Radio FreeWrite

This episode is all about community submissions! We’re showcasing the creative work of emerging writers, first-time authors, and grizzled veterans of the trade, all responding to the same epic prompt: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Featuring stories and poems from Alec Billings, J.W. Surface, KN Fitzwater, Maggie Lardie, Nick Smith, YYC Typewriter, and the mysterious Mrs. Greenleaf. From biblical terror to modern collapse, these writers interpret conquest, war, famine, and death in wildly different ways, all stemming from the same prompt.

If you love creative writing, indie fiction, writing prompts, and discovering em...

In this episode of Radio FreeWrite, The Cru explores how writing fiction can reveal something real. From writing through family conflict to channeling rage, grief, and even imagined fears, this conversation dives into how fiction can incorporate lived experience. 

We also tackle where the line sits between therapy and craft. When does a story become art? When should it stay personal? And, how much truth do you actually need to keep?

There's a difference between journaling and storytelling. We'll help you turn personal experiences into something that resonates with readers.

And, of course, w...

This week, the Cru dives into a strange and powerful prompt pulled from Norse mythology: Ginnungagap, the vast, primordial void of fog (that's fog, not frogs, WebEater!) that exists between worlds.

From that idea, the conversation spirals into something every writer knows too well: the "creative" void. What do you do when nothing is flowing? When every sentence feels forced? When the story just won’t come together?

We dig into:

In this episode of Radio FreeWrite, The Cru explores the absurd, satirical style of Gilbert and Sullivan and explores how far you can push an idea once you follow it to its most ridiculous logical conclusion.

But it goes deeper than just playful storytelling. We dive into the power of creative partnerships, from legendary collaborations to our own experiences trying (and sometimes failing) to find the right artistic partner. What makes a collaboration work? Can another writer strengthen your voice without overpowering it? And is great creative chemistry something you build… or just get lucky enough to fi...

This week on Radio FreeWrite, The Cru takes a step back from writing to talk about... reading.

What should writers be reading? Does it matter if it’s fiction, nonfiction, or even audiobooks? And do audiobooks actually count as reading?

We dig into all of it, including:

Along the way, we sh...

In our 151st episode, The Cru dives into the unsettling world of Shirley Jackson, author of the infamous short story The Lottery.

We explore what makes Jackson’s writing so enduringly disturbing, from her use of the uncanny and the “horror of the mundane” to her razor-sharp final lines. Along the way, we discuss why The Lottery remains a staple of high school reading lists even as many readers find her lesser-known stories far more powerful.

We also touch on Jackson’s life, her dual career writing both domestic magazine pieces and psychological horror, and the last...

We gathered on a cold, snowy, generally Clevelandwintery evening in January to celebrate our 150th episode at Forest City Brewery! Joined by a few friends and a lot of Spud's extended family, we recorded an intimate live episode. Enjoy!

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt!

 
Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story i...

This week on Radio FreeWrite, we do something a little different. Instead of writing to a new prompt, we bring in a finished draft and talk through what happens after the writing part is over. We listen to a complete short story together, then start dissecting it to figure out where it’s strongest and weakest points are. Then, we chat about how it might grow.

From there, the conversation wanders into line edits versus big-picture fixes,  giving feedback without rewriting someone else’s voice, and how stories stretch and break when they grow from flash into somet...

The Cru dives deep into one deceptively small word with outsized consequences: had.

Before writing from the prompt fanfaron—a swaggering bully or cowardly boaster—we get into a lively craft discussion about the pluperfect tense (the “past of the past”). Why does it so often feels forced? How, as a writer, do you know it's actually doing meaningful work on the page? Murph makes the case against overusing had, PC breaks down how context can replace grammar, and Father Spud champions the musicality of the pluperfect in Southern oral storytelling.

Sto...

The Cru is joined by Carolyn, aka The Whisky Type, to chat all things writing, typewriter, and whisky related. We had a great conversation about the importance of sharing your work, and the joy common to cigars, whisky, and typewriters: they're all meant to be enjoyed slowly. After you tune in, be sure to check out Carolyn's website!

NB, stories begin around the 17:15 mark, and while they weren't sponsored by Lagavulin (yet!), like many a Scottish babe they owe some significant part of their inception to a dram of the golden stuff.

Like this weeks...

In our 146th episode, the Cru gather for their annual yuletide retreat to Spliff's Christmas Cabin. There, we discuss hygge: the nordic word for coziness, conviviality, and joy.  When a writer attempts to give their piece a vibe---a general impression, a feeling they want the reader to experience---how do they pull it off without it feeling saccharine? The last thing you want is your readers feeling pandered-to. We've got a bagful of tricks for you to try out, including some excellent advice from Spud regarding the use of tropes.

