Today on our show, we bring you 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 her vulnerability. To hear another of Emil...
Dec 14, 2022•20 min•Season 14Ep. 144
Today on our show, we’re sharing another story by Corey Devon Arthur. Corey’s stories have been aired on Episode 120: My Pen Uncovers the Real Me and Episode 128: My New Manifesto. Corey Devon Arthur has served 25 years on a life sentence for robbery and murder and is currently housed at Otisville Correctional Institution in New York. Corey is an artist and writer who has been published on Writing Class Radio and The Marshall Project . The story Corey wrote for this episode was in response...
Nov 30, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 143
Today on our show, we’re talking about beginnings and endings. What is an effective way to begin a story and a satisfying way to end? The story we bring you on this episode is an amazing example of how to start with appropriate grounding and how to land/end the essay like a gymnast. The narrator isn’t just a beginning and ending genius, she also uses lingo associated with her theme. This style is effective, because the reader feels more drawn in. Another example of that same type of inclusive li...
Nov 16, 2022•20 min•Season 14Ep. 142
Today on our show, we bring you a story by one of Allison’s 7th grade students. She spent two months teaching English to 7th and 8th graders at a private school in Miami, and because she’s her, she assigned personal essay after personal essay. She learned about their parents, what they eat for dinner, their nannies, grandparents, and favorite sport. They resisted getting personal, the same way Allison did when she started writing. Most people seem to struggle with writing about themselves, getti...
Nov 02, 2022•23 min•Season 14Ep. 141
Today on our show, we bring you the story we’ve been searching for since June 24, 2022 when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade. We put a call out for men’s abortion stories and waited months. In Episode 138: There’s Always More to the Story , we talked about why only three men submitted stories, none of which fit our guidelines. We called men cowards. Matt Cundill, our audio producer, was in the greenroom listening. If you missed Episode 138 , check it out. You can hear the lashing we gave ...
Oct 19, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 140
Today’s episode showcases a story by student Danielle Huggins . Danielle’s story shows what happened when she got off her medication for bipolar disorder. This story is the best example of show and tell EVER! We ask you, why do you read and listen to stories: to be taken into another world or to find yourself in the story? Danielle told a story on Episode 105: Teach Us Something We Don’t Know . That episode was about her experience with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). If you haven’t listened to...
Oct 05, 2022•25 min•Season 14Ep. 139
Today’s episode revisits the subject of abortion but is about much more. We put a call-out for men’s abortion stories and received several abortion stories by women and very few (only three) by men. We are grateful to the men who submitted, but none was quite right for Writing Class Radio. We will continue to bring you abortion stories as they come in. So men, please weigh in. We want to hear from you. Submission guidelines are on our website. We selected this essay by past student Melanie Merri...
Sep 21, 2022•37 min•Season 14Ep. 138
Today on our show we share a story by our own Allison Langer . Her essay is called Writing Class Helped Me Break Down My Facade. You will hear about the fight hosts Allison and Andrea had that prompted this episode. We’ll talk about trying to make money as a writer, revisiting the same theme, and how to win a writing contest. If you think you are the only one writing about the same thing over and over, this episode is for you. See how themes can change over time and how you can win a conte...
Sep 07, 2022•26 min•Season 14Ep. 137
Today on our show, author and overall cool woman, Allison Landa reads an excerpt from her new memoir coming out October 4, 2022 called Bearded Lady (Woodhall Press). Pre-order today from our favorite Indie, Books & Books , or wherever you get books. Andrea read an advance copy and this story–this book–is one of Andrea’s all time favorites. This essay, the whole memoir, is a lesson in guts out vulnerability. Andrea believes Allison Landa is the next Joan Didion. The part we bring you is a per...
Aug 24, 2022•39 min•Season 14Ep. 136
Today on our show we share a story by Cheryl E. Klein , author of the soon to be released memoir Crybaby. Cheryl takes an unusual subject, complaining, and makes a case for it. She even goes so far as to say complaining is noble. Her wit and humor make this episode another must listen!! We discuss her voice and commitment to what some people, most people, probably think is an obnoxious quality. Cheryl also uses dialogue really well. You can find Cheryl on Twitter @CherylEKleinLA and Instagr...
