Free Word Associates is a creative agency by writers, for writers. We’re a one-stop shop where craft meets commerce—where storytelling is art and business. We are professional writers who treat writing not only as a calling but as a career. We guide authors from the spark of an idea to a polished pitch, championing voices we believe in and taking their work to market.

We are not starving artists. We don’t believe in writer’s block. We are workhorses of the word, prolific across genres, and fluent in style. Our wheelhouses are wide, our output deliberate. We write with discipline, revise with precision, and advocate with passion.

Free Word Associates was born of friendship and a shared love for language. It began with a game of free word association between two young writers in college—one a poet, the other a voracious reader with a thirst to learn. We weren’t great, but we were relentless. We wrote, rewrote, and pushed each other to grow. That friendship defined the spirit of this company: collaborative, curious, and committed to the craft.

One of us stopped writing. I kept encouraging him to return to the page because his voice mattered. He died young. After his death, we sifted through his work, full of brilliance and vulnerability—but unfinished, unpublished, uncertain. Would he have wanted it shared? Which poems did he love most?

That moment became our call to action.

If you’re a writer, take your work seriously. Don't let fear—or doubt—convince you that you’re not a writer. Don’t let your pages gather dust or stay hidden in digital folders. Publish. Pitch. Share. Shape your legacy while you're here, so your loved ones never have to wonder what you meant to do with your voice.

At Free Word Associates, we are here to put wind in the sails of creatives. We represent writers, adapt scripts for film and television, and help authors bring their visions to life. We believe stories should move. And we’re here to help yours move the world.

Tim Tolka - Founder & Director of Fiction

Tim Tolka is a screenwriter, author, and editor based in Puerto Rico and Mexico City. His work explores corruption, justice, and resistance through thrillers, crime stories, and high-concept narratives. A journalist at heart with roots in the Midwest and the Deep South, Tim writes full-time for producers, directors, and authors—crafting stories that amplify bold, urgent voices.

His series Blue Mafia, adapted from his debut nonfiction book, follows a civil rights attorney taking on two corrupt Ohio police departments. The book was ranked #12 on Book Authority’s Best Police Brutality Books and praised as “exceptionally well written” by Midwest Book Review. His feature thriller Obstructing Town Business and Western series Mingo dramatize real-life rebellions against lawless authorities.

Tim has ghostwritten a near-future dystopian novel, collaborated on sci-fi game scripts, and developed TV pilots across genres. His path into writing began when he and his then-girlfriend reopened a criminal case in Ohio—an experience that continues to fuel his commitment to telling stories with impact.

He holds a Master’s in international political economy from American University and a BA in literature from the University of Colorado. He’s traveled through 40 countries and lived in NYC, SF, and DC.

Joe Leone - Director of Screenwriting

Joe Leone is a New York native writer/director with over 200 festival selections, nominations, and wins — with seventeen produced features. Since 2018, he’s received the Best Screenplay Award at the Sydney Indie Film Festival for the acerbic comedy Meant to Be Broken, was co-winner of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition with the fantastical Death of a Fool, and was named “Best Writer” at the Accord Cine Fest for his slow-burn mystery Death Sentences. 

His psychological thriller Half Sisters (starring Kristy Dawn Dinsmore, Vikings) was produced by No Sunrise Wasted, LLC in Portland, Oregon, and received a limited theatrical release. Last year his dark comedy Breakup Mountain won “Best Thriller” at the Golden Lion International Film Festival and “Best Feature” at the Aasha International Film Festival. Joe began his writing career as a copywriter at the legendary downtown NYC newspaper The Village Voice, followed by a position at the cultural tastemaker, New York Magazine. He currently is working on a project with director Jonathan Zuck commissioned by Lionsgate.

Dr. Meinhaj Hussain - Director of Automation & Senior Project Manager

Dr. Meinhaj Hussain is a global citizen who has embraced cultural diversity by residing in more than 12 countries for over 25 years. Dr. Hussain holds an undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics, an MBA from George Mason University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Brunei.

Dr. Hussain has authored 6 books and 12 journal articles. His professional journey spans diverse roles, from serving as a Financial Analyst in the United States to being a Program Manager for a nonprofit in Papua New Guinea, an Assistant Professor, and MBA Coordinator in Bangladesh, and a Professor (working remotely) in a Mexican University.

As a content writer, Dr. Hussain specializes in academic, legal, finance, pedagogy, and general business writing. Known for his unwavering work ethic, he dedicates himself to his craft, refusing to take days off and working diligently every day of the week.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Hussain finds solace in exploring the stock market, engaging in weightlifting sessions, and enjoying long walks.   

Joe Fry - Senior Project Manager

Joe Fry is an award-winning writer/director who graduated from UNCSA's top-rated School of Filmmaking with a focus on screenwriting and directing. His first short film, Auto Repair, was the Grand Winner at the Down East Flick Fest and won Best Short Drama at the Peak City International Film Festival in 2018. His lifelong love of fantasy, comedy, and science fiction led to him writing and editing extensive scifi/fantasy worldbuilding and character bios for two innovators in NFT/Crypto, MetaBlaze and Another Space Odyssey.

On top of nine years in North Carolina writing about and making short films, he spent three years writing, editing, and publishing film-analysis essays online for periodicals and websites such as The Winston-Salem Journal and Screen Rant. He lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Nathaniel Kostar - Senior Project Manager

Nathaniel Kostar is a poet and non-fiction writer from Roosevelt, New Jersey. He has been publishing and performing original poetry for over 20 years and holds an MFA in poetry from the University of New Orleans. His first non-fiction book, “The Renaissance Man Project,” was a top martial arts memoir on Amazon. His most recent book, “When the Pit Bull Bit Me in the Ass & Other Stories from a Gringo in Mexico,” is set to be released in the summer of 2025. He is also the host of “Talk2People,” a podcast with artists, dancers, musicians, writers and interesting people from around the world. He resides in Mexico City with his wife and Chihuahua.