Stories begin around the 18:30 mark, and are exceptionally c...

In this episode, The Cru chat about the frustrating demands of writing in the social media age. Modern authors are increasingly expected to build their own followings and endlessly promote themselves online—and that… just ain’t us. At the same time, PC scored his first contract through a Twitter contest, so the benefits of online interaction are real. Can writers be private, authentic, and still get published?

Join us live! Come write with us at Forest City Brewing on January 16th, 2026! Doors open at 7:30 (well, doors are open way before that, but we'll be there starting at 7:3...

What does first person pov sound like with minimal use of "I" and "my?" The Cru conclude their series on points of view in fiction with a series of experimental pieces that push the common boundaries around points of view. This was our annual "Brekkie Eppie," too, so expect some breakfast talk (particularly about Sandwich's delicious cinnamon rolls).

Stories begin around the 2-:45 mark!

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a...

In our penultimate episode on point of view in fiction, we load you up with omniscient narrator tips. We discuss everything from the Quran to Tolkien as we tackle third person omniscient in our craft discussion. When do you limit, and when do you embrace the godlike power of omniscience? What are the biggest traps writers fall into with omniscient narrators? We discuss it all.

And we have mulled cider, which was extremely pleasant for us, but I doubt it translates to audio particularly well.

Stories begin around the 17:10 mark and include 

...

Poet and podcaster Johna joins us to chat about writing, reading, and buying too many books. On her program, Booking It! With Johna, she interviews indie authors about the hustle and hurdles of life as a writer. We also cover the dangers of book stores (spoiler, Ohio has a ton of great ones), the anxiety of sharing drafts, and omnipresent impostor syndrome. 

Check out Johna's book of poetry, My Lonely Love, too!

Stories begin around the 15:10 mark and include a voyeuristic gaze at a beach, an absurd political giant, shape shifters, and a return to Cal...

Ok, he didn't get (sort of) married on the episode, but he's had three weddings to plan so far this year and has been absent for some time, and we were so thrilled upon his return that we promptly forgot about third person omniscient, which was ostensibly the focus of the episode. Krispy isn't legally married (which makes him no less wedded to his wife, in our humble opinion; they just haven't clued in Uncle Sam yet), but perhaps that will come in a later episode.

What do we talk about, you ask? We've got a real sm...

This week the Cru swap tales and writing tips for overcoming every writer's stalking shadow: writer's block. PC focuses on writing to a deadline; WebEater lauds the primacy of the editing process (you can't, after all, edit a blank page!), and Murph Kobayashi Marus the whole thing by changing his mindset. 

Stories start around the 20:30 mark and include a meet cute; a meat cute; a prehistoric intellectual/inventor; and another meet cute (but this time through the nostalgic eyes of a lost grandfather).

RIP the Fekemobile.

Like this weeks episode and wish you c...

This week author Olivia Snow joins the Cru to talk regency romance writing, writing while parenting, and the mutual suffering all writers share. We talk shop along the way, from character creation to outlining to marketing, and take a good long look at how to create real depth for characters. 

The flash fiction portion of the podcast kicks off at 12:40 and includes a crusty (or at least, suspected to be crusty) duke, a light haunting, a snowball fight, and the alteration of travel plans.

Check out Olivia's work at her website and her instagram!

...

We continue our series on POV narration this week with a discussion on Third Person Limited. The Cru agrees this is a sweet spot between first person and third person omniscient, offering a balance between the closeness to the character of first person while maintaining enough distance to keep things interesting and open. We give tips for using 3rd limited to maintain reader engagement, craft a character voice, and for juggling multiple character povs in a larger work.

Is it possible to have an unreliable narrator in 3rd person limited? Listen ahead to find out.

...

The Cru sit down with board game designer Bruce Glassco, author of Betrayal at House on the Hill, to chat about narrative game design and literary inspiration in board games. Bruce shares his inspiration for a haunted house game, as well as the challenges (and tricks to overcome them) of writing a horror-genre board game. It's a fun conversation ranging from Wuthering Heights to the challenges of playtesting.

Stories begin at the 25:45 mark and include a cursed bargain and the price of eternal youth; a wizard's quest for a magical artifact; survival horror in a...zoo?, and...

This week you will hear all about second person point of view. You'll enjoy a few choose your own adventure-style (NB- they can't be actual Choose Your Own Adventure stories, as that's trademarked) stories, and you'll hopefully share in the nostalgia the Cru has for those marvelous works of the 80s and 90s. You'll also learn about the immersive narration second person pov provides, including the dangers of using the reader as a character. It's a fun writing challenge, and you're sure to enjoy it.

