I Should Be Writing
443 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★ - 321 ratings"I should be writing" is what people say, but they rarely do it. This podcast is designed to help you get past those blocks, whether it's what your teacher told you when you were a kid, to being totally sure you'll never be as good as (FAV AUTHOR) so you might as well quit.
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Episodes
ISBW #388
December 21, 2017 22:53I pontificate about Patreon, transcribing the podcasts, and Star Wars (no spoilers). If you want to support on Patreon, by the way, you can do so here. Happy Holidays!
ISBW 387: Learning how to strike-out
November 21, 2017 18:47Why is it OK to suck? Specifically, why does stinky writing matter?
ISBW #386
October 30, 2017 17:43Almost November! Are you ready? Maybe this will help. http://www.NaNoWriMo.org http://www.grantfaulkner.com/
ISBW #385
October 12, 2017 15:46NaNoWriMo is in less than a month! AUGH! So we talk prep, and we talk to Nicky Drayden, author of The Prey of Gods (which was a NaNo book!)
ISBW #383: Point of View // Beth Cato Interview
September 14, 2017 15:21I discuss the power of point of view and how it makes us sympathize with characters, what the different words (protagonist, antagonist) means, and reference a bunch of books and movies. Then I talk to Beth Cato. AND GUESS WHAT? You can WIN Beth Cato's books! All you have to do is email me and I'll do a random drawing on the next ISBW, but I'd really appreciate it if you spread the word on social media too.
ISBW #382: Back to basics
August 31, 2017 16:47WHY should you follow all those writing rules? These are the "story structure" and "no adverbs" and "Give your characters something to do" rules. Can't we all just break the rules and run amok? It's the digital age, we can do what we want!
ISBW 381
August 14, 2017 13:00We talk awards and feedback and I wonder what happened at WorldCon. We will find out when I record again!
ISBW #380
July 30, 2017 22:23I'm coming out of depression land and straight into the crazy that is August that is travel and WorldCon. So here is the podcast for the week of July 24, and the podcast for the week of August 7 is already queued. (Only I say it's for August 14 because calendars are hard) Books mentioned: Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun
ISBW #379: Those Down Days
July 12, 2017 18:54The bad thing about being on a regular recording schedule again is I have to podcast even when I don't feel like it. So sometimes it's just about the mental health. This is a short, low energy podcast, but I'm really fine, trust me. Just had a bad start to the week with migraine and super low energy. I'm doing much better now, but figured I should post this because I try to be honest with the look inside a writer's life, and sometimes there are days like this. Mentioned: The War of Art.
ISBW #378: Preparations
June 27, 2017 22:26I've decided I need some simple lists to help me when I travel and record, and figure those kinds of lists might help with writing, too.
ISBW #377: Brain Weasels
June 22, 2017 13:00I know I know I know I always say these supportive things but sometimes it's hard to listen to myself. Recently I've been suffering from "first draft must be perfect" syndrome, and had to step back and actually look at myself and what I was doing. First drafts don't have to be perfect. Write it 100x on the board.
ISBW #376: Must you write daily? And interview with Robyn Bennis!
May 30, 2017 19:47Is Writing Daily a Necessity? A new article has writer Twitter in a froth. It turns out that someone wrote a clickbait article about how if you aren't writing daily, then you might as well quit. This is so, so, so wrong. Did I write daily for a while? Yes. Do I recommend the Magic Spreadsheet for others who want to write daily? Yes. Did it help me and others? Yes. But telling you that you MUST write daily because I did is like saying that since I ran a marathon, everyone must run a marat...
ISBW #375: Feedback
May 15, 2017 23:59Show Notes: ISBW (and Ditch Diggers) Wiki, a work in progress! Discussions of the magical negro: Further thoughts by Nnedi Okorafor: STEPHEN KING'S SUPER-DUPER MAGICAL NEGROES and Salon: The offensive movie cliche that won’t die Books I recommend: many books by Victoria Lynn Schmidt and Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress
ISBW #374: Writing conflict with two facets (at least)
May 01, 2017 12:15I credit one of the things that is making me consistent lately to taking ADHD meds for the first time. Yay, mental health! Been feeling invisible lately. Not too bad, but it's strange. I can't go into details, but dang, it's not a good feeling. I started a new book! Alasdair Stuart code named it SPACE MEAT DINER for me. I probably will not submit the book under this title. Current wordcount (including proposal parts) 7706. Main Topic: Conflicts! Characters work best with an intern...
ISBW #373: About all those rules
April 17, 2017 13:00Don't use adverbs. Show, don't tell. Often blanket terms, what do they really mean, and why should we use them? And what does it mean when someone carefully follows those rules. Recommended book: Nabokov's Favorite Word Was Mauve
ISBW #372: Metacast: State of the world, state of Mur
March 17, 2017 21:42I discuss where politics fall within the topic of this show, what I've been up to, some challenges, and some future stuff. Little bit of catching up. Also, it's the last night to nominate for the Hugos!
