Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through Writing

Send us a textThis week, you'll hear from Amanda Creasey, an outdoors writer and novelist, as we explore  the age-old existential question: does what we are working on matter? In this episode, you will hear Amanda vulnerably share the frustration and discouragement many writers face when working on long-term projects and publishing their work. We’ll examine the drivers that keep us going, the truth about how many books authors typically sell, and how to show up for yourself as you write. Amanda’s Bio: Amanda is an English teacher, outdoors writer, and novelist with an undergraduate degree from Michigan State University and a graduate degree from the University of Denver. Her writing appears in three Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Her poetry and outdoor journalism have earned recognition from the Poetry Society of Virginia and Virginia Outdoor Writers Association. Her debut novel, An Expected End, is a work of speculative fiction that was published in October 2023.. A member of James River Writers, the Poetry Society of Virginia, and Virginia Outdoor Writers Association, she shares a home with her husband, their rescue parrot, and their two rescue dogs.Resources Mentioned in This EpisodeAthena Dixon EpisodeJames River Writers Official TranscriptEpisode Highlights2:13 Why Does Your Story Matter4:44 How Many Books to Authors Typically Sell8:41 What’s Your Story’s Essential Question11:16 How Does Writing Impact Your Life14:30 Making Room For Joy18:00 The Power of Community 22:22 Amanda’s writing advice Connect with Amanda: Website: AmandaSueCreasey.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_sue_creaseySubstack: https://amandasuecreasey.substack.com/Sign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textThis week, you will hear from Wendy Hawkes, an emerging writer working on a coming-of-middle-age memoir about how she survived category 5 Hurricane Dorian, a storm whose intensity was due to climate change, and how this experience taught her to go with the flow. During our conversation we talk about how to write tough scenes without overdramatizing them or falling into a victim role, and how to decide which details truly belong.  Wendy’s Bio: Wendy Hawkes (she/her) is an American emerging writer currently crafting a memoir based on her experience surviving Category 5 Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas. She is a member of the National Association of Memoir Writers and has been published in Insider.com. Her personal essays have achieved finalist status in various competitions, including second place in the Writer’s Digest 2023 Personal Essay Contest. Wendy sails and writes alongside her British-born husband from their floaty home while avoiding oncoming storms amidst ever-present boat chores, sporadic diving and snorkeling, and exploring tropical islands.Resources Mentioned During This EpisodeWendy’s essay on Insider.comBlake Snyder’s Beat SheetA Writer’s Secret Weapon: Add a Listening Pass to Your Editing ArsenalMaking Meaning and Writing Toward Posttraumatic Growth with Lennie EchterlingNatural ReaderEpisode Highlights5:00 Writing Present Tense with Perspective6:00 Writing to Heal vs Writing for an AudienceMaking Yourself the Hero of Your Story19:42 Wendy’s Best Writing AdviceConnect with WendyWebsite: https://WendyHawkes.comInstagram: wendyh_aquataniaSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textThis week, you’ll hear from Meredith Master, a writer working on her memoir who is deciding on its structure. In this episode, we discuss writing a braided memoir, writing with a disability, telling the story of someone who has passed away, and how to write about the parts of someone’s life you weren’t present for. Meredith’s Bio: Meredith Master is a blind writer living in New York City, where she shares a small space with her guide dog, Ivan and mostly unhelpful Boston Terrier, Jelly Roll. She is currently working on three book projects, including a memoir about adult onset disability and addiction as told through the stories of herself and her partner, Michael. She is also working on a collection of humorous essays and an anthology of personal stories of resilience told by writers who went blind and lived to tell about it. Resources Mentioned During This Episode:The Fact of a Body by Alex Marzano-LesnevichAcetylene Torch Songs: Writing True Stories That Ignite the Soul by Sue William SilvermanAfter the Eclipse by Sarah PerryMy Interview with Sarah PerryMy Interview with Sue William SilvermanEpisode Highlights3:06 Braiding Two Lives Together8:45 Deciding on the Best Form12:00 Telling Someone Else’s Story20:30 Meredith’s Best Writing AdviceConnect with Meredith Email: meredithmaster@gmail.