The Story Series Podcast with Brandon Violette (For Writers Who Break The Rules)

#52 - Stress is Not a Badge of Honor (For Creatives) | Lee Papa

Lee Papa is an author and performance and wellbeing coach who helps individual creatives, professionals, and teams strengthen their internal guardrails so clarity, resilience, and aligned results become sustainable. Her work blends emotional intelligence, mindful mastery, and practical insight to support the full human system behind performance. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • The difference between hard work and "forced" work. • How autopilot leads to creative burnout. • Why guardrails (not restriction) actually improve creativity. • And the connection between increased awareness and better writing. RESOURCES: • Mindful Makeovers: The Reset Map [https://leepapa.podia.com/mindful-makeovers-the-reset-map] - $27 USE code: STORYLETTER for 50% Discount • Schedule a 15 Minute FREE Inquiry Call with Lee [https://LeePapa.as.me/inquiryCall] WANT MORE? ✏️💥 I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com [https://StorySeriesPodcast.com] CONNECT: • Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/storyseriespodcast/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonviolette/] • YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bviolette?si=muDxL61QuyOsXDq5]

#51 - Building an Animated Series in Public | We Ghosted Media

NYC to LA, We Ghosted Media LLC is a production studio focused on compelling storytelling and content creation. With an ever-changing industry, we find alternative ways to deliver new and exciting media that will engage in a two-way conversation with our audience. Our mission is to inspire other artists to keep telling their stories, produce immersive entertainment, and stay true to their original ideas and concepts. Run by award-winning Co-Founders Jaclynn Demas and Christopher Jammal, We Ghosted Media LLC brings 20+ years of experience in series animation, live-action and film production, and creative marketing promotion. Jaclynn and Chris have created and produced content for Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Disney, Sesame Street, PBS Kids, Amazon, and Fox. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • The evolution of their upcoming animated series "Owen Nowhere". • How Web3 and blockchain could give creators more ownership of their IP. • The narrative possibilities of fan-driven storytelling. • And how "getting ghosted" led to the creation of We Ghosted Media. RESOURCES: • Owen Nowhere on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/owen_nowhere] • We Ghosted Media [https://weghosted.com] • Lamina1 [https://lamina1.com/home] WANT MORE? ✏️💥 I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com [https://StorySeriesPodcast.com] CONNECT: • Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/storyseriespodcast/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonviolette/] • YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bviolette?si=muDxL61QuyOsXDq5]

#50 - How a Viral Children's Book Was Self-Published From Scratch | Agnes Lee

Agnes is a self-published children's book author who debuted in 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelling, she overcame the challenges of self-publishing and, within 6 months, completely sold out of her debut book, "Who Took My Stuff", with a single viral video. Since then, demand has continued to grow and she's already on track to sell out again as she prepares new adventures for her readers. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • The making of her viral book: "Who Took My Stuff" • Writing with simple language and "low stimulation" storytelling. • Choosing between Amazon KDP, Barnes & Noble Press, and Alibaba. • Advice for self-publishing vs. traditional publishing. RESOURCES: • Buy Agnes' Book [https://www.bookedwithoney.com] • Agnes' Previous Episode [https://youtu.be/zL_pboZcKOw] WANT MORE? ✏️💥 I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com [https://StorySeriesPodcast.com] CONNECT: • Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/storyseriespodcast/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonviolette/] • YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bviolette?si=muDxL61QuyOsXDq5]

#49 - From Blue's Clues to Video Games: Writing for TV, Podcasts & Games | Alyson Eisenband

Alyson (Piekarsky) Eisenband is an Emmy-nominated writer and creator, most recently serving as Story Editor on Nickelodeon's hit series Blue's Clues & You!. Her work spans television, podcasts, games, and toys, and can be found across platforms including Nickelodeon, PBS, Netflix, Disney Junior, Duolingo, YouTube, Tonies, and wherever podcasts are streamed. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • Writing across TV, podcasts, games and toys. • Networking for writers as a long-term strategy. • How to cold reach out on LinkedIn (and get responses). • And why you shouldn't limit yourself to one lane. RESOURCES: • Alyson's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysonpiekarsky/] WANT MORE? ✏️💥 I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com [https://StorySeriesPodcast.com] CONNECT: • Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/storyseriespodcast/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonviolette/] • YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bviolette?si=muDxL61QuyOsXDq5]

#48 - What AI Means For Writers | Qiushi Zhang

Qiushi Zhang is a writer-turned-founder and CEO of Leyline, an AI filmmaking platform built specifically for screenwriters and storytellers. After years of pitching scripts, waiting on greenlights, and watching great work stall, she set out to build a tool that lets creators iterate, experiment, and make films without waiting for permission. IN THIS EPISODE, WE DISCUSS: • Why AI makes writers uncomfortable, and why that's worth talking about. • Efficiency versus effectiveness in creative work. • What storytelling looks like without permission. • And whether AI can actually make art. RESOURCES: • Leyline: https://www.leylinepro.ai [https://www.leylinepro.ai] WANT MORE? ✏️💥 I put together a free guide called The Rule Breaker's Guide to Finding Your Creative Voice. A brutally honest roadmap built from the lessons, mistakes, and breakthroughs I've collected as a professional writer. 👉 Get it for free at StorySeriesPodcast.com [https://StorySeriesPodcast.com] CONNECT: • Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/storyseriespodcast/] • LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandonviolette/] • YouTube [https://youtube.com/@bviolette?si=muDxL61QuyOsXDq5]