21.19: Getting Everything Connected

21.19: Getting Everything Connected

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler May 10, 2026 Duration: 24:21
Today, our hosts discuss how to make every part of your story feel connected through causal chains, thematic resonance, and reader pattern recognition. We take the idea that each action in a story should lead naturally to the next and pair it with how readers instinctively search for meaning and connection (even in randomness). Along the way, our hosts discuss concepts like Edgar Allan Poe’s “unity of effect,” the Kuleshov effect, emergent narrative in games, and the role of thematic consistency in stories that may appear plotless on the surface. They also share techniques for creating narrative momentum, planting meaningful details, and leaving space for readers to actively participate in building the story’s meaning. Homework: Take a story you’re working on and write each scene on an index card. Shuffle the cards, pick two at random, and write a new scene that could connect them through either a causal chain or a shared thematic effect. Final WXR Cruise! Our final WXR cruise sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets here! Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. 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: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES * 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
20.41: DongWon Song’s Personal Writing Process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:24
We’re continuing our episodes focusing on our hosts’ personal writing practices. Like Mary Robinette’s. DongWon’s involves a bit of… chaos. DongWon’s day job as a literary agent is demanding and unpredictable, so they of…
20.40: Mary Robinette Kowal’s Personal Writing Process [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:22
A lot of people ask published authors what their writing process is like, as if it is a key to being able to write. The only important process is the one that works for you. So, we’re going to let each of our hosts spend…
20.39: Wrapping up our Conversation about Lenses [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:11
Today our hosts tell you why you don’t need to listen to all of our episodes—or even most of them. Each of our five hosts weighs in on how you can combine the topics, subtopics, and lenses that each episode features in o…
20.38: An Interview with Charlie Jane Anders [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:03
We had the absolute joy of sitting down with Charlie Jane Anders, the author of the book we’ve focused on for our last four episodes (All the Birds in the Sky). We talked with Anders about POV, tone, and how she played a…
20.33: Raising Children as a Metaphor for Writing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:39
Throughout this season, we have been doing a series of episodes that feature different metaphors for writing. Today, we’re talking about raising children and what it can teach us about our own writing practice. It’s comm…
20.32: Revision and Character Consciousness Téa Obreht [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:19
Téa Obreht is a short story writer and novelist. Her debut novel, The Tiger’s Wife, won the 2011 Orange Prize for Fiction, and was a 2011 National Book Award finalist and an international bestseller. In our conversation,…