EPISODE · Feb 2, 2026 · 29 MIN
Short Story Sex Worker
from First Person Present · host Hewes House
Full show notes on our website.A snowstorm, a little free library discovery, and the eternal question of creative fidelity collide as Josh and Dasha experiment with something new: live Reddit questions about the craft.But first, Dasha reports a development that would make Hemingway wince—she's started a short story while supposedly committed to a decade-long novel project. Is this creative adultery, or has she finally made peace with visiting what she delicately calls "the prostitute of the short story"? The conversation turns to inspiration versus observation, and why stumbling onto a beatnik anthology by Ed Sanders on the way to the train might be exactly the kind of randomness every writer needs.Then, attempting to channel authors they've never read (and occasionally misgendering 😬), they tackle questions about writing fight scenes and generating ideas. The secret to a good fight scene? Constant reversals—borrowed wisdom from too many hours of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As for where ideas come from, forget the "what if" premise generator; try living presently with your notes app open.Apologies in advance to Lee Child, Riley Sager, and anyone else caught in the crossfire of their confident ignorance.Call in with questionsWatch on YouTubeLinks:Tales of Beatnik Glory by Ed SandersThe Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway"The Battler" / "Fifty Grand" by Ernest Hemingway (Men Without Women)"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray BradburyBuffy the Vampire Slayer Fight CompilationTheme music: "1982" by See Jazz
What this episode covers
Full show notes on our website.A snowstorm, a little free library discovery, and the eternal question of creative fidelity collide as Josh and Dasha experiment with something new: live Reddit questions about the craft.But first, Dasha reports a development that would make Hemingway wince—she's started a short story while supposedly committed to a decade-long novel project. Is this creative adultery, or has she finally made peace with visiting what she delicately calls "the prostitute of the short story"? The conversation turns to inspiration versus observation, and why stumbling onto a beatnik anthology by Ed Sanders on the way to the train might be exactly the kind of randomness every writer needs.Then, attempting to channel authors they've never read (and occasionally misgendering 😬), they tackle questions about writing fight scenes and generating ideas. The secret to a good fight scene? Constant reversals—borrowed wisdom from too many hours of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. As for where ideas come from, forget the "what if" premise generator; try living presently with your notes app open.Apologies in advance to Lee Child, Riley Sager, and anyone else caught in the crossfire of their confident ignorance.Call in with questionsWatch on YouTubeLinks:Tales of Beatnik Glory by Ed SandersThe Garden of Eden by Ernest Hemingway"The Battler" / "Fifty Grand" by Ernest Hemingway (Men Without Women)"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray BradburyBuffy the Vampire Slayer Fight CompilationTheme music: "1982" by See Jazz
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Short Story Sex Worker
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