Shows
Radio FreeWrite140: Flivver: Staying Motivated and Avoiding Creative Burnout When Confronting Writer's BlockThis week the Cru swap tales and writing tips for overcoming every writer's stalking shadow: writer's block. PC focuses on writing to a deadline; WebEater lauds the primacy of the editing process (you can't, after all, edit a blank page!), and Murph Kobayashi Marus the whole thing by changing his mindset. Stories start around the 20:30 mark and include a meet cute; a meat cute; a prehistoric intellectual/inventor; and another meet cute (but this time through the nostalgic eyes of a lost grandfather).RIP the Fekemobile.Like this weeks episode and wish you c...
2025-11-091h 02Radio FreeWrite131: Batrachomyomachia – Reflecting on Writing Goals & Poetic Experiments | Radio FreeWrite Season 4 FinaleIn the Season 4 finale, the Radio FreeWrite crew looks back on their writing goals—ranging from dialogue practice to poetic experimentation—and what they’ve learned along the way. Krispy shares how a season of poetry shaped his approach to language, while PC, Spud, and WebEater reflect on growth, discipline, and finding focus as writers.Then, inspired by the prompt Batrachomyomachia (“the battle of frogs and mice”), they read original first-draft stories: an epic blank-verse poem on anxiety, a dark fantasy battle between spectromancers, and a tender late-night encounter with a mysterious elk.Perfect for fans of fl...
2025-08-011h 20Radio FreeWrite130: Propaganda – How We Steal Writing Tricks from Other Authors (feat. Sandwich)This week we got deep into writing nerd territory, swapping stories about the books that shape our craft—Slaughterhouse‑Five, Catch‑22, and one Nabokov short story WebEater dissected like he was an eager fifth grader who'd just been handed his first owl pellet. We talked about borrowing and adapting structure from other authors, the little lies we tell ourselves to keep writing, and that weird optimism/pessimism dance that happens whenever Vonnegut comes up. And also, cat anuses *.Then we read first‑draft stories inspired by Propaganda, featuring a secret East German book smuggler, a fantasy bureaucracy obsessed...
2025-07-101h 12Radio FreeWrite117: Idunna – Writing Rituals, Music, & Getting into the ZoneNaNoWriMo was in full swing, so we got nerdy about writing habits: Alexander Litvinovsky soundtracks, video game music for fight scenes, and how misheard lyrics sometimes better than the actual line. We also debated tropes, predictability, and how much surprise a story actually needs.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?
2024-12-0656 minRadio FreeWriteMinizode #3: How to Imitate an AuthorWebEater and Murph discuss different approaches to imitating--- and learning from--- an author.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2024-10-2234 minRadio FreeWriteMinizode: How to Make Time to WriteWebEater, Murph, and Krispy discuss their (very) different methods of finding time to write, as well as the different strategies employed by famous authors.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2024-09-2027 minRadio FreeWrite#106: Altargana: A Mongolian SongPC 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 Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as l...
2024-06-0755 minRadio FreeWrite#94: The Joys of Pulp Fiction: ZorroThe 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 mag...
2024-01-121h 15Radio FreeWrite#71: Fiddler's GreenA light Cru present tales of the sailor's paradise. Stories include a meditation on Fiddler's Green (and what you may have to do to get there); a resident's musings; and a remembrance. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Fiddler’s Green. The happy land imagined by sailors where there is perpetual mirth, a fiddle that never stops playing for dancers who never tire, plenty of GROG and unlimited tobacco. Stories begin around the 10:30 mark. Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Subst...
2023-05-0548 minRadio FreeWrite#70: NiflheimSpud and PC return for some springtime musings on the Norse land of ice. Stories this week feature a Hunter-S-Thompsony encounter with a box; memories of a college trip; the opposite of seasonal affective disorder; and a few nuclear apocalypses. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. Niffheim In Teutonic mythology, the region of eternal cold, mist, and darkness, north of Midgard across the river Gjol. Into this region Odin banished Hel to rule over the “nine unlighted worlds” of the dead. Here Hel presided, with her dark red bird and her rake...
2023-04-281h 05Radio FreeWrite#69: Riff-RaffNice! PC and Spud join for an episode about the refuse and derelicts of society, the beatific and the beat-down. Stories include desert rats; literal rodents; a couple deciding on a change; a girl who has become the riff-raff; and a narcissist who leaves nothing behind. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Riff-raff. Sweepings; refuse; the rabble. The Old French term was rif et raf, whence the phrase Il n’a laissé ni rif ni raf (‘He has left nothing behind him’). Rif is related to rifle, ‘to plunder’, and raf to rafle, ‘sweeping up’.Stori...
2023-04-211h 16Radio FreeWriteZion FreeWriteThe Cru took a writers' retreat to Zion National Park in southern Utah. This episode was recorded deep in the desert, miles from the nearest road. We used a single mic setup and a cellphone to record, so be aware that the audio quality is slightly below our usual standards.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort o...
2023-04-1433 minRadio FreeWrite#68: King Lir, with J.W. SurfaceThe Cru welcome writer J.W. Surface to the WriteLab Studios for this episode. Stories feature a classic fantasy; a classic fairy tale; an imagined mythology; a true crime tale; and some limericks. I guess it's a genre fiction evening? Oh, and there are apples. So many apples. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. Lir, King. The earliest known original of the king in Shakespeare’s King LEAR (1605), an ocean-god of early Irish and British legend. He figures in the romance The Fate of the Children of Lir as the father of FI...
2023-04-071h 13Radio FreeWrite#67: Qaf, with SpudThe Cru welcome Spud, yet another veteran of the Story Wars (P, the wife of one of the Story Wars generals, recently said she "loves the symbiotic relationship between Story Wars and the podcast." We agree.). Stories this week include a quest for jinn; a girl mesmerized by gemstones; a ring and its finder; and a poem about emerald mountains. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. Qaf, Kaf, or Caf In Moslem-Arabic mythology, the mountain range, made of emerald, that encircles the world outside the ring of ocean. It is the...
