logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2023
19m 19s

18.44: NaNoWriMo Week 1- Getting Started

Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
About this episode

Welcome to National Novel Writing Month! For November, writers all over the world are trying to complete a novel, or write 50,000 words. In honor of NaNoWriMo, all of our November episodes are going to focus on writing a novel or big project. 

For our first week—starting! How do you start writing? What do you need to give your readers in at the beginning of your story? How much information is too much information? We answer all of these questions, and talk about how these factors will help shape your story, in our NaNoWriMo kickoff episode! 

You have a few days left to prepare! Think about when during the day you’ll be writing, and see if you can find some people to help hold you accountable. Do you have a friend who could join? A writing group online or in-person? Check out the NaNoWriMo website at https://nanowrimo.org

A note: all of our episodes for NaNoWriMo will feature a pep talk from a host in the middle of the episode! (These will be taking the place of “thing of the week,” but only for these 5 episodes.) 

This week, Howard tells us how our mindsets can help us realize we’ve already succeeded. 

Homework

Write two different openings. The first one should be action-driven, where your character is doing a thing. The second one can be anything. 

Thing of the Week: 

A pep talk from Howard!


Remember, ad-free versions of our podcast are available on our Patreon!


Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

Join Our Writing Community! 

Patreon

Instagram

YouTube

Facebook

Twitter

Sign up for our newsletter: 

https://writingexcuses.com



Our Sponsors:
* Check out HelloFresh: http://hellofresh.com


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Up next
Jul 6
20.27: The Lens of Why
We are joined by author Mark Oshiro, who primarily writes YA and middle grade books and was a guest teacher aboard our 2024 cruise! (Our 2025 cruise is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here.) We ask the question, “Why did you write this book?” while focusing specifically ... Show More
22m 32s
Jun 29
20.26: Gaming as a Writing Metaphor
What separates the way we experience a game versus the way we experience a prose narrative? Erin Roberts has written for many games, and she loves games particularly because they give the person experiencing the narrative more choice and more direct agency over what happens. This ... Show More
26m 7s
Jun 22
20.25: Writing Confrontation (LIVE Aboard the WX Cruise)
Our hosts explore how to write compelling confrontations—whether physical fights or emotional arguments—in a live episode recorded on the Writing Excuses Cruise. Building off Dan Wells' class Why Your Fight Scene Is Boring, our hosts break down reactions into four elements: focus ... Show More
21m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
"My Life Could Be A Book”: You Want to Get Published, This is How to Start
We've all said it at some point in our lives, "I should write a book!" If you've ever dreamt of writing one, you're in for a treat today. Please join me in welcoming Nicole Meier, an accomplished author and certified book coach. With four published novels under her belt, she's ma ... Show More
52m 34s
Oct 2024
WFO Season 1 - Prologue: "Story Time"
Karo tells Yvonne a bedtime story about the monster world.Transcript: https://monkeymanproductions.com/2024/10/wfo-s1-prologue-transcript/Today's episode featured Robin Regalado as Karo and Tina Case as Yvvone.Written by D.J. Sylvis; sound design is by Caroline Mincks. Theme musi ... Show More
18m 13s
Jan 2023
My story part 1: From being stuck to full-time author
I recorded a podcast about how I got started with writing. A few readers have asked me about this recently. They mentioned they were stuck right now and were looking for inspiration in other people’s stories. Here’s a brief version of mine. --- Receive weekly tips to become Wise ... Show More
18m 18s
Sep 2017
Ep. 140: How & Why To Become A More Creative, Better Writer w/ Grant Faulkner of National Novel Writing Month
Today we are going to talk about creativity, and to do that, we are inviting someone on the show who really has helped thousands and thousands of people become more creative in a way that might surprise you. His name is Grant Faulkner, and he is the executive director of National ... Show More
39m 2s
Jul 2024
631: BOOK CLUB | Girl Wash Your Face | Chapter 1: Nobody Can Make You Happy But YOU & Chapter 2: Stop Procrastinating and Do it Today
This month we are taking a break from our regular podcasting to get some summer reading in. So, we are super pleased to introduce July Book Club! Each week we’ll post an audiobook selection pulled from one of Rachel’s books. We are kicking it off with Girl Wash Your Face! This bo ... Show More
51m 51s
Oct 2023
138. Ashley Mansour | The Writer's Success Code
The World’s #1 Personal Development Book Podcast! In today’s episode we have the pleasure to interview Ashley Mansour , Author of “The Writer's Success Code” along with “Blood, Ink, and Fire” among others.  Ashley, has over a decade of experience in entertainment and digital ... Show More
32m 2s
Jan 2025
Magazine | How To Write Authentic and Diverse Characters
Have you ever wondered what makes some characters leap off the page while others fall flat? In this episode, we explore the art of creating authentic and diverse characters that resonate with readers. From building layered personalities to writing dialogue that truly fits, we’ll ... Show More
5m 1s
Sep 2023
134. Cathy D. Fyock | The Writer Crisis Hotline
The World’s #1 Personal Development Book Podcast! In today’s episode we have the pleasure to interview Cathy Fyock, the Business Book Strategist and Author of several books along with Blog2Book, The Speaker Author, her upcoming release The Writer Crisis Hotline and more!  Cathy i ... Show More
34m 49s
Nov 2021
The Simpsons & F is for Family writer & producer Michael Price about writing Emmy-winning Comedy Shows
Today on the show, Giles Alderson and co-host Tobias Vees welcome 3-time Emmy-winning writer & producer Michael Price. His long lists of credits include The Simpsons, The Simpsons Movie (2007), several Lego Star Wars Specials, F is for Family and many more! Mike dives deep into h ... Show More
59m 24s
Jan 2025
S22: NoSleep Podcast Holiday Hiatus 2024 #2
The NoSleep Podcast wraps up our holiday break with stories about losing your mind! "Regarding the Diagnosis and Treatment of Changeling Disorder (Marquardt's Disease)" written by Larry Allen Tyler (Story starts around 00:04:30) Produced & scored by: David Cummings Cast: Narrator ... Show More
1h 12m