21.23: Barrier Breaking: Interruptions

21.23: Barrier Breaking: Interruptions

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler June 7, 2026 Duration: 29:38
In this episode, our hosts explore one of the most persistent barriers to writing: interruptions. From family members and pets to emails, meetings, fatigue, and neurodivergence, they discuss how disruptions can derail creative focus—and how writers can build systems to work with them instead of against them. The conversation touches on hyperfocus, ADHD, task-switching, and the emotional cost of being pulled out of the zone. Practical strategies include leaving “breadcrumbs” to re-enter a project, using phone settings and routines to protect writing time, and adjusting expectations around productivity. Rather than trying to eliminate interruptions entirely, the episode encourages writers to understand their habits and create sustainable ways to return to the work. Homework Practice handling interruptions in a low-stakes environment by setting a series of alarms for 5, 7, 9, and 15 minutes while you write. Each time an alarm goes off, leave yourself a quick “breadcrumb” note about what you were working on, take a short break, and then return to writing when the next timer starts. The goal is to get better at re-entering your work after interruptions so everyday disruptions feel less frustrating. Final WXR Cruise! Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here! Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, 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 MasterClass and use my code masterclass.com/EXCUSES for a great deal: https://MasterClass.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com 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: 50

Writing Excuses
Podcast Episodes
21.29: How to Make a Scene [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:58
What makes a scene feel like a scene? This week, we unpack one of storytelling's most basic building blocks. Our hosts explore where scenes begin and end, how they differ from beats, and why framing and narrative purpose…
21.28: Narrative Transitions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:48
How do you move readers from one scene to the next without losing momentum? Our hosts dig into different types of transitions—from scene breaks and interruptions to brief “through scenes” that bridge time and space. Alon…
21.27: The Expository Throttle [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:54
How can exposition be used as a pacing tool, and not just a way to convey information? We attempt to answer this question on today’s episode! Our hosts discuss how exposition naturally slows a story down, creating space…
21.26: Setting the Pace [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:22
Our hosts explore the many tools writers can use to control pacing. We discuss how cadence, transitions, tone, sentence structure, and white space can all speed up or slow down a reader’s experience. And remember, fast i…
21.25: Follow the Bouncing Ball [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:49
In this episode, our hosts explore how writers control their readers’ attention with the metaphor of a bouncing ball. We break down techniques for guiding focus on the page, including POV choice, selective description, r…
21.24: Deconstructing the Seven Point Plot Structure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:07
Dan Wells joins our conversation as we break down the seven-point plot structure! Using examples from Star Wars, Toy Story, and other films, we discuss how each point creates conflict, drives character growth, and moves…
21.22: The Order of the Telling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
*Time-Sensitive* Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here! This week, we are talking about the order in which we present information to the reader as contrasted with the order, i…
21.21: Rhythm and Words [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:34
*Time-Sensitive* Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here! Today, we’re continuing the conversation on sequencing by focusing on rhythm—how the musicality of language shapes paci…
21.20: Sequencing from Mega to Micro [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:51
Today, we explore why writers place information in the order they do. From broad-to-narrow framing and cause-and-effect to repetition, rhythm, and surprise, we discuss how sequencing shapes the pacing, emotion, and clari…
21.19: Getting Everything Connected [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 t…