murder by Memory and Nobody's Baby. We touch on one of my favorite topics, writing science fiction mysteries, but we also delve into compelling beginnings and how to avoid the cringe in romance. Chapters: (00:0

[ISBW] Have I changed my opinion of writing contests? Feb 27, 2026 27:09 "It might be too much, but it looks really fun." ISBW 22.4 I've had a strong opinion about writing contests for years, but things have apparently evolved. I was reading about writing contests and found two that were quite interesting. A bit of housekeeping: I am no longer doing an exclusive version of Patreon episodes. They will still be early, still ad-free, but I've found that making two versi

[ISBW] 977 Episodes Archived: What Secrets Did I Find? Feb 23, 2026 28:23 "If [I] start thinking about the details, [I] will either go down the wrong pathand not record or [I'll] talk [my]self out of it." ISBW 22.3 I finally finished the archives, and learned quite a bit about myself, not all good things. We also touch on Hugo season, book club scams, and AI publicists. This post went live for supporters on February 20, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes e

[ISBW] The Art of Juggling Writers (as an assistant) Feb 18, 2026 34:07 "Not every opportunity is equal, and you don't have to chase everything." ~Tim Minneci ISBW 22.2 What do you need to have when you're wrangling several pro writers? What can a writer expect from an assistant? Meet Tim Minneci, writer, podcaster, musician, and my assistant. (And Ursula's, and Kameron's.) We discuss the challenges of being a writer, the importance of having an assistant, and the v

[ISBW] Careful What You Pack Jan 16, 2026 16:48 "All I can do is what I can do right now." ISBW 22.1 First episode of the year, and we talk about the things we may not want to take along with us into the new year. New books, new shows (Patreon-only Evil Mur podcast called STET!), and all that other stuff. (This post went live for supporters on January 12, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) L

[ISBW] Research or Procrastination? Dec 26, 2025 34:39 "You tell them enough information to show that you know 10% of what you're talking about, and your reader will assume you know the other 90%." In this episode, Mur discusses the seemingly innocuous action of research, and how it can become a trap that distracts from actual writing. Advent calendar info and AI complaints are free additions! Links Kim Stanley Robinson Cory Doctorow The Sociopa

[ISBW] Gifting Books to the Reader in Your Life Dec 19, 2025 26:17 "It's a definitely a giftable type thing for the Tolkien lover in your life." In this somewhat festive episode we talk about all the books we weren't able to feature over the year, to let you know about books you may not have heard of. We go by blurbs and first sentences - video also shows book covers! We talk SF, horror, mystery, and more. Mur might also rant about publicists who use AI. Check ou

[ISBW] The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull Nov 26, 2025 30:43 "You want to preserve your experience of the work. You want to preserve the doing of the art." ~Cadwell Turnbull Amazing author Cadwell Turnbull joins us to dives deep into the creative process and discuss his latest book, A Ruin Great and Free. We talk about his writing journey, trilogy challenges, and approaching social issues in his books. (This post went live for supporters on November 24, 20

[ISBW] NaNoWriMo Ghosts with Valerie Valdes Nov 6, 2025 32:31 "Anytime someone starts a sentence with, 'why don't you just,' immediately stop listening to them." ~Valerie Valdes (Lia Amador) While it hasn't been a long time for podcast listeners, it's been a while for us and considering her expertise, I've invited Valerie Valdes back for a candid discussion about the recent demise of NaNoWriMo and what it means for writers. We delve into the challenges of m

NaNoWriMo Rerun Day 0 (2023) Nov 5, 2025 11:21 I'm going over some daily episodes from the past this month! Get the whole 2025 NaNoReRun over at Patreon free for all followers! Do not listen to Evil Mur. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA, all other rights reserved by Mur Lafferty

[ISBW] Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes Oct 24, 2025 29:22 "You should be writing, because that's the only thing that ultimately you can have even a hope of controlling." ~Valerie Valdes Welcome back to the talented Valerie Valdes, also known as Lia Amador! We are here to launch her newest book, a fantasy rom-com titled Witch You Wood. We talk magical reality shows, romance, and tropes. We also get real about the struggles that persist even after being p

