Podcasts about personal essays

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Andrea Askowitz called A Numbers Game. This story was previously published in Memoirland, a curated compilation of the week's best personal essays on the internet. It was also read live on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in 2024. A Numbers Game is a braided essay. So, In this episode, we will discuss the braided essay and how Andrea's came to be. Just a hint: Nicole Walker had something to do with it!More about how we became associated with the Flagstaff Festival of Science…Three years ago, we were hired by Dr. Jane Marks and Dr. Bruce Hungate, two famous ecologists from the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University. They heard our podcast and then started taking our classes which led to the idea that their students would benefit from taking our classes. So we've been doing online workshops and in-person workshops to help these scientists personalize their stories. This story was written during our second year collaborating with ECOSS. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode, we're going to talk about using the letter form (epistolary) and specifically not telegraphing. If you don't know what telegraphing is, don't worry. You will after you hear our discussion at the end. The story in this episode is written by one of our favorite students, Danielle Huggins. This is the 4th time Danielle's been featured on the podcast but the first time she's joined us in the virtual studio. We are recording for the podcast as usual and you can also watch us on YouTube. Danielle's essay is titled A Letter to My Sister: I'm Sorry. Danielle Huggins is a writer from Northern New Jersey. She has been published in the Washington Post, Mutha Magazine, and GoMAG.com. She is a frequent contributor to Writing Class Radio. Danielle has taken First Draft, Second Draft, Final Draft, and Memoir. She is currently working on a memoir and attends First Draft Class as often as she can. She is on TikTok under @bipolardanielle and lives with her husband, daughter, mother, a wire fox terrier, and Sadie Cat. If you loved this story and want more, you can listen to Episode 105: Teach us Something We Don't Know. Episode 139: This is What Mania Looks Like. And Episode 152: How Music Inspires Storytelling. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Megan Marshall is the author of After Lives: On Biography and the Mysteries of the Human Heart (Mariner Books), a new collection of essays. Megan won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for Margaret Fuller: A New American Life.Podcast Specific Substack at creativenonfictionpodcast.substrack.com.Pre-order The Front RunnerPromotional Sponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.com

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Rachel Perse, who had severe anxiety after giving birth to her first child, but pretended she was having the time of her life. She tells her important story and then talks to us about how she used writing to get to the truth. And to work out her shit around becoming a new mother.Rachel is here in the studio with us, so we are recording for the podcast as usual but now, you can also watch us on YouTube. Rachel Perse will be reading her story called The Lies I Told About Motherhood.Rachel Perse is a stay-at-home mom to her 8-month-old son and two dogs. She is a proud older sister, alumna of Emory University, former assistant dean of students at the University of Miami, public health educator, and now, writer.A Transcription of this episode is available on our network website.We also made available our raw recording process on YouTube.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aidan Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com. Check out our website for our Tips Clinic, every second Saturday.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Air Date - 24 February 2025Ever wish your writing had the magic of a well-aged Bordeaux—complex, rich, and lingering long after the last sip? Enter Nancy Aronie.Join Voice Visionary Kara Johnstad on VOICE RISING for a deep dive into the art of personal storytelling with Nancy Slonim Aronie, the irreverent, soulful founder of the Chilmark Writing Workshop on Martha's Vineyard and author of Memoir as Medicine and Writing from the Heart. We're cracking open her latest book, Seven Secrets to the Perfect Personal Essay: Crafting the Story Only You Can Write, and trust us—these aren't your high school English teacher's essay tips.Expect to Learn:- How do you hook your reader from the first line? Let's be honest; no one has time for a slow start.- Why vulnerability is your secret writing superpower—and how to wield it like a pro.- How do you write from the heart without sounding like a Hallmark card—raw, real, and unmistakably you?- How can you stand out in a world drowning in content? Your story deserves more than a passing scroll.Nancy brings her signature mix of warmth, humor, and no-nonsense wisdom to the mic, sharing stories from her own life, insights from years of teaching, and why personal essays just might be the antidote to the noise of modern life.So grab a cup of something strong (preferably organic, with a splash of oat milk) and join us for a conversation that will inspire you to pick up the pen—and tell the story only you can write.Visit Nancy Aronie at https://chilmarkwritingworkshop.com/#NancyAronie #VoiceRising  #KaraJohnstad #Music #Interviews #Voice#WritingFromTheHeart #PersonalEssayTips #StorytellingMatters #VoiceRisingPodcastTo get in touch with Kara Johnstad, go to http://www.karajohnstad.com/Visit the Voice Rising show page https://omtimes.com/iom/shows/voice-rising/Subscribe to our Newsletter https://omtimes.com/subscribe-omtimes-magazine/Connect with OMTimes on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Omtimes.Magazine/ and OMTimes Radio https://www.facebook.com/ConsciousRadiowebtv.OMTimes/Twitter: https://twitter.com/OmTimes/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/omtimes/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2798417/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/omtimes/

Today we bring you another story told live on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in September 2024. This story is by Emma Lathrop and is about her anxiety. This quality she thought was hindering her turned out to be something she now values. Two years ago, we were hired by Dr. Jane Marks and Dr. Bruce Hungate, two famous ecologists from ECOSS at Northern Arizona University. They heard our podcast and then started taking our classes which led to the idea that their students would benefit from taking our classes. So we've been doing online workshops and in-person workshops to help these scientists personalize their stories. The stories are amazing. I have learned so much about science through their stories in a way that brings me in. This is our second year collaborating with the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University. The scientists are so smart and they are trying to save our planet and we get to help them reach more people by personalizing their message. Today's storyteller, Emma Lathop, is a PhD candidate in ECOSS at Northern Arizona University. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.Starting in 2025, a new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nancy Slonim Aronie on about crafting the story only YOU can write.

