writing class radio

This is the first essay in our college essay series. Last August 2022, Andrea and Allison hosted a teen writing and service retreat in Guatemala. We took eight rising seniors and two rising juniors a gazillion miles away from their homes and busted their hearts wide open. Each student left the United States with ZERO words and returned with a perfect 650-word common app essay. Before we left, each student recorded their final draft.

On this episode, Emily Olster shares her college essay called Letting My Hair Fly. On day one of the essay boot camp, Andrea and Allison gave the prompt, Write about your biggest secret. Everyone, including Allison and Andrea wrote to the prompt then everyone shared what they wrote. Emily didn’t think she’d have to read, so she revealed something she’d been hiding for years. Emily reveals her secret along with the college she is off to in the fall.

Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, Chloe Emond-Lane, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Marnino Toussaint.

For a Transcript of this episode - click here.

There’s more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. We still have a few spaces left in our Teen writing boot camp this JULY 9-15, 2023 in Key Largo. Students will Spend 6 days writing and receiving feedback with Andrea and Allison in one of the most gorgeous spots in the world. All students leave with a completed common app essay and a lifetime of excellent writing skills.

If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison Langer on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Zorina Frey Wednesdays 7-8pm ET. You’ll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you’re looking to take your writing to the next level, or if you are a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.

Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and most importantly, the support from other writers. Support us on Patreon.

A new episode of the college series will drop every WEDNESDAY.

There’s no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today on our show, we’re talking about structure, voice, commitment, and especially happy endings. The story you’ll hear was written, read, and sung by Amber Petty. What makes this story so much fun? You know it when you hear it.

Amber Petty used to be an actor but now she writes and helps other writers get into freelance writing. In her acting days, she performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and did over 500 shows of the Off-Broadway 50 Shades! The Musical. She's written for The New York Times, Thrillist, Greatist, Bustle, MTV, IFC, and Snooki's blog. Now, she teaches Freelance Writing for Creatives and works on very important projects like her book of short stories inspired by the musical Cats.

Writing Class Radio is a podcast where you’ll hear true personal stories and learn how to write your own stories. Writing Class Radio is equal parts heart and art. By heart we mean the truth in a story. By art we mean the craft of writing. No matter what’s going on in our lives, writing class is where we tell the truth. It’s where we work out our shit, and figure out who we are. There’s no place in the world like writing class and we want to bring you in.

WCR is produced by Allison Langer, Andrea Askowitz, and by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski and Courtney Fox at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music by Justina Shandler.

There’s more writing class on our website (www.writingclassradio.com), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/writingclassradio/), Instagram and Twitter (@wrtgclassradio).

If you love the lessons you get on each episode, you can get them ALL in one place--our three-part video series--for $50. Click Video Classes on our website.

Writing Class Radio is now open to submissions from our listeners. Go to the submissions page on our website for guidelines. We pay!

If you want to be a part of the movement that helps people better understand each other through storytelling, we are now on Patreon. For $10/month you can join Andrea’s submissions conversation. We’ll support each other as we try to get our stories published. For $25/month you can join Allison’s first draft weekly writers class, where you can write and share your work. Go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio or click here to support us.

If you love this podcast, please tell your friends. There’s no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.

Dana Shavin is an award-winning humor columnist for the Chattanooga Times Free Press, and the author of a memoir, The Body Tourist and the collection of essays, Finding the World: Thoughts on Life, Love, Home and Dogs.

Dana’s essays and articles have appeared in The Sun, Oxford American, Garden and Gun, Travel + Leisure, Alaska Quarterly Review, Fourth Genre, Today.com, Appalachian Review, Psychology Today, Bark, The Writer, and others. You can find more at Danashavin.com, and follow her on Facebook at Dana Shavin Writes.

A Transcript of this episode can be found on our network page.

If you're looking for a writing coach to help your student with college application essays, contact Allison Langer.

Writing Class Radio is hosted by Allison Langer and Andrea Askowitz. Audio production by Matt Cundill, Evan Surminski, and Aiden Glassey at the Sound Off Media Company. Theme music is by Justina Shandler.

There’s more writing class on our website including stories we study, editing resources, video classes, writing retreats, and live online classes. Join our writing community by following us on Patreon.

If you want to write with us every week, you can join our First Draft weekly writers groups. You have the option to join Allison on Tuesdays 12-1 ET and/or Mondays with Eduardo Winck 8-9 pm ET. You’ll write to a prompt and share what you wrote. If you’re a business owner, community activist, group that needs healing, entrepreneur, or scientist and you want to help your team write better, check out all the classes we offer on our website, writingclassradio.com.

Join the community that comes together for instruction, an excuse to write, and the support from other writers. To learn more, go to www.Patreon.com/writingclassradio. Or sign up HERE for First Draft for a FREE Zoom link.

A new episode will drop every other WEDNESDAY.

There’s no better way to understand ourselves and each other, than by writing and sharing our stories. Everyone has a story. What’s yours?

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.