Radio FreeWrite

Bam! Pow! The Queensberry Rules are a set of regulations for boxing matches, and introduced the use of padded gloves in boxing as well as the 10-second count.We hope you enjoy this episode's stories, and that they inspire you to write your own!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

According to Brewer's, U and Non-U is an outdated term to describe the differences between English social classes based on usage of certain words. "U" is upper class and "Non-U" is non-upper class. For example, it is U to say "luncheon" and Non-U to say "lunch." Does the language we use determine our reality, and if so to what extent? Interesting questions. Perhaps ponder them while giving our episode a listen.Stories start around 19:05. Happy writing everyone!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

This episode special guest Matt Weinkam joins us! We talk about Literary Cleveland, a nonprofit organization and creative writing center that empowers people to explore other voices and discover their own; Cleveland's own free literary conference the Inkubator; and, of course, writing.We hope you enjoy this episode! Check out Literary Cleveland here: https://www.litcleveland.org/Or follow them on Instagram @literaryclevelandBe sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

This episode JUST C.O.S. joins us to talk about writing, life, and The Sparrow's Fortune, a poetry collective working to inspire, educate, and encourage our community through arts, entertainment, and creative writing workshops.Check out The Sparrow's Fortune here: https://www.thesparrowsfortune.com/Or follow them on Instagram @thesparrowsfortuneFollow @just.c.o.s. on Insta, and if you want to book email JustCOS.info@gmail.comHappy writing everyone!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Yellowback: A now dated term for a cheap novel, especially of the sensational kind, so called from the yellow board binding familiar on the railway bookstalls in Victorian days. Kind of like an old timey airport novel.We hope you have a wonderful week! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Special Guest J.W. Surface joins us for this episode!Check out J.W.'s book Something Dark and Others here: https://store.bookbaby.com/book/something-dark-and-othersAnd check out Gargoyle Publications here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GargoylePublicationsProteus was, in Greek legend, Poseidon's herdsman, an old man and a prophet, famous for his power of assuming different shapes at will. The phrase "As many shapes as Proteus" and the adjective "Protean" mean ever-changing, versatile, ready to take on different aspects.Legend says that Proteus lived in a vast cave, and his custom was to count up his herds of sea calves at noon, then to sleep. There was no way of catching him but by stealing upon him at this time and binding him, otherwise he would elude anyone by a rapid change of shape.We here at Radio FreeWrite hope you enjoy this episode.Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Wildcat! A word expressing reckless, uncontrolled, and unsound activity. Also a small wild animal that looks very close to a house cat. Happy writing everyone! Wishing you all the best.Stories start at 25:23. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: "Everything Tastes of Porridge: However we may deceive ourselves, whatever castles in the air we may construct, the facts of home life will always intrude."Hi friends! Join us this week as we explore this concept with our artful words. In writing, I can invent and live in fantasy realms or societies in the sky, but once done I always return to my real, normal life. Isn't that great?Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Old Man on the Mountain is an expression used by Marco Polo to describe Muhammad III of Alamut, the grand master of the Order of Assassins. After, the name was used for various Isma'ili successors, especially in Syria.This week's prompt produced some fun, strange, and beautiful stories for you to listen to! We hope this podcast gets you excited about being creative.Happy writing, everyone!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Welcome writers and listeners, to a new episode of Radio FreeWrite! This week our prompt is Eblis, the leader of the devils in Islam. This character is often compared to the Christian character Satan, and in Sufi Islamic tradition Iblis is considered the master of the cosmic illusion.We hope that you're having a lovely, cozy winter, and have some great stories (to read or write!) to keep you occupied.Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru gathers for their annual Christmas retreat a little later than usual (although, as our generous host, Spliff, was keen to point out- the Christmas Season ends with the Epiphany, and we're under the wire with that one!) We have January on the brain, so we dug into what the month has meant throughout Western history. We look forward, we look back, and we certainly enjoyed the present moment.Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Have you ever broken the law? Well, you probably have. Actually, I'm not even sure jaywalking is illegal anymore. But! Even if you haven't broken the law in real life, have you ever had characters in your stories cross a road they weren't supposed to cross?Join The Lotus, Spud, PC, and WebEater for an episode with stories involving calamity, drama, and everything we love about storytelling. And if you get inspired, maybe write a story yourself, and read it out loud to a fellow living, breathing human being. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Idunna is a figure in Norse mythology, the guardian of the golden apples that keep the gods young.This episode's got WebEater, Murph, and PC, coming at you with fresh stories and writing discussion! Winter's here, so it's time to get cozy, break out the typewriter (if you're WebEater), computer, or pen, and unleash your imagination. If you write about sunny, tropical places, maybe the cold won't be as bad?Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

