Podcast
Tell The Damn Story
Hosted by Alex Simmons & Chris Ryan · EN
This is where we interview and discuss the challenges and successes of writing books, comics, films, and other creative arts and pop culture topics.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Tell The Damn Storie, ep 427: Deadlines, Day Jobs & Characters in Your Head - How Writers Manage the Madness & Keep Creating
1w ago00:39:48Tap to summarizeWhat does the creative life really look like behind the scenes?In this episode, Alex and Chris talk about juggling deadlines, personal projects, teaching, family, unexpected ideas, and the fictional characters who refuse to leave you alone.Sometimes you don’t need the perfect schedule.You need a rhythm.A candid, funny look at managing the chaos—and remembering why we keep telling the damn story.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story, ep 426: Summer Blockbusters and Seasonal Storytelling_ The Power of Timing in Film, Books, and Plays
2w ago00:40:15Tap to summarizeCan summer become one of the most important characters in your story?Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan explore how every season carries its own emotions, symbolism, opportunities, and dramatic power. From Jaws to Stand By Me, they show why choosing the right season can transform an ordinary story into an unforgettable one.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story, ep 425: What's Wrong With SuperGirl? In Defense of a Different Hero's Journey
3w ago00:49:49Tap to summarizeThe Supergirl Debate—and What Writers Can Learn From ItWas Supergirl really the problem?Or were audiences expecting the wrong movie?Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan use the latest superhero debate to examine adaptation, character arcs, audience expectations, and why every great story deserves to be judged on what it's trying to accomplish—not on what someone wished it had been.What happens when audiences expect one story... and the storyteller is telling another?From adaptation versus translation...to character-driven storytelling...to why emotional journeys matter just as much as explosions.The boys lean into the value of honest criticism and the waste of gender and other blind spot bashing. Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story, ep 424: Gods, Apes, And Why Some Story Ideas Take Decades to Get Right.
4w ago01:06:27Tap to summarizeEvery writer has that one project that refuses to come together.This week on Tell The Damn Story, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan welcome back Tom Sniegoski and Jeannine Acheson to celebrate the release of their new graphic novel, Nothing Can Stop the Ape—a story more than 30 years in the making.Along the way, they discuss pitching publishers, collaborating with a writing partner, working with editors, surviving the publishing process, and why sometimes the story isn't the problem... It's the approach.If you've ever struggled with a creative project that just wouldn't click, this episode is packed with encouragement, practical advice, and a few laughs along the way.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn Story If you find these episodes helpful, please take a moment to help wet our whistle by clicking on the link to ... Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story, ep 423: The Art of Mixing Genres Without Losing Your Mind or Readers
Jul 1200:43:40Tap to summarizeWhat happens when mystery meets science fiction? When horror collides with comedy? Or when history becomes part of an unforgettable adventure?In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan explore one of the most exciting—and challenging—tools in a writer's toolbox: blending genres.Using examples ranging from Alien and Pitch Black to Archie Comics, Sherlock Holmes, and their own novels and plays, they discuss why mixed-genre stories can captivate audiences. And the boys cover the dangers of ignoring genre expectations and how understanding each genre can serve to make your storytelling even stronger.Whether you're writing novels, comics, film, television, or short stories, this episode will help you discover new ways to surprise readers while staying true to your story.Every genre has expectations. Understand them before you begin blending them.Read widely. Watch films outside your favorite category. Every genre teaches something useful.3 Keys to Writing Great Mixed-Genre Stories 1. Learn the Rules First . Every genre has expectations. Understand them before you begin blending them.2. Feed Your Creative Mind. Read widely. Watch films outside your favorite category. Every genre teaches something useful.3. Ask "What If?" Great genre combinations often begin with one powerful question.Have questions or comments for us? Post in the comments section below or ... Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Storywww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story If you find these episodes helpful, please take a moment to support our program by clicking on the link to ... Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →TELL THE DAMN STORY, ep 422: Why Great Movies Never Get Old (And What Writers Can Learn From Them)
