Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina look back on the impactful moments from Season Four. From tackling imposter syndrome to an insightful conversation with author Kristin Ashley, each episode is revisited to highlight the lessons and laughter shared. They also touch on popular discussions around resistance fiction, the elements of a bestseller, the mystery box concept, writing as a healing path, crafting complex villains, and debating...
May 12, 2025•12 min•Season 4Ep. 16
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina delve into the unforgettable third episode of 'The Last of Us' titled 'A Long, Long Time.' They explore the emotionally charged storytelling and impactful performances that make this episode a standout. The discussion highlights Craig Mazin's brilliant writing, the deeply moving love story of Bill and Frank, and the significant turning point for characters Joel and Ellie. The conversation also touch...
May 05, 2025•35 min•Season 4Ep. 15
Got something to say? Send us a text! Quick note: In case we don't make it clear enough, J.K. Rowling is a horrific person who has used her status and wealth to actively harm the trans community. This is not something we believe in nor stand for. If we made money from this podcast, we would donate proceeds from this episode to a charity. Since we don't, we will continue to advocate for the right for trans people to fully be themselves out and loud and proud. In this episode of Write Out Loud, ho...
Apr 28, 2025•22 min•Season 4Ep. 14
Got something to say? Send us a text! If you haven't rated and reviewed the show, please take a moment to do so! It really helps us so much, and it's the easiest way for you to show us your love! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina dive into the complex world of digital content ownership and explore whether we truly own the digital books we purchase. Joined by eBook and publishing expert Kelly Peterson, they discuss the implications of licenses versus ownership, censorshi...
Apr 21, 2025•33 min•Season 4Ep. 13
Got something to say? Send us a text! Take a moment to share the podcast with someone you love, like, or just think about from time to time. Leave us a review, too, will you please? In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt and Christina dive deep into the art of creating compelling villains. They discuss the elements that make villains interesting, such as depth, motivation, and the ability to evoke both love and hate. Using examples from popular media, they distinguish between different ...
Apr 14, 2025•32 min•Season 4Ep. 12
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt and Christina engage in a lively discussion interrupted by their excitement over the release of Scarlett Cole's new book, ' The Oath We Take ' just released on March 27th! They revisit a previous podcast episode featuring Scarlett Cole, a successful romance writer. Scarlett shares her journey of transitioning from a senior corporate executive to a full-time writer, and later balancing both careers to find fulfi...
Apr 07, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 11
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina explore the therapeutic benefits of writing as a means to process emotions, find closure, and achieve personal growth. They discuss how journaling, fiction writing, and memoirs can be tools for self-discovery and healing. Through touching anecdotes and real-life examples of individuals who have used writing to navigate life's challenges, the hosts illustrate how storytelling transcends mere entertai...
Mar 31, 2025•23 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Got something to say? Send us a text! Please share this episode with someone you know who loves romance novels, Susanna Strom, or both! Also, drop by and give us a rating and a review, would you please? In this engaging episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt and Christina explore the essential elements of crafting a captivating first chapter. Joined by romance author Susanna Strom, they discuss the importance of 'show vs. tell' and share practical tips for grabbing readers' attention from the o...
Mar 24, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 9
Got something to say? Send us a text! Share the episode with someone you love! Write a review of the podcast ! It all goes a long way towards other people discovering the show you love! In this episode of Write Out Loud, Matt & Christina delve into the concept of the mystery box, specifically referencing JJ Abrams' TED Talk, 'The Mystery Box.' They discuss its application in storytelling and how it can be used to captivate an audience, using examples from shows like 'Lost,' 'Heroes,' and 'Br...
Mar 17, 2025•22 min•Season 4Ep. 8
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' Matt and Christina discuss the keys to turning a book into a bestseller. Drawing on wisdom, experience, and insights from a Threads post by ' @Editor.in.Chief.Writes ,' they emphasize the importance of storytelling, emotional resonance, and creative marketing. They argue that while technical perfection isn't necessary, an emotionally gripping narrative is crucial. The discussion also highlights how viral moments and strat...