[ISBW] Embracing the Imposter: Battling Doubts in Writing and Life Oct 24, 2025 31:16 "If you're writing your stories down, you're more than a writer than a lot of people ever will have the courage to try to be." It's a solo episode! I get into the complexities of writing and self-doubt, the struggles of completing a manuscript, the challenges of balancing creativity with personal life, and the ever-present specter of The Imposter Cop. We try to accept the importance of focusing o

[ISBW] Nostalgia and Climate Fic with Tim Chawaga Oct 20, 2025 28:36 [Worldcon] was my first convention where I went to panels, gave a reading, and had a big party. It made my sweet little book feel like the huge thing it is in my heart and mind. -Tim Chawaga S21 Ep18 In this episode, we welcome Tim Chawaga, author of Salvagia, as we dive into the depths of his near-future science fiction mystery set in a flooded Florida. Tim shares the inspiration behind his book

[ISBW] Chinaza Bado and Moving From Romance to Epic Fantasy Oct 16, 2025 29:46 Even writing badly will get you to writing well eventually. - Chinaza Bado S21 Ep17 In this episode, we sit down with Chinaza Bado, author of Birth of a Dynasty, to discuss the challenges and strategies of getting a trilogy published. Chinaza shares advice for how to query the a book and how to pitch a trilogy to publishers. We also discussed agents and marketing yourself in a competitive landsca

[ISBW] The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey Sep 5, 2025 35:43 Content warning: since Spread Me is erotic horror, this episode has an explicit tag. I wrote it to have fun because I have written a lot of books that were not fun to write... -Sarah Gailey In this episode, we welcome Hugo winning author Sarah Gailey, author of Spread Me, as we explore the wild world of erotic horror. Sarah shares their journey of writing a novel that takes inspiration from John

[ISBW] Happy 20th ISBW! With James Patrick Kelly at Worldcon Sep 5, 2025 46:17 You have to celebrate your friends who are more successful than you. ~Jim Kelly In this special 20th anniversary episode of I Should Be Writing, recorded live at Worldcon 2025, I reunite with my mentor and long-time friend, James Patrick Kelly. We talk about the last two decades of writing, the evolution of our careers, and the ever-changing landscape of storytelling. We still face bullies like se

[ISBW] Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights Aug 29, 2025 26:56 I think I was a very... particular kind of undergraduate workshop student. -Dan Kois In this episode, I welcome my old classmate from UNC, Dan Kois, Slate editor and author of Hampton Heights. We dive into our journey from college classmates to published authors. Both pro writers, we each took a very different path. Dan shares the inspiration behind Hampton Heights, a thrilling adventure featuri

[ISBW] The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon Aug 26, 2025 26:52 'Reformed Pantser' is one of the most difficult things to be. -Seth Haddon In this episode, we welcome Seth Haddon, the talented Australian author behind Volatile Memory. We cover hybrid publishing, writing routines, and pursuing nuns. Volatile Memory explores themes of transhumanism and identity within a corporate-dominated future. Also haunted masks. And love. (This post went live for supporte

[ISBW] The Secret Bully: The Nap Aug 22, 2025 41:51 "Nothing's easy, man; being an adult sucks." -Mur Lafferty In this episode, we dive deep into Bully #5: The Nap. We discuss the sneaky ways the Nap can derail our writing plans. Rest is vital, but The Nap isn't rest. It's escape. We also discusses the importance of sleep hygiene and how to combat the allure of a cozy nap when creativity calls. We touch on the other bullies we've encountered alo

[ISBW] Tango with the Tenacles, DESPAIR Jun 18, 2025 22:59 "Despair is the overprotective parent going, 'oh, it's okay that you lost that game. We'll protect you by never letting you play again.'" -Mur Lafferty In this episode, we talk about Bully #4, Despair. Despair wants to hug you and join you when it's raining. It's nice to feel sorry for yourself for a moment, but you can't listen to it. Mur is candid about feeling overwhelmed and the challenges of

[ISBW] Writing Between the US and Peru with K.M. Huber Jun 9, 2025 44:19 "If you feel you have something to say, just put the time into saying it." -K.M. Huber In this episode, we welcome K.M. Huber, the author of Call of the Owl Woman, about her journey from writer to published author. K.M. talks about how her years in Peru, including extensive exploration and research into local mythology, affected her writing and her new book. Call of the Owl Woman is heavily influ

