Shows
Write Your Heart OutWriting VoiceIn this craft-focused episode of Write Your Heart Out, hosts Kayla Ogden and Rachel Cyr tackle one of the biggest questions in creative writing: what is voice? From author voice to narrator voice to character voice, they break down how voice shows up on the page—and how to strengthen it through sentence variety, rhythm, and intentional POV choices (especially in first-person).They also recap their first in-person Write Your Heart Out writers group in San Mateo, reflect on the learning curve of writing a debut novel vs. a new work-in-progress, an...
2026-01-2942 minWrite Your Heart OutStorytime 6: Our Hero Academia Fanfiction! Where Lilies Bloom by NovaMy Hero Academia fanfic meets Write Your Heart Out storytime! In this first episode of 2026, Kayla and Rachel reflect on how their definition of “success” has shifted—from big, flashy milestones to the small, meaningful moments that truly matter. They talk about flu season, waiting on editorial feedback, writers’ group nerves, and late-night classes (three hours?!).Then, things get emotional as they read and discuss a fanfiction tribute submitted by listener Nova, honoring a friend named Lily through the world of My Hero Academia. The episode dives into grief, creativity, sensory detail in writing, and how story...
2026-01-1440 min
K9 ConservationistsYear in Review 2025Check in with all THREE co-founders of K9 Conservationists as they go over all the highs and lows of 2025. Kayla, Rachel, and Heather discuss their organizational roles, major project wins, team expansion, handler and dog highlights, and lessons learned from fieldwork across Texas, Wyoming, Maine, Alaska, and beyond. If you want to know everything K9C has been up to in 2025- this is the episode for you!Host: Kayla FrattEditor: Sara Fangton Guest logistics: Brooke Schoeder Interns: Evelyn Combs and Grace KoskiWebsite: Meg du...
2026-01-0158 minWrite Your Heart OutHot Takes on Louis C.K.'s Debut "Literary" Novel, IngramIn this wide-ranging, candid episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel talk about creative resistance, privilege in publishing, and what it really takes to get a book across the finish line. Kayla shares a hopeful, behind-the-scenes story about reaching out for developmental editing support—and the complicated feelings that come with having access to resources not everyone can afford—while Rachel celebrates a new literary journal publication.The conversation then turns sharp and unfiltered as the hosts dive into a deep critique of Louis C.K.’s debut novel Ingram. They unpack questions of power, accoun...
2025-12-1741 minWrite Your Heart OutStorytime 5: A Fair Trade by Rachel Cyr, The Beholden by Jessie Wingate, and Kayla Ogden's #VanLifeEver cried reading your own poem on mic? Rachel did. And Kayla cried too, because friendship.And then Jessie Wingate blew our minds with The Beholden. And THEN Kayla read the full #VanLife you’ve all been asking for... wink wink... okay, maybe only Reka. This description isn't A.I. Okay it was only partly written by ChatGPT. I came up with the wink wink thing... I know... pretty good. The first sentence is obviously A.I. lol (Kayla)Send us your own poems and stories at writeyourheartoutpod.com or on Reddit. We’d lov...
2025-12-0342 minWrite Your Heart OutBugonia (2025) with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons: Does It Follow Save the Cat?On a rainy night Kayla and Rachel brought clipboard to the movie theater to watch Bugonia (2025).Now they’re breaking down this absurdist black-comedy thriller beat by beat. Is there any chance that Yorgos Lanthimos’s newest film follows the Save the Cat structure, or are we just trying to shove a genre-bending film into a litterbox?We talk about opening and final images (cutest bee ever), themes, midpoints, Dark Night of the Soul moments, and that finale we absolutely did not see coming. We had no idea what the Emma Stone character was. A...
