Episode 13 - Who Do We Write For? — Phenotypes, Readers, and the Writer’s Self

Welcome to Fictional Problems, the Speculative Fiction Ireland podcast. In this episode Gary J. Martin and A.R. McNevin debate who writers actually write for—themselves, specific audiences, critics, or idealized "phenotypes." They discuss using personal experiences, emotional motivations, plot logic, and the influence of reviewers when crafting characters and stories.

From writing as therapy to the fuel of rejection and the trade-offs between traditional and self-publishing, the hosts explore how motivations shape storytelling and what readers expect from plot, character realism, and narrative surprises.