Street Writers

This is the first half of our interview with Bob Palmer, a top advertising and digital executive who has recently completed his first novel, King of Hearts. Bob discusses the book, and provides insightful writing tips.

For a special holiday edition of Street Writers, Dan's "Take A Swing At This" fills the stockings with the joy of Randy Ingermanson's "Snowflake Method" of writing (https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com). In "The Beat Us To The Punch", Mark assures you will never look at an Xmas Tree in quite the same way again, as he relates the scientific wonder(ful writing) of the NY Times' "The Social Life of Trees" (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/12/02/magazine/tree-communication-mycorrhiza.html). And in "Hit Us With Your Best Shot" Dan is looking to unwrap the gift of freeform writing inspired by artist Jody Fallon (https://www.pariahfineart.com), while Mark looks forward to wrapping up some biz projects and starting up some new podcast performances on Grease, Grit & Crime in COVID Time (https://anchor.fm/greasegritandcrime). PLUS: Mark offers up some holiday cheers/jeers on Dan's ugly Christmas sweater! . Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm

For "Take A Swing At This" Mark channels his inner Alec Baldwin. With "They Beat Us To The Punch", Dan proclaims "This is the way," in admiration of the storytelling skillz of "The Mandolorian." And when it's "Hit Us With Your Best Shot", Dan relates his upcoming newsletter, as Mark gives updates on Grease, Grit & Crime in COVID Time, as well as a film festival interview on one of his latest videos. (Apologies for the boomier sound on Dan's end, his regular mic is out on loan for another audio project!) Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

A rock solid guarantee (perhaps by way of the underworld) is Dan's offer to Mark in "Take A Swing At This". Then Mark brings law and order back to writing with a high-five to the five-oh skills of  masterful police author Joseph Wambaugh in "They Beat Us To The Punch". And in "Hit Us With Your Best Shot", Dan travels north for some Canadian tourism writing, and Mark pens a tale of gentler tweets. (Apologies for the thin sound on Dan's end, his mic is out on loan for another audio project!) Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

Stuck in the middle of a story? Let your characters lead you, step by step, line by line. Mark discusses building story momentum by letting your characters react to the line that was just written, and then react to the next line, and so on. Dan then reacts to a beautiful letter about finding lyrics by poet and musician, Nick Cave. And Mark announces that his film, Venmo Muscle was selected for Manhattan Rep Theater’s COVID Stories Festival.

"Take A Swing At This" comes courtesy of the creative duo behind South Park, two simple words that Dan thinks can make all the difference in between your storytelling beats. Then Mark straps on his Esquire skis for "They Beat Us To The Punch", with a hellacool bit of heliskiing writing. And in a quick "Hit Us With Your Best Shot", Dan jabs at turning the idea of a "definite chief aim" into a story for an upcoming motivational panel; while Mark lands a one-two-three punch of  short stories,  film festival entries, and more audio drama in Grease, Grit and Crime in COVID Time. Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

Be careful what you wish for. Achieving a writing goal — whether that’s getting published, building an online audience or anything in between — is great. But it can also lead to a feeling of “Is that all there is?” That’s why it really is about the journey of writing: working on your craft every day and taking satisfaction in what you accomplish each step of the way. Mark then reads a paragraph from a Stephen King short story in the October 2020 Esquire, and he touches on a few successes of his own.

Dan and Mark spend at least 1000 words on the power of pictures as inspiration, writing prompts and more in “Take A Swing At This.” For "They Beat Us To The Punch" takes us deep within the world of drug cartels  via the one-of-a-kind prose and behind the scene details of Don Winslow — especially his latest, The Border.  (https://www.amazon.com/Don-Winslow/e/B00455VVTK) Then for "Hit Us With Your Best Shot" Dan intros the potential of National Novel Writing Month. Who's in for 50K words in a month? (https://nanowrimo.org)  Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

Mark believes one phrase has hurt writing more than just about any other: “write what you know.” He and Dan dispel that hideous myth. Dan then raves about David Lynch’s book, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness and Creativity. And Mark describes his first on-site shoot following COVID protocol for the Clay Arts Council.

After weeks of awesome guests, Mark and Dan are left only with themselves on the newest Street Writers. Dan’s “Take A Swing At This” is all about *underthinking* a situation to get the creative flow. (Inspiration-check to Lucian James’ The Fearless Strategies newsletter: https://www.lucianjames.com/fearlessness) For “They Beat Us To The Punch” Mark promotes the prose of Peter Leonard, Elmore Leonard’s son and heir apparent. And in “Hit Us With Your Best Shot,” Dan talks up an upcoming Halloween-time chat on scary Marvel Comics from the nineties (7 Eastern, 10/30 at bit.ly/3mVsjzd), and Mark promotes the newest audio awesome from his “Grease, Grit & Crime in COVID Time” podcast. (https://anchor.fm/greasegritandcrime) Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.

Here’s the second half of our interview with author, journalist, creative director and management consultant, Mat Zucker. Mat is an old friend from our Ogilvy days who exemplifies grit, determination and creativity in his career. In this segment, Mat discusses a few podcasts he’s jealous of, and gives us a funny and insightful backdrop on his new book, Bronze Seeks Silver: Lessons From a Creative Career in Marketing (buy it on Amazon or at http://bronzeseekssilver.com). Check it out now.

