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Saved as Draft Episode 21: Setting Your Story's Scope · Saved as Draft

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, I got your voicemail.
• 0:01
  SPEAKER_00: So what's going on with this new story of yours?
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: We wants to make such a novel.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: No, we want it to be a short story.
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_00: We need space for world building.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: We have to have a fishing scene.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: None of our characters are fishermen.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: That's a different story.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_00: Whoa, okay, slow down.
• 0:26
  It sounds like you're having trouble trying to decide on the
• 0:28
  scope of your story.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: There's no scopeses in the book.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_00: Stinky little hobbitses.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: Turks is our only scope.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_00: Um, no.
• 0:38
  What I meant is that you're both on different pages about what
• 0:40
  the story should be
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_00: and how big it should be.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: We don't have any pages yet.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: We haven't even started writing.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because you won't let me plot.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: I don't want to plot.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a pencer.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, now we're just getting into an entirely different topic.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: You, you're a fancy writer'ss.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: Tell us, how do we start our story?
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_00: Well,
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: you're in luck,
• 1:04
  because today's episode of the podcast is about setting the
• 1:07
  proper scope for your
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: story.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: I published an article about it a couple days ago.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Ooh, we loves reading articles.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: No, we don't.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_00: We are audio learners.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Well,
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: in either case,
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: if you stick around,
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: you'll get some tips on how to set the scope right for your story.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: Good, good.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: We shall listen to the Writers' Roll podcast.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: Oh no, I forgot my G20.
• 1:32
  Um,
• 1:33
  actually,
• 1:34
  Writers' Roll is a new podcast that just released from Hazel
• 1:37
  Allen.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I was the first guest on the show, though.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: There are too many podcasts.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: We loves podcasts, especially the Saved as Document podcast.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Close enough.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome, everyone, to the Saved as Draft podcast.
• 2:11
  SPEAKER_00: Hello everyone, and welcome to episode 21 of the Saved as Draft podcast.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: This week's episode is packed with new shoutouts,
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: a new interview with a twist,
• 2:20
  and we're going to talk about setting the proper scope for your
• 2:23
  stories and novels.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: But first, some quick housekeeping.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: We're at the end of the Madness and Mayhem challenge,
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: and I just wanted to say,
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: once again,
• 2:31
  how much I appreciate all the enthusiasm and excitement for the
• 2:34
  prompts this month.
• 2:35
  SPEAKER_00: All of you inspire me every day,
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: so the chance to inspire you as well is an honor and a privilege.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Now,
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: I know many of you are going to miss the prompts every day,
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: I've actually heard some stories in my subscriber chat already about it,
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: but I assure you that I'm already thinking about what's coming next.
• 2:49
  It won't be another three months until the next challenge
• 2:51
  either,
• 2:51
  I can promise you that.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: In fact,
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'm exploring options for more steady prompts,
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_00: maybe once a week,
• 2:56
  while I brainstorm what our next big monthly challenge and its
• 2:59
  theme will be.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: All of that is to say, thank you for your support, and stay tuned.
• 3:03
  There's plenty of fun stuff happening in the pipeline here at
• 3:05
  The Writer's Journey.
• 3:06
  I also want to shout out Hazel Allen's new podcast and giveaway
• 3:09
  that we mentioned in the intro.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: The podcast is called The Writer's Roll,
• 3:13
  and it's a show where guests roll a dice to select from a list
• 3:15
  of 20 pre-written
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: questions.
• 3:17
  They answer 10 in total,
• 3:18
  but they don't know what they'll be until they roll.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Guess who the show's first guest was?
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_00: Guest was.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's right, it was me.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: I had a ton of fun on the show, and I think the format is super unique.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: So check out the show notes for a link.
• 3:30
  Hazel's also hosting a new book stack giveaway where you could
• 3:33
  win up to $50 in
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_00: bookshop.org gift card credit.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: Also,
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: during the course of the giveaway,
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_00: Hazel's poetry chapbook,
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: Inside the Sun and Moon,
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_00: is on sale digitally for just 50 cents.
• 3:45
  Inside the Sun and Moon is a small collection of poems written
• 3:48
  over the course of a
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: few years that discusses feelings of loneliness,
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: longing,
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_00: love,
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: and desire,
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: as explored through the writing lens of Hazel Allen.
• 3:56
  Purchasing a copy of this collection will also count as an
• 3:59
  additional entry point
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: for your giveaway,
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_00: but will not affect your chances of winning or losing.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: There are plenty of other ways to enter the giveaway as well.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: You can check out all the details at the link in the show notes,
• 4:08
  but you'll want to hurry because your opportunity to enter ends
• 4:11
  on June 12th.
• 4:13
  Shout out to Hazel and Bookstack for what sounds like another
• 4:15
  amazing giveaway.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: Last thing before we get into this week's shout outs,
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: I also wanted to call out Olivia or OJ Barr.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Excuse me.
• 4:23
  who just launched a really exciting new posting schedule this
• 4:25
  week on her publication.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: She's going to be posting full chapters of her fantasy novel,
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_00: Awen Rising,
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: alongside other articles and writing tips.
• 4:34
  And I wanted to call this out because it's a wonderful example
• 4:37
  of how to structure
• 4:37
  your content and also create a posting schedule that's
• 4:40
  consistent and valuable.
• 4:42
  I think it's a great example of what we were discussing the
• 4:44
  last couple weeks on
• 4:45
  the podcast in regards to balancing your writing goals with the
• 4:48
  need to avoid
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: burnout.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: So check out what Olivia is doing for a great example,
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: and I'll put the link to everything she's got going on in the show notes.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: All right, and let's get into this week's shoutouts.
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: As longtime listeners know,
• 4:59
  I post a shoutouts thread each week in my subscriber chat where
• 5:01
  you can share links
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_00: to your latest work.
• 5:03
  I've also partnered with Mina Howell's Penny Dreadfuls podcast
• 5:06
  to double your
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: chances of being featured.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: As always,
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: I've selected five stories at random from the list of submissions,
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: so let's see what we got for this week.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: First up this week is Love at First Swipe by The Verdant Butterfly.
• 5:19
  This story is amazing for a lot of reasons,
• 5:21
  but firstly I have to share what inspired it.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: This was a story written for day 26 of the Madness and Mayhem challenge,
• 5:27
  in which I asked writers to write a story in a genre they're
• 5:30
  not familiar with.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: The Verdant Butterfly decided to write a rom-com for the challenge.
