Writing Stories

Brianna Avenia-Tapper
  • 5.0 (14)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Each episode of Writing Stories  features  an interview with a contemporary author about how her book went from an idea in her head to an object on a shelf. Join us on Writing Stories for honesty, struggle, and triumph, for writing community, publishing insight, and inspiration to persist in whatever difficult but meaningful journey you've chosen for yourself.

  1. JAN 17

    The Sexiest Form: A Conversation with the Series Editor of Best American Short Stories 2025 and a Featured Author

    Send us a text In this episode Series Editor Nicole Lamy and featured author Jessica Treadway talk about the Best American Short Stories Anthology 2025. The episode covers: Trends among the stories Who reads the anthology in 2026 and how representation may show up differently How to define a contemporary short story

    39 min
  2. Developing the Negatives of a Life: Painter Pat Lipsky on 50 Years of Making Art in New York City

    11/01/2025

    Developing the Negatives of a Life: Painter Pat Lipsky on 50 Years of Making Art in New York City

    Send us a text In this episode Pat Lipsky talks about her acclaimed new memoir Brightening Glance and covers: What having a space means as an artist and the discipline necessary to endure Her life in the New York City art scene from 1960s to present day, including accounts of experiences with Tony Smith and Pierre Rosenberg The role Marcel Proust has played in her life and work And the experience of entering the publishing world from the perspective of a seasoned painter

    1h 4m
  3. Make More Pots! Marguerite Sheffer on Perseverance and Experimentation.

    10/16/2025

    Make More Pots! Marguerite Sheffer on Perseverance and Experimentation.

    Send us a text In this episode Marguerite Sheffer talks about Iowa Short Fiction Prize winning collection The Man in the Banana Trees and covers: the content of Marguerite's wide ranging speculative fiction stories that dive deeply into the practice of making art and some of our most critical justice issues in our culture how design thinking helped Marguerite get to a place of wildness and fierce play and pleasure with these stories what it was like to win the 2024 Iowa Short Fiction Prize and how it has changed her professional life how writing groups and community played a role in completing this collection what experimentation and sense of creative destruction can lead to in a creative practice

    43 min
  4. To Have No Shame On Your Face -- T Clark's Journey to a Two-Book Deal.

    09/27/2025

    To Have No Shame On Your Face -- T Clark's Journey to a Two-Book Deal.

    Send us a text In this episode T Clark talks about All This Want and I Can't Get None and covers: the content of T's feverish and honest short stories about girlhood, shame, want, and choices how T found an agent what the path to a book deal looked like how living in a certain place can foster a more balanced writing life how writing collaborative plays has informed their fiction

    39 min
  5. With My Background in Publishing, I Knew Nothing Was Make-or-Break

    08/01/2025

    With My Background in Publishing, I Knew Nothing Was Make-or-Break

    Send us a text In this episode Samantha Browning Shea talks about MARROW and covers: writing her own book as a literary agent for others when her first novel didn't find a publisher writing with small children  writing characters in the context of their relationships  worry over whether a book will work  find out more about Samantha here pre-order Marrow here Learn more about the upcoming host of Writing Stories Jessica Kinnison here

    43 min
  6. "This is my start" — Lorraine Russell tells the story of Love and Shadows

    07/17/2025

    "This is my start" — Lorraine Russell tells the story of Love and Shadows

    Send us a text Lorraine Russell tells the story of Love and Shadows. Along the way she covers:  Self-publishing on Amazon Using Fiverr to find cover designers and editors  Fear of failure  Getting yourself into a flow state  Working with a writing coach Writing as though telling a story around a campfire  Also in this episode:  The Long Road to Publishing with Eva Langston  Our upcoming new Writing Stories host, Jessica Kinnison (!!!)  Catherine Lacey (Catherine Lacey, if you are out there, we love you!)  Buy Love and Shadows here

    35 min
  7. "I'm not writing just for myself" — Danielle Teller tells the story of FORGED

    06/17/2025

    "I'm not writing just for myself" — Danielle Teller tells the story of FORGED

    Send us a text Danielle Teller tells the story of Forged and talks about:  success as a writer  rule-breaking  the pitfalls of newspaper articles in novels  Cassie Chadwick  All the Ever Afters  When your agent can't place your manuscript  How her work as a doctor has informed her writing process  Learn more about Danielle here  buy FORGED here

    31 min
  8. “There’s Someone Out There...I just Have to Find Them." — Christine Kalafus tells the story of FLOOD

    06/04/2025

    “There’s Someone Out There...I just Have to Find Them." — Christine Kalafus tells the story of FLOOD

    Send us a text Christine tells the story of FLOOD and talks about:  Westport Writers Workshop  Christine Pakkala Copy editing your own work  Thinking about text structure like architecture  Agent shenanigans  Woodhall Press  Shampoo and sugar as essential writing tools  Combatting perfectionism Jaclyn Gilbert and Drift(less) Literary  Poets and their memoirs  Learn more about Christine here Buy FLOOD here

    30 min
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About

Each episode of Writing Stories  features  an interview with a contemporary author about how her book went from an idea in her head to an object on a shelf. Join us on Writing Stories for honesty, struggle, and triumph, for writing community, publishing insight, and inspiration to persist in whatever difficult but meaningful journey you've chosen for yourself.

Information

  • Creator
    Brianna Avenia-Tapper
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    82
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Writing Stories
  • Show Website
    Writing Stories