Writing the Wrong Way with Jonathan Ball, PhD
Episodes
David Jón Fuller on Bringing the Theatre into the Novel While Writing VENUE 13
04 Jun 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Writing the Wrong Way, Dr. Jonathan Balltalks with novelist and actor David Jón Fuller about his new book Venue 13 (Turnstone Pres...
Books as Anti-Social Media with MC Joudrey
19 May 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes publisher–author MC Joudrey to talk about Marmalade Parade, his experimental new novel from Guernica Editions. They dig into the r...
Lyndon Radchenka and Steven Kaul on Kickstarting the Laundrymen 2 Comic Book
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back comic collaborators Lyndon Radchenka and Steven Kaul to talk about their newest book - The Laundrymen 2: Blood of the Saucermen...
Antonio Michael Downing on the Art of the Novel and Sensuality in Prose
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes author Antonio Michael Downing to talk about his latest novel Black Cherokee and about how his writing career evolved from a love of...
Tom Miller on Taking Creative Risks and How All Poets Suck But Him
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes poet Tom Miller to the podcast to talk about his latest book, All Poets Suck But Me: Why Am I Sad, and about poetry's evolving p...
13 Books for Creative Writers
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan recommends 13 books from a wide variety of authors to help you find success as a creative writer.Join Jonathan's Patreon page for free at...
Are You Serial Right Now - Talking Comics with Lyndon Radchenka
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back DC Comics writer Lyndon Radchenka to talk about the difference between serialized and episodic stories.Check out Lyndon's w...
Is Ryan Fitzpatrick Country Enough for Morgan Wallen? (Poetry Claps Back)
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back poet Ryan Fitzpatrick to talk about his new country music-inspired book of poetry, No Depression in Heaven. Pick up your copy o...
Giving the Reader What They Want
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about managing your audience's expectations by knowing what they will likely expect based on the type of story you're writing.J...
The Desert of the Second Act - Meathouse Update
24 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back podcast producer and aspiring screenwriter Dan Vadeboncoeur to talk about his ongoing Meathouse screenplay and dive into the &q...
Writing an Immortal Poem - Christian Bok on Creating the Xenotext
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back poet Christian Bok to talk about his ongoing project, The Xenotext. It's a poem coded into the genome of a deathless bacter...
Sky Devil and the Haunted Air
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes frequent collaborators GMB Chomichuk and Lyndon Radchencka to talk about the latest Stranger Fiction release, Sky Devil and the Haun...
Inside the Making of the Last Breeds Comics Novel (Part 2 of 2)
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan concludes his talk about how he collaborated as a team with fellow writer Matthew Medney and artists Scott B. Henderson and GMB Chomichuk to ...
Inside the Making of the Last Breeds Comics Novel (Part 1 of 2)
26 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about how he collaborated as a team with fellow writer Matthew Medney and artists Scott B. Henderson and GMB Chomichuk to create Last B...
Matthew Medney on Creating Gungnir Books
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back writer Matthew Medney to talk about the last few years of his career, how he came to run the long-beloved Heavy Metal imprint, ...
Breaking into DC Comics as a Writer with Lyndon Radchenka
12 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back indie comic creator Lyndon Radchenka to talk about his new gig writing for DC Comics: how he got it, what he had to write, and ...
Back in the Saddle of Evil
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan returns to the podcast after a hiatus to discuss his publishing company Stranger Fiction: what it is, what it does, and what you can expect f...
Breaking out of the Pandemic Funk with "Fearless" Fred Kennedy
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes “Fearless” Fred Kennedy to talk about his Image comic Dead Romans and how he dug out of his pandemic-induced creative funk. Pick...
Self-Employment and Isolation with Elena Sturk-Lussier
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Uniter columnist Elena Sturk-Lussier to talk about their recent piece on the isolation of self-employment and freelance work. Read m...
