Be a Joiner
Odd advice, I know.
Hey Story Lovers,
In college, a friend gave me a birthday card with a school of blue fish swimming in one direction and one red fish swimming in the opposite direction.
I felt insecure in college. I went to Penn where fraternity formals dominated the social scene and where girls wore leggings. I never got invited to a formal and I never wore leggings. Everyone seemed so smart and I thought I was there just because I could play tennis.
I liked that my friend saw me as the red fish. I took it to mean, “You’re not like everyone else around here, but I love you anyway.” But now I’m thinking, hold on a second. Sure, wear your colors proudly, be yourself, forge your own path, think differently…all that. But maybe it’s also a good idea to join in sometimes.
I’m participating in a virtual writing workshop called Writing the Deeper Story. If you join now (it’s free) for the next 48 hours, you can hear me and 24 other writers gab about something aspect of writing. I’m talking about writing what you don’t want to write about.
One of my students asked me how I got to be a part of this workshop and I said it’s because I’ve been swimming with the blue fish for about 28 years now. In the beginning, I met the director of the conference, Karin Gutman, when I performed in a storytelling show she produced and we’ve been connected ever since.
I think of writing as a team sport. Sure, it’s up to each writer to put the words down, but she needs an editor, a writing group, and friends in the field.
Writing, like any sport, is a slow grind. You practice (write and write and write), you play (submit stories for publication, tell stories on stage), you take classes (Writing Class Radio). You keep your head in the game for years and slowly, slowly, you get better at craft. You learn to omit needless words and go to scene. Slowly, you get more comfortable putting your heart (the scary truth) in the story. Over time you get better at writing what you don’t want to write about but what you know the story needs. Slowly, you make connections with cool people and people get to know you. And soon you’ll get invited to gab about what you know about writing.
In the meantime, writing with others is so much fun!
So join Writing the Deeper Story. Hear what other teachers have to say and sign up for their free stuff. Also, join me Saturday for the TIPS CLINIC.
The TIPS CLINIC IS NOW FREE because I want everyone in the world to take a writing class. We’ll be talking about expanding a moment—slowing down where it hurts. I promise it won’t hurt that bad or no money back (cause it’s free).
TIPS CLINIC
SATURDAY, July 11, 2026
12 to 1:30 p.m. ET
Zoom
As always, we have two First Draft weekly writing groups where you write to a prompt (and share if you want).
Click here to join me Tuesdays 12-1 ET.
Click here to join Margery Berger on Mondays 12-1 ET.
The first session is always FREE.
In case you didn’t realize, our website, Writing Class Radio is a story school with everything you need to help improve your writing—more than 200 podcast episodes that break down great essays; writing tips; stories to study; places to read and submit essays; classes… Check it out!
Thanks for reading and writing.
Love,
P.S. I witnessed something amazing I want to share. I don’t usually love poetry concerts, but I saw Love Letter from the Afterlife with Megan Falley and her late wife, Andrea Gibson, who are both brilliant and beautiful. Their poems are stories filled with hope and wisdom and I recommend reading and watching everything they’ve both ever done.