• 5:35
  I actually saw a few people who typically do horror or more
• 5:38
  intense stories and
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: poetry try their hand at romance for this prompt,
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: and in this case,
• 5:42
  SPEAKER_00: it was a slam dunk.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: The story stars two characters who are opposite in a lot of ways,
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: but manage to find common ground in ways neither of them expected.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: We get a snippet of story from both perspectives to start,
• 5:52
  and then the story ends on a charming note with plenty of room
• 5:55
  for speculation on
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: how their relationship could develop into the future.
• 5:58
  The story works so well for a lot of reasons,
• 6:00
  but one of the best elements is the dialogue.
• 6:03
  The Verdant Butterfly is one of the best writers in the game
• 6:05
  when it comes to dialogue.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's always sharp,
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: natural,
• 6:08
  and it perfectly reflects the characters' personalities in
• 6:11
  every story they write.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Both characters are instantly interesting,
• 6:14
  and the way they interact is just the right mixture of awkward
• 6:17
  and charming.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's a really fun, heartwarming, and funny story.
• 6:21
  It's also a perfect example of how talented writers can step
• 6:23
  into other genres if
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: they so choose.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_00: All they need is the chance.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: Here's an excerpt I really enjoyed.
• 6:29
  I'm telling you,
• 6:30
  said Sean,
• 6:31
  his business partner in Resident Chaos Muppet.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: Nest is about to blow up.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: You should be in on it.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_00: People want to know the guy behind the code.
• 6:38
  I built it,
• 6:39
  Elias said,
• 6:40
  stirring oat milk into his coffee like it had personally
• 6:43
  wronged him.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: That doesn't mean I want to date on it.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: You're single.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: I'm busy.
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_00: You quote Douglas Adams and eat leftover pad thai in your bathrobe.
• 6:52
  SPEAKER_00: You need this.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Elias arched a brow.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: Since when did you become my dating coach?
• 6:58
  Since your last relationship ghosted you during Comic-Con and
• 7:01
  you didn't notice for a week.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_00: That's fair.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: Notice how the dialogue moves at this really nice pace,
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: but we also get insight into Elias as a character.
• 7:10
  SPEAKER_00: The other protagonist, Elspeth, is even better in her scenes.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: I loved this one.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Find a link to the story in the show notes.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_00: Next up this week is Anna Lee Chapter 1 by Rebecca Rockett.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: This was my first time reading Rebecca's work,
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_00: and this particular series bills itself as,
• 7:25
  SPEAKER_00: quote,
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: a tale about a millennial great Gatsby,
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_00: and I think that alone makes for an excellent pitch.
• 7:31
  Throw in the early 2000s nostalgia and a nice mood board at the
• 7:34
  end of chapter one,
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: and Rebecca had my attention.
• 7:36
  The story really does feel like a modernized Great Gatsby right
• 7:39
  from the beginning,
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_00: with a reference in the first few paragraphs,
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: but it also carves out its own place and style.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_00: In this story, Annalie is our Gatsby parallel, known for her parties.
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Our protagonist,
• 7:49
  SPEAKER_00: Erin,
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: has a conversation with her roommate in this first chapter,
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: named Joan,
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: that just immediately pulls you into the story and the setting.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: The dialogue here is excellent as well,
• 7:57
  and the way the story peppers exposition throughout keeps
• 8:00
  everything moving at a
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_00: nice pace.
• 8:01
  Millennials like myself will also see reflections of ourselves
• 8:04
  in some of the
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_00: references,
• 8:05
  and just sort of the existential quandaries that we all faced
• 8:08
  during those college
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: years,
• 8:09
  where the only thing we really wanted to do underneath it all
• 8:11
  was just understand
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_00: ourselves and our place in the world.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's a captivating piece.
• 8:15
  It nails the fundamentals while also bringing forward those
• 8:17
  shades of Gatsby to pay
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: homage to its inspiration.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Here's an excerpt I really enjoyed.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Aaron, is this how you want to remember your college years?
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_00: She said pointedly.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: I looked down at my pajama pants, stained with watercolor.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: Because who needs a paint rag when you have pajama pants?
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: And considered a moment longer than Joan was comfortable with.
• 8:33
  It shouldn't take you that long to consider,
• 8:35
  she sighed with exasperation.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_00: I can't help it if I'm a romantic.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_00: Joan had just come out of the bathroom,
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: clad in her bathrobe,
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: and a sweet-smelling steam was emanating from the door behind her.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_00: Her hair was still wrapped high on her head in a towel,
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: but she had a hairbrush in her hand,
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: and she pointed it at me for emphasis.
• 8:50
  SPEAKER_00: This is not romantic.
• 8:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's sad.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: See how the dialogue mixes so well with the exposition?
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_00: It all just flows effortlessly,
• 8:56
  but the reader is constantly receiving new information about
• 8:58
  the story and the
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: characters.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: Fair warning here.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: Once you start this series,
• 9:02
  you're not going to want to stop until you've consumed every
• 9:04
  available chapter.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_00: Check the show notes for a link to chapter one.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Third this week is Blood For You by Aurora Gamorsian.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: This piece really caught me off guard in the best way possible.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: I was immediately intrigued by the title,
• 9:15
  but the writing style here is absolutely radiant with emotion
• 9:18
  and conviction.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: You can almost feel the pain in some of the lines.
• 9:22
  Like with any great poetry,
• 9:23
  I think there's a lot of ways you could interpret this piece.
• 9:26
  SPEAKER_00: But to me,
• 9:26
  it speaks to the way that we sometimes tear ourselves apart in
• 9:30
  the name of love or
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: being accepted.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: We cut and cut until there's nothing left.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: and even then we tell ourselves that if we just try a little harder,
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: we'd finally reach that plateau where all the suffering was worth it.
• 9:40
  It's a piece that is beautiful,
• 9:42
  but it's also horrifying,
• 9:43
  surreal,
• 9:44
  and entirely captivating.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: I'm truly blown away by this one.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_00: Aurora is incredibly talented.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_00: Check out this excerpt.
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: the soil singeing and sputtering with flame at the very touch of me,
• 10:16
  SPEAKER_00: until bloom whereupon the flower bursts into a single,
• 10:20
  SPEAKER_00: abundant,
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: grotesque mass,
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: the very sight and scent of which drains the life from me,
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_00: until all my light is congealed,
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: one single drop,
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: one little gem,
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: a precious little ruby of darkness,
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: and in the cut of its shimmering visage,
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_00: six trillion voices sing back to me my own rhythm of fear.
