
Tell The Damn Story, ep 402: Weird By Nature Exploring the Value of Uniqueness in the Writing World
From Tell The Damn Story by Alex Simmons & Chris Ryan
February 15, 2026 · 37 min · Season 10 · Episode 402
About this episode
Alex and Chris explore the value of embracing weirdness in writing and creativity.
On this episode of Tell The Damn Story, Alex and Chris dive headfirst into an age-old creative conundrum: do writers need permission to be weird? With their signature blend of humor and insight, they explore what “weird” even means in the world of writers, artists, and storytellers, and why embracing it might just be the secret key to unlocking your most authentic work. Drawing from personal anecdotes—think fourth graders dreaming up purple cows and aliens for a suffragette play—and classic literary examples, from Animal Farm to Kafka’s cockroach, Alex Simmonss and Chris Ryan remind us that the creative’s job is to challenge the norm, shift perspectives, and offer new ways of seeing the world, even if that means making people uncomfortable. Get ready for a candid, thought-provoking conversation that just might change how you think about creativity, permission, and the beauty of being a little weird. Have any questions, comments, or suggestions? Then, please leave them in the Comments Section. Write: TTDSOnAir@gmail.com And follow us on ... @Tell The Damn Story www.TellTheDamnStory.com www.Facebook.com/Tell The Damn Story YouTube.com/…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Ryan
Topics covered
- creativity
- uniqueness
- writing
- storytelling
Keywords
- permission
- authenticity
- literary examples
- personal anecdotes
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Tell The Damn Story, Weird By Nature Exploring the Value of Uniqueness in the Writing World, Animal Farm
More episodes of Tell The Damn Story
- Tell The Damn Story, ep 411: How to Write With Hope: Creating Light in Dark Times · April 19, 2026 · 23 min
- Tell The Damn Story ep 410: How to Write Believable, Relatable Characters: The Power of Nuance._ · April 12, 2026 · 45 min
- Tell The Damn Story ep. 409: How To Walk The Creative Journey, From Comics to Screenwriting with Brandon Easton · April 5, 2026 · 1h 4m
- Tell The Damn Story, ep 408: Overcoming Doubt and Obstacles: Writer Discipline Tips for Aspiring and Emerging Writers · March 29, 2026 · 42 min
- Tell The Damn Story ep 407: Crafting Characters Like Michael B. Jordan, The Art of Backstory Exploration · March 22, 2026 · 29 min
- Tell The Damn Story, ep 406: How Rebel Writer Got A Clue · March 15, 2026 · 25 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Tell The Damn Story podcast page.