PODCAST · arts
The Writer's Lens
by J.C.L. Faltot
Welcome to the Writer's Lens! Hosted by Josh "J.C.L." Faltot, writer and self-published author of "The Road To Mars" and other works like, "The Scientist's Dilemma" and "Spirit, Run." On this podcast, I'll be talking about my writing journey, but also a myriad of other topics such as passion, failure, faith, recognizing opportunity - all through the lens of an aspiring writer.
Episodes
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REVIEW - Project Hail Mary
Talking about one of the best movies to come out in theaters in a long while. And it's got all the science you could ask for. Yet there's one thing I was hoping to hear more about - and since it wasn't - I'll be talking about it on the show. Enjoy!
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"Roofman" - Review
The story of the Roofman may sound like the makings of a B-level horror film. But it's more on the level of a tale about a polite criminal who, at the end of the day, is still just that - a criminal. My latest episode delves into what it often looks like to justify one's actions for the sake of...
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Super Mario Galaxy - Review
In this 2026 inaugural episode of The Writer's Lens, we take a look at the latest Super Mario Bros. movie. I was always a big fan of Super Mario - and still am to this day - so I'll be diving into what worked, what maybe didn't, and what the future might hold for the Italian plumber.
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Shorts - "Those Who Would Take Advantage of Your Dreams"
In this reflective Short, I take a look back at when I was overeager and overly trusting of anyone I crossed paths with on my road to writing stories.
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Shorts - "Should We Care If Someone Reads or Doesn't Read Our Book?"
You publish something. Someone buys it. Maybe you know them. Maybe you don't. But does it matter if they read it so long as you sell it? Or at least know that they have a copy of it? Might seem pretty straightforward. This short little rant explores some of the psychology behind what happens when...
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News and Storytelling
The news is always updating, always changing, and seemingly always in our faces. And there's a reason for that - we love to hear stories. Good, bad, ugly - it doesn't matter. This newest short on The Writer's Lens is about the news and how storytelling is intertwined within.
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Shorts - "Should the Goal of All Creatives Be Mainstream Recognition?"
In this shorter episode of The Writer's Lens, I have some free form discussion on whether or not creatives should be working to attain mainstream recognition or not. As always, I trust this will garner some further thought (and perhaps action) on the topic. Enjoy!
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Reboots, Reboots and more Reboots....
Welcome back to The Writer's Lens! In this end-of-year episode, I decided to kick the podcast back into gear by discussing a few Hollywood and movie reboots. And what these reboots might be signaling about our culture - and how we view what it means to be a "man" in the 21st century. Enjoy and...
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"TMNT" and a Tale of Two Households
The Ninja Turtles are still - to some degree - a cultural phenomenon. A story about humanoid, mutant turtles who just so happen to know ninjitsu. But did you ever consider that it's a story about two fathers and how they run their households? I'm sure you didn't. So in this episode, I will…
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"Remember the Titans" and the Price of Leadership
The film "Remember the Titans" is mostly known for its brilliant way of portraying cultural race relations surrounding high school football in the 1970s. And though it's a very well-told and appropriate, the film is also a great example of what leadership can look like. What it takes to be a…
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”How To Train Your Dragon” and Dating, Courtship and ’Seeing Each Other’
What does a Dreamwork's movie have to do with dating and marriage? Or rather, what do dragons and vikings have to do with courtship? Well, here's my attempt to marry, uh, combine these two items into a singular episode. Enjoy.
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”A Christmas Story” and the Bullies Who Would Take Our Joy
It's the Christmas season. And in the spirit of Christmas, I'm doing a Christmas-themed episode by talking about A Christmas Story. This one is a bit jumbled in its approach, but in this holiday episode, I talk briefly about the infamous bully encounter within A Christmas Story and why overcoming...
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”Godzilla” and the Monsters We Make
Godzilla is an international icon in monster movie cinema. Recognizable by millions and adored by multiple generations. His inception - to those unaware - was Japan's response to the first, and only time, nuclear weapons were used in modern warfare. The bombs that hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki...
