How to Write Your Truth without Sounding like an A-hole...

Sometimes you're just gonna sound like an a-hole.

Hey Story Lovers,

My family went to Japan. After we came back, we were telling my mom how it went. My wife, Vicky, started with the food. She said ramen restaurants specialize in one type, making them experts in duck or chicken. She sounded ecstatic about the broth and the pork that was slow-cooked for four days.

I said the ramen was good, but that the sushi wasn’t better than what we find at home.

Vicky said you could find anything in the stores: lanyards, sunscreen, chopstick holders, Japanese denim, sneakers... “There was a store just for the most adorable umbrellas.”

I said there were stores in all directions as far as you could see and then malls upon malls. I like a good store, but downtown Osaka made Times Square look quaint.

Vicky said the toilets heat up. They have built in bidets with choices of water pressure and squirt locations. Vicky wants one for our house in Miami.

I said it was all too much.

It was like Vicky worked for the Japanese office of tourism and I was Parker Posey’s character in White Lotus.

I didn’t love Japan.

I know, I’m lucky as hell to get to go to Japan and there were some things I did love about it. There was cat art everywhere and a temple with a giant Buddha. The mountains and rivers, pristine. The cities, extremely safe and clean. No garbage anywhere, which was inspiring.

The thing is, Japanese people are very rule abiding and I have a hard time following rules. You can’t switch seats on an airplane. You can’t eat ice cream while walking in the street. You can’t take the coffee mug from the hotel restaurant to your room. You can’t take a bite of toast in the buffet line. You can’t order one meal for two people in a restaurant. You can’t ask the woman at the coffee shop to fill your water bottle, even after you learned how to say mizu kudasai, which means, water please. Oops.

I also learned sumimasen, which means, I’m sorry. I said that often.

My daughter, Tashi, reminded me we were in someone else’s house, which was a reminder, mostly, that I’m an obnoxious American.

I know a few people who have been to Japan. My mom’s boyfriend and my niece’s boyfriend even lived there. What struck me was neither of them ever mentioned the rules.

Turns out, the U.S.A has rules too. One is you don’t say anything negative about Japan. Oops.

All of this got me thinking: What are you “allowed” to say and write?

Come talk to me about this at this Saturday’s Tips Clinic.

TIPS CLINIC
SATURDAY, July 12, 2025
12 to 1 p.m. ET
Zoom

We’ll talk about writing your truth even if you sound like an a-hole. We’ll write and (if you want) you can share what you wrote for feedback.

Tips Clinic is $15.

If money is an object, please use this FREE Tips Clinic Zoom link.

All Patreon members, please use the free link.

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 Allison Langer Tuesdays 12-1 ET.

WE HAVE A NEW FIRST DRAFT WRITING GROUP facilitated by Margery Berger. Click here to join Mondays 12-1 ET. The first session is always FREE.

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We’re running some of our favorite episodes this summer. Here are the latests. Episode: 207: A Psychiatric Hospital Nearly Ruined My Life with essay by Banning Lyon and Episode 208: The Most Unique Essay We’ve Ever Aired with essay by Kimberley Elkins.

Recent student publishing successes:

1. Cyntianna C. Ledesma Ortega wrote about her invisible disability and how no one’s gonna take advantage of her, hell no! Read it here in Huffington Post.

2. Sarena Neyman wrote a sweet love story about being yourself and the video store clerk she had a crush on for years. Read it here also in Huffington Post.

3. Two other students have stories coming out in Short Reads and Narratively. Will post those when they launch.

This can be you! How? Hint: Classes really help.

Thanks for reading. And thanks for listening to Writing Class Radio.

Love,

Andrea Askowitz