In this episode of Pen Pals, Krisserin and Kelton tackle the sometimes awkward, often necessary world of building community and platform as writers. From Kelton's viral dog video that landed her in 'algorithm jail' to Krisserin's anxiety about attending the AWP, they explore the reality behind the numbers game of social media followings and the genuine connections that truly matter in publishing. The duo shares insights on building authentic relationships—whether through cold-emailing authors you admire or joining writing challenges like NaNoWriMo. Whether you're an Instagram influencer or a reclusive novelist, they remind us that the writing journey requires buddies to lift you up, validate your work, and occasionally tell you to 'wake the f*ck up.' Plus: Krisserin's spreadsheet triumph, Kelton's plan to organize scenes with post-it notes on the wall, and their shared ambitious goals for manuscript completion.


Get in contact with us at: [email protected]

Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios

Write to us:
[email protected]

Follow us:
Instagram: @penpalspod
TikTok: @penpalspod
YouTube: @PenPalsPod

Follow Krisserin and Kelton:
TikTok: @krisserin, @keltonkin
Kelton's Substack: Shangrilogs
Krisserin's Substack: krisserin.substack.com
The Rewilding

Music by Golden Hour Oasis Studios