In our 146th episode, the Cru gather for their annual yuletide retreat to Spliff's Christmas Cabin. There, we discuss hygge: the nordic word for coziness, conviviality, and joy. When a writer attempts to give their piece a vibe---a general impression, a feeling they want the reader to experience---how do they pull it off without it feeling saccharine? The last thing you want is your readers feeling pandered-to. We've got a bagful of tricks for you to try out, including some excellent advice from Spud regarding the use of tropes.

Stories begin around the 18:30 mark, and are exceptionally cozy. Except for one, which is terrifying.

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Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

In this episode, The Cru chat about the frustrating demands of writing in the social media age. Modern authors are increasingly expected to build their own followings and endlessly promote themselves online—and that… just ain’t us. At the same time, PC scored his first contract through a Twitter contest, so the benefits of online interaction are real. Can writers be private, authentic, and still get published?

Join us live! Come write with us at Forest City Brewing on January 16th, 2026! Doors open at 7:30 (well, doors are open way before that, but we'll be there starting at 7:30) and recording will start around 8. We'll have a prompt ready for you to write and read into the show!

Stories this week start at the 12:40 mark.

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do.

Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.

What does first person pov sound like with minimal use of "I" and "my?" The Cru conclude their series on points of view in fiction with a series of experimental pieces that push the common boundaries around points of view. This was our annual "Brekkie Eppie," too, so expect some breakfast talk (particularly about Sandwich's delicious cinnamon rolls).

Stories begin around the 2-:45 mark!

Like this weeks episode and wish you could read as well as listen? Subscribe to our Substack for a summary of our opening discussion, a story from the episode, and a writing prompt!

Be sure to follow us on Instagram (if that's your sort of thing). Please do send us an email with your story if you write along, which we hope you will do.

Episodes of Radio FreeWrite are protected by a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) license. All Stories remain the property of their respective authors.