Episodes

136: What Makes You Weird in the World?
Aug. 24, 2022

136: What Makes You Weird in the World?

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 Indy, Books & Books, or w...
135: In Praise of Complaining
Aug. 10, 2022

135: In Praise of Complaining

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!!
134: #MedicalGaslighting: Writing as a Service
July 27, 2022

134: #MedicalGaslighting: Writing as a Service

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…
133: Nobody Dreams of Getting Divorced
July 13, 2022

133: Nobody Dreams of Getting Divorced

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…
132: Here’s My Abortion Story. Men, Tell Us Yours.
June 29, 2022

132: Here’s My Abortion Story. Men, Tell Us Yours.

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.
131: How to Write About Something You Can’t Remember
June 15, 2022

131: How to Write About Something You Can’t Remember

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 …
130: I’m Not Scared of Death, But I Can’t Stop Asking This One Question
June 1, 2022

130: I’m Not Scared of Death, But I Can’t Stop Asking This One Question

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 pos...
129: Maybe We’re All Just Homing Pigeons. Are You Home Yet?
May 18, 2022

129: Maybe We’re All Just Homing Pigeons. Are You Home Yet?

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 sim…
128: My New Manifesto: A Man Serving a Life Sentence for Murder Changes His Ways.
May 4, 2022

128: My New Manifesto: A Man Serving a Life Sentence for Murder Changes His Ways.

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 attemp…
127: Parenting Alone: How Will My Autistic Son Manage Without Me?
April 20, 2022

127: Parenting Alone: How Will My Autistic Son Manage Without Me?

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 Al…
126: Will We Ever Understand Each Other if We Don’t Speak the Same Language?
April 6, 2022

126: Will We Ever Understand Each Other if We Don’t Speak the Same Language?

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 lan…
125: Tossing the Shells but Not the Memories.
March 23, 2022

125: Tossing the Shells but Not the Memories.

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 no…
124: The Hate Hate Creates
March 9, 2022

124: The Hate Hate Creates

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 e…
123: The Words He Left Behind
Feb. 23, 2022

123: The Words He Left Behind

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.
122: What Does 44 Years in Prison Look Like?
Feb. 9, 2022

122: What Does 44 Years in Prison Look Like?

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 ep…
121: When a Big Mistake Becomes Catastrophic
Jan. 26, 2022

121: When a Big Mistake Becomes Catastrophic

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 o…
120: My Pen Uncovers the Real Me
Jan. 12, 2022

120: My Pen Uncovers the Real Me

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.
119: When Is it Safe to Ignore the Law?
Dec. 29, 2021

119: When Is it Safe to Ignore the Law?

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.
118: Standing at the Prison Gate, I Was Icarus Plummeting to Earth.
Dec. 15, 2021

118: Standing at the Prison Gate, I Was Icarus Plummeting to Earth.

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 ...
117: A Day in the Life of a Prisoner
Dec. 1, 2021

117: A Day in the Life of a Prisoner

A typical day in prison.
116: How Do You Fulfill a Promise When You’re Stuck in Prison?
Nov. 17, 2021

116: How Do You Fulfill a Promise When You’re Stuck in Prison?

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 inca...
115: What I Learned from Men in Prison
Nov. 3, 2021

115: What I Learned from Men in Prison

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…
114: Sometimes It's Better Said in a Song.
Oct. 20, 2021

114: Sometimes It's Better Said in a Song.

Amber Petty tells her story about how she's her best self when singing karaoke.
113: I Was the Real Life's Queen's Gambit
Oct. 6, 2021

113: I Was the Real Life's Queen's Gambit

How to frame an essay for publication.