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/meredith.master/Sign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textHave you ever felt the need to write your story and share it with others? What if you believed breaking the silence would heal you, but family members want you to keep certain stories private? Could you find a way to respect their wishes while honoring your truth?  In this episode, I am joined by Stephanie Shafran, a writer who’s spent a lifetime being silenced and is now experiencing just this situation. We talk about writing what you need to write, deciding whether to publish, and respecting a family member’s need for privacy while still expressing yourself. Stephanie’s Bio: Stephanie Shafran’s poetry chapbook Awakening was released in 2020. Stephanie contributed to the 2021 anthology, A 21st Century Plague: Pandemic Poetry, edited by Elayne Clift. A member of Straw Dog Writers Guild and Florence Poetry Society, Stephanie resides in Northampton, Massachusetts. You can read her monthly blog posts at stephanieshafran.com. In 2017, Stephanie retired from a teaching and counseling career. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from Smith College, Master in the Art of Teaching from the University of Vermont, and Master of Counseling Education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.Resources Mentioned During This Episode:It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic PeopleEmbracing Our GriefEpisode Highlights2:50 Discovering You’re Not the Main Character4:04 Disenfranchised Grief7:00 Navigating Other’s Privacy with Our Need to Speak the Truth13:40 Identifying Your Audience17:00 Deciding Whether to Publish23:09 Stephanie’s Best Writing AdviceConnect with StephanieWebsite: stephanieshafran.comEmail: stephanieshafran@gmail.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shafranstephanie/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephanie.shafran.1Sign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textBefore you send your book to beta readers, listen to this episode!In it, you’ll meet Melissa Macomber, another Camp Structure alumni who’s working on her memoir. During this episode, we explore how to know when your book is ready for beta readers, the three types of beta readers you’ll need, how to choose beta readers wisely, and questions to ask them before sending out your work. Melissa’s Bio: Melissa is a writer currently working on a memoir about how to recognize your soulmate(s). You can find more of her short pieces and research on love, commitment and betrayal on her website.Resources Mentioned During This Episode: Crafting the Personal Essay and Resilient Editing Tips with Andrea FirthBianca Maris’s Beta Reader MatchupWriters Digest Article About Sensitivity ReadersWriting DiverselyThe Shit No One Tells You About Writing PodcastCrafting the Personal Essay and Resilient Editing Tips with Andrea FirthHidden Potential by Adam GrantOfficial Transcript Episode Highlights1:20 Maintaining Your Stamina2:59 Preparing Mentally for Beta Reader Feedback4:09 Working with Writers   9:30 Should I Send Them All or Part of My Manuscript11:55 Working with Members of Your Audience15:06 Finding Beta Readers16:05 Working with Sensitivity Readers19:52 Mistake allowancesConnect with Melissa: Website: melissamacomber.comSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textThis week, you’ll hear from Camp Structure alumni Shoshana Koch, a writer and speaker who’s working on a coming-of-age memoir. During this episode, we explore the challenges trauma survivors face when building an author platform, how to deal with rejection, and how to re-engage with a writing project after an extended break.Shoshana’s Bio: Shoshana is a psychologist, writer, and speaker who focuses on the intersection of trauma and addiction. She is editing a debut memoir set in an ‘80s childhood with her strung-out family (think “Lord of the Flies” meets “Trainspotting”) which examines how to mend the splinters of trauma’s shattering, claim our wholeness through the breaking, and live with the cost of the truth over the cost of lies. Resources Mentioned During This EpisodeBreaking the Silence with Melanie BrooksEpisode Highlights7:58 Writing from the Scar, Not the Wound9:19 The 100 Rejections Club14:06 The Impact of Grief Anniversaries on Our Writing Lives16:21 Writing in the Aftermath of Grief22:53 Feeling Like You’re Behind Connect with Shoshana:Shoshana’s Website: https://www.shoshanakoch.comShoshana's Substack: https://shoshanakoch.