Brooke Champagne (@champagne_brooke) is a writer in the thick of it: the grind of it, the messiness of it, the working-out-of-it. One minute with Brooke and you know you're in for rollicking fun conversation about the essay, about writing, and about Nola Face: A Latina's Life in the Big Easy (University of Georgia Press).Pre-order The Front RunnerSponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Today we bring you a story told live at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in September 2024. We're talking about making a connection from your personal life to what we study. We're also talking about being vulnerable. Because everyone will love you more. We promise. This is our second year collaborating with the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University. Two years ago, we were hired by Dr. Jane Marks and Dr. Bruce Hungate, two famous ecologists from ECOSS at Northern Arizona University. They heard our podcast and then started taking our classes which led to the idea that their students would benefit from taking our classes. So we've been doing online workshops and in-person workshops to help these scientists personalize their stories. The stories are amazing. I have learned so much about science through their stories in a way that brings me in. Well, you'll see. Today's story is by Megan Quinn, a master's degree student in the biology department at NAU. Megan's essay reveals her eating disorder and how she's been healing from that…much like burned trees heal from high intensity wild fires. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we are re-running a story by Emily Henderson titled After Our Son Died, My Husband Gave Me The Most Meaningful Christmas Gift Of My Life. Emily workshopped this essay in our Final Draft class and then the Huffington Post published it on December 25, 2021. This story is an excellent example of using an object to convey emotion, details, and telling in addition to showing. Emily tells us how she's feeling the entire story which intensifies vulnerability. To hear another of Emily's stories, listen to Episode 103: Writing the Same Story Over and Over and Episode 160: Cliches Saved My LifeEmily Henderson is a runner and writer living in Santa Barbara, California. Her essays have appeared in Scary Mommy, the Santa Barbara Independent, Huffington Post, and Writing Class Radio. Emily is currently writing a memoir about processing the loss of her son while running every street in her city. You can follow her on Instagram at @emilykathleenwrites or visit https://substack.com/@emilyhendersonIf you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.Starting in 2025, a new episode will drop the first WEDNESDAY of the month.There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week is all about fangirling! Jodi is joined by Sophia Benoit to first fangirl over Ethan Slater (a.k.a. SpongeBob)'s ex-wife Dr. Lilly Jay's personal essay in The Cut (1:40). Then, they fangirl over some pop girly music moments (21:02), including Chappell Roan's Carpool Karaoke, and the A-listers that are just being so charming (30:50), including Nicole Kidman, Timothée Chalamet, Kieran Culkin, and Colman Domingo. In honor of the holidays, they visit some Christmas Obsessions past and present, in the form of the iconic “Danita, it's Christmas” video, the viral Beanie Baby Cookie, and Rihanna getting Mariah Carey to sign her boobs (58:18). Finally, they each share their personal obsessions for the week (1:06:55). Host: Jodi Walker Guest: Sophia Benoit Producer: Sasha Ashall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Dana Shavin, who submitted her essay to the podcast. When it came in, we were blown away. The writing is so smart and well-crafted. In this episode, we talk about the difference between situation and story and we also discuss why callbacks are effective.Dana Shavin is an award-winning humor columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, and the author of a memoir, The Body Tourist and the collection of essays, Finding the World: Thoughts on Life, Love, Home and Dogs.Dana's essays and articles have appeared in The Sun, Oxford American, Garden and Gun, Travel + Leisure, Alaska Quarterly Review, Fourth Genre, Today.com, Appalachian Review, Psychology Today, Bark, The Writer, and others. You can find more at Danashavin.com, and follow her on Facebook at Dana Shavin Writes. If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Rachel Kramer Bussel. Her story was so relatable, that we realized sometimes we choose stories so we can just talk about ourselves. And that's just what we do in this episode. We also talk about the narrator's brilliance in drawing us in with just the right details. Rachel's story is titled, The Craving That Killed My VeganismRachel Kramer Bussel (rachelkramerbussel.com) is an essayist and freelance writer specializing in books, culture, relationships, mental health, and feminism. She is the editor of Open Secrets Magazine (opensecretsmag.substack.com) and over 70 anthologies, and is the author of How to Write Erotica and Lap Dance Lust. Rachel's writing has been published in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon, The Village Voice, and other publications. She teaches essay writing classes online and is currently editing an anthology about our attachments to your belongings.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Sarena Neyman. Sarena is in Allison's 2nd Draft class, which contains writers who come together to share a draft of their essay and receive feedback from the group. Sarena was previously published on Writing Class Radio. Episode 187: The Bigger Table: How I Lost My Husband But Gained a Bigger Family. In that episode, we discussed Sarena's brilliant landings. In this episode we will discuss landings again, because like last time, they are perfect. We will also talk about humor and details. This narrator is hilarious and so good at the highlighting little things.Sarena Neyman has been writing for numerous human rights groups for more than 20 years, working on causes from digital privacy to affordable housing to marriage equality. She writes for cabinlife.com and PeaceVoice.com. Sarena lives in Western Massachusetts.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Click Here to ask your book writing and publishing questions!Amy Wilson, the brilliant co-host of the "What Fresh Hell" podcast and author of Happy to Help: Adventures of a People Pleaser (Jan 2025, Zibby Books), joined me for a fabulous conversation about owning your story through writing.We dive right into the real stuff—like what it's actually like to share personal essays (and how to spill your truth without accidentally blowing up your family's group chat). Amy opens up about her journey from writing the hilarious chaotic When Did I Get Like This? on parenting to exploring deeper themes, like people-pleasing, that resonate with an audience far beyond parents.And for anyone out there staring down an editing deadline or wondering what in the world the publishing gods are up to—Amy shares some hard-earned wisdom. From her writing routines to her secret recipe for mixing humor with “let's get real” moments, she provides an inside look at what makes her stories connect with so many people.So, grab your favorite drink (and maybe one of your new notebooks--I know you have one), and get ready for some relatable insights, laughs, and just the right amount of “you've got this” inspiration. Let's get you published! PublishAProfitableBook.com/Publish (use code AUTHOR25 for 25% off!) MOCKUP SHOTS DEALI've used MockUp shots for years to create attention-grabbing images great for social media. It usually costs $207, but they're offering a 60% discount on lifetime access with lifetime updates. It's a great way to get an unheard-of price on a product that will make you money and that you will end up using all the time.Click Here for 60% off >>Write the Damn Book Already is a weekly podcast featuring interviews with authors as well as updates and insights on writing craft and the publishing industry. Available wherever podcasts are available: Apple PodcastsSpotify YouTube Let's Connect! InstagramWebsite Email the show: elizabeth [at] elizabethlyons [dot] comThe podcast is a proud affiliate partner of Bookshop, working to support local, independent bookstores.To see all the ways we can work together to get your book written and published, visit publishaprofitablebook.com/work-with-elizabeth

