Talk Nerdy With Us Writers Reveal: Why They Chose to Write For Talk Nerdy With Us

Talk Nerdy With Us is an online publication specializing in television, movies, music, books, comics and graphic novel reviews. It also features interviews with individuals in these areas. The writers of Talk Nerdy With Us are a unique bunch. Each person contributes something special due to his or her different interests. But how and why did these people choose to write for Talk Nerdy With Us?

Keep reading to find out:

Why did you want to write for Talk Nerdy With Us?

Stacy: “I’ve enjoyed writing about television since I was a teenager and wrote scripts for fun for characters on the soap opera Another World. I used to dream of writing for soaps. As I got older, I would read the entertainment sections of various magazines and rewrite some of the features. Then, I discovered Buddy TV and thought about how cool it would be to write for an online publication. When my sister Tracy forwarded me the tweet in which Talk Nerdy With Us was looking for writers, although unsure, I decided to submit a writing sample. Once accepted by Talk Nerdy With Us, I was concerned that with a demanding full-time job I’d be unable to commit to a weekly post. Because I enjoy writing for Talk Nerdy With Us so much, I usually submit two or more post a day.”

AJ: “A friend of mine, Robert Beasley, had just started writing for the site, and he told me they were looking for writers on the West Coast. I had never done any journalistic-type writing before—no reviews or interviews—but the idea was intriguing and I thought I’d give it a shot. The next thing I knew, I was getting assignments for album reviews and I was covering the TV show Dark Matter on a regular basis.”
Tracy: “Because of my law school training and nearly three decades working for law firms, I was concerned that I had lost my creative edge. Legal writing is so stylistic. I enjoy reading books and discussing my favorite television shows, actors and music. Writing for Talk Nerdy With Us is a wonderful avenue in which to combine all of these interests. I have learned how to write pieces that can have a broader appeal. I have also discovered that my writing has a creative flavor. Such a discovery makes me very happy.”

Erica: “I’ve always been big into TV and writing, so when TNWU started following me on Twitter, I went to their site. looked it over, and got really excited when I saw they were looking for writers. I sent an email and that was that. So I guess mostly I wanted to do entertainment writing and TNWU said yes to allowing me to do it.”

Talya: “I had watched a friend of mine having so much fun writing for TNWU. She posted on twitter that TNWU were accepting new writers. So I jumped at the chance to join the team. I have always loved writing and to be able to write for a site like TNWU just sounded like a lot of fun.”

Jackie: “I heard about Talk Nerdy With Us through my friend Michele, whom I met as a result of being a part of the “Supernatural” fandom. She was a contributing writer and would often share articles that she and others had written on Twitter, so I started reading them. I was immediately impressed by the insightfulness and thoughtfulness of the articles that she shared. As a certified nerd, I’ve always spent a lot of time on my own thinking about my favorite shows and movies, and have craved a community where I could do that with others. Through the articles that she shared, I could see that Talk Nerdy With Us was just the sort of community that I was looking for.
However, it wasn’t until Michele reached out to me to get me involved in Talk Nerdy With Us that I realized that actually being a part of that community was possible. Luckily for me, she and the administrators of Talk Nerdy With Us saw potential in me and took a chance on me.”

Jenni: “I’ve been writing tv recaps for thetelevixen.com since 2013. When the opportunity came along to write original content, I HAD to jump on it!”

Shadia: “I wanted to write for TNWU because I believed this site was everything I’ve dreamed of being apart of. Talking all things entertainment as well as talking all things nerdy. Best of both worlds. I wrote for another entertainment site about a year and half ago. Although it was a good way for me to start-up my passion in writing for TV, I just didn’t feel like their style or their format was…right for me. It was fun in the beginning I’m not gonna lie, but as time passed by I just wanted something more that was appealing to me and the way that I write. I didn’t want to just do recaps and review every single episode. I felt like I was in some hardcore writing class or something and I was actually stressing out. (Laughs).”

Debbi: “I have always loved to write and actually had a short story published in a literary magazine in the 80’s (it’s long gone). I then devoted myself to my career and marriage for many years. Last year I wrote a piece for therapy called Letter to the Child I Once Was and allowed some of my friends to read it. They encouraged me to write fan fiction and it turns out, I still really enjoyed the process of putting words to paper and I was still good at doing so. So I challenged myself to write a short story called Flesh and submitted it in an open call for an anthology. It didn’t make the cut – they had a thousand submissions for twenty spots, but my goal was to actually submit – so I achieved my goal.