Aug 10, 2022•19 min•Season 14Ep. 135
Today on our show we share a story by Pamela McBride , a student in our First Draft and Second Draft writing group about her near fatal experience being dismissed by her doctor. This story is far too common for Black women and Pamela wants to re-write that story. She is tired of worrying about being the “angry Black woman” and gives women a prescription for how to take care of themselves. We talk about writing as activism and writing as service. This story does both. Pamela McBride is an A...
Jul 27, 2022•28 min•Season 13Ep. 134
Today on our show we share a story by Sally Schwartz called Divorce Shiva. Sally’s story reveals the importance of ritual in helping us go through love and loss. On the day of her divorce, instead of crying at home alone, her friends gathered around and built a giant bonfire. Sally was reluctant to “celebrate” at first, but as she threw her monogrammed stationery into the flames, she realized she needed the ritual. This story is a perfect example of equal parts heart and art. Sally tells the ful...
Jul 13, 2022•22 min•Season 13Ep. 133
On June 24, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Today we bring you a personal essay that includes an abortion story, in hopes that it will prompt men to tell their abortion stories. The story was co-written by Andrea Askowitz and Ida Dupont. Ida and Andrea have been in the abortion fight for thirty years. They realize reproductive justice advocates (them included) made a mistake in couching abortion as solely a women’s issue. Men benefit from abortions just as much as women. Men need...
Jun 29, 2022•29 min•Season 13Ep. 132
Today on our show we share a story by Andrea Askowitz . Andrea’s story was written as speculative memoir during our writing retreat in Guatemala. And if you are like most people, you have never heard of speculative memoir. After you hear this episode, you will be dying to give it a try. But why did she use speculative memoir? According to author Laraine Herring, who wrote in the Rumpus, speculative memoir explores the truth through the figurative over the literal. She questions why we say “just”...
Jun 15, 2022•33 min•Season 13Ep. 131
Today on our show we share a story by Kelly Eden who lives in New Zealand. Kelly brought this essay to 2nd Draft, a class we offer on Zoom. (To sign up click here.) Kelly took the feedback she received from the class then posted on Medium and got lots of traction. Her story shows her struggle with Crohn’s disease while asking herself a question very familiar to our hosts, “Am I doing enough?” Kelly's essays and short fiction have won several awards. She has been writing for magazines and online ...
Jun 01, 2022•38 min•Season 13Ep. 130
Today on our show we share a story by Heidi Walker called Coming Home. The essay is under 800 words and finely detailed to emphasize only what the narrator would like us to focus on. We love this essay not only for its sentiment but also because the tightness of the essay proves that keeping it simple can often make the story stronger. We wanted this story on our show for the heart it expresses. The essay is also artfully crafted. But, the heart hit us hard. The story is about coming home. Which...
May 18, 2022•23 min•Season 13Ep. 129
Today on our show we bring you another story by Corey Devon Arthur , an inmate at Otisville Correctional Facility in New York. This story is about the demon he battles in his head, which is literally a voice that tries to talk him into continuing the violence he learned on the street, and his attempt to become a better man. We also have a special guest host. Sarah Holtz is a reporter and audio producer based in Oakland. Her work has aired on Houston Public Media, New Orleans Public Radio, and No...
May 04, 2022•30 min•Season 13Ep. 128
This episode is about landing an ending. It’s also about raising the bar on what we write about. In this case, storyteller Jennifer Landau writes something new and important about being a mom. She is afraid for what will happen to her son after she dies. This is especially important because like Allison and Andrea, Jennifer chose to have children on her own using anonymous sperm donation. So, Jennifer does not have a co-parent. The story is beautiful and so honest. This essay was previously...