This is the final story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned.Today's story is by Nicole Walker whose story tells us everything we need to know about why she writes and why she wrote this story. When she wrote about her abortion at 11 in the New York Times, all the shame she carried for more than forty years melted away. This is why we write. Nicole Walker is an English professor at Northern Arizona University and the author of 8 books. You can find Nicole on Facebook, Twitter @nikwalkotter, Instagram @nikwalker28, and her website nikwalk.com.This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textIt's an especially exciting episode this week as we welcome an author who is local to us, here in Colorado, and we'll be welcoming her to our local book club meeting next month.Lara's book, The Table: Seasons on a Colorado Ranch, was the result of completing her MFA at Western State University and submitting it for consideration for publication by the University's press. It was selected and Lara was surprised and incredibly grateful.It was a process of taking a series of personal essays and turning them into a full-length memoir. Her memoir shows her grit and gratitude for the seasons of life and reflections on the golden moments to embrace when navigating through difficult times. It's a memoir about her life on her family's ranch where they raise Hereford cows and gather thousands upon thousands of bales of hay each summer. What you'll discover as you read is it's not just the stories of her family's experiences, but an invitation to walk in her shoes and understand the experience of ranchers in our area in Colorado. You'll learn about the challenges being faced by ranchers as developers moving into the area are offering attractive sums of money to acquire land for multi-family housing developments. There's insight into cattle ranching and the meaning of its impact on our environment.She was fortunate to have the support of her family who gave her space to write her book, but there were still struggles with staying focused. You'll be interested to listen and learn about a special visitor to one of her writing spaces. Lara masterfully weaves together various threads of her life story to connect the pieces that have contributed to her family's success in their ranching business and in their lives. It hasn't always been easy, but there's a true sense of gratitude and fortitude in the work being done.There's a discussion of the editing process and how even with a publisher you can find errors after a book has been printed, but you can reach out and make sure any changes are made before future books are printed. You'll appreciate it when she talks about getting distracted and how easy it can be to be pulled away from your work. We've all been there. It's why finding a place that's not in your own backyard can be beneficial to your writing process. It can be too easy to decide to do the laundry, mow the lawn, or any other number of house chores. We invite you, like Lara does in her memoir, to join her at The Table: Seasons on a Colorado Ranch. If you've written personal essays, you're sure to find inspiration for turning your stories into a full-length memoir.  Who is Lara Richardson?A former white-water rafting guide on the Arkansas River, LARA RICHARDSON lives with her husband and five kids on their family ranch in Salida, Colorado, where they raise over 300 Hereford mother cows and calves and grow over 30,000 bales of hay each summer. A voice for land stewardship, sustainable beef production,and the family farm, she is a 2021 graduate of Western Colorado University's MFA Program in Nature Writing. The Table is her first published work.Find Lara online:Lara Richardson WebsiteLara on IGLara Richardson on FacebookWe invite you to subscribe to our email list to be the first to know about our weekly podcast episodes and upcoming group programs for writers! If you prefer video versions of the podcast or want to leave a comment on this specific episode, you can find all of them on our YouTube channel.

