I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE

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“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. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

In this episode, we talk about the creative process with guest author S.A. Barnes. We discuss her latest release, Cold Eternity, a space horror novel, and her upcoming work, Death’s Daughter, set to release in May, 2026.

Stacey shares her journey of balancing writing with her teaching career and we discuss the trial of writing sequels and crafting compelling narratives. We explore the nuances of genre blending, the emotional stakes in horror, and the importance of getting to the end of a draft, no matter how messy it may be.

Join us as we also discuss Bully #3, the Sponge, who only wants your house to be clean and then it will let you write.

Transcript

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illustration of a sentient green sponge that looks kind of confused.Links

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—
“Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

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

May 20, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 9 | murverse.com
“Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE” 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] Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE

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“We contain multitudes; you can be happy and jealous at the same time.”
-Mur Lafferty

season 21 with the Blade(This post went live for supporters on May 21, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

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.

(I also announce my new cozy fantasy, it’s real now! I am of course stressing over storytelling complexities (again).)

Let’s talk about the Blade, and everything it stands for: mainly, jealousy, a feeling that can be sharp and painful. But fear not, we also discuss how to deal with these feelings and how to shut this bully up.

Transcript

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illustration of the Blade, a sharp birdlike personLinks

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—
“Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

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

May 20, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 8 | murverse.com
“Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE” 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] Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:37 — 20.7MB)

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“The bully loves pantsers because it can insult your outline.”
-Mur Lafferty

(This post went live for supporters on April 23, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

NOTE- 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 free. This week we talk about my original bully, Bart (a potato). He’s ugly and mean as a snake, but I do have some ways to deal with him.

We also touch on the recent Hugo nominations, my reading habits, and the exciting upcoming adaptation of Martha Wells’ Murderbot series!

Transcript

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Links

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—

“Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

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

April 10, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 7 | murverse.com
“Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)” 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.

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Navigating Agents, Rights, and Reality

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:00 — 43.9MB)

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“If you can tolerate the boring and lonely, then hopefully you’ll be rewarded on the other side.” – Ursula Vernon

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated In this episode of Ditch Diggers, Mur and Ursula navigate the chaotic world of freelancing, taxes, and the ups and downs of being a writer. They discuss the recent Hugo nominations (two for Ursula, one for Mur!), share insights into their creative processes, and delve into the challenges of working with agents.

Chapters:

(03:29) Congratulations to Hugo Finalists!
(04:06) Several people from the podcast have been nominated for various awards
(05:41) Ursula has been working on several projects
(21:25) NaNoWriMo reportedly folded due to poor financial decisions
(22:03) NaNoWriMo brought hope to authors for decades
(28:07) Other writer community options?
(30:39) There are many guides on how to get an agent and how to spot a scam
(36:02) Agents are all different people.
(48:54) How much creative control does the author have over their book
(51:25) Where your agent is plugged into the ecosystem of the genre is very important
(54:48) How do you know when it’s the right agent
(01:00:45) Brief side quest with Andrew the plant guy
(01:01:53) Ursula’s new book hit number five on the New York Times bestseller list

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(This post went live for supporters on April 21, 2025. Join the Fabulists or support my newsletter at Ghost if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Links: 

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Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
Apr 14, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 3 | murverse.com
“Navigating Agents, Rights, and Reality” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Weeping Bunkers and Writing Woes: Surviving the Creative Chaos

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:14 — 41.4MB)

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“Sometimes the best way to survive is to turn everything into hilarity.” – Ursula Vernon

Ditch Diggers Season 11 logo featuring ursula illustrated In this episode of DITCH DIGGERS, hosts Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon share their experiences navigating the chaotic world of writing and marketing. From discussing the emotional rollercoaster of meeting deadlines to the challenges of book marketing, they explore the ups and downs of being a writer in today’s landscape.

Highlights include:
(05:32) Ursula has too many author copies. She’s written nearly 50 books
(12:30) Let’s talk about marketing for SwordHeart
(24:09) A lot of your writing happened when you were doing chemo
(31:34) Mur wants to talk about newsletters. They constantly vex her.
(33:00) When Mur left mailchimp, she didn’t export her mailing list
(44:58) It’s called decision fatigue for a reason
(54:26) If you do get the desire to create during this time, do it

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

(This post went live for supporters on April 17, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)

Links: 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
Feb 13, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 2 | murverse.com
“Weeping Bunkers and Writing Woes: Surviving the Creative Chaos” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron

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New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.

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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 creativity. I forgot how good it felt to surrounding myself with fellow creatives.

Then I talk to Natania Barron, a prolific fantasy author and medieval scholar of the Queen of None series. We delve into Natania’s latest works, including her upcoming release in the Queens of Fate series. We also discuss the intersection of history and fantasy, the nuances of writing queer narratives, and the significance of food and fashion in storytelling.

Stories are how I make sense of the world, in text, with photo of natania barronTranscript

Links

Evergreen Links

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.
—

“From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,
and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
March 27, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 6 | murverse.com
“From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Crafting Tales Through Holiday Themes

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New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.

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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 character development and plot progression. With no guest this week, I talk about my own projects, creative work and admin work both.

I cover Christmas romances that evoke themes of rebirth to the complexities of Valentine’s Day, and discuss how different holidays can influence narratives.

Quote in front of xmas tree, "think of something happening that you don't actually believe could happen."Transcript

Links

Evergreen Links

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.
—

“Crafting Tales Through Holiday Themes” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,
and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
February 13, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 5 | murverse.com
“Crafting Tales Through Holiday Themes” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed

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New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.

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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, brilliant Premee Mohamed, a Nebula and Aurora award-winning author to talk about her new book, One Message Remains. We explore the process of creating clean first drafts, the chaos of deadlines, and the balance between creativity and productivity. And why the cat needs a job.

Premee shares the challenges of producing multiple works in a year and the strategies she employs to keep her creativity flowing. We cover outlining techniques and the importance of not being precious about the writing process.

Transcript

Links

Evergreen Links

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.
—

“Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,
and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
March 21, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 4 | murverse.com
“Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Rachel Howzell Hall on Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy

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New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.

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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 with acclaimed author Rachel Howzell Hall, thriller writer turned fantasy writer. She discusses her new romantasy book, The Last One.

We delve into the importance of urgency in storytelling, the balance of world-building, and the personal experiences that shape a writer’s voice.

Transcript

Links

Evergreen Links

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.
—

“Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,
and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
March 21, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 3 | murverse.com
“Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Mental Health and Creativity

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New 2025 logo, tiny Mur on pink/orange background with purple circle saying I should Be Writing.

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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 struggles. I also reflect on a fear of failure. I’m not proud. I’m human.

And then we welcome to the show Elaine M. Will, a writer and illustrator known for her graphic novels that tackle mental health themes. We discuss Elaine’s latest work, The Last Band on Earth, and the intricate relationship between storytelling and visual art.

Whether you’re a writer or an artist, we hope you’ll get something out of this episode, and you remember that a creative journey is filled with ups and downs, and it’s okay to take your time.

Transcript

Links

Evergreen Links

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.
—

“Mental Health and Creativity” is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon or Substack!

Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!

CREDITS
Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja,
and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
February 13, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 2 | murverse.com
“Mental Health and Creativity” by Mur Lafferty
is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0