Jonathan welcomes acclaimed comics writer and editor SteveOrlando to talk about what really makes a great Big Two writer.

They get into finding a character’s “core wound,” balancing decades of lore with a fresh take, managing dense event books without boring readers, and the real job of editors versus writers.

Steve also shares insights on collaborating with artists,building a sustainable writing routine, breaking into Marvel and DC from indie comics, and how to stay motivated through years of rejection.

Pick up The Eye Collector from Image Comics at your local comic shop, or online.

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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 Press), a haunted-theatre novel set in Winnipeg’s summer festival scene.

They discuss how David built the book like a five‑act play, blending prose, script formatting, stage directions, and monologues that break the fourth wall. The conversation ranges from pantsing vs. outlining, to character-first story design, to the nuts-and-bolts of revision with editors and critique partners.

Find more of David’s work at https://www.davidjonfuller.com/

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Jonathan welcomes publisher–author MC Joudrey to talk about Marmalade Parade, his experimental new novel from Guernica Editions. They dig into the realities of running an independent press, why Joudrey chose not to publish this book through his own At Bay Press, and the shifting landscape of self, indie, and hybrid publishing.

Along the way, they explore the book’s unusual structure, its themes of memory, identity, and material possessions, and why demanding, formally inventive fiction still matters in an age of shrinking attention spans and social media “visual trash.”

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Jonathan welcomes back comic collaborators Lyndon Radchenka and Steven Kaul to talk about their newest book - The Laundrymen 2: Blood of the Saucermen, which is still available through Kickstarter until March 2, 2026:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/radchenka/the-laundrymen-books-1-2/rewards

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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 music.

Find more of Downing's work at https://www.antoniomichaeldowning.com/

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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 place within the larger media landscape.

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Jonathan recommends 13 books from a wide variety of authors to help you find success as a creative writer.

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Jonathan welcomes back DC Comics writer Lyndon Radchenka to talk about the difference between serialized and episodic stories.

Check out Lyndon's work at https://www.infinitestudio.ca/

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Purchase books & comics available from Stranger Fiction at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠strangerfiction.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.