Tiffin Inn Writing Workshop (with Imposter Syndrome & Unlimited Refills)

Tim reveals how some of his bad writing habits have started to creep back into his process...and what he's doing to conquer them. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim discusses his experience at Theater Camp for Writers as well as a stint in a secluded home of a friend where he could live out his fantasy of being a professional writer for a week. Art explores strategies for expanding character in rewrites, especially in how supplying specific detail from real people in your life can trigger prompting questions that can help turn chracter sketches into fully realized people. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Friend of the show Cat Hammons returns to share wisdom about the narrative hook of your work, comparing novels and screeplays in the audience's level of patience. Faster is better in screenplays, Cat asserts, laying out a compelling argument with examples from Christopher Nolan's script for "Oppenheimer." Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art work through how to find your endings, discussing some helpful tips to prevent writing past your best ending, how to spot the best entry point into the story to maximize your payoff for the reader, and how novel endings differ in scope from short story endings. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Art walks through a process to Organize your existing work, Cull drafts or versions that are cluttering your workspace, and Submit stories for publication. He calls it "Spring Cleaning" and swears it helps make the publishing side of being a writer easier and more productive. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art wrestle with the concept of finding your writing "voice," which is different from your "style." Tim asserts that voice is more subconscious expression and that style is your conscious or intentional effort. Art remains mystified how elusive voice has been for him at times, and how obvious it is when a story misses the mark. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Art recaps his recent experience with the micro fiction workshop, then explores how the process of providing feedback to other writers can be applied to our own work. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art reveal the benefits of participating in the SmokeLong Quarterly March Micro Madness workshop, specifically in how it has impacted the style and quality of their feedback. Then Art poses three questions to consider when giving feedback to ensure the feedback is useful both for the receiver and the giver. Finally, the guys discuss three "dualities" that work well together for ready-made feedback topics: Quality of Writing vs Quality of Story Idea vs Execution Intent vs Result (to spark a dialogue with the writer) Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Art explores a recent epiphany and how it can apply to your work in narrative distance at the sentence level. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art welcome acclaimed writer and editor Eric Scot Tryon to the corner booth to talk about his writing process, his new novel I'm The Undertow (available now for pre-order), and a peek behind the curtain of his literary journal Flash Frog. Eric Scot Tryon's short fiction has appeared in literary journals such as Mid-American Review, Indiana Review, Ninth Letter, Florida Review, Glimmer Train, The Los Angeles Review, and others. His work has also been selected for the Wigleaf Top 50 and the Best Small Fictions and Best Microfiction anthologies. He is also the founding editor of the literary magazine Flash Frog. Eric is represented by Carleen Geisler. Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Art describes his participation in a month-long writing workshop and reads his first attempt at microfiction into the record, which serves as a great example of how early drafts often lack necessary conflict.  Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art discuss the concept of "bravery" in how challenging it can be to be vulnerable and emotionally honest in our fiction. Then Tim and Art explore how to use AI as your own personal assistant to accelerate early stage perogress on longer works of fiction (like a novel outline or movie treatment) while ensuring a "low ick" level of ethical limits on what you allow it to do. We also referenced Tim's excellent story in Dishsoap Quarterly, "They fired up the laser": https://dishsoap-quarterly.com/12-31-24/laser/  Check us out on Linktree to connect with us or with friends of the show: https://linktr.ee/tiffininnwritingworkshop  As always, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

Art celebrates Tim's personal challenge that helped Art break out of his creative rut and love the process of writing once again. To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art welcome acclaimed writer and editor Aaron Burch to the corner booth to talk about his process and his newly released novel Tacoma. Aaron Burch is the author of the essay collection, A Kind of In-Between; the novel, Year of the Buffalo; the memoir/literary analysis Stephen King's The Body; and the short story collection, Backswing. He edited the craft anthology How to Write a Novel: An Anthology of 20 Craft Essays About Writing, None of Which Ever Mention Writing, and is currently the editor of the journals Short Story, Long and HAD. He grew up in Tacoma and lives in Michigan, where he teaches at the University of Michigan. To contact us, e-mail [email protected]. 

Tim tries to answer the question from the end of last episode: "What about the work that you are doing makes you feel like it matters so much that you want to finish it?" To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

Art comes clean about his current aversion to writing fiction, where he is struggling to find the relevance of fiction amidst the chaos of modern life. Tim asserts a much more optimistic perspective and tries to convince Art to explore his own personal history as way to reignite his love of writing, whether creative nonfiction or fiction. Enjoy the unfiltererd angst of the creative process! To contact us, e-mail [email protected]. 

Art explores how mining your own personal history can help create characters who feel real by sharing an embarassing similarity between his life and The Great Gatsby. To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art welcome "friend of the show" Emily Rinkema to the corner booth! Emily shares that she is now an Assistant Editor at FlashFrog. The gang discusses how to write into a narrative with dialogue and spends a good deal of time exploring the pros and cons of the components of "Point of View" - person, tense, and mood - in practical terms so they can apply it to their own fiction. The following were resources were referenced in the discussion: How to Kill a Fisher (2nd person) : Mudroom Magazine (by Emily Rinkema) Matt Kendrick's amazing writing resource page The Power of Love (3rd person) : Jake (by Tim Goodwin)   To contact us, e-mail [email protected]. 