2023-03-311h 00Radio FreeWrite#66: The Cru Write O'Connor: Eye CandyThe Cru pay homage to one of WebEater's favorite authors in this week's episode: Flannery O'Connor. We write stories of which we hope she would approve, and speak in southern accents of which she would not. Stories feature a woman who wanted to be eye candy; a tale from the candy's perspective; a man questing after a Jaguar; and a man trying to take advantage of someone at a bar. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Eye candy. Something, especially advertising material,designed to appeal to the eye but of no intrinsic worth. The t...
2023-03-241h 16Radio FreeWrite#65.5: St. Patty's Day Freewrite (and also Rumpelstiltskin part 2)Murph, Krispy, and WebEater get together to share the Rumpelstiltskin stories denied to us on last week's episode due to technical glitching. WebEater also reads from a personal project.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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.
2023-03-1754 minRadio FreeWrite#65: RumpelstiltskinWhelp, even an auspicious volume such as Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable is bound to make a mistake sooner or later. Research conducted after this episode was recorded revealed that 'Rumpelstiltskin' does not, in fact, mean 'wrinkled foreskin.' We did not know that when we wrote our stories. You've been warned. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Rumpelstiltskin. A passionate little deformed DWARF of German folklore. A miller’s daughter was enjoined by a king to spin straw into gold, and the dwarf did it for her, on condition that she would g...
2023-03-1049 minRadio FreeWrite#64: Galley Proof, with YYC TypewriterThe Cru welcome YYC Typewriter, who hails from the frozen north and comes prepared with tales of anarchy and France! Other stories feature first experiences of the world; veterans meeting after a war; laying out a printing press and loving its imperfections; and a life spent becoming. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Galley proof. An initial printed proof of a piece of text, on which corrections can be made. Originally it was generally produced on a continuous sheet of paper, with the text not divided up into pages. It was printed on a...
2023-03-031h 34Radio FreeWrite#63: PandemoniumSatan getting scammed? The newest twist on a new classic? Pandas, striking at midnight? We've got it all, folks. The G from Story Wars Cle returns, and we deliver. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Pandemonium (Greek, 'all the demons'). A wild, unrestrained uproar, a tumultuous assembly. The word, formed on the analogy of PANTHEON, was first used by Milton as the name of the principal city in hell. We are sponsored by Speakeasy Leather; please do check them out! Stories begin around the 12:30 mark.Like this weeks episode and wish...
2023-02-241h 15Radio FreeWrite#62: Catawamptiously Chawed UpWhat a mouthful. The Cru discuss the value of giving your writing up to the universe... by burning it. Stories this evening feature a priceless heirloom; a cat who loves miso soup; and a journalist who has finally found a worthy story. From the Dictionary of Americanisms (1848) by John Russell Bartlett: CATAWAMPTIOUSLY CHAWED UP. Completely demolished, utterly defeated. One of the ludicrous monstrosities in which the vulgar language of the Southern and Western States abounds. Stories begin around the 10:45 mark.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as lis...
2023-02-171h 01Radio FreeWrite#61: The Cru Write Morrison: ShrovetideThe Cru do their best attempt to imitate the American author Toni Morrison, discussing her work before reading our stories written in her style. We also launch a new segment for you whisky lovers: The Writer's Dram. We are drinking Glenmorangie's "The Nectar D'or," and it is quite delicious. Stories this evening feature a visit paid to a maid (head over to the website to read this one; it wouldn't be an episode about Morrison without a wee bit of censorship); a daughter and mother, mother and daughter; a pastor at a bikini bar; an asteroid approaching earth; and a r...
2023-02-101h 25Radio FreeWrite#60: The Cat Among the PigeonsA light Cru tackles this week's prompt, churning out stories that include a scientist, his subjects, and their parents; a girl in a new school; a new lady at the local watering hole; and a Chuck Norris-type turned senator a la Jar Jar Binks. We are sponsored this evening by Speakeasy Leather, one of the finest leatherworkers in our native CleveLand. Please do check out their wares. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Cat among the pigeons, The. To put or set the cat among the pigeons is to stir up trouble; to...
2023-02-031h 07Radio FreeWrite#59: EisteddfodYep, The Cru went Welsh, mostly to force Krispy to pronounce the language. This is definitely an odd episode: we discuss why we hate writing, really living out the immortal words of Catullus: odi et amo. Surely you have felt it too: the frustration; the struggle to get words on the page; the "why oh why do I have to love this?" And yet here we are, writing away. Except for Murph. He didn't write anything, and though his speech may attempt to denigrate the beauty of Vivien Leigh, we all know the truth. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phr...
2023-01-271h 05Radio FreeWrite#58: ConciergeWho are the ancillary-- but unnoticed-- characters of our own lives? The Cru provide their answers in fictional form on this week's episode. Stories begin around the 12:45 mark and include a childhood memory; a quest for pure beauty; a day in a gas station; and a psychedelic trip that gets less trippy as the protagonist imbibes in more drugs. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Concierge. The doorkeeper or porter of a block of flats in France, traditionally a middle-aged or elderly woman who makes it her business to know every detail of her resid...
2023-01-201h 12Radio FreeWrite#57: Midnight LorryThe Cru tackle two new challenges in this episode: writing with music as the prompt and writing alongside an Artificial Intelligence. The prompt this week is the song Midnight Lorry by Dispatch, one of WebEater's favorite tunes. We don't play the song in the episode--Dispatch's lawyers could probably run circles around ours, if they could find them-- so be sure to follow the link and listed to the song before writing along. We take a look at the work of Chat GPT, a program offered by OpenAI that is capable of writing fiction. To what extent does it succeed in...