This is the sixth story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned.Today's story is by Derick Cook who describes his wife's near-death experience when doctors sent her home after her water broke at 16 weeks. Derick's wife should have gotten an abortion right away, but because her fetus still had cardiac activity and she wasn't yet on the verge of death, her doctor was afraid to offer common-sense care. This story is tragic, but it has a happy ending. Derick Cook is a high school football champ, drummer, and guitar player. Because of what Derick's wife went through, Derick has become an activist. He told us he wants to write a book. I hope he does. Find Derick on Facebook.This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aidan Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the fifth story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight how Florida's current 6-week abortion ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on Amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned.Today's story is by Dr. Cecilia Grande, an OB-GYN in Miami, Florida. Her story is about how the current abortion laws are prohibiting her and her colleagues from giving standard care to her patients and tragically, women are dying. Dr. Grande lists the exceptions provided by the law, but walks us through why these exceptions are grossly inadequate and why even the exception for rape and incest does not protect rape victims unless they report their rape and can provide a court order. The exceptions, in short, are cruel. Dr. Cecilia Grande has been a practicing physician in Miami for 30 years.The Yes on 4 campaign is taking the full live show, Our Abortion Stories, on the road. Join us in a city near you:Tour Dates:Tallahassee, Oct. 24Jacksonville, Oct. 25Orlando, Oct. 26Ft. Lauderdale, Oct. 28Click on the city for tickets and theater locations.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aidan Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What you're about to hear is a conversation between writer Verônika Shülman and myself, recorded last week at a party! In honor of the release of my new zine, Pivot, I hosted a party at NOTO and invited all of my friends. It was so nice to be in the same room with everyone after being stuck inside for most of the summer with a broken leg—in that time I had put together this zine, which is about the lessons I learned in the last decade and how I learned them.My friend and neighbor Verônika hosts this episode. She begins by reading from a book we both love (I Love Dick by Chris Kraus), then reads a bit that she liked from Pivot, and asks me to read an essay from it—which I do. My friends Maddie and Dexter also ask questions and we talk about more writers we love. If you want a copy of Pivot, below is how to get yourself a hard copy. Show notes:- Find Verônika on Instagram- Find me on IG: @letitouttt + @katiedalebout | Substack- PIVOT zine: sign up for my paid Substack & we'll mail you a copy - My book on journaling | WRITE kit- Check out NOTO!  If you liked this episode, try out from the archive:Episode 458: Introducing PIVOT with Simi BoticEpisode 423: I Can't Believe I'm Still Doing This...10 Years! With Sacha Jones

This is the fourth story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned.Today's story is by Nilsa Ada Rivera. Nilsa's story shows what someone living on the street goes through when she learns she's pregnant and wants to have a baby. In Nilsa's case, the fetus had severe health problems and Nilsa had to make the hard decision to terminate the pregnancy. Nilsa is Catholic and until recently struggled with her decision. Ultimately she believes God is the only entity that can judge her. She's been on the podcast before when she wrote about hearing loss. For more Nilsa, here's Episode 29 and Episode 107. Nilsa Ada Rivera is a housing analyst and writer. Nilsa and I have been in writing groups together for about 15 years. She is coming out with her first book in 2025 about affordable housing. You can find Nilsa Rivera on Instagram @nilsawrites and Facebook.This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aidan Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever wondered what it's like to live with a disability? Or how writing can help navigate the toughest of life's challenges? In this episode of Books and Beyond, Michelle and Tara chat with Abhishek Anicca, author of Grammar of My Body, a creative memoir about his life with VATERS syndrome, a condition affecting multiple parts of his body. Abhishek dives into his experience of living with chronic illness and disability in India, sharing his journey of vulnerability, humor, and breaking stereotypes.Abhishek also talks about the therapeutic power of art, especially poetry and performance, in dealing with mental health challenges and reclaiming his narrative. From the poetic nature of illness to the importance of clear, non-metaphorical communication, he gives us a deep insight into the world of writing about personal experiences. If you've ever been curious about the intersection of personal storytelling, disability, and creativity, this conversation is for you! Listen in for an inspiring, thought-provoking episode.Trigger warning: This episode discusses chronic illness, disability, and mental health struggles. Listeners are advised to exercise caution.Books mentioned in this episode: Illness as Metaphor - Susan SontagShattered: A Memoir - Hanif Kureishi ‘Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India's finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.

This is the third story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned.Today's story is by Matt Tente. Matt's story is in the epistolary form, which means it was told in the form of a letter. Matt comes with a perspective about how healthcare could be handled if we in Florida work hard enough to win Yes on 4. We found Matt's story on HuffPost, where it was published in a longer form. Matt Tente is a screenwriter and portrait photographer who came in from California where he lives with his wife and one-year-old son. You can find him on Instagram @matttenteheadshots. This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the second story in a 7-part series in support of reproductive rights. On election day, Floridians will have the opportunity to vote Yes on 4 to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned. Today's story is by Nicole Crooks and is titled The Shade of Our Grandmothers' Trees. Nicole tells the story of sexual molestation and rape. Neither the abuse nor the rape were described, but there is mention of both. If this is a difficult subject for you to hear about, please skip this episode. In Nicole's story she grapples with reporting her rape and ultimately doesn't, just as the women she counseled ultimately didn't report theirs.Nicole Crooks is a coach and consultant who is committed to black women's well-being and building community. You can find Nicole on Instagram at @IamnicolecrooksThis event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olam at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, we are starting a new series in support of reproductive rights–specifically Yes on 4 here in Florida to get rid of a near-total abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v. Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage in front of 400 people at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. As the country gears up for the election on November 5, 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only important but will also save lives. We know this sounds counter intuitive, but abortion saves lives. Click here to support Yes on 4 and please stay tuned. Our first story in the series is by Liz Chifari. We asked Liz why she wrote this story and she said, “.... because it was time.”Liz had two abortions. In 1970, before abortion was legal, Liz had to proclaim she was mentally ill to get an abortion. In 1997, when she thought she was in perimenopause and already had a family, she went to an abortion clinic. Her story is about how radically different her experiences were. This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olan at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle, and All Angels Episcopal Church.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On September 18, 2024, we are launching a new series in support of a family's reproductive rights--specifically the Yes on 4 campaign here in Florida to get rid of a near abortion ban and reinstate the liberties under Roe v Wade. The stories in the series were told live on stage at Temple Beth Am in Miami, Florida on September 5th 2024. Each storyteller stood in front of an audience of 400 people and read their story.As the country gears up for the election on November 5th 2024, we will be sharing all seven stories one week at a time. These stories highlight what the current ban limits and excludes, and how this ban negatively impacts all women and families. We hope these stories will help you understand why keeping abortion legal (which means voting yes on amendment 4) is not only ultra important but will also save lives. I know that is counter intuitive, so stay tuned. This event was produced and created by Writing Class Radio, Rabbi Greengrass at Temple Beth Am, and 19 collaborative partners: The Women's Fund, Equal Justice Society, Cuban American Women Supporting Democracy, Men for Choice, Books and Books, Planned Parenthood, Temple Judea, Coral Gables United Church of Christ, Tikkun Olan at Temple Beth Am, Florida Women's Freedom Coalition, Women's Emergency Network, Sisterhood of Temple Beth Am, Catholics for Choice, Temple Israel, Women of Reform Judaism, All Angels Episcopal Church, RAC Florida, National Council of Jewish Women, The Workers Circle.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Kenny Korade.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode in this series will drop every WEDNESDAY until the election on Nov 5 2024. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Jennifer Sizeland, who lives in Manchester, England. Her story, I found connection through a tattoo of a bee is a great example of situation and story. It's important to know the difference and we will discuss why.Jennifer Sizeland is a freelance writer and assistant producer with 14 years of experience in the media industry. She has written for many publications including the BBC, the Independent, Metro, Manchester Mill, Fodor's Travel, Gastro Obscura, Reader's Digest, and Stylist. For more Jennifer Sizeland, go to her website Jennifersizeland.com. She lives in Manchester, England and you can follow her on Instagram at @lifeofsize.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When was the last time you discovered something? The experience of discovery comes with a wide range of emotions. In this episode, I share a personal essay on discovering mementos from my family's house fire.Gathered: Storied Botanicals is a monthly podcast with room and the will to grow. It's the podcast that brings more flowers into your life through story. Wherever you are, wherever you come from I hope you'll gather 'round.For more flowers in your life:Gathered: Storied BotanicalsGathered by Allison B. Young: the Substack of Gathered: Storied BotanicalsThe Bountiful Centerpiece: September 2024 Floral Design Workshop Registration

