Posts Tagged ‘Writing Advice’

Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Ursula’s Brutal Re-education Services (Or, WTF AO3?)

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DD 12.9

AO3 is in trouble, it seems. So we talk about fanfic, legalities (we are not lawyers), and more! Then we get on the topic of NaNoWriMo replacements and their pros and cons. Happy November!

(Next live show is Nov 16, 3pm EST!)

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This post went live for supporters on November 5! If you want early, ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

So Many 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).

November 10, 2025 | Season 12 Ep 9 | murverse.com
“Ursula’s Brutal Re-education Services” 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] The Black Dog Needs a Nail Trim

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ISBW 22.25

The black dog of depression has been visiting a lot lately, and this episode is to address it and list out the things I do to fight back. Not a lot of writing talk, but discussing the reasons why we may NOT be writing is important too.

Couple of important notes:

  • I am not a mental health professional. If you need help, please seek professional guidance.
  • Please don’t worry about me. I’m honest about my vulnerabilities on this show but I’m really okay. If I were in bad shape, you wouldn’t hear from me. Also I’m improved from last week, when this was recorded.
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This post went live for supporters on November 2, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us most Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! The next live episode is November 12!

Did you hear we have merch? Yes, we do, with the new logo and everything!

white man wearing an off white shirt with ISBW logo
Even headless people like the merch.

 

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.
November 5, 2026 | ISBW 22.25 | murverse.com
“Black Dog Needs a Nail Trim” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
Ditch Diggers, Podcasts, Projects

[DD] Parasocial Nipple Gryphons

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DD 12.8

Ursula has returned from New York ComicCon, and together she and Mur take on parasocial nipple gryphons, book tours, the launch of Astarion, and how parasocial relationships can be handled well or clumsily.

Then we cover ARCs and their purpose. ARCs stand for “Advanced Reader’s Copy” by the way.

We also discuss some of the less memorable parts of The Neverending Story. Hence the episode name.

We wish for you to have an appropriate encounter with your heroes/fans.

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Blue logo to join the Fabulists via Patreon

 

This post went live for supporters on October 30! 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).
November 3, 2025 | Season 12 Ep 8 | murverse.com
“Parasocial Nipple Gryphons” 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] Return of Outline Hell

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ISBW 22.24

I take a determined look at outlining again, going through some tried and true methods, mainly the Snowflake Method and a brief look at the StoryGrid site…which has changed a bit since the last time I was there.

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This post went live for supporters on October 28, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us most Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch! HOWEVER the next live episode is Wednesday, Nov. 4 when we interview Lucy Foley!

Did you hear we have merch? Yes, we do, with the new logo and everything!

white man wearing an off white shirt with ISBW logo
Even headless people like the merch.

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.
October 30, 2026 | ISBW 22.24 | murverse.com
“Return to Outline Hell” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Jenny Will Eat Us Now

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:00:58 — 41.4MB)

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ISBW 22.23

I got to interview the delightful Gillian Daniels, whose debut novel Jenny Will Eat You Now is available now! It’s a rom-com horror novel, so of course we had to talk about genre mixing, how to write romance, and her agent hunt story.

Titles discussed in this episode: Heated Rivalry, Something Extraordinary, Manhunt, Wide Sargasso Sea, Frankenstein, Roadside Picnic, Sweet Berries.

Find Gillian online: website, Instagram, Bluesky.

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

This post went live for supporters on October 16, 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 October 22 when we interview Lucy Foley!

Did you hear we have merch? Yes, we do, with the new logo and everything!

white man wearing an off white shirt with ISBW logo
Even headless people like the merch.
Cover for Jenny Will Eat You Now with a webbed hand scratching down a tiled wall with moss and rust stained. It also says “A Meat Cute” but it’s not my fault.
I will allow this pun.

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.
October 19, 2026 | ISBW 22.23 | murverse.com
“Jenny Will Eat Us Now” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Lonesome October Club

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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 new logo and everything!

photo of plus sized model wearing blue shirt with the ISBW logo on it.
LOOK AT THAT NEW LOGO

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Join my Patreon for free today!

This post went live for supporters on October 13, 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 October 15!

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.
October 15, 2026 | ISBW 22.22 | murverse.com
“The Lonesome October Club” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Deconstructing Imposter Syndrome

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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)

 

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Join my Patreon for free today!

This post went live for supporters on September 30, 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 October 8!

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.

September 30, 2026 | ISBW 22.21 | murverse.com
“Deconstructing Imposter Syndrome” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] Isaac Green says Start Before You’re Ready

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ISBW 22.20

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

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!

 

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

Join my Patreon for free today!

This post went live for supporters on September 18, 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 September 17!

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.

September 21, 2026 | ISBW 22.20 | murverse.com
“Isaac Green says Start Before You’re Ready” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

I Should Be Writing, Podcasts, Projects

[ISBW] The Magic Bullet Myth

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ISBW 22.19

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

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 interview with Isaac Green, then we’re back on track with recording!

Join my Patreon for free today!This post went live for supporters on September 14, 2026. If you want early and ad-free episodes, support at Patreon!

Remember you can join us on Thursdays, 3pm Eastern on Twitch!

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.

September 17, 2026 | ISBW 22.19 | murverse.com
“The Magic Bullet Myth” 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.
ABSOLUTELY NO AI scraping/learning of my content is permitted.
If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.

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.

Subscribe/Follow here! (All apps)

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.

The Murverse Mothership

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