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writing class radio

andrea askowitz and allison langerwww.writingclassradio.com

Writing Class Radio is for people who love true, personal stories and want to learn how to write their own stories. There's no better way to understand ourselves and each other than by writing and telling our stories. Everyone has a story. What's yours?

Episodes

21: How To Tell Your Inappropriate Story: Live Show with Ann Randolph

Writing Class Radio goes live to the stage. This episode is part live show, part interview with star of our show, the award-winning, solo-performer, Ann Randolph . Allison Langer is our host. This episode is about the importance of telling stories--not fairy tales, but the real scary, true stories we like to hide. Allison got into writing after the death of her young daughter. Writing about the situation helped her deal with the pain and get back to the job of mothering her other children. Telli...

Oct 28, 20161 hr 15 minSeason 3Ep. 21

20: Where Do I Go From Here?

This episode is about those moments in life when you have no idea how you got here, whether to stay or go, or where to go next. Allison Langer, student in the class and host for this episode, asks the questions most of us struggle with. Did you land that dream job that turned out to be not so dreamy? Do you wish you lived somewhere else but can’t afford to move? Do you wonder what life would be like if you could just finish school already? Have you ever reached that point when you’re not sure yo...

Sep 09, 201632 minSeason 2Ep. 20

19: I'm Obsessed with Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss, Steve Almond, and my Spin Instructor

This episode is about obsessions . Andrea Askowitz, the teacher of the class speaks to Allison Langer, co-producer and student in the class. They discuss what she learned from the Tim Ferriss podcast when he interviewed Tony Robbins. Allison heard Robbins say, “Rejection breeds obsession.” And, ”The parent whose attention you were trying to get is the person who shaped you.” Andrea talks about how at the dinner table growing up, her dad would tell her to cut to the chase. That led to her obsessi...

Aug 24, 201627 minSeason 2Ep. 19

18: Who is Jahn Dope? From H.S. Football Star to Homeless Man to the Great Philip Sylverin

This episode is about self destruction . Jahn Dope, one of the students in our class, reads his story, Dark Matter. Jahn’s story begins after he overdoses on LSD after a crazy night of drinking and drugs, then backtracks to childhood. After Jahn’s story ends, the class was left with questions. So, producers Diego and Misha met Jahn at work to get the whole story. Listeners will hear why Jahn dropped out of college and what happened next. Jahn tells us how he got deeper and deeper into drugs and ...

Aug 03, 201630 minSeason 2Ep. 18

17: Circuit Boys, Gym Rats, Papi Chulos, Fashion Queens, Bears...Which One Are You?

This episode explores perspective, how sometimes it takes years to figure out that something you did or thought was totally fucked up. Bo tells his story about getting blocked from a 1-900 gay hotline. But the story is really about how it took him years to become comfortable enough with himself to stop judging the free expression he witnessed among the gay people he first encountered on Miami Beach 24 years ago. Bo came from the deep South in search of freedom from oppression. He wanted gay book...

Jul 19, 201620 minSeason 2Ep. 17

16: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone...Where the Magic Happens.

This episode explores the different zones we live in: comfort zone, stretch zone and panic zone. Allison talks about her experience at dinner with new friends and how she complained the entire night. She realizes she ventured too far into her stretch zone and panicked. Misha Mehrel tells his story on the stage at Lip Service, a live storytelling event in Miami. The story is about his hairy ass. The story was written in his very first writing class in response to a prompt. Misha worked on the sto...

Jun 30, 201630 minSeason 2Ep. 16

15: Dear Listener

This episode explores the epistolary form, which is just a snobby way to say stories written in the form of a letter. Andrea Askowitz starts with a letter written to her from her best friend in high school. Robin and Andrea wrote hundreds of letters back and forth to each other throughout their friendship. The letters in this episode were written 30 years ago, when Andrea spent a summer at camp away from Robin. She also has the letters she wrote to Robin, because Robin died when they were both 3...