This past summer, Nicki Aycox offered to publish my story on her webpage/blog along with the work of a few other writers, including this site’s Tracy Miller. Tracy read my story, liked it and we started chatting. Tracy recommended TNWU to me and after waffling for a number of weeks, I approached them and here I am. I like it because there is discipline inherent in having to produce a few pieces a week. I can’t just stop writing because I’m tired or bored with a story. I think in the long run this job will improve not only my discipline, but my skill.”

Annie: When I decided I wanted to write for Talk Nerdy With Us, I was looking for an outlet. I am a stay at home mom, and while I love this job, it is easy to get caught up in doing everything for my daughter and husband and leave little time for myself. I wanted something flexible and fun that allowed me to be creative. I love TV and started learning that other people out there love TV too. After reading a few posts from TNWU, I decided I wanted to try my hand at writing about television. I loved writing my sample post I sent in and waited with bated breath to see if they had accepted me. I called my husband right away when I got the email because I was so excited. I knew this was exactly what I was looking for.”

Michele: “I wanted to write for TNWU because not only do I love Entertainment, but I’m a HUGE Geek! Star Wars, Gaming (even though, I haven’t done it in a bit), books! And I love it due to the team!”

What do you enjoy most about writing for Talk Nerdy With Us?

Stacy: “I enjoy most being able to write different types of posts as I write on television and movies, basically anything that strikes my interest. I also like being able to offer suggestions for posts to Rachel and Hillary and know that they listen to ideas and take them under consideration. I have pitched interviews as well as original post ideas. Additionally, with the great writing team Talk Nerdy For Us has, we can feel comfort talking about all things nerdy without being criticized for our interests.”

AJ: “I love ‘meeting’ celebrities by interviewing them. It may just be over the phone, but you get to take a peek into their personal and professional lives without being a creep about it. Haha. I also love live tweeting when my schedule allows it. It’s fun to interact with other fans of the show who are watching at the same time as you—and sometimes even show actors, writers, or creators. Now is a great time to be able to connect with people you’ve never met who have the same interests as you.”

Tracy: “In addition to meeting and interacting with my fellow Talk Nerdy With Us writers who are a talented, creative and inspiring group of people, I have been able to interview numerous authors and actors. It is a remarkable experience to pierce the veil of fandom and talk with such gifted individuals about their craft. One of my most memorable interview experiences was with actress and musician Nicki Aycox. I have been a fan of her work since her guest appearance on The X Files over a decade ago. As a passionate Supernatural fan, I found Nicki’s performance as the original Meg Masters to be riveting. Writing for Talk Nerdy With Us enabled me to introduce readers to Nicki’s talent as a singer/songwriter. In addition to interviewing her, I wrote several pieces on her debut EP, Red Velvet Room.”

Erica: “The freedom we have to write articles about anything and everything that interests us. And the other writers. Everyone’s great and supportive and easy to work with.”

Talya: “I am very new to TNWU and the best thing about writing is the team. They have welcomed me with open arms and are willing to help in any I need it.”

Jackie: “I enjoy connecting with other fans the most, because there’s always a certain energy that comes along with meeting others that share the same interests and passions as you. Part of the fun of being a fan, in my opinion, is finding and making friends with other fans, and being able to discuss your passion in an intelligent and insightful manner. Talk Nerdy With Us provides me with the platform in which to develop and share my thoughts on my favorite shows and movies with other fans, and as such, I’ve become a part of a multitude of fandoms and made many new friends.

I also really enjoy getting the chance to interview actors, actresses, musicians and writers, because I’m able to get inside information regarding how they go about their craft. In addition, it’s always interesting to talk about shows and movies from their perspective, since it’s so different from the fan perspective. In many ways, it’s brought a new depth to watching my favorite shows and movies.”

Jenni: “The feeling of family from my fellow writers. We all support each other’s ideas and give both advice and feedback.”

Shadia: “Hmm, what do I enjoy about writing for TNWU? Pretty much everything! I love the fact that you can be the biggest fangirl and TV nerd and feel so accepted and KNOW that there are other writers within the group that are so similar to you. You can always have a convo going about TV, books, celebs, etc. All that fun stuff! Another reason is the freedom that we have. I’m glad TNWU isn’t all about recapping/reviewing and all that. Every writer has a different writing style and are creative in their own way which makes writing for TNWU all the more special and unique.

