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ONE WRITER'S JOURNEY . . . into the bowels of Texas Public Radio
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Fear of Writing & Online Arts Outreach
on Texas Public Radio:
Writers & Closet Writers, Submit Your Stories!
Fear of Writing has been invited to participate in “Online Arts Outreach,” conceived and developed by Texas Public Radio.
Texas Public Radio has taken the initiative in creating ways for both local and non-local listeners to experience—and participate in—local arts such as writing and music performances, without even needing to leave home.
The newly launched project, funded by San Antonio Area Foundation and known as Online Arts Outreach, includes a Web page where listeners can hear stories written by writers and “closet writers.” Participants use a monthly writing prompt to create brave new worlds of the imagination.
You don't have to be a Texan to join in the fun. If you're reading this page, you're eligibile to participate.
Find out how below.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS ARE SAYING
I'm enjoying the writing prompts which are fun to attempt. Thanks
for the wonderful opportunity.
—Sarah Murphy, Cibolo, Texas
I like writing to strictures. I heard the NPR thing and told myself
I could do that. That was fun fiction.
—Fleet Lentz, San Antonio, referring to two stories he has submitted
I'm a fairly new member of the Fear of Writing group in Boerne and
I'm enjoying it amazingly! I would like to submit my story “Chocolate
. . . Bring It On Baby!” based on the current T.P.R. monthly prompt “Purity Of The Spirit” (April, 2007). Your prompts are phenomenal!
Thank you so much for your time and effort.
—Giselle Hurley, Boerne, Texas
Thank you! It was fun to write. Thanks again for organizing this and
for the inspiration.
—Hank Hammer, Uvalde, Texas
Yes, yes, yes, yippee!!!
—Susan Smith, Bulverde, TX, on having her story accepted for podcast
See Photos of Participating Writers
Page Contents
IMPORTANT STEP: Read Our Submission Guidelines
Submission Guidelines—Printer-Friendly Version
ONE WRITER'S JOURNEY INTO THE BOWELS OF TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO
Story Selection Panel and Our TPR Producer
Photos of Participating Writers
Visit the Online Arts Outreach page at TPR
About Texas Public Radio, KSTX and KTXI
How You Can Participate
All stories for Fear of Writing/Online Arts Outreach must be based on a Fertile Material prompt.
In the writing circles, we read our stories “in the raw” without editing them first, so don't be tempted to over-write your story for the recording. The Fertile Material is meant to be fun and spontaneous.
You don't have to live in the Texas Public Radio listening area to be eligible. This project is based on podcasts and/or streaming audio, housed on a special Web page at TPR. So even if you live in Timbuktu you can submit your stories.
To get started, become familiar with the Fertile Material writing prompts. Try your hand at writing a story or poem based on one of the four samples found here at the Website. Or get the book and start your own local writing circle.
But the fastest way to get started is by visiting our page at Texas Public Radio to see the latest monthly writing prompt.
And don't worry about not having a DJ's voice (I suspect that almost none of us here at Fear of Writing will ever be recording star material!). Locals will be given the opportunity to record their own stories for podcast, should they choose to go to the station. A professional voice at Texas Public Radio will record whichever stories cannot be recorded in person by the writer.
IMPORTANT: Please do not submit your story or poem until you have read and complied with our Submission Guidelines.
(Tip: This practice of checking the Submission Guidelines should be true for any piece of writing you submit to any publisher. It's an essential habit to cultivate if you would like to see your writing accepted by editors and publishers. Read more on this subject on our Articles page: “Etiquette 101: How to Contact a Writing Website.”)
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Texas Public Radio/Online Arts
Outreach/Fear Of Writing
Submission Guidelines
1. You do not have to live within the Texas Public Radio listening area to participate.
2. Your story must be based on the monthly Fertile Material prompt found on the TPR/Online Arts Outreach page.
3. Your story does not have to use the same title given in the prompt. However, when you submit you must provide the full text of the prompt so the Story Selection Panel will know which prompt you used.
4. Your story should be no longer than two single-spaced pages in a Word document using one-inch margins (approx. 1,200 words). You may also submit a poem instead of a story, as long as it's based on the Fertile Material prompt.
5. Please keep your submissions suitable for a general audience.
6. There is no need to use manuscript formatting when you submit. The accent here is on creativity rather than formatting.
7. Please include your first and last name and your city and state at the bottom of your story. Use an email address that you check regularly.
8. Send your story as a Microsoft Word document attached to your email. If you cannot send a Word document, please contact Milli first to make other arrangements.
