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

20.29: Authorial Intent

July 20, 2025·22 min·2 clips

Dan Wells explains how Tolkien's vast, lonely Eriador inspired his entire Middle Grade Fantasy with a post-apocalyptic tone.

The hosts explore authorial intent in writing, discussing how personal motivations—from commercial goals to emotional experiences—shape stories. They challenge traditional literary analysis by validating diverse intents like 'dragons are cool' or capturing a specific tone, while emphasizing the need for deeper scene-level purpose beyond formulaic patterns.

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