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Farida Taha. Farida writes about losing her daughter to cancer and how she's moving forward. We talk a lot about loss on our podcast, because writing is how so many people process grief. We believe writing opens the heart, clears the mind, and helps us understand and process. In this essay, Farida throws out some incredibly poignant lines that reveal intense pain and so much hope for the future.Farida Taha is a writer and mother of three. She is originally from New York City and resides in Miami, FL. She is an avid listener and former writing class radio student. You can find her on Instagram @faridae.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daniel and Quinn kick back with renowned sociologist, NY Times columnist, best-selling author, MacArthur Genius, public intellectual, and weapons-grade badass Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom. The Tar Heel trio dive into an array of topics including Southern identity, DEI at UNC, the societal impact of higher education, the ascent of Tim Walz, the myth of the undecided voter, the South's cultural and political parallels with Ireland and Scotland, the art of the Tressay, and why Americans should love the DMV. Yes, you read that last one correctly. As a Patreon supporter, you help us build a better North Carolina, one conversation at a time. Sign up and help us Holler! Connect with Dr. Cottom on…  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tressiemcphd?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@black_was_genius?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Website: https://tressiemc.com/ Connect with the Holler on social media https://www.instagram.com/thehometownholler/ or by visiting our website www.thehometownholler.com 00:00 Greatest Podcast Into in the History of the Universe 01:51 Introducing Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom 04:20 Discussion on Personal Essays and Public Discourse 10:12 The DMV: A Case for Civic Engagement 18:09 The Role of College Campuses in Civic Life 19:11 Challenges Facing UNC Chapel Hill 26:38 Kamala Harris and the Future of American Politics 35:53 Trump's Media Strategy and Political Landscape 40:39 The Myth of the Undecided Voter 41:29 A Masterclass in Statesmanship 43:42 Progressive Politics and Party Dynamics 49:56 The Unique Identity of the American South 53:23 Cultural and Political Parallels with Ireland and Scotland 57:20 The GOP's Strategy in the South 01:03:41 For-Profit Colleges and Higher Education 01:07:22 Navigating North Carolina's Political Landscape 01:11:12 Advice for Aspiring Non-Fiction Writers 01:16:09 Conclusion and Farewell