2023-01-1349 minRadio FreeWrite#56: Achates, with The BartenderThis week the Cru welcome the Bartender, a Cleveland local connection made via the community-building crew over at StoryWars CLE. Stories tonight feature a new twist on a classic bromance; an ode to a cat; a life, simply put; a tale of a monster; and a love song to a dog. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Achates (3 syl.) A faithful companion, a bosom friend, Achates in Virgil's Aeneid is the chosen companion of the hero in adventures of all kinds. Stories begin around the 13 minute mark.Like this weeks episode an...
2023-01-0658 minRadio FreeWriteFreeWrite #2: Welcome aboard, Fifth Beatle (and Happy New Year!)We are taking a holiday break from our regular programming, sharing instead from recent projects. We welcome Mint, WebEater's wife and the pod's Fifth Beatle, for her broadcast debut. PC returns with an update on his novel, Mummified Moon, available NOW wherever you find your finest reading materials! Be sure to check out his site for the freshest details. Happy holidays, everyone!Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! ...
2022-12-301h 27Radio FreeWrite#55: Lucy (A Merry Christmas...murder?)The Cru gather for their winter writer's retreat in Cleveland's very own Christmas Cabin, owned by friend of the pod Spliff over at Purple Goat Gardens. Words cannot adequately convey the cozy merriness of this place, which led to far more (severely needed) relaxation and thus a late-night recording session. The prompt this evening (from Brewer's) is Lucy, be she a saint with her eyes on a platter; a suffragette; or in the sky, with diamonds. Stories begin around the 8:45 mark, and a special shoutout to freesound users Ihaksi and soundstack for their contributions this evening. W...
2022-12-2355 minRadio FreeWrite#54: The Cru Write Churchill: The Irony of FateThe Cru aspire to write like Winston Churchill, former prime minister and pulp adventure author. Stories this evening include a tale of a young Churchill, lightly fictionalized; a highschool romance gone awry (as they do); and an absent father. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: The irony of fate. A Strange fatality which has brought about something quite the reverse of what might have been expected. By the irony of fate the Ten Hours Bill was carriedin the very session when Lord Ashley, having changedhis views on the Corn Laws, felt it hi...
2022-12-1654 minRadio FreeWrite#53: To Be Born Under a Lucky-- Or Unlucky-- PlanetThe Cru discuss fate, horoscopes, astrology, and much more. Stories begin around the 16 minute mark and feature twins born under Mercury; a twist of fate; sibling bonding time; and a voyage to the moon. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. Born under a lucky or unlucky planet, To be. According to ASTROLOGY some planet, at the birth of every individual, presides over their destiny. Some of the planets, like Jupiter, are lucky; others, like Saturn, are unlucky.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as...
2022-12-091h 15Radio FreeWrite#52: The Art of Ryan FishleyDid you know two of the Cru have matching tattoos? In this episode they draw inspiration from Cleveland-area tattoo artist Ryan Fishley, using three illustrations he created and published as part of a collection created during the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. All images have been published (with his permission- thank you, Ryan!) on our Instagram and Website; check them out, then listen to hear how his art inspired ours! Stories begin around the 18:30 mark.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening di...
2022-12-021h 08Radio FreeWriteThanksgiving FreewriteThe Cru take the week off to spend time with their families... and of course, wind up getting together to write anyway. This is a non-standard episode; instead of providing a prompt, we just read from our other works-in-progress. Fair warning, much scotch was consumed.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do...
2022-11-281h 00Radio FreeWrite#51: False BrideKeeping with their folk tale theme, The Cru dive into tales of the false bride. Stories feature the joys of child...birth?; the adventures of the "Blue Bullet" and her actress; a medieval wedding; and a story that melds the themes of the prompt with "Young Bride" by Midlake. (Definitely give this song a listen!) From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. false or substituted bride: A very widespread folktale motif in which a beautiful young bride-to-be is ousted by an ugly or treacherous impostor Who foists herself off on t...
2022-11-181h 11Radio FreeWrite#50: The Grateful Dead, with Richard PoltThe Cru are joined this week by typewriter insurgent Richard Polt, author of The Typewriter Revolution and one of the editors of the Loose Dog Press series of anthologies. Discussion revolves around typewriters (Editor's Note: the superior prose producers) and the influence of analogue technology on the creative process. Stories feature a cornucopia of Grateful Dead references; an O'Connoresque rumination on what we owe to each other; a writer who achieves his dreams; a conversation with the Greater; and a dream within a reality within a dream. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, 1949 ed. g...
2022-11-111h 18Radio FreeWrite#49: The Cru Write Hopkins: EavesdropperThe Cru take a poetical turn while imitating the style and substance of author Ellen Hopkins, most notable for her Crank trilogy about the trauma of addiction. Stories feature a disaffected youth; a mysterious eavesdropper in the park; a lonely soul looking for a home; and a misunderstood adolescent. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Eavesdropper. One who listens stealthily to conversation. The eavesdrop or eavesdrip was the space of ground liable to receive the water dripping from the eaves of a house. An eaves- dropper is one who places himself in the eaves-drip to overhear what is said in ...
2022-11-041h 05Radio FreeWrite#48: Huginn and MuninnThoughts and memories abound as ravens follow a lad to high school; woodland critters come across a secret village; we take a peaceful pause from our stressful lives; a character has the best day of his life, again; and two brothers go on a quest for freedom. From symbolsage.com- Huginn and Muninn are the two black ravens most commonly associated with the wise but also war-frenzied god Odin. Their names roughly translate from Old Norse as Thought and Memory (intellectual thought – hugr, and emotional thought, desire, and emotion – muninn). Stories begin around the 7:25 mark....
