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Germany
Ireland
Japan
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Fiction
Writing Excuses
by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
Today: #124 in Fiction on our combined chart.
Today: #168 in Fiction, United Kingdom on our combined chart.
Today: #86 in Fiction, Canada on our combined chart.
Today: #73 in Fiction, Australia on our combined chart.
Today: #198 in Fiction, Brazil on our combined chart.
Today: #61 in Fiction, New Zealand on our combined chart.
Today: #165 in Fiction, Ireland on our combined chart.
Today: #177 in Fiction, Japan on our combined chart.
Today: #52 in Fiction, South Africa on our combined chart.
Chart positions today · India
Not on the Germany charts we track today.
Not on the Mexico charts we track today.
Not on the India charts we track today.
Not on the Philippines charts we track today.
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Ranking history · India
Latest daily rankings: Oct 21. New rankings will appear after the next update.
Recent history only — this show has no current ranking on the Fiction, India chart. These are recorded positions from the last 7 days, not current rankings.
Position on the Fiction, India combined chart over the last 7 days. Toggle platforms to compare their positions. Lower rank numbers are better.
View as table
| Date | Combined Rank | Apple Podcasts | Castbox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21 | — | — | — |
| Oct 20 | #191 | #191 | — |
| Oct 19 | #194 | #194 | — |
| Oct 18 | #186 | #186 | — |
| Oct 17 | #119 | #115 | — |
| Oct 16 | #51 | #52 | #47 |
Latest episodes
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21.42: Deconstructing the Heroine’s Journey
October 18, 2026 · 24 minPsychotherapist Maureen Murdock invented the Heroine's Journey in response to Joseph Campbell's monomyth Hero's Journey. He reportedly said, "Women don’t need to make the journey, they are the place that everyone is trying to get to." This…
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21.41: Barrier Breaking- Physical Fatigue
October 11, 2026 · 24 minWhat 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 due to chronic fatigue or pain. This week, our hosts talk about working…
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21.40: The DREAM of a Structured Character Arc
October 4, 2026 · 21 minWhat 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 manifestation. We look at how characters move through these stages—and why…
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21.39: Write What You Feel
September 27, 2026 · 26 minYour 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 sensory details and emotional reactions to reshaping real people and…
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21.38: Rules, Tools, and History’s Fools
September 20, 2026 · 24 minToday, 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 Lexicon, a snarky collection of writing “rules” that circulated…
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21.37: Barrier Breaking: The World Is on Fire
September 13, 2026 · 28 minHow 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 overwhelming. We explore boundaries, boredom, intentional information…
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21.36: Twists: How to Make the Unexpected Feel Inevitable
September 6, 2026 · 24 minA 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 clues in plain sight. We look at twists from The Sixth Sense, The…
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21.35: The Four Acts of Kishōtenketsu
August 30, 2026 · 22 minThis 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 structure, it isn’t built around conflict. Instead, it moves through…
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21.34: Knowing the Distance
August 23, 2026 · 24 minHow 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 world. We talk POV, sensory detail, and familiarity—and how each can zoom…
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21.33: When To Shift Gears
August 16, 2026 · 23 minA 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 feel intentional rather than abrupt. Our hosts look at transitions…
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21.32: Barrier Breaking- Time Constraints
August 9, 2026 · 28 minThere 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, and competing priorities. We share practical strategies like time…
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21.31: Deconstructing Save the Cat
August 2, 2026 · 27 minSave 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 storytelling framework. Today we are joined by guest Margaret Dunlap as we…
About the show
Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler discuss writing techniques in a fast-paced format. A weekly podcast about the craft and business of writing.