Dispatches with Jonny Eberle

To celebrate the 50th episode of Dispatches with Jonny Eberle, Jonny reflects on the power of oral storytelling, from stories shared by our ancestors around the fire to today's proliferation of podcasts. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Gri...

Just in time for Halloween, Jonny shares his ghost story "A Light Always Burns" which won second prize in the 2024 Typewriter Chicago Short Story Contest. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazine, All Worlds Wayfarer, Culturate M...

Conflict is the engine that drives stories forward. Without it, you're pretty much guaranteed that your story will go nowhere. So how does this aspect of story get overlooked? In this episode, we'll dive into the whole story—from A to Z—in search of that missing element. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three ador...

In writing and cooking, there is a chance that you'll serve up a dish that makes someone turn up their nose. But when you get it right, there's no better feeling. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazine, All Worlds Wayfarer, Cul...

In today's episode, how do we preserve the beauty and joy of human communication with AI large language models on the rise? Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazine, All Worlds Wayfarer, Culturate Magazine, Borderline Tales, and...

In today's episode, a physical book purist steps into the wide world of e-books, embracing a technology that's finally come of age, and the mental health benefits of reclaiming time from social media and doomscrolling. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA, with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creativ...

In today's episode, voice actor William C. McDonald narrates Jonny's newest short story, "If Your Subconscious Thoughts Were Leaked by Cognivast, You Could Be Entitled to Payment From a Class Action Lawsuit," a cautionary tale about big tech and data privacy. Plus, a bonus trailer for "The Adventures of Captain Radio." You can support our third season by making a pledge at https://ko-fi.com/obscur...

In 1940, with 88% of Americans opposed to getting involved in WWII, Charlie Chaplin embarked on his most ambitious, most controversial film. The result was The Great Dictator, a movie that wears its antifascist politics on its sleeve. In today's episode, we dive into the 4-minute speech that nudged the course of history. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in...

In today's episode, I share my latest short story, "Night Watch, 1916," which was published this spring in Culterate Magazine Issue 3. It is read by award-winning voice actor Erika Sanderson. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazi...

Welcome to Season 5 of Dispatches! In this episode, we discuss Juneteenth, the legacy of slavery in America, and my effort to diversify the books I read. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazine, All Worlds Wayfarer, and elsewhere...

In this episode, a look inside my chaotic but surprisingly effective writing process as a send-off to Season 4 of Dispatches. I'll be back this summer with new episodes about writing, travel, and the creative process. In the meantime, please rate, review, and share with a friend! Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and th...

In this episode, I reflect on the dark political moment in the United States and the responsibility writers and artists have to stand up to authoritarianism. And we'll talk about what kinds of stories can inspire change at this moment in history. CW: U.S. politics Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typ...

In this episode, I talk about why J.K. Rowling and George Lucas were wrong to continually revise and reinvent their fictional worlds. These two stories are cautionary tales not only about criticism and knowing when to quit, but also about the nature of stories themselves. If you love a piece of art, you have to let it go. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives i...

In this episode, a little writing advice for the New Year about writing first lines. The first line gets a lot of attention, from "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" to "It was a bright, cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen." But we must remember that the real writing happens in rewrites—so you have to bite the bullet and start writing. Along the way, I give so...

My film and audio production company, Obscure Studios, is 20 years old this month. To celebrate, I sat down with my friend and co-conspirator William C. McDonald to discuss our early filmmaking efforts, the agony of burning DVDs, our pivot to podcasts, and where we’re headed next. We’re also releasing a bonus video episode, which includes my extended conversation with Will and archival footage fro...

It shouldn't come as a surprise that a kid who grew up in the American Southwest during the worst drought in that region in over 1,000 years would grow up to write a lot about fire. Wildfires were on my mind when I wrote the short story "Pyrocene." The title was coined by Prof. Stephen Pyne to refer to an age of fire, fueled by climate change, that is reshaping the Earth. Today's story is narrated...

What's in a name? Names are a powerful tool in a writer's toolbox—they can tell us a lot about a character and the world you're creating. In today's episode, we talk about literary names and where to find them. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloqu...

This is probably the most obvious writing advice, but it's the pep talk I needed to hear 10 years ago. If you're an artist of any kind, you can and should create what makes you happy. You have my permission to take risks and ignore the mainstream. You do you. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewrit...

I have this weird compulsion whenever I'm in a bookstore to find the spot on the shelf where my future books will live. I know it's silly, but it motivates me. And it led me to a brush with a bestselling, critically-acclaimed author., who offered me a note of encouragement to keep going. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog...

To kick off Season 4 of Dispatches, I share a short story that Creative Colloquy recently published in their ninth anthology . It's a story told in the form of online reviews about a strange place that's getting even stranger. I hope you enjoy it. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fic...

Season finale! It's a recurring joke in my bio that I live with my family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. In today's episode, we meet three vintage manual typewriters, explore their history and quirks, and find out why I like these old-fashioned writing machines so much. Consider this a coda to our season-long theme of nostalgia. See photos of the typewriters and more information I couldn'...

Big changes are happening in my life. After years of collecting books, I've reached a point in my life when I need to get rid of some of my books. At first, I dreaded it, but as I went along, I realized that maybe now is the best time to let someone else appreciate the books that have brought me so much joy. This is how you say goodbye. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photograp...

Creative Colloquy, the South Sound literary nonprofit that I'm involved with is celebrating its 10th anniversary! As someone who was there almost from the beginning, I talk a bit about the organization and why I love it. If you're in Tacoma on Monday, March 18, we're having a party with live music, featuring readings, a raffle, and more. I'm one of the readers at the event and I'll be performing a...

Happy New Year! As you make your writerly resolutions, I'd like to offer this advice—stop waiting around for inspiration and start doing the work. Jonny Eberle is a writer, podcaster, filmmaker, and photographer. He lives in Tacoma, WA with his family, a dog, and three adorable typewriters. His fiction has appeared in Creative Colloquy, Grit City Magazine, and All Worlds Wayfarer. You can find mor...

It's hard enough to make ethical choices at home, let alone on an international vacation. What duty do travel writers have to steer readers toward eco-friendly, culturally appropriate ways of travel? Can we move the tourism industry away from destructive practices and what do we do when we think we may have crossed a line? We'll explore all those questions and more in today's episode. Jonny Eberle...