We’re happy to welcome author, journalist, creative director and management consultant Mat Zucker. Mat is an old friend from our Ogilvy days who exemplifies grit, determination and creativity in his career. Mat has written about the inspirational, important and quirky things he’s experienced in his new book, Bronze Seeks Silver: Lessons From a Creative Career in Marketing (buy it at http://bronzeseekssilver.com). In the first half of our interview, Mat provides insightful writing tips, so check it out now.

We continue our wonderful writer rumble with psychotherapist and comic book scholar Valentino Zullo. In "They Beat Us To The Punch," Valentino gives props to Pathographies. And in "Hit Us With Your Best Shot", Valentino shares deets on his upcoming piece for the Journal of Popular Culture on psychoanalysis in EC Comics. (You don't get a Street Writers like this every day!) We've only got 10 min with this fascinating thinker and writer, so be sure and check him out in more detail at https://www.vzullo.com/ Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

Thanks to podcast pal Nancy Kidder for an intro to the fabulous Valentino Zullo: writer, editor, psychotherapist, comics scholar. In part 1 of our interview, Valentino wastes no time (it's only a 10 min show!) revealing his origin story (it involves Sonic the Hedgehog) and getting right to the heart of superhero trauma. Then he channels his therapy skills for  "Take A Swing At This", giving all us Street Writers ways to overcome our inhibitions. After this you'll definitely want more time with Mr. Zullo, so be sure and check his writings and more at https://www.vzullo.com/ Dig what you hear? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new listeners to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Hit us with questions, comments, whatever you got at: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Plus send us an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting

Stuck on trying to find the perfect plot? Let your characters lead you. Mark discusses the idea of putting disparate characters with conflicting goals together and see what bubbles up — like a spicy jambalaya. Dan raves about Phenomena, by Annie Jacobson (https://www.amazon.com/Phenomena-Governments-Investigations-Extrasensory-Psychokinesis/dp/0316349364/ref=nodl_) He also discusses his guest appearance on the podcast, Geek to Me Radio (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/186-part-1-writer-d-g-chichester-on-marvel-daredevil/id1182792271?i=1000488550939). And Mark introduces Au Revoir, Noir, the latest addition to Grit, Grease and Crime in COVID Time (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grease-grit-and-crime-in-covid-time/id1518637609).

It’s the Part 3 conclusion of our time with writer and literary PR agent Chris Roy, and he pulls no punches as he takes us inside his work bringing focus to other fighters and writers. And in “Hit Us With Your Best Shot,” Chris talks up his new coaching/editing/PR service, Sanscribd. Do yourself a favor by getting to know Chris’ writing on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Roi/e/B0821KTB4H) and his PR services via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HenryRoiPR/) Special note: getting Chris on the phone means this recording has a lower audio quality. Trust us, it’s worth the glitches and volume shifts. Digging what your earbuds are delivering, writers? Leave us a review and subscribe! And invite new writers and writing fans to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Questions, comments, whatever you got, send 'em in: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Rather talk about it? Record an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwr

We’re on Part 2 of our discussion with powerful author and literary PR agent Chris Roy, as he reveals more details of his hard road to finding a new journey through writing, working out and determination. This is the inspiring personification of a “Street Writer.” In “They Beat Us To The Punch” Chris shares why he’s inspired by Bald is Beautiful. Check out Chris’ writing on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Roi/e/B0821KTB4H) and his PR services via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HenryRoiPR/) Take note: connecting with Chris by phone means this recording has a lower audio quality. Stick with it, it’s so listen-worthy. Digging what your earbuds are delivering, writers? Leave us a review and subscribe! And invite new writers and writing fans to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Questions, comments, whatever you got, send 'em in: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Rather talk about it? Record an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwri

We’ve never had it more real on Street Writers than in Part 1 of our interview with writer and PR literary agent Chris Roy. He is all in as he relates how he has found himself in a Mississippi prison for the last 20 years — and how he’s found new and amazing qualities about himself as a person through is boxing and writing. In Part 1 of this amazing 3 part series, Chris “Takes A Swing At This” with great advice on avoiding writing distractions. Check out his writing on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Henry-Roi/e/B0821KTB4H) and his PR services via Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/HenryRoiPR/) Be aware: connecting with Chris by phone means this recording has some audio issues. Work through it in your listen, it is so worth it. Digging what your earbuds are delivering, writers? Leave us a review and subscribe! And invite new writers and writing fans to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Questions, comments, whatever you got, send 'em in: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Rather talk about it? Record an aud

There's a real in motion swing to "Take A Swing At This" as Dan expresses the need for writing to focus less on exposition and more on action. In "They Beat Us To The Punch", Mark revels in the villains of a Robert Crais crime thriller. (https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Crais/e/B000APA4GU) And when it comes to "Hit Us With Your Best Shot", Dan talks up the in-production of his audio mystery "The Cryptic"; and Mark reminds listeners of his fiction podcast, Grease, Grit and Crime in COVID Time. (https://anchor.fm/greasegritandcrime) How's this listen working for you, writers? Leave a review. Subscribe! And invite new writers and writing fans to join in: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters Questions, comments, whatever you got, send 'em in: streetwriters.podcast@gmail.com Rather talk about it? Record an audio message so we can get your comments in future episodes: https://anchor.fm/streetwriters/message #amwriting #writing #keepwriting #writingtips #creativity #productivity #streetwriting