Stories begin around the 16:30 mark and include a tale of murder and...

Welcome to Spooky Season! In our writing craft discussion this week, we focus on first person narration. It can be particularly powerful for horror, but can wear on readers when they have to read "I, I, I" over and over again. So, it must be treated with care! BUT, for those willing to practice with it, it opens plenty of doors. From unreliable narrators to the horrific tension found only inside the head of a madman, we cover it all.

Stories this week begin around the 20:40 mark and include a hallway full of zombies; a cantankerous tattoo...

This week the Cru studies Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz. We discuss his life, his career, and the styles and themes towards which he gravitated. Place and time were super important to Mahfouz, and Krispy shares what it was like to walk through Cairo following Mahfouz's footsteps. Then we shamelessly steal his style as an author imitation challenge, learning from his style to strengthen our own.

Stories begin at the 23:30 mark and include the life of a jinn, told through her own words; a train ride with two people who differ on how to experience culture; and a...

In this episode, the Cru dives into the world of submissions: the grind of rejection slips; the rare joy of a personal note from the editor; the endless predawn hours of "why did I have to fall in love with writing;" and the importance of READING THE DANG GUIDELINES when sending your work to literary magazines. We swap insights on what editors look for, how to handle feedback, and the value of old-fashioned gumption.

Stories this week begin around the 31:30 mark (yeah, we packing in a LOT of information about submissions) and range from cosmic tragedy to...

The Cru returns for Season 5 of Radio FreeWrite! In this episode, we set fresh writing goals, reflect on unions and collective action, and laugh about Monty Python as we take on the Scots phrase ca’ canny: a call to ease up, work slow, and resist.

Stories this week begin at the 16:30 mark and explore resistance in many forms: a poetic plea for freedom from work and a greening earth, a Joycean sketch of paralysis on the farm, a futuristic Uber ride tinged with climate anxiety, a fantasy where unchecked power threatens destruction, and a Labor Da...

In the Season 4 finale, the Radio FreeWrite crew looks back on their writing goals—ranging from dialogue practice to poetic experimentation—and what they’ve learned along the way. Krispy shares how a season of poetry shaped his approach to language, while PC, Spud, and WebEater reflect on growth, discipline, and finding focus as writers.

Then, inspired by the prompt Batrachomyomachia (“the battle of frogs and mice”), they read original first-draft stories: an epic blank-verse poem on anxiety, a dark fantasy battle between spectromancers, and a tender late-night encounter with a mysterious elk.

Perfect for fans of fl...

This week we got deep into writing nerd territory, swapping stories about the books that shape our craft—Slaughterhouse‑Five, Catch‑22, and one Nabokov short story WebEater dissected like he was an eager fifth grader who'd just been handed his first owl pellet. We talked about borrowing and adapting structure from other authors, the little lies we tell ourselves to keep writing, and that weird optimism/pessimism dance that happens whenever Vonnegut comes up. And also, cat anuses *.

Then we read first‑draft stories inspired by Propaganda, featuring a secret East German book smuggler, a fantasy bureaucracy obsessed...

Krispy had wedding #2 out of 3 this year (to the same woman) but still pinched out a story. We talked about making dialogue sound natural, how to write characters who don't sound like, well, you talking to yourself, and why highlighting every line in neon colors might help.

Bam! Pow! Then we read stories for the prompt Queensberry Rules (a set of regulations for boxing matches (that introduced the use of padded gloves in boxing as well as the 10-second count)). Stories feature everything from everything from origin stories in PC’s rodent universe to punchy tales about co...

We fell straight into the story‑structure void this week—Dan Harmon’s Story Circle (of Community fame, as Murph will be quick to tell you; only casuals know him from Rick and Morty), Joseph Campbell, sitcom plotting, and the eternal “oh god, my draft needs an actual plot” realization. We shared our outlining disasters, surprise rewrites, and that moment when you finally admit the story isn’t done yet.

Afterward, we read stories inspired by U and Non‑U, a very British way of deciding whether you’re classy or common based on whether you say “bike” or “cycle.”<...

This episode special guest Matt Weinkam joins us! We talk about Literary Cleveland, a nonprofit organization and creative writing center that empowers people to explore other voices and discover their own; Cleveland's own free literary conference the Inkubator; our creative influences; and the paths that lead people back to writing. Then we reflect on early inspirations, experimenting with style, and how community programs make writing more accessible.

Then, stories inspired by the prompt Ganymede—a name meaning either “to shine joyfully” or "shining testicle," depending on whom you ask—explore beauty, pageantry, and unsettling small‑town traditions.

