Posts Tagged ‘isbw’

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

ISBW 22.13

Pride logo for Season 22

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:

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This post went live for supporters on June 19, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

 

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is June 25!

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Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
Jun 26, 2026 | ISBW 22.13 | murverse.com
“Dance Like Nobody’s Watching” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Isabel J. Kim talks SUBLIMATION

ISBW 22.12

Pride logo for Season 22

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”.

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This post went live for supporters on June 19, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Red an black Sublimation cover, two people walk away from each other with mirror effectRemember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is June 25!

Links:

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Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
Jun 19, 2026 | ISBW 22.12 | murverse.com
“Isabel J. Kim talks SUBLIMATION” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Ruinous Creatures and Magic Systems

ISBW 22.11

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustration

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 head around romance and spice when you’ve only written tame things before.

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is May 16.

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This post went live for supporters on May 11, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

 

Links:

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.

May 16, 2026 | ISBW 22.11 | murverse.com
“Ruinous Creatures and Magic Systems” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Are you sure you want to injure that character?

“If you injure somebody, that injury tells a story, and you have to decide whether that story fits the rest of your story.”


ISBW 22.10

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustration

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.

 

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This post went live for supporters on April 21, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is May 7.

Links

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.

April 28, 2025 | ISBW 22.10 | murverse.com
“Are you sure you want to injure that character?” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] What Do You Do when the Characters Don’t Behave?

“Every character is the star of their own story.”


ISBW 22.9

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustration

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!

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This post went live for supporters on April 17, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 24, when we will talk about A Year of Furious Creation.

Links

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.

April 21, 2025 | ISBW 22.9 | murverse.com
“When Characters Go Rogue?” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Can Rejectomancy Save Our Sanity?

“I think the thing people have the most problem with is,
‘This was very good, but it didn’t excite me.'”


ISBW 22.8

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustration

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 good.

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

This post went live for supporters on April 3, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 9*, when we will talk about A Year of Furious Creation.

*(Maybe. I may have jury duty that day. Stay tuned.)

Links

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.

April 6, 2025 | ISBW 22.8 | murverse.com
“Can Rejectomancy Save Our Sanity?” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key

“Acceptance is built on a pile of rejections.”
~ Justin C. Key


ISBW 22.7

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustration

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 setbacks.

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

This post went live for supporters on March 27, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is April 2, when we will talk about Characters with a Mind of Their Own.

 

Links

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
March 30, 2025 | ISBW 22.7 | murverse.com
“Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Mur is fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, women’s rights are human rights, and trans women are women (and trans men are men) despite which direction the political winds blow.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Family, I Should Be Writing, Personal, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Regret, Spite, and shiny new book haul

“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 join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is March 26, when we will talk about Rejectomancy.

Links

illustrated book cover -HELLS HEART- with a lot of pink tentacles
Looks wholesome, don’t it?

Evergreen Links

Rosa at her most adorable and lazy, lying on the floor but managing to wedge her face in the couch to beg for treats.
Rosa at her most adorable and lazy, lying on the floor but managing to wedge her face in the couch to beg for treats.


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at
no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.

March 23, 2025 | ISBW 22.6 | murverse.com
“Regret, Spite, and shiny new book haul” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

 

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Have I changed my opinion on writing contests?

“It might be too much, but it looks really fun.”


Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustrationISBW 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 versions of the same show is just too much for me right now. I will still do completely exclusive episodes that the feed will never see, but I will rarely do extended interviews, etc.

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

(This post went live for supporters on February 25, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

 

 

We touch on the Webbys and why I won’t enter them, and as for contests, NYC Midnight and Writing Battle intrigue me! The both have good rewards, good communities, and reasonable rules.

Then I chat with the livestream, which you can join on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! Next episode is March 5, where I interview Olivia Waite, author of Murder by Memory and Nobody’s Baby.

Links

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
February 27, 2025 | ISBW 22.4 | murverse.com
“Have I changed my opinion on writing contests?” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] 977 Episodes: What Have I Learned?

“If [I] start thinking about the details, [I] will either go down the wrong path
and not record or [I’ll] talk [my]self out of it.”


Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustrationISBW 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.

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

 

 

 

(This post went live for supporters on February 20, 2026. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

Notes

Evergreen Links


Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you.
You can also support by leaving a Spotify or Apple review!
CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn.
Get archives of the show via Patreon.
February 23, 2025 | ISBW 22.3 | murverse.com
“977 Episodes: What Have I Learned?” by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn’t clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.