Ease Lessons for Writers

About today's conversation:
This is my first conversation with Jun Sekiya, a writer of scripts, novels, and raps from Yokohama, Japan. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he works as the creative assistant of Soman Chainani, author of the YA fantasy series “The School for Good & Evil”, soon to be a film from Netflix. Jun is working on a novel about an expat kid split between two cultures and friend-groups at his Tokyo international school. His logline is a work-in-progress. When not on his grind, Jun can be found in the local park doing soccer tricks and chasing after dogs who steal his soccer ball. He’s 5’6, decently quick, and is currently training for a marathon.

Thanks for this conversation, Jun.

References from this episode:
1) “If you are a poet you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper. If we look even more deeply, we can see the sunshine, the logger who cut the tree, the wheat that became his bread, and the logger’s father and mother. Without all of these things, this sheet of paper cannot exist. In fact, we cannot point to one thing that is not here—time, space, the earth, the rain, the minerals in the soil, the sunshine, the cloud, the river, the heat, the mind. Everything co-exists with this sheet of paper. So we can say that the cloud and the paper ‘inter-are.’ We cannot just be by ourselves alone; we have to inter-be with every other thing.” - Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen master, poet and peace activist

2) Nothing Much Happens: Cozy & Calming Stories to Soothe Your Mind & Help You Sleep by Kathryn Nicola. You will find the book and podcast here.

3) TV Show: Floret

4) Log Line Formula by Rachael Herron
Protagonist’s Job Title:
Full Name:
Has what already: _______________________
But when __________________, will he _________________?


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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

About today's conversation:
This is my first conversation with Heather J. Patel. Heather is a writer, currently editing her debut memoir -  an intimate portrayal of the toll family secrets and shame have on early identity. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, son, and sweet rescue dog. She received her Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. You can find her on Instagram at hjpatelwrites.

Thanks for this conversation, Heather.

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

About today's conversation:
Megan Sunstrum is writing a memoir about depression, anxiety, being a badass and moving across the country during a pandemic to start a new life. She has a wild imagination, a knack for story-telling, and a deep love of talking to strangers, green things and furry things. She lives in rural Nova Scotia with her husband and beautiful menace of a cat.

Thanks for this conversation, Megan.

A note to the listener: This episode contains multiple references to anxiety and depression as these issues are central to Megan’s memoir. I am not a therapist so I am not coaching Megan through these issues and, as always, I encourage people to seek out a therapist for support with their mental health.

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

About today's conversation:
Maile Topliff is a lifelong lover of words – her elementary school nickname was Webster. She believes that the stories we tell can change our lives. She is currently writing her first non-fiction book – an invitation for the reader to listen to the call to be the author of their own story. Call it a heliograph or Vade Mecum for the current day. It’s about the beauty of a quiet quest and the life’s work of curiosity, empathy, fear, courage, being and the magic of moments. She currently lives in the Twin Cities in Minnesota. She received her Bachelor’s degree in English from Hamline University. You can find her on Instagram at MaileTopliff_writer

Thanks for this conversation, Maile.

Where to find Maile:
Instagram: MaileTopliff_writer

Mentioned during this episode: On Being with Krista Tippett | Naomi Shihab Nye | “Before You Know Kindness As the Deepest Thing Inside...”

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

About today's conversation:
Today's episode is the final conversation with Jason Craig Poole,  a self-proclaimed word nerd who loves language. He believes books have the power to save lives--and credits the magic of books for shaping and saving his own life. He's also a process fanatic who can't seem to get enough when it comes to learning how artists (especially word artists) work and play and create. He refuses to pick a genre and insists on playing in all the sandboxes with at least a dozen projects "in the works" at any moment. His dream is to write words that inspire a reader to want to read MORE words. He lives with his husband and his son in a little house under the trees in Pennsylvania.

Thanks for this delightful conversation, Jason.

Here's the song that Monna mentioned in this episode:
“My Own Drum” (Remix) Music & Lyric Video ft. Missy Elliott | Vivo

Where to find Jason:
Instagram: @alohadudenyc

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

About today's conversation:
Today's episode is the final of three conversations with Brunella, a student at Smith College in Massachusetts. She grew up in Lima, Peru, and has lived and studied in Japan. She likes thinking and writing about the internet, culture, and labor. She also writes Qué Verguenza, a newsletter "about books, and everything else." 