2025-11-1957 minWrite Your Heart OutDevelopmental EditingWe’re back—and now bi-weekly! Kayla and Rachel dive into the messy middle of revisions: what developmental editing actually looks like, why you should delay line edits, and how to plant undercurrents so readers guess the twist two beats before you reveal it. Rachel talks through changing her killer (and giving everyone a motive) in her one-night “Dinner for Eight” mystery—plus why a simple house map might save your pacing. Kayla shares hard-won lessons about cutting travel filler, building Lani’s agency, and getting a lifesaving line edit from friend-editor Angie. We also play with Enneagram-informed character work (Type O...
2025-11-0549 minWrite Your Heart OutEnneagram for Writing CharactersIt’s a craft special! We kick off with Elizabeth Gilbert’s latest (yes, the hairdresser, the church, the drugs—what is even happening), then dive into the good stuff: how to build believable, unforgettable characters using the Enneagram. Rachel walks us through types, wings, stress/safety arrows, and why intention > vibes, while Kayla talks “thisness,” denial as a human engine, and how appearance can serve plot (hi, Lani). We compare detailed character bibles vs. trusting your brain, debate how much “looks” to include, touch representation + writing to market, and share a wicked prompt: take a free Enneagram test as your charac...
2025-10-221h 20
Missing MidwestRachel MarieSend us a textRachel Marie Mellon Skemp was living in Illinois with her mom and step dad when she mysteriously went missing while home sick from school. Actually its not that mysterious...START YOUR $5 SUBSCRIPTION TO MURDERED MIDWEST TODAY!https://www.buzzsprout.com/2210863/subscribe?mibextid=Zxz2cZSOURCEShttps://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/10s2pes/27_years_ago_on_january_31st_1996_thirteen_year/https://www.facebook.com/missing25...
2025-10-1931 minWrite Your Heart OutTaylor Swift vs. Charli XCX: When “Actually Romantic” Met “Sympathy Is a Knife”In this solo mini-episode of Write Your Heart Out, host Kayla Ogden dives headfirst into the lyrical feud—or maybe flirtation?—between pop titans Taylor Swift and Charli XCX. With Taylor’s The Life of a Showgirl and Charli’s Brat still dominating playlists, Kayla unpacks the songs that set off a thousand think-pieces: “Actually Romantic” and “Sympathy Is a Knife.”She breaks down the verses, tone, and writing style of each, tracing the messy, fascinating overlap of art, ego, and emotional honesty. Is Taylor’s diss playful or petty...
2025-10-0814 minWrite Your Heart OutStorytime 4: Blair Visscher reads “Easy Dark,” plus Dave Richanbach’s Poe-esque prose and MJ’s “Strangers”Kayla and Rachel host a reader-submitted showcase featuring three luminous poems by Blair Vischer—“Easy Dark,” “Halfway Heroes,” and “Salt”—plus Rachel’s one-hour continuation of her “Enemies to Lovers” work-in-progress, a moody, Poe-tinted short piece by Dave Richanbach that riffs on “more weight” and the Salem trials, and MJ’s aching new poem “Strangers,” a call-and-response to Scott Gibson’s piece from last week. Along the way, we talk rejection resilience (hi, Novelry shortlist), why humor sometimes masks sadness, and how we’re inviting listeners to share their work via email (co...
2025-10-0139 min
Talking With Tech AAC PodcastKayla Ireland: Empowering Total CommunicationThis week, we share Rachel’s interview with Kayla Ireland! Kayla is a podcaster, college student, AAC User, and advocate who lives with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. She amplifies diverse voices through her shows, shares her personal communication journey, and the value of developing multiple modes of communication!
Key Ideas This Week:
The power of mindset and belief — Rachel shares how her mother’s cancer journey has shown the importance of optimism, presence, and reframing difficult experiences. She connects this lesson to her professional work, emphasizing that believing in someone’s potential...