How to stay motivated with GMB Chomichuk and Lyndon Radchenka
08 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes studio-mates Gregory and Lyndon to talk about how they stay motivated to continue creating when the work is not progressing well. F...
Exposing yourself to feedback with Justin Currie and Lyndon Radchenka
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Justin Currie, a.k.a. Chasing Artwork, and Lyndon "The Letterer" Radchenka to talk about the risk and reward of building y...
Tara Cole-McCaffrey on Developing Your Style
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes professional stylist Tara Cole-McCaffrey to talk about how to create your own personal writing style. You can see more of Tara's...
On shooting an independent horror movie
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes friend and frequent collaborator GMB Chomichuk to share his thoughts on the indie filmmaking process immediately after they wrapped ...
How to Be a Hero by Making Comics with Lyndon Radchenka and ZM Schuster
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes comic co-creators Lyndon Radchenka and Zach Schuster to talk about their upcoming Hero-Man, and their recent trip to France to promo...
Staying on track with your screenwriting
06 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in his podcast producer Dan to talk about his "Meathouse" screenwriting project and about how to stay motivated and keep w...
Doni on Writing an Afrofuturist Manga
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Doni, the creative force behind The Aperios World Project, to talk about Afrofuturism and its depiction in the modern media landscap...
Too Many Cooks is a crash course in postmodern art
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about the viral video Too Many Cooks, and its multilayered look at the distortion of our reality. Watch Too Many Cooks: https://www.you...
Is Shakespeare an experimental writer? Sonnet 130
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses William Shakespeare's Sonnet 130, which he considers an experimental poem from the most well-known writer in western civilizati...
Doctor Moreau vs Slavoj Zizek
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan dives into the classic H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau and compares it's animals vs. human conflict to the philosophies of Dr. ...
Who haunts Hill House? (Part 2)
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan continues his breakdown of Shirley Jackson's 1959 gothic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House. For more of Jonathan's work: ...
Did Shirley Jackson write the perfect novel? The Haunting of Hill House
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses Shirley Jackson's 1959 gothic horror novel The Haunting of Hill House. For more of Jonathan's work: ...
David Lynch's Lost Highway contains a perfect scene that writers should study
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses a specific scene from David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997), which he says is one of the most perfect scenes ever created in film. ...
Is Ursula K. Le Guin the best science fiction writer in Omelas?
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses one of the best writers the genre of science fiction has ever seen, Ursula K. Le Guin, beloved the world over for her sci-fi-centre...
What do Sigourney Weaver, Star Trek, and Alan Rickman have in common? Galaxy Quest!
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan breaks down the 1999 Star Trek spoof Galaxy Quest, directed by Dean Parisot and written by David Howard and Robert Gordon. It's a clever...
Has Christopher Nolan done his own Inception to convince me he is Hitchcock?
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan breaks down Christopher Nolan's Inception (2010), how it externalizes an internal conflict, and works so well structurally. Truly a maste...
Who is the real Parasite in this smash Korean film?
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses the 2019 Academy Award-winning Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho, who co-wrote the screenplay with Han Jin-won. A dark comedy from...
Is Seth Rogen just using James Franco? The genius of Pineapple Express
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about the 2008 hit comedy Pineapple Express, written by Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg. For more of Jonathan's work: https:/...
Thanos versus The Alien! Screenwriter Dan O'Bannon and Dynamic Story Structure
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan talks about Dan O'Bannon's Guide to Screenplay Structure, a book on screenwriting from the writer of Alien, Total Recall, and Lifefor...
Robert Eggers made a deal with the devil to write The Witch — and so can you!
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan discusses his thoughts on the 2015 horror film The Witch, written and directed by Robert Eggers. Watch The Witch (2015): https://youtu.be/iQ...
Creating a shared world with GMB Chomichuk and Chadwick Ginther
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes frequent writing collaborators GMB Chomichuk and Chadwick Ginther on the show to talk about their upcoming project Shared World, whi...