2022-10-281h 08Radio FreeWrite#47 AqrabuameluMurph stumps WebEater's collection of arcane reference books with this prompt, a half-man half-scorpion centaur-like monstrosity. Stories include piano-keys of death; messengers on a mission; the adventures of Blue and Blue Jr.; and a journey to the stars. From Warriors Of Myth Wiki : The Aqrabuamelu is a creature with origins in Mesopotamian mythology, legend and folklore. In particular, accounts of their existence first originate in the Babylonian Creation Myth known as the Enûma Eliš (Enuma Elish), as well as the Babylonian version of the Epic of Gilgamesh. In these, they are said to ha...
2022-10-2255 minRadio FreeWrite#46: BansheeThe Cru welcome back PC Nottingham and introduce Beanbag, the prodigal son of the pod. Our thrilling, chilling autumn continues with spooky tales of mushrooms, Felacius Suckarus, the hubris of the fae, a last motorcycle ride, the hopefulness of good works, and Grief, who comes for us all. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend: banshee Literally and originally, a woman of the side or fairy folk, in Irish folklore usually appearing as a beautiful woman weeping (and thus foretelling) the death of someone, often a member of a specific family. She is usu...
2022-10-141h 13Radio FreeWrite#45: GoblinsPuppies, Spiderman villains, chicken wings, broken hearts, and goblin blood: this week's episode has it all! The Cru launch Spooky Season- their month of monster stories- with some extra panache for y'all to enjoy as the leaves change, the air crisps, and the cider floweth freely. From The Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend: Goblin A household spirit who plays the same role in French folklore as the Scotch and English brownies, bogles, and boggarts, the German kobolds, etc. He is very helpful around the house but also of capricious and erratic temper, mischievous...
2022-10-0758 minRadio FreeWrite#44: The Cru Write Rushdie: OuroborosThe Cru pay homage to Salman Rushdie in this week's episode, discussing his oeuvre and his literary hallmarks. Stories feature the fury of womanhood; the first day of college; a Little America located far, far away; and God observing His creation. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Uroboros (Greek (drakin) ouroboros, (snake) eating its tail’). A circular symbol of eternity or wholeness consisting of a snake curled round to swallow its own tail. The earliest recorded example of it is from Egypt around 1600 BC, and it resurfaces subsequently in many other civilizations in Asia and Eu...
2022-09-301h 11Radio FreeWrite#43: ThaumaturgusThe Cru welcome The G from @storywarsCLE for an episode of girl talk, superheroes, college shenanigans, and pirate abductions. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Thaumaturgus (Greek, ‘wonder-working’). A miracle worker, a name applied to saints and others who are reputed to have performed miracles, and especially Gregory, bishop of Neocaesarea, called Thaumaturgus (c.213-.270), whose miracles included the moving of a mountain. St BERNARD Of Clairvaux (1090-1153) was called the Thaumaturgus of the West.Stories start around the 19:50 mark.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well a...
2022-09-231h 13Radio FreeWrite#42: ScrimshawWe all have weeks that are rough on both body and soul, that wear us down and make us yearn for the comfort of warm blankets and warmer tea. The Cru had a week like that, and still brought their A-game for their stories (but the banter... well, it takes a hard turn towards penises at one point, and it never really recovers. You have been warned.). Stories feature a man reflecting if his life's great love was worth what it may yet cost him; a grandfather remembered by scents; a spy who was not a spy but may yet...
2022-09-161h 08Radio FreeWrite#41: SilvanusThe Cru tackle Silvanus, the Roman counterpart to the Greek Pan, in this week's episodes. Stories feature snipe hunts, haunting tunes, meditations-turned-arctic-expeditions-turned-meditations, and... squirrels with hangovers? From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Silvanus (Latin, ‘(creature) of the woods’). An ancient Roman woodland deity, identified with the Greek PAN. He probably gave his name to the Silvaner variety of wine-making grapes. Silvanus was also an alternative name of Silas, a member of the early Christian church who travelled and worked with St PAUL. Stories begin around the 16:30 mark.Like this week...
2022-09-091h 07Radio FreeWrite#40: MolotovWe really packed a punch for our season 2 premiere! This episode has it all: Soviet heroes; the invasion of Taiwan; rodent warriors; a bar that's really purgatory; a bar that's really just a bar; a bakeshop poltergeist; period-tracking apps; and so much more! PC is back to share some exciting author news before we launch into discussing the writing challenge of the evening: experimenting with the "story within a story" literary device. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Molotov. The alias (meaning ‘hammer’) of the Russian diplomat Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Skryabin (1890-1986) was given in the Se...
2022-09-021h 35Radio FreeWriteEpisode ReRelease: #28: The Cru Write Chekhov: Abide With MeThis is the final re-release of the summer; Season 2 begins next week! One of the tales from this episode influences the premiere, so be sure to listen and enjoy our work influenced by the Russian master of short fiction, Anton Chekhov. From dancing rivalries to the shadows of war, our stories abide by no laws as imagination flies and flourishes in homage to a man who is truly the greatest of all time. Be sure to keep an eye on our social media accounts for a writing challenge! The prompt drops 3/25/22.From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fa...
2022-08-261h 18Radio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions: Adirondack Files #3Murph, Krispy, and WebEater recount the last days of their writers' retreat to the Adirondack Mountains of New York. Regular episodes resume 2 September, 2022!Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-08-1940 minRadio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions: Adirondack Files #1Krispy, Murph, and WebEater are deep in the wilds of upstate New York, climbing the Adirondack mountains and recording from the High Peaks Wilderness. We are joined by Dave, an English teacher who overheard our conversations on the trail and (with some coaxing) hopped on during our recording. This is a single mic recording; cut us a little slack, we were deep in the mountains and far from any source of electricity!Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a s...