According to Brewer's, a Triumvir was one of a group of three men acting as joint magistrates for some special purpose. Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus made the First Triumvirate, while Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus made the Second Triumvirate.On this episode, we have IronBrewed joining us! We do what we always do, talk about writing, and share stories that the prompts inspired us to write. Send us your stories, we'd love to read them. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Hello! In this Minizode, Krispy and Murph discuss the various reasons people find for writing. How was writing developed, and originally used? From passion, to fame and fortune, what drives people to put words on the page (or screen)? What motivates us at Radio Freewrite as writers? How about famous writers throughout history?We hope you have a wonderful week, with some good writing and reading throughout it!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

A zucchetto is a kind of skullcap worn by clerics. This prompt inspired us to write some zany stories, and we hope that after listening you are similarly inspired to pick up a pen, open up that typewriter, or power on your computer, ready to unleash your creativity in words!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

PC shares his experience of the publication process after a novel is accepted. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

This week the Cru had a special prompt. We wandered the halls of the Cleveland Museum of Art, seeking inspiration, and all picked different artworks to inspire our writing. Art is it's own world: listen for mysterious galleries, goblins, bad relationships, and sonnets! And, if you get a chance, try this exercise yourself. The CMA is free, or find your nearest museum, and, with an open mind, search for something to inspire your writing!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

WebEater and Murph discuss different approaches to imitating--- and learning from--- an author.Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru gets unhinged - fictionally! Or at least it's this week's prompt!We hope that this episode will inspire your own imagination to take the door off its hinges. Who knows what will come in and out? The only way to know is to put your pen to paper, or your fingers and mind to your typewriter keys, and find out!Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru riff on strategies for reading as a writer. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

WebEater had the night off, sort of, so he's not sure what to put in the episode description. He assumes it went off well---hunky dory?---, right guys? Guys?Stories begin at the 16:45 mark, and this poster is as mystified as you are, dear listener, about what they contain. Enjoy! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

WebEater, Murph, and Krispy discuss their (very) different methods of finding time to write, as well as the different strategies employed by famous authors.Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The whole Cru gathers together for this one to discuss another (comparatively) famous writing group, The Inklings, whose members included C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Stories begin at the 20:20 mark and range from sentimental, to witchy, to dialup internet, to a moon of Saturn, to pure poetry.  Also, our friend Amber (Episode #109) over at Tadpole Press is hosting a virtual write-in, with a cool game of bingo and prizes! Check it out. Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

It's the finale of Season 3! We have a fiery ending, writing stories inspired by Vesta, goddess of the hearth....But honestly, we in the Cru have all had a lot going on in our personal lives. It's been a hectic summer. Our topic of discussion today is how to get back into writing, or any pursuit, after a long time of not doing it. Join us as we get back together to enjoy community and writing all over again.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Amber of Tadpole Press writes with us today!Amber is the founder and CEO of Tadpole Press. Enter Tadpole Press' 100-word story contest! It's an international writing contest celebrating community and creativity. These are things we love here at Radio Freewrite. Join us as we explore our prompt "Fiasco" and discuss how we write and how writing writes us.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

