Writing Excuses

Over a blue background, the words: "Scholarship Applications Open Now for the 2026 Writing Excuses Writing Workshop & Retreat." There's a checklist: "$500 toward travel expenses, Cruise ticket, Classes, 1x1s, Breakout Sessions & More!, Hotel Night on Sept 3rd." Then, beside a stack of books, "For more details and how to apply, head over to our website! writingexcuses.com/scholarships" There's also a big "Apply now" square and the Writing Excuses logo.

To make @writingexcuses.bsky.social retreats accessible for more people, we have two types of scholarships: Out of Excuses (need-based) and Writers of Color. Applications are due on Dec. 31 for the 2026 retreat. I sincerely hope you'll apply to join us: writingexcuses.com/scholarships/

Donate to Support Marshall Carr's Journey Ahead, organized by Wil Ralston Hello from the crew of JUST KEEP WRITING Podcast. Today we are starting a Go-Fund-Me… Wil Ralston needs your support for Support Marshall Carr's Journey Ahead

Everyone! Another amazing advocate for writing community needs some support for his own work! @marshallcarrjr.bsky.social does all the hard work to keep @justkeepwriting.bsky.social and @writingexcuses.bsky.social podcasts going -- and he needs our help!

Please share widely and donate if you can!

End of Howard's Intro Script [Record the rest of the episode. Be brilliant.]

I'm about to sit down in front of the mic and remote-record the second half of the @writingexcuses.bsky.social 2025 wrap-up episode.

I'm the "anchor host" for this one, so I have an intro script to help me maintain continuity with what we've already recorded.

Then I have this:

I've just finished A Memory Called Empire and now I'm excited to listen to @writingexcuses.bsky.social series on it, followed by an In Our Time on Byzantium.

Our last episode was all about how to pitch your work and how pitching is a skill that you can practice and get better at.

SO. Now's your chance! In 3 sentences or less pitch your work to us in the comments or repost!

rectangle image with writing excuses logo on upper left corner with headshots of the hosts, DongWon Song, Mary Robinette Kowal, Sandra Tayler, Howard Tayler, and Erin Roberts. Text on the side saying meet the hosts of the 2026 writing excuses workshop and retreat. September 3rd-11th. setting sail on September 4th. Writingexcuses.com/retreats

Who's coming on our 2026 writing workshop on a cruise to Alaska? We're already hyped up by how fast tickets are selling! Meet the hosts of the podcast plus Sandra Tayler!

p.s. If you want a balcony cabin better grab one now before they're gone...
www.tickettailor.com/events/writi...

banner image that says scholarship applications open now for the 2026 writing excuses writing workshop and retreat. With 500 dollars toward travel expenses, a cruise ticket, classes, one on ones, breakout sessions and more. For more details and how to apply head over to our website writingexcuses.com/scholarships

Scholarship applications for our 2026 writing retreat on a cruise ship to Alaska are open now until December 31st.

Right now we have two scholarships available, one for a writer of color and another for a writer in financial need. Head over to writingexcuses.com/scholarships to learn more.

The 2026 Writing Excuses Retreat will be held on VOYAGER OF THE SEAS, and we're sailing from Seattle to Alaska and back.

Given the name of the ship, I'm considering desiging a t-shirt for us. I've already found the right font...

five headshots on top of Mary Robinette, Erin, DongWon, Howard and Sandra. Words underneath them saying Writing Excuses Retreats: Alaska Cruise 2026 then underneath that more words that say September 3rd-11th, 2026, Sailing out of Seattle WA. Writingexcuse.com/retreats. Then an image of the writing excuses logo in the right bottom corner and an outline of a cruise ship on the bottom left corner.

Exciting news! Tickets are on sale NOW for our Writing Retreat on a Cruise Ship! Join @maryrobinettekowal.com @howardtayler.bsky.social @dongwon.bsky.social @nirele.bsky.social & @sandratayler.bsky.social in 2026 in a voyage to Alaska
www.tickettailor.com/events/writi...

20.41: DongWon Song’s Personal Writing Process Listen to Writing Excuses on RedCircle

This week's episode of @writingexcuses.bsky.social is focused on my own personal creative practices. I talk about how being bored is one of the best ways to keep moving forward towards your goals. This was a fun conversation and you can check it out below:

redcircle.com/shows/848724...

Two identically designed trophies featuring three stars shooting upward from the base. These are the 2010 and 2012 PARSEC awards, "Best Content Creation" awarded to Writing Excuses.

Hey, @writingexcuses.bsky.social ! Look what I found while cleaning my studio!

registration is not required to attend! It's just a way to send an email when we know the room number because we won't know it until hotel checkin on Thursday. Worldcon will also be putting out signs with all the suite parties every night so you can check those to get the room number on Thursday.

