21.06: Begin and the Beginning

21.06: Begin and the Beginning

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler February 8, 2026 Duration: 22:17
In this episode, our hosts dive into what makes a strong beginning and why it matters so much to readers. They talk about openings as an act of hospitality, exploring how tone, control, and carefully chosen details help readers feel grounded and cared for from the first page. Using the metaphor of hosting a party, they unpack common mistakes like starting too early, overwhelming readers with detail, or failing to make a clear promise. The discussion also reassures writers that beginnings often change in revision—and that’s not just normal, it’s necessary. Homework: Create an artificial slush pile of beginnings. Read them cold and note which ones make you lean in and why. ANNOUNCEMENTS: FEBRUARY 15th: 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
NaNoWriMo 2018 Mini-Episode 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:35
Your Mini-Episode Hosts: Amal El-Mohtar and Maurice Broaddus, with Special Asides from Mary Robinette Kowal We're a week in to NaNoWriMo. If you're scared of it, Amal is here to tell you that it's okay to feel that way,…
13.44: Alien Characters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:36
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary Robinette, Dan, and Howard As writers of speculative fiction we are frequently tasked with writing a species or race of alien people. In this episode we talk about some of the tricks we use to c…
NaNoWriMo 2018 Mini-Episode 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:18
Your Mini-Episode Hosts: Brandon, Mary Robinette, Dan, and Howard Back in 2017 we recorded a bonus episode for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and then forgot to air it. Here, then, in the spirit of never throwi…
13.43: Characters Who Are Smarter Than You Are [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:36
Your Hosts: Howard, Mary Robinette, Dan, and Amal Many of us write characters who know more than we know, and/or who think faster than we do. Writing those characters is tricky. In this episode we talk about our own tric…
13.41: Fixing Character Problems, Part II [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:38
Your Hosts: Brandon, Amal, Mary, and Maurice This is the second of our pair of episodes in which we talk about how we, your hosts, fix the problems we've identified with the characters in our work. Credits: This episode…
13.40: Fixing Character Problems, Part I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:07
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard This is the first of two episodes in which we'll talk about how we, your hosts, fix the problems we've identified with the characters in our work. Credits: this episode was reco…
13.39: What Writers Get Wrong, With Wendy Tolliver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
Your Hosts: Brandon, Mary, Dan, and Howard, with special guest Wendy Tolliver Wendy skis, and snowboards, and writes YA novels. She is also the parent of three, one of whom suffers from mental illness. She joined us to t…
13.38: How to Find and Use Alpha Readers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:19
Your Hosts: Brandon, Valynne, Dan, and Howard We begin by making a useful distinction between alpha and beta reader: the alpha reader is an industry professional, while the beta reader is a stand-in for the eventual audi…
13.37: What Writers Get Wrong, with J.Y. Yang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:07
Your Hosts: Dan, Mary, Aliette, and Howard with special guest J.Y. Yang J.Y. Yang is a Hugo-nominated short story writer from Singapore who identifies as non-binary. They joined us to talk about this non-binary identific…