Writing Class Radio

In Episode 109 of the Writing Class Radio podcast, hosts Andrea Askowitz and Allison Langer rip apart the popular “Show, don’t tell” advice given by many instructors; not to discredit it, but to add light to it, and offer the insight that all show and no tell makes a dull story. We have never heard anyone offer that sort of analysis before, so we immediately fell in love with their podcast.

The Internet is full of people rehashing the same ideas using different words, so it is truly refreshing when you find someone, or some people, who offer original insights. We think Writing Class Radio does this in many ways.

This podcast, which was started to inspire writers, primarily of memoir, to own their stories and share them, offers great insights into various aspects of writing.

The website is also a great resource for writing prompts, and classes on writing craft.

From the Founders

Andrea Askowitz

Allison Langer and I met nine years ago, when she came to my memoir writing class. Allison had a story to tell, but she wasn’t quite ready to tell it. For the whole semester Allison wrote stories about her dog. I could tell she was a good writer, but I could also tell there was something she was hiding. Before the last class, I gave the prompt: Write about the thing you least want to write about. Allison came in with a devastating story about the death of her daughter.

Allison Langer

Andrea definitely didn’t let me get away with writing about my dog for long. She told me to get personal, which to me meant lose the protective layer I’d spent years building. It took the rest of the semester, but on the last class, I read my most personal story—the story about my daughter who died and the pain I was going through. The experience was transforming. I didn’t feel judged or pitied, like I thought I’d feel. I felt sad, of course. But by telling my story I was able to move through the sadness, the label of “that woman who lost a child” and forward in my life.

I continued to take Andrea’s class semester after semester. In 2015, we decided to create Writing Class Radio to bring the experience of a writing class to as many people as possible. We believe there is no place in the world like writing class because class is where people work out their shit and tell the truth.

Andrea + I believe the world would be a better world if everyone wrote and shared their stories. First you discover yourself. Then you are able to open your heart to others. It’s impossible not to like someone once you know their story.