• 10:41
  I had to read that entire stanza because it felt like a crime
• 10:44
  to cut it off before the end.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, just stop and think about how that flowed.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: Think about the word choice.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Think about the raw and aching emotion in the words.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: It's truly incredible.
• 10:53
  You'll find a link to the full piece in the show notes,
• 10:55
  and I highly suggest you check it out.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: Fourth this week is Will and Spirit by L.G.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: Wells.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_00: This post somehow flew under my radar,
• 11:01
  but I'm so happy I've been given the chance to check it out for
• 11:04
  a shout-out on this
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: week's episode.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: For context, L.G.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Wells was the featured guest on episode 17 of the show.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: If you haven't checked out his interview, definitely do so.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: In that episode,
• 11:13
  he talks about his time in a band and producing music before he
• 11:16
  got into writing
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: like he is now.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: Well,
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: folks,
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_00: this piece gives us a look into that aspect of his creative journey,
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: and it is awesome.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: We get a little background before the post,
• 11:25
  which includes full song lyrics and a recording of one of the
• 11:28
  band's tracks.
• 11:29
  SPEAKER_00: Top it off with this badass photo of LG himself at the end,
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: and this piece was just an entire experience from top to bottom.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: The song is so good too.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_00: It has this classic rock feel, but feels fresh and new at the same time.
• 11:41
  It brings me back to the days when I used to hang out with my
• 11:44
  dad and we would bond
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_00: over some of his favorite classic rock bands like ACDC,
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: Boston,
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: Journey,
• 11:49
  SPEAKER_00: Kiss,
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: Twisted Sister,
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Poison,
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_00: and so many more.
• 11:53
  Seriously,
• 11:53
  I had an absolute blast reading and listening to the elements
• 11:56
  of this post.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_00: I already thought LG was insanely cool and incredibly talented,
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_00: but this piece just solidifies him as an all-time total badass.
• 12:04
  SPEAKER_00: Haha.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_00: Here's an excerpt from the song's lyrics that I really liked.
• 12:08
  SPEAKER_00: The stones cry out.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_00: The waters whisper of the past.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_00: The birds and creatures.
• 12:13
  SPEAKER_00: I am one with them at last.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: Cleanse my spirit.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: Sacred place fill my soul.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Ancient wisdom.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: Father's knowledge makes me whole.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so serious.
• 12:22
  You have to check this out and listen to the song at the link
• 12:24
  in the show notes
• 12:25
  SPEAKER_00: because I loved this.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 12:28
  SPEAKER_00: And last this week is Lockjaw by Asteria Geisterblum.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: I've heard about Asteria's work so many times over the last few months,
• 12:35
  SPEAKER_00: and I've also seen them in the comments and in my posts,
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: liking and supporting what I'm doing,
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: so I'm really excited for this chance to dive into one of their pieces.
• 12:43
  And right off the bat,
• 12:44
  the atmosphere and emotion in this piece is stunning.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_00: The pacing of each stanza is incredibly consistent,
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: the rhythm of each line is captivating,
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: and the word choice is pitch perfect.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: Every line delivers punchy imagery as well.
• 12:59
  SPEAKER_00: I audibly gasped at several of the lines.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_00: The piece creates this almost claustrophobic atmosphere for the reader.
• 13:05
  The short lines and tight stanzas make you feel like the world
• 13:08
  is closing in around
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: you,
• 13:09
  SPEAKER_00: which honestly matches the themes of the poem.
• 13:11
  SPEAKER_00: It's a hauntingly relatable piece as well.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: This excerpt in particular really jumped out at me.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_00: Honestly, I'm truly impressed.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: Asteria's writing voice is just so cohesive,
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: and the vision of the poem is really well realized in this piece.
• 13:36
  Add in the fact that it's also perfectly structured and you
• 13:38
  just have a poem that
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_00: jumps right off the page.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's phenomenal work and a great way to close out this week's shout outs.
• 13:44
  Thank you to everyone who submitted and let's get on to this
• 13:46
  week's writing discussion.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: Alright,
• 13:48
  and this week we're pulling some key points from my article on
• 13:51
  how to set the scope
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: for your story.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_00: Scope is one of those things that many people forget to think about.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: You want your story and your imagination to be boundless,
• 13:58
  SPEAKER_00: of course,
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: and to be clear,
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_00: it should be.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: But at some point,
• 14:01
  you need to reckon with the agonizing march of time and the
• 14:04
  mortal nature of your
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_00: corporeal form.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: In other words, you gotta make sure you can finish the project.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's why scope is important.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_00: It gives us guardrails on our projects.
• 14:12
  It ensures they meet the right word count,
• 14:14
  stay on topic,
• 14:15
  and most importantly,
• 14:16
  get published.
• 14:17
  And if you want to dive deeper,
• 14:18
  the full article is available right now on my publication.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: Step one is to decide on a format.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: Does it feel like a short story?
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_00: A flash fiction?
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_00: A poem?
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_00: Or maybe something larger like a new book?
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: You won't know all the answers in the moment,
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: but it's important to at least narrow down your options.
• 14:33
  And of course,
• 14:33
  you should consider how this will fit into your current
• 14:35
  workload.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_00: If you're like me and you're already working on several projects,
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_00: including a novel,
• 14:39
  it may be a good idea to just focus on finding a balance where
• 14:42
  this new story idea
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: can exist,
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_00: but in a shorter format.
• 14:45
  SPEAKER_00: Step two is to decide on a starting point.
• 14:48
  Your idea may include a wide range of potential settings across
• 14:50
  various time
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: periods within your setting,
• 14:52
  so a good way to narrow the scope is to think about where this
• 14:55
  piece will fit into
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_00: the larger world.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: Something that a lot of writers,
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_00: myself included,
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_00: like to use is a tactic called in media res,
• 15:02
  SPEAKER_00: which roughly translates to in the middle of things.
• 15:05
  SPEAKER_00: This approach allows you to jump right into the action,
• 15:07
  which is especially useful if you're doing a short story or
• 15:09
  flash fiction piece.
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: There are other options,
• 15:10
  SPEAKER_00: of course,
• 15:11
  SPEAKER_00: but you can check those out in the full article if you'd like.
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: Step three is to consider the goal sphere piece.
• 15:16
  When we think about that,
• 15:17
  we want to think about the hero's journey as a framework.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: And not necessarily the entire thing,
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: because there's a lot of steps to that,
• 15:23
  SPEAKER_00: but some of the major elements.
