#304 – Staying Present as a Writer: Learning by Living and Wisdom from Anne Lamott (Free-Writing Session)

Welcome to episode 304 of the Spun Today podcast, where we dive deep into the creative life—its challenges, joys, and moments of breakthrough. In this free writing session, Tony Ortiz shares his latest writing stats, practical tips for writers, and an honest look into the ways presence and mindful living can fuel the creative process. This episode explores inspiration from Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, actionable advice on tackling writer’s block, and the value of noticing the world like a child. Tony Ortiz also introduces a bite-sized writing tool for overcoming stuck points, breaks down actionable writing tips from social media, and spotlights a personal freewriting piece about embracing life’s constant transitions. Whether you’re a seasoned wordsmith or just starting out, this episode is packed with creative motivation, strategies for productivity, and reminders to keep writing—one bird, one story, and one moment at a time.

#301 – Highlight the Possibilities: Writing Motivation from Jay Z, Creative Marketing, and Trust by Hernan Diaz (Free-Writing Session)

Welcome to another episode of Spun Today, where writing is both our anchor and our gateway to a universe of creativity. I’m Tony Ortiz, and in this episode, I take you deep into my own writing journey — breaking down my day-to-day habits, the victories and setbacks in sticking to a writing schedule, and the lessons learned along the way. I’ll share actionable tips, including a powerful insight from Jay Z’s creative process and how even a single well-chosen word can completely shift the meaning of a story.

#295 – When Survival Becomes a Subscription: Writing Lessons from Black Mirror’s Common People and GOATs Doing GOAT $hit

Welcome to episode 295 of the Spun Today Podcast, In this episode, Tony Ortiz dives deep into the world of storytelling by breaking down the Black Mirror episode, "Common People." He explores how great speculative fiction doesn't invent new emotions—it amplifies the ones we already know all too well. Tony discusses how everyday anxieties like money, health, and love become the heartbeat of compelling narratives, especially when survival itself is transformed into a subscription service and love is put under extreme pressure.

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

#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.

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

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.

#275 – Unleashing Creativity: Tips, Tricks, and Motivations from Fellow Writers

Welcome to Episode 275 of the Spun Today Podcast! I’m your host, Tony Ortiz, and today, we're diving back into the archives for a throwback to Episode 175, packed with creative tips and insights to fuel your writing journey. This episode is designed to motivate and inspire writers dealing with challenges like writer's block. We'll explore responses to the creative questionnaire from fellow writers and creatives, featuring contributors like Amy Marcello, Joshua Robertson, Elaine Almonte and more.

#235 – Free-Writing Session (the editing process, Prologues vs. Flashbacks, The Creative Act and more!)

In this episode I share my Writing stats for March, April & May 2023! I give you an update on my upcoming short story anthology and how it continues to go with working with my editor. I share a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. Lastly, I read and reflect on a free-writing piece, that can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

#230 – Free-Writing Session (Going through the editing process, writing the BIG moment and more!)

In this episode I share my Writing stats for February 2023. I share some insights from my first time experiences with working with an editor on my upcoming short story anthology. I share a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. Lastly, I read and reflect on a free-writing piece, that can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

Tony OrtizMarch 29, 2023writing tips, writing tip, writing advice, editing, how a book is edited, spun today, spun today podcast, spuntodayComment

#218 – Free-Writing Session (Annie Dillard writing tip, Joyce Carol Oates)

In this episode I share my Writing stats from May thru September of 2022. I share a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about a Masterclass I’ve been watching. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

#207 – Free-Writing Session (George Orwell’s 1984)

In this episode I share my February, March & April 2022 Writing stats. I share a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

Tony OrtizMay 12, 2022writing prompt, writing goals, write, writing tips, writing community, writers, writingstats, 1984, orwellian, georgeorwellComment

#201 – Free-Writing Session (Fear of Success, Will by Will Smith)

In this episode I share my November & December 2021 Writing stats as well as my January 2022 Writing stats. I share a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

Tony OrtizFebruary 17, 2022steven pressfield, writing wednesday, writing tip, writing tips, will smith, will by will smith, spun today, spuntodayComment

#186 – Advice from Creatives, for Creatives #3

In this episode I share a compilation of previously submitted Spun Today Questionnaire responses.

#184 – Free-Writing Session

In this episode I share my April, May & June 2021 Writing stats, a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

Tony OrtizJuly 8, 2021writing, writingtips, writing prompt, writing tips, writing advice, writing tip, writing community, amwritingComment

#179 – Free-Writing Session

In this episode I share my February & March 2021 Writing stats, a writing tip that I picked up along the way, I tell you about what I’ve been reading and a Masterclass I’ve been taking. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

#175 – Tips from Creatives, for Creatives (2)

In this episode I share a throwback montage of 4 Spun Today Questionnaire’s that have been filled out in the past. Why not have a single episode that centralizes all the tips, motivation tools and tricks adopted by fellow Writers and Creatives? If you’d like to partake in filling out your own, check it out at: http://www.spuntoday.com/questionnaire/. Thanks again to Amy Marcello, a person that chose to remain anonymous, Joshua Robertson & Elaine Almonte.

#173 – Free -Writing Session

In this episode I share my October, November, December 2020 & January 2021 Writing stats, a writing tip that I picked up along the way and I tell you about what I’ve been reading. I also read and reflect on a free-writing piece, which can be found at: spuntoday.com/freewriting.

Tony OrtizFebruary 4, 2021John Lewis, spun today podcast, spun today, spuntodya, john lewis memorial, writing tips, writing tip, writing, amwri, writing communityComment

#160 – Writing Tip Compilation (1)

In this episode I share 5 Spun Today writing tips! These are lessons learned from other writers and creators, that I’ve applied to my own writing, and think the greater #WritingCommunity would benefit from.

#145 – Free -Writing Session (RIP Kobe Bryant)

In this episode I share my December 2019 writing stats, my cumulative 2019 yearly writing stats & January 2020 writing stats. I also share a writing tip that I picked up along the way, I tell you about what I’ve been reading, I reflect on the untimely passing of Kobe Bryant and finally, I read and reflect on a couple of my free-writing pieces, dedicated to Kobe

Tony OrtizFebruary 7, 2020kobe bryant, kobe, mamba, mamba mentality, gianna bryant, freewriting, free-writing, writing tips, writing communityComment

#128 – Free -Writing Session

In this episode I share my March, April & atrocious May 2019 Writing stats, a couple of writing tips that I picked up along the way, I tell you about what I’ve been reading, I share my results of ad marketing my debut Novel and finally read and reflect on some of my free-writing, which is located at: http://www.spuntoday.com/freewriting/.

Tony OrtizJune 11, 2019writing, writing tips, book launch, novel, marketingComment

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