21.02: My Process is Not Your Process

Writing Excuses

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

Business, Careers, Fiction

4.6 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2026

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week, we turn our attention to one of the most stubborn traps writers fall into: assuming someone else’s process should work for you. Building on last episode’s conversation about intentions, the hosts shift the focus from what you should do to how you can figure out what actually works, starting with observation, pattern-spotting, and a little self-compassion. The discussion moves through practical ways to lower friction and build supportive rituals—linking tasks together, listening to physical and emotional cues, and treating yourself like your own best assistant. Along the way, the hosts emphasize that your reactions are data, your process is allowed to change, and permission to be human is often the missing tool. The goal isn’t discipline for discipline’s sake, but a writing life that adapts to you. Homework: Make a list of all the steps in your writing process, starting with the smallest, most concrete actions and working outward to the bigger ones. Then go through that list and notice which parts are serving you, which aren’t, and which you might want to change—without worrying yet about how to change them. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Last Annual Cruise The final WXR cruise* sets sail for Alaska in September 2026—don’t miss your chance to be part of it. Learn more and sign up here. Call for Writing Breakthroughs Have you had a breakthrough in your writing because of Writing Excuses? If so, we want to hear about it. Fill out this Writing Breakthroughs Google Form for a chance to be featured in a WX Newsletter! Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Erin Roberts, DongWon Song, and Mary Robinette Kowal. 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	This episode of writing excuses has been brought to you by our listeners, patrons, and friends.
0:05.6	If you would like to learn how to support this podcast, visit www.com
0:11.8	slash writing excuses.
0:15.0	Season 21, episode 2.
0:19.3	This is writing excuses. My process is not your process. I'm Mary Robinette.
0:25.7	I'm Don Juan. I'm Aaron. This week, we wanted to start digging into one of our season-long topics here,
0:33.1	which is we're going to be talking about the barriers to writing, things that getting your way,
0:38.9	things that block you from accomplishing the goals that you've set for yourself. Last week,
0:43.1	we talked about intention setting and goals, and now we're going to start talking about ways
0:47.5	in which you can start breaking down the things that stand between you and those intentions.
0:53.1	To do that, we want to talk about process.
0:56.2	Last year, we spent a bunch of time talking about each of our individual processes for getting
1:01.3	work done, for accomplishing our goals. And then this episode, we wanted to start shifting away from,
1:09.0	here's what we do, to start talking about, okay, if they do
1:14.0	X, Y, and Z, how do I figure out what works for me? So when it comes to each of you, in terms of
1:20.1	building out what your process looks like, where do you start with that? Where do you start
1:24.7	with the, I need to figure something else out, I need to
1:28.0	change something, or figuring it out in the first place? So I spend a lot of time just in my own
1:37.1	personal life, not just with writing, trying to figure out, why am I not doing the thing?
1:41.1	Yeah. Trying to figure out what my barrier is.
1:44.1	Because the thing that I have found is that there's usually a reason that I'm not doing a thing.
1:53.0	I've talked before about how humans are mammals and one of the things my dog trainer said about our dog was that when you,
	...

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.