A Lesson before Writing

Ted Morrissey, Brady Harrison & Grant Tracey
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"A Lesson before Writing" is writers, editors, publishers and teachers talking about writing, editing, publishing and teaching. It's co-hosted by Brady Harrison, Ted Morrissey and Grant Tracey -- all widely published authors and experienced editors, publishers and teachers. Together they draw on more than 120 years of experience. In addition to writing-related topics, each episode features a discussion of a recently published short story from a literary journal. The podcast is developed by Twelve Winters Press. Visit twelvewinters.com/a-lesson-before-writing for further information about the hosts.

  1. Aug 13

    Bonus Episode 14

    Podcast co-host Ted Morrissey chats with fellow author and book coach (and former student) Tedd Hawks. Topics include the constantly changing publishing landscape, from the vicissitudes of social media to the impact of AI. Tedd discusses his work as a book coach and how he became involved in that area. Ted talks about starting Twelve Winters Press and its various entities, as well as his experiences as a teacher of writing.

  2. Jul 20

    Episode 37

    We cover a variety of writing-related topics, including working on multiple projects versus being focused on one at a time, the aesthetic criteria for fictional prose versus nonfictional prose, how cultural factors affect literary production, literary translation, and much more. The featured short story is "Big Gertie and Just Walter" by Michele Alouf, published in Potomac Review, Issue 78, Spring 2026.

  3. Jun 25

    Episode 36

    We talk about a variety of writing-related topics, including the continued popularity of noir and neo-noir literature and film, the importance of having access to great literature in a culture, and the benefits of teaching expressive writing in high school and college classrooms. The featured short story is "From the Bottom of the Seven Seas Lagoon" by Parker Logan, published in ⁠Swamp Ape Review⁠, vol. 8, spring 2025. #podcast #writing #publishing #fiction #noir #teachingwriting

  4. May 19

    Episode 35

    Among our topics is the pace at which writers complete various projects, multitasking between projects, a cautionary tale about using A.I., and the joy and satisfaction of creating a story organically. The featured short story is "Owl/Dyke" by a.c.d., published in Sinister Wisdom, number 139, winter 2026.

  5. May 3

    Episode 34

    We chat about a variety writing-related topics, including the promotion of one's work via social media (and perhaps oversaturating one's followers' feeds), the ever-increasing insertion of Artificial Intelligence in the lives of writers, the impact of A.I. on the emotional benefits of writing, and also just the pure joy of the creative process. The featured short story is "The Ship and the Rock" by Richard Mills, published in Cola, volume 5, spring 2026.

  6. Apr 22

    Bonus Episode 13

    The National University of Modern Languages in Islamabad, Pakistan, hosted a book event for Aspiring Child: A Biography of Mary W. Shelley in Sonnets, by co-host Ted Morrissey. Working with NUML faculty, students read the collection beforehand, and five students presented their analyses of 20 sonnets each; followed by the author's reading and commentary; and a lively Q&A concluded the event. Nearly 90 students and faculty attended the remote event, which was mainly organized by Dr. Amina Ghazanfar of NUML. There are at times a few brief pauses in the recording as the various participants are organized across the Zoom link, or due to momentary glitches in the connection.

  7. Mar 29

    Episode 33

    Co-hosts Brady Harrison, Ted Morrissey and Grant Tracey discuss a variety of writing-related topics, including the recent #AWP Conference and Bookfair in Baltimore, the number of talented writers there are writing in English, variations on the writing process, and the use of languages other than English in our writing. The featured short story is "Tempting Fate" by Elizabeth Hart Bergstrom, published in Bennington Review, issue 14.

  8. Mar 26

    Bonus Episode 12

    Co-host Ted Morrissey discusses some recent videos by YouTube book reviewers. The YouTubers, all of whom are women, are very bright, well-read, and articulate; and they make some great points about contemporary literary novels (all written by women), which they find uninteresting and mediocre in terms of style. Even though he agrees with their overall assessments, he believes they are missing the mark in terms of the root of the problem, and he suggests an alternate approach to their book reviewing.

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About

"A Lesson before Writing" is writers, editors, publishers and teachers talking about writing, editing, publishing and teaching. It's co-hosted by Brady Harrison, Ted Morrissey and Grant Tracey -- all widely published authors and experienced editors, publishers and teachers. Together they draw on more than 120 years of experience. In addition to writing-related topics, each episode features a discussion of a recently published short story from a literary journal. The podcast is developed by Twelve Winters Press. Visit twelvewinters.com/a-lesson-before-writing for further information about the hosts.

Information

  • Creator
    Ted Morrissey, Brady Harrison & Grant Tracey
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2023
  • Show Website
    A Lesson before Writing