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20.51: Howard Tayler’s Personal Writing Process
A workflow that made daily writing (and comics) possible—Howard Tayler takes us through two decades of the delightfully eccentric process behind Schlock Mercenary: text boxes in landscape Word, laser-printed pages he inked by hand, and a system that kept comics coming even through long COVID and chronic fatigue.
The conversation shows how craft can stay constant even as ability, tools, and energy change. Howard shares how he rebuilt his systems to protect his writing time and created processes that served him. He also dives into practical hacks—index cards, banking writing time, moving your desk, and borrowing ideas from other creators. Expect puppy-training metaphors, unexpected tech, and a reminder that satisfaction can be the metric that matters.
Homework
Take a stack of index cards and storyboard one scene: on the front draw the panel (stick figures are fine), on the back handwrite the line of dialogue (add a little arrow to mark the speaker). Treat the scene like a comic—sequence the cards, play with the images, and see what visual problems or surprises show up.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Last Annual Cruise
The final WXR cruise* sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—don’t miss your chance to be part of it. Learn more and sign up here.
*Scholarship applications for our cruise are open now until December 31st, 2025. You can learn more and apply here.
Call for Writing Breakthroughs
Have you had a breakthrough in your writing because of Writing Excuses? If so, we want to hear about it. Fill out this Writing Breakthroughs Google Form for a chance to be featured in a WX Newsletter!
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Howard Tayler, Dan Wells, Erin Roberts, Mary Robinette Kowal, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Join Our Writing Community!
Writing Retreats
Newsletter
Patreon
Threads
Bluesky
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YouTube
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Gusto: https://gusto.com/WX
* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wx
* Check out Talkiatry: https://talkiatry.com/WX
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
View all episodes
By Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler
4.6
12781,278 ratings
A workflow that made daily writing (and comics) possible—Howard Tayler takes us through two decades of the delightfully eccentric process behind Schlock Mercenary: text boxes in landscape Word, laser-printed pages he inked by hand, and a system that kept comics coming even through long COVID and chronic fatigue.
The conversation shows how craft can stay constant even as ability, tools, and energy change. Howard shares how he rebuilt his systems to protect his writing time and created processes that served him. He also dives into practical hacks—index cards, banking writing time, moving your desk, and borrowing ideas from other creators. Expect puppy-training metaphors, unexpected tech, and a reminder that satisfaction can be the metric that matters.
Homework
Take a stack of index cards and storyboard one scene: on the front draw the panel (stick figures are fine), on the back handwrite the line of dialogue (add a little arrow to mark the speaker). Treat the scene like a comic—sequence the cards, play with the images, and see what visual problems or surprises show up.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Last Annual Cruise
The final WXR cruise* sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—don’t miss your chance to be part of it. Learn more and sign up here.
*Scholarship applications for our cruise are open now until December 31st, 2025. You can learn more and apply here.
Call for Writing Breakthroughs
Have you had a breakthrough in your writing because of Writing Excuses? If so, we want to hear about it. Fill out this Writing Breakthroughs Google Form for a chance to be featured in a WX Newsletter!
Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Howard Tayler, Dan Wells, Erin Roberts, Mary Robinette Kowal, and DongWon Song. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.
Join Our Writing Community!
Writing Retreats
Newsletter
Patreon
Threads
Bluesky
TikTok
YouTube
Our Sponsors:
* Check out Gusto: https://gusto.com/WX
* Check out Quince: https://quince.com/wx
* Check out Talkiatry: https://talkiatry.com/WX
Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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