Writing Excuses

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

21.41: Barrier Breaking- Physical Fatigue

What do you do when "take a break" isn't the answer? We’ve all ahd that feeling, "I’m just too tired to concentrate." This can be because you're worn out from work, or du

Oct 11
24 min

21.40: The DREAM of a Structured Character Arc

What if a character arc had a structure you could actually map? This week, our hosts break down the DREAM arc: denial, resistance, exploration, acceptance, and manifestat

Oct 4
20 min

21.39: Write What You Feel

Your life is probably weirder—and more useful to your writing—than you think. This week, our hosts explore how to turn lived experience into fiction, from borrowing senso

Sep 27
26 min

21.38: Rules, Tools, and History’s Fools

Today, we’re celebrating Erin’s birthday by talking about a topic of her choice. Which means we’re flipping “tools, not rules” its head. Our hosts revisit the Turkey City

Sep 20
23 min

21.37: Barrier Breaking: The World Is on Fire

How do you keep writing when the world is on fire? This week, our hosts talk about protecting our narrative energy when the news, social media, or our own lives feel over

Sep 13
28 min

21.36: Twists: How to Make the Unexpected Feel Inevitable

A great twist shouldn’t just surprise us—it should make us rethink everything that came before. This week, our hosts explore reader expectations, misdirection, and hiding

Sep 6
23 min

21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu

This week, our hosts explore kishōtenketsu, an Asian story structure that appears under different names in China, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Unlike the Western three-act

Aug 30
21 min

21.34: Knowing the Distance

How close is your reader to the story? Should they be closer? Today, our hosts get nerdy about narrative distance: the space between reader, narrator, character, and worl

Aug 23
23 min

21.33: When To Shift Gears

A story doesn’t always need the same tools from beginning to end. In this episode, we talk about recognizing when it’s time to shift gears—and how to make those changes f

Aug 16
22 min

21.32: Barrier Breaking- Time Constraints

There never seems to be enough time to write—but is time really the problem? Our hosts explore the reality of working within limited hours, changing life circumstances, a

Aug 9
27 min

21.31: Deconstructing Save the Cat

Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need by Blake Snyder was published in 2005 and is widely popular because it offers a reliable, repeatable storyte

Aug 2
27 min

21.30: Chapter Breaks Soon

A lot of times people want to know what the "ideal length" is for a chapter. But chapters can range from one sentence, to a single scene, all the way up to Terry Pratchet

Jul 26
27 min

21.29: How to Make a Scene

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

Jul 19
28 min

21.28: Narrative Transitions

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

Jul 12
26 min

21.27: The Expository Throttle

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 exposi

Jul 5
20 min

21.26: Setting the Pace

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 slo

Jun 28
24 min

21.25: Follow the Bouncing Ball

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 pa

Jun 21
25 min

21.24: Deconstructing the Seven Point Plot Structure

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 cre

Jun 14
35 min

21.23: Barrier Breaking: Interruptions

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 neurodive

Jun 7
29 min

21.22: The Order of the Telling

*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 infor

May 31
27 min

Chart trend

Position in the Fiction chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#66#130JulAugSepOct

#45

all-time peak

days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Writing Excuses ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 14, 2026).

#101 ▼ 5 Fiction US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I understand that non-subscription based podcasts need ad revenue to survive, but this show makes it a little excessive. All the great content and information is drowned in advertising and skipping through the ads disrupts the listening experience. I listen to dozens of podcasts that utilize ads and none of them are so disruptive…there are absolutely better ways to implement ads if they must be a necessary evil.

ag3_27 · Jul 2026

I have been a fan of Writing Excuses for years. I have gone back and listened to every episode from the beginning until now. In recent years, I must admit, while the later seasons were still good I had divided the overall product into two distinct eras: WB and AB, meaning “With Brandon” and “After Brandon.” After Brandon, while still worth a listen, seemed to wonder far from being the program I first discovered and loved. This year has been different and I am declaring the beginning of a third era: BOT, “Back On Track.” This season has SO been worth the wait. :)

Philip “Fishel” Payne · Nov 2024

I enjoy this podcast a great deal and appreciate how they break complex topics into bite-size, actionable recommendations. A good listen for writers but book-lovers of all stripes.

Fantasy Fan Forever · May 2024

The podcast provides great discussions and tidbits to help take that next steps in becoming a better writer. Love the homework assignments.

Anonanimal · May 2024

While the podcast used to be a source of great inspiration and practical writing advice, the podcast has declined in quality over the past season. One major issue is the sheer amount of time spent on ads and self-promotion. It feels like a third of the episode is dedicated to ads, pitching their latest packages or exclusive content, which detracts from the insightful discussions that once made the show so valuable. Another point of frustration is the increasingly academic tone of the podcast. I appreciate deep discussions, but the emphasis on close readings and literary analysis has become overwhelming. Many of us are busy writers who tune in for actionable advice, not in-depth dissections of texts we don’t have the time—or interest—to study. The episodes now seem geared more toward advanced literary analysis than practical, real-world writing tips. It’s clear that their target audience has shifted, and unfortunately, I no longer feel like I’m part of it. Writing Excuses has lost much of what made it engaging and accessible, leaving it a lesser version of its former self.

FatFIRESoon · Sep 2024

I’ve listened to every episode since season 1. I’m sad to say it’s gone downhill a lot, and not just because Brandon left (though this was a major loss). What ever happened to “fifteen minutes or less?!” Now there are nearly 10 minutes of ads in a 30+ minute episode?? But more importantly, the actual educational value of the podcast has declined. Wish I felt differently given how important a role this podcast has played in my writing journey, but this is the truth :/

annoyedandgrowling · May 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.