Jul 500:36:09Tap to summarizeSome movies entertain us for hours. Others continue teaching writers for generations. In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex and Chris revisit a handful of timeless classics, including In the Heat of the Night ('66), Jaws ('75), The Fly ('58), and Charlie Chaplin's The Kid ('21), to uncover why they still work decades after they were made. Along the way, they explore: Why rewriting is where great storytelling really happens. How memorable characters empower unforgettable plots. Why a solid theme is the fertile soil for a story's growth. The surprising storytelling power of simplicity. What today's writers can still learn from films made over 100 years ago. Whether you're writing novels, screenplays, comics, or short stories, this episode reminds us that technology changes ... but great storytelling never does. If you enjoy the episode, please like, subscribe, and leave a comment telling us which classic film has taught you the most about storytelling.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryIf you find these episodes helpful, please take a moment to help wet our whistle by clicking on the link to ... Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story ep 421: Heist, Horror, and Humor - How Genre Can Shape Your Storytelling
Jun 2800:31:42Tap to summarizeWhat if your plot doesn’t work because of the world you chose? What if it's in the wrong genre?A heist. A mystery. A romance. A horror story. A superhero adventure.The core idea might stay exactly the same—but everything else changes.In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan explore how genre influences character, setting, pacing, dialogue, tone, conflict, and even the way readers experience your story.From Sherlock Holmes to House, from Ocean's Eleven to Avengers: Endgame, from Frankenstein to fantasy, they examine how classic story structures can be reinvented simply by changing the lens through which they're told.Whether you're writing novels, comics, screenplays, mysteries, thrillers, fantasy, horror, or science fiction, this conversation will help you see new possibilities hiding inside your own work.*What's one story you love that could work in an entirely different genre? Tell us in the comments—we'd love to see your imagination at work.🎬 To grab a Genre Guide 0ne-sheet CLICK ON THE LINK:Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story ep 420: "Why Great Villains Never Think They're the Villain."
Jun 2100:39:09Tap to summarizeWhy do some villains stay with us long after the story ends?Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan break down the evolution of villains—from classic one-dimensional bad guys to complex characters like Snape, Vader, Khan, and Thanos. Learn how motivation, morality, obsession, and personal history can turn a stock antagonist into a character readers can't stop thinking about.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story ep 419: Writers, You Are Not Alone: Lessons From StokerCon
Jun 1400:33:05Tap to summarizeWhen is a writer not alone?You sit at a keyboard wrestling with plot problems, self-doubt, unfinished drafts, and that nagging voice asking whether you're good enough to keep going.This week on Tell The Damn Story, Chris Ryan shares what happened when he pushed past those doubts and attended StokerCon, the annual conference of the Horror Writers Association.What he found wasn't just panels, workshops, and industry professionals.He found a room full of people facing many of the same struggles every writer faces.Imposter syndrome.Creative uncertainty.Publishing questions.The search for community.Along the way, Chris talks with authors, organizers, and publishing professionals about why conferences matter, what new writers can gain from attending them, and how finding your tribe can change your creative journey.You'll also hear practical insights on:• Networking without feeling awkward • Meeting editors, agents, and publishers • Pitching your work • Learning directly from working professionals • Building a support system that understands the writing lifeBecause sometimes the most important thing a writer learns is this:You are not alone.https://horror.org/Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
Transcribe →Tell The Damn Story, ep 418: he Minotaur In The Labyrinth: Defeating Creative Self-Doubt
Jun 700:34:33Tap to summarizeEven writers with decades of experience hear the negative voices.In this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan tackle one of the most common—and most painful—challenges creatives face: self-doubt. From imposter syndrome and rejection to career frustrations and the stories we tell ourselves about success. Our boys share personal struggles they've wrestled with recently and the hard-earned lessons that helped them push through.Along the way, they explore why writers forget their accomplishments, how negative thinking can sabotage creativity, the importance of honest friends and supportive communities, and what it really means to keep believing in your work when the results don't arrive on your timetable.Whether you're working on your first story or your fiftieth book, this candid conversation offers practical ways to face the monsters under the bed, silence the noise, and get back to telling your damn story.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...@Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn StoryStories change lives. They always have. At *Tell The Damn Story*, we believe in lifting voices and passing stories on. Your support keeps them alive for future generations. Help us by supporting TTDS → Buy Me A Coffee!
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