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Sarena Neyman. Sarena is in Allison's 2nd Draft class, which is made up of writers who come together to share a draft of their essay and receive feedback from the group. Sarena's stories are funny and brimming with voice and perfect landings.Sarena Neyman has been writing for numerous human rights groups for more than 20 years, working on causes from digital privacy to affordable housing to marriage equality. She writes for cabinlife.com and PeaceVoice.com. Sarena lives in Western Massachusetts.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Janet Funk. Janet writes about her experience sharing an essay she wrote with her family prior to submitting for publication to. The essay was about the horrible fourth of July when her brother Robbie drowned and was published in Business Insider on July 3, 2024.We'll discuss the age-old-memoir questions: How do we write about and publish stories about the people in our lives? Janet's essay was written from a prompt given in First Draft. The prompt was this: Write about Something Beautiful. Janet's story is called Something Beautiful Happened When I Shared My Writing with My FamilyJanet Funk lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Johnny, two sons and goldendoodle. In her free time she kayaks, hikes and writes. She also works at the best thrift store in town.You can find her writing on her Substack https://janetfunk.substack.com/Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Evelyn had been talking about writing this book for some time with her publishers. Trying to write a biography of a person who's still alive is never easy, especially for such a vaulted figure as Joan Didion.  After her death, the book had a context of also trying to explain Didion's legacy in the wake of many articles that came out on Didion. Evelyn wrote this book because there was so much interest in Joan Didion, but also hype around her.Listen in to hear more about Didion's Contrasts and Transformations including significant connections between Evelyn and Joan.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Bonnie Shor, who we call Blee. Blee has been a student of Writing Class Radio for two years. We love the shit out of her. Listen to what she told us: I took up knitting, Zumba and writing when I turned 60. Eight years later, there's a ball of yarn in my closet, and four unused Zumba classes on my lost dance card. My writing, though, can be found in several anthologies, most recently, Hellokoo Volume 1 Letter A, Loud Coffee Press Magazine, and now Writing Class Radio. For more Blee, check out her Instagram @Bleeshor. Blee's story is called Am I Turning Into My Mother? A question many people can totally relate to on so many levels. On this episode we talk about how Blee so elegantly described her mother and herself. We discuss what makes something universal, the details that drew us in and told us so much about the narrator, and we discuss why the structure she used is so effective. And finally, we talk about endings. This narrator nailed the ending in a huge way. Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Lezza joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about losing loved ones, panic disorder and the stigma around anxiety, anger, shame, and the grieving process, discovering the genre he needed while at an MFA program, lyric essay, how story dictates form, what we can't shake, and his memoir I'm Never Fine: Scenes and Spasms on Loss.   Also in this episode: -grief as a shapeshifter -memoir in essays -gathering stories   Books mentioned in this episode: The Year of Magical Thinking and Blue Nights by Joan Didion  Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris  Born to Be Public by Greg Mania  On Looking b Lia Purpura  The Male Gazed by Manuel Betancourt  High Risk Homosexual by Edgar Gomez  Brown Neon by Raquel Gutiérrez  Congratulations! The Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas  The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile  Also, some great craft books: Bending Genre by Nicole Walker, Margot Singer The Art of the Personal Essay by Phillip Lopate Crafting the Personal Essay by  Dinty W. Moore Halls of Fame by John D'Agata April 24, 2024 Joseph Lezza is a writer in New York, NY with an MFA in creative writing from The University of Texas at El Paso. His debut memoir in essays, I'm Never Fine: Scenes and Spasms on Loss (Vine Leaves Press), was a finalist for the 2021 Prize Americana in Prose and was named by Buzzfeed LGBTQ+ and Lambda Literary as a "Most Anticipated 2023 Release." His work has been featured in, among others, Longreads, Occulum, Variant Literature, The Hopper, West Trade Review, and Santa Fe Writers Project. His website is www.josephlezza.com and you can find him on all the socials @lezzdoothis. Connect with Joseph: Website: www.josephlezza.com Social Media: https://linktr.ee/josephlezza Substack: https://ladyindread.substack.com/   — Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories. She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and lives in Seattle with her family where she teaches memoir workshops and is working on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com   Sign up for monthly podcast and writing updates: https://bit.ly/33nyTKd Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Newsletter sign-up: https://ronitplank.com/#signup   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://twitter.com/RonitPlank https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank Background photo credit: Photo by Patrick Tomasso on Unsplash Headshot photo credit: Sarah Anne Photography Theme music: Isaac Joel, Dead Moll's Fingers

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Alison Colwell. At age 8, Alison was responsible for making sure her mother's epileptic seizure didn't kill her. In this essay, Alison takes us to a moment in the hospital where if she'd looked away, her mom might have died. Alison's essay is an excellent example of hot topic cold prose and is contained in a very short moment. We will go into detail about what we mean by hot topic cold prose and why the tool is so effective. Alison's essay is called Look Away.Alison Colwell graduated from the BFA program at UVIC and is now the Executive Director of the Galiano Community Food Program, a charity focused on increasing food security on Galiano Island. She is a single working mother of two children with mental health challenges and a survivor of domestic abuse, all of which inform her creative writing. Alison was recently awarded a Canada Council for the Arts Grant to work on a series of interconnected essays that weave fairy tales with memoir. Alison has been published in Rising Tides, Folklife Magazine, The Fieldstone Review, the NonBinary Review, The Fourth River, The Humber Literary Review, The Ocotillo Review, Daily Science Fiction, Flash Fiction Magazine, Crow & Cross Keys, The Drabble, and Tangled Locks Journal and is forthcoming in Two Hawks Quarterly and Hippocampus Magazine. Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. A transcription of this episode can be found of the Sound Off Media Company's Network Page. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We speak with Associate Professor of English Jennifer Glaser (University of Cincinnati) about her writing life. When she was in graduate school, Glaser wrote an essay that was published in the NYT's “Modern Love” section, and which affected her understanding of the kinds of writing she wanted to do as both a scholar and a writer. We talk about being a “serious academic” who finds satisfaction in a variety of writing genres. We talk about writing into uncomfortable subjects and the kind of risks involved in writing more personally, as well as the many benefits of having a more creative and personal writing profile, in addition to a scholarly writing profile. Don't forget to rate and review our show and follow us on all social media platforms here: https://linktr.ee/writingitpodcast Contacts us with questions, possible future topics/guests, or comments here: https://writingit.fireside.fm/contact