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/shoshanadianekoch/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shoshanadianekoch/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shoshanakochSign up for Camp Structure: 14 Weeks to Find and Refine Your Memoir’s Narrative Arc: https://lisacooperellison.com/camp-structure-find-your-memoirs-narrative-arc/ Sign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textWelcome to season three of the Writing Your Resilience podcast! During seasons one and two, I interviewed experts and published authors who generously shared their wisdom on writing and healing. We’ll get back to that in season four. But sometimes it’s nice to know the people walking this journey alongside you. For my season three “Summer Shorts” series, you’ll meet ten writers in the trenches of the writing process and hear my advice to them.But I wanted to launch this season with one more expert–Estelle Erasmus, author of the craft book Writing That Gets Noticed. During our episode, we explore how to craft short pieces with the greatest chance for publication. You’ll also learn some savvy tricks for dealing with rejection.Bio: Estelle Erasmus, author of Writing That Gets Noticed: Find Your Voice, Become a Better Storyteller, Get Published, named a 2024 "Best Book for Writers" by Poets & Writers, is a professor of writing at New York University, the host of the Freelance Writing Direct podcast, a contributing editor for Writer's Digest, where she also teaches courses on writing essays and pitches, and judges the Writer's Digest Personal Essay contest. Her articles for the New York Times and The Washington Post have gone globally viral. She has appeared on Good Morning America and has had her articles discussed on The View. She has also taught, coached, and mentored many writers who have gone on to be widely published. She received the 2023 NYU School of Professional Studies Teaching Excellence Award, a 2023 Zibby Award for Best Book for the Writer, is an American Society of Journalists and Authors award winner, and was a cast member in the inaugural New York City production of the Listen to Your Mother storytelling show. Resources In This EpisodeHow to BullyProof Your ChildPlus Here I'm the Focus of the Well Newsletter re the Bullyproof StoryI'm Learning to Listen in New WaysFreelance Writing Direct with Ann HoodHighlights7:00 The Best Time to Work on Short Pieces10:00 The Power of Google Alerts13:00 Journaling with Purpose17:30: Vulnerability versus Pity 25:11 The Danger of Oversharing29:00 Confessing versus Confiding32:00 The Power of Accomplishment Lists33:48  Writing Timely Essays40:52 Handling Rejection51:25 Estelle’s best writing adviceConnect with EstelleWebsiteSubstackSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textWelcome to the last episode of Season 2! This second season has been amazing, and I am so grateful for all of the featured guests and all of you listeners. Just as I did last season, I decided to sit behind the microphone and open myself up to answering questions.In this episode, you’ll meet Katie Rouse, a poet, memoirist, and former student in my Camp Structure course. During this episode, we explore the signals that your story is “finished” and ready to marinate. As you listen to our interview, here are some questions to consider: How do you know it's time to let a manuscript rest? Do you resist doing it? What fears do you face? What have you done to cope with them? If you've let your manuscript rest, what tells you it's time to pick it back up?Katie’s Bio: Katie Rouse is a marketing manager, poet, and freelance writer who writes about faith, doubt, and deconstruction. She  loves sending out weekly poems to email subscribers, as well as longer monthly letters. Her work has been published in Missive Mag, hyssop + laurel, and The Unmooring. She published her first book of poetry, Psalms of Deconstruction, in Fall 2021, and is working on her first memoir, which will recount her journey of deconstructing her faith while serving as a missionary in India.Resources Mentioned During This EpisodeKatie’s Poem “Psalm 9” from The Unmooring (See page 38)Episode Highlights1:15 Finding the “Good Enough” Completion Point4:55 Completing Your Work6:15 The Three Types of Rest10:15 Signals It’s Time to Return to Your Work12:36 Common Fears Writers Have Around Rest Connect with KatieWebsite: https://bit.ly/katierousewritesNewsletter: https://bit.ly/katierousewrites_subscribeInstagram: @katie.rose.rouseSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textDr. Ramani Durvasula, author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People, shares her insights into narcissism, how narcissistic abuse survivors can heal and get support, and how to care for yourself when writing and promoting a book on tough topics. Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist in California, the founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training and Consulting, and professor emerita of psychology at California State University Los Angeles. She is the New York Times bestselling author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People. She is also the author of multiple other books including Don’t You Know Who I Am: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility and Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship with a Narcissist. She has lectured and trained therapists around the world on working with clients experiencing narcissistic abuse and has developed a 36-hour virtual training and certification program to train clinicians on how to use an Antagonism-Informed approach with clients experiencing narcissistic relationships. She hosts a popular YouTube channel with over 1.6 million subscribers, hosted the critically acclaimed podcast Navigating Narcissism, and is a featured expert on the digital media platform MedCircle. For more on Dr. Ramani, please check out the links below!Resources:Dr. Ramani’s Healing ProgramHealing from Gaslighting CourseCourse on Narcissistic Abuse for TherapistsDr. Ramani NetworkEpisode Highlights6:11 How Narcissism Affects You11:47 Narcissism versus Antagonistic Behavior16:21 Radical Acceptance and the Problem of Toxic Hope28:00 The Disengagement Continuum33:00 Disenfranchised Grief38:00 Breaking Through Cognitive Dissonance43:00 Healing and Getting Support51:46 Dr. Ramani’s Best Writing AdviceConnect with Dr. RamaniWebsiteYouTube: @DoctorRamaniInstagram: @DoctorRamaniXL @DoctorRamaniTikTok: @DoctorRamaniSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production

Send us a textAuthor Ann Batchelder talks about her daughter’s struggle with addiction, their recovery journeys, the myths she had to confront, her struggle with perfectionism, and the writing tips she learned as she was writing her memoir, Craving Spring: A Mother's Quest, a Daughter's Depression, and the Greek Myth that Brought Them TogetherAnn’s bio: Ann Batchelder writes about women’s wisdom and the pain and beauty of difficult transitions. She is the author of Craving Spring: A Mother’s Quest, a Daughter’s Depression, and the Greek Myth that Brought Them Together. Her work has been featured in multiple podcasts and publications, including in Insider Magazine, Newsweek, Hippocampus, The Linden Review, and The Rumpus.Ann served as Editor of Fiberarts Magazine for ten years. She was guest curator for the Asheville Art Museum where she designed and developed several major contemporary exhibitions, Acting Director of the International Studies program at Lesley University, and Director of Special Events for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Ann has an MSW and has been practicing mindfulness since 2004. She lives with her husband in Asheville, NC. www.annbatchelder.comResources Mentioned During This Episode:The Hero’s JourneyThe Heroine’s JourneyEpisode Highlights5:50 Being Addicted to Someone Else’s Recovery9:00 Confronting the Good Mother Myth11:15 What Truly Helping Someone Looks Like13:27 The Power of Surprising the Reader15:00 A Buddhist Bent on Recovery21:00 Braiding in the Greek Myth30:21 The Art of Inserting Backstory39:00 Ann’s Writing AdviceConnect with Ann: Website: www.annbatchelder.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ann.batchelder.9?mibextid=eQY6clInstagram: instagram.com/annbatchelderConnect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Write More, Fret Less: https://lisacooperellison.com/newsletter-subscribe/Website: https://lisacooperellison.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UColPDzpoQlVktIv7-f7ObRgFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-cooper-ellison-b5483840/Sign up for Psychology of Character Development for Memoirists: https://janefriedman.com/the-psSign up for Revise Your Memoir series: https://bit.ly/4ooLTDi Connect with your host, Lisa:Get Your Free Copy of Ditch Your Inner Critic: https://lisacooperellison.com/subscribe/Website | Instagram | YouTube | Facebook | LinkedIn Produced by Espresso Podcast Production