Wednesday, August 13 Panel: And Then I Was Hooked: Space Exploration 10:30 - 11:30 AM Room 447 - 448 Panel: Muppets, Puppets, and Marionettes 4:30 - 5:30 PM Room 420-422 Panel: The Second Novel 6:00 - 7:00 PM Room 443-444

Thursday, August 14 Writing Excuses Fan Meetup 12:00 - 1:00 PM Terrace Lounge (4F) Table Talk 3:00 - 4:00 PM Room 427 Writing Excuses Party 7:00 - 10:00 PM Sign up to learn room #

Friday, August 15 Panel: NASA's Unsung Heroes 1:30 - 2:30 PM Room 447-448 Panel: Alternative Histories of the Space Program 6:00 - 7:00 PM Room 320 Writing Excuses Live Recording 7:30 - 8:30 PM Room 420-422

Saturday, August 16 MRK Autograph Session 12:00 - 1:00 PM Garden Lounge (3F) MRK Reading from The Martian Contingency 3:00 - 3:30 PM Room 429 Sunday, August 17 Panel: Animals, AI & Aliens, Oh My! Writing Nonhumans 3:00 - 4:00 PM Room 420-422

My Seattle Worldcon schedule now comes with room numbers... all except the Writing Excuses party, which you're all invited to. We will have a book giveaway and lots of fun! Sign up here to be notified when the location is available: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... @writingexcuses.bsky.social

Join @howardtayler.bsky.social @maryrobinettekowal.com @nirele.bsky.social and @sandratayler.bsky.social for any of the Writing Excuses events at worldcon! For details and the hosts full schedules: writingexcuses.com/writing-excu...

Seattle Worldcon 2025 Join Mary Robinette Kowal for multiple events and panels at Seattle Worldcon 2025! Also check out Writing Excuses at Worldcon!  August 13th 10:30 AM – 11:30 AM: And Then I was Hooked: …

@writingexcuses.bsky.social and I will be busily enjoying panels, parties, and more at @seattlein2025.org. My schedule is here: maryrobinettekowal.com/events/seatt... Reply if you're coming! I'd love to wave hello or see you at one of these events.

@maryrobinettekowal.com and @sandratayler.bsky.social have put their heads together and come up with a very awesome suite party for worldcon! Book giveaway! Swag! Drinks! and Very Cool People!

Join us on Thursday, the 14th with doors open at 7 PM writingexcuses.com/writing-excu...

Get more from Writing Excuses on Patreon a weekly podcast about the art & business of writing

If you've ever wanted to go deeper after listening to a @writingexcuses.bsky.social episode, our Deep Dives are a good opportunity. On Sunday, August 3 at 5 PM ET, I'll join @nirele.bsky.social to explore exposition, description, and context in writing. Join us here: www.patreon.com/c/WritingExc...

ALSO, don't miss Erin Roberts (@nirele.bsky.social) at @concurrentseattle.bsky.social on Thursday, the 14th at 2:30 PM for a panel on Music and Monsters: A Sinners Panel!

Hellooo Bluesky Friends! Want to meet up at Worldcon? we'll have "I am Out of Excuses" badge ribbons at any panel a host is at! Also check out our fan meetup or suite party! writingexcuses.com/writing-excu...

We're so very grateful for the support from our friends at @writingexcuses.bsky.social, a crucial part of @fiyahlitmag.bsky.social's longevity. Y'all show them some love AND level up your craft! 🤝🏾

This week: C.L. Clark stories in Uncanny with bonus analysis from Writing Excuses!

Hard to beat this combination! Read / listen along with us!

(Links follow)
@clclark.bsky.social @uncannymagazine.bsky.social @writingexcuses.bsky.social

I'm in a planning meeting right now with the @writingexcuses.bsky.social hosts, and we're discussing the episodes for the 2026 season.

These are gonna be so much fun.

Graphic for the June 24 event featuring a live recording of the Writing Excuses podcast. Graphic has Writing Excuses and Loft logos with some audio icons including dialogue bubbles and a microphone.

Join us June 24 for this special live recording of @writingexcuses.bsky.social

@nirele.bsky.social ‬
@dongwon.bsky.social @maryrobinettekowal.com @howardtayler.bsky.social ‪‪‪

loft.org/events/writi...

One of the episodes we're recording live will teach you how to become good at conversational storytelling, and OH BOY is it gonna be fun because I have this whole plan about how to do it wrong for you.

Join @howardtayler.bsky.social @maryrobinettekowal.com @nirele.bsky.social and @dongwon.bsky.social tomorrow in Minneapolis!

Join us at the Loft in Minneapolis for a live podcast recording on June 24th at 7 pm. We will be recording episodes from our upcoming season and a Q&A episode from audience questions!

loft.org/events/writi...

blue background with faint cursive and a heading that says ZOOM Q&A with arrows pointing to two images of the Q&A hosts. Chuck Tingle and DongWon song. Underneath that is a black border with white words that say tonight on patreon, 8 pm eastern. In the right corner is the writing excuses logo.

Tonight you have a fantastic opportunity to chat with and ask all your burning questions of @chucktingle.bsky.social and @dongwon.bsky.social for our May Patreon Q&A! If you haven't used up your free trial yet, now is the time to do so! www.patreon.com/c/WritingExc...

Sail with me on the @writingexcuses.bsky.social cruise. On May 31, prices will be increasing, and tickets are already more than 2/3 sold out. I'll lead a week-long masterclass on storytelling, and the brilliant @nirele.bsky.social will also be joining us. Learn more at writingexcuses.com/retreats/

4/4 Taught by @maryrobinettekowal.com

"Short Story Practicum"
"Find the Story Path From the Idea"