In today’s episode, Brunella shares her writing resolutions for the new year:
1. Trust my gut (Follow the story)
2. Play more with voice
3. Keep it light

We discuss the gap between the writers we are now and the writer we want to become. We share our Compassion Lists and talk about two newsletters:

• George Saunders on substack
• Ask Polly on substack
  
  

Where to find Brunella:
Qué Verguenza on substack

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor
Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

Today's conversation is the third and final episode with Karissa Swanson who is driven by the desire to help others and to create. As program manager for a nonprofit, she works for equity in music education, coaching music teachers in under-resourced public schools. Karissa’s creative pursuits change with the seasons of life. She’s currently in the final drafts of her first book, a memoir that explores sacrifice, sexuality, and love against the backdrop of her then-Moroccan home. Karissa is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and has recently begun writing and recording original music. She adores travel and adventure, and is also content going on runs in her Lakewood, CO neighborhood.

Sign up for updates about Karissa's memoir here.

Where to find Karissa:
Website: KarissaSwanson.com
Facebook: @karissa.a.swanson
Instagram: @karissaswanson

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor

Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com
Newsletter: The Sunday Reader
Patreon:  where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
Instagram: @monnamcdiarmid

Today's episode is the third of three episodes with Rachael Herron, the internationally bestselling author of more than two dozen books, including thriller (under R.H. Herron), mainstream fiction, feminist romance, memoir, and nonfiction about writing. She received her MFA in writing from Mills College, Oakland, she teaches courses through her own writing school and is a proud member of the NaNoWriMo Writer’s Board. She’s a New Zealand citizen as well as an American, and she currently lives in Wellington.

Upcoming Course: Fifteen-Day Writing Frolic
Rachael, Jason and Monna are teaching a writing class together in February. You can learn more about the Fifteen-Day Writing Frolic and register here. Class begins on February 10th 2022.

Where to find Rachael:

• Subscribe to Rachael's newsletter including updates on the release of her upcoming book.
• Website:  https://rachaelherron.com
• Podcast: How do you write?
• Twitter: @rachaelherron
• TikTok: @rachaelherron
• Instagram: @rachaelherron
• Facebook: @Rachael.Herron.Author

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach, Writer and Counselor

• Newsletter
• Patreon: where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress 
• Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com 

About today's conversation:
Today's episode is the second of three episodes with Jason Craig Poole,  a self-proclaimed word nerd who loves language. He believes books have the power to save lives--and credits the magic of books for shaping and saving his own life. He's also a process fanatic who can't seem to get enough when it comes to learning how artists (especially word artists) work and play and create. He refuses to pick a genre and insists on playing in all the sandboxes with at least a dozen projects "in the works" at any moment. His dream is to write words that inspire a reader to want to read MORE words. He lives with his husband and his son in a little house under the trees in Pennsylvania.

In today's episode, Jason shares a surprising poem and gives himself some delicious writing advice about hitting the wall in a piece he calls Break in Case of Emergency.

Thanks for this conversation, Jason.

Where to find Jason:
Instagram: @alohadudenyc

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About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach + Writer

• New course: At home in your body {Begins 31 January 2022}
• Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com 
• Newsletter
• Patreon: where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
• Instagram

About today's conversation:
Today's episode is the second of three episodes with Brunella, a student at Smith College in Massachusetts. She grew up in Lima, Peru, and has lived and studied in Japan. She likes thinking and writing about the internet, culture, and labor. She also writes Qué Verguenza, a newsletter "about books, and everything else." In today’s episode, Brunella and I discuss various meanings of the word little,  bringing a sense of playfulness to our work, and her devotion to the writing of Alejandro Sambra. 

Where to find Brunella:
Newsletter - Qué Verguenza: https://brunella.substack.com/

*****

About Ease Lessons:
Music: “Meekness” by Kai Engel, used under Creative Commons Attribution license

Editor: Damien Pitter

Host: Monna McDiarmid (pronounced Mona McDermid) | Coach + Writer

• New course: At home in your body {Begins 31 January 2022}
• Website: MonnaMcDiarmid.com 
• Newsletter
• Patreon: where I share monthly excerpts from my writing memoir in progress
• Instagram