Posts Tagged ‘Writing Advice’

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] AMA, Silly Notebook Problems

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ISBW 22.17

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

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 are all seeing the fallout. See Chuck Wendig’s take on it, and HWA’s response is in the comments.

The lesson of this episode is the classic, if no one buys your thing, it is probably because THEY DO NOT WANT THE THING, not because they want to spite you. Authors have many reasons to hate AI that have nothing to do with “gatekeeping.”

Other links of stuff I said: Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter Covers, Grant Baciocco’s Creativity Journal video, Hobonichi Planners.

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This post went live for supporters on August 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 August 20!

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.

Aug 19, 2026 | ISBW 22.17 | murverse.com
“AMA, Silly Notebook Problems” 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.

And “AI” or large language models are wretched and we hate them so very much. 

If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] On Lovecraft and Boobs (Also lit agent ethics discussion)

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DD 12.6

No, it’s not dirty.

Ursula is back from adventures in Spain (and adventures with a translator.) We talk about third book difficulties, travel, regal vs unregal elves, and, most importantly, the newest ethics rules the Association of American Literary Agents (AALA) have adopted. 

 

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This post went live for supporters on August 7! If you want early, ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

 

Evergreen Links:

Support Local Book Stores!

Ditch Diggers credits:
theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja,
site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon).
August 12, 2025 | Season 12 Ep 6 | murverse.com
“Lovecraft and Boobs” by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon
is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Mur and Ursula are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow.
And “AI” or large language models is wretched and we hate it so very much. 
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Some links are affiliate.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Are you confident? What does “confident” actually mean?

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ISBW 22.16

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

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!):

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This post went live for supporters on August 7, 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 August 13 with Ann Archer!

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.
Aug 7, 2026 | ISBW 22.16 | murverse.com
“Are you confident? What does “confident” actually mean?” 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.
And “AI” or large language models are wretched and we hate it so very much. 
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Scams scams scams!

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ISBW 22.14

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

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 person who actually creates a work is the legally-recognized author of that work.

Meaning when Marvel* hires you to write Superman, Marvel owns the rights to everything and you get a check.

The biggest thing we discuss is how to best battle these monsters.

The following help, too: 

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This post went live for supporters on July 22, 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 July 30!

Shot of cartoon where Wile E Coyote presents his SUPER GENIUS card.Evergreen Links

*Yes of course I know that DC owns and publishes Superman. But I bet someone out there is trying to scam people by inviting them to write Superman from a fake Marvel address. See, guys, I’m telling you, these scammers are WILEY.

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.
July 24, 2026 | ISBW 22.14 | murverse.com
“Scams scams scams!” 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] Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

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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!

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

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“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] Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key

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“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

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“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.

 

Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Revisiting Space Murder with Olivia Waite

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“Take your time, there’s no rush. The audience will be here whenever your story is ready.”

Blue logo for I Should Be Writing with Season 22 and delighted Mur illustrationISBW 22.5

[ACK, I forgot to warn people that at the end, we had a glitch in the recording so we move abruptly from Olivia talking mid-sentence to me ending the show. Sorry about that!]

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.

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(This post went live for supporters on March 12, 2026. If you want early and ad-free, episodes, support at Patreon!)

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! Next episode is March 19, when I interview Justin C. Key, author of The Hospital at the End of the World.

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 16, 2025 | ISBW 22.5 | murverse.com
“Revisiting Space Murder with Olivia Waite” 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?

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“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.

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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.

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