Creative Dynamos Ep. 34: Author Jake Bible on Drabbles, Podcast Fiction, and Writing for Dr. NoSleep

I interview horror author Jake Bible, a Bram Stoker–nominated novelist, co-chair of the North Carolina Horror Writers Association chapter, and a primary story writer for Dr. NoSleep podcast studios. Bible shares his writing history (first short-story sale in 2006/2007), his output (about 65 novels and roughly 250 short works), and how he began writing for Dr. NoSleep after responding to a freelancer ad in May 2024, now averaging 3–4 stories a week (sometimes more). He discusses early podcasting his novel “Dead Mech”, building a large audience through free podcast fiction, and his current approach of compiling Dr. NoSleep stories into monthly collections while posting free serialized stories on his Substack without paid subscriptions. Our conversation covers the early “new media” podcast-fiction community, cycles of gatekeeping in indie spaces (including Substack), his views on AI and online pile-ons, and his belief in avoiding self-editing out of fear of offense. Bible explains his focus on drabbles (exactly 100-word stories), including his drabble-structured first novel, and how the form sharpens editing and concision. He talks about balancing paid writing with passion projects, developing screenplays, and his flexible approach to scheduling and writing frequency. Bible also explains why he loves horror—its rule-free creativity, adaptable tropes, and supportive fandom—and how he approaches tropes while maintaining story logic. He directs listeners to jakebible.com and jakebible.substack.com for free fiction every Wednesday and a free drabble every Friday, and highlights his latest release, “It’s Under the Shroud: 10 More NoSleep Stories, Volume Three.” The episode ends with an ad for Mark Burton’s horror/sci-fi thriller “Aroughcoune”, about a genetically modified 15-foot military-bred raccoon escaping a secret lab on Plum Island.

00:00 Welcome + Meet Horror Author Jake Bible

00:25 Jake’s Writing Origin Story & Prolific Career Snapshot

01:50 Landing the Dr. NoSleep Podcast Gig (and Writing at High Volume)

03:35 The Early Days of Podcast Fiction: iPods, GarageBand, and Serializing a Novel

06:12 Free Fiction vs. Giving It All Away: Substack Teasers & Collections

08:34 ‘New Media’ Then and Now: The Wild West Era of Digital Publishing

11:58 When Indie Movements Become Gatekeepers: Cliques, Rules, and Substack Cycles

15:53 AI, Accusations, and Genre Dogma: Why the Struggles Stay the Same

19:21 Drabbles 101: The 100-Word Story and Why Jake Swears by It

25:06 Writing ‘Bonkers’ Horror: No Idea Is Too Much (and Handling Controversy)

29:25 Don’t Self-Edit: Writing Characters Who Disagree With You

31:08 Tea, Picard, and Trusting Your Creative Instincts (Indie Freedom)

32:29 The Working Writer Reality: Too Many Ideas, Not Enough Time

36:13 Time Management Without a Schedule: Writing in the Cracks

38:08 “Write Every Day” Is Bad Advice: Grace, No Rules, and Chaos English

41:48 Why Horror? Halloween DNA, No Rules, and the Nicest Fandom

47:07 Using Tropes Without Getting Trapped: The Road Trip Analogy

50:49 Genre Rulebooks vs Horror Freedom (LitRPG, Romance, and Story Logic)

54:54 Wrap-Up: Where to Find Jake Bible + New Releases

56:31 Outro Ad: Raccoon—Conspiracies, Genetic Experiments, and a Giant Predator