The Inner Loop Radio: A Creative Writing Podcast Rachel Coonce and Courtney Sexton

The Inner Loop board member Leeya Mehta catches up with Kris O'Shee, a professional counselor, choreographer, and writer. The pair talk about ideal times and locations for writing, O'Shee's new writing projects about family and dance, and the joys of her dancing dogs. They ask: what needs to be destroyed so something new can be created? All the metaphors are here to get your creativity going.

We've all heard the old writing adage: "learn the rules so you can break the rules." But experimental writing can be tricky--how do we know when we've created something truly interesting vs. something just a little bit kitschy? Hosts Abi Newhouse and Aeriel Merillat speak with The Inner Loop's Author's Corner spotlight for April, Rumi Ryan, about mixing forms, messing with modalities, and ultimately holding true to what makes your work feel different.

If you're having trouble putting your story together, it might be because you don't have the right information. Rhaina Cohen, author of "The Other Significant Others," discusses journalistic methods and solutions that apply to all writing conundrums. She takes us through one of her favorite writing exercises involving a series of questions that nail down the details of our stories, and she shares how to get in the right headspace to find the answers.

Writers conferences. What are they? What are they good for? And are they worth the time and money? President of the Washington Independent Review of Books, Jennifer Yacovissi, joins us to discuss the merits of writers conferences, how to choose the right conference for you, and the upcoming Washington Writers Conference. Plus, Courtney and Jennifer choose their own adventures in a writer’s odyssey!

Abi catches up with writer and Senior Nonfiction Features Editor for the Rumpus, Darcy Gagnon. They discuss a new take on approaching the work of your younger self, reading three books at a time, and a detective-like character Darcy really feels he embodies.

From the mystical to the fantastical, there's a spectrum of magic within writing. Courtney Sexton and Abi Newhouse sit down with local author, Len Kruger, to discuss the ways adding magic to your writing can create different opportunities for storytelling. Plus, we let tarot cards guide our next writing exercise...