We welcome author Stuart Miller for a discussion about trauma and writing. Writing can be a tool to educate others, but it can also be a medium through which the author can heal. Stuart only had a short time to share with us, and he bowed out before the stories began. We start reading those at the 20:45 mark, and they include a curmudgeon, who encounters a cat; a girl, just starting out on her own, who encounters a curmudgeon; a curmudgeon, not by choice; 3 baby stories; a secret story; and an anarchist tale. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Whelp, WebEater wasn't here for this one, so what PC, Spud, and your host, Murph, got up to is a mystery. You'd best listen to find out. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

PC picked a great prompt for this week's episode: a haunting, beautiful Mongolian song called "Altargana," specifically the version done by the group Khusugtun. Also, our beloved WebEater was out as host for this episode, so with Murph, PC, and Spud anarchy ruled! The song evoked emotions of sadness, yearning, and vibes of a secret, hidden message in our writers. Listen to the song, listen to our stories, and let yourself recline in dreams.Link to the song: Altargana - Khusugtun Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Here is the long-awaited conclusion to our series on the anatomy of a story. Be sure to listen to episodes 103 and 104 for writing and banter on the beginning and middle of stories respectively. In this one we tackle how to end stories, discussing how to tie together what was set up in the beginning, and expanded and deepened in the middle. Happy writing!Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

