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

20.27: The Lens of Why

July 6, 2025·23 min·2 clips

A reader told Mark Ashiro his book made him question how he raised his adopted daughter, revealing a theme he never intended.

The hosts and guest Mark Ashiro explore the differences between theme and meaning in writing, using personal anecdotes and metaphors. They discuss how authorial intent interacts with reader interpretation, with examples from transracial adoption, speculative fiction twists, and memory loss themes.

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