HeyJaredTell The Damn Story
This is where we interview and discuss the challenges and successes of writing books, comics, films, and other creative arts and pop culture topics.
- Indexed episodes, last 90 days
- 11
- Latest publication
- Sep 6, 2026
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- Jul 5, 2026
Latest episodes
TELL THE DAMN STORY, ep 431: Writing Mastery: Balancing Originality and Reverence in Iconic Heroes (opens the original)
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How far can you change an iconic hero before you lose what made that hero iconic? Alex and Chris turn their attention to HBO’s LANTERNS and the enormous challenge of writing characters with decades of history, millions of fans, and more than one accepted interpretation. Drawing upon the first three episodes, they examine the new portrayals of Hal Jordan and John Stewart, the show’s multiple layers of mystery, and Chris’s intriguing theory that Hal may be less of a troublesome veteran and more of
Tell The Damn Story ep 430: From Flash Fiction to Full Novels, Crafting Effective Horror, Pt 2 (opens the original)
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Part Two: Writing From the Wound In this episode, Alex and Chris continue their conversation with horror author John “The King” Collins to get behind the monsters and discover where stories really come from. John takes us inside Altars and Abandoned Houses and reveals how memories, abandoned places, Halloween, love, family, grief, rejection, and loss have found their way into his fiction. He calls part of that process “writing from the wound.” Alex and Chris also explore working with editors, re
Tell The Damn Story, ep 430: From Flash Fiction to Full Novels: Crafting Effective Horror, Pt 1 (opens the original)
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"Part One: Finding Your Voice in the Dark" Horror writer John “The King” Collins joins Alex and Chris for Part One of a special two-part TTDS conversation about monsters, mentors, finding your voice, and learning to write the stories you want to tell. John shares the advice that changed his approach to writing: stop chasing publication for a year and simply write . Twenty-two stories later, he had become a stronger, more confident storyteller. Plus: what makes horror fun, why monsters need human
Tell The Damn Story, ep 429: Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey—And The Uncertain Journey Every Story Takes (opens the original)
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You wrote it. You polished it. You released it. Now it belongs to the world. Using Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey as a jumping-off point, Alex and Chris explore criticism, audience reaction, creative confidence, and the difficult art of letting go of your work once it leaves your hands. Because sometimes finishing the story is only the beginning of its journey. Finished your story? Good. Now ask yourself the harder question: Are you ready to let it go? Have any questions, comments, or suggestio
Tell The Damn Story ep 428: The Message You Send Isn’t Always the Message They Get: Why Presentation Matters (opens the original)
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You finished your story—but how do you get anyone to notice it? Alex and Chris explore the art of presentation , from pitching yourself and marketing independent work to lessons hidden inside trailers for Marvel, DC, and Star Wars. Plus: Alex's Three Cs—Character, Conflict, Cliffhanger—and why the message you intend isn't always the message your audience receives. Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Then, please leave them in the Comments Section. Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.com And follow
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