9. Submit your story to Milli Thornton at
10. If your story is chosen to be recorded for podcast, you will be contacted—either by Milli Thornton or a representative from Texas Public Radio—with a request to give permission for TPR to use your story in the public domain. You can read the permission form by printing the Submission Guidelines.
To access a printer-friendly version of these guidelines, click here on PRINT THE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES.
To meet our producer and the story selectors, click here on Story Selection Panel.
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Submission Guidelines
PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION
This printer-friendly version of the Rules for Submission also contains the text of the permission form that you will be asked to sign if your story is accepted for podcast. To print, click on the printer icon below. This will open a new browser page.
TROUBLE-SHOOTING: If the printer-friendly page does not open, try disabling your pop-up blocker for this Website. (Note: Milli does not use pop-ups at this Website. Clicking on the printer icon will simply open a new browser window, just like the window you're already in.)
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Story Selection Panel
and Our TPR Producer
Nathan Cone, Programming and Operations Director for Texas Public Radio, is our friendly producer for Online Arts Outreach. Nathan is also an on-air host for KPAC, KSTX and KTXI.
STORY SELECTION PANEL
Milli Thornton is the author of Fear of Writing: for writers & closet writers and lead workshop presenter for the Fear of Writing Clinic. Her mission is to put the fun back into writing.
Dierdre Nielsen is the Fear of Writing Online Course Presenter and a certified Fear of Writing Clinic Workshop Presenter. She is a member of the Canyon Lake/Bulverde, TX Fertile Material Writing Circle. Her Fertile Material story, Dear Murphy, was published in the Fear of Writing Gazette, Vol. 3, Issue 5.
John Gaines is group leader for the Boerne, TX Fertile Material Writing Circle. John has written many stories using the Fertile Material prompts. His story, “Domingo: The Horse That Thinks He’s Human” (based on the prompt “Horse Sense,” pg. 191 of Fear of Writing) is posted at the Fear of Writing Yahoo! group, Closet Writers' Liberation Camp.
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Photos of Participating Writers
If you have had your story recorded for podcast and would like to be added here, please email your photo to Milli Thornton: .
Left: Giselle Hurley, seen with our Online Arts Outreach producer at Texas Public Radio, Nathan Cone
Program 6 - Chocolate, Bring it on, Baby! by Giselle Hurley
GISELLE HURLEY, also known as Gigi, is a member of the Boerne Fertile Material Writing Circle in Boerne, Texas. Gigi was born in Washington, DC, but grew up in Buenos Aires. About this predicament she said:
“When I'm in an Anglo country—as I have been for the last ten years, living with a husband who doesn't speak Spanish—I feel like a ‘Napoletana’ who should flee to Italy where everyone would speak loudly like me and eat three courses per meal, as I'd like to!
“But when I go to a Latin American country, then my Anglo side starts boiling and desperately wanting some order!
“Heeeelp!”
Gigi’s Argentinian accent on the podcast colors her story with extra poignancy and fun.
READ GIGI'S BLOG : One Writer’s Journey Into the Bowels of Texas Public Radio
Right: JEANIE KEZO of Huntsville Alabama
Program 6 - For Love of Chocolate by Jeanie Kezo
In an article about her freelance writing career, Jeanie was quoted in a June issue of Fear of Writing Gazette:
"What gives me the most pleasure about writing is being able to see my words flowing across the page and knowing that they are a true extension of myself."
Because she lives in Alabama and could not go in to the studio, Jeanie’s story was recorded by TPR’s own Deirdre Saravia. Deirdre also possesses a lyrical accent, this time Irish. Her style is very expressive and in tune with the emotions of Jeanie’s characters.
Left: JENNIFER TURNER of Stevens Pt., Wisconsin
Program 2 - Free Spirit
Jennifer submitted a romantic adventure story entitled "Balloons Away," based on the Fertile Material prompt, "Free Spirit." She was very excited to hear her story on the second podcast:
"I can't thank you enough for this, Milli. It sounded so amazing to hear
a professional reading my story! It gave me goose bumps to hear the
podcast. Please thank everyone involved in Online Arts Outreach for me.
I want them to know how wonderful they are for putting this together."
Right: SUSAN SMITH of Bulverde, Texas
Program 3 - Fortune Smiles
Susan said:
"Fear of Writing has given me a lot of new friends, a creative outlet, and a chance to push myself to do some things I've been thinking about for a long time.
