The Written Scene

Author Pat Gaffey had long and vibrant careers writing in both broadcast and print, sometimes at the same time, and all the time worth the hard effort it required. In this episode of The Written Scene, Pat talks about the catalyst for his new biography about the radio DJ Bobby Rich, how radio has always been corporate, when disco killed the momentum of some radio DJs, getting fired and it being a rite of passage, memorizing poetry in school, reading adventure and prison escape books as a kid, when calm under pressure is required for journalism, the oddness of writing a 3rd person biography for someone you worked with and including yourself in it, the length of time it can take to finish a book, diligence as a writing skill, finding work that suits your beliefs and passions, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Influencers are nothing new, according to author Pat Gaffey. In fact, they've been around as long as Top 40 radio has. Please enjoy this teaser with Pat ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Jordan Coburn, the Executive Director of So Say We All, doesn't shy away from books with dense, complex subjects. But if it's general fiction, she's guessing the ending after reading the first page. In this episode of The Written Scene, Jordan discusses personal but real life stories, finding connection in the depth of stories, preferring writing jokes over improv comedy, the bad art we create when we start creating art, getting past the fear of telling a story in front of an audience, struggling with impatience while reading, what the desired entertainment consumer looks like, gravitating toward dense reading subjects, being a deep thinker in formative years, storytelling skills learned from copywriting, the pros and cons of overwriting, the delicate nature of hooks and stakes in a story, preconceived notions about storytelling, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

A big part of the job for Jordan Coburn, the newly appointed Executive Director of So Say We All, is spent on the phone. While unexpected, she welcomes every second of it. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Jordan.

Scott Ehrig-Burgess, the Library Foundation SD's Director of Community Engagement & Library Shops, has been working in bookstores and libraries for nearly three decades. As a result of it, he still has the ISBN of a Harry Potter book burned into memory, a number he can easily repeat if requested. Not that he wants to or anything. He just can. In this episode of The Written Scene, Scott discusses what a typical day on the job looks like, the importance of working in a creative job as a creative person, MFA program experiences, different energies between poetry and fiction, the ways self-publishing is easier and better than before, why it's harder for bookstores to say no to self-published books, first sentences and why they're important, summer reading as a kid and competing with arrogant classmates, reading movie screenplay adaptations in his youth, the difference between poetry and song lyrics, no age limit for going back to school and having no expiration age to becoming a writer, the different levels on the path of a published author, being intellectually and ethically consistent while still enjoying work by horrible people, and so much more.  Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click or tap here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For Scott Ehrig-Burgess, the Director of Community Engagement & Library Shops for the Library Foundation SD, working in an artistic environment is important for any writer. It can, though, have its downside. Please enjoy this teaser with Scott ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author and retired lawyer Julie Potiker never planned to write a book but eventually learned a powerful lesson by saying yes to something she never planned. In this episode of The Written Scene, Julie discusses how her writing path was heavily carved by medical concerns, consuming enough knowledge to want to write a book about it, needing evidence-based information in life, how the arts and nature positively interact with the brain, the random ideas about what a poetry book should be, how her poetry is becoming less mindful and more poetic, being a theater kid, when financial stability scares away a career in the arts, the ways the education system can and should be flexible, how the writing taught in law school plays a role in creative writing, what SNAP is and how to use it as a creative person, the power of pets and the poems they inspire, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and retired lawyer Julie Potiker, teaching a class on mindfulness that already taught her so much was a natural move. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Julie ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

The world is full of artists but not the specific artist you are. When it comes to creating art, Chris Mancini, an author, comedian, producer, and more, says to find what's missing and create that art. In this episode of The Written Scene, Chris talks about how crowdfunding and podcasting overlap and create supporters at the same time, getting lost in worlds unlike our own for a little needed escape, having the most fun with writing dialogue, knowing when a collaboration with other artists just clicks, the various things gained from reading a book more than once, what attracts him to new art, what's necessary to have a successful Kickstarter campaign, how marketing our art is a job itself, building an audience from scratch, why comics was the right format for his art, the messes behind the scenes that audiences don't see, and (somehow) much more. Go here for more info on Alpha Cat #1 and make sure to support the Kickstarter project for Alpha Cat #2. Click this link to be a part of something fantastic. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click or tap here to join our once-a-month newsletter. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