Art describes what "Draft Zero" is in his novel writing process and outlines a four-step process for drafting the novel in 2026. To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

Tim reveals how he is prepping for his 2nd draft of his novel while Art explores how his process differs from Tim's, especially in what constitutes a "first draft." Join this spirited discussion already in progress to compare the ah-ha! moments to your process. To contact us, e-mail [email protected]. 

Art describes three different stages of story development and explains how and why he and Tim provide different types of feedback depending on the stage the story is in. "Feedback on a work in progress can nurture a story or kill it, so we try to give feedback that helps enhance its strengths rather than showcase its flaws." To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

Tim and Art welcome into the corner booth Heather Colley, author of the debut novel The Gilded Butterfly Effect. Heather Colley's short fiction has won awards including the Oxford Review of Books short fiction prize, the Hopwood Award, the BNU-Oxford short fiction prize (runner-up), and the Desperate Literature Prize shortlist. Heather is a PhD student in English Literature at Oxford University. She holds a master's degree in literature from St Andrews University and a bachelor's degree in the same subject from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. You can find out more about Heather Colley at https://www.heathercolleyauthor.com/. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Art explores how to get closer to feeling unstoppable. By uncovering why you want to do the work, you can fuel the creative mind to pursue your goals. Join Art as he reveals his own inner cycle of learning, forgetting, and reediscovering the simplicity of his writing fuel. To contact the show, email us at [email protected]. 

A new chapter of the show is upon us! Tim and Art welcome each other back to the corner booth with the classic "What I Did Last Summer" style recaps. Art does a deeper dive on writing professionally for others, specifically what worked and what didn't in his game writing gig.  Tim recounts his process improvements arising from his job change and his renewed focus on managing time more effectively. Both Tim and Art pledge new targets for Chapter Six of the show and identify goals on sharing work in progress. To contact us, e-mail [email protected]. 

Tim and Art recap their highlights of Season 5, from the outstanding guests and friends of the show to the lessons learned, before looking ahead to Season 6 and beyond. While Tim and Art are on hiatus (returning in early October), feel free to contact them at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always here to support you on your writing journey.

Tim discusses how he uses prompts to keep his creativity flowing, then proposes a way to use genre (especially genres you don't usually visit) to spark new story ideas.  Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim and Art welcome into the corner booth Megan Michelle, author of the debut novel Skylark. Megan Michelle's stories blend the raw emotions of military life, the strength of feminism, and the passion of forbidden love. Her stories invite you to dive deep into the hearts of women who don't just survive—they thrive, reclaiming their power and rewriting their stories on their own terms.  Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Art discusses the elusive sources of "inspiration" in our work, reading a long lost story fragment into the record as an object lesson in how the thing that inspires you might not be the thing you ultimately end up writing about. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim and Art discuss why they write and it has only a little to do with hot tubs! Join Tim and Art in the corner booth as they reveal why it is essential to articulate your personal "why," how that has changed over time, and what that knowledge can do to energize your current work.  Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Art explores the value in understanding "why" we want to write fiction, how that "why" can change over time, and how this knowledge can improve our overall quality. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim and Art welcome into the corner booth Nick Peck, a 24 year-old California native and award-winning journalist, to discuss his debut novel "Only Way Out" available here. Tim and Art discuss how Nick's mining of his own emotional story made the novel feeling "easy" to write. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Art presents a straightforward, 3-stage approach for writing a short story (Start, Say Something, Finish) that can lower those mental barriers and simplify the work of getting that magical first draft out of your head. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim shares his perspective on publishing in his dream lit mag a whopping three times! Tim and Art discuss the best ways for Tim to revisit his novel to jump-start his progress. Then, Art teases thoughts about his latest ghostwriting opportunity and how satisfying it is to make money from creative writing. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim sets aside a couple of moments to share his thoughts on using lists to spur creative thought and maybe jump start another piece. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim and Art welcome "Friend of the Show" screenwriter Cat Hammons back to the corner booth to discuss writing for screens big and small, using AI as a writing assistant, and the importance of keeping the reader/audience in mind when developing your stories. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

"Friend of the Show" Bethany Jarmul slides into the corner booth to offer her own Refill episode on writing prompts. Bethany breaks down what makes a good writing prompt, why prompts can help, where to find them, and how to use them in creating your best work. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

During an innocent conversation, Tim experiences imposter syndrome in real time. Luckily, we were recording it! Settle in to the corner booth with Tim as he reads his selected story "They Fired Up the Laser" into the record and subsequently wrestles with the event horizon of success. Tim and Art discuss how to stay focused on writing what you like above all else and how diligence and availability can sustain artisitic momentum. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Art sets aside logic and process to explore how creative nonfiction, and the emotional vulnerability it can uncover, are powerful tools in creating memorable characters. Art shares an example of creative nonfiction from his past to showcase the potential power of authenticity. Feel free to share your thoughts with us at [email protected]. Tim and Art are always happy to get the conversation started.

