Episodes

Every Word Matters
July 1, 2020

Every Word Matters

Today on our show, we’re talking about how every word in a story matters. We have a story to share that illustrates this point so well. Essayist, teacher, and Writing Class Radio listener Amy Paturel submitted her story called “The Other Love of His Life,” which was originally published in Newsweek…
A Poet's Response to Senseless Murders
June 3, 2020

A Poet's Response to Senseless Murders

This episode of Writing Class Radio is dedicated to George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and all those who have lost their lives in a senseless murder. The story we share with you on this episode is by student and poet Zorina Frey. Last Saturday, May 30, 2020, Andrea gave students a writing prompt and 14 …
An Insider Conversation with a Literary Agent
May 6, 2020

An Insider Conversation with a Literary Agent

Today on our show, we share a New York Times Modern Love essay we love by Jessica Strawser, editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest. Her essay caught the attention of literary agent Barbara Poelle, an agent with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency and the author of Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Ans…
You Have Permission to Write or Not to Write
April 1, 2020

You Have Permission to Write or Not to Write

We bring you two stories that about the coronavirus pandemic that bring you something more about the human condition.
How to Write About Death: Use an Obsession
March 4, 2020

How to Write About Death: Use an Obsession

Writing about an obsession is a creative and interesting way to write about death.
Writing Helps You Figure Out How You Think
Feb. 5, 2020

Writing Helps You Figure Out How You Think

Today on our show, we’re talking about how writing helps you figure out how you think. And helps you see yourself, specifically your failures more clearly because it’s hard to ignore a pattern when you see it in writing. We share an essay by listener, Karen Debonis who’s story, “Even the Weak Can …
Gotta Be a Good Literary Citizen if You Wanna Get Published
Jan. 8, 2020

Gotta Be a Good Literary Citizen if You Wanna Get Published

Being a good literary citizen means helping other writers and promoting their work.
Abortion Stories Matter
Dec. 4, 2019

Abortion Stories Matter

On this episode, you’ll hear two stories about abortion, because we believe abortion stories must be told to keep abortions safe, legal, and accessible. If all women who had abortions told their stories, abortion would not be stigmatized, public perception would change, and laws would change.  We …
How to Go From Idea to Published Essay to Book Deal
Nov. 6, 2019

How to Go From Idea to Published Essay to Book Deal

Ariel Henley suffers from crouzon syndrome, a rare disease that affects her appearance. Her writing shares her experience and emotional growth. A Face Like Picasso is the book, There’s a Mathematical Equation that Proves I’m Ugly--Or So I Learned in My Seventh Grade Art Class is the essay and Ariel…
Think Like a Writer with Dani Shapiro
Oct. 2, 2019

Think Like a Writer with Dani Shapiro

This episode is about how to think like a writer, which means, how to figure out what your story is about, how to understand your themes, and how to respect other people's privacy.
How to Write When Shit Gets Real
Aug. 28, 2019

How to Write When Shit Gets Real

Three weeks ago, Allison was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. In this emotional episode, we share the stories we wrote about this situation. We are treating this episode as if we’re in writing class by sharing our own writing and critiquing it.
Create Scenes So People Remember
Aug. 14, 2019

Create Scenes So People Remember

A suicide bomber in Afghanistan, with children around him, headed straight towards our base. This is the picture painted by listener Michael Howell in his essay, How Are You Really? We read Michael's essay and discuss what goes into creating a memorable and relatable scene.
What’s Inside Your Container?
July 31, 2019

What’s Inside Your Container?

A visit to the hair salon provides a container for a story about mental health. A container is a method to tell your entire story while contained in a place or period of time. This story is told while sitting in the stylists chair and details the author's 20-year-old daughter’s attempted suicide.
How to Write About the Unbelievable
July 17, 2019

How to Write About the Unbelievable

To be reliable when describing the unbelievable we must express doubt, we must focus on details and we must convince our reader that we believe. Pat Martin achieves all these things in the story that she shares on today's show.
How to Write Your Story While You're Still Living It
July 3, 2019

How to Write Your Story While You're Still Living It

Today on our show, we’re talking about how to end a story when the situation is ongoing. You’ll hear an essay by the Brazilian born Miami writer, Camile Flosi Araujo. Camile brings us into her world, which changed dramatically for her when she got into a car accident that left her paralyzed from th…
What's a Meta Phor?
June 19, 2019

What's a Meta Phor?

Hear how to make a metaphor work in your essay
Ready, Set, Go Get Into College
June 5, 2019

Ready, Set, Go Get Into College

Today on our show we’re talking about perseverance, a quality important if you want to be a writer, a runner, or someone successful at crafting the dreaded college essay. What makes your essay stand out to publishers and to college admissions directors is the situation and the story. They want to s…
How to Brag and Pull it Off.
May 22, 2019

How to Brag and Pull it Off.

Here's how to brag on your college admissions common app essay or any personal essay.
Slow Down. You Don’t Want to Miss this Moment.
May 8, 2019

Slow Down. You Don’t Want to Miss this Moment.

This episode is about expanding a moment in your story. How and when to slow down and give specific details.
Inspiration Sometimes Comes in the Form of a Dress
April 24, 2019

Inspiration Sometimes Comes in the Form of a Dress

In class, sometimes we ask people to close their eyes and smell sunblock, or freshly baked bread. Sometimes we play a Beatles song or have students squeeze Play-Doh. Sometimes we throw out a word like pussy. Then, we ask students to write about the first thing that comes to mind. All of these promp…
How to Pitch to Publications
April 10, 2019

How to Pitch to Publications

How to write the perfect pitch and get published.
The Devil's in the Details
March 27, 2019

The Devil's in the Details

Details matter. To help create specific details in your story, ask yourself: Like what?
How to Stop Procrastinating and Write Your Story
March 13, 2019

How to Stop Procrastinating and Write Your Story

On this episode, we talk about procrastination. We also talk about speaking directly to the reader from a place of experience. And giving advice, which is really hard in a story and in life. If you're willing to be vulnerable, you can do it. We’re starting with a story by Jenni Berrett called You…
If You Want to Write About Death and Get Published, Write the Truth
Feb. 27, 2019

If You Want to Write About Death and Get Published, Write the Truth

In this episode we’re talking about writing about death. We have a story by Leslie Gray Streeter, a columnist for the Palm Beach Post who also contributes to Modern Loss,    the online magazine dedicated to normalizing the way we talk about loss. Leslie’s story is called, What I did with My Husband…