Tell The Damn Story

• Tell The Damn Story, #363: "How to Craft Timeless Stories: Secrets from the Twilight Zone"

  Or, "Why Tell Tales of Angels and Monsters?"Welcome to Tell The Damn Story, where hosts Alex Simmons and Christopher Ryan dig into the secrets of writing stories that outlast their times. In this episode, they explore how classic Twilight Zone episodes like “One for the Angels” and “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” prove that great fiction isn’t just about reflecting current events—it’s about tapping into universal themes and characters that resonate for years to come.Alex and Chris share insights from teaching, writing, and analyzing how authors can avoid the pitfalls of making their stories too time-bound. If you want advice on crafting narratives that feel relevant today and powerful tomorrow, you’re in the right place. Brew a cup, settle in, and get ready to tell the damn story.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.com/ Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you're enjoying these episodes, please take a moment to help wet our whistle by clicking on the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠

  --------  

  46:16
• Tell The Damn Story, 362: Creative Collaboration or Digital Devil? The Best AI Practices for Writers

  Is AI A Writing Digital Revolution or Deal With The Devil?In this podcast, hosts Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan dig into the hotly debated role of AI in the creative process. From using tools like ChatGPT and Descript for research and editing, to the ethical gray areas of letting AI generate content, the conversation gets candid—and sometimes contentious—about where writers should draw the line.Alex shares his hands-on experiments using AI to streamline podcast production and spark social media posts, while Chris raises critical questions about authenticity and artistic integrity. Together, they weigh the practical benefits of AI—think saving time on editing and organizing content—against deeper concerns of originality, creative voice, and fairness. Whether you’re an AI disciple, skeptic, or curious about digital tools, this episode offers thoughtful insights and real-world examples to help you decide how (or if) AI fits into your writing practice. Seeking answers to these questions is so crucial that Alex and Chris invite you, the listener, to weigh in on your position in this rapidly evolving conversation. Express your opinions in the comments or take a quick poll.Now grab a seat—and maybe your own pitchfork—and join the debate as we navigate the opportunities and pitfalls of AI for writers, always with an eye toward telling the damn story.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTDSonYouTubeIf you're enjoying these episodes, take a moment to help wet our whistle and click on the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠

  --------  

  49:52
• Tell The Damn Story, 361: Walking Dead and The Last of Us: The Controversy Over Major Character Deaths

  "Writers, how much do you owe your audience?"In this thought-provoking episode, co-hosts Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan dive into the creative risks and responsibilities that come with killing off beloved characters in popular stories like "The Walking Dead" and "The Last of Us." Drawing on recent controversies and their own extensive writing experience, Alex and Chris tackle the age-old question: What does a creator truly owe their audience? Is it shock value, genre fulfillment, emotional payoff, or a satisfying character arc?The conversation explores the deeper storytelling choices and the importance of respecting both character integrity and audience investment. Whether you’re a writer grappling with similar dilemmas or just a fan curious about what goes on behind the scenes of your favorite narratives, this episode offers invaluable insights. Alex and Chris have a lively debate about the balance between creative freedom and reader expectations. So stick around, get inspired, and then go tell your damn story! Do you have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube.com/ Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you're enjoying these episodes, please take a moment to help wet our whistle by clicking on the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠

  --------  

  48:36
• Tell The Damn Story, ep 360: Crafting a Killer’s Mind: The Poetic Fusion Behind Chris Ryan’s New Book

  Or ... "How Unexpected Inspiration Sparks Story Ideas"This week, hosts Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan dive deep into the fusion of horror and poetry with Chris’s latest experimental project: "It's Been a Privilege." Chris unpacks the accidental inspiration behind writing a harrowing narrative about a serial killer entirely in verse. This format breaks away from traditional storytelling and offers readers a chilling glimpse into a fractured, egotistical mind through poetic journal entries.Alex guides the conversation, highlighting the unique creative process, the challenges of writing in this unconventional style, and the uphill battle of marketing a book that doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre.Stick around as Chris shares five invaluable lessons from this ambitious literary experiment. Whether you’re an aspiring writer, a fan of crime and horror, or just curious about the wild ways stories can be told, this episode is packed with insight, inspiration, and a celebration of bold storytelling choices. Plug in and let’s explore the killer narrative hidden in verse!Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTDSonYouTubeIf you're enjoying these episodes, take a moment to help wet our whistle and click on the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠

  --------  

  45:05
• Tell The Damn Story, ep 359: How’d They Create A Play With An Assassin, A Black Ghost, and Sherlock Holmes

  🎙️ Welcome to a thrilling new episode of "Tell The Damn Story!"Today, we’re diving headfirst into the wild, wonderful world of theater — where an assassin, a ghost, a legendary Black Shakespearean actor, and Sherlock Holmes collide on one unforgettable stage!Chris Ryan steps up as lead host this time because our very own Alex Simmons wrote the play we’re spotlighting — "Sherlock Holmes in the Hands of Othello."Joining us is the brilliant director Greg Freelon, who brought this bold vision to life. Together, we’ll explore how this unique murder mystery was crafted, why authentic storytelling matters more than ever, and how the real-life legacy of trailblazing actor Ira Aldridge helped inspire it all.So buckle up, story lovers — you're about to get a behind-the-scenes look at creativity in action. Let’s make your storytelling journey a whole lot bolder!Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: [email protected] follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTDSonYouTubeIf you're enjoying these episodes, take a moment to help wet our whistle and click the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠

  --------  

  1:23:33

More Arts podcasts

Trending Arts podcasts

About Tell The Damn Story