[ISBW] Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE May 26, 2025 52:11 "Get [your book] all the way to the end. You learn so much that way that you will not learn in any other way."- S.A. Barnes (This post went live for supporters on May 23, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!) In this episode, we talk about the creative process with guest author S.A. Barnes. We discuss her latest release, Cold Eternity, a space hor

[ISBW] Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE May 23, 2025 26:27 "We contain multitudes; you can be happy and jealous at the same time." -Mur Lafferty (This post went live for supporters on May 21, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) We're back! In this episode, we talk about the bullies that can sap our confidence and creativity again, today's bully is the Blade, a stern knife that can cut deep.

[ISBW] Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato) Apr 29, 2025 22:37 "The bully loves pantsers because it can insult your outline."-Mur Lafferty (This post went live for supporters on April 23, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) (Also, I had a microphone glitch near the end, which is why it ends abruptly. Apologies.) In this episode, we launch our series on the bullies that live in your head, rent f

[ISBW] From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron Mar 31, 2025 01:01:08 S21 Ep6: From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron "Stories are how I make sense of the world." -Natania Barron (This post went live for supporters on March 27, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) In this episode, I talk a little about the JoCo Cruise and how it reminded me of the importance of community and crea

[ISBW] How to use holidays in your fiction Mar 27, 2025 33:32 S21 Ep5: Crafting Tales Through Holiday Themes "Engaging with the holidays definitely feels like a way to develop world and character." -Mur Lafferty (This post went live for supporters on March 24, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) In this episode, I dive into the significance of holidays in storytelling and how they can shape c

[ISBW] Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed Mar 24, 2025 32:48 S21 Ep4: Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed "My characters would be wandering around the field with me going like, hey, I just found a rare orchid." -Premee Mohamed (This post went live for supporters on March 21, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) (recorded February) In this episode we welcome prolific, brill

[ISBW] Rachel Howzell Hall on Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy Mar 21, 2025 29:26 S21 Ep3: Rachel Howzell Hall on Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy "I will try this new thing and I will learn how to do it." -Rachel Howzell Hall (This post went live for supporters on March 18, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) (recorded February) In this episode of I Should Be Writing, we dive into the chaotic world of creativity

[ISBW] Mental Health and Creativity Feb 17, 2025 44:25 S21 Ep2: Mental Health and Creativity "Nothing is 100% original. It's what you do with it that counts." -Elaine M. Will (This post went live for supporters on February 13, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) Ever-looming existential dread, but we keep going. Then there's the challenge of navigating creativity amidst mental health s

[ISBW] Evil Mur Ushers in 2025 Jan 20, 2025 19:25 S21 Ep1: In Which Evil Mur Delivers a Message of Hope "It's time to just... quit." -Evil Mur (Do not listen to Evil Mur) Welcome to a new season of I Should Be Writing, where the notorious Evil Mur takes the reins to deliver a unique message of hope for the new year. TL;DR, it's time to quit. In this episode, we explore the idea of quitting writing and the liberation that can come with making

[ISBW] Ten Terrible Ideas Jan 8, 2025 34:49 [NOTE- even though I remember editing, this is still an all over the place episode. And apparently I said I wasn't going to swear and then did it anyway. Pretty accurate ending to 2024, actually.] "You need to come up with terrible ideas. And once you come up with terrible ideas, you will start developing good ideas." -Mur In this episode, I talk about my writing journey, the challenges of ADHD

[ISBW] Tigers [Explicit] Dec 2, 2024 37:07 S20 Ep34: In Which Mur Looks Into The Pit of Despair and Sees a Tiger [Explicit] "Don't talk yourself out of being creative, because that really is the biggest thing that stops us is ourselves." (This post went live for supporters on November 14, 2024. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) NOTE: It occurs to me that I have three explicit e

[ISBW] Returning to Agenting with Jennifer Udden [Explicit] Nov 25, 2024 37:47 S20 Ep33: In Which Mur and Jen Udden Discuss World Fantasy Con, Fan Fiction, and the Ever-Changing Publishing Landscape [Explicit] "I think we're about 10 minutes away from reinventing urban fantasy and paranormal romance." - Jennifer Udden (This post went live for supporters on November 12, 2024. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon or Substack!) (NOT

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