Writing Excuses
Writing Excuses, hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells and Howard Tayler, offers short craft lessons for fiction writers. It has 1,000 episodes released weekly, typically 25 to 30 minutes. Estimated downloads are 20,000 to 80,000 per episode, with a rate of $360 to $2,000 per episode. One distinctive detail: the show is in its 21st season.
Long-running craft podcast reaching 1,000 episodes of fiction writers
- Weekly episodes since 2008 give sponsors a durable, evergreen presence.
- Apple Podcasts rating of 4.6 across 1,303 ratings signals an engaged listener base.
- Short episodes of about 25 minutes suit focused, host-read messages.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- co-hosted discussion, educational lesson, panel discussion
- Tone
- instructive, conversational
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 22 to 30 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Titles such as 'Barrier Breaking: The World Is on Fire' suggest mild thematic content with no explicit flags.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | redcircle.com/shows/writing-excuses2130 |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id990871441 |
| RSS feed | feeds.redcircle.com/848724f4-c420-4a75-b4be-fa3d… |
Benchmark score: 91 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 21.41: Barrier Breaking- Physical Fatigue | 2026-10-11 | 24 min |
| 21.40: The DREAM of a Structured Character Arc | 2026-10-04 | 21 min |
| 21.39: Write What You Feel | 2026-09-27 | 26 min |
| 21.38: Rules, Tools, and History’s Fools | 2026-09-20 | 24 min |
| 21.37: Barrier Breaking: The World Is on Fire | 2026-09-13 | 28 min |
| 21.36: Twists: How to Make the Unexpected Feel Inevitable | 2026-09-06 | 24 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 8 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
Fifteen minutes long, because you're in a hurry, and we're not that smart.
About Writing Excuses
Writing Excuses is a weekly fiction-writing podcast hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells and Howard Tayler, according to the RedCircle feed. The show has released about 1,000 episodes since 2008 and currently runs roughly 25 minutes per episode, covering plot structure, character, pacing and the business of writing.
Apple Podcasts lists the show with a 4.6 average from 1,303 ratings. Audience figures are estimates only: the show appears to draw roughly 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode, mostly from English-speaking writers in the United States and elsewhere.
No sponsors appear in the feed. Estimated sponsorship rates run from $360 to $2,000 per episode for a host-read mid-roll, suited to writing tools and author services.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Writing Excuses can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Writing Excuses
How much does Writing Excuses charge for a podcast sponsorship?
The estimated rate is $360 to $2,000 per host-read mid-roll, based on an estimated audience of 20,000 to 80,000 downloads per episode. Final pricing depends on the sponsor's terms and placement.
What is Writing Excuses about?
Writing Excuses is a weekly fiction-writing podcast that offers short craft lessons on plot, character, pacing and the business of writing. Episodes run about 25 minutes.
How do I contact Writing Excuses about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can also be booked through Starbooked.
Similar creators
Podcast and other creators in fiction writing, ranked by score.
| Creator | Niches | Est. downloads | Median views | Rate | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| creative writingfiction craft | 15k | – | $90–620 | 89 | |
The Manuscript Academypodcast | publishingcreative writing | 5k | – | $40–200 | 70 |
| fiction writingcreative writing | 5k | – | $40–200 | 43 | |
小説家YouTuber 小狐裕介 Yusuke Kogitsune@youtuberyusukekogitsune7113 | fiction writingnovel writing craft | 7.2k | 1.7k | $150–250 | 32 |