"And now the radio project has pushed me to go a little further. At first I was nervous about how I would sound on the recording, but it was fun! It brought out my Hidden Ham. I've decided I'm going to send in a story every month because this has been so much fun."
Left: AL McCARTAN of Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia
Program 5 - War Stories
Al has been using the Fertile Material prompts for several years now. His podcast story is based on the prompt, "Fort Rivalry," about neighborhood kids who have a tree fort and play war games.
Al could not come all the way from Australia to record his story for podcast, so Nathan Cone, our producer
at TPR, read the story on Al's behalf.
Al is seen here in another radio role, that of morning DJ at 2MCE-FM in Bathurst.
Left: CYNTHIA HUDDLESTON, Universal City, Texas
Program 1 & 4 - Santa Said So and The Mysteries of Love
The Christmas 2006 podcast featured the voice of Cynthia reading her poem based on the writing prompt “Bah, Humbug.” A big fan of public radio, she was thrilled to be invited into the studio to record her poem.
Cynthia is also a wonderful example of another “personal involvement” aspect of this project. After enjoying their first taste of Online Arts Outreach, some participants have been returning to the Web page to look up the latest prompt and submit another story. Below is the email from Cynthia that came with her second submission:
Here is my submission for the secret admirer prompt (Feb. 2007, “The Mysteries of Love”). Thanks for providing me with the kick I need to do this. I enjoy every minute of it. I sincerely hope I get to go and record this. I had a BLAST last time.
You are truly a gift to me, the writer; I never did so much creative work before on someone else's prompt. It inspired me to enter a short story contest with Selected Shorts at Symphony Space (they have a show on Saturdays on NPR by way of TPR). They provided the first and last line for us. It was:
“I'm not sure I knew I was setting out on an important journey . . . I understood I had finally come home.”
It intimidated me to try to fit something in between those lines. I dismissed even trying until I wrote from your “Fear of Writing” prompts. Once I got started, it became a joy. Thanks so much! - Cynthia Huddleston
Cynthia’s letter demonstrates the level of encouragement that writers are gaining from participation in Online Arts Outreach. After the confidence boost from having her Christmas poem accepted for podcast, she went on to be published in print. In an email entitled “Mucho Gracias” (March 16, 2007) she wrote:
My poem “In the Presence of Greatness” is being published by the San Antonio Express News this Sunday in the Life/Culturas section. I am so excited . . . but you and TPR were my first.
Left: DEIRDRE NIELSEN of Canyon Lake, Texas
Program 1 - Holiday Stories
Dee, a regular of the Bulverde / Canyon Lake Fertile Material Writing Circle in Texas, was the first voice on the very first podcast, reading her story, "Christmas Car Wash." And what a voice! Everyone is a little jealous of her wonderful Irish accent, one that can render a story so beautifully.
Dee is also a storyteller with the Canyon Lake Storytelling Guild. She writes her own stories for the performance evenings.
Dee is the Online Course Presenter here at Fear of Writing. After successfully helping to kick off Online Arts Outreach with the first recording, Dee went on to be chosen for the Story Selection Panel.
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Texas Public Radio:
KSTX 89.1,
and KTXI 90.1 in the Hill Country
As many as 70,000 people listen regularly to KSTX. Its weekday schedule is composed mainly of programs produced by National Public Radio such as NPR’s flagship newsmagazines All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Entertainment programs on weekends include such public radio favorites as A Prairie Home Companion, Car Talk and San Antonio’s own Jim Cullum Jazz Band in the nationally distributed series Riverwalk, Live From the Landing.
KTXI serves listeners in the Hill Country with simultaneous broadcasts of programs in the KPAC and KSTX schedules. In time, it will originate at least some of its own schedule—to allow opportunity for programming that is specifically oriented to Hill Country listeners.
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One Writer's Journey into the Bowels of Texas Public Radio
Fear of Writing Gazette
. . . for writers & closet writers
Vol. 3, Issue 18 - September 15, 2007
Hi Milli!
This is Gigi Hurley reporting—as promised—on yesterday's experience recording my story, “Chocolate...Bring It On Baby!,” at Texas Public Radio.
First things first though: Due to the fact that I was raised in such a gigantic city (Buenos Aires, Argentina), I know how easy it is to get lost trying to find a big city location. Plus I'll be honest to you, Milli, I came out of the oven lacking a larger amount of spatial intelligence, though I've been greatly compensated for that missing link with other valuable skills, if I might say so...