You can talk about your faves in one post and what you don’t like about a show in another. Last but not least, the interview opportunities. Those are honestly the best. I never thought I’d be able to do interviews until I joined TNWU, especially when it’s someone you actually adore and are a huge fan of. I’ll never forget my favorite San Diego Comic Con memory this year! I got to do roundtable interviews in the press room for two of my favorite TV shows. It was one of the most exciting experiences I’ve ever had and I’m so grateful to have made one of my dreams a reality. And shoutout to StarryMag for making that happen for me! They decided to team up with TNWU for the press rooms, so for that, thank you again!”

Debbi: “Honestly, I like interacting with the other writers the best. This is a great group of very talented people, both published and unpublished writers, who are supportive and encouraging of their peers. I have met more people through TNWU than I have in a while and any time you broaden your base of friends, you become enriched by those friendships. I like writing, giving my opinion and listening to others’ stories, but the friends are what I would miss most if TNWU disappeared from my life.”

Annie: “As I mentioned, when I first started, I was just looking for an outlet. I didn’t realize that I had stepped into a community. Because, truly, that is what TNWU is. It is a community. It is a community for lovers of TV/movies/music/etc, but also a community of people looking for others out there in the world who understand their love for these things when most of the people in their lives do not. It is a community that has become a safe place to not only be who you are, but also to share your victories and vent your frustrations. It is a judgment-free zone and I think the world needs a few more of places like this one.”

Michele: “I love writing period. But I love the interviews we’ve done. We’ve been blessed to talk to a lot of really, cool interesting people about various projects and about their life I love giving audiences a glimpse of their lives while talking to them about their latest projects or just life.”

When you are working on your post, what inspires your creativity?

Stacy: “My creativity is inspired by my love for a particular show, movie, etc. Although I usually write posts for The CW shows, my interests are for many different TV shows and movies. However, my prized post was the one I wrote for the 30th anniversary of North and South. This is my favorite movie of all time. I thank Talk Nerdy With Us for posting this labor of love. Since North and South wasn’t a current movie, I’m grateful to Talk Nerdy With Us for even posting the article. I was ecstatic when I learned the post was put on the Facebook page for North and South author John Jakes and received over 1200 likes and 193 comments.”

AJ: “My love for whatever TV shows, movies, and music. I love that I can express that through a creative outlet like Talk Nerdy With Us. Otherwise, I’d just be the nerdy fangirl gushing on her blog! Haha. This way, I can be a ‘professional’ nerdy fangirl writing on a professional blog. Seriously though, Talk Nerdy With Us gives us such freedom and encouragement. I can let my creativity just flow. It’s such an amazing sense of freedom.”

Tracy: “Most of my Talk Nerdy With Us pieces have been book reviews so it is the author’s words that most inspire my creativity. For my original blog posts, I have been lucky: I can be listening to a song and an idea for a piece will jump into my head.”

Erica: “Usually it’s my own interest and/or fandom interest. I love seeing how fandom reacts to things in their show (thus my Fandom Speaks posts) but I also love talking to people while doing interviews and finding things out about them and their inspirations.”

Talya: “I start thinking about the things I like as a geek and then take inspiration from that.”

Jackie: “My creative process is kind of hard to explain. There isn’t any one thing that triggers it. Most of the time, I try to choose shows, movies, topics, etc. that I’m interested in and that have inspired me to think so that writing about them comes more easily. Other times, I’ll be inspired to write about something after I’ve done some research on it. Then there have been times when I’m motivated to write after having an epiphany of some sort—a sudden burst of insight, a sentence, etc. As a writer, I’ve tried to become more disciplined so that I’m able to write about diverse topics at the drop of a dime without having to wait for those creative epiphanies. My experience writing for Talk Nerdy With Us has really helped me in this regard.”

Jenni: “The thought of someone, somewhere reading my words and forming their own thoughtful replies (either agreeing or disagreeing). If I’ve reached even one person, then I have done my job as a writer.”

Shadia: “When working on a post, I usually think “Okay, what would get readers interested in clicking on this link?” I always want to go for a catchy title and an engaging first paragraph. Also, before working on a post, after I’m done watching the episode of a show I’m covering, I tend to take some notes on what happened during that episode and see what should be worth talking about.

Before joining TNWU, I would catch myself reading other entertainment sites such as EW, MTV, TV Line and Buzzfeed whenever they would write about the shows I watched or currently watch and just liked their style because that makes me want to come back the next week and read it what they have for that week.”

Debbi: “I always listen to music when I work – I have very eclectic taste. For me the music helps shake the words loose so that I can pick them off and put them on paper. Of course the subject I’m writing about inspires me as well, but music is the main driver of my muse.”