The world can feel like a rough place sometimes. When it comes to entertainment he creates or consumes, writer and producer Chris Mancini often seeks out other worlds to get lost in. Please enjoy this teaser with Chris ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author, retired teacher, and activist Ernie McCray discovered athletic interests early on in childhood. Still, even with the sports accolades, of which there are many, it was his desire to teach that became his career. In this episode of The Written Scene, Ernie talks about being both an athlete and writer at the same time, the intelligence of athletes, having a librarian to guide you on your reading path, growing up in a household full of music, childhood experiences in a segregated country, when it finally dawned on him that he might be really good at sports, wanting to teach from an early age, how writing used to be a processing tool but at 88 years old it's a cognitive skills check (and he's passing), the different reader reactions between his poetry and his blog, rarely having writer's block due to constantly reacing to life through writing, taking risks with sharing social justice driven art, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by tapping or clicking here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Ernie McCray learned that being part of things gave him joy. Writing and playing sports became his way to play the part he wanted. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Ernie. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to life and the inevitable tragedies that tag along, author and journalist Sandra Younger is a big believer that you get to write and tell your own story. In this episode of The Written Scene, Sandra talks about what tragedy does in a journalistic mind, why being a nosy journalist can be useful, making an expensive deal with her publisher in order to relaunch a book, choosing your own story after a tragedy, feeling like you told the perfect story for Oprah, when deadlines and the panic monster become your writing routine, flourishing as a writer with support and accountability from others, all the ways the writing process is messy, ignoring the urge to edit while writing the first draft, the differences between a writer and a storyteller, a sneak peak into her new story, being ready for critique when feeling vulnerable as a writer, making sure characters fit the story and knowing when to cut them if they don't, and much. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If there's one thing an author knows it's just how powerful writing about tragedy can be. When author Sandra Younger's house burned down in a once historic wildfire, the idea of telling the story of what happened became impossible to ignore. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Sandra.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Throughout her life, author and licensed clinical social worker Ashley Hanna-Morgan has encountered many characters. In the fictional stories she writes, it's important she stays true to a character when writing them. In this episode of The Written Scene, Ashley discusses the ways our muse and our health interact, feeling pulled in two career directions, lessons learned from writing her first fiction book, being able to separate non-creative work from creative work, taking book notes while walking the baby, incorporating real-life parenting experiences in order to make it universal to her readers, getting her love of poetry from her grandmother, being pulled more to fiction than memoir, having poetry as a lifelong faithful companion, looking for good character development in stories she reads, staying true to the character, when friends know they may be a character in a story someday, reading things we normally wouldn't read, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Life is not one single track. For Ashley Hanna-Morgan, an author and licensed clinical social worker, this is especially true, and that's by design. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Hanna. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If there's ever a time where libraries need support, it's now. If there's a person that's perfectly built for the job, it's Patrick Stewart, the CEO of the Library Foundation SD. In this episode of The Written Scene, Patrick discusses the many ways the library system in San Diego is underfunded, growing up with a healthy respect for teachers and the education system, the importance of maintaining libraries and the history they encapsulate, examining the ways other libraries around the country design libraries, his CB radio handle, pushing back on book bans, playing a supportive role in the writing world, how art and culture has always been at the core of who he is, what a degree in Philosophy of Aesthetics & Literature is, ensuring the many different backgrounds of San Diego residents are represented, maintaining the mentality that we are artists and creatives above all else, following your creative path no matter how difficult it gets, and surprisingly more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If you were to ask the CEO of the Libary Foundation SD, Patrick Stewart, what roles a library plays in a community, it's more than just a building with books. Much more. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Patrick ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

It's one thing to be excited about the arts. For author and historian Debbie Wastling, it's a passion, and you can hear it in every word. In this episode of The Written Scene, Debbie talks about having famous relatives in the arts back in the early 20th century, a brief geography and history lesson, mixing her love of music into her books and stories, famous writers from her childhood home, how her music writing is storytelling, not shying away from politics, the ways the railroad system in every country is historically relevant, trying to remain historically accurate in her novels, the evolution of her art after moving from England to Los Angeles, how knowing Shakespeare helps her write historical fiction, experiencing Shakespeare and other theater productions in Ashland, OR, writing poetry to understand and process feelings at an early age, reading out loud the things we write, learning discipline in writing through theater, writing grants for music education, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For historical fiction author Debbie Wastling, her childhood experiences with libraries and powerful teachers makes giving back to libraries and schools very easy. Please enjoy this teaser with Debbie ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Whether you're running a tennis club or a practicing lawyer, all of it matters if you want to write. For author Gene Desrochers, this is especially true. In this (long) episode of The Written Scene, Gene discusses growing up in a historical building and landmark, losing your virginity in weird and creepy places, writing about where we used to live instead of where we currently live, using story location as a character, the ways where you grow up factors into the writer inside, switching back and forth between writing novels and short stories, having low daily word count writing goals, when you get in your own way of writing a story, the ways legal trials are all about telling a better story, why it's fun to be on a jury, what different jobs in life can do for a writer's skillset, lessons tennis can teach you about yourself and your writing, how restrictions in a story can make for a better story, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