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”The Croods” and the Burden of Parenting
Parenting is an easy task, isn't it? I mean, even a caveman could do it. Dreamworks' "The Croods" features a family of cavemen struggling to survive in a world that is drastically changing. And in order to survive, the family's patriarch - and leader - must adapt to the changing world around…
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”Super Mario” and From Man to Myth to Icon
The Super Mario Bros. franchise is beloved from the east to the west. Its longstanding run in the video game industry has spanned nearly four decades and as of 2023, appears to have never been stronger. Today's episode takes a brief dive into what I think helped to make Mario a household name in...
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Stories I Like, Love, and Hate - ”Dystopian Edition”
The dystopian genre has grown exponentially in the Western world over the years. Book series like "The Hunger Gams" and "Divergent" have made people reconsider if the power structures in play are there for the betterment of all mankind - or to keep the masses in line. Today's episode looks at...
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Stories I Like, Love, and Hate - ”Futurism Edition”
"The best way to predict the future is to create it." - Abraham Lincoln. Writers have been trying their best to predict the future for generations. Hundreds upon hundreds of imagined worlds await within the pages of acclimated sci-fi and fiction authors around the globe. But of those who take a...
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Stories I Like, Love, and Hate - ”Aliens Edition”
Aliens. You hear the term and you instantly get an image of something otherworldly. Be it little green or gray men with giant eyes or terrifying insect-like beasts with acid for blood, the "alien" in most of the stories we know is exactly that: a creature we cannot define because we are…
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End of Summer Comeback
Miss me? Well, even if you didn't, I have returned for this end-of-summer-return-to-podcasting episode. In short, my creative sabbatical has ended. Within this podcast, I'll give you some updates on what's been going on with The Writer's Lens, what's happening now, and what's happening going...
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Stories I Like, Love, and Hate - ”Dinosaurs”
As part of a short series I'll be doing this spring, here's the first "Stories I Like, I Love, and I Hate" - DINOSAURS edition. Ever since I was a kid, dinosaurs have piqued my interest. And it's evident that these long extinct creatures are still pinging the imaginations of young people around…
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Why We Relate to Villains More Than Heroes
A livestream follow up to my 2021 episode about the Heroes and Villains of our own stories. In this live episode, I look at why we might have more in common with the villains of our favorite stories than the heroes we admire.
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It’s 2022 - Time for a Kick-Off Episode
Like the title implies, it's almost the end of January and I realized I needed an episode to kick things off. Get ready for some updates, looking ahead, and what to expect in 2022.
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EP83: The Heroes and Villains Of Our Own Lives
We all want to be the heroes of our own stories. So how do we deal with those who come against us? Is it right that we make them into the villains of our own tales? Or are there other ways to deal with them? This episode deals with that idea head on and is as much a challenge for me as it is for...
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EP82: ”Terminator 2” and Great Father Figures
James Cameron's sequel to "The Terminator", otherwise known as "T2", is virtually the same tale as its predecessor, minus one very important detail: the father-son relationship explored between said terminator and the rebellious teen-turned-leader of the human race, John Connor. In today's…
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EP81_”The Sword in the Stone” and Fate vs. Destiny
What is one's fate? What is one's destiny? These two ideas often run side-by-side in our culture and are also oft-presented as a means to direct someone's path. So what's the difference? And how does that affect us in our own stories?
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EP80: ”101 Dalmatians” and the Dogs That Teach Us Human Things
101 Dalmatians is a beloved Disney tale. And upon watching it again as an adult, I can say it's even more beloved. Why? Because of its portrayals of positive parenting, what a caustic marriage looks like, and on an even darker note, the underbelly of child trafficking. Don't think so? Well, take…
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Interview: Clay Myatt and ”Echoes of the Gospel in Harry Potter”
Clay Myatt is a new author and my latest guest on #TheWritersLens. His first foray into the book world brings a unique perspective: exploring the foundations of the most successful book series of all time: Harry Potter; while simultaneously referencing one of the most successful books ever…
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EP79: ”Pinocchio” and the Adoption of a Real Child
Pinocchio is one of Disney's greatest animated films. And though it's been analyzed up and down for its themes of morality and lessons on life, there is one such perspective that has hit home for me personally - and happens to be the topic of this episode.