ISBW #371: Writing as a relationship // Bookburners Interview
February 14, 2017 14:00I usually use the boxing metaphor for writing, but I've been thinking it's more like a relationship. Plus Six Wakes and Bookburners both launched! Then I talk to my fellow Bookburners authors, Margaret Dunlap, Max Gladstone, and Brian Francis Slattery.
ISBW #370: Gamification // Jason Chabot and Kylie Chan Interviews
January 12, 2017 13:23I discuss how I try to get work done using Habitica and 4thewords.com. Then talk to Jason Chabot and Kylie Chan!
ISBW #369: Feedback // David D. Levine and Stephen Aryan Interviews
January 11, 2017 21:52Some long-awaited feedback gets answered!
ISBW #368: Post-depression writing
December 22, 2016 23:01Where I've been for the last two months, and two more interviews with Leanna Renee Hieber and Brooke Johnson! (And I hadn't recorded in a while, so the wrong mic is grabbing the audio and I didn't realize till afterwards.) And I've been podcasting 12 years! WOW!
ISBW #367: NaNoWriMo Special with Grant Faulkner
October 28, 2016 15:29I was lucky enough to talk to Grant Faulkner, the grand poobah of NaNoWriMo! Are you ready for November?
ISBW #365: Editing is hard, and JD Horn Interview
September 23, 2016 13:00I talked about my continuity issues in my current book, and then talk to JD Horn about his book Jilo. Oh, and did you hear there's going to be an ISBW BOOK? Yeah. There's going to be an ISBW BOOK. Holy crap sticks.
ISBW #364 - Feedback // Jon Skovron Interview // John Claude Bemis Interview
August 16, 2016 19:02It's another long show as I catch up with my late interviews! Jon Skovron and John Claude Bemis are both here to talk about their books. With two interviews, this one is a long one! Worldcon is this week! Are you going? Come say hi!
ISBW #363: Movie Options and TWO Interviews!
June 30, 2016 20:11I announced it a few days ago that Netflix purchased the option for The Shambling Guides, and I talk more about it here. Then I put two interviews in one show since I'm behind, so you get to hear from Mike Carey and Brenda Cooper!
ISBW #362: Glossary of writing terms and Helen Lowe Interview
May 20, 2016 21:09What do all those words I'm always saying mean? I go over several terms we discuss in publishing. I loved this idea, so if you have other ideas for terms you'd like discussed in more detail, let me know! Then I talk to Helen Lowe, author of Daughter of Blood.
ISBW 361- Feedback, Elizabeth Bonesteel Interview
May 09, 2016 15:39Covering feedback this time, including the importance of race in a story, ideas during depression, and more! Then we talk to Elizabeth Bonesteel, author of the excellent SF novel The Cold Between.
ISBW #360: Level up! Plus Dan Koboldt Interview
April 04, 2016 14:02I've leveled up as a writer, and I interview Dan Koboldt, author of The Rogue Retrieval.
ISBW #358: Periscope test and writing rules
February 17, 2016 16:41LORD GOD it's been two months? SHAME, MUR. SHAME.
ISBW #357 - Anniversary, with Raven Oak interview
December 09, 2015 22:17As of today, I've been podcasting 11 years. Whoa. I also talk to Raven Oak, one of the authors in the Joy to the Worlds anthology, out now!
ISBW #355: Crippling Fear
November 24, 2015 14:13Coming to terms with my fear, and how it’s holding me back. So it’s time to embrace failure.
ISBW #353: NaNoWriMo Primer 1
October 19, 2015 13:00As we look forward two weeks to NaNoWriMo, I have to talk about something very unpopular. This year I challenge you to kill your darlings.
ISBW #352: Book Burnout // Peter Orullian Interview
September 22, 2015 14:35I'm still working on my book. I'm kind of focused, podcasting is hard. BUT we have a Peter Orullian interview! murverse.com orullian.com
ISBW #351 - Believe in Yourself - Fran Wilde Interview
September 02, 2015 16:00What happens when no one believes in you but you? Then we talk to Fran Wilde about her new book Updraft!
ISBW #349 - Brain Games // Andrea Phillips Interview
July 14, 2015 21:57Today I talk how my brain sabotages my creative process and I talk to Andrea Phillips about transmedia and her new book, Revision.
ISBW #348 - Stop kicking your own ass // Jen Udden Interview
June 25, 2015 01:53ISBW returns with an agent interview this time, and my plea to stop kicking your own ass. And by you I mean me. Jen's podcast, Shipping and Handling.
ISBW #347: Meta, Feedback, John Chu Interview
June 04, 2015 18:27I'm back with a talk of what's going on, feedback, and a John Chu interview from Boskone! Obligatory Buy My Book! link: (affiliate)
ISBW #346 - Feedback
April 23, 2015 21:06A short and sweet feedback show about royalties, copyright, and social media celebration! Obligatory Buy My Book! link: (affiliate)