Annie: “Usually I have an idea for a post a few days before I actually write it. Throughout those days, different ideas will come to mind. Sometimes whole sentences and sometimes just a quick thought. There is almost always a note on my phone for my TNWU post ideas. I try to write things unlike what I typically hear and read. It’s when I realize my post is too common that I have trouble writing it. When I come up with an idea I am really proud of, the ideas seem to just flow.”

Michele: “Actually, there’s not one thing. Usually, when I’m researching a post or a subject, it’s the person or the subject matter that sparks it. I remember talking to Jason Dundas earlier this summer and I learned when you interview, always go that extra mile so that whomever you are interviewing doesn’t hear the same questions asked over and over again. (Well, at least I try to).”

What type of posts do you enjoy writing the most?

Stacy: “I like writing show analysis posts after an episode of my favorite show airs. These posts include a study of what happened in the episode, character, etc. I like coming up witty titles for the post. My Sleepy Hollow posts seem to be easiest to come up. My posts get many favorites when they are retweeted so I guess they are okay.”

AJ: “I love writing my ‘Cosplay Closet Essentials’ posts. It’s fascinating to meet and talk to cosplayers who have been at it so much longer than I have and who know how to make these amazing costumes! I aspire to be able to do that level of detail one day. I also love writing those spur-of-the-moment posts that just pop into my head. It makes me feel like I’m really contributing something special to the site.”

Tracy: “Writing book reviews is an absolute pleasure. I’ve been an avid reader since I was a child but writing book reviews affords me the opportunity to share my love of books with others. As a book reviewer, I want to be as thoughtful as possible. I feel it is my responsibility to the writer (and potential readers) to examine the writer’s style as well as to analyze character and plot and to convey my impressions in a constructive way. In addition, I feel that it is essential for my book reviews to be spoiler free. Finally, I want to inspire a passion for reading.”

Erica: “I like writing posts that people are interested in reading, so when I get a message that someone responded to one of my posts, that becomes a favorite. Or when I see how many times the tweet or post about my post has been retweeted or reblogged, that makes me happy as well and can easily turn a post I was only mildly interested in into a favorite.”

Talya: “I have enjoyed doing interviews. I like talking to and finding out new and interesting things about people.”

Jackie: “I enjoy writing posts about television shows, movies, books and music in which I can share my thoughts and insights, with the intention of inspiring discussions. Those are my favorite posts to write because I feel like I’m adding something to the fan experience. But, I really enjoy writing all sorts of posts, from news pieces to interviews. Each assignment is a challenge, and I always enjoy a challenge as a writer!”

Jenni: “I love writing the MCM and WCW posts. People can keep their Sexiest Whoever Alive; I want to highlight men and women who have made an impact on me and the nerd world.”

Shadia: “I love writing posts that have to do with numbering like “5 Times” or “10 Reasons why” so and so did this/ or why you should watch this particular show. For one, it’s fun for me to write it because compiling all of the info gets me all excited for our readers to check it out. I love doing polls because that brings in more interaction with fellow readers and gets their input on their opinions. And sometimes, just a post about my feelings about an old show and reminiscing about it is enjoying to write about.”

Debbi: “I haven’t been writing for the site all that long so I can honestly say that I don’t have a favorite type of post yet. I think the best thing I’ve written for the site is my review on Sense8.”

Annie: “I really love writing posts about a specific character. I am always amazed by how a person on TV becomes so real. What makes me love them? Why can’t I stand them? Why are they necessary? How do they inspire? I love getting to know people in real life and I love getting to know characters just the same. Writing about a character allows me to sift through these thoughts and I always feel privileged as I try to do the character justice.”

Michele: “I love the roundtables we do! I love our team so much. I’m glad that we all become such great friends including our editors Hillary and Rachel. We all have such interesting points of view when doing the roundtables that I won’t do a recap now without seeing if someone wants to do a roundtable.”

In what ways do you feel writing for Talk Nerdy With Us has impacted your life?

Stacy: “I’ve gotten better at being part of a group. As a twin, I never really cared about hanging out with anyone but my twin. I also didn’t worry about popularity. Since I was a teen decades before Twitter and Facebook, my social media experience was discussing ‘Who Shot Jr?’ during home room at high school in 1980. Talk Nerdy With Us has helped me develop socialization skills. I enjoy reading my fellow writers’ posts. I’m just happy to have met such great people and talented writers. I’ve also made contact with people through my Talk Nerdy With Us interviews who are continuing to connect with me. Significant Mother Co-Creator Richard Keith and I were discussing a crossover we’d love to see happen, Crazy Ex-Mother or when Rachel met Nate, Lydia and Jimmy. Rachel Bloom liked that tweet (laughs).”