We're back for the long-awaited middle section of our series on the anatomy of a story. Be sure to listen to episode 103 before firing up this puppy- remember, PC's story is tagged onto 103 as a coda. The full Cru is on deck for this one, so buckle up and enjoy the ride! Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The WHOLE CRU has assembled for this one; be sure to stay tuned for PC's coda at the end of the episode! We chat about the beginnings of stories: what they have to accomplish, the parts they often contain, and pitfalls to be avoided. Then, we share the beginnings of our stories. Tales begin around the 23:30 mark and include an undertaker pondering death; a girl who finds some coins; the opening to a murder-mystery romcom; a coin hunter on the shores of the Styx; siblings (one of whom is dead); and a grave robber. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Corpse coins. An old name for the pennies placed on the eyelids of dead persons to keep them closed. In the New England states a half-dollar was traditionally used for the same purpose. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru rehashes the age-old debate of plotting vs. pantsing, and Krispy provides a novel update. Stories begin around the 15:30 mark and include a guy who is shipwrecked and reflecting; a man reminiscing on an adventure; 2 poems; and a love letter. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Neap Tides. Those tides which attain the least rise and fall at or near the first and last quarters of the moon. The high water rises little more than half as high above the mean level as it does at SPRING TIDES, and the low water sinks about half as little below it. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru discuss the benefits and pitfalls of novel-writing guides like Save the Cat and other such guidebooks. Stories begin around the 30 minute mark and include a story of a letter; the dark side of the Buggins' Turn; and an inauguration.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Buggins' turn. The principle of awarding promo- tion by rotation rather than on individual merit. Buggins is a supposedly common surname, but there were only two in the 1980 London tele- phone directory. The name itself is familiar in another context from 'Grandma Buggins', a tiresome old lady played by Mabel Constan- duros in a radio series that ran from 1925 to the late 1940s.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru was joined by a hefty crowd at Bookhouse Brewing to celebrate their 100th Episode! We had an absolute blast recording this. Thanks to everyone who wrote in from afar (fan-favorites Richard Polt, Chelsea Burton Dunn, YYC Typewriter, and JW Surface) and to all who joined. Most of our guests wrote 100-word stories for our episode; we hope you enjoy them! Adapted from Wikipedia: Krampus The Krampus is a horned, anthropomorphic figure in the Central and Eastern Alpine folklore of Europe who, during the Advent season, scares children who have misbehaved. Assisting Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, the pair visit children on the night of 6 December, with Saint Nicholas rewarding the well-behaved children with gifts such as oranges, dried fruit, walnuts and chocolate, while the badly behaved ones only receive punishment from Krampus with birch rods. The history of the Krampus figure has been theorized as stretching back to pre-Christian Alpine traditions,[2][7] with celebrations involving Krampus dating back to the 6th or 7th century AD. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru chat about getting into "the zone" when writing; leaving yourself notes to continue; and the benefits of plotting and pantsing. Stories begin around the 19:40 mark and include a war over potatoes at a holiday dinner; a new and growing relationship; and the dark depths of war. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Potato War. The Prussian name for the War of the Bavarian Succession (1778-1779), because the operations largely revolved around the acquisition or denial to the enemy of supplies. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru discuss why show vs. tell has particular resonance for a reading public geared toward visual storytelling. Stories begin around the 14:20 mark and include a tale of Cain; a stroll through the mist; and a fantastical rebirth. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Land of Nod, The. This was the desolate land to which CAIN was exiled after he had slain ABEL (Genesis 4:16). Jonathan Swift, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation (1738), said that he was 'going into the land of Nod', meaning that he was going to sleep, which meaning it has retained ever since. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru is joined by author KC Woodruff for a chat about her approach to worldbuilding, memes, and all sorts of authorial mayhem. Stories begin around the 24:30 mark and include a plant lady who is overgrown with plants; learning to cope with winter; a love letter; and a guy who hates gardens. You can, and should, follow KC on Instagram, X, and TikTok.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The. A square garden (according to Diodorus Siculus (c.40 BC)), 400ft (122m) each way, rising in a series of terraces and provided with earth to a sufficient depth to accommodate trees of a great size. Water was raised from the Euphrates by a screw, and the gardens were irrigated from a reservoir at the top. These famous gardens, one of the SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD, were said to have been built by Queen SEMIRAMIS and by NEBUCHADNEZZAR, to gratify his wife Amytis, who felt weary of the flat plains of Babylon and longed for something to remind her of her native Median hills. They may have been associated with the great ziggurat of Babylon.  Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru try their hand at writing in the vein of Danielle Steel, the bestselling living author. Since this is as close to cartoon-covered romances as we're likely to get (Spud: "Hold my beer." (I know, I know, she's more of a wine gal.)) we invited the G from Storywars CLE back on to chat about romance, popular fiction,  and how to get a podcast off the rails. Stories begin around the 25 minute mark and include an opening; a doctor, who receives a gift; a meet-cute; a family heirloom; and a girl, living a life that doesn't fit her. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Hallmark. The official mark stamped on gold and silver articles after they have been assayed, so called because the assaying or testing and stamping was done at the Goldsmiths' Hall. The hallmark normally includes four symbols: the standard mark; the assay office or 'hall' mark; the date letter; and the sponsor's or maker's mark. There was also formerly a duty mark abolished in 1890.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Tonight's prompt is from a new source: The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig. We discuss all things related to the prompt, which is: bareleveling v. intr. trying to improve yourself without anyone else knowing about it, afraid that they'll think it's silly or grandiose or unnecessary, or that they'll end up calling too much attention to your efforts, transforming a casual tweak into a flashy rebranding campaign. Armenian punt (barelavvel), to become better. Pronounced "bair-lev-uhl-ing." Stories begin around the 16:40 mark and include life as a bookseller; a character having a conversation; a journey; and a poem about vulnerability. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru examine tales of one of WebEater's childhood heroes: Zorro. Is pulp a guilty pleasure, or is there literary merit in tales designed only to delight us? Stories begin at the 17:45 mark and include Zorro on the Z; the far future of the rodentverse; a fan of Zorro, who brings a girl back to his apartment; and women showing up for each other. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Zorro The black-masked, black-caped master swords- man and avenger of old California was the creation of Johnston McCulley. He first appeared in 1919 in the magazine story 'The Curse of Capistrano'. His 'trademark' is the letter Z, which he slashes on the clothes or skin of his enemies. He soon transferred to the cinema screen, where he has been played by such actors as Douglas Fairbanks, Tyrone Power and Antonio Banderas. His name is Spanish for 'fox', from a word that originally meant 'cunning'.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Clarice Lispector (1920-1977) was a Brazilian novelist whose bizarre and introspective work enthralls the reader. We take a look at her work and attempt to shamelessly steal her style for the evening. Stories begin around the 23:20 mark and include a woman, walking with her grandson; a goddess without agency; a poem about an apple; and a goddess, bearing witness. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Berchta A goddess of south German mythology akin to the HULDA of north Germany, but after the introduction of Christianity she was degraded into a BOGY to frighten children. In her current form she is the personification of the night before EPIPHANY, and in Alpine districts gifts are placed for her on the roof on this day, which is named after her as Perchtentag.Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