2025-09-2542 minWrite Your Heart Out"Show Don’t Tell" debunkedThis week we go full craft-nerd. Kayla shares how adding interiority (yes, telling!) is transforming Pillow Forts Down, and we break down the long-misunderstood “show, don’t tell” rule—from Chekhov to Hemingway’s iceberg theory—and land on a modern balance: show and tell. We walk through quick edit tools (for every scene: desire, fear, misbelief), why character expectations create delicious reversals, and how to build emotional dynamic change in scenes (with detours through Little Women adaptations, Friends, and a murderous “Gertrude” example).Rachel celebrates an
2025-09-2450 minWrite Your Heart OutStorytime 3: Scott Gibson reads "Fairytale of Bangkok", and we finally get MJ's "Elon"This week we’re back with a Storytime episode! Kayla shares a whirlwind night at a Mountain View writers group (hello, kindred spirits), then we dive into short pieces we wrote in under 2 hours.We’re also featuring two terrific listener pieces:“Fairytale in Bangkok” by Scott Gibson — a tender, whiskey-soaked poem about young love. Scott is currently working on a documentary where he interviews the longstanding, bona fide punk artists of Indonesia. “Elon” by MJ — a sharp, slam-poetry critique.Stick around as we set goals and swap contest plans.This week we’re back w...
2025-09-1745 minWrite Your Heart OutMake the Art, Ignore the Market (aka “Are We the Sausage in This Metaphor?”)A Challenge to Listeners!We're going to spend two hours or less drafting something new. We want you to do it too! Send us your fast writing at Contact@writeyourheartoutpod.com with the subject line: Two Hour Story and we'll read it on the next storytime episode! That means you, David. These are the prompts (via Writer Threads) that can inspire your new work:Enemies to Lovers:1. Bold of you to assume that I'd care.2. You're hurt? Why are you always hurt?3. Get behind me.
2025-09-1045 minWrite Your Heart OutShould Fiction Writers Use A.I.?As promised, we take out our hoops and smear vaseline on our cheeks to battle. Kayla is pro ChatGPT in helping her. Rachel thinks it's cheating. Rachel is scared of ChatGPT. Kayla is scared of dolls coming to life and taunting her. Who will be victorious?(ChatGPT refused to help me with this description! Seriously. I think it's hurt. - Kayla)Trigger warnings: SuicideAlso scary A.I. stories, tipsy banter and irreverencePlease subscribe, rate and review! New episodes every other Wednesday. E-mail us your short story...
2025-09-031h 09Write Your Heart OutMaking the Reader CryAfter a summer hiatus, Kayla and Rachel are back—and ready to get into a new writing flow. Rachel shares her progress on Dinner for Eight, including how she’s realizing her protagonist’s marriage needs more depth (or maybe more dysfunction). Kayla talks about experimenting with feeding her dystopian novel The Woman Tree into ChatGPT for a Save the Cat breakdown—only to discover some hilariously creepy “cry triggers” involving underwear drawers and divorce letters.The two dive into craft with insights from James A. Hurst’s YouTube channel, exploring the ideas of “the hero’s gift” and “the uni...
2025-08-2748 min
Designer Practice Podcast: A Private Practice Podcast for Therapists and Counsellors131. Private Practice and Maternity Leave: Preparing for a Leave of Absence with Rachel SansoneRachel and I discuss how to prepare for a maternity leave while in private practice.
Episode Show Notes: kayladas.com/episode131
Rachel's Website: rachelsansone.ca
Free Boosting Business Community: facebook.com/groups/exclusiveprivatepracticecommunity
Therapist Hiring Toolkit & Course: kayladas.com/therapist-hiring
Coupon Code PRESALEHIRING50 for 50% off until September 8, 2025
Canadian Clinical Supervision Therapist Directory: canadianclinicalsupervision.ca
PESI Trainings: kayladas.com/pesi
Credits & Disclaimers
Music by ItsWatR from Pixabay
The Designer Practice Podcast and Evaspare Inc. has an affili...
