I Should Be Writing
Mur Lafferty
Recent Episodes
![[ISBW] The Journey from Ideas to Anarchy with Cadwell Turnbull](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/2/4/b/8/24b8a7bb228d058916c3140a3186d450/21-22_ISBW_The_Journey_from_Ideas_to_Anarchy_with_Cadwell_Turnbull.png&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)
"You want to preserve your experience of the work. You want to preserve the doing of the art." ~Cadwell Turnbull
Amazing author Cadwell Turnbull joins us to dives deep into the creative process and discuss his latest book, A Ruin Great and Free. We talk about his writing journey, trilogy challenges, and approaching social issues in his books.
(This post went live for supporters on November 24, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)
Links
- Cadwell Turnbull and on YouTube
- Emily St. John Mandel
- Octavia Butler
- North Carolina State University's MFA program
Evergreen Links
- See all books from Season 21
- Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing.
- Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Theme by John Anealio
- Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
![[ISBW] NaNoWriMo Ghosts with Valerie Valdes](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/b/1/c/d/b1cdd895c028c6ba16c3140a3186d450/21-21_ISBW_NaNoWriMo_Ghosts_with_Valerie_Valdes.png&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)
"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 a long time for podcast listeners, it's been a while for us and considering her expertise, I've invited Valerie Valdes back for a candid discussion about the recent demise of NaNoWriMo and what it means for writers. We delve into the challenges of maintaining community and motivation without the established infrastructure of the once-beloved event. Valerie shares her insights as a former municipal liaison and offers alternatives for writers looking to stay engaged during November.
We cover Nano 2.0, Shut Up and Write, and 4 The Words. Community is one of the most important parts of this month, and we make sure people know that they're still not alone!
(This post went live for supporters on November 4, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)
Links
- Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador
- Escape Pod
- NaNoWriMo 2.0
- Shut Up and Write
- 4thewords
- Dreamfoundry
- World Anvil
- Game of Tomes
- Kate Cavanaugh's Livestream
Evergreen Links
- See all books from Season 21
- Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing.
- Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Theme by John Anealio
- Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
— "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon!
Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!
CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
November 6, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 21 | murverse.com "NaNoWriMo's Ghosts and New Beginnings" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
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 listen to Evil Mur. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA, all other rights reserved by Mur Lafferty
![[ISBW] Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/0/8/c/1/08c195ea09ca985316c3140a3186d450/21-19_ISBW_Exploring_Romance_and_Reality_in_Writing_with_Valerie_Valdes.png&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)
Welcome back to the talented Valerie Valdes, also known as Lia Amador! We are here to launch her newest book, a fantasy rom-com titled Witch You Wood. We talk magical reality shows, romance, and tropes. We also get real about the struggles that persist even after being published.
Valerie discusses her experiences with self-doubt and how she manages to push through these challenges. We also explore the nuances of writing romance, the balance between subtlety and straightforwardness, and the significance of knowing your audience.
(This post went live for supporters on October 20, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)
Links
- Valerie Valdes / Lia Amador
- Escape Pod
- International Latino Book Award
- Ali Hazelwood
- Mary Balogh
- India Holton
- Jackie Lau
- Archive of Our Own
- Baldur's Gate 3
- Hades 2
- Behooved
Evergreen Links
- See all books from Season 21
- Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing.
- Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Theme by John Anealio
- Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
— "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon!
Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!
CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
October 23, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 19 | murverse.com "Exploring Romance and Reality in Writing with Valerie Valdes" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.
![[ISBW] Embracing the Imposter: Battling Doubts in Writing and Life](https://us-central1-podcastguru-217d6.cloudfunctions.net/gcf_get_image?image_url=https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/3/8/b/5/38b5a2adec941cfbd959afa2a1bf1c87/21-20_ISBW_Embracing_the_Imposter__Battling_Doubts_in_Writing_and_Life.png&width=300&height=300&api_key=xqFmUFX5BHLBTA)
It's a solo episode! I get into the complexities of writing and self-doubt, the struggles of completing a manuscript, the challenges of balancing creativity with personal life, and the ever-present specter of The Imposter Cop.
We try to accept the importance of focusing on one task at a time, despite everything.
Also we talk about K Pop Demon Hunters, exploring its themes and storytelling techniques.
(This post went live for supporters on October 22, 2025. If you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes, support at Patreon!)
Links
- The Princess Knight by Cait Jacobs
- K Pop Demon Hunters
- NaNo2.0
Evergreen Links
- See all books from Season 21
- Like the podcast? Get the book! I Should Be Writing.
- Socials: Bluesky, Instagram, YouTube, Focusmate
- Theme by John Anealio
- Savor I Should Be Writing tea blends
- Support local book stores! Station Eternity, Six Wakes, Solo: A Star Wars Story: Expanded Edition and more!
- OR Get signed books from my friendly local store, Flyleaf Books!
— "The Bully that Knocks: The Imposter Cop" is brought to you in large part by my supporters, the Fabulists, who received an early, expanded version of this episode. You can join our Fabulist community with a pledge on Patreon!
Some of the links above may be affiliate, allowing you to support the show at no extra cost to you. Also consider leaving a review for ISBW, please!
CREDITS Theme song by John Anealio, art by Numbers Ninja, and files hosted by Libsyn (affiliate link). Get archives of the show via Patreon.
October 27, 2025 | Season 21 Ep 20 | murverse.com "The Bully that Knocks: The Imposter Cop" by Mur Lafferty is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In case it wasn't clear: Mur and this podcast are fully supportive of LGBTQ+ folks, believe that Black Lives Matter, and trans rights are human rights, despite which direction the political winds blow. If you do not agree, then there are plenty of other places to go on the Internet.