Jun 14, 201622 minSeason 2Ep. 15

14: Taboo: Fat, Fuck, Masturbation

In this episode, we discuss what is taboo. Is it a word, a topic? Is it the same for everyone? We learn why we need to talk about things considered taboo, and when to actually write taboo words instead of referring to them. You’ll hear from Inessa Freylekhman who’s mom tells her what not to say on a date. You’ll also hear from Nicki Post, who feels that abortion is more taboo in the United States than in Korea. We’ll also take you into our community workshop where several new students write afte...

May 29, 201623 minSeason 2Ep. 14

13: Rejection Sucks. Why Do We Put Ourselves Out There?

In this episode, student and co-producer Allison Langer puts herself out there in writing and in love. The first story she tells was submitted to Modern Love, a column in the New York Times. Allison’s story got rejected, which is the subject of the second story she tells. Also in the second story, Allison compares the Modern Love rejection to rejection in love. Allison shares her motto for dealing with rejection. A motto she borrowed from author Cheryl Strayed. You’ll also hear Andrea discuss he...

May 17, 201626 minSeason 2Ep. 13

12: Emotional Hangover. Those Times When You Feel You Told too Much.

Have you ever told a story or shared a secret and regretted it? Like you wake up the next morning and you’re like ew, why’d I say that? And then you want to vomit? Today we’re talking about telling stories that give us emotional hangovers. Those times when you feel you told too much. In this episode, Nicki Post tells her story about the time she was raped. Andrea discusses the class rules after someone tells a story. We pretend the person who just told the story isn’t in the room. We address tha...

May 01, 201619 minSeason 2Ep. 12

11: Words Matter: Student Missy Shares Words with her Hero Elizabeth Gilbert

The words we say to each other and ourselves shape our lives. One of Andrea’s favorite writing tenets is: Make every word count. In today’s episode we learn that every word counts in life also. This is the first episode of our second semester and we have some new students. You’ll hear Missy Hernandez tell her story called Words. Her story is about sharing words with her hero Elizabeth Gilbert of Eat Pray Love. Missy ended up on Gilbert’s Podcast, Magic Lessons. Hear how Lizzy’s words brought Mis...

Apr 25, 201626 minSeason 2Ep. 11

10: How to Write a Story Meant to be Told Out Loud

Today, we’re talking about writing stories meant to be told out loud . Jahn Dope tells his story, Tackled, about the time he was raped. Andrea Askowitz tells her story Thank You For Listening, about the time she went 24 hours without talking about herself. Both stories were told on stage at Lip Service in front of 600 people. You’ll hear how a performance can change the gravity of a subject. Allison Langer is the host and substitute teacher for this episode. Andrea, our regular host and teacher ...

Feb 25, 201634 minSeason 1Ep. 10

Will You Love Me Forever or Just on Valentine's Day?

Today, we are stepping out of order because it’s February and we’re in the U.S. and we can’t avoid thinking about love. So, we’re bringing you a Valentine’s Day episode. This episode is a little different. Slightly less teachy, thought not without this lesson: A good way to approach a story is to ask a question and then to try to answer it. You’ll meet students from season two and you’ll hear from some of regulars that you already know. You’ll hear their questions about love. Miriam Herman, a ne...

Feb 11, 201622 min

9: Who Cares About Your Story? What Are the Stakes?

We’re talking about stakes. And we don’t mean those slabs of meat you eat if you’re not a vegetarian, but what makes a listener or a reader care about a story. And we’re talking about what we have to lose as storytellers when we tell our stories. One thing we know about memoir writing is that the narrator lived to tell the tale. So if we know the narrator lived, why do we care? The job of storytellers is to make us care. Andrea talks about a writing webinar with Lea Thau, host and producer of St...

Feb 01, 201629 minSeason 1Ep. 9

8: You Don't Have to be a Clown to Write Funny

This episode is about writing humor . Andrea tells a joke only she thinks is funny, then calls our humor expert, Jay Wexler, who confirms just how funny her joke is. Jay is an attorney and the author of five books. Later in the show, Jay shares his ten suggestions for writing humor. Andrea adds four. Together, they have 14 suggestions for writing humor. Terry DeMeo introduces herself before telling a story in front of a live audience, at Lip Service. In her own words, Terry wonders about who she...