It stresses me horribly to have to read street signs to find where on earth am I—at the same time when cars are driving next to me as if we were all racing in Indianapolis—so despite having been very, very well prepared, with two maps and driving instructions in hand, I decided to leave home three hours ahead of time.
Yes....I know....laugh away, but let me tell you: Thank God I did that! since even with those maps and directions, I got lost like you wouldn't believe!!
It was sooooo stressful that, at some point, I put myself in the hands of my Angels, trusting that they would take charge of the situation and get me to T.P.R. in time.
When finally I found Datapoint Drive in San Antonio, forget about any sign on that street that Texas Public Radio has its offices there. Nope. Niet. Nada. But I finally found the right building and pulled into the parking lot.
But by then I decided to allow myself to breathe again and face the new challenge: being put next to a microphone—in a Public Radio—for the world to hear me!
I parked my car but didn't come out of it yet. Leaving the air conditioning running for a bit, I ate some of the sweetest hybrid fresh cherries I had ever tasted (to revive me from the stress I had just survived) and read my story out loud—again—so as to hopefully be better prepared.
Then I went up to the eighth floor and was amicably taken care of by a young lady who announced to Nathan that I was already there (despite the getting-so-lost nightmare, I did arrive much earlier ), after which she went to get me a cup of hot tea.
I visited the ladies' room (to check whether the humidity had turned my hairdo into that one of Elsa, the lioness of the movie "Born Free"), and when I returned, a tall, skinny younger man appeared in the lobby.
"Giselle?" he asked.
"Nathan?" I asked, with a broad smile caused by meeting a "celebrity" from N.P.R.
My husband and I have been members for years now and I have been a fan of most of the programs in T.P.R. Those programs are sort of an oral encyclopedia of knowledge of just about everything.
Next, we went into a room that happened to have a brand new recording setup, with the largest microphones to which I've ever been in such close encounter. Yeah, of the third kind indeed...almost cheek-to-cheek!
"This is where I'm going to have my heart attack," I joked with Nathan to break the ice.
"No, everything will be all right," he said reassuringly.
A minute after, he directed me to sit next to one of those big "mikes" and told me to raise it very closely, almost up to my nasal area.
"Talk about being ‘in your face!’" I joked with him.
After that.....I read my story.
I felt so proud! Only once did I ask him to let me repeat a line. But, if I may say so, I felt I read it as well as if I had just graduated from studying Broadcasting! Ha Ha!
Maybe I felt like that because I was fearing one or two choking moments or...running out of saliva or...who knows!
Once it was recorded, Nathan said, "You read it very well, with lots of enthusiasm. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to ask you some questions."
"I'll be glad to respond to them Nathan, but please don't test me. My memory is almost non-existent!" I answered him with a smile.
As it turns out, he just wanted to ask my opinion about the importance of becoming a member of N.P.R. and to record it after saying my name. He liked what I said and mentioned that it could be good material for using it in T.P.R.
After that, I grabbed my things, gulped my hot tea all at once and we walked back to the reception where I asked the young lady to kindly take a picture of my big event with Nathan Cone...for my posterity and that of my family's.
As a wrap up of my whole adventure, I rewarded myself with a take-out order of a spinach-phyllo pocket, a Napoleon and a Tiramisu from La Madelaine (on I-H 10). And then I went for the true comfort food and bought a big ol' chocolate and strawberry ice cream cone from the Creamery on the other corner of the street.
See? I DO hate diets!
That's it. Fin del cuento.
Hope you enjoyed it and thank you so much, again, for selecting my story for the Fear of Writing podcast, Milli!
Best to you,
Gigi
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
Listen to Gigi's story (Program 6):
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ONLINE ARTS OUTREACH: HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
Who is Eligible to Participate?
Anyone who wants to have fun writing a story!
What is Online Arts Outreach?
This is a program hosted by Texas Public Radio with the goal of helping listeners feel more creative. You do not need to live in the TPR listening area to participate. Stories written using the monthly Fertile Material prompt are recorded for podcast and then shared on the TPR Website.
What kind of story should I write?
Using the monthly Fertile Material writing prompt, you can write any kind of story you want to: romance, mystery, humor, sci-fi. You can even write a poem if you want to. The abiding rule is to have fun and let your imagination take you for a wild ride.
How do I submit my story?
Please read the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES before submitting.
Where are the podcasts?
Click here - Online Arts Outreach - to go to straight to the story archives. The podcasts are easy to access: click on either Windows Media (to listen instantly) or MP3 if you want to download the audios.
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Fear of Writing Gazette / Copyright © 2007
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