Posts tagged creative process
#294 – 2025 Spun Today Wrap-Up Show
#294 – 2025 Spun Today Wrap-Up Show

Welcome back to the Spun Today Podcast—the show anchored in writing, but unlimited in scope. In this episode, host Tony Ortiz celebrates the start of a new year with a reflective journey through personal creative goals and the highlights of 2025. After the longest hiatus in the podcast’s history, Tony Ortiz dives into a wrap-up of the top five Spun Today episodes from the past year, sharing the stories, lessons, and memories that shaped the journey, including heartfelt tributes to friendships, deep-dive breakdowns of TV and movies through a writer’s lens, and insightful interviews with fellow creatives.

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Tony Ortizwriting goals, creative process, podcasting consistency, Spun Today Podcast, episode recap, motivation, inspiration, writer’s block, publishing, audiobooks, AI in publishing, book translation, minimalism in design, friend loss, honoring friends, content creation, YouTube shorts, social media promotion, interview episodes, author entrepreneurship, Back to the Future inspiration, Fractal book series, creative breakthroughs, merchandise design, community engagement, supporting creatives, affiliate marketing, Amazon affiliate, storytelling lessons, time managementComment
Bonus: Five Writing Lessons from Gotham’s Underworld (Companion to Ep. 278)
Bonus: Five Writing Lessons from Gotham’s Underworld (Companion to Ep. 278)

In this special bonus episode, we return to the shadowy corners of Gotham to unpack The Penguin — the gritty, character-driven follow-up to The Batman.

Colin Farrell’s Oswald Cobblepot is a study in power, loyalty, and moral decay — and in this breakdown, I explore five key writing lessons from the series

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Tony Ortiz#ThePenguin #WritingPodcast #Storytelling #Screenwriting, writing tips, writing insights, writing tips from the penguin, the penguin series writing tips, writing tips from the penguin series, spun today, spun today podcast, HBO The Penguin, modern crime storytelling, psychological edge, writing takeaways, character transformation, slow corruption, illusion of power, Gotham, setting as character, reflective setting, dialogue, subtext, veiled threats, character arcs, moral ambiguity, legacy, validation, ambition, manipulation, character motivation, anti-hero, creative process, storytelling craft, companion guide, inspiration for writers, emotional debt, loss in storytelling, blurred moral boundaries, creativity fueling, podcast bonus episodeComment
#293 – Writing Lessons from Off-Broadway: The Other Americans, NYC Mayoral General Election Pick and GOATs Doing GOAT $hit
#293 – Writing Lessons from Off-Broadway: The Other Americans, NYC Mayoral General Election Pick and GOATs Doing GOAT $hit

Welcome to episode 293 of the Spun Today Podcast, hosted by Tony Ortiz—the show where writing is the anchor, but the content knows no bounds. In this episode, Tony dives into the creative heart of John Leguizamo’s latest Off-Broadway ensemble play, "The Other Americans," unpacking the storytelling, set design, and family dynamics that make the work both culturally specific and emotionally universal. Through the lens of writing, he explores how ambition and repressed trauma can become the real antagonists in a story, and shares actionable takeaways for fellow writers inspired to infuse their own work with personal and generational struggles.

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Tony Ortizambition as antagonist, self-sabotage, writing takeaways, John Leguizamo, The Other Americans, Off Broadway play, family dynamics, creative process, set design, cultural identity, Latino family, universal storytelling, mental health, repressed trauma, generational struggle, laundromat metaphor, New York City mayoral election, Zoran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, political debates, character and politics, campaign strategy, education policy, affordable housing, small landlords, homelessness in NYC schools, creative inspiration, podcast support, newsletter, merch, motivational contentComment
#292 – Motivation for Writers: Tracking Progress and Learning from Noir Fiction
#292 – Motivation for Writers: Tracking Progress and Learning from Noir Fiction

Welcome to Episode 292 of the Spun Today Podcast! In this episode, host Tony Ortiz dives deep into the writing life, inviting listeners into another motivating free writing session. Tony shares his latest writing stats and candidly discusses the ups and downs of creative consistency, including the struggles of writer’s block and the magic of finding inspiration after unexpected detours. He also offers practical writing tips sourced from Sandra Chwialkowska and Jordan Peele, reminding us why showing up to the page matters and why fun should always be at the heart of our creative process.

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Tony Ortizwriting tips, creative process, writer’s block, motivation for writers, inspiration for creatives, Manhattan Noir, Lawrence Block, short story anthologies, New York City stories, pacing in writing, tone in storytelling, character development, ProWritingAid, editing tools for writers, Instagram writing advice, Sandra Chwialkowska quote, Jordan Peele advice, following the fun in writing, novel drafting, perfectionism in writing, objectivity for creatives, dedication to writing, creative breakthroughs, resisting writer’s block, time management for writers, noir fiction, Akashic Noir series, short story exercises, book marketing tools, mockup shots for books, podcast support methodsComment
#291 – Crafting Horror and Humanity: Behind the Scenes with The Night Visitor’s Blu Topalli and Peter Stass
#291 – Crafting Horror and Humanity: Behind the Scenes with The Night Visitor’s Blu Topalli and Peter Stass

On today’s episode of Spun Today, host Tony Ortiz sits down with the powerhouse creative duo Blarime ‘Blu’ Topalli and Peter Stass—veteran writers, filmmakers, and the minds behind the atmospheric new horror podcast, The Night Visitor. Together, they dive deep into the art of collaboration, exploring how blending backgrounds in gothic fiction, comedy, screenwriting, and visual effects leads to stories that both thrill and provoke thought.

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Tony Ortizwriting, creativity, horror podcast, collaboration, storytelling, screenwriting, comedy, gothic literature, psychological horror, creative process, film development, immersion, sound design, podcasting, adapting stories, movie industry, character development, inspiration, motivation, creative partnerships, genre mashups, historical fiction, moral themes, audio drama, radio drama, visual storytelling, influences, adaptation, redemption, creative disciplineComment
Welcome back to the Spun Today podcast! In this episode, Tony Ortiz dives deep into the creative process, taking you behind the scenes of his own writing journey. This is a special “free writing session” episode, wh

Tony opens up about the challenges of working on his second novel, the importance of letting go of perfectionism, and the power of the so-called “zero-th draft” approach, inspired by N.K. Jemisin’s masterclass on writing. You’ll hear about his ongoing project of translating his book "Make Way for You" into Spanish with a little help from AI, and how tracking writing habits can be both humbling and motivating.

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Tony Ortizwriting stats, free writing, creativity, writer's block, book translation, AI in writing, time management for writers, NK Jemisin, masterclass notes, world building, character development, Maslow's hierarchy of needs, writing goals, publishing, inspiration, motivation, writing tips, substack for writers, reader feedback, self-discipline, writing tools, ProWritingAid, productivity, accountability, fiction writing, non-fiction writing, translating books, creative process, imposter syndrome, personal growth, recurring writing habitsComment