The Writer Shed

Writing episodic television and telefilms? It must be . . . like Hollywood! Writer Shed Podcast host, David W. Berner speaks with Gary Goldstein, writer and author of the new novel The Last Birthday Party about writing movies and plays and how a television script writer takes those experiences to his desk to write a novel.

Gary will be taking part in a free virtual book event at Chicago's The Book Cellar on August 18, 2021. 

Hail, hail the indie bookstore! We love them. We support them. And then Covid. What now? Can we save them? Writer Shed host David W. Berner speaks with Suzy Takacs, the owner of one the country's most-loved indie bookstores, The Book Cellar.  From her perspective, what is the current health of the iconic American bookshop?  

It's an age old question: What is good art? A question that leads to more questions: What is bad art? Is it art if it disgusts you? Upset you? Repulses you? Many say art should always provoke. Writer, podcaster, and author of the book Any Day You Can Die: The Medellin Story, Thommy Waite joins Writer Shed host David W. Berner to discuss the definition of art and how "place" in a story can define a work's personality, especially an edgy one. You can find more about Thommy Waite at www.thommywaite.com 

In the ongoing series, writers who have been published in WRITER SHED STORIES read portions of their work, as we bring their words off the page and into your ears. WRITER SHED STORIES is a publication from Writer Shed Press. It is an annual journal of fiction, creative non-fiction, and poetry. We welcome your submissions. Volume 3 will be published in the fall 2021. Submissions are open through July 15th at www.writershedpress.com.

What does it mean to live an artistic life? What draws us to paint, sculpt, write, play music, dance? THE WRITER SHED host David W. Berner speaks with singer/songwriter, poet, and photographer Jenny Bienemann, an artist in every aspect of the word. She offers insight into why being an artist at any level is about the art of becoming. 

What could be better than to have time to yourself to write and create? That's what a writing residency or retreat is all about. THE WRITER SHED host David W. Berner speaks with Janna Benge of The Jack Kerouac Project on how residencies work and what they can do for you as a writer. 

Writers Nick Young, Bill Mathis, and Veryan Williams-Wynn share their writing in audio, writings from Writer Shed Stories. This podcast is the first of a duo of podcasts highlighting the stories of writers who have given their work a new and fresh platform.  THE WRITER SHED host David W. Berner shares the beauty of a good story, told through the speaking voice of the writer.

You can find more stories at Writer Shed Stories. 

Susanne Lakin is a novelist and writing coach who works with writers of all genres who want to get their stories out to the world. What's the one thing keeping them from reaching that goals? You may be surprised. THE WRITER SHED host David W. Berner speaks with Susanne about how to get your manuscript in the best shape it can be. 

Courtney Symons is a writer and a poet. Her day job is write for Shopify, but she's discovered haiku and found a new way to express and to find the poetry in her words. THE WRITER SHED host David W. Berner explores how a simple poem can bring a new beauty to your prose.