2022-08-1238 minRadio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions #5The Cru continue to read from the personal projects on which they are working this summer (or, in The Lotus' case, back in High School). Regular episodes return in September.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-08-051h 01Radio FreeWriteEpisode Remaster: #18: The Cru Write Thompson: Damsel in DistressIf you're just joining us and looking for a place to start, check out this Cru-selected episode from Season 1. We will be choosing a few more of these to examine during the summer, so be sure to check back in. Enter bat country! The Cru take inspiration from the work of the late great Hunter S. Thompson this episode. A mouse's journey, a bad trip involving orcs and elves, drunken deep sea fishing, money galore, and many more adventures await for the intrepid listener. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Tune in and freak out with the Cru t...
2022-07-291h 05Radio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions #5: STORY WARSKrispy, Murph, and WebEater recount their recent adventures into the wild. Brewery? Check. Writing? Check. Lighthearted competition with other writers? Check check. Scottish accents, one-sided conversations, animal sidekicks, exclamations in ancient Aramaic, and trips to the principal's office? Checks runneth over. Check out @storywarscle for a great time, and join us at the next event! Regular episodes return in September.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be...
2022-07-2258 minRadio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions #4The Cru continue to read from the personal projects on which they are working this summer. Regular episodes return in September.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-07-151h 00Radio FreeWriteEpisode Remaster: #22: The Cru Write Woolf: TantalusIf you're just joining us and looking for a place to start, check out this Cru-selected episode from Season 1. We will be choosing a few more of these to examine during the summer, so be sure to check back in.(There are some kick-ass stories here as well, so if you've been around for a while you may enjoy revisiting them!)Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt!
2022-07-081h 20Radio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions #3The Cru read from personal projects.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-07-0150 minRadio FreeWrite'22 Summer Sessions #2: NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Contest, Round 1The Cru read and discuss their entries to the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Contest.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-06-2454 minRadio FreeWriteFreeWrite #3: Summertime!The Cru are taking a summer break from podcasting so they can spend their time... writing, of course! Check in every week to see where they are in their personal projects. Regular episodes resume in September.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-06-171h 08Radio FreeWrite#39: Season 1 FinaleThe Cru present their polished work from the past season. Radio FreeWrite is taking a summer vacation. We will still be dropping episodes; we'll just be reading from our own projects throughout the summer. Regular episodes will resume in July.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with yo...
2022-06-101h 34Radio FreeWriteDiamonds in the RoughIn this penultimate episode of Season 1 we take a look back at the stories each Crumember is polishing to premiere in next episode's Finale. These are the rough drafts from prior episodes; tune in next time for the finished product!Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your s...
2022-06-0731 minRadio FreeWrite#38: The Bulwer-Lytton ContestOn this Dark and Stormy Night the Cru tackle the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, writing atrocious first sentences for different genres, including: adventure, young adult, crime/detective, dark&stormy, fantasy/horror, historical fiction, purple prose, romance, scifi, vile puns, and westerns. This is a weird episode full of horrid writing, and we hope you enjoy it. Fair warning, some of these get a wee bit raunchy...Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing...
2022-06-031h 09Radio FreeWrite#37: A Waiter, an Object of a CrushTonight the Cru use the Storymatic- a deck of cards that each serve as a writing prompt. All stories feature a Waiter who is the Object of a Crush, but the Storymatic threw each of us some curveballs as we wrote.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with y...
2022-05-2752 minRadio FreeWrite#36: The Cru Write Borges: Death by InchesArgentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges was known as a writer of mirrors and labyrinths, and this week we take a look at his work while using his short stories as inspiration for our own. Like Pierre Menard, this is the Cru writing Borges (or, at least in the style of Borges). Listen for strange and fantastical tales, nos ficciones increíbles. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Killed by Inches. In allusion to divers [sic] ways of prolonging capital punishments in olden times; e.g. The "iron coffin of Lissa." The prisoner was laid in t...
2022-05-201h 37Radio FreeWrite#35: Parandrus ReduxParandrus 2: Electric Boogaloo The stories this week are not raw. Nor are they fresh, or unedited - for the most part. In this episode we focus on the editing process, taking stories we wrote back in episode 8 (Parandrus) and, having spent time polishing them, read these edited stories and talk about how the editing process works for each of us, including what tools and processes we make use of to edit fiction. Listen on for shape-shifting deer - and more! From the Medieval Bestiary: The parandrus is a beast from Ethiopia that can change its...
2022-05-131h 25Radio FreeWrite#34: ChanephThis week the Cru attempt to read one another’s stories! We have islands of lost saints, burrowing to China, and all sorts of other madness in our tales - with the added twist of each of us trying not to get tongue-tied reading the stories the others have written. This episode is sponsored by The MacBath- Literary Soaps for the Discerning Geek. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Chaneph. The isl;and of religious hypocrites, inhabited by sham saints, tellers of beads, mumblers of ave marias, and friars who lived by begging.L...
2022-05-061h 24Radio FreeWrite#33: The Cru Write Adichie: AigretteThis week we’ve got a special author episode, exploring the work of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. We explore alternate cultures, get meta with it, and discuss Adichie’s work and how it influenced our own writing. Stories feature memories of a scarf; a case of missing identity; a girl like all the other girls; and a trip to a foreign land. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Aigrette (2 syl.) A lady;s headdress, consisting of feathers or flowers. The French call the down of thistles and dandelions, as well as the tuft of birds, aigrette...
2022-04-291h 21Radio FreeWrite#32: The (Cruel) FatesThis week the Cru look forward to a life well-lived; look backward in a vivid memory; and contemplate the meaning of the Curse of the Fire Ants. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: The (Cruel) Fates. The Greeks and Romans supposed there were three Parcae or Fates, who arbitrarily controlled the birth, life, and death of every man. They were Clotho (who held the distaff), Lachesis (who spun the thread of life), and Atropos (who cut it off when life was ended); called "cruel" because they paid no regard to the wishes of anyone....