• 15:25
  In particular,
• 15:26
  there are three major phases of the structure that I want to
• 15:28
  look at.
• 15:29
  SPEAKER_00: Separation, what event or experience sets the hero on their journey.
• 15:33
  SPEAKER_00: Initiation, what journey or struggles do they go through.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_00: And return, how they are changed or transformed by what happened.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: Use these as pillars for the basic structure of your story,
• 15:42
  and then this will translate well into the goals for your
• 15:44
  broader narrative.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_00: That's all I've got for now,
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: but there are five total steps in the article,
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: so check the show notes for a link if you'd like to read the full piece.
• 15:51
  SPEAKER_00: Next up is this week's writer interview.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: This week,
• 15:54
  I'm really excited to welcome to the show an amazing writer and
• 15:57
  a key pillar of the
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: writing community here on Substack.
• 16:01
  And without further ado,
• 16:01
  I'm excited to welcome to the show the one,
• 16:04
  the only,
• 16:05
  TP Chaos.
• 16:07
  SPEAKER_00: But wait, hang on a second.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry, folks, something's up with the audio for the interview.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: Give me a second here.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to bring Sarah on to help me figure this out.
• 16:16
  SPEAKER_00: Sorry for the technical difficulties.
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, Sarah, thanks for coming on to the show.
• 16:20
  SPEAKER_01: Sure thing.
• 16:21
  SPEAKER_01: What did you need my help with?
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_00: Well, it's the weirdest thing.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: I was trying to upload my interview with TP Chaos from earlier this week,
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_00: but the audio is really messed up.
• 16:33
  SPEAKER_01: Messed up how?
• 16:35
  SPEAKER_00: It's hard to explain.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_00: It's almost like it's not in English.
• 16:38
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so confused.
• 16:40
  SPEAKER_00: I asked them to send me their written answers,
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_00: and even those came through in another language as well.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_00: I'm wondering if you recognize it by any chance.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: Let me take a look.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_01: This is chaos language.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: You know, like,
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_01: The one they use in the Nier video games?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that explains it.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah,
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: I've spent my whole life trying to understand English,
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_00: so I'm not fluent in any other language,
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: chaos included.
• 17:04
  SPEAKER_01: No sweat.
• 17:06
  SPEAKER_01: I can read it.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_00: Wait, really?
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_00: You can?
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, just ask me the questions and I'll read the answers from TP Chaos.
• 17:14
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's amazing.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get started.
• 17:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for your patience, everyone.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: Now that we've sorted out that little speed bump,
• 17:21
  I'm excited to introduce TP Chaos to the Saved as Draft podcast
• 17:25
  with answers read
• 17:26
  SPEAKER_00: by the prompt goddess herself,
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_00: Sarah Rush.
• 17:29
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks again for the help, Sarah.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_01: You're welcome.
• 17:31
  SPEAKER_00: So let's get started with our first question.
• 17:33
  Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your creative
• 17:36
  journey thus far?
• 17:37
  When I first joined Substack,
• 17:39
  it was a whisper,
• 17:40
  a quiet step into the unknown.
• 17:42
  I wasn't sure where I would land or if my words would ever find
• 17:45
  a place to belong.
• 17:46
  SPEAKER_01: Then came Flash Fiction February, and with it, you, Bradley.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: Your invitation into the world of story was more than a prompt.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_01: It was a door.
• 17:53
  SPEAKER_01: And on the other side was a fiercely supportive,
• 17:56
  carefully crafted community that believed in voices still
• 17:59
  learning to believe in
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_01: themselves.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't be the writer I am on Substack without your encouragement,
• 18:03
  SPEAKER_01: Bradley,
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: and the way your presence on this platform shaped so many of us.
• 18:07
  SPEAKER_01: Your dedication to lifting others gave me the courage to find my voice.
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_01: From those first flash fictions to joining various publications,
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_01: testing my footing,
• 18:15
  SPEAKER_01: lending my voice,
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_01: I slowly found what mattered most.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_01: A space where stories could thrive and creators could rise together.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_01: With the incredible Rachel Tribble and later the rest of our dream team,
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: Edward and Griffin,
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_01: we built a new home for chaos.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: The kind of beautiful, brilliant chaos that only art can hold.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_01: Turtles of alchemy.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: Since then, it's been a blur.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_01: We grew faster than I ever imagined.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: From a whisper to a wildfire, we are now nearly 2,000 souls strong.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_01: A collective of storytellers, dreamers, and alchemists of ink.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_01: This began with a single voice, unsure and trembling.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_01: Now it's a chorus loud enough to change Substack.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing, amazing.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, delivered in true chaos fashion, very eloquently.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Sarah.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_00: So question number two for TP Chaos was,
• 19:00
  what sort of message or lesson do you hope people take away
• 19:03
  from your stories?
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_01: I write to inspire,
• 19:05
  to reach into the quiet places where pain hides and remind
• 19:08
  someone they aren't
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: alone.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_01: Every story I craft carries its own unique echo,
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: but if I had to choose one truth to whisper across them all,
• 19:16
  SPEAKER_01: it would be,
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: you're not alone.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: These worlds are built for you,
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: to wander,
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_01: to feel,
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_01: to remember what it means to be seen and heard.
• 19:24
  SPEAKER_01: They are stitched with grief, with love, with longing.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: They are places where sorrow becomes survival,
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_01: where brokenness becomes beauty,
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_01: and where the ache you carry finds a voice.
• 19:34
  If even one line wraps around a reader's heart and whispers,
• 19:37
  I understand.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_01: then every hour spent bleeding words onto the page is worth it.
• 19:41
  SPEAKER_01: This is why I keep writing.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_01: Because there are still stories trapped behind teeth,
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_01: still hearts waiting for someone to speak the language of their silence.
• 19:49
  Because sometimes stories I write are the ones I needed when I
• 19:52
  was younger,
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_01: the ones I still need.
• 19:54
  And because nothing feels more like home than knowing someone
• 19:57
  somewhere found
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_01: shelter in my words.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_01: This is survival stitched in metaphor.
• 20:02
  SPEAKER_01: It's connection carved from solitude.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's proof that even in the dark, we find each other.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 20:08
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely amazing.
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, so question number three.
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_00: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_00: Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_01: Truthfully, I don't think I ever had that one shining cinematic moment.
• 20:21
  SPEAKER_01: I wasn't the kind of kid who dreamed in futures.
• 20:23
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't have a support system that told me I could be something.
• 20:26
  I wasn't asked what I wanted to become,
• 20:28
  so I never learned how to want it.
