Episodes

March 5, 2025

203: I Lied About My Birth Experience. Writing Helped Me Work Out My Sh*t and Get to the Truth.

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 aroun…

Feb. 5, 2025

202: When Anxiety is a Superpower

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Jan. 8, 2025

201: What Can You Learn by Watching How Trees Recover from Fire?

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.

Dec. 25, 2024

200: When is a Gift More than a Gift?

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.

Dec. 11, 2024

199: The Passing of Sorrow

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.

Nov. 27, 2024

198: Why Do We Love Stories That Remind Us of Ourselves?

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 righ…

Nov. 13, 2024

197: Shut the F*ck up, Please

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.

Oct. 30, 2024

196: My Abortion at 11 Wasn’t a Choice. It Was My Life

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…

Oct. 23, 2024

195: Florida’s Abortion Law Almost Killed My Wife

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 fron…

Oct. 16, 2024

194: A Physician's Duty

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 fron…

Oct. 9, 2024

193: Another Try at a Better Life

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 fro…

Oct. 2, 2024

192: A Letter to My Son About His Abortion

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.

Sept. 25, 2024

191: The Shade of Our Grandmothers’ Trees.

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.

Sept. 18, 2024

190: Then and Now and Back to Then

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.

Sept. 13, 2024

Our Abortion Stories: Seven Storytellers on Heartbreak, Health, and Hope

Today we are starting 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.

Sept. 4, 2024

189: I Found Connection Through a Tattoo of a Bee

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.

Aug. 21, 2024

188: Making Room for Hope after My Daughter Died

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 und…

Aug. 7, 2024

187: How I Lost My Husband But Gained a Bigger Family

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.

July 24, 2024

186: Something Beautiful Happened When I Shared My Writing with My Family

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 ...

July 10, 2024

185: Am I Turning into My Mother

Today on our show, we bring you a story by Bonnie Shor, who we call Blee.

June 26, 2024

184: Just Tell Us How it Went Down

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 …

June 12, 2024

183: If You Don’t Want to Know, Don’t Snoop on Your Daughter’s Instagram Account

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, …

May 29, 2024

182: A Story is Like a Thesis. You Gotta Make Your Point.

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 …

May 15, 2024

181: What Do I Do if I Have Nothing Left to Write About?

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.