2022-04-221h 02Radio FreeWrite#31: Birds of ParadiseThe Cru's stories this week feature a life of poetry; a misty dance; a meditation on nutmegs; and the call of the void. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Birds of Paradise are described by old naturalists as being destitute of feet, dwelling ever in the air, wafted about in the bright sunbeams without the mechanism of wings, nourished on dew and the odour of flowers, like houris or the spirits of paradise. Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summar...
2022-04-151h 02Radio FreeWrite#30: Calamity Jane Part IICalamity Jane is back for Part II, featuring stories and poems from The Cru about calamitous dates, uncertain relationships, and a Hero of Earth. John McWhorter was mentioned on this week's episode. His podcast Lexicon Valley can be found here.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with y...
2022-04-081h 07Radio FreeWrite#29: Calamity Jane, Part IAnd now for something completely different: this episode features works created by YOU, our listeners! Happy Assassin, Kadon, and former guest (and fan favorite) PC Nottingham submitted stories inspired by Calamity Jane, the Wild Wild West's preeminent HBIC. The Cru discuss the ways that writing a story with the intention of reading it aloud affects the creation of the story itself. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Calamity Jane. The popular name of Martha Jane Burke, née Cannary (c 1852— 1903), US frontierswoman famed for her skill at riding and shooting, particularly during the Gold Rush days in t...
2022-04-011h 07Radio FreeWriteFreeWrite#2: A Post-St. Patty's IntermissionKrispy and Murph provide excerpts and updates from their respective novels. WebEater reads from his current project, continuing his story from episode #25: Empyromancy.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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...
2022-03-251h 05Radio FreeWrite#28: The Cru Write Chekhov: Abide With MeThis week the Cru discuss the Russian master of short fiction, Anton Chekhov. From dancing rivalries to the shadows of war, our stories abide by no laws as imagination flies and flourishes in homage to a man who is truly the greatest of all time. Be sure to keep an eye on our social media accounts for a writing challenge! The prompt drops 3/25/22. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Abide with Me. A hymn by Henry Francis Lyte, probably written in 1847, which has been sung at FA cup finals since 1927. Earlier it was par...
2022-03-181h 18Radio FreeWrite#27: Swan MaidensThis week the Cru is inspired by the fairy-tale prompt, Swan Maidens, to write prose, poems, and even ranting conversations. You won't want to miss this week's stories featuring multiple fantastical animal-human transformations, wars, and strange therapy sessions. We also discuss the writing craft and the inspiration behind each of our pieces. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Swan maidens. Fairies of northern folklore, who can become maidens or swans at will by means of the swan shift, a magic garment of swan's feathers. Many stories are told of how the swan shift was...
2022-03-111h 01Radio FreeWrite#26: JanusThis week the Cru bring you terrifying tales of pagan temples; the enthusiastic embellishments of old men; platitudes turned on their heads; and an archaeological dig that promises to be so much more. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Janus. The ancient Roman deity who kept the gate of heaven; hence the guardian of gates and doors. He was represented with two faces, one in front and one behind, and the doors of his temple in Rome were thrown open in times of war and closed in times of peace. The name is used...
2022-03-041h 07Radio FreeWrite#25: EmpyromancyThis week the Cru gets experimental! We try out different styles of literature as we explore fortune and fire (and cooking as it’s own kind of magic). Stories begin around the 10 minute mark. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Empyromancy. An ancient method of divination by observing the behaviour of certain objects when placed on a sacrificial fire (Greek empurous, 'fiery'). Eggs, flour and incense were used for this purpose as well as, it seems, a shoulder blade.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscr...
2022-02-251h 08Radio FreeWrite#24: ScarabThe Cru take a trip through the sands of time to experiment with hieroglyphic mysticism in this week's episode. Stories feature a boy yearning for freedom (no matter the cost); a timeless cruise on the Nile; adventures along the border of this world and the next; heritage in the desert; and... a Led Zeppelin song? From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Scarab. A trinket in the form of a dungbeetle, especially scarabaeus saver. It originated in ancient Egypt as an amulet, and was made of polished or glazed stone, metal, or glazed faience and then...
2022-02-181h 18Radio FreeWrite#23: Carpet KnightThis week the Cru explores the concept of the Carpet Knight! From doomed quests of old to modern day carpet installation, we’ve got a great lineup of four stories to satisfy your thirst for a good tale. We also discuss Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian and the use of violence in literature. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Carpet Knight. A knight dubber at court by favour, not having won his spurs by military service in the field. The expression may have arisen from the fact that non-military knighthoods were conferred 'on the carpet...
2022-02-111h 08Radio FreeWrite#22: The Cru Write Woolf: TantalusThis special author episode focuses on the writing of Virginia Woolf (1882 - 1941). We try to capture her essence in our own works, featuring stream of consciousness feats from the Cru. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Tantalus. In Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Pluto (daughter of Himantes). He was a Lydian king, highly honoured and prosperous; but, because he divulged to mortals the secrets of the gods, he was plunged up to the chin in a river of Hades, a tree hung with clusters of fruit being just above his head. As every time he tried to drink, the waters receded...
2022-02-041h 15Radio FreeWrite#21: ZoundsZounds! This episode we've got shipwrecked deities; villages composed of sound; rhymes galore (zounds and hounds abound); and pleading with God in the realm of dreams. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Zounds! A minced oath, euphemistic for 'God's wounds'. Listen to our storytelling sounds in this episode of zounds!Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us o...