The Cru record from their annual Christmas retreat, bringing you tales of a Christmas ghost story; two brothers, bringing home a tree; poems about winter and the holidays; and a first date. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Christmas decorations. The Roman festival of SATURN was held in December and the temples were decorated with greenery. The DRUIDS are associated with MISTLETOE, and the Saxons used HOLLY and IVY. These customs have been transferred to the Christian festival. The holly (popularly associated with 'holy') is called 'Christ's thorn' in Germany and Scandinavia, from its use in church decorations and its berries, which are borne about Christmas time. The early Christians gave an emblematic turn to the custom, referring to the 'righteous branch', and justifying it from Isaiah 60:13: 'The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary.'The decorated Christmas tree was in use among the Romans and was introduced to Britain from Germany soon after Queen Victoria's marriage with Prince Albert of Saxe- Coburg-Gotha in 1840. SANTA CLAUS and his reindeer came to Britain at the same time although RUDOLPH did not join them until much later. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

PC shares his method for visualizing characters and, crucially, keeping those descriptions consistent and vivid throughout a story or novel. Stories begin around the 25:20 mark and include a condemned judge; a family feud; Minos, after his reward; and a new Greek Myth.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Minos. The title of a legendary king and law-giver of Crete. At death, Minos was made supreme judge of the lower world, before whom all the dead appeared to give an account of their stewardship and to receive the reward of their deeds. He was the husband of PASIPHAE and the owner of the LABYRINTH constructed by DAEDALUS. From the name comes the adjective 'Minoan', pertaining to Crete. The Minoan period is the Cretan bronze age, roughly about 2500-1200 BC. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Tonight we welcome the winner of Story Wars: After Dark! Sandwich shares her journey as a writer; how it feels to get back into the hobby after becoming a parent; and the kind of chutzpah it takes to walk into a stranger's basement and record a podcast. Stories begin around the 18:15 mark and include a gross dudebro; a woman who finds out her husband is not who she thought he was; a meditation on killing taboos; and a day in the life of a tortured academic.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Selkie (From Scottish English sealgh, 'seal'). In the folklore of the Orkney and Shetland islands, a seal-like sea creature with the capacity to take human form on land. Super- stitions against killing seals often had the selkie as their rationale. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

We have something a little different for you with this one: our prompt this evening is this poem by Instagram's Raving Poet. Discuss the challenges of using a poem as inspiration as well as the uniquely evocative nature of collage poetry.  We battle some internet gremlins, and The Lotus loses her connection. Despite these misfortunes, stories this evening begin around the 18:45 mark and include a girl, applying to disappear; a check-in with some beloved characters; a detective delivering some news; and a slew of single-line poetry. Dear one / you no longer look / and there are so many / ways to disappear. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Tonight we welcome writer Woz Flint to the pod to chat about her forthcoming book, The Distraction-Free First Draft.  We chat about typewriters and Woz's unique ways of using them to get into her characters' heads. Then cometh the stories. It's been a long while since we had to pause recording multiple times just to laugh, but... here we are. Stories begin around the 16:50 mark and include a girl who becomes Ariadne; Ariadne in her new, unexpected job; a modern retelling of the legend; a poem about the heroine;  the thread of destiny; and a touch of time travel.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Ariadne (Greek arī, intensive prefix, and adnos, 'holy'). In Greek mythology daughter of the Cretan king, MINOS. She helped THESEUS to escape from the LABYRINTH and later went with him to Naxos where he deserted her. Here, Dionysus found her and married her. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

