Writing in the Dark
Episodes
Season 4, Episode 3: This Story Breaks All the Rules
30 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome novelist, professor, and 5am Writers Club stalwart Penny Zang for a heated discussion about T...
Season 4, Episode 2: In Search of a Hero
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia and Ralph are joined by award-winning novelist and Army veteran Nancy Stroer to dissect a short story by Benjamin Inks in which...
Season 4, Episode 1: A Fairy Tale Flipped
16 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Writing in the Dark is back! To kick off Season 4, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Betsy Ellor to discuss The Daughter Cells, a short story by...
Season 3, Episode 10: Time is F——
30 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Time is fake? Time is a fungus? Time is f——?As the year draws to a close, Ralph and Julia debate the truth of time and its role in the creative pr...
Season 3, Episode 9: The Third Mission to Jupiter
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greetings Space Travelers,Ralph & Julia here from Writing In The Dark. We are thrilled to share a very special episode with you about our most recent ...
Season 3, Episode 8: Still
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Heather Sweeney to discuss Casey Mulligan Walsh’s Still, a micro-nonfiction published in Sp...
Season 3, Episode 7: Housewifely Arts
15 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Jennifer Savran Kelly to discuss Megan Mayhew Bergman’s short story Housewifely Arts, publi...
Season 3, Episode 6: My Savage Year
18 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Steve Weddle to discuss Jordan Harper’s short story My Savage Year, published in the Southw...
Season 3, Episode 5: The Bear
20 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker dissect the pilot episode of the television series The Bear, whose protagonist Carmy returns to Chica...
Season 3, Episode 4: Opening a Portal
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome special guest E. J. Wenstrom to discuss Charles Yu’s short story “Open” from his 2012 s...
Season 3, Episode 3: Something Amazing
18 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome special guest Caroline Manring to help dissect Elizabeth McCracken’s short story “Somethi...
Season 3, Episode 2: Boys Go to Jupiter
14 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia and Ralph explore Danielle Evans’ short story "Boys Go to Jupiter,” dissecting the complicated protagonist Claire as well a...
Season 3, Episode 1: Learning from Losing Streak
14 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker kick off Season 3, which will focus on narrative craft particularly through the lens of shorter works. In this episode...
Season 2, Episode 12: Celebrating the Creative Journey
27 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Writing in the Dark, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker reflect on a productive and joyful year as they delve into their writing exper...
Season 2, Episode 11, Burning Bright long after Jupiter
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this emotional episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker reconnect with three writers who attended the Journey to Jupiter retreat: historical fictio...
Season 2, Episode 10: The Art of Revision
08 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Writing in the Dark, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker dive deep into the revision process. They discuss the joy of making creative m...
Season 2, Episode 9: Creative Rest
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker delve into the concept of creative rest, exploring how rest is essential to fueling creativity and im...
Season 2, Episode 8: The Plot Thickens
23 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Writing in the Dark, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker dive into the complexities of plotting in both genre and literary fiction. The...
Season 2, Episode 7: Postcard from Jupiter
17 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker welcome Penny Zang and Caroline Manring to discuss their experiences at the first Journey to Jupiter ...
Season 2, Episode 6: Making A Scene
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker discuss the importance of scene development in both literary and genre fiction. They delve into how s...
Season 2, Episode 5: This Must Be the Place
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker delve into the nuances of setting and world building, exploring different approaches across literary ...
Season 2, Episode 4: Unlocking Unforgettable Characters
15 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 4 is here! A reminder that you can find Writing in the Dark on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and subscribing is a great way to support our work. ...
Season 2, Episode 3: Messy First Drafts
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 3 is here! A reminder that you can find Writing in the Dark on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and subscribing is a great way to support our work. ...
Season 2, Episode 2: The Big Idea
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Episode 2 is here! Thanks, as always, for listening.Show notes:In this episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker discuss how they come up with story id...
Season 2, Episode 1: Goals and Resolutions
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Show notes:In the first episode, Julia F. Green and Ralph Walker discuss their differing approaches to setting resolutions and goals, with Ralph touti...
Season 1, Episode 8: Back from Jupiter
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the season finale Dark, Ralph and Julia go in depth on our experience leading the Journey to Jupiter retreat. For a closer look at the attendee exp...
Season 1, Episode 7: Journey to Jupiter
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
3…..2……1……Ralph and Julia go behind the scenes on how the Journey to Jupiter retreat came to be, the work they’ve done to make this in-per...
Season 1, Episode 6: Feedback
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ralph and I discuss the delicate art of giving and receiving feedback Get full access to Writing is Joy at writingisjoy.substack.com/subscribe
Season 1, Episode 5: Our Writing Journeys, Part 2
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Part 2, Ralph and Julia discuss how they came to be people who call themselves writers. They talk about their first novel projects and their evolut...
Season 1, Episode 4: Our Writing Journeys, Part 1
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This episode is the first part of a two-part series on how Ralph and Julia came to be people who call ourselves writers. In this first part, they disc...
Season 1, Episode 3: White Space
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ralph and Julia discuss white space and how blankness, silence, and omission create tension and narrative drive. Find Ralph on Twitter @RW_Igloo and J...
Season 1, Episode 2: Characters
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ralph and Julia discuss characters, in their books and their lives, and how they use imagination and connection to deepen their writing and get throug...
Season 1, Episode 1: Finding Daybreak
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Finding Daybreak, the debut episode, Ralph Walker and Julia F. Green discuss the joy of writing in the dark and what they draw on to get through th...