But I Don't Want To Be a Hero: Writing the Reluctant Hero

May 25th, 2026  |  Season 10  |  6 mins 25 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

The reluctant hero is a solid staple of fiction and comic books. How do you write the heroes who never wanted to be, what motivates them, how to maintain their reluctance throughout a whole series, and how to make them relatable to readers.

Pacing the Novel

May 18th, 2026  |  Season 10  |  3 mins 5 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

One of the main things that can make or break a novel is it's pacing. How can you get it right?

Season 10: Trailer

May 10th, 2026  |  Season 10  |  36 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome back for Season 10 of "Writing Tips and Writerly Musings", with writing tips from the big names, the medium names, and everyone else, plus, of course, my own writerly musings. I'm your host, Morgan Hazelwood and this season, I'm back with tips about writing the reluctant hero, the very alien, publishing, and more, so get ready, and hang on tight, and thanks for listening.

Morgan's 2024 & 2025 Retrospective

January 19th, 2026  |  Season 9  |  17 mins 40 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, goals, writers, writing, writing tips

Back in January of 2024, I had no clue how bad my executive dysfunction was going to get and I set all these resolutions. Looking back, I just have to laugh at some, but I didn't do too poorly on others. How much progress have you made on your goals?

Morgan's 2026 Resolutions

January 5th, 2026  |  Season 9  |  11 mins 51 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

While resolutions aren't for everyone, I like to set out plans and intentions for the year. Fingers crossed that I'm being realistic.

The Key To Morgan's Writing Progress

December 8th, 2025  |  Season 9  |  5 mins 9 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

If I lose this key, it really doesn't go well. Ask me how I know.

Note: This episode was originally recorded before the NaNoWriMo challenge imploded, but I'm still participating in a November Writing challenge with my friends.

Lightbulb Moment: When Writing, Pacing Has Two Limits

December 1st, 2025  |  Season 9  |  3 mins 58 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

So often, you hear writers talking about their word goals -- how many words they want to write in a day/week/month/year. But, there's another limit we don't always think about...

How Does This Writing Thing Work Again?

November 10th, 2025  |  Season 9  |  4 mins 36 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Every time I gear up to start a new manuscript, some familiar doubts plague me.

Note: This episode was originally recorded before the NaNoWriMo challenge imploded, but I'm still participating in a November Writing challenge with my friends.

What Type of Writing Prepper Are You?

November 3rd, 2025  |  Season 9  |  7 mins 30 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Some people start a novel with a blank page and an idea. Some people start with 30 pages of outlines. Others have maps and diagrams and books full of world building. What sort of prepper are you?

Breaking a Story: Hollywood Style

October 27th, 2025  |  Season 9  |  6 mins 42 secs

beta-reading, books, critique, writers, writing, writing tips

Scripts aren't novels, but they can teach us a lot about pacing.