Adam Sandler's terrible movie Jack and Jill can make you a better writer
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan analyzes the 2011 Adam Sandler film Jack and Jill, in which Sandler plays two characters, a twin brother and sister: https://youtu.be/YyK_CTd...
What do you want? (Part 2)
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan continues to answer questions from a former student about how to become the professional writer they want to be. For more of Jonathan's ...
What do you want? (Part 1)
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan answers a student's questions about writing, how to make good writing decisions, and how to be a more consistent, collaborative writer. F...
How to become a REAL writer
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan answers a listener question about how to begin the writing process, and from that answers the larger question of “How do I become a REAL wr...
UCalgary Keynote on Horror Stories and The Eye Collector
29 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan gives a keynote address to students at the University of Calgary about creating The Eye Collector, and how he wrote it the wrong way. For mor...
Building the Meathouse with Dan Vadeboncoeur
22 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back WTWW producer Dan Vadeboncoeur to talk about developing his Meathouse film concept into a full-fledged screenplay. Hear the Su...
10 Rules for Beginning Screenwriters like Dan Vadeboncoeur
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in podcast producer Dan Vadeboncoeur, who is venturing into screenwriting territory with his horror film project Meathouse. Jonathan...
Suzette Mayr on Being Haunted, Historical Research, and Winning the Giller Prize for Fiction
08 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Canadian Novelist Suzette Mayr, winner of the Giller Prize for her novel The Sleeping Car Porter, published by Coach House Books. Ma...
Dalnavert - A Ghost Story - a Lit Live Reading
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan reads his short story Dalnavert, a ghost story he wrote while staying overnight in a haunted house (The Dalnavert Museum in Winnipeg). You ca...
The Writing Life - Questions and Answers - with Ryan Fitzpatrick
25 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan is interviewed by fellow writing instructor Ryan Fitzpatrick about his varied career as a professional writer, and the lessons he’s learned...
Effective Exposition with Elle León Nostas and Andrew Penczner
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Elle León Nostas and Andrew Penczner, creators of Mark of Death: Year of the Rat for Bliss on Tap Publishing. They talk about creat...
How NOT to Get an Agent with Emmy Nordstrom Higdon
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back literary agent Emmy Nordstrom Higdon to discuss the role of an agent in the publishing process, and what NOT to do when you'...
Peter Chiykowski on The Story Engine and Generating Ideas
04 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes writer and illustrator Peter Chiykowski to discuss his Story Engine Deck and how it can help writers come up with new and original s...
Dennis Cooley on Building a Poetry Collection and Working on Multiple Projects
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back one of his mentors, poet Dennis Cooley (author of Body Works and Bloody Jack, among others). They discuss "mining the site...
David Annandale on Doctor Doom, Warhammer, Horror, and Writing Tie-In Fiction
25 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes writer David Annandale to the podcast. Annandale is the author of the Doctor Doom trilogy for the Marvel Untold series, multiple War...
Matthew Medney on Science Fiction, Writing Collaborations, Comics, and the Business of Story
18 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes writer Matthew Medney to the podcast. Medney is the bestselling author of Beyond Kuiper, Above the Ground, Stable, The Fifth Force,...
Aaron Giovannone on creating poetic tension and The Nonnets
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes poet Aaron Giovannone to talk about his second book of poetry The Nonnets, and how he evokes emotion in such short-written works. Pi...
Ryan North on Writing Fantastic Four, Squirrel Girl, Dinosaur Comics, and YA Graphic Novels
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Canadian comics writer Ryan North, a contributor to major Marvel titles such as Fantastic Four, Secret Invasion, and Squirrel Girl. ...
Oystein Ulsberg Brager on The Amelia Project and Experimenting with Audio Drama
28 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes theatre director and playwright Øystein Ulsberg Brager to talk about his audio drama podcast The Amelia Project and the growing wor...
Joe Fisher on creating the sci-fi audio drama podcast Midnight Burger
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes writer Joe Fisher in to talk about his audio drama podcast Midnight Burger, the story of a dimension-hopping diner and its many inte...