AJ: “I feel more confident. If I can talk to a celebrity on the phone and have a conversation without geeking out, I can do anything. Also, Talk Nerdy With Us is like a family. If I ever have a particularly bad day—or a particularly good day—they’re there to listen and provide support or encouragement. It’s not a big contest of who can do the longest interview or who can get the most retweets on their live tweet; it’s about a group of like-minded people who truly enjoy what they do. You can’t get that just anywhere.”

Tracy: “I’m still finding my way around social media. Writing for Talk Nerdy With Us has allowed me to discover the community aspect of writing. I have always been a writer who worked alone so a great benefit of writing for Talk Nerdy with Us is that I can interact with other writers and readers. In addition, I have been fortunate to have been able to cultivate some wonderful friendships with my fellow Talk Nerdy With Us writers.”

Erica: “Honestly, I feel like it’s opened up an opportunity for me to get experience doing something I love so that at some point I can hopefully get paid to do what I love. It’s also made a time in my life when I’m not ALLOWED to work locally at a paying job (immigration crap) more bearable.”

Talya: “Again I am very, very new to TNWU. I can’t wait to see what changes and impact it does make on my life. I’m very excited be a new part of the TNWU family.”

Jackie: “Writing for Talk Nerdy With Us has impacted my life in many ways. For starters, it has allowed me to learn about interviewing and how to craft interviews, something that I’ve never done before. It has helped my hone my craft and develop my skills. I’ve always considered myself to be more inclined to fiction writing—my other job as a freelance writer is a short story contributor for a local periodical in Northern Michigan—but being a part of Talk Nerdy With Us has made me venture out of my comfort zone as a writer and learn new things. Most importantly, though, being a part of Talk Nerdy With Us has helped me understand that writing is what I was born to do. Before joining this awesome team, I doubted my decision to pursue writing as my career instead of teaching. Now, however, I clearly see that it’s what I was meant to do, and I’ll be forever grateful for that.”

Jenni: “I have become better at speaking. I’m such an introvert, but doing interviews for TNWU has forced me out of my shell. I haven’t become a full-on extrovert, but I’m no longer that weird kid that sits by herself in the corner. Unless I’m reading, then please go away!”

Shadia: “TNWU has impacted my life in many ways, to be honest. It has really opened up doors for me that I thought weren’t even available for me. I’ve been able to come out of my shy shell by doing interviews on the phone. Now I’ve become so comfortable and I didn’t think it was ever possible (laughs). Also, I have gotten to network with many talented writers. The TNWU team has become an online family for me. I’ve become friends with everyone and it’s great to have that type of support system online. It’s been great all around. I most definitely feel like I’m improving on my writing skills. I used to bash myself on how I didn’t think I was good enough to be a writer, but joining TNWU has given me that sense of confidence I didn’t think I really had. Thank you Rachel and Hillary for being the coolest and glad to have met you both (virtually) and to be a contributor to your super awesome site! xoxo”

Debbi: “As I mentioned above, I have met some wonderful people through the site. Not just the other writers either. A few of the people I’ve interviewed have become friends. I would have never met the majority of these people without TNWU so bringing these new friends into my life has had a huge impact. Writing for TNWU has also forced me to stop dismissing my talent as inconsequential and made me admit to myself that it is very much a talent and one that I possess. This was a huge step for me, a 180 if you will, and allowing myself to accept this positive fact about myself has opened my eyes to many other positives that I had been deliberately ignoring.”

Annie: There are few things in this world I value more than community and a sense of belonging. When I find that with people, I hold on tight. TNWU has given me one of these communities. I have learned so much about how to encourage and not judge. I am reminded of how many people have dealt with immense struggles but am amazed and challenged by how they see the world as beautiful despite their misfortunes. I have seen how something as simple as a television show can change a life. Through these things, the TNWU community is daily teaching me and helping me to grow. Somehow, what I thought would be an individually fun experience has turned into a place I am daily renewed and changed.”

Michele: “Not only have I gotten other writing jobs due to writing for TNWU, but I’ve made lifelong friends. I know that whenever something is up, I can pick up a phone and contact anyone from our team and vice versa. We are more than a team, we’re family.”