They say to write what you know. For author Gene Desrochers, it was the loss of a childhood friend—an event he didn't know about until he was much older—that eventually became the kernel of his books. Please enjoy this teaser with Gene ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett, the world of writing has unlocked a joy of storytelling he didn't know existed at first. In this episode of The Written Scene, LaDaryn talks about finding the joy of Dungeons & Dragons in a college dorm basement, using ChatGPT but also making sure to give back in a more human manner, finding early influences in stories involving animals, writing to preserve positive growth as a person, not knowing where story concepts come from but still writing them anyway, the reward of challenging storytelling, how reading and writing should be habits for authors, telling stories that aren't about identity and encountering expectations that come with being a Black author, his love of reading and writing Germanic folklore, marrying his love of the environment and writing adventure stories, writing about animals in a way that doesn't further any harmful human behaviors toward them, getting out of your comfort zone to be less fearful about other things in life, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter but clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Saying yes to an invitation into someone's basement can come with some risk. Fortunately, for author and environmentalist LaDaryn Lockett, it worked out well. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Poet and professor Daniela Sow has always written poetry. It was in her 20's when she discovered the power of performance poetry. In this episode of The Written Scene, Daniela discusses the value of having another person help organize poems in a book, the high and lows (and delusions) of submitting for publication, knowing her poetry collection needed the right home, how Dean Koontz got her in trouble as a kid, writing fiction before poetry, the role of place in her recent collection of poetry, her MFA experience at San Diego State University, having a mentorship in writing, what a dedicated weekly writing session does for a writer, writing performance poetry long after first writing poetry for the page, the ways spoken word poetry helped her build community, slam poetry pros and cons, not censoring herself or shying away from tough subjects, the powerful impact poet Jim Moreno had in San Diego on not only individuals but also the community as a whole, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also sign up to receive our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Sometimes all it takes is one acceptance to to generate a little hope and drive. For author and professor Daniela P. Sow, this was certainly the case. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Everyone has their own level of what they'd call success. Musician Taylor Hollingsworth makes a living playing guitar on stage, a level of success he's both proud of and humbled by. In this episode of The Written Scene, Taylor talks about how he creates his sound on stage, the difference in possibilities between electric and acoustic guitars, choosing to perform solo after playing decades with a band, what the genre term psychobilly means, playing both big and small stages, making sure you expand your knowledge of other art being made, his love of pre-1960s music, getting into kid lit thanks to his mother who wrote kid lit, being surprised at how much he enjoys Harry Potter, the role of musicians in depicting history and human behavior, discovering the heart of the song during the writing process, when people you admire turn out to have faults that are hard to ignore, how perhaps we've overcorrected, writing while out on the road, the ways modern technology has changed the music industry, and surprisingly more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also join our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Just as it can be with writing and finding a voice, musician Taylor Hollingsworth discovered his sound by figuring out what most people were NOT doing and experimented with that.  Please enjoy this teaser with Taylor ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

If you're an author, surely you've heard the "write what you know" advice. For author and retired educator Deborah Holt Larkin, she knew quite well the story that gripped her town as a child, and also her father's career as a journalist. In this episode of The Written Scene, Deborah discusses how she's always been a reader and how that helps determine what's a good book, using her writing talents to write grants, why early on the idea of writing a book was a fleeting thought here and there, the usefulness of having a journalist for a father who kept everything, what was easy or difficult to write a book, learning how to be a better writer with each draft, encountering self-doubt during the writing process, how a read and critique group can keep us on task, providing feedback more to help a story than to change it, the ways age can play a role in getting published, what a shopping agreement is for screenplays, how swimming competitively helped her market the book, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Deborah Holt Larkin, a fatal crime in her neighborhood when she was a child became a catalyst to understand crime and protect herself, as well as write a book about it later in life. Please enjoy this brief teaser with Deborah ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

