STUDY HALL COURSE: HOW TO EDIT YOUR OWN WRITING |
During the age of Substack self-publishing, writers might feel pressure to write a perfect first draft. But, as a writer with 30 years of experience, Sarah Miller can tell you that it takes a lot of self-editing. Though taste is somewhat subjective, the use of cliches, overactive verbs, and just plain nonsensical language can take away from otherwise brilliant ideas. In this class, Sarah will share some things she cuts from her own writing (and tries never to put in the first place, although of course no one is perfect). Sarah will offer tips on how to spot and eliminate weak spots in your work and build on your strengths. In this one-hour class, Sarah will focus on honing your sense of humor and powers of observation, so you can write elegant descriptions and create original, interesting work. |
Sarah has written about Ayahuasca for n+1, Botox for the New Yorker, her bathroom for the Paris Review and everything for her Substack, The Real Sarah Miller. Listen to her podcast episode about her approach to personal essay writing. |
The course will take place on November 14th, 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET. Study Hall members use the coupon code “studyhallmember” to receive 50% off the standard price, making it only $49.50. Sign up here. For any questions, reach out to sup...@studyhall.xyz. |
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Interview With Jourdain Searles |
On the latest podcast episode, Jourdain Searles, a critic, chatted about the state of film reviews. She discussed her approach to negative reviews and navigating film festivals. The episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. |
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Plug Your Work |
Please submit your work via our members site to share your work across our newsletters, blog, and social media channels. |
Meghan Racklin Wrote About Fanny Howe’s Pseudonymous Romance Novels |
For The New Republic, Meghan Racklin wrote about “Fanny Howe's first two novels—a pair of romances about nurses, published pseudonymously.” |
Racklin told Study Hall about her process: “The first is out-of-print, and I eventually tracked it down on eBay; the second has been digitally republished by a small republisher of nurse-themed romance novels. I read the books through the lens of Howe's later work.” |
Racklin’s writing has appeared in Lux, Los Angeles Review of Books, and LitHub. |
Saleem Reshamwala Followed An Electronic Synthesizer Straight Into The Hills of North Carolina |
For NPR/WUNC’s “The Broadside,” Saleem Reshamwala published an audio story about Bob Moog’s legendary synth company. |
Reshamwala told Study Hall, “I'm always super happy when an audio story turns into a road trip gig, and this one took me from a railcar full of synthesizers and drum machines in Durham, North Carolina out into the NC mountains.” |
Haleema Shah Published A Podcast About Near-Death Experiences |
For “Altered States,” a podcast from PRX and UC Berkeley’s Center for the Science of Psychedelics, Haleema Shah dug into “a speculative theory about the wondrous, terrifying, and profound nature of near-death experiences (NDEs) and DMT trips.” |
Shah told Study Hall, “Survivors of near-death experiences (NDEs) often report seeing a bright light, an aerial view of their bodies, and being embraced by an all-loving God.” |
Shah added, “While many NDE survivors say it was "realer than real," skeptics suggest that NDE is a chemical trick of the brain, fueled by a surge of naturally occurring DMT. To tell this story, I followed both the research and the emotion — from lab studies to first-person accounts — and tried to capture that tension through sound. The result is an audio journey that lives between science and spirituality, depicting one of humanity's many attempts to answer an unknowable question - what happens when we die?” |
Izidora Angel Wrote An Essay About Her Childhood In Bulgaria |
For The American Scholar, Izidora Angel wrote an essay reflecting on her childhood during Bulgaria’s last decade of communism. |
Angel writes, “The end of communism came in phases, like a cold sweat, and although we were approaching the precarious (though bloodless, at least for Bulgaria) switch to democracy and a free market, in 1988 there was still plenty of communism left to go.” |
Angel’s writing has appeared in Astra Magazine, Chicago Reader, and other publications. |
Karen Fischer Wrote About Putting A Human Face to Maternal Health Deserts |
Last year, Karen Fischer launched a Substack newsletter called The Gumbo Pot, where she produces weekly independent reporting on education, health, culture, infrastructure, energy and food. |
Fischer told Study Hall about her latest piece of reporting: “This week I reported on maternal health deserts with a mom whose doctors told her she would have died if she went to her rural hospital to give birth due to unforeseen complications, and a rural hospital CEO who broke down how low Medicaid reimbursement rates led to their OB-GYN unit closure four years ago.” |
Subscribe to The Gumbo Pot. |
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Comings and Goings |
Elias Schisgall is now a breaking business news reporter at The Wall Street Journal. Lydia Spencer-Elliott is now a features writer on the Lifestyle desk at The Independent. Stephen Stromberg has joined the guest essay team at The New York Times.
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