2022-01-2845 minRadio FreeWrite#20: JogThe Cru had a rough day. A hide-under-the-covers-with-a-dram-of-whisky kind of day. Instead, they got together for fellowship and literature. Ain't that what it's all about? From Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy: I believe it's 'jogging' or 'yogging.' it might be a soft j. I'm not sure but apparently you just run for an extended period of time! It's supposed to be wild. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Jog. Jog away; jog off; jog on. Get away; be off; keep moving. Shakespeare uses the word shog in th...
2022-01-211h 24Radio FreeWrite#19: Rupees, Annas, and PiesThe Cru tackle an unusual prompt- the currency of colonial India. Word repetition and intentional word choice are discussed as essential tools for the craft of writing. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: R.A.P. Rupees, annas, and pies, in India; correspinding to £.s.d. in Britain.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that...
2022-01-141h 07Radio FreeWrite#18: The Cru Write Thompson: Damsel in DistressEnter bat country! The Cru take inspiration from the work of the late great Hunter S. Thompson this episode. A mouse's journey, a bad trip involving orcs and elves, drunken deep sea fishing, money galore, and many more adventures await for the intrepid listener. Buy the ticket, take the ride. Tune in and freak out with the Cru this week in this special writer-inspired episode. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Damsel in Distress: A girl or woman in difficulty or in an embarrassing situation. She may be rescued by a Knight in Shining...
2022-01-071h 00Radio FreeWrite#17: TarzanThe Cru add their own contributions to the Man, the Myth, the Legend: Tarzan. Stories feature meditations on our modern world; gossip columns; the Kinks; and Tarzan learning how to smile without starting a fight to the death. :) From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Tarzan. The foundling who was reared by apers in the Aftican jungle was created in 1912 by the US writer Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950). He has countless adventures in novels and fgilms, in which he communes with animals, rescues damsels in distress and discovers long-lost civilizations. The first novel of 24 in whi...
2021-12-3158 minRadio FreeWrite#16: To Gird Up One's LoinsWe bring you nothing but holiday tales on this Christmas Eve edition. The Cru is joined by B52 for his first regular episode (he appeared on FreeWrite#1, our little Thanksgiving interlude). B52 is a local engineer who wrote with us during the early days of the pandemic, but has not written much since. He is girding up his loins and joining us once again, using the Radio FreeWrite method to improve his storytelling. Stories feature interplanetary journeys; an obligatory Santa; werewolves & vampires; a night at the club; a handful of boxes; and one particularly bellicose child.References fro...
2021-12-241h 17Radio FreeWrite#15: To Go the Whole HogThe Cru are joined by writer PC Nottingham for an evening of long distance hiking, prehistoric sword and sorcery, a nutty professor, and more await in this episode's stories! From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: To do something completely and thoroughly, without compromise or reservation: to go the whole way. Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that...
2021-12-171h 18Radio FreeWrite#14: The Cru Write Vonnegut: HogmanayThe Cru chat Vonnegut's style and thematic preferences, then attempt to write a story in his voice. We encourage you to read some Vonnegut before writing, and to shamelessly steal his style in your own work this week. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Hogmanay (hog ma na/). The name given in Scotland to the last day of the year, also to an entertainment or present given on that day. It is from the French, and probably represents the O.Fr. aiguillanneuf, which has been (some- what doubtfully) explained as standing for an guy ran neuf, "(good...
2021-12-101h 15Radio FreeWrite#13: ZeitgeistThe Cru grapple with some deeper questions this week. What is the spirit of our era? Is it even possible to define the zeitgeist of a current era? How are such things decided, anyway? Each story tonight is the author's attempt to capture what he or she sees as the spirit of our modern times. Banter@1:27, Murph@19:11, The Lotus@31:05, Krispy@43:55, and WebEater@54:00 From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Zeitgeist: (German Zeit, 'time', and Geist, 'spirit'). The spirit of the time; the moral or intellectual tendency characteristic of a period.L...
2021-12-031h 06
Radio FreeWriteFreeWrite#1: A Thanksgiving IntermissionThe Cru got together before the holiday for a FreeWrite session: no prompt, just hanging out with friends and writing our current projects. B52 returned from a long hiatus (he hasn't participated in a published episode yet!) to share a RFW story from over a year ago that he is growing into a novel. Krispy read from his novel-to-be, an adventure story about a girl who strives to live among the stars. Murph shared part of a college scavenger hunt that hints at being much more. Finally, WebEater relates a graphic Bee attack. Happy Thanksgiving.Like this...
2021-11-2659 minRadio FreeWrite#12: CaurusThe Cru have an in-depth discussion on creating empathy for characters who do awful things, like fathers who abandon their children. Krispy adds some levity with an anthropomorphized Wind, equal parts trickster and temper-tantrumy toddler. And, to make it a true grab-bag type episode, there are farts. From Brewers Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Caurus. The Latin name for the northwest wind: The ground by piercing Caurus seared. ~James Thomson Banter starts at 1:37; WebEater@ 21:03; The Lotus@ 44:55; Krispy@ 51:48; Murph@ 1:05:57Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as lis...
2021-11-191h 17Radio FreeWrite#11: Harum ScarumMurph's out of town this week (well, further out of town than usual). The rest of The Cru get a little... hare-brained in his absence. Stories run the gamut from crazy cat ladies to Joan of Arc, with a healthy does of Stepford disturbia for good measure. IF your podcast provider does not support chapters, you can skip to 1:33 for the banter; 11:03 for Krispy's story; 24:48 for WebEater's; and 36:35 for The Lotus'. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Harum Scarum. Giddy, hare-brained, or a person so constituted. The term perhaps comes from 'hare,' 'to har...
2021-11-1251 minRadio FreeWrite#10: Hole in the WallThe Cru have become subconsciously enamored with Dune, which worms its way into a few of this week's tales. Virtual reality, fantastic worlds, and French Toast all make an appearance. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Hole in the Wall. A dark and dingy place, especially one difficult to find. The name also exists for a number of restaurants, some of which are quite superior and anything but dingy. The source of the name in this sense is uncertain, but the hole may originally have been in the wall of a debtors' prison, used...
