20.31: Framing the Lens

20.31: Framing the Lens

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler August 3, 2025 Duration: 26:04
This year, we’ve been looking at writing through various different lenses. In two weeks, on August 24th, we’ll begin a 5-part deep dive into these lenses through a specific book: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. There will be many spoilers in these episodes, so please read the book if you haven’t already! Now, we’re talking about choosing what your lens is focused on. How do you choose what’s in your story—and what’s not? In this episode, we talk about how to make this choice, and how this informs all the other choices you’ll make. After we talk about how to decide where to draw the box around your story, we dive into the exterior framing of your story (AKA stories may exist in their own world, but they still have to be read in ours). Homework: Take a story you’re working on and think about what happens if you shift the frame just a little. The easiest way to do this is to ask yourself, is there a scene I could take out that would change the way that the lens or the story is focused? What new scene would you add in to re-balance your story? Then, go and write that scene. And have fun with it! P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In Mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here. Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson. Join Our Writing Community! Writing Retreats Newsletter Patreon Instagram Threads Bluesky TikTok YouTube Facebook Our Sponsors: * Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/excuses * Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wx * Check out Talkiatry: https://talkiatry.com/wx * If you’re struggling with OCD or unrelenting intrusive thoughts, NOCD can help. Book a free 15 minute call to get started: https://learn.nocd.com/wx Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s a common piece of advice: if you want to be a writer, you should write. But what happens when you’re staring at the blank page, or when the business side of publishing feels like a maze? That’s where Writing Excuses comes in. Each week, hosts Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler gather not just to talk about writing, but to dissect it. They move quickly, respecting your time while packing episodes with actionable discussions on technique, from character voice to plot structure. But this podcast understands that a writing life isn’t just about craft-it’s also a career. So conversations naturally pivot to the practicalities of the business, navigating careers, and sustaining creativity in a demanding field. You’ll hear five distinct professional perspectives blending into a single, focused conversation designed to get you past excuses and back to your work. It’s like a regular, invigorating workshop session delivered directly to you, meant to equip you with tools for both your manuscript and your professional path.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Writing Excuses
Podcast Episodes
19.31: A Close Reading on Character: Tying it All Together [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:04
Today, we’re taking a higher view on the techniques we’ve been talking about over the last four episodes and focusing on how you can use our takeaways in your own writing. We’ll go over our final thoughts on C.L. Clark’s…
19.30: A Close Reading on Character: Agency vs. Choices [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:03
We have a theory that we want to work through on today’s episode: agency is the ability to take action, whereas choices are more about the interior life of the character. We use Mary Robinette’s talking cat, try-fail cyc…
19.29: A Close Reading on Character: Barriers vs. Stakes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:55
Our episode today focuses on C.L. Clark’s short story “You Perfect Broken Thing” for how the character's stakes shape the barriers facing her. We use this story to examine how to tell the difference between barriers vers…
19.28: A Close Reading on Character: Internal vs External Identity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:24
Today, we’re focusing on C.L. Clark’s “The Cook,” as we explore external and internal expression. We chose this story because it's a remarkably physical and touchable story with myriad sensory details. While the audience…
19.26: Bringing Falconry into Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
Today we are joined by the incredible falconer Krista Hong Edwards. Krista was kind enough to take our hosts out with her falcons, and we had the most amazing time! Krista sat down with us to talk about falcons, literatu…
19.25: From the Classroom to the Page [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:50
Learning is great, but how do you translate it into doing without getting overwhelmed? What is the difference between learning in the classroom and executing when you're on your own?Marshall, our incredible recording eng…
19.24: An Interview on Worldbuilding with Arkady Martine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:43
We've spent the last month talking about "A Memory Called Empire, and now, we are so excited to welcome the author, Arkady Martine, to the show! On today's episode, we talk with Arkady about the origins of her novel, and…
19.23: Tying It All Together (A Close Reading on Worldbuilding) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:29
Today, the gang talks about their final thoughts on Martine’s “A Memory Called Empire.” We conclude with some lessons we’ve learned through analyzing her work, and we share our favorite bits! Thing of the Week: Pasión de…

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