We ho...

This episode Calil Cage AKA JUST C.O.S. joins us to talk about writing, life, and The Sparrow's Fortune, a poetry collective working to inspire, educate, and encourage our community through arts, entertainment, and creative writing workshops. We discussed the challenge of learning to accept critique without losing your love for the craft, and the sheer joy of watching other people create. There were birds in the walls, Toni Morrison quotes in the air, and a...spirited... discussion about what counts as “armchair criticism.”

Then we shared first‑draft poems and stories inspired by Ephesian: a jolly...

This prompt sent us into the glorious, pulpy world of yellowbacks— sensational novels with wild covers printed on the cheapest paper available. We chatted about book covers as promises to readers, genre tropes we secretly (or not‑so‑secretly) love, and what happens when you just lean into the ridiculous.

After that, we read first‑draft tales of arrogant jungle hunters, rom‑com hijinks, and paperback‑worthy melodrama.

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode...

Special Guest J.W. Surface joins us for this episode!

Check out J.W.'s book Something Dark and Others here: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/something-dark-and-others

And check out Gargoyle Publications here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GargoylePublications

We spent this week talking about the strange joys of revising poetry—line breaks that refuse to cooperate, words that suddenly look wrong, and that drive —it's not a compulsion, I swear!— to tirelessly edit draft after draft. . J.W. Surface joined us to chat about novels a decade in the making, typewritten poems, and ho...

Our first all‑in‑person episode in a while! We rambled (anticlockwise, of course) into a big discussion of plot vs. story—architects vs. gardeners, internal vs. external conflict, and how to give structure a story without killing the magic.

Then came stories inspired by Wildcat, featuring everything from ghostly surprises to chaotic encounters that prove plot, as important as it is, isn’t everything.

Stories start at 25:23. 

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story fro...

We didn’t plan a topic this week, but PC accidentally pitched us a masterclass on worldbuilding. Cue a cosmic mythology with warring gods (a sentient tree vs... a lake), saltwater corruption, and squirrel crusaders. We talked about how to sneak in just enough lore to make a fantasy world come alive—without writing a thousand‑page slog no one will read.

Then we read first‑draft stories for the prompt Everything Tastes of Porridge, ranging from surreal food magic to grim little tales of survival.

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well...

Murph confessed he struggled with this week’s prompt and wound up pulling us into his mad-cap shotgun brainstorming. That led us to a chat about journaling as a writing tool, experimenting with first vs. third person, and even pre‑planning your day in prose (yes, really).

Then we read stories for The Old Man on the Mountain (an expression used by Marco Polo to describe Muhammad III of Alamut, the grand master of the Order of Assassins), which include assassins, epic quests, and a problem so absurdly NSFW that Hassan Ibn al‑Sabah would rather die than e...

This week, we dove into the eternal struggle of writing good villains: pure evil forces vs. sympathetic antiheroes, Darth Vader vs. Sauron, and why Nabokov’s Lolita is a masterclass in manipulation (of you, dear reader). We talked about finding that tiny spark of humanity in awful characters but stopping before you accidentally make them too likable.

Then we read first‑draft stories for Eblis, a name straight out of Islamic myth, perfect for tales of angels, devils, and moral messiness.

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to o...

The Cru gathers for their annual Christmas retreat a little later than usual (although, as our generous host, Spliff, was keen to point out- the Christmas Season ends with the Epiphany, and we're under the wire with that one!) From the cozy chaos of the Christmas Cabin, we talked about writing just for the fun of it—no publishing pressure, no perfectionism—plus Lord of the Rings Risk, cinnamon rolls, and the joy of staying up until 3 a.m. for your own reasons, not because of a toddler.

After that, we shared first‑draft stories inspired by Januar...

The Cru gathers for their annual Christmas retreat a little later than usual (although, as our generous host, Spliff, was keen to point out- the Christmas Season ends with the Epiphany, and we're under the wire with that one!) We have January on the brain, so we dug into what the month has meant throughout Western history. We look forward, we look back, and we certainly enjoyed the present moment.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along...

Have you ever broken the law? Well, you probably have. Actually, I'm not even sure jaywalking is illegal anymore. 

But! Even if you haven't broken the law in real life, have you ever had characters in your stories cross a road they weren't supposed to cross?

Somehow we started with mulled wine and ended up talking about how worldbuilding accidents turn into entire plotlines and why Asgar’s map generator is both a blessing and a dangerous timesink. And about Giant Trees.

We read stories inspired by Jaywalker, which felt oddly personal.

I...