I Should Be Writing
Episodes
[ISBW] Are you sure you want to injure that character?
28 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"If you injure somebody, that injury tells a story, and you have to decide whether that story fits the rest of your story." 22.10 In this episode, I...
[ISBW] When Characters Go Rogue
21 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Every character is the star of their own story." ISBW 22.9 In this episode we talk about how different writers view characterization, from the ones ...
[ISBW] Can Rejectomancy Save Our Sanity?
06 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"I think the thing people have the most problem with is, 'This was very good, but it didn't excite me.'" ISBW 22.8 Mur is back solo, talking about R...
[ISBW] Medicine and AI with Dr. Justin C. Key
30 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Acceptance is built on a pile of rejections." ~ Justin C. Key ISBW 22.7 Dr. Justin C. Key joins us to discuss his debut novel, The Hospital at the ...
[ISBW] Regret, Spite, and shiny new book haul
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Weird is hot right now." ISBW 22.6 CW- pet death. It's been a rough week, so I'm talking regret and spite. Can they help and fuel us? Or is it just...
[ISBW] Revisiting Space Murder with Olivia Waite
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Take your time, there's no rush. The audience will be here whenever your story is ready." ISBW 22.5 In this episode we welcome author Olivia Waite ...
[ISBW] Have I changed my opinion of writing contests?
27 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"It might be too much, but it looks really fun." ISBW 22.4 I've had a strong opinion about writing contests for years, but things have apparently ev...
[ISBW] 977 Episodes Archived: What Secrets Did I Find?
23 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"If [I] start thinking about the details, [I] will either go down the wrong pathand not record or [I'll] talk [my]self out of it." ISBW 22.3 I finall...
[ISBW] The Art of Juggling Writers (as an assistant)
18 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"Not every opportunity is equal, and you don't have to chase everything." ~Tim Minneci ISBW 22.2 What do you need to have when you're wrangling sever...
[ISBW] Careful What You Pack
16 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
"All I can do is what I can do right now." ISBW 22.1 First episode of the year, and we talk about the things we may not want to take along with us in...
[ISBW] Research or Procrastination?
26 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"You tell them enough information to show that you know 10% of what you're talking about, and your reader will assume you know the other 90%." In this...
[ISBW] Gifting Books to the Reader in Your Life
19 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"It's a definitely a giftable type thing for the Tolkien lover in your life." In this somewhat festive episode we talk about all the books we weren't ...
[ISBW] The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull
26 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"You want to preserve your experience of the work. You want to preserve the doing of the art." ~Cadwell Turnbull Amazing author Cadwell Turnbull join...
[ISBW] NaNoWriMo Ghosts with Valerie Valdes
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Anytime someone starts a sentence with, 'why don't you just,' immediately stop listening to them." ~Valerie Valdes (Lia Amador) While it hasn't been...
NaNoWriMo Rerun Day 0 (2023)
05 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I'm going over some daily episodes from the past this month! Get the whole 2025 NaNoReRun over at Patreon free for all followers! Do not list...
[ISBW] Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"You should be writing, because that's the only thing that ultimately you can have even a hope of controlling." ~Valerie Valdes Welcome back to the t...
[ISBW] Embracing the Imposter: Battling Doubts in Writing and Life
24 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"If you're writing your stories down, you're more than a writer than a lot of people ever will have the courage to try to be." It's a solo episode! I...
[ISBW] Nostalgia and Climate Fic with Tim Chawaga
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
[Worldcon] was my first convention where I went to panels, gave a reading, and had a big party. It made my sweet little book feel like the huge thing ...
[ISBW] Chinaza Bado and Moving From Romance to Epic Fantasy
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Even writing badly will get you to writing well eventually. - Chinaza Bado S21 Ep17 In this episode, we sit down with Chinaza Bado, author of Birth o...
[ISBW] The Sweet Spot of Horror and Desire with Sarah Gailey
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Content warning: since Spread Me is erotic horror, this episode has an explicit tag. I wrote it to have fun because I have written a lot of books tha...
[ISBW] Happy 20th ISBW! With James Patrick Kelly at Worldcon
05 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You have to celebrate your friends who are more successful than you. ~Jim Kelly In this special 20th anniversary episode of I Should Be Writing, recor...
[ISBW] Chasing Monsters: A Journey Through Hampton Heights
29 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I think I was a very... particular kind of undergraduate workshop student. -Dan Kois In this episode, I welcome my old classmate from UNC, Dan Kois,...