Mar 10, 2025•31 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Got something to say? Send us a text! Hey there! Don't forget to leave us a rating and a review! It would SO help us out! You can do it quickly and easily right on our website by clicking here! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' Matt & Christina reflect on the inspirational journey shared by author Kristen Ashley in the previous episode, highlighting her unwavering belief in herself and her passion for writing. They emphasize the importance of knowing and staying true to your own voice as ...
Mar 03, 2025•23 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' Matt and Christina welcome bestselling author Kristen Ashley to discuss her prolific writing career. Listeners learn about Kristen's journey from continuous rejections by traditional publishers to achieving enormous success through self-publishing, with over 90 romance novels translated into 14 languages and more than 5 million copies sold worldwide. The conversation delves into her creative process, the importance of mai...
Feb 24, 2025•59 min•Season 4Ep. 5
Got something to say? Send us a text! This week, we bring you a replay of a previous episode from a previous season because we had a slight hiccup this week which meant we weren't able to record a new episode. Here are the show notes from the episode which aired on October 2, 2023. "It's another week, and this week we're discussing some of the small, easily-missed details you might have spotted if you're eagle-eyed enough to catch them! These are the little things that add so much to the story b...
Feb 17, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of Write Out Loud, Matt & Christina discuss dealing with imposter syndrome now that we know how it manifests. They explore strategies to combat this debilitating mindset and emphasize the importance of recognizing one's worth and the value of unique voices in storytelling. They highlight interviews with notable creatives like Britt Marling, Zal Batmanglij, and Malcolm Gladwell, and the importance of focusing on constructive feedback. The ...
Feb 10, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 3
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' join hosts, Matt and Christina, as they lay the groundwork for understanding imposter syndrome and its manifestations. Sharing real-life examples, they discuss how feelings of inadequacy can hinder creativity, especially in writing. Emphasizing that recognizing these feelings is a sign of readiness to grow, they highlight the importance of dealing with imposter syndrome. This episode sets the stage for practical tools and...
Feb 03, 2025•28 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Got something to say? Send us a text! Season 4 Kickoff! In the season four premiere of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Christina and Matt return with excitement for the season ahead. They preview the upcoming focus on storytelling, writing, and authoring, discussing various topics such as breaking down 'The Last of Us' screenplay, exploring resistance fiction with Octavia Butler's 'Parable of the Sower,' analyzing character development in 'The Bear,' and tackling imposter syndrome. With guest appearance...
Jan 27, 2025•13 min•Season 4Ep. 1
Got something to say? Send us a text! Hey, thanks for making season 3 such a success! We couldn't have done it without you! Would you mind taking a moment to rate and review the podcast , please? It SO helps us out! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina reflect on their favorite moments and highlighted episodes from Season 3. They discuss various themes and guests, like Ted Lasso, Tom Colgan, and Ruby Dixon. They also share insights gained from their conversations with auth...
Dec 02, 2024•20 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Got something to say? Send us a text! Thanks for listening to this episode, won't you share it with someone you think would love it? Also, leave us a review by heading directly to our website! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt and Christina introduce bestselling romance author Jenn Sterling. Jenn shares her journey of becoming an author, starting from when she was fired from her job and decided to pursue writing. She discusses her experiences with self-publishing, the challenges of...
Nov 25, 2024•50 min•Season 3Ep. 17
Got something to say? Send us a text! Hey there, you! So I'm sure you've been meaning to do this but haven't gotten around to it yet, so why not take a moment now to rate and review this podcast! You can do that wherever you get your podcasts or at sites like podchaser.com ! This week, we were both under the weather, so we're playing a little bit called Rewind Replay where we serve up an episode from season one called "Show vs Tell." If you haven't listened before, forgotten what we talked about...
Nov 18, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 16
Got something to say? Send us a text! CALL TO ACTION: If you haven't rated and reviewed the podcast yet, please do! We need to get the word out, and that's one of the best ways to get it done. Thanks to those of you who have already done so! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt and Christina, along with guests, Magda and Lindsey from the 'Literally Books' podcast, dive into a lively discussion about storytelling, fan fiction, and reader preferences. The conversation covers the importa...