This episode focuses on how to tell a story out loud. In May 2024, our own Andrea Askowitz made her way to a Moth storytelling competition and for the 15th time (over nine years), dropped her name in the bag. The prompt was snooping. Before she left home, her wife told her to look at this evening, if chosen, as practice instead of assuming this would be her Moth. So, when her name was chosen, Andrea had not memorized a story but instead decided to have fun telling the audience about the time she snooped on her daughter's Insta account. Did she win at long last? Listen to find out. In this episode, you will also hear tips on how to hone your story for both the page and the stage. If you want to tell a story out loud or if you want to hone a story you're writing for the page, sign up here to workshop with Andrea. Page to Stage and Back to Page is happening June 27, 2024 7-8:30 p.m. ET on Zoom.A transcription of this episode can be found on the Network Page.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Emma Lathrop, a PhD student at The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Emma's story is about proving your value and fighting for your position as a woman in STEM. The best part is when we get a glimpse into how the field would look if Emma were the boss.This story was originally performed on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in October 2023. Like episode 174, 175, 177, 179, and 180 this was a collaboration with ECOSS, The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society, at Northern Arizona University and Story Collider, a podcast that airs true SCIENCE stories.Writing Class Radio worked with Dr. Bruce Hungate and Dr. Jane Marks, ecologists and professors at NAU. They have been taking classes with us for about three years. Last year, they were like, Hey, we gotta get our students to personalize their science stories and then they hired us to work with their students online and in person and all of it culminated in a show, which got a standing ovation. Jane and Bruce know that connecting on a personal level will help scientists convey their messages to a broader public and hopefully save the world. Emma Lathrop is a PhD student at NAU in the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at Northern Arizona University. Her research focuses on understanding how susceptible carbon in deep soils is to decomposition and emission to the atmosphere as greenhouse gas. Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode, I am chatting with Katherine Snow Smith. Katherine is a Raleigh native and has lived throughout the south as a newspaper reporter, editor, daughter, sister, mother, wife, divorcee and friend. Her memoir, Stepping on the Blender & Other Times Life Gets Messy was publishing in November 2023. Katherine shared all about the writing of her book, including how funny life can be, but also the experience of sharing the raw and honest essays. She talks about the differences in writing as a reporter versus for personal essay. We chatted about how we can feel connected through reading, library tips with young children, as well as a fabulous gift idea for your friends! I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Happy listening!

Lilly Dancyger (@lillydancyger) is a writer and editor whose latest book is First Love: Essays on Friendship (Dial Press).In this episode Lilly talks about her trepidation around writing a true-crime memoir, braided essays, book marketing, and when to let the emotion of the moment do the talking.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Today on our show, we bring you a story by our own Allison Langer. Her essay is called My Mom And I Fought For 55 Years. Now Battling My Son Is Making Me Rethink Everything, which was originally published in Huffington Post, May 16, 2023.In this episode, Allison shows us that you can write about the same thing over and over and you should. It's the only way to really work out your shit. Listen to the hosts discuss why writing and rewriting is important for your heart and your story.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Darby Bergl, a PhD student at The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Her story is about resilience and survival in the face of a volatile father. Darby has a passion for ecology and the study of carbon dynamics in temperate forests, which she interjects into her story.Darby's story was originally performed on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in October 2023. This was a Collaboration with ECOSS, Northern Arizona University, and Story Collider, a podcast that airs true science stories. Darby was totally present while telling her story on stage and her delivery was spot on. Writing Class Radio worked with Dr. Bruce Hungate and Dr. Jane Marks, ecologists and professors at NAU. They have been taking classes with us for about three years. Last year, they were like, Hey, we gotta get our students to personalize their science stories and then they hired us to work with their students online and in person and all of it culminated in a show, which got a standing ovation. Jane and Bruce know that connecting on a personal level will help scientists convey their messages to a broader public and hopefully save the world. Darby Bergl is a PhD student at NAU in the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at Northern Arizona University. Darby's research focuses on the interactions between climate and soil biogeochemistry in terrestrial ecosystems. She is interested in utilizing radiocarbon techniques and modeling approaches to comprehend how C cycling, turnover, and storage will change over time and how this relates to the global C cycle. She plans to use the findings to participate in discussions about the carbon budget in northern hardwood forests with stakeholders, policy advisers, and community members.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TV writer Michael Jamin (‘Just Shoot Me!' and ‘King of the Hill.') on his experience as a writer and showrunner, growing his platform and how he created, promoted and self-published his book A Paper Orchestra,*ABOUT MICHAEL JAMINMichael Jamin has been writing for television since 1996.  His many credits include Just Shoot Me, King of the Hill, Beavis & Butthead, Wilfred, Out of Practice, Rules of Engagement, Lopez and Tacoma FD.  He's also served as Executive Producer/Showrunner on Glenn Martin DDS, Maron, and Rhett & Link's Buddy System. Michael currently lives in Los Angeles, where he continues to work in TV and is the author of the essay collection A Paper Orchestra.*RESOURCES & LINKS

