Writing Excuses

20.31: Framing the Lens


Listen Later

This year, we’ve been looking at writing through various different lenses. In two weeks, on August 24th, we’ll begin a 5-part deep dive into these lenses through a specific book: All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders. There will be many spoilers in these episodes, so please read the book if you haven’t already! 

Now, we’re talking about choosing what your lens is focused on. How do you choose what’s in your story—and what’s not? In this episode, we talk about how to make this choice, and how this informs all the other choices you’ll make. After we talk about how to decide where to draw the box around your story, we dive into the exterior framing of your story (AKA stories may exist in their own world, but they still have to be read in ours).

Homework: Take a story you’re working on and think about what happens if you shift the frame just a little. The easiest way to do this is to ask yourself, is there a scene I could take out that would change the way that the lens or the story is focused? What new scene would you add in to re-balance your story? Then, go and write that scene. And have fun with it! 

P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In Mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

Join Our Writing Community! 

Writing Retreats

Newsletter

Patreon

Instagram

Threads

Bluesky

TikTok

YouTube

Facebook




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

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Writing ExcusesBy Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

1,268 ratings


More shows like Writing Excuses

View all
The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

605 Listeners

Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland

Helping Writers Become Authors

993 Listeners

LIGHTSPEED MAGAZINE - Science Fiction and Fantasy Story Podcast (Sci-Fi | Audiobook | Short Stories) by Adamant Press

LIGHTSPEED MAGAZINE - Science Fiction and Fantasy Story Podcast (Sci-Fi | Audiobook | Short Stories)

587 Listeners

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience by Kelton Reid

The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

213 Listeners

Dear Hank & John by Complexly

Dear Hank & John

7,642 Listeners

Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

Writer's Routine

306 Listeners

Ologies with Alie Ward by Alie Ward

Ologies with Alie Ward

23,924 Listeners

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week by Popular Science

The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week

2,165 Listeners

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips by Savannah Gilbo

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

1,432 Listeners

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

767 Listeners

Overly Sarcastic Podcast by Overly Sarcastic Productions

Overly Sarcastic Podcast

1,555 Listeners

Intentionally Blank by Brandon Sanderson & Dan Wells

Intentionally Blank

500 Listeners

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

355 Listeners

Writers on Writing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone

Writers on Writing

73 Listeners

Worlds Beyond Number by Fortunate Horse, Worlds Beyond Number

Worlds Beyond Number

2,968 Listeners