• 20:30
  SPEAKER_01: Sounds sad, I know.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: It was.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_01: But I do remember the first story I ever wrote.
• 20:35
  SPEAKER_01: It was an elementary school, a paper, of all things, for math class.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_01: We were assigned to write about a mathematician, and I choose Archimedes.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: Most kids scribbled down the basics.
• 20:46
  SPEAKER_01: I fell down a rabbit hole of ancient texts,
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_01: water displacement theories,
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_01: the eureka moment,
• 20:50
  SPEAKER_01: and the beauty of formulas that still whisper truth centuries later.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: I remember the rush of gathering those pieces,
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_01: the thrill of shaping them into something bigger than a report.
• 21:01
  SPEAKER_01: I remember the stunned look on my teacher's face.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: I remember, for the first time, the feeling of being heard.
• 21:06
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe that was the spark.
• 21:08
  Maybe I didn't know I wanted to be a writer until I realized
• 21:11
  writing was how I
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_01: survived a world that never asked me what I needed.
• 21:15
  Maybe that paper on Archimedes was the first time I saw what
• 21:18
  stories could do.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_01: They could astonish and could connect,
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: even if no one remembered the writer,
• 21:24
  even if the writer was just a quiet kid with too much in their
• 21:26
  head and nowhere to
• 21:27
  SPEAKER_01: place it until the page made room.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: I love that it was a math report of all things.
• 21:32
  SPEAKER_00: For some reason, that's very chaos.
• 21:37
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 21:38
  SPEAKER_00: Question four.
• 21:39
  How would you describe your writing style and what genres do
• 21:42
  you typically write?
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_01: I write quietly with feeling first.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_01: My style leans into atmosphere and emotion, more instinct than structure.
• 21:49
  SPEAKER_01: I try to let each story speak for itself,
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_01: carrying weight through detail,
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: rhythm,
• 21:53
  SPEAKER_01: and the space between words.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_01: At its core, my writing explores the human condition.
• 21:58
  Grief,
• 21:59
  mental health,
• 21:59
  connection,
• 22:00
  and all the things we carry but don't always say out loud.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_01: I don't write to offer answers.
• 22:05
  SPEAKER_01: I write to make space for feeling.
• 22:07
  If a story can sit beside someone in their hardest moment and
• 22:11
  help them feel a
• 22:11
  SPEAKER_01: little more seen,
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: that's more than enough.
• 22:14
  Genre-wise,
• 22:15
  I move between soft fantasy,
• 22:17
  emotional horror,
• 22:18
  and literary microfiction.
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_01: I tend to blur the lines a bit,
• 22:21
  layering magical realism into grief stories or slipping
• 22:24
  heartache into worlds with
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_01: impossible rules.
• 22:27
  SPEAKER_01: Most of my work is short form, flash fiction, microfiction, and poetry.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_01: I try to build small worlds that stay with you longer than expected.
• 22:36
  SPEAKER_01: If I had to describe it in a sentence,
• 22:38
  I write soft stories with sharp edges meant to be felt before
• 22:41
  they're understood.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 22:43
  SPEAKER_00: I love that last line.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_00: I think it captures the feeling of chaos's stories really well.
• 22:47
  SPEAKER_00: Question five.
• 22:48
  SPEAKER_00: You and I initially met around the time of the Devine Challenge.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_00: Your story took home first place in that challenge.
• 22:54
  Can you talk us through what inspired it and how you felt when
• 22:57
  you knew that you'd won?
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, it still doesn't feel real.
• 23:01
  SPEAKER_01: Elora,
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: this quiet,
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_01: paint-stained girl I wrote from the heart,
• 23:05
  SPEAKER_01: somehow found a home in a world I had only just begun to explore.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_01: Not just a home.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_01: She was chosen.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_01: Celebrated.
• 23:11
  SPEAKER_01: That alone still makes me pause.
• 23:13
  SPEAKER_01: What's wild is, remember, I didn't even know I entered.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: When I saw the prompt,
• 23:18
  I got so excited at the thought of a themed challenge that I
• 23:21
  skipped the entire
• 23:22
  SPEAKER_01: explanation.
• 23:22
  I just saw the words lit up like a spark had caught and ran
• 23:26
  straight off to binge
• 23:27
  SPEAKER_01: read every tale I could find from the world of Devine.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't breathe until Alara's story was done.
• 23:32
  Later,
• 23:33
  much later,
• 23:34
  you told me it had been a contest that I had submitted to be
• 23:38
  chosen.
• 23:39
  SPEAKER_01: I think I stared at my screen for a solid minute.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: I hadn't just written one story.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: I wrote two.
• 23:44
  One in your world of Devine about the lost Majiri and one set
• 23:47
  in our modern day.
• 23:48
  SPEAKER_01: That's how deep the inspiration ran.
• 23:51
  I read about their lost magic and thought to myself,
• 23:53
  what if they came back?
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_01: What if someone painted their way home?
• 23:57
  SPEAKER_01: When I won, I was definitely not crying into my subsect.
• 24:00
  SPEAKER_01: I was fully unashamedly.
• 24:04
  SPEAKER_01: Shock does not even begin to cover it.
• 24:06
  SPEAKER_01: Awe maybe?
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_01: Gratitude?
• 24:08
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 24:09
  SPEAKER_01: I never expected to win.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: Not for a second.
• 24:11
  SPEAKER_01: I just wanted to write something beautiful in a world that moved me.
• 24:15
  The fact that it resonated enough to be chosen still leaves me
• 24:18
  speechless.
• 24:19
  SPEAKER_00: That's such a great answer.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_00: And as a quick aside here, I still think about that Devine story.
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I remember both you, Sarah, and I had read all of the entries.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: And we kind of came together with sort of a blind judge on each of them.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, each of us came to the table with our top three.
• 24:37
  And if I recall correctly,
• 24:39
  either all three or certainly I know the chaos is story.
• 24:43
  I believe both of you,
• 24:44
  both you and I were like,
• 24:45
  yeah,
• 24:45
  this is the number one winner.
• 24:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like we agreed from the very beginning, if I recall correctly.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_01: That's right.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_00: That's so cool.
• 24:51
  SPEAKER_00: All right, let's keep moving.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_00: Question six.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_00: As part of winning the challenge,
• 24:55
  you also get to design and write a character as your able and
• 24:58
  would like to in the
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: upcoming Devine series,
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: The Order of the Pawn.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_00: So can you tell us a little bit about that character and her personality?
• 25:06
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, Alara, where do I begin?
