I Should Be Writing

Mur Lafferty launched I Should Be Writing back in 2005, making it one of the earliest writing podcasts in existence. The show's focus is refreshingly honest: it's about the emotional and psychological side of being a writer. Procrastination, imposter syndrome, creative blocks, the fear that you're not good enough — Lafferty has been talking about all of it for two decades, and she does it with the warmth of someone who's genuinely been through it herself. Lafferty is a published science fiction and fantasy author (her novel "Six Wakes" was a Hugo finalist), so she speaks from real experience in the trenches. Episodes mix solo reflections with author interviews, running anywhere from 17 to 45 minutes depending on the format. Recent topics include distinguishing research from procrastination, setting writing priorities for the new year, and NaNoWriMo alternatives. The show has a 4.3-star rating from 328 reviews. That's slightly lower than some peers on this list, and some of the more critical reviews point to inconsistent release schedules over the years. But the loyal audience sticks around because Lafferty's voice fills a gap that most craft-focused podcasts ignore: the mental game. Plenty of shows will teach you three-act structure. Very few will sit with you in that moment where you're staring at a blank page, convinced you have nothing worth saying, and gently talk you back to the keyboard. If you struggle more with motivation and self-doubt than with plot mechanics, this podcast has been a lifeline for writers long before writing podcasts were trendy.