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

Writing Tips and Writerly Musings on social media

Episodes

  • Imposter Syndrome: Stranger in a Strange Mind

    August 7th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  15 mins 42 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    What is Imposter Syndrome and how do we fight it?

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    Querying Versus Submitting: What's the Difference

    July 31st, 2023  |  Season 7  |  10 mins 32 secs
    agents, beta-reading, books, critique, publishing, querying, writers, writing, writing tips

    If you're trying to get an agent or publisher, you've probably heard these terms. While even many industry professionals can be found using the terms interchangeably, they do actually have different meanings!

  • Novel, Novella, or Short Story

    July 24th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  6 mins 42 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    The size of a story is often dictated by the scope of the idea that spawned it. While some experienced writers can tell from the shape of the concept how long their story will be, it’s often a case of trial and error and years.

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    Choosing Your Perspective: Voice and Points-Of-View

    July 17th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  8 mins 11 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    All writers have a voice and all stories have point-of-view characters -- it's how you bring them together that makes or breaks your story.

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    How To Self-Edit That First Lousy Draft

    July 10th, 2023  |  Season 7  |  15 mins 39 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, editing, writers, writing, writing tips

    All first drafts are lousy. It's part of the process. It's how you fix that first draft that establishes you as a quality writer.

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    Season 7: Trailer

    July 3rd, 2023  |  Season 7  |  38 secs
    beta-reading, books, critique, season7, writers, writing, writing tips

    This season, I'm talking a lot about world-building, fairytales, and, of course, the querying process.

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    Balticon 57: Recap

    June 26th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  20 mins 30 secs
    balticon, balticon57, beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

    I think I’m about four naps shy of recovering from Balticon 57, but I’m home and back at work. Despite my multitude of hats, I managed to do it all!

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    There Is No Finish Line: Momentum For Writers

    June 19th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  12 mins 2 secs
    balticon, beta-reading, books, critique, motivation, virtual balticon, writers, writing, writing tips

    Experienced writers who have been on the roller coaster for a while know the big secret: you never really “make it.” Just because you’ve sold one book doesn’t mean you’ll sell the next one, and just because you didn’t sell the last one doesn’t mean the next one won’t hit big. Our panel offers tips and strategies for maintaining the will to keep creating.

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    Intro To Self-Publishing

    June 12th, 2023  |  Season 6  |  11 mins 52 secs
    balticon, beta-reading, books, critique, self publishing, virtual balticon, writers, writing, writing tips

    So you have a story and you want to publish it yourself? Let’s talk about how to get started, how to get noticed, and when you should pay a professional.

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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.