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_01: She carries sadness like it was stitched into her shadow.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_01: Quiet, deliberate, haunting.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: Her childhood was not kind to her.
• 25:14
  SPEAKER_01: It shaped her into someone who sees the world through ash-tinged glass,
• 25:18
  SPEAKER_01: always waiting for something beautiful to break.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_01: And yet, she creates.
• 25:22
  SPEAKER_01: She paints life back into a world that tried to erase her.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to share her backstory soon.
• 25:27
  It carries the weight of a truth too heavy to hold,
• 25:29
  yet impossible to set down.
• 25:32
  As for the Order of the Pawn,
• 25:33
  I am absolutely losing my mind with excitement.
• 25:36
  The fact that Alara gets to be part of this world,
• 25:38
  that world,
• 25:39
  is still unreal.
• 25:40
  She gets to stand beside the characters I've admired to carve
• 25:43
  her place as an
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_01: Avenger among the shadows and power.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_01: It feels like bringing a dream to life.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: She's ready.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: I'm ready.
• 25:49
  SPEAKER_01: And I think the world of Devine will never be the same.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_00: And on that last part, we can absolutely agree.
• 25:55
  It blows my mind just to think that there are fans of Devine
• 25:58
  after so many years of
• 25:59
  SPEAKER_00: writing these stories and kind of,
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: you know,
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_00: putting them out into the world.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_00: It wasn't until recently that they kind of got discovered.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_00: So I love that answer.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: Question seven.
• 26:09
  You're also incredibly active in the writing community here and
• 26:12
  one of the founding
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: members of the publication Turtles of Alchemy.
• 26:16
  Can you tell us what inspired that publication and some of the
• 26:18
  goals you have for
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_00: it in the future?
• 26:20
  Rachel and I opened our very first conversation by doing what
• 26:23
  all perfectly normal
• 26:24
  SPEAKER_01: people do,
• 26:25
  SPEAKER_01: brainstorming an entire fictional world together.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_01: That world became Elysium.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_01: One idea led to another,
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_01: and before we knew it,
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: we were co-writing the lore,
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_01: building character arcs,
• 26:34
  SPEAKER_01: and somewhere along the way,
• 26:36
  SPEAKER_01: co-founding a publication.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: Turtles of Alchemy was born from that magic,
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_01: the kind that happens when creative minds collide and say,
• 26:43
  SPEAKER_01: what if we built something bigger than the both of us?
• 26:46
  Since then,
• 26:46
  we've grown our little shell into something we're deeply proud
• 26:49
  of.
• 26:49
  SPEAKER_01: We have our multi-talented artist and writer,
• 26:52
  SPEAKER_01: a true gem,
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_01: Rachel,
• 26:53
  and our brilliant horror author whose stories chill and
• 26:56
  captivate in equal measure,
• 26:58
  SPEAKER_01: Edward.
• 26:59
  SPEAKER_01: We're only getting started.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: Soon, we'll be expanding into articles.
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_01: We have a completely unhinged and wildly fun plan for those.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_01: Dedicated art pages and dedicated horror pages.
• 27:10
  SPEAKER_01: Our heads are overflowing with ideas.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_01: We just need more writer power to bring them all to life.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_01: At the end of the day, Turtles is more than a publication.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's a place to uplift others,
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_01: to collaborate,
• 27:20
  SPEAKER_01: and to create something strange and beautiful together.
• 27:23
  SPEAKER_01: We don't know exactly where the road leads,
• 27:24
  SPEAKER_01: but we'll ride it in our tiny turtle shoes,
• 27:27
  SPEAKER_01: one chaotic idea at a time.
• 27:29
  SPEAKER_01: Speaking of uplifting others,
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_01: our entire mission is rooted in community,
• 27:33
  SPEAKER_01: highlighting one writer a day,
• 27:35
  SPEAKER_01: six days a week,
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_01: and celebrating the incredible voices across sub stacks
• 27:39
  Whether it's through our whimsical story highlights or our
• 27:42
  column features,
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: we're always finding new ways to help creators shine.
• 27:45
  We recently launched an art feature to showcase the incredible
• 27:48
  talent of our
• 27:49
  SPEAKER_01: multi-talented artist,
• 27:50
  SPEAKER_01: Rachel,
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_01: offering visual storytelling alongside our words.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_01: Our subset columns are filled with inspiration,
• 27:56
  SPEAKER_01: unhinged writing polls,
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_01: and we have chaos-infused prompts meant to make you cry,
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_01: laugh,
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_01: and write something wildly unexpected.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_01: We're building a haven for creators,
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_01: a place where words and art are celebrated,
• 28:09
  SPEAKER_01: where strange ideas are nurtured,
• 28:11
  SPEAKER_01: and where no one gets left behind.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 28:14
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: Turtles of Alchemy.
• 28:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's been incredible to see that publication grow.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_00: And with this latest interview here with TP Chaos,
• 28:21
  I have officially had every single one of the three current
• 28:25
  turtles on the show.
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_00: Of course, I'm leaving out Griffin.
• 28:29
  SPEAKER_00: I need to reach out and perhaps interview them at some point.
• 28:32
  But regardless,
• 28:33
  the founding members are now all part of the Saved as Draft
• 28:35
  podcast.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_00: And that's fantastic.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: Question eight.
• 28:39
  How did you initially find out about Substack and what drew you
• 28:42
  to this platform in particular?
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_01: Truthfully, I didn't find Substack.
• 28:46
  Substack found me through a very persistent friend who refused
• 28:50
  to let me not make a profile.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_01: At first, I was skeptical.
• 28:53
  SPEAKER_01: I had shouted into the void on too many platforms,
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_01: pouring stories into timelines that swallowed them whole.
• 28:59
  The idea of setting up yet another profile only for it to
• 29:02
  vanish into silence felt exhausting.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_01: I expected more of the same.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_01: What I found instead was a library wrapped in warmth,
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_01: a place that felt like home the moment I stepped through the door.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_01: Substack is different.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: The shelves feel infinite, yet every voice echoes.
• 29:17
  SPEAKER_01: Its community and creativity woven together.
• 29:20
  I had never seen anything like it,
• 29:22
  where stories breathe and readers listen.
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_01: I fell in love with the quiet wonder of it all.
• 29:27
  The feeling of belonging,
• 29:29
  something so rare,
• 29:30
  so sacred,
• 29:31
  I almost didn't recognize it at first.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_01: Now, I use SubSec every day.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_01: I'm never leaving.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_01: None of us should.