2025-08-2646 min
Deep BreathsQuick Breather #3 - Synergistic Press, Buckminster Fuller, Myron Stolaroff, the Sequoia Seminars, Drawing it Out by Sherana Frances, Meduna’s mixture, Rachel Yehuda, Bessel van der Kolk, Gaza + Ben SThis week I take the quick out of quick breather and talk for 39 minutes. Topics include Synergistic Press, Buckminster Fuller, Myron Stolaroff, the Sequoia Seminars, Drawing it Out by Sherana Frances, Meduna’s mixture, Rachel Yehuda, Bessel van der Kolk, Gaza and Ben Sessa. Links and screenshots are below in order for your further exploration…Please note, I do not cover Bessel van der Kolk's comments in depth, but I should highlight that he later apologised:“Van der Kolk sent an apology letter to participants, retracting his claim about the war in Gaza and tr...
2025-08-2539 minWrite Your Heart OutSave the Cat!After a little summer hiatus (camping, in-laws, a spiral-bound manuscript from FedEx…), Kayla and Rachel are back in the podcast saddle and diving deep into the storytelling structure that screenwriters love and novelists love to hate: Save the Cat.Rachel reveals she finished a whole-ass book (?!), and together they break down Blake Snyder’s iconic 15-beat “beat sheet” and genre system—using Dinner for Eight and The Woman Tree (working title) to show how the structure can help shape a novel without crushing your muse.Along the way, we tackle:Whether all the women...
2025-08-071h 17Write Your Heart OutHot Takes on the Writers' LuncheonThis week, we attend a virtual "lunch and learn" hosted by the Women’s National Book Association and featuring legendary San Francisco literary agent Andy Ross—and yes, we actually lunched. While the rest of the Zoom played it cool, we munched focaccia and dished about querying, rejection, and whether you can ever send your manuscript to another agent at the same agency (spoiler: the answer was… confusing).We share the best and weirdest advice from the talk (a query letter in Q&A format?!), plus our own rollercoaster querying journeys, writing struggles, and revelations about the myster...
2025-07-3047 minWrite Your Heart OutBrandon Sanderson Mansplaining, The Next Big Story, The Bonnie Blue of Agents, and Rachel's Muse is MurderousKayla and Rachel share juicy updates on their newest writing projects—Rachel’s twisty, spicy dinner party murder mystery (with a murder mystery game inside!) and Kayla’s speculative dystopian novel idea, recently submitted to The Novelry’s “Next Big Story” contest. They discuss the thrill and terror of writing fast, sending before revising, and navigating feedback while staying creatively uninhibited.You’ll also hear:A breakdown of Brandon Sanderson’s best story structure tips (and how Kayla used them to analyze Rachel’s character motivations)A tangent about writing sex scenes while your kids are awake (oops)A deep...
2025-07-231h 13Write Your Heart OutStorytime 2 - Stories that were too good for Reedsy. MJ’s “Clouds,” The Flamingo Poem and love for Chuck PalahniukEpisode 7: Storytime – The Ones We Never Submitted This week on Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel read the stories they didn’t submit to the Reedsy contest—and wow, you’re in for a ride. Kayla's story, “The Muse,” features a moody writer, a mysterious muse, and an ex-fan with unsettling cinnamon energy. Rachel shares “An Extra Scoop of Revenge,” a tale of friendship and arson.Also in this jam-packed Storytime episode: – Our first-ever listener-submitted poem (thank you MJ!) – Rachel debuts a flamingo poem that starts in a zoo and ends in full mama bear mode...
2025-07-0955 minWrite Your Heart OutDid we just get rejected?Rejection Letters, Contest Drama, and the Return of the MuseIn this episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla Ogden and Rachel Cyr unpack their experiences with the Reedsy Prompts Competition. Spoiler alert: neither of them submitted their stories to it! Why? Word count woes, shady contest terms, and a deeper conversation about protecting your creative work.They also talk through their first rejection letters—Rachel gets ghosted and rejected (double sting), while Kayla shares some querying wins and woes, including a personalized pass and a surprise full manuscript request from a Canadian ag...
