One of my goals is to make the tools I’m using a regular topic of these blog posts. So, to kick that off, I’m going to talk about the tool which has inspired this leap in the first place: Writing Excuses.
Writing Excuses is a podcast hosted by Brandon Sanderson, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Howard Taylor, all of whom are writers (and Howard is also an illustrator). The podcast is rife with helpful writing tips, which I’ll get to in a moment, but I’ll start with how I found it.
Despite my current writing bent (science fiction), I do love a good fantasy book. My friend and brother-in-law (friend came first, it’s kind of nutsy) Rob suggested Brandon Sanderson, so my wife and I listened to Warbreaker and Elantris. I fell head-over-heels immediately. Thus far, I’ve read every published Cosmere story.
So, when Rob told me that Sanderson posted his writing lectures on YouTube, I consumed some of those, too. Then, he pointed me at the podcast, and I’ve been an avid listener since.
There are several reasons that Writing Excuses is so awesome. First, the hosts represent a spectrum of professional and successful writing approaches. Sanderson is, of course, a huge name in fantasy has experience with the big publishing houses. Kowal is also well published, but she has a career as a short story writer, which is very different in perspective from that of a career novelist (though her novels are also very good). Wells has great insights into young adult fiction and series publication. Taylor is largely self-published and runs a web comic. This variety gives the podcast a well-rounded and approachable feel.
Second, it’s not just about writing. This is not a podcast where they will discuss the finer points of the Oxford comma. Instead, they generally discuss structure. This means they talk about plot progression, pacing, character development, etc. Further, they spend a good deal of time talking about the ins and outs of the publishing world (which seems daunting, most of the time).
Third, it’s encouraging. I’ve listened to a couple seasons and not once did the hosts say that one should never aspire to be a published author. They’re realistic about it (it’s tough, it can be hard between sells, deadlines, etc.), but they’re never discouraging. All four of the hosts had different experiences breaking into the career, and they use that diversity to convey the idea that publication is an achievable goal. Anyone can do it, with the proper dedication and determination. That’s a very inspiring message.
Thus far, my favorite season has been 10 (though 11 is shaping up to be pretty interesting), which was intended to be a sort of “masters’ course” on writing, Season 10 starts with coming up with ideas for a story, and then spends the whole year working with that story in order to get it finished and ready for publication. If anyone is looking for a place to start with Writing Excuses, I always recommend the first episode of season 10.
Writing Excuses is an exquisite podcast, and I recommend it to anyone trying to get into writing.