This conversation is part of an ongoing series of conversations with fellow writers including several on Substack such as Michael Mohr, Lyle McKeany, and Sex at Dawn author Chris Ryan as well as others including master coaches Michael Lipson and Robert Ellis, ultra-ultra-runner Charlie Engle and legendary sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson.

Today’s conversation is betweenSam Kahn, the writer behind Castalia , who also writes as part of the Inner Life collective, and Bowen Dwelle who writesAn Ordinary Disaster, which includes his serialized memoir of the same name.

Sam and I got together for a deep and wide-ranging conversation covering how we came to writing on Substack, the questions of why write? and is it hard?, figuring out how to tell the truth, the challenges of editing, using addiction as the “hinge” for writing, how life can seem like “a series of compulsions,” how writing can be “salvational,” as well as the power of community for writers. We also get to one of my favorite topics: masculinity and identity, which is as complicated—or as simple—as you want to make it. Either way, as Sam puts it, “it’s a valid topic.” Finally, the epistemological boundary between arguing a point of meaning vs. speaking from personal experience, reconnecting with our wild center, and, of course, what we’re working on next.

If you’re someone who values authentic, honest, deep, vulnerable conversations between working writers, we think you’ll get a lot out of this discussion.

Following the interview are links to some of our writing, some other writers of memoir on Substack, and some questions for you. We’d love to hear from you!

Our Conversation

Listen in the player at the top of the page, or watch the interview on video:

⭐️⭐️ THANK YOU FOR LISTENING⭐️⭐️

Please subscribe

Sam writes at Castalia on literature, politics, and personal reflections.

Bowen writes memoir and personal essay on topics including identity, masculinity, adventure, alcohol, addiction, depression, sports, not having children, and love, among other things.

Some of our writing

* Sam: Against Branding (and Sarah Fay) 

* Bowen: Sex is Better Sober

* Sam: Gentlemen Prefer B*****s

* Bowen: No, it is not a struggle to find good male role models—and, it’s time we got our heads screwed on straight about the “patriarchy.”

Other writers we recommend on Substack

Inner Life The Recovering Academic Get Real, Man Of a Sober Mind Michael Mohr's Sincere American Writing Just Enough to Get Me in Trouble Deep Fix Sparks from Culture by David Roberts The Bright Life Mary Tabor "Only connect ..." Make Me Good Soil Grand Hotel Abyss The Unspeakable with Meghan Daum visa's voltaic verses ⚡️ Sherman Alexie The Abbey of Misrule Persuasion Tangentially Speaking with Chris Ryan Homegrown Humans Newsletter Out of It The Rewilded Soul if not, Paris

Further Reading

* 📖 The Revolt of the Public, Martin Gurri

* 👁️ The Flowering Wand: Rewilding the Sacred Masculine, Sophie Strand

* 🎬 The Conversation

* 📚 Bowen’s complete “for men” reading list.

Men’s Writing Group on Substack

Bowen hosts a monthly group for men on Substack writing memoir, autofiction, personal essay and other first-person informed work. This group already includes several strong writers Michael Mohr Latham Turner Joshua Doležal Lyle McKeany Dee Rambeau. Participation is by request and invitation. If you’re interested in joining us, please complete this questionnaire.

We’ve got some questions for you

* Why do you write? Is there a subject or personal complex that serves as a hinge for your writing?

* What are your own compulsions?

* Is writing redemptive (or just another compulsion)? 

* How does Substack change the way we think about writing, art, and sharing ideas?

Did you enjoy this conversation? Use the heart ♡ below to let us know

👇🏻

Get full access to An Ordinary Disaster at bowendwelle.substack.com/subscribe