2025-07-021h 05
She Loves ItEp29 Interview with Kayla WooKayla Woo is a creative human walking a spiritual path for life and business. She's a powerful priestess of play, performer, singer songwriter, author and women's empowerment coach.Within her work she empowers women to lovingly break free from the barriers that hold them back from for-filling their dreams, to harnessing their wild feminine power to live a courageous and confident life. Aligned to their purpose, and the rhythm of their inner and outer seasons so that they can embrace the playfulness that life can offer.She offers empowered women's circles and coa...
2025-06-2542 minWrite Your Heart OutStorytime - Larry is Not WellEpisode 5: Story Time — 17 Cats, 2 Writers, and One Very Unwell ManIn our first official Story Time episode, we (Kayla Ogden and Rachel Cyr) read aloud the short stories we wrote based on prompts from The Writer’s Toolbox—including the eerie first line “There were 17 cats living in Larry’s basement.” What follows is a shared descent into feline chaos, lonely hearts, and the kind of dark humor that sneaks up on you.We talk through the weirdly specific details we both managed to include, and the experience of writing from unusual points of view....
2025-06-2539 minWrite Your Heart OutChallenge AcceptedThis week on Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel dig into the very beginning of storytelling—literally. They each bring the opening lines of two favorite books and analyze what makes a first paragraph sing (or fall flat). From the Southern charm of The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood to the eerie minimalism of Vanishing World, the hosts explore voice, tone, and the power of starting strong. Kayla also reads an excerpt from her new short story, “#Vanlife,” featuring a possibly misunderstood—or deeply menacing—therapy client named Clayton. (Shawn and Marc, their husbands, weigh in with wildly dif...
2025-06-1846 minWrite Your Heart OutHow do we write sex scenes without cringe? Plus ACOTAR Hot Takes.Louis CK & Mr. Beast are authors now? Posers...Episode 3 – Thoughts on ACOTAR, Sex Scenes, Ghost Stories, and Cancelled Comedians: Writing What Scares YouIn this spicy episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel tackle everything from Louis C.K.’s surprise debut novel to the challenges of writing authentic (and not cringe) sex scenes. Rachel shares a scene from a ghost story based on true events—and the surprising workshop feedback that made her question if her character even likes men. Kayla & Rachel read A Court of Thorns and Roses for the fi...
2025-06-1846 min
The Connection Code with Rachel and JeanaFuture Friends: Connection by the Next Generation (Ft. Kayla and Shira Rischall)In this very special 10th episode of The Connection Code, the microphones are flipped as Rachel’s twin daughters, Kayla and Shira, take the lead. What follows is a candid, funny, and deeply heartfelt conversation about what it means to connect—with yourself, with friends, and with the world around you.Before the twins step in, Jeana and Rachel open up about what it’s like trying to show up fully in relationships while navigating overwhelm. They talk about mental health, the myth of multitasking, and the emotional cost of doing too much. Rachel shares...
2025-06-1248 minWrite Your Heart OutAre we writers yet?In this debut episode of Write Your Heart Out, co-hosts Kayla Ogden and Rachel Cyr open up about their writing journeys, imposter syndrome, and the magic of finally finishing something—be it a novel or a poem about a flamingo showdown in a zoo. Rachel shares her first public reading experience (and her fear of crying onstage), Kayla talks about querying her debut novel, and both reflect on the weird vulnerability of calling yourself a writer. Along the way: a haunted lasagna, a flamingo fight poem, and a heartfelt tribute to the writing friends who cheer us on....
2025-06-1135 minWrite Your Heart OutDid we just join a cult?In this episode of Write Your Heart Out, Kayla and Rachel dive into the awkward, exhilarating world of submitting your writing for publication. Rachel is required to send out short stories for her creative writing class—easy, right? Except for the spiraling self-doubt, existential dread, and the creeping fear that someone you know might actually read your stuff.The two discuss pen names (are they for privacy, aesthetics, or just keeping grandma from reading your sex scenes?), the vulnerability of putting your work out into the world, and Steven Pressfield’s cult-classic The War of Art. Is resi...
2025-06-1151 min