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EP78: How Do We Bring Value In Our Stories?
A reflection episode on what (most) every creative feels when it comes to the content we create. As a storyteller, I believe we are all part of a bigger story. But how can we be most effective in that bigger story at play?
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Live Show: "I, Robot" and the Logic of the Heart
Talking about one of my favorite A.I. films, I, Robot and more specifically, a scene where Sunny (the good robot), shares an exchange with V.I.K.I. (the bad robot) about her decision to lock up humanity so that it can no longer hurt itself. Considering the list of lockdowns we've endured during…
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Live Show: "Tenchi Muyo" and Delusions on Marriage
Going back to my teenage days and a popular show at the time. Tenchi Muyo! was a popular anime that caught my attention and has just recently been making the rounds again on social media. This is me diving into the source material and discussing how its main canon has come to a close and what I...
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Hindsight is 2020: Star Wars
Ah, Star Wars. The biggest, the baddest, and the most heavily distributed franchise that Hollywood has to offer. What could go wrong with that arrangement?! Anyway, doing hindsight on one of the most influential and popular franchises might seem like a daunting task...And you'd be right - it...
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Hindsight is 2020: Jurassic Park
Dinosaurs have been a fascination of human beings for a long time. They've inspired writers and creatives to imagine what life would be like if these massive creatures were still alive today. Perhaps the most well-known attempt to mainstream that idea is the franchise, Jurassic Park. Originally...
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Hindsight is 2020: The MonsterVerse
Today's episode on Hindsight is 20/20 is the recently finished "MonsterVerse". With Godzilla vs. Kong officially released, the four-film series has come to a close. Or has it? Or better yet, should it be finished at this point? As a monster movie fan, I've been looking forward to all this...
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Hindsight is 2020: The DC Extended Universe
The Writer's Lens returns this spring with a new mini-series! For the next few (perhaps even more) episodes, I'll be riffing on some of my favorite franchises, films, and stories - doing so with the intent of reorganizing and analyzing what I thought worked; what didn't; and ultimately what could...
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EP77: "Cain and Abel" and the Origins of Heroes and Villains
Imagine two brothers trying to appease the ruler of the universe. One does what is asked of him while the other does what he thinks is best. As a result, the former is rewarded and the latter is turned away. And due to the latter brother's disgrace, he takes out his jealousy, envy, and anger upon...
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EP76: "A Christmas Carol" and Whether God Blesses Us All
"God bless us. Everyone." - Tiny Tim It's the annual holiday episode of The Writer's Lens. And this one is packed with an analysis of the famous line from Charles Dickens' classic, "A Christmas Carol". We often hear about 'God's blessings' but what does that look like? What is it supposed to…
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EP75: "Terminator" and the Near-Extinct Macho Dad
The first Terminator featured an unstoppable killing machine. The 2nd film had a similar villain, but in a stroke of creative genius, the previous film's antagonist was transformed into the hero of the 2nd. Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 has long been lauded as an iconic character in cinema. His...