[ISBW] The Haunted Mask: Exploring Volatile Memory with Seth Haddon
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
'Reformed Pantser' is one of the most difficult things to be. -Seth Haddon In this episode, we welcome Seth Haddon, the talented Australian author be...
[ISBW] The Secret Bully: The Nap
22 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Nothing's easy, man; being an adult sucks." -Mur Lafferty In this episode, we dive deep into Bully #5: The Nap. We discuss the sneaky ways the Nap ...
[ISBW] Tango with the Tenacles, DESPAIR
18 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Despair is the overprotective parent going, 'oh, it's okay that you lost that game. We'll protect you by never letting you play again.'" -Mur Laffert...
[ISBW] Writing Between the US and Peru with K.M. Huber
09 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"If you feel you have something to say, just put the time into saying it." -K.M. Huber In this episode, we welcome K.M. Huber, the author of Call of...
[ISBW] Dancing Through Genres with S.A. Barnes and Bully 3, The SPONGE
26 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"Get [your book] all the way to the end. You learn so much that way that you will not learn in any other way."- S.A. Barnes (This post went live for ...
[ISBW] Jealousy and Bully #2: The BLADE
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"We contain multitudes; you can be happy and jealous at the same time." -Mur Lafferty (This post went live for supporters on May 21, 2025. If you wa...
[ISBW] Conquering Creative Bully #1: BART (a potato)
29 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"The bully loves pantsers because it can insult your outline."-Mur Lafferty (This post went live for supporters on April 23, 2025. If you want earl...
[ISBW] From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron
31 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep6: From Medieval Fashion to Modern Writing with Natania Barron "Stories are how I make sense of the world." -Natania Barron (This post went l...
[ISBW] How to use holidays in your fiction
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep5: Crafting Tales Through Holiday Themes "Engaging with the holidays definitely feels like a way to develop world and character." -Mur Lafferty...
[ISBW] Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed
24 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep4: Taking a Machete to Creative Blocks with Premee Mohamed "My characters would be wandering around the field with me going like, hey, I just f...
[ISBW] Rachel Howzell Hall on Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy
21 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep3: Rachel Howzell Hall on Balancing Thrillers and Fantasy "I will try this new thing and I will learn how to do it." -Rachel Howzell Hall (Thi...
[ISBW] Mental Health and Creativity
17 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep2: Mental Health and Creativity "Nothing is 100% original. It's what you do with it that counts." -Elaine M. Will (This post went live for sup...
[ISBW] Evil Mur Ushers in 2025
20 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
S21 Ep1: In Which Evil Mur Delivers a Message of Hope "It's time to just... quit." -Evil Mur (Do not listen to Evil Mur) Welcome to a new season ...
[ISBW] Ten Terrible Ideas
08 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
[NOTE- even though I remember editing, this is still an all over the place episode. And apparently I said I wasn't going to swear and then did it anyw...
[ISBW] Tigers [Explicit]
02 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep34: In Which Mur Looks Into The Pit of Despair and Sees a Tiger [Explicit] "Don't talk yourself out of being creative, because that really is t...
[ISBW] Returning to Agenting with Jennifer Udden [Explicit]
25 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep33: In Which Mur and Jen Udden Discuss World Fantasy Con, Fan Fiction, and the Ever-Changing Publishing Landscape [Explicit] "I think we're abo...
[ISBW] NowNoWhatMo…with Valerie Valdes [Explicit]
18 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S.20 Ep.32: In Which Mur and Valerie Discuss NaNoWriMo Alternatives, Writing Tools, and Community Building [Explicit] "The spirit of NaNoWriMo was ...
[ISBW] From Fanfiction to Fantasy: Gwen Garfinkel's Writing
15 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S.20 Ep.31: In Which Mur and Gwynne Garfinkle Discuss Short Stories, Anthologies, and the Joy of Fanfiction "I write about what I know, and what I kn...
[ISBW] Unveiling the Magic of Cozy Fantasy with Stacy Sivinski
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep30: In Which Mur and Stacy Sivinski Discuss Cozy Fantasy, Sensory Writing, and Sisterhood "The senses are actually connected, and the way we de...
[ISBW] Accountability and Adventures in Writing with Cat Rambo
28 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep29: In Which Mur and Cat Rambo Discuss Writing, Accountability, and Intelligent Spaceships "I think that right now there are so many very inter...
[ISBW] Unveiling Haunt Sweet Home with Sarah Pinsker!
21 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep28: In Which Mur and Sarah Pinsker Discuss Reality Shows, Workshops, and Writing Patience "I love the bingo card measure of success rather than ...
