Episode 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 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 Atlanta-based senior advisor to the director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in a federal agency and a 31-year military spouse. She is the co-author of two books. Pamela can be reached at www.PamelaMcBrideOnline.com or @PamelaMMcBride on Twitter.

 

Episode 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 “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 full truth about divorce. She also artfully weaves her theme throughout, teaches us a lesson in structure, showing and telling, and details.

For over nine years, Sally Schwartz has worked as a syndicated columnist for The Chicago Tribune, where, until recently, she published under the name Sally Schwartz Higginson. Her work has also been published in The Sun, Herstry, The Sunlight Press, Brevity Blog, and Read650. For more Sally Schwartz to sallyschwartz.com and on twitter: @heygalsal.

We want to thank Nadine Kenney Johnstone for telling her students about Writing Class Radio. Nadine has a podcast called Heart of the Story.

 

Episode 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 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 to tell their stories because stories change minds and laws. Writing Class Radio wants #mensabortionstories. If you agree, please share this episode with #mensabortionstories.

Also on this episode co-hosts Allison Langer, Zorina Frey, and Andrea Askowitz talk about how writing about an experience and a unique take on a subject at the top of the news, is a way to get published.  

Ida Dupont is an Associate Professor at Pace University in the Sociology Department. She researches and teaches about sexuality, social movements, criminology, and reproductive justice. The original story appeared in NBCNews under Andrea’s byline with Ida Dupont contributing. 

 

Ep 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 she use speculative memoir? Listen and find out.

Meet our guest host, Zorina Frey, who is also a teacher at Writing Class Radio. On this episode, Zorina and Allison share their 2 cents as it relates to spec. memoir, Andrea’s essay, and more.

If you’d like to have a go at speculative memoir, think of a scene you’ve tried to write, but couldn’t because of lack of information. You can go back to the day of your birth or even conception. Write for 3 minutes on each of the following prompts (in order):

1. Where was this place?

2.    Who was there?

3.   When did this occur?

4. Who said what?

5. What happened in the end?

6. Why did this happen?

*Andrea got the idea for this writing prompt from Beth Kephart, professor at the University of Pennsylvania and author of 30 books.

Andrea’s mom and dad, as described in the story.

 

Episode 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 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 Eden’s essays and short fiction have won several awards. She has been writing for magazines and online for over 13 years and now coaches other writers to do the same. When she's not writing, she loves to watch musicals with her kids and spend time with her sexy-musician husband. You can find Kelly on twitter @eden_writer.

 

Ep 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 simple can often make the story stronger.

This essay shows heart. Coming Home is also artfully crafted. But, the heart hit us hard because both Allison and Andrea left Miami for better weather and better people, but both eventually returned home.

Heidi Walker was born in Seattle, raised in the farmlands close to the city, and still lives in Seattle today. She is a photographer and writer and says her world was filled with reading and writing. Books were gifts for birthdays and holidays. One year, she received three books titled Heidi. She still has a copy on her bookshelf.  

 

Episode 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 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 Northern California Public Media. She received training in audio and writing at the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.

Corey has served 25 years on a life sentence for robbery and murder. Corey is an artist and writer who has been published on Writing Class Radio and The Marshall Project.

Sarah Holtz volunteers with Empowerment Ave, an organization created by Emily Nonko and Rahsaan “New York” Thomas. Their mission is to normalize the inclusion of incarcerated artists and writers in mainstream venues. They assist incarcerated writers in getting their work published and compensated for, and contribute creatively to the abolition movement and liberation of incarcerated people.

Sarah is the person who sent us the story written by Corey Devon Arthur which we aired on Episode 120 and was titled, My Pen Uncovers the Real Me. 

 

Episode 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 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 published in Literary Mama.

Jennifer Landau lives in Westchester County, NY with her son, who does spot-on impressions of both Johnny Cash and Kermit the frog. She’s a children’s book editor, special education teacher and grant writer, and has published more than a dozen books. Her writing has appeared in Autism Parenting Magazine and Literary Mama. She owns three coffee makers, which is as close to a hobby as she gets.

 

Episode 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 language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart."

Hosts Andrea and Allison discuss details in Jamshid’s story that could have been slightly embellished to improve the story. We’d love to hear what you think (listener). If you have a strong opinion about rounding up on the truth in personal essays, please send us an email at info@writingclassradio.com.

Jamshid Samareh lives in Norfolk, VA holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics and is a senior research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.  

Episode 125: Tossing the Shells but Not the Memories

On today’s episode, you’ll hear a story by Anthony Askowitz, 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. (see video below…)

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 Andrea helps Tony record his essay.