We've had so many guests-- and of such a high caliber, it must be said-- that it's taken us this long to get to our first author episode of season 3! We take a look at Cormac McCarthy's style before shamelessly pillaging it for our stories. If you've never read McCarthy, buckle up. His work is depressing and glorious (unless you ask Spud, who... did not enjoy the experience of reading him. More on that within!). Stories this evening begin around the 19:20 mark and feature a detective, puzzled by shrouds; a prophet seeking sanctuary; a story about violence; and a tale of an abbey.  From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Turin Shroud, The. The shroud of twill linen kept in Turin Cathedral and claimed to be the one in which the body of Christ was wrapped after the crucifixion. The pope agreed to RADIOCARBON DATING in 1987, and in 1988 the archbishop of Turin appointed the Oxford Research Laboratory for Archaeology, the Department of Physics of Arizona University and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich to date the shroud, pieces of which -101 were gi were given to these institutes in April 1988. The results were announced on 13 October and the cloth was dated between 1260 and 1390. There is no firm historical evidence that it was known before the 14th century. Although not accepted by all, the general conclusion is that the shroud is a medieval fake. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

We welcome author Chelsea Burton Dunn aboard the pod this week to discuss the hold our characters have over us as writers. Check out her Instagram and TikTok for spooky romps through modern tales! Stories begin around the 16 minute mark and include a tale of a dragon; a group of people who have fallen for something; a Spud-style meet cute; and a lonely boy stumbling upon a shop that promises to take care of his needs. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Hook, line and sinker. To swallow a tale hook, line and sinker is to be extremely gullible, like the hungry fish that swallows not only the baited hook, but the sinker (lead weight) and some of the line as well. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

Never-ending tasks? Sounds right up the writer's alley! We're joined again by J.W. Surface to discuss his latest book (available now!) and all things spooky. We even extended spooky season another week to do it. Heck, it's still getting darker, the leaves are whispering secrets, and something lurks in the shadows. Spooky is baked into the autumnal cake. Stories begin around the 17:30 mark and include the start of the next great American zombie novel; what happens when the prompt becomes too much of itself; a girl with recurring nightmares and dreams; a good ol' fashioned werewolf story; and a tale about being a woman. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable:  Paint the Forth Bridge, To. To carry out an apparently endless task that has to be started again as soon as it is finished. The reference is to the railway bridge over the Firth of Forth in southeast Scotland, built in 1890 and legendary for its continuous painting process, each session of which traditionally takes four years to complete. See also SISYPHUSCheck out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

This week we welcome author Willow Vincenty to the pod. She brings her character-crafting A-game to Fetch, the final episode in this year's spooky season. We have several excellent and spooky ghost stories (beginning at the 16:45 mark) for you this week, featuring a fetch; another fetch; 4 micro stories; a mortician who gets murdered (and doesn't mind all that much); and... another one about a fetch. Happy Halloween, y'all. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: fetch In Irish and north of England folklore, the apparition of a living person; one's spirit-double, iden- tical in appearance, even to details of dress. A fetch can be seen usually only by persons with second sight. It is most commonly seen, however, by a special friend or near relative just before or at the moment of death of the original. If it is seen in the morning it is thought to presage longevity for the original; its appearance at night means he is about to die or has just died. The fetch usually comes walking along easily and casually and disappears across the fields or through a gap in a hedge. If it seems to be agitated or distressed, a violent death is known to be in store for the original. One's fetch is even occasionally seen by oneself. Check out our website for a featured story from this week's episode, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do. Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.