Apr 20, 2022•26 min•Season 13Ep. 127
Today on our show we’re talking about language. Listener Jamshid Samareh came to the United States from Tehran in 1978. He shares his story, which is about how learning the English language has helped him connect with Americans. Jamshid quotes Nelson Mandela who said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." Jamshid lives in Norfolk, VA holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics and is a senio...
Apr 06, 2022•24 min•Season 13Ep. 126
Welcome to Season 13. On today’s episode, you’ll hear a story which is less than 600 words and perfectly told. So much so, that we have chosen to use this story to show how to structure an essay. We’ll go over the 5Cs of a well-structured essay and why details are important. Anthony Askowitz is not a writer. He is a realtor , and he is also Andrea’s older brother. Anthony read this essay during a family dinner after his daughters left for college. Do not miss the bloopers at the end, where Andre...
Mar 23, 2022•20 min•Season 13Ep. 125
This is the final episode in a 10-part series inspired by the men Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. This series shared stories written by Allison’s former memoir students as well as formerly incarcerated and currently incarcerated people from around the United States. Their experiences and voices, like those of many incarcerated people, are often marginalized and unheard. On today’s episode, you will hear a story by Richardson Francois aka Swa, who Allison confesses was on...
Mar 09, 2022•56 min•Season 12Ep. 124
This is the ninth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. On today’s episode, you will hear a story by someone who is still incarcerated. For security reasons, he calls himself NameLess. You will understand why he has chosen to remain NameLess once you hear his story cal...
Feb 23, 2022•23 min•Season 12Ep. 123
This is the eighth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. In this episode, you will hear a story written by Robert Fell, who was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife. Robert has been in prison for 44 years. Robert Fell earned a Bachelors of Agric...
Feb 09, 2022•28 min•Season 12Ep. 122
This is the seventh episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. Today on the show, we have Dewain Williams . Dewain responded to our call for stories. His story reveals something really ugly at the top. We think he reveals this deliberately to show how much he's changed. We ...
Jan 26, 2022•28 min•Season 12Ep. 121
This is the sixth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the memoir students Allison Langer taught in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. On this episode, Corey Devon Arthur, a journalist inside Fishkill Correctional Facility in New York State, tells his story about wishing he could always be the person he is in writing. Corey submitted his essay through a...
Jan 12, 2022•22 min•Season 12Ep. 120
This is the fifth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories by her former students wrote and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. On this episode, we feature an essay by Rashmi Airan , who reads her story and answers questions on the show. Rashmi is an internationally recognized corporate and motivational speaker and entrepreneur. As a leader in her community a...
Dec 29, 2021•50 min•Season 12Ep. 119
This is the fourth episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. Today’s show shares two stories by Dutch Simmons , who served two years in a federal prison. Dutch reveals the horrors of saying goodbye to his family as he walks into prison. Dutch also takes us through 11 (of 3...
Dec 15, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 12Ep. 118
This is the third episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear new stories by her former students and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. Today’s show shares a story by Roderick Richardson, an inmate in a Florida prison. Rod is a master storyteller who grew up in Liberty City, which is a very rough area in Miami. Rod took care of his six brothers and sisters when his mom was...
Dec 01, 2021•35 min•Season 12Ep. 117
This is the second episode in a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. You will hear stories her former students wrote after taking her class and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. To help us get this right, Xaire has agreed to co-host the series with us. Xaire is a poet, singer-songwriter, actor, and teacher who teaches writing and poetry to kids in the foster care system and kids caught up in...
Nov 17, 2021•34 min•Season 12Ep. 116
Welcome to Season 12. Today, we’re starting a 10-part series inspired by the people Allison Langer taught memoir writing, in a men’s prison. We put a call out for stories, so you will hear stories her students have written recently and stories from other incarcerated or formerly incarcerated people around the world. To help us get this right, we asked Xaire, who is a poet, singer-songwriter, actor, and teacher to co-host with us. Xaire teaches writing and poetry to kids in the foster care system...
Nov 03, 2021•32 min•Season 12Ep. 115