• 29:38
  SPEAKER_01: If you're a writer searching for your people, find Turtles."
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_01: If your words feel lost,
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_01: if your voice shakes,
• 29:44
  SPEAKER_01: if you need someone to remind you that you matter,
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: we will.
• 29:47
  Join Bradley's challenges,
• 29:48
  engage with our community,
• 29:50
  comment,
• 29:50
  connect,
• 29:51
  create.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_01: We'll cheer for you louder than you have ever been cheered for.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_01: We'll help you find the shape of your voice in a sea of silence.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_01: Ask questions, reach out, share something small.
• 30:02
  SPEAKER_01: You don't need to be polished, you just need to begin.
• 30:04
  SPEAKER_01: There is a place for you here with Turtles and Bradley,
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_01: a space waiting to be filled by your words.
• 30:09
  SPEAKER_01: And I promise, if you let us, we will help you build something beautiful.
• 30:13
  SPEAKER_00: That's incredibly inspirational.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, I couldn't have said it better myself.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's exactly what it's all about.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_00: And that is by far the vibe that I get,
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_00: not only from Chaos,
• 30:21
  but also everyone over at Turtles of Alchemy and the broader
• 30:24
  community as a whole.
• 30:25
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to Substack.
• 30:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I always say that it's people that define a platform.
• 30:31
  And in this case,
• 30:32
  it's the best people you could ever possibly hope to be in a
• 30:34
  community with.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I couldn't agree more with that answer.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: Question nine.
• 30:39
  Do you have any projects you're working on outside of Substack
• 30:42
  you'd like to tell us about?
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_01: I began writing a book during the launch of Turtles of Alchemy,
• 30:46
  SPEAKER_01: two dreams growing side by side,
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: both rooted in a quiet hope I barely dared to speak aloud.
• 30:51
  SPEAKER_01: The book from the very beginning fought me.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_01: The characters ran.
• 30:55
  SPEAKER_01: The words dragged.
• 30:56
  Life threw every possible storm my way,
• 30:58
  testing every ounce of my strength and resolve.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_01: I would sit at my desk, exhausted, broken open, and try again.
• 31:05
  SPEAKER_01: Some days, the page was silent.
• 31:07
  SPEAKER_01: Others, it held me.
• 31:09
  Through grief,
• 31:09
  doubt,
• 31:10
  and everything in between,
• 31:11
  I returned to it again and again.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_01: And somehow, despite everything, I finished.
• 31:16
  SPEAKER_01: I am an author with audio mazes.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_01: The book will be carefully crafted by Audio Mazes,
• 31:21
  SPEAKER_01: a company that brings stories to life through immersive,
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_01: branching narratives.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_01: Their audiobooks are built with cinematic soundscapes,
• 31:27
  SPEAKER_01: diverging plot lines,
• 31:29
  SPEAKER_01: and performances that turn stories into full-body experiences.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: I still can't
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_01: quite believe my words will be part of something so uniquely alive.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_01: I'm finally in edits and I can feel the light at the end of it.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_01: I wouldn't have made it here without you.
• 31:42
  You helped me through some of the darkest moments of doubt when
• 31:45
  the weight of the
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_01: words felt too heavy and I couldn't see what was worth continuing.
• 31:49
  SPEAKER_01: Your support encouraged me.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_01: You reminded me of the magic in what I do, even when I had forgotten.
• 31:55
  You are truly one of the most thoughtful people I have had the
• 31:57
  honor to create beside.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_01: This book is more than a story.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_01: It's survival in a new form.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: I can't wait to share it with everyone.
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_01: We all struggle, all of us.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes life closes in until there's no air left to breathe.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_01: When those moments come, please remember you are not alone.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: There is strength in reaching out, in finding a voice, a hand, a spark.
• 32:18
  SPEAKER_01: Stay, write, create, heal.
• 32:20
  SPEAKER_01: Let someone walk with you.
• 32:22
  There is always a light in the tunnel,
• 32:24
  even if right now you can't see it.
• 32:25
  SPEAKER_01: Reach out to us.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_01: You matter more than you know,
• 32:28
  SPEAKER_01: and we are always,
• 32:29
  SPEAKER_01: always here to read your words,
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_01: to hold space for your silence.
• 32:33
  SPEAKER_01: to remind you that even the heaviest chapters turn their pages.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_01: So when it hurts, when it feels like no one sees you, preach.
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_01: There will be hands.
• 32:41
  SPEAKER_01: There will be light.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: there will be us.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
• 32:44
  This continues to be one of the most inspiring interviews that
• 32:47
  I've conducted.
• 32:48
  SPEAKER_00: But I also, again, couldn't agree more.
• 32:50
  And when it comes to the support that Chaos is talking about,
• 32:54
  that's what it's all about.
• 32:56
  And I try to provide that support to as many people as possible
• 33:00
  in our community,
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_00: but Chaos is right there beside me doing the same amount of work,
• 33:04
  SPEAKER_00: if not more so,
• 33:05
  SPEAKER_00: every single day.
• 33:06
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, couldn't agree more.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_00: Phenomenal answer there.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: Question 10.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_00: What's next for TP Chaos?
• 33:14
  Any big plans for the future here on Substack or in general
• 33:17
  that you'd like to share?
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_01: Right now,
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_01: most of my heart belongs to Turtles of Alchemy,
• 33:21
  SPEAKER_01: our ever-expanding home for writers,
• 33:22
  SPEAKER_01: artists,
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_01: and dreamers who believe in lifting each other up.
• 33:25
  What started as a shared world-building conversation between
• 33:28
  friends has grown into
• 33:29
  SPEAKER_01: something far greater than we imagined.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_01: Nearly 2,000 incredible souls have joined us.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_01: Every day, we grow stronger, more creative, and more connected.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_01: We're not slowing down.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_01: Soon we'll be launching new sections,
• 33:42
  SPEAKER_01: unhinged articles,
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_01: art pages,
• 33:44
  SPEAKER_01: horror pages,
• 33:45
  SPEAKER_01: and so much more.
• 33:46
  SPEAKER_01: We're building something enduring here.
• 33:48
  SPEAKER_01: Something rooted in community, connection, and stories that matter.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_01: If you have ever needed a place to belong, we're crafting it for you.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: As for what comes next, that's the beauty of it.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_01: I don't have all the answers.
• 34:00
  Life tried more than once to pull the pen from my hands,
• 34:03
  but I kept going.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_01: Because the story mattered.
• 34:06
  SPEAKER_01: Because I knew what it could become.