Tim and Art are joined in the corner booth by author Emily Rinkema for a lively discussion of how to create memorable flash fiction. Emily Rinkema lives and writes in northern Vermont. For her real job, she works as a district curriculum and instruction leader, supporting and facilitating professional learning for teachers and administrators. She has written about education for years, but has now shifted almost entirely to writing fiction. Her stories have recently appeared in SmokeLong Quarterly, Variant Lit, Flash Frog, Fictive Dream, Ghost Parachute, and Wigleaf, and she won the 2024 Cambridge Prize and the 2024 Lascaux Prize for flash fiction. She's been nominated for Best Short Fictions and the Pushcart Prize, but has never been published in (or even had a tiered rejection from) HAD. When not writing or working, she enjoys spending time with Bill, her husband; Chet, her dog; and Jack Reacher the Cat. You can read her work at https://emilyrinkema.wixsite.com/my-site or follow her on X, BS, or IG (@emilyrinkema). Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Art explores how to use a specific writing prompt as a constraint in building a character background. The prompt is "Describe your most unlikely relationship." Enjoy! Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Tim and Art discuss where they find writing prompts and how they use them to jumpstart creativity in drafting new pieces. They propose sharing writing prompts with each other and the audience, ultimately leaving the following writing prompt for everyone to work on: "Write a story about finding wisdom in the most unlikely place." If you try out the prompt and like what you have, send us an e-mail with your draft attached so we can read it on air! Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Art reveals his process for spotting and expelling bad habits from his writing process. A delightful example of Art's continued failure is used as an object lesson of what not to do. Enjoy! Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Tim and Art unveil their revised 9-Step Writing Process for creating compelling stories. The 9 steps offer a sustainable approach to creative work. Try out the process and see how it aligns with your own writing strategy. Steal some tips. We won't tell. Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Art explores the psychology of deadlines, why they work, and how you can use them to boost the productivity of your writing sessions. Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

During the show hiatus, Tim participated in a 3-week writing workshop offered by SmokeLong Quarterly. Tim shares his overwhelmingly positive experience with Art, uncovering how the community and regular writing prompts supercharged his writing time. Listen in to discover what value there is in joining a writing community, even in short bursts. Tim and Art have kicked off 1-on-1 story coaching workshops to make it easy and affordable to get valuable guidance on your personal work. Reading & feedback services start at only $20! E-mail [email protected] to start improving your writing today. 

Tim and Art discuss trends in feedback Art has received from his beta readers on his recent stories "V-Hold" and "Donut Fridays." Together they make sense of how different people can read the same work and have wildly different reactions and, more importantly, what decisions can come out of that. Art offers a method of providing feedback to other authors in three buckets - What I Liked, What Didn't Land For Me, and My Recommendations - as a methodology to provide direct, respectful feedback instead of to being too harsh or too nice. We reference Tim's story "Jake Paul Beats Mike Tyson" in the episode. This episode is our last of the season as we transition into calendar breaks rather than episode counts. Going forward, we will take every February and March to refocus on our work and recharge the battery. Join us again in April 2025 as we kick off Season 5! In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] to inquire about our professional reading services or just to say hi!

Building off the discussion from the previous episode, Art explores how to ethically use AI to enhance your writing. Art performs a "science experiment" using three tools within the ToolBaz AI engine: AI Writer, Character Generator, and Story Prompt Generator. Remember, Tim and Art plan to pilot Tiffin Inn Writing Workshops online in 2025! Workshops will be low cost, high impact, 1-hour sessions with instruction and guided practice. E-mail us at [email protected] to add your name to the wait list. 

Tim and Art discuss how to decode constructive feedback when beta readers react differently to the same text. Feedback helps identify "cracks in the sidewalk" of your story where readers can trip up. Tim and Art discuss how to use this seemingly opposing feedback to uncover the real problem areas of your story. Then Tim and Art take hard right turn into the ethics of using AI to assist your own writing (spoiler alert: hard no), diving into the "why" of how using AI to enhance your own writing (even as a starting point) is ethically dubious.  Remember, Tim and Art plan to pilot Tiffin Inn Writing Workshops online in 2025! Workshops will be low cost, high impact, 1-hour sessions with instruction and guided practice. E-mail us at [email protected] to add your name to the wait list. 

Art explores the difference between beta readers and editors, specifically in how improving communication up front can boost the quality of the feedback on your story. Remember, Tim and Art plan to pilot Tiffin Inn Writing Workshops online in 2025! Workshops will be low cost, high impact, 1-hour sessions with instruction and guided practice. E-mail us at [email protected] to add your name to the wait list. 

Tim and Art close out 2024 with a look back on lessons learned this past year and new goals for 2025. Art discusses his goal to finish the first draft of his Sci-Fi novel and outlines what lessons learned have emboldened him to attempt it, while Tim discusses his desire to attempt higher word count stories in 2025 with an eye toward giving his characters more opportunity to strut their stuff. Remember, Tim and Art plan to pilot Tiffin Inn Writing Workshops online in 2025! Workshops will be low cost, high impact, 1-hour sessions with instruction and guided practice. E-mail us at [email protected] to add your name to the wait list.