This episode is our four year anniversary of The Written Scene. Thank you to those that have been listening for a while. To those that are new here, welcome. You have a lot of great conversations about writing to catch up on. Speaking of great conversations... When it comes to making sure writers and non-writers alike feel comfortable and find joy in the arts community, author and community organizer Melissa McKinstry plays a significant part in making sure that happens. In this episode of The Written Scene, Melissa discusses being the first author in an inaugural author residency, why it's been so fulfilling to have a quarterly arts event, holding events at small spaces vs. large spaces, the influence her grandfather and his book collection had on her reading path, memories of Bookmobiles when we were kids, how her rural upbringing impacted her writing, getting her MFA later in life, the ways her son was her biggest inspiration, learning to write about emotionally laden experiences without sentimentality, imitation as a way to learn and understanding craft, always having music on in the house, the accountability of having weekly writing sessions with other writers, and more. The next Poet Tree Productions reading and music event is Sunday, February 22nd, from 1pm to 4pm at Meraki in the South Park neighboorhood. Poetry, prose, jazz, food, and local artisans. Expect a fantastic afternoon and if you see me there, say hi. Get your tickets here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Melissa McKinstry, the spark to host her own poetry and jazz series came from an inaugural author residency where, while it still holds a dear place in her heart, the rules were still being ironed out. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and poet Julia Lemke, discovering the healing and connecting nature of poetry changed the course of her writing career. In this episode of The Written Scene, Julia talks about how a spiritual epiphany guided her and its effect on her book, loving the library as a kid and how many books she could check out, reading books as a child that are now banned, majoring in Packaging in college and what that really is, the muscle memory of creation as a kid and how it changes as we age, accepting the feeling of not knowing what's next after completing a large project, finding relevancy in a fast paced society, why we can't create if we're not living our lives too, the kind of stories that stick with her, how having patience when writing can pay off, why your reader won't figure out what you're saying if you don't know either, leveling up as a poet, the ways performing poetry improves your writing, and much more. If you enjoyed this convo, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa

For author Julia Lemke, poetry felt inaccessible. Fortunately, all it took was finding her voice to unlock and open doors. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Janell Strube may also work as a tax accountant but her extensive use of spreadsheets made writing much easier. In this episode of The Written Scene, Janell talks about the writing lessons learned from going down rabbit holes, being the kid with their nose in the book instead of playing, viewing writing as feeding and nourishing people, the power of realizing and also believing you're a writer, having a day job that competes with time to write, zooming out to see just how much we've written over time, volunteering within a writer community and how that benefits us, developing thick skin through critique groups, using objects to tell a story, having a specific office just for writing, the lesson of less is more when writing a love scene, why bookstores survive in a digital world, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. Click here to subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter of upcoming guests, events, and more. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Not all teachers are good. But even the bad ones can be motivating, just as it was for author and memoirist Janell Strube. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Author Barbara Carlton led a previous life as an architect, a job she's now retired from, but a job that was very much like writing a novel. In this episode of The Written Scene, Barbara talks about the fortune of having a good publisher, how her love of music played a role in her writing, writing like you're in a mine with only a headlamp, reading kid lit just fo the joy of reading it, why taking a lot of writing classes can prevent the enjoyment of specific genres, the fear of "now what?" after finishing a novel you've worked on for many years, cross-fertilizing by writing different genres, how writing at an older age can benefit a story, when travel is both good and unnecessary for writing, having so large of a sinlge draft that it must be broken up into four different books altogether, and much more. If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. We also have a once-a-month newsletter which you can subscribe to by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author Barbara Carlton, the inspiration for her novel, as it can be for many authors, was right there on her own street. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to writing, there's no shortage of joy of the process in author and professor Matt Bell, and it's obvious from the smile you can hear in his voice when he talks about it. In this momentous episode (100!) of The Written Scene, Matt discusses growing up in a family of environmentalists and its impact on his writing, the joy of maintaining consistency in a story, creating an outline after the first draft, not being nostalgic with past drafts of stories, finding 30 year old anthologies with now well-established authors, becoming a writer later in life and its advantages, how the only control a writer has is to keep writing, the benefits authors will accumulate while also teaching, what working non-writing jobs will do for your future writing job, having characters with no names and what that does both to and for a story, handling rejection and using baseball statistics for perspective, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. To subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter, click or tap here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and professor Matt Bell, writing a novel can be a great starting point to understand and maybe even conquer anxieties and fears. After enjoying this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene, please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

