20.22: The Lens of Time

Writing Excuses

Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

Fiction, Business, Careers

4.6 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2025

⏱️ 22 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Time isn't just a backdrop—it’s a powerful tool in storytelling. In this episode, we explore how time shapes narratives, beyond just plot structure. From magnifying moments in a fight scene to revealing a character’s morals through temporal shifts, we unpack how timing, pacing, and the passage of time can deepen emotional impact, build tension, and elevate a scene's resonance. We discuss practical techniques like character memory, flashbacks, and sensory shifts, while also considering how time reveals inner worlds—through fear, anticipation, or even a late-night zoomie session with a talkative cat. Whether you're writing action scenes or quiet reflections, this episode offers practical insights for using time as a dynamic storytelling tool. P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here. Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson. Join Our Writing Community! Writing Retreats Newsletter Patreon Instagram Threads Bluesky TikTok YouTube Facebook Our Sponsors: * Check out HomeServe and use my code homeserve.com/excuses for a great deal: https://www.homeserve.com * Check out Talkiatry and use my code Talkiatry.com/WX for a great deal: https://www.talkiatry.com Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/donations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Between drafting your new novel, building your lore bible, or meeting with your critique group,
0:04.6	who has time to stress about website security? As a writer, your website is your digital face to the world
0:09.8	that lets people know about your work and where they can find it. Securing your website
0:14.1	means less stress about anyone disrupting that important outlet. Kinsta offers managed hosting
0:20.0	for WordPress with lightning fast load times,
0:22.5	enterprise grade security, and 24-7 human-only customer support. They're available multiple languages
0:28.5	and ready to assist regardless of site complexity. Its complete peace of mind knowing your WordPress
0:34.0	site is always secure, online, and performing at its best.
0:42.4	Kinsta provides enterprise-grade security and is one of the few hosting providers for WordPress with SOC2 and other certifications that guarantee the highest level security for your website.
0:48.6	And Kinsta customers can experience up to 200% faster sites by simply moving their WordPress
0:53.5	sites to the platform.
0:55.2	They even have user-friendly custom dashboard called My Kinsta that makes managing your site
0:59.7	or multiple sites a breeze. And if you're moving from another host, they offer unlimited
1:05.6	expert-led migrations to ensure a smooth transition so you won't experience any downtime.
1:11.1	Ready to experience Kinsta's hosting for yourself?
1:13.8	Get your first month free when you sign up at KINSTA.com today.
1:17.4	It's the perfect opportunity to see why KINSTA is trusted by thousands of businesses worldwide
1:22.4	to power their websites.
1:24.1	Visit K-I-N-S-T-A.com to get this limited time offer for new customers on select
1:30.5	plans. Don't miss out. Get started for free today.
1:34.9	This episode of Writing Excuses has been brought to you by our listeners, patrons, and friends.
1:40.7	If you would like to learn how to support this podcast, visit www.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.