Simmons Here And Now

What Punk Rock, Dracula, and an African Safari Can Teach Writers.What do these different experiences have to do with your unfinished story?Possibly more than you think.In episode 437, Alex and Chris explore the joys of writers’ homework: experimenting with formats, following recommendations, researching details, and paying attention to experiences that can bring your fiction to life.Chris shares his search for the right structure for a challenging work in progress. Alex recalls the research behind his Sherlock Holmes play and a sensory experience in Africa that found its way into a story.Got an idea that hasn’t quite found its form? Come join the conversation.Then tell us: What unexpected discovery helped you tell 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tellthedamnstory.com www.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/

Stuck in the middle of your story? Can’t find an ending that feels right? Take your story out for a walk.This week, Alex Simmons and Chris Ryan explore how real life can help writers work through plot problems and character gaps. A New York Comic Con outing, an unexpected Manhattan encounter, and a breakthrough in Alex’s screenwriting classroom reveal what can happen when you stay observant—and let go of the ending you’ve been trying to force.We talk about asking “What if?”, capturing unexpected ideas, listening to feedback, and remembering that the people who inspire our fiction have lives of their own.Listen, follow the show, and share this episode with a fellow storyteller.What’s something you witnessed that later became part of a story?CTA: Watch or listen to TTDS 436, then tell us what real-life encounter has inspired your fiction.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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠

It's a trip back in time to where and how our 400+ odyssey to help creatives began. This special milestone episode of our podcast dives deep into the creative journeys—the triumphs, setbacks, and lessons—of writers striving to tell their tales. In this 435th episode, listeners are transported back to where it all began, revisiting the very first episode with the original trio: acclaimed writer Alex Simmons, dynamic illustrator Tim Fielder, and journalist-turned-novelist Chris Ryan. The conversation focuses on their creative origins, the collaborative creation of the iconic Blackjack character, and the unique perspectives each brings from comics, books, film, and illustration.A key theme that emerged is the importance of representation and authenticity in storytelling, as the trio explores how personal experience, research, and reflection influence character development and world-building. ☕ Did this episode help you tell your story better? Help us keep sharing decades of creative experience—free of charge

In Episode 434, Alex and Chris explore how writers humanize enormous stakes. Because the human factor is the thread that connects the audience to any fictional tale.Drawing from Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther, John Wick, The Odyssey, Reacher, Hamlet, The Lord of the Rings, Project Hail Mary, and Dragonheart, they examine the fears, losses, relationships, moral choices, and everyday moments that invite audiences into extraordinary worlds.Every week, Tell The Damn Story shares hard-earned lessons, practical insights, and candid conversations with working creators, all free of charge. If our episodes help you improve your craft, avoid a mistake, or keep moving forward, please help us continue bringing these conversations to you.☕ Support TTDS by buying us a coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tellthedamnstoryHave 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

Writer and producer Brandon Easton delivers an unfiltered account of breaking into Hollywood, surviving its unwritten rules, and building a career without surrendering your integrity. From ThunderCats and Transformers: Rescue Bots to becoming head writer of Iyanu, Brandon explains what it takes to make the industry say yes. What it costs when you have to say no, and why success never means the struggle is over.“It’s not called show art. It’s called show business.”-- Brandon Easton --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 Alex and Chris helped you solve a problem, avoid a mistake, or find your next creative step, consider buying them a coffee and helping keep TTDS on the air:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tellthedamnstory

That's combined with almost 2 years of writing and another year of post-production.Those are some of the realities Chris Ryan shares with Alex Simmons. He also reveals how saying yes, staying useful, and solving one indie-film problem after another led him from writer and actor to producer. It is a candid Producer’s odyssey for creators who do not have millions—but do have a story, resourcefulness, and the will to get the job done.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.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. Clicking the link to ... ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me A Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠!⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

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 a “Space Columbo.”But the larger question is one every writer working with an established property must face: What do you preserve, what can you change, and when does creative reinvention become disrespect for the source?Alex brings the perspective of a writer who has worked with Batman, Superman, Tarzan, Archie, Scooby-Doo, Sherlock Holmes, and other established characters. Together, he and Chris explore the responsibilities writers have to the story, the characters, the owners—and the audience.Is LANTERNS pulling off

Part Two: Writing From the WoundIn 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, revisiting rejected stories, promoting your work through podcasts, and why some of our strongest fiction grows from something emotionally true.Because everything we are eventually filters through the stories we tell.Have any questions, comments, or suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write to: TTDSOnAir@gmail.comAnd follow us on ...⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.TellTheDamnStory.comwww.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/ Tell The Damn Story⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stori

"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 humanity, finding the right critique group, and the difference between useful criticism and empty praise.Then continue with Part Two: Writing From the Wound, as the conversation turns toward the life experiences behind the stories.Do you 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 T

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 suggestions?Then, please leave them in the Comments Section.Write to: 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!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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.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!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

What 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!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Can 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!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

The 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 li

Every 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 help

What 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

Some 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, c

What 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.

Why 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!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

When 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 • Buil