When it comes to writing, to author Taylor Garcia it's more than just a thing we do. It's a career, albeit just a really enjoyable one. In this episode of The Written Scene, Taylor discusses the potential reasons why men are reading less fiction, growing up in a matriarchal family environment, having a healthy dose of life for storytelling purposes, a cruel suggestion from a grad school professor, seeing the world as a story, working non-creative jobs, finding a love of editing and feedback, ironic redemption for a character, letting ideas marinate for a long time before writing, bringing things together in a story that don't typically belong together, handling multiple writing projects at the same time, the pedestrian Bud Light nature of stories and shows, writing whenever and wherever you can, and so much more. Make sure to get your copy of Taylor's book, "Animal Husbandry," which you can find at my favorite bookstore in town, The Book Catapult.  Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

According to author Taylor Garcia, as cruel as it can be, having a higher and formal level of writing education can help not just your writing craft but also explain why the greats are the greats. If you enjoyed this teaser, please be sure to subscribe ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Share, rate, and review, if you're feeling extra helpful. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For pianist and author Jeeyoon Kim, the artist's job is to create a bridge to their art. Because of this, her piano performances are an engaging, multi-media experience. In this episode of The Written Scene, Jeeyoon talks about how her newsletter inspired her recent book, implementing storytelling into her piano concerts, giving readers a reason to take a breath after each chapter of her book, discovering a love of jazz later in life, requiring patience when listening to classical music, what a doctorate degree teaches us about what we know and don't know, the educator's mindset, learning to hibernate and learn before performing, an artist's susceptibility to tall into the comparison trap, how writing music is similar to writing words, why we're better people the closer we are to nature, the ways the sense of awe can be healing, and much more. Grab your copy of Jeeyoon's book Beyond the Keys: Music & Stories of Inspiration at your local bookshop not named Amazon. Need a suggestion that has the book? Try one of my favorites, Warwick's in La Jolla. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For pianist and author Jeeyoon Kim, connecting with her newsletter readers formed a deeper, more real relationship with others, and puts her work in perspective. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Jeeyoon. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Carl Vonderau's path to novel writing took him through the dark streets of a banking career, which can be the perfect place to find a good villain. In this episode of The Written Scene, Carl opens up about revisiting hard scenes that are part truthful, having the willingness to fail as a poet on public stage, understanding the minds of criminals, making up ghost stories as a kid, learning fast how good people can be at their craft, not being ready to put in the effort into being a writer, finding poetry in fiction, reading books that require interpretations, writing the hero's arc and giving morality to villains, craving empathy and connection with a character, being impacted as the writer as much as the reader is, preferring to write longer stories over short stories, why the first draft of his first scene is always written by hand, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and every episode of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by tapping or clicking here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Authors often draw from what we have lived. In author Carl Vonderau's book, Saving Myles, he had to do the same, and it wasn't always easy. Please enjoy this teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and writing coach Natasha Tynes, working for yourself is important. However, getting used to the feast or famine part of the job took some time. In this episode of The Written Scene, Natasha talks about taking breaks between writing and other projects, getting her publishing start in journalism, feeling like there's no time to celebrate publications, choosing your creative path and not having creative freedom when working for others, the different struggles she encounters with authors early on on their path, knowing and accepting writing isn't a magical bolt of lightning but instead is actual work, using the Pomodoro Technique, leaving bread crumbs when struggling for the next writing session, the mise en place of writing, how to stay away from information dumps in fiction, having to first and foremost believe you have a story to tell, and so much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter by clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For author and writing coach Natasha Tynes, having a full-time job helped her remain disciplined when it came to writing.  Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

Having been in the filmmaking industry for nearly three decades, filmmaker and author Scott Marcano has seen some things. In this episode of The Written Scene, Scott discusses the many but expensive avenues to getting published, the weight of artists doing jobs others used to do, why it's important to read and how we schedule time for it, how he became the co-writer for the movie Bio-Dome, writing movie sequels vs. writing book trilogies, releasing small bits of art for free and watching who buys more, the exhausting and ugly full-time job of social media, how time may or may not change people we know from our youth, becoming a better person through personal challenges, writing non-stereotypical villains by understanding how they became a villain, a little family therapy, the lack of integrity in the arts and larger world, and much more. Please be sure to subscribe, rate, review, and share this and all episodes of The Written Scene. You can also subscribe to our once-a-month newsletter but clicking or tapping here. Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era

For filmmaker, artist, and author Scott Marcano, the writing part of any project is enjoyable. The actual production part? Well, that depends on the project. Please enjoy this brief teaser ahead of next week's full episode of The Written Scene with Scott.  Music: Addis Ababa by Eshi Era