Jan 15, 201635 minSeason 1Ep. 8

True Story: Nobody Likes New Year's Eve.

We’re interrupting our first semester to give you a taste of who’s to come in our second semester. You’ll meet Frenchy, who took Andrea’s writing class years ago and is now back. Does she get a kiss on New Year’s Eve? You’ll also meet Tobi Ash and hear why she’s been avoiding New Year’s celebrations for 30 years. Cynthia Castillo who wished for a tragic life to write about until tragedy hit. Nicki Post takes us on a trip to Korea, one of her many adventures out of the country. You’ll hear from S...

Dec 30, 201521 min

7: Story Structure Is Sexy

How should a story be structured? Start from the very beginning by using the concept of story spine . Story spine, a technique articulated by the playwright Ken Adams, is the backbone of every traditional story. In this episode, Allison uses the story spine to write about her return to dating after having children on her own. Inessa writes about a date that goes wrong and Jahn uses this structure to tell stories about the first time he got a boner. In each story, the story spine structure brings...

Dec 14, 201518 minSeason 1Ep. 7

6: Wendi Tells the Story of her Ex-husband’s Murder. Writing Is an Exercise in Trust.

Today we give you Wendi Adelson the way she revealed herself in the first semester. Andrea talks about hot topic, cold prose, a writing technique where the narrator pares down the writing in a difficult moment. The story is told without sentiment. It’s just reported. Two weeks into the semester, Wendi came back with some of the answers to students’ questions. In her first story she hinted at not feeling like she can publicly express how she really feels, a theme she repeated in the next story. I...

Dec 03, 201522 minSeason 1Ep. 6

5: The Lies We Tell

Danny and Bo reveal the lies they've told, especially to themselves. And then the fallout. Danny falls in love with two women but neither knows about the other. Everyone is happy, until he hears a knock at the door. Bo admits to his many sexual encounters with women, sometimes in the same day; all an attempt to cure himself from being gay. Andrea talks about the importance of feedback and encourages the listener to find a writing group. She says feedback can be delicate, especially with any new ...

Nov 11, 201524 minSeason 1Ep. 5

4: Field Trip to the Fertility Clinic. Freezing Eggs at 6 a.m.

Andrea follows Inessa to the fertility clinic early one morning as she goes through the process of harvesting her eggs, an undertaking not entirely of her doing. We heard in the second episode that Mama put down $10,000 toward the procedure. Inessa paid the remaining $2,000. Turns out Inessa is not the only one in class who has or is currently going about having children without getting knocked up. Writing Class Radio  is a podcast where you’ll hear true personal stories and learn a little ...

Oct 13, 20158 minSeason 1Ep. 4

3: What Is the Story You Tell about Your Relationship with Your Mother?

Hear what Inessa, Danny, Bo, Jahn, Allison and Andrea confess about their relationships with their moms and how those relationships have shaped their lives. We all tell stories, including to ourselves. The truth is, you never know how the people you love will respond to what you write about them. You may be surprised. Writing Class Radio  is a podcast where you’ll hear true personal stories and learn a little about how to write your own stories. Writing Class Radio is equal parts heart and ...

Oct 11, 201517 minSeason 1Ep. 3

2: How Are You? Really?

In our first class of the semester, we got the writing prompt, "How are you? Really?" Danny and Inessa are two students in the class who share exactly how they are. Danny's story involves underwear. Inessa's involves stabbing hormones into her belly to create eggs that may become her future children. Both stories are about how they are influenced by their parents. Aren't we all? Writing Class Radio  is a podcast where you’ll hear true personal stories and learn a little about how to write y...

Oct 10, 201515 minSeason 1Ep. 2

1: The Pilot: The Hardest Thing To Write About

Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz created a podcast of their writing class. On this episode you'll hear what qualifies Andrea to be the teacher. And why Allison insisted the world needs this podcast. We believe that once you write about the thing you don't want to write about, that thing has less emotional power over you. Allison reveals the hardest thing in the world to write about. Content warning: this episode contains a story about the loss of a child. Writing Class Radio  is a podcast...

Oct 09, 201527 minSeason 1Ep. 1