2021-11-051h 03Radio FreeWrite#9: The Cru Write Tolkien: EchidnaEchidna was the mother of monsters in Greek Mythology, and her children- including the Lernean Hydra, Nemean Lion, Cerberus, and fearsome Chimera- are all fair game for tonight's prompt! It's The Lotus' night off, but the rest of The Cru chat about J.R.R. Tolkien and attempt to write pieces inspired by his style and his work. One member doesn't care for Tolkien; the other two respond appropriately. From Hesiod's Theogony: "Men say that Typhaon [Typhoeus] the terrible, outrageous and lawless, was joined in love to her [Ekhidna (Echidna)], the maid with glancing eyes. So she...
2021-10-291h 06Radio FreeWrite#8: ParandrusThe Cru continues their dive into the monster world by hunting an Ethiopian... deer? An invisible deer? Yes. An invisible deer. And it's terrifying. ...watch out for the shadows. From the Medieval Bestiary: The parandrus is a beast from Ethiopia that can change its appearance, so that it can conceal itself by taking on the appearance of its surroundings. It is colored like a bear, but is the size of an ox and has long hair. It has the head of a stag with branching horns, and has cloven hoofs. http://bes...
2021-10-2245 minRadio FreeWrite#7: CaladriusThe Cru struggles to turn a beast that is a metaphor for Christ into a horrifying monster. Krispy debates whether written words can actually be "scary;" refuses to believe they can; then writes a terrifying tale. More than one bottle of wine is consumed. From The Medieval Bestiary: The caladrius is an all-white bird that lives in the king's house. If it looks into the face of a sick man, it means that he will live, but if the caladrius looks away, the sick man will die of his illness. To cure the sick man, the cal...
2021-10-1558 minRadio FreeWrite#6: Brekkie Epie: MandrakeLet spooky season commence! The Cru mixes it up a bit this week by writing after coffee and breakfast instead of later in the day. We discuss how the time and setting can affect the process of writing. Then we kick off our spook-tacular month of monster prompts with: Mandrake: The mandrake is a plant; its roots grow in human form, male and female, and shriek when torn from the ground. It is of great use in medicine, but anyone who hears the plant's cry dies or goes mad. It was therefore a custom to...
2021-10-081h 08Radio FreeWrite#5: Couch PotatoIs it still cannibalism if it's a potato skin? The Cru continues to ponder the Big Questions in this week's episode. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Couch potato. A person who prefers lounging at home watching television to engaging in any purposeful activity, especially if it involves and physical effort. The expression is of US origin and appears to pun on the 'boob-tube' as a slang term for a television, the potato being a plant tuber.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to o...
2021-10-0152 minRadio FreeWrite#4: NorwichThe Cru gets a wee bit saucy with this one. Murph shines with lubricious limericks that showcase the raunchiest of WWII postal codewords. Be warned: you'd best listen with headphones. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: NORWICH. An acronym based (phonetically) on the initial letters of ‘(k)nickers off ready when I come home’, one of the more lubricious of such initialisms for which there was a craze in the mid-20th century. They usually appeared on the envelopes of love letters (a less steamy example was SWALK, ’sealed with a loving kiss’...
2021-09-2449 minRadio FreeWrite#3: The Grim ReaperThe Cru discusses a prompt from Annie Dillard's The Writing Life, then proceeds to explore death via one of his more popular personifications. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Grim Reaper, The. Death, often depicted, like Time, with a scythe.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an...
2021-09-171h 10Radio FreeWrite#2: SlubberdegullionHorrifying hoarders! Transcendental experiences! Neighborhood ruffians! Weird sexy things we only know about thanks to Cards Against Humanity! The Cru tackle all of these topics and more on this week's episode. From Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable: Slubberdegullion: A base fellow; a nasty oaf. 'To slubber' is to do things carelessly, in a slovenly way, and 'degullion' is a fanciful addition, 'gullion' perhaps being a variant of 'cullion,' a base fellow.Quoth she, Although thou hast deserved,Base-slubber degullion, to be servedAs thou didst vow to deal with me.SAMUE...
2021-09-1045 minRadio FreeWrite#1: Monkey BusinessThe Cru engage in some mischievous behaviour in this first official episode.Prompt:Monkey business: Mischievous or meddlesome behaviour, like that of monkeys. There is an excellent Marx Brothers film of this title. ~Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and FableLike this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email w...
2021-09-0338 minRadio FreeWriteIntroductionMeet the Cru- WebEater, Murph, The Lotus, and Krispy. Learn a little bit about what we do.Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! 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
2021-08-3006 minRadio FreeWriteSoft Launch 2: Jitterbug: Radio FreeWrite Gone WildeThe Cru discusses one of their favorite playwrights, attempting to imitate Oscar Wilde in this week's episode.Jitterbug. Originally a swing music enthusiast in the late 1930s, with the name probably coming from Cab Calloway's song 'Jitter bug' (1934), in which a 'jitter bug' was a person who drank regularly and so 'has the jitters ev'ry morning'. The name passed to a person who danced the jitterbug, a fast, twirling, whirling US dance to a jazz accompaniment, popular in the 1940s. Hence also more generally, a nervous person, one who 'has the jitters'.Like this...
2021-08-201h 02Radio FreeWriteSoft Launch 1: JabberwockyThe Cru confronts a mythical creature.Jabberwocky (jab' er wok' i), the eponymous central figure of a strange, almost gibberish poem in Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking- glass. It contains many significant "portman- teau words," as subsequently explained, to Alice by Humpty Dumpty. Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt! Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thi...
2021-08-1344 min