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EP74: "TMNT" and the Fight Against Nihilism
You probably thought the Ninja Turtles' greatest enemy was the Shredder. And if you did, you wouldn't be alone in that assumption. The Shredder has always been touted as the greatest threat to the Turtles' livelihoods, if not the city in which the Turtles reside. But I happen to see a much…
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EP73: "Robin Hood" and the False Virtue of Stealing From the Rich
Robin Hood is a beloved, if not timeless, character that has become part of American folklore. Though the character's origins cannot be found in American culture, the idea of an outlaw who steals from the wealthy and gives to the poor has inspired numerous adaptations over the years. From…
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EP72: "Perelandra" and Gender, As Told By C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis is one of my all-time favorite authors. He's written many stories that are internationally known (and loved). But one in particular he's not as well-known for: his Space Trilogy. Three stories about our solar system and the spirits who are waging war over our planets. In Lewis' second…
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EP71: "Tombstone" and The Necessity of Law and Order
Tombstone is one of my favorite movies of all time. Which is saying a lot as I'm not the biggest fan of western films. Packed with an ensemble cast, Tombstone tells the story of Wyatt Earp, his brothers, Doc Holliday, and the cowboy gang whose hatred for law and order clashes with the Earp…
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EP70: "Dark" and the Mystery of Original Sin
Adam and Eve. Two people synonymous with what many consider to be humanity's greatest mistake. By taking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, Adam and Eve catalyzed humanity's fall from grace. They ushered in a world where we experience suffering, pain, and loss of identity. All…
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EP69: "Forrest Gump" and the World as Our Villain
Forrest Gump stands as one of the great cinema treasures. It's a story about a simple man navigating his way through one of the most turbulent times in American history: the 1960s. And during that journey, Forrest remains unchanged. Whether it be his naive nature, his inherent understanding of…
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Review: Netflix's "Bodyguard"
Netflix's Bodyguard is a story about gentleman tasked with guarding the life of another human being. Hence the name, "Bodyguard." Short observations aside, I sat down and watched this show alongside my wife and was pleasantly surprised by it. And what does a storyteller who has a podcast do,...
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E68: "Captain America" and the Freedom We All Want for Our Lives
In case you've been living under a rock for several years, there was this global phenomenon called "The MCU", aka the Marvel Cinematic Universe, that swept through movie theaters. Within that universe is a character called, "Captain America." Now, I was never a big fan of the Captain, but after...
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E67: "The Great Divorce" and Why We Don't Take Hell So Seriously
C.S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors of all time. His literary works are popular outside of even the Christian community, for which he is most known. But one such title that is often overlooked is a short story called, The Great Divorce. It's about about a man riding a bus to somewhere. And...
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Review: Tiger King...and Some Other Observations
It's one of the most watched documentaries in history. Though I had no intention of ever watching Tiger King, I found myself tuning in this past week. Maybe it's been the quarantine; maybe it's the stir-crazy environment I'm in; or maybe it's the endless memes and allegations about a certain...
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Is Art Valuable In a Time of Crisis?
Many Americans (and others around the world) are shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic. And by shaken, we mean that many are without work. Income streams are not as plentiful as they once were and the sobering reality that things may not go back to normal soon has become a real fear. So with that in...
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COVID-19 and What Story Do You Feel Is Being Told Right Now?
The coronavirus pandemic is affecting every human being on the planet. And in the midst of this crisis, voices are speaking to the pandemic in one way or another. Some are telling a story of fear, others a story of hope. It's caused me, a storyteller, to take pause and ask a question, "What story...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Writer's Lens! Hosted by Josh "J.C.L." Faltot, writer and self-published author of "The Road To Mars" and other works like, "The Scientist's Dilemma" and "Spirit, Run." On this podcast, I'll be talking about my writing journey, but also a myriad of other topics such as passion, failure, faith, recognizing opportunity - all through the lens of an aspiring writer.
HOSTED BY
J.C.L. Faltot
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Writer's Lens have?
The Writer's Lens currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Writer's Lens about?
Welcome to the Writer's Lens! Hosted by Josh "J.C.L." Faltot, writer and self-published author of "The Road To Mars" and other works like, "The Scientist's Dilemma" and "Spirit, Run." On this podcast, I'll be talking about my writing journey, but also a myriad of other topics such as passion,...
How often does The Writer's Lens release new episodes?
The Writer's Lens has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Writer's Lens?
You can listen to The Writer's Lens on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Writer's Lens?
The Writer's Lens is created and hosted by J.C.L. Faltot.
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