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Keven Griffen, a PhD student at The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Her story uses science to understand an emotional connection to place. She did it by having us fall in love with the place. She set the scene and raised the stakes. Keven's story was originally performed on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in October 2023. This was a Collaboration with ECOSS, Northern Arizona University, and Story Collider, a podcast that airs true science stories. Keven was dialed in while telling her story on stage and her delivery was impeccable. Writing Class Radio worked with Dr. Bruce Hungate and Dr. Jane Marks, ecologists and professors at NAU. They have been taking classes with us for about three years. Last year, they were like, Hey, we gotta get our students to personalize their science stories and then they hired us to work with their students online and in person and all of it culminated in a show, which got a standing ovation. Jane and Bruce know that connecting on a personal level will help scientists convey their messages to a broader public and hopefully save the world. Keven Griffen is a PhD student at NAU in the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society at Northern Arizona University. She is interested in how communities respond to disturbance in extreme environments, and her research is primarily focused on using biological soil crusts for restoration applications, their tolerances for extreme environments, and their responses to global change.Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show we bring you a story by Morgan Sutton that embodies everything a story should embody. The story uses no extra words; the narrator looks inside herself; and the story matters to the broader world.The story is so important because it explains a very dangerous and ugly assumption that is often made about women who've been raped. Morgan does it by examining her own situation and her own assumptions. There's no preaching. And there's nothing dogmatic. This is what writing and storytelling is all about. Getting to the truth. Morgan workshopped this story at Writing Class Radio's annual writing boot camp in Key Largo. She did the work to make the story great. Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Jasmine Anenberg, a PhD student at The Center for Ecosystem Science and Society (ECOSS) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Her story is about losing a friend but gaining something he taught her, which is seeing the beauty in small things. She takes this lesson into her fieldwork as she studies mosses in dirt.Her story was originally performed on stage at the Flagstaff Festival of Science in October 2023. This was a Collaboration with ECOSS, Northern Arizona University, and Story Collider, a podcast that airs true science stories. Jasmine was totally present while telling her story on stage and her delivery was spot on. Writing Class Radio worked with Dr. Bruce Hungate and Dr. Jane Marks, ecologists and professors at NAU. They have been taking classes with us for about three years. Last year, they were like, Hey, we gotta get our students to personalize their science stories and then they hired us to work with their students online and in person and all of it culminated in a show, which got a standing ovation. Jane and Bruce know that connecting on a personal level will help scientists convey their messages to a broader public and hopefully save the world. Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.There's more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon. If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You'll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you're a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paid subscribers get full access to my interview with Rob Henderson. The first half of this episode is available to all listeners. To hear the entire conversation, become a paying subscriber here. If you listen to this podcast and others like it, you may have heard of the concept of luxury beliefs. It was coined by this week's guest Rob Henderson. Rob holds a PhD in psychology, has written for lots of media outlets, and writes a popular Sustack newsletter about social issues and how they relate to class dynamics, economic forces, and personal psychology. He also has a brand new book, Troubled: A Memoir of Family, Foster Care, and Social Class. Born to a drug addicted mother, Rob spent his early life in the foster care system in California, living in seven different homes before finding a permanent placement. However, his adoptive family was chaotic, and Rob navigated a labyrinth of dysfunction before joining the military and eventually finding his way to the Ivy League. It was there that he noticed that many of his classmates seemed to hold certain ideas about the world at large, often in the name of tolerance, even though they held themselves to a much higher standard. From that emerged the concept of luxury beliefs which he discusses in depth in his memoir. GUEST BIO Rob Henderson is a Yale and Cambridge University graduate who writes extensively on human nature, psychology, social class, TV shows, movies, political and social divisions, and more on Substack. The term "luxury beliefs" was coined by him, inspired by his experiences at Yale. His book, "Troubled: A Memoir of Family, Foster Care, and Social Class," will be published in February 2024 through Simon & Schuster. Follow him on Substack. Follow his Twitter/X. Get his book, “Troubled” here. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING

Paid subscribers get full access to my interview with Lori Gottlieb. The first half of this episode is available to all listeners. To hear the entire conversation, become a paying subscriber here. Psychotherapist and writer Lori Gottlieb visited The Unspeakable in 2021 to talk about her bestselling book Maybe You Should Talk To Someone. She returns for a Valentine's Day episode about finding love, staying in love, and what to make of all the social scientists constantly going on about how marriage and family are essential for mental, physical and even economic well-being. To that, Lori says, “well, obviously!” But she also asks “how are you supposed to find someone when our social systems are so dysfunctional?” Her own story involves becoming a mother on her own in her 30s (her son Zach is a budding Gen Z thought leader in his own right) and trying to balance her own dating life with childrearing and a busy career. In this conversation, she talks about how she tries to help clients who are struggling to find love, how honest talk about female fertility became taboo sometime in the 2000s, why dating apps are making things so much worse, and why age gaps in romantic relationships seem more prevalent than ever. She also explains why, for older daters, widowed people can make the best partners and, finally, why more singles should seriously consider hiring a matchmaker. GUEST BIO Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and the New York Times best-selling author of “Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” and “Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough.” She is also a TED Speaker, the co-host of the popular "Dear Therapists" podcast, and the “Dear Therapist” columnist for The Atlantic. Listen to the last time she was on the podcast. Check out her website. Follow her on Twitter here. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING

Paid subscribers get full access to my interview with John Vervaeke and Shawn Coyne. The first half of this episode is available to all listeners. To hear the entire conversation, become a paying subscriber here. Meghan has been threatening to do an episode on artificial intelligence, and finally she makes good. This week, she welcomes two guests: the philosopher, neuroscientist, and popular YouTuber John Vervaeke and the editor and publishing entrepreneur Shawn Coyne. They have collaborated on Mentoring The Machines,  a series of short books–technically, it's one book in four parts–about artificial intelligence. Their aim is to offer a clear understanding of the implications of AI and to invite readers to think about their own participation in its development and how their own choices can move that development in a positive or negative direction. In this conversation, they explain what drew them to this subject, how they came to work together, and how worried we should be about computers destroying civilization. GUEST BIOS John Vervaeke is an award-winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series, “Awakening from the Meaning Crisis,” “After Socrates” and the host of “Voices with Vervaeke.” Sean Coyne is a writer, editor, and the founder of Story Grid. Learn about Mentoring The Machines. Want to hear the whole conversation? Upgrade your subscription here. HOUSEKEEPING