• 34:08
  SPEAKER_01: And now I stand on the edge of something extraordinary.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_01: Turtles of Alchemy and the audiobook are more than a dream.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_01: They are a step into everything I have fought to reach.
• 34:17
  SPEAKER_01: What I do have is a foundation built on fire and community,
• 34:21
  SPEAKER_01: a growing publication with endless potential,
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_01: a book that clawed its way into the world,
• 34:25
  SPEAKER_01: a voice that no longer questions if it deserves to speak.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_01: And if life has taught me anything,
• 34:30
  SPEAKER_01: it's that the wildest stories are still waiting to be written.
• 34:33
  SPEAKER_01: So we keep going.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_01: We keep building.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: We follow the current wherever it leads.
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_01: because chaos was forged in fire,
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_01: carved from ruin,
• 34:41
  SPEAKER_01: and crowned in storm,
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_01: shaped by the world,
• 34:43
  SPEAKER_01: silenced by none.
• 34:45
  SPEAKER_00: Amazing, amazing, amazing.
• 34:47
  SPEAKER_00: I am honestly speechless.
• 34:49
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to everyone listening.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to the community.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you to chaos for coming on to the show.
• 34:54
  And thank you,
• 34:55
  most of all,
• 34:56
  to Sarah for being the voice of chaos here in this interview.
• 35:00
  SPEAKER_00: I know we all appreciate it,
• 35:02
  and we appreciate your help getting chaos's voice and their
• 35:05
  story out there.
• 35:06
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you so much.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_00: Of course.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_00: All right.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_00: And thank you again for all those amazing answers from TP chaos.
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_00: I had to go in there for a second, didn't I?
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_00: As you can see by this last interview,
• 35:18
  my interviews on the saved his draft podcast can take a lot of
• 35:20
  different forms.
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you're interested on coming on the show,
• 35:23
  but prefer not to have your voice recorded written answers are
• 35:26
  entirely valid
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_00: approach.
• 35:27
  SPEAKER_00: I want to welcome as many folks onto the podcast as I can.
• 35:30
  So if you're curious about a written interview option read by
• 35:32
  myself or Sarah,
• 35:33
  SPEAKER_00: don't hesitate to reach out.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: And next up, I'm excited to welcome back to the show, Voidy.
• 35:39
  SPEAKER_02: I can attest, Sir Voidy's the best.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_02: He wouldn't dare play it close to the vest.
• 35:45
  He's here to share,
• 35:47
  from here into there,
• 35:48
  the writers and words of which he does care.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_00: Hey, Voidy, welcome back to the show.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_00: I have returned after 90 days of reflection.
• 35:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's been like two weeks, maybe three?
• 36:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just let me have this.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, fine, sure.
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_00: So what did you discover during your reflection?
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_00: I decided that I'm tired of talking about myself.
• 36:10
  SPEAKER_00: There's an entire void of people who aren't being heard.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_00: Me specifically, since I'm a physical manifestation of the void.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, no, that's fair.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: So what are you thinking?
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thoughts from the Void is now a new segment called Echoes from the Void.
• 36:26
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wow, a name change.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: And what else?
• 36:29
  SPEAKER_00: I'm going to collect questions from people in the void each week,
• 36:33
  SPEAKER_00: and then we'll talk about them on the show.
• 36:35
  SPEAKER_00: Wow, I love it.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_00: So how can people submit their questions?
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_00: Well,
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: in addition to the Tuesday shout-outs thread,
• 36:43
  an echoes from the void thread will show up on Mondays every
• 36:46
  week in the subscriber
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_00: chat.
• 36:48
  SPEAKER_00: You can ask anything you want about writing or life in general.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_00: I like it.
• 36:52
  SPEAKER_00: Great.
• 36:53
  SPEAKER_00: Let me know how it goes.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, wait, so you're not going to handle this new segment?
• 36:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'll be here every week, don't worry.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, right.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_00: All right, well, I still think it's a great idea.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate it.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see you next week for our first round of questions.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: And there you have it, folks.
• 37:08
  Keep an eye out for the first Echoes from the Void thread
• 37:10
  coming this next week.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: Feel free to drop any questions you like in there about writing,
• 37:14
  SPEAKER_00: stories,
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_00: my work,
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: my process,
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: or whatever else you have on your mind.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: The Void is a big place,
• 37:20
  so Voidy and I are hoping to make it feel a little less empty
• 37:23
  with this new
• 37:23
  SPEAKER_00: segment.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_00: This coming week on Substack,
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_00: we're ending the Madness and Mayhem challenge as we head into June.
• 37:28
  Honestly,
• 37:28
  it's always bittersweet when a challenge like this one ends,
• 37:31
  and...
• 37:31
  SPEAKER_00: While I don't have anything lined up for June myself,
• 37:33
  I will say that prompts and writing challenges will continue to
• 37:36
  be a part of what
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_00: we got going on here at The Writer's Journey.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_00: So stay tuned for more information there,
• 37:41
  including some plans for ongoing weekly prompts in between
• 37:43
  these larger challenges.
• 37:45
  SPEAKER_00: I'm also shifting focus back to the Devine preludes this week,
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_00: as I look to launch the Devine series,
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_00: The Order of the Pawn.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_00: Once that series gets started,
• 37:53
  SPEAKER_00: I'll be offering early access to new chapters for paid subscribers.
• 37:56
  Once the early access period is over,
• 37:58
  chapters will be available to everyone.
• 37:59
  SPEAKER_00: But this is just one way that I'm thinking about adding value for my paid
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_00: subscribers in the community.
• 38:04
  And I want to do it in a way that doesn't take away from what
• 38:06
  I'm already offering.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's important that I don't just paywall stuff that's normally free.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_00: So as I move forward, I'll always try to add value, not take it away.
• 38:14
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, I'm always listening to the community.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_00: So if something I'm doing isn't a good fit,
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_00: you can always let me know and you can bet I'll adjust accordingly.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_00: And that's all I've got for this week.
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for listening,
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_00: for being a part of this community,
• 38:25
  SPEAKER_00: and for being the amazing people that you are.
• 38:26
  I appreciate all of you,
• 38:28
  and I'm wishing you all a wonderful and productive week of
• 38:30
  writing.
• 38:31
  SPEAKER_00: This is Bradley Ramsey, signing off.
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_00: We has decided what our story is going to be.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's great.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_00: So what are you guys going to do?
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's going to be a stage play.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_00: No, I said screenplay.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_00: You always do this.