Jonathan answers your questions
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan answers questions he asked for and received through his various social media channels and newsletter recipients. Almost anything is on the ta...
Discussing micro-press publishing with Ryan Fitzpatrick
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back poet Ryan Fitzpatrick to talk about his digital chapbooks, running a micro-press, and his new collection of poetry. Check out R...
Discussing The Legend of Zelda with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Part 2
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan continues his conversation with poet Ryan Fitzpatrick about their mutual favourite video game series, The Legend of Zelda. Part one of the di...
Discussing The Legend of Zelda with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Part 1
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes poet Ryan Fitzpatrick back to the podcast to discuss their mutual favourite video game series, The Legend of Zelda. This is pa...
Grants: Background and Development with Lyndon Radchenka
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan and Lyndon discuss a somewhat amorphous section of grant applications - justifying why you and your work are important. Check out Lyndon's wo...
Launching The Laundrymen Kickstarter with Steven Kaul & Lyndon Radchenka
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back Lyndon Radchenka and his creative collaborator Steven Kaul to talk about their new Kickstarter comic book project, The Laundrym...
Grant Budgets: Lyndon Radchenka asks the relevant questions
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lyndon Radchenka returns to the podcast to ask Jonathan the most frequently asked questions about how to create the budget section of your grant propo...
Natalee Caple on fictionalizing history 'In Calamity's Wake'
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes acclaimed author Natalee Caple to his University of Winnipeg class to talk about her latest novel, In Calamity's Wake, and her take ...
Christian Bök on AI Art and Writing
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes award-winning Canadian poet Christian Bök to talk about AI art and writing, which has recently taken the creative world by storm. L...
Planning 2023 with GMB Chomichuk, Justin Currie, and Lyndon Radchenka
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back frequent collaborators GMB Chomichuk, Justin Currie (a.k.a. Chasing Artwork) and Lyndon Radchenka to talk about the past year o...
Irene Bindi on ARP Books and leftist publishing
20 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Irene Bindi from ARP Books to the podcast. They discuss what it means to be a leftist publisher and talk about what kinds of works A...
On publishing your first novel with Brady Tiel
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes former student Brady Tiel onto the podcast to discuss the process behind creating his debut novel, “Mended.” Read Mended on Kind...
GMB Chomichuk on the motivations of writing
06 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back graphic novelist GMB Chomichuk to talk about the motivations of writing: the rejections, the reception, the personal rewards. A...
Putting together support materials for writing grants with Lyndon Radchenka
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan and Lyndon wrap up their series on writing grants by talking about the various support materials that should be included in your grant applic...
Creating the 'She Wolf' comic with GMB Chomichuk
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back frequent collaborator GMB Chomichuk to talk about their new comic She Wolf, which is being funded on Kickstarter now. They talk...
Heavy Metal Comics Panel at Winnipeg Comiccon
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan joins GMB Chomichuk, Lyndon Radchenka, and Ken Janssens for a panel at Winnipeg Comiccon about The Eye Collector, their comic published under...
Writing Grant Project Descriptions with Lyndon Radchenka
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan and Lyndon continue their discussion about Canadian writing grants, focusing on the project description section and what should be included. ...
A conversation about applying for writing grants with Lyndon Radchenka
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back Lyndon Radchenka to discuss the process of applying for Canadian writing grants. They define what a grant is and talk abou...
GMB Chomichuk on writing short-form prose, and creating The Automatic Age
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back acclaimed author and graphic novelist GMB Chomichuk to discuss the latest entry in his Automatic Age series, The Backbone of Ni...
Chadwick Ginther on short stories and submitting your work
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes author Chadwick Ginther in to talk about his new collection of short stories When the Sky Comes Looking for You: Short Trips Down Th...
SM Beiko on Worldbuilding, Writing a Series, and the Publishing Industry
12 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in artist, author & editor S.M. (Samantha) Beiko to talk about her process of creating the world in which your characters can li...