Nov 11, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 15
Got something to say? Send us a text! Hey there! If you haven't rated and reviewed the podcast yet, why not? It really helps others discover the show, and we really appreciate your support! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Christina and Matt interview Sean Vigue, a renowned yoga and Pilates instructor with millions of followers and a prolific author of fitness books. Sean shares his journey performing in musicals, to studying at Viterbo University and pursuing a career in theater. He det...
Nov 04, 2024•39 min•Season 3Ep. 14
Got something to say? Send us a text! DO THIS, PLEASE: Go rate and review this podcast! Share it with someone who doesn't listen! Please help us get the word out. It really does make a difference. In this engaging episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Christina and Matt have an enlightening conversation with Erin Galloway, Director of Publicity at Berkeley Publishing, about effective book promotion strategies. The discussion covers leveraging traditional media, social platforms like BookTok and Insta...
Oct 28, 2024•37 min•Season 3Ep. 13
Got something to say? Send us a text! TAKE ACTION: If you haven't yet, please take a moment to rate and review our little podcast wherever you get your podcasts but particularly on Apple Podcasts. It really helps others discover us. Please also share the podcast with someone who doesn't listen yet. In this episode of Write Out Loud, we delve into the art of storytelling with author Michael Fedor, discussing his debut political thriller 'What it Takes to Kill a Bull Moose,' set in a dystopian fut...
Oct 21, 2024•48 min•Season 3Ep. 12
Got something to say? Send us a text! DO THIS: Please, please, if you haven't done so already, please rate the podcast and leave us a review (do a short write up) of the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Podchaser, and more. It REALLY helps us out! In this episode of the Write Out Loud Podcast, hosts Matt Cassem and Christina Trevaskis introduce their guest, Ruby Dixon, a renowned author known for her works in science fiction and fantasy romance or Romantasy, if you will. Ruby discusses her journey int...
Oct 14, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 11
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of the Write Out Loud podcast, hosts Matt and Tina engage in a lively discussion with the author Del Sandeen about her debut novel 'This Cursed House'. The conversation delves into Del's background as a reader, her journey to authorship, and her participation in Berkeley's Open Submissions Program which led to her book being published. The podcast also examines the themes present in her novel, such as colorism, acceptance, and the Southern Go...
Oct 07, 2024•42 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Got something to say? Send us a text! SPECIAL NOTE: This episode is chock full of links and chapter art, so check that out. The links to the books will take you, via our affiliate link, to Bookshop.org where you can support your local bookstores and book shops, and we may earn a small commission in the process. Thanks for supporting the show! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts Matt Cassem and Christina Trevaskis delve into the significance of Banned Books Week and why reading banned book...
Sep 30, 2024•27 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' the hosts delve into the importance of building relationships in the writing community. They discuss the misconception that writing is a solitary endeavor and emphasize the cooperative aspects of being an author. From engaging with editors and fans to collaborating with other writers for joint promotions, the podcast explores ways to create a supportive network. They also touch on the benefits of lifting each other up and...
Sep 23, 2024•28 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of Write Out Loud, hosts Matt and Christina delve into the different points of view used in writing, including first person, second person, and third person perspectives. They discuss the literary benefits and challenges of each, referencing a blog post by Manton Reece and insights from Jane Friedman. They highlight the importance of choosing the right point of view to enhance storytelling, giving examples of 'deep point of view' and the tren...
Sep 16, 2024•36 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this episode of 'Write Out Loud,' hosts engage in a lively conversation with Tom Colgan, Editorial Director at Berkeley Publishing and Penguin Random House. The discussion covers Tom's role in the company, his experiences working with famous authors like Tom Clancy and Janet Evanovich, and Berkeley's open submissions initiative aimed at promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Tom also shares valuable advice for aspiring writers, emphasizes the importa...
Sep 09, 2024•44 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Got something to say? Send us a text! In this bonus episode, we bring you another podcast we really love: Literally Books! Magda and Lindsay share their love of books by delving into the favorites, the not-so-favorites, and even some guilty pleasures (spoiler alert: That's tomorrow's episode). So check them out, head over to their website and find their podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you can subscribe...like, immediately! In this episode, Magda and Lindsay discuss adaptations of books...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min