[ISBW] Writing Family Stories and Magical Realism with Anamely Salgado Reyes
14 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep27: In Which Mur and Anamely Salgado Reyes Discuss Magical Realism and Writing Journeys "I write about what I know, and what I know is family."...
[ISBW] Navigating WorldCon and Writing Challenges with SB Divya
07 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep26: In Which Mur and S.B. Divya Discuss Worldcon, Accessibility, and Future Worlds NOTE- I will be doing a giveaway for signed copies of Meru a...
[ISBW] Exploring Shared Worlds and Translation Challenges with Wole Talabi and Sung-Il Kim
02 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep25: In Which Mur Interviews Wole Talabi and Sung-Il Kim at Worldcon "Leave with more connections than you came with." - Wole Talabi In this spe...
[ISBW] Celebrating ISBW's 19th Bday Live at WorldCon with Writer and Gamer, Tanya Depass!
26 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
[Please note that this podcast is explicit with a few swear words and CW- parental death discussed.] S20 Ep24: In Which Mur and Tanya DePass Discuss F...
[ISBW] Exploring the Post-Apocalyptic World with Waubgeshig Rice
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep23: In Which Mur and Waubgeshig Rice explore post-apocalyptic worlds. It's like, ultimately, words are expendable. You just pick different ones...
[ISBW] 20 Years of Writing and the Apocalypse with MJ Wassmer
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep22: In Which Mur Chats with MJ Wassmer and Discusses Debut Novels and the Writing Journey "You can't think yourself into better actions, but you...
[ISBW] Embracing ADHD and Crafting Timelines with Mary Pascual
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep21: In Which Mur and Mary Pascual Talk Writing and Mental Health "I refuse to feel like or believe that [ADHD] is a detriment. Honestly, there a...
[ISBW] Spreadsheets, Ghosts, and the Art of Outlining with James L. Sutter
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep20: In Which Mur and James L. Sutter Discuss Editing, Outlining, and Ghostly Romances "I think that is the beating heart of any novel, is charac...
[ISBW] Deck of Worlds, Unleashing Creativity in Fiction
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep19: In Which Mur Explores the Deck of Worlds and Story Engine "You know, if you use the word 'modified,' you can get away with anything."- Mur ...
[ISBW] Tarot Tales and Historical Hurdles with Susan Wands
08 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep18: In Which Mur Explores Tarot and Historical Fiction with Susan Wands "Action is always better than no action. You can always fix what you've ...
[ISBW] Navigating Novel Noodling and New Ideas
01 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep17: In Which Mur Reflects on Creativity and Ambition "It's really easy. It's so relaxing to not be creative."- Mur Transcript This week, Mur s...
[ISBW] Short Story Submissions and Surviving Rejections
24 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep16: In Which Mur Tackles Short Fiction Submissions "You're not gonna be Wiswell or Chambers. You're gonna be you."- Mur In this episode, Mur de...
[ISBW] Murder Mystery Meltdown and the AI Assistant
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep15: In Which Mur Muses on AI and the Writer's Journey "I'm exaggerating a little bit, but if you look at the last 20 years, that's pretty much h...
[ISBW] Conquering Conventions and Crafting Confidence
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep14: In Which Mur Dives into Conventions and Confidence "You can't stop caring about something... You stop what you do about it, but you can't re...
[ISBW] From Patent Memos to Nebula Nods with Wole Talabi
17 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep13: In Which Mur Attends Wole Talabi's Creative Alchemy Transcript "The primary driver of my sense of success is, 'do I feel happy with what I'v...
[ISBW] Riding the Revision Rollercoaster
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep 12: In Which Mur Plans to Turn Hurt Feelings into Finished Drafts Transcript "I read over the notes and I got mad and I got my feelings hurt."...
[ISBW] The Landscape of Grief with Scott Alexander Howard
12 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
S20 Ep11: In which we travel "The Other Valley" with Scott Alexander Howard Transcript "I wrote it in a blissful who cares? Mentality, like, 'oh, wel...
[ISBW] Navigating Imposter Syndrome on the JoCo Cruise
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 10 "I felt like a cuckoo among very pretty birds." - Mur Fresh off the JoCo cruise, we discusses the allure of ...
[ISBW] Evil Mur Takes Over the Secret Seagull Shack
05 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 9 Transcript "If you don't start out perfect, you're never going to be good." - Evil Mur Evil Mur is back gi...
[ISBW] The Epiphany of Routine: Embracing Structure in a Creative Life
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I Should Be Writing Season 20, Episode 7 Transcript I found myself looking for my own magic bullet and getting frustrated a the media who take the ide...