Jordan Scott on Writing Poetry and Picture Books and Using a 'Magpie' Process
05 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
University of Winnipeg Writer-in-Residence Jordan Scott joins Jonathan's writing class to talk to students and answer questions about his writing proc...
Prose Poetry with Ryan Fitzpatrick
29 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in poet ryan fitzpatrick to define and discuss prose poetry, and its differences with traditional verse poetry. Check out fitzpatric...
Structuring Story — Aliens Attack the Government! (Part 2 of 2)
22 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan and Lyndon continue to break their Alien Invasion story, working out the structure of the tale in the process. Pick up your copy of th...
Breaking Story — Aliens Attack the Government! (Part 1 of 2)
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes back comics creator Lyndon Radchenka to "break story" or come up with a completely new story idea from beginning to end. Even ...
Celebrating the Resurrection of Dead Work (Kickstarter Funded!)
08 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan joins other members of the Dead Work Collective as their Kickstarter to publish an anthology of original comic stories is funded! The convers...
Chasing Artwork & GMB Chomichuk on Crowdfunding the Dead Work Anthology
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Comic creators GMB Chomichuk and Justin Currie (known the world over as Chasing Artwork) join Jonathan for an in-depth discussion about crowdfunding a...
Adam Petrash on editing the Dead Work Anthology
22 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the Dead Work Anthology Kickstarter nears completion, Jonathan talks to writer/editor Adam Petrash about how he edited the Dead Work Anthology and ...
Collaborating on the Dead Work
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes more members of the Dead Work Collective: Zach Schuster, Steven Kaul, and Lyndon Radchenka. They discuss their individual Dead Work ...
Creating the Dead Work Comics (Kickstarter is Live Now!)
08 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in two more members of the Dead Work Collective, Jordan Patrick Finn and Christopher Smith. They discuss their creative process for ...
Back the Dead Work Kickstarter!
02 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes Zach Schuster and Lyndon Radchenka back to the podcast to discuss Dead Work, an new indie comics anthology now available on Kickstar...
Writing from Life and Teaching the Creative Process with Catherine Hunter
11 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes award-winning poet and University of Winnipeg creative writing professor Catherine Hunter for a wide-raging discussion on her craft....
Creative Goals with Lyndon Radchenka (Part 2)
04 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lyndon Radchenka is a successful writer, letterer and comic creator who has a plan for his career. Jonathan talks to him about that plan, a...
Creative Goals with Lyndon Radchenka (Part 1)
28 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lyndon Radchenka is a successful writer, letterer and comic creator who has a plan for his career. Jonathan talks to him about that plan, and about wh...
Wren Brian on Writing and the Theatre
21 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes playwright Wren Brian to the podcast to discuss the challenges of writing for the stage. Check out Brian's work at https://www.wrenb...
Fell Hound on Creating Comics and Commander Rao
14 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes illustrator/comic artist Fell Hound to discuss her new one-shot comic Commander Rao, and to talk about the challenges of funding com...
Erín Moure on Poetry and Translation
07 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes in University of Winnipeg Writer-in-Residence Erin Moure to speak with his class and answer questions about her career as an acclaim...
Writing Horror with Keith Cadieux (Part 2)
30 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Keith Cadieux is a Winnipeg-based horror fiction writer. In this episode, he joins Jonathan's University of Winnipeg writing class to talk about the i...
Writing Horror with Keith Cadieux (Part 1)
23 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Keith Cadieux is a Winnipeg-based horror fiction writer. In this episode, he joins Jonathan's University of Winnipeg writing class to talk about the i...
Samurai Kaiju Horror with Jonathan Chance (published by Heavy Metal’s Virus Comics)
16 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jonathan welcomes fellow Virus Comics label-mate Jonathan Chance to talk about his unique blend of Samurai Kaiju Horror. Check out his new graphic nov...