21.03: Deconstructing Plots

21.03: Deconstructing Plots

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler January 18, 2026 Duration: 20:44
Plot isn’t a set of commandments—it’s a collection of patterns we’ve learned to recognize. This episode kicks off the season’s deep dive into deconstructing plots, asking what different story structures are really doing beneath the surface and why they work (or don’t). Our hosts unpack plot as a toolbox rather than a formula, exploring action plots vs. emotion plots, Western vs. non-Western structures, and how audience expectations shape everything from middles to endings. This conversation reframes plot as a way to pull readers through a story—not to box writers in. Homework: Pick a story you enjoy and gently reverse-engineer it. Go scene by scene and label each one simply as “good thing happened” or “bad thing happened.” Look for patterns you didn’t realize were there. ANNOUNCEMENTS: 2/15 Cruise Prices Increase The final WXR cruise* sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets now before prices increase on February 15th! Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Erin Roberts, DongWon Song, and Mary Robinette Kowal. 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 HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com 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: 500

Writing Excuses
Podcast Episodes
13.27: Characters as Foils [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:53
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Amal, and Maurice A foil is a character who serves as a contrast to another character. The foil might be a sidekick, an antagonist, a romantic interest, or really any other character who gets e…
13.26: Character Relationships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:24
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard Our characters become far more interesting when they begin interacting with each other. These interactions—these relationships—are often how our stories get told. In this episod…
13.25: Our Journey With Character [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:26
Your Hosts: Brandon, Valynne, Dan, and Howard Brandon wanted to ask us how our perspectives on character have changed since the very beginning of our writing. It's a difficult question to answer, and a very soulful sort…
13.23: Internal Conflicts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:46
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Amal, and Maurice Internal conflicts, simply put, are problems your characters have with themselves. In this episode we address the ways in which writers can build stories and subplots around i…
13.22: Character Arcs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:10
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard When Mary says we could do fifteen different episodes on character arcs, she's being conservative. Notwithstanding, we set out to talk meaningfully about character arcs in one e…
13.21: Q&A on Character Depth and Motivation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:08
Your Hosts: Brandon, Valynne, Dan, and Howard Our listeners submitted some great questions! * How do you fairly and even-handedly write a deeply compelling character you deeply dislike? * What's the best way to discuss a…
13.20: Fear and Writing, with Emma Newman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:42
Your Hosts: Dan, Mary, Aliette, and Howard, with special guest Emma Newman Emma Newman, author, audio book narrator, and podcaster, joined us on the Baltic sea for WXR 2017, where, six days after a brilliant presentation…
13.19: Backstories [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:33
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Amal, and Maurice Character backstories: these are the tales that describe how the characters in your story became who they are by the time they arrive in the book. How much backstory needs to…
13.18: Naturally Revealing Character Motivation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:02
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard What motivates us? What really motivates us? Why? (Note: our motivations are probably not in service of some overarching plot.) How can we use this information to believably mot…