Ditch Diggers

[DD] Ursula's Year of Multiple Whales


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"Genre is a marketing tool, just like a book cover." - Mur Lafferty

In this episode of Ditch Diggers, Mur and Ursula rant about genre expectations, marketing, and what happens when you decide that genre isn't for you because you're special.

Ursula lists her whales, and Imposter Syndrome doesn't really make a showing when Mur travels.

Highlights: - (05:12) Ursula's anxiety over multiple deadlines and projects - (12:45) Mur's recent business trip and the absence of imposter syndrome - (25:30) The ongoing debate about happy endings in romance - (38:15) The role of marketing in shaping reader expectations - (47:50) The challenges of genre classification and reader assumptions - (55:30) How personal growth as a writer often goes unnoticed

(This post went live for supporters on June 9, 2025. Join the Fabulists if you want early, ad-free, and sometimes expanded episodes!)

Transcript

Links:

  • Stephen King
  • Tana French
  • Piranesi
  • Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Evergreen Links:

  • Ursula Vernon/T. Kingfisher
  • Mur Lafferty
  • Mur on Focusmate!
  • Mur on Instagram, Youtube
  • Support via Patreon!
  • Theme song by Devo Spice
Support Local Book Stores! Ditch Diggers credits:theme song by Devo Spice, art by Numbers Ninja, site hosted by Libsyn (or Patreon). June 12, 2024 | Season 11 Ep 6 | murverse.com "It's a Multiple Whale Year for Ursula" by Mur Lafferty and Ursula Vernon is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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