Writing Tips and Writerly Musings

with Morgan Hazelwood

About the show

Welcome! If you want to hear writing tips from the big names, the medium names, and everyone else, look no further.

As a blogger, vlogger, and actively querying fantasy author, I am addicted to attending all the writing panels a person could possibly attend at a convention. We're talking about attending upwards of 25 hours of panels in 3 days.

Fortunately for you? I love sharing my copious notes.

But, I also get real. I share my writerly musings: my struggles, my failures, and... hopefully, my writing successes.

Thanks for listening.

  • Morgan Hazelwood

Episodes

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    Making Painful Edits

    June 5th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  10 mins 8 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, editing, virtual balticon, writers, writing, writing tips

    It’s hard to cut out scenes or characters that you love, but your story may be better off without them. How do you learn to recognize when something has to go, and how do you reconnect any threads that run through the parts you’re removing?

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    Science Fiction Has Always Been Political

    May 29th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  9 mins 39 secs
    balticon, beta-reading, books, critique, politics, science fiction, virtual balticon, writers, writing, writing tips

    Throughout the history of science fiction and fantasy, creators have used the opportunity for imaginative storytelling to explore issues of their day. From the Twilight Zone to Alien Nation to Mass Effect, what are ways that genre stories have explored the concerns of the world in which they were made?

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    Tips For Writing Combat: Where Do You Focus?

    May 22nd, 2023  |  Season 6  |  10 mins
    beta-reading, books, critique, fight scenes, virtual balticon, writers, writing, writing tips

    Even veterans and long-time practitioners can have problems writing fights that are both compelling and realistic; how is someone new supposed to keep up? We’ll discuss getting experience with the weapons you’re writing about, how to handle pacing in brawls, skirmishes, and battles, and how to keep the tension high when your protagonists have to survive.

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    There's No Target in Middle Earth: The Economics of Fantasy

    May 15th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  8 mins 52 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, economics, fantasy, writers, writing, writing tips

    In your fantasy setting, everything the characters own or interact with has to come from somewhere, from food and drink to durable goods. Let’s talk about how to build a believable material culture for your world.

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    Writing For Anthologies

    May 8th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  5 mins 50 secs
    anthologies, beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    While many writers are publishing novels or sending short stories off to magazines, other writers have found anthologies to be a great space for their work. Why might you want to write for an anthology, 4 tips to get in, and 5 reasons why they might pass on your story.

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    Consent Violations and Bystander Intervention

    May 1st, 2023  |  Season 6  |  16 mins 16 secs
    beta-reading, books, conventions, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    From what is a creeper, to avoiding harassment, to how to intervene as a bystander.

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    How To Be A Good Moderator

    April 24th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  12 mins 27 secs
    beta-reading, books, conventions, critique, moderator, writers, writing, writing tips

    Having attended, at this point, easily over a hundred panels in the last 5 years, I definitely have opinions. And there is one role that can make or break a panel. Whether you’re a writer guest-of-honor on a panel at a convention, or just hosting a dinner party, being a good moderator is highly underrated skill. My favorite panels are where the big names are friendly and informative, and the smaller names are confident with their answers — without anyone talking over each other. And -- I try my best when I'm moderator.

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    What Cons Are Looking For In Panelists

    April 17th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  9 mins 22 secs
    beta-reading, books, conventions, critique, panels, writers, writing, writing tips

    It's not just what you know, it's how you can communicate it and how well you play with others.

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    Everything You Need To Know About Convention Panels

    April 10th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 19 secs
    beta-reading, books, conventions, critique, panels, writers, writing, writing tips

    If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I share a lot of notes from “panels”. If you’ve never been to a convention, you may be unfamiliar with panels. If you’ve only been to corporate/work conventions, you might look at them as torturous boredom. Or, at the very least, strictly educational. At their most basic: panels are simply several people, sitting at table, facing an audience, sharing their thoughts on a subject. But, they can be a lot more than that!

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    Morgan's Complete Guide For Attending A Convention

    April 3rd, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 19 secs
    beta-reading, books, conventions, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    If you've ever considered attending a convention, here are a few things you may want to consider:

    • Should You?
    • What to bring?
    • Things to do!
    • Self-care tips
    • Expected Con behavior
    • General tips
    • And AFTER the con!
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    Hello Executive Dysfunction, My Old Friend

    March 27th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  5 mins 41 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, executive dysfunction, writers, writing, writing tips

    Hi, my name is Morgan and I have executive dysfunction. What is executive dysfunction, what does it look like for me, and how do I manage it?

    NOTE: This episode was recorded before I sought an ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Sometimes, all the coping mechanisms in the world can't help.

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    Tips and Tricks To Fix Word Count Issues

    March 20th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  13 mins 7 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    Each type of book has its own expected word count. From chick-lit to epic fantasy, from picture books, to middle-grade to adult, it’s often easier to find traction with agents, publishers, and even readers when your story length meets expectations.
    What do you do when your story is WAY too short -- or too long?

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    Choices To Make With Beta Readers

    March 13th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 15 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    After you’ve written your manuscript and gone over it at least once, it’s usually time to ship it out to some beta-readers, to get an outside perspective. But -- how do you find and pick the right beta readers?

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    The 10 Types of Queriers: In The Query Trenches

    March 6th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  8 mins 41 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, querying, writers, writing, writing tips

    For those writers trying to get traditionally published, there are about 10 general approaches, and some are better than others. Which are you?

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    Top 11 Ways NOT To Respond To Feedback

    February 27th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  9 mins 36 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    There are writers who take feedback well, but there are plenty who don’t. Try not to make these mistakes.
    Feel your feels, but control your behavior.

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    5 Tips For Making Write-Ins Work For You

    February 20th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  7 mins 22 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    I don’t know how your write-ins work, but these are the guidelines I follow, to get the most out of any write-in — virtual or not.