Writing Excuses

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Today, we’re continuing the conversation on sequencing by focusing on rhythm—how the musicality of language shapes pacing, emphasis, and emotional impact. Our hosts explore how sentence length, stress patterns, sound, negative space, repetition, and even page layout influence the way readers move through a story. They discuss poetic meter (iambs, trochees, spondees), examples from Shakespeare, hip-hop, comics, and modernist literature. They posit that rhythm is not just for poetry: it’s a powerful storytelling tool that can create emotion, draw attention, and increase readability. 
Homework:
Choose a piece of music you love and pay close attention to its rhythm: where does it speed up or slow down? What gets emphasized, and how does the pattern shape emotion? Then take a piece of your own writing and experiment with using that same rhythmic structure in a descriptive passage to see how it changes the feel and movement of the prose.
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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Today, we explore why writers place information in the order they do. From broad-to-narrow framing and cause-and-effect to repetition, rhythm, and surprise, we discuss how sequencing shapes the pacing, emotion, and clarity of your story. We discuss everything from “windowpane prose” and garden path sentences to recency-primacy effects and the ways readers naturally recognize patterns. Along the way, our hosts highlight how sequencing can guide a reader’s attention, create tension, and reinforce themes. 

Homework:
Take something you’ve written—or a story someone recently told you—and write it down in its current order. Then rewrite it two different ways: first by completely reversing the sequence of information, and then by arranging it in the most unexpected or “wrong” order you can imagine. Compare how each version changes the reader’s experience.

Final WXR Cruise! 
Our final WXR cruise is almost sold out, grab your spot before June 4th, 2026 here!

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES
* Check out Talkiatry: https://Talkiatry.com/WX

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Today, our hosts discuss how to make every part of your story feel connected through causal chains, thematic resonance, and reader pattern recognition. We take the idea that each action in a story should lead naturally to the next and pair it with how readers instinctively search for meaning and connection (even in randomness). Along the way, our hosts discuss concepts like Edgar Allan Poe’s “unity of effect,” the Kuleshov effect, emergent narrative in games, and the role of thematic consistency in stories that may appear plotless on the surface. They also share techniques for creating narrative momentum, planting meaningful details, and leaving space for readers to actively participate in building the story’s meaning.
Homework: 
Take a story you’re working on and write each scene on an index card. Shuffle the cards, pick two at random, and write a new scene that could connect them through either a causal chain or a shared thematic effect.
Final WXR Cruise! 
Our final WXR cruise sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets here!
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Join Our Writing Community! 
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* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES
* Check out Talkiatry: https://Talkiatry.com/WX

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Today, we are joined by Margaret Dunlap as we dive into the three-act structure. This traditional framework—setup, confrontation, and resolution—is a tool to use rather than a formula to follow. We break down each act, exploring the defining questions, try/fail cycles, and emotional shifts that shape a story. We also highlight the importance of identifying your central dramatic question while examining common pitfalls like the “soggy middle.” Today’s biggest takeaway is that this structure should serve your story, not constrain it.
Homework: Take a familiar fairy tale (e.g., “The Three Little Pigs” or “Goldilocks”) and map it onto a three-act structure. Identify where Act One, Act Two, and Act Three fall, and note whether you would need to add or adjust elements to make it fit more clearly.
Final WXR Cruise! 
Our final WXR cruise sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets here!
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. Our guest was Margaret Dunlap. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
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* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES
* Check out Talkiatry: https://Talkiatry.com/WX

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Today we zoom out from moment-to-moment tension and look at how escalation and de-escalation shape a story at the structural level—how raising stakes, lowering pressure, and shifting focus can control pacing, reader emotion, and narrative momentum. Our hosts explore what happens when stakes escalate too quickly (and lose meaning), and how de-escalation can be used intentionally through humor, distraction, or shifting perspective. From miscommunication tropes to scene transitions to avoiding “pointless up-and-down” detours, we offer practical ways to keep your readers engaged while guiding them smoothly between emotional highs and lows.
Homework:
Map the major beats of your work-in-progress and label each one as either an escalation or a de-escalation across your plot lines. Then review that map to identify any “pointless up-and-down” moments—places where tension drops without purpose or without a corresponding rise elsewhere—and revise so that every shift either advances stakes, deepens character, or introduces a new layer of tension.
Final WXR Cruise! 
Our final WXR cruise sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—get your tickets here!
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, Erin Roberts, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Join Our Writing Community! 
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Threads
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Our Sponsors:
* Check out HomeServe: https://www.homeserve.com
* Check out MasterClass: https://masterclass.com/EXCUSES
* Check out Talkiatry: https://Talkiatry.com/WX

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

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