Sheila Bender, Writing It Real

Weekly Writing It Real Newsletter October 2, 2025

I post a newsletter on Substack every week. It has resource links for writers as well as links to a new monthly article. This time it is a Zoom recording of In Conversation with Melissa Frateriggo, author of The Perils of Girlhood, A Memoir in Essays.

open.substack.com/pub/sheilabe...

Writing It Real Weekly Newsletter Dear Writers,

Here's a link to this week's Writing It Real newsletter with new resource links for writers.

Writing It Real Weekly Newsletter Classes, successes and resource links

sheilabender.substack.com/p/writing-it...

Here's the link for information and to enroll

My weekly letter on Substack has lots of information, including about the Writing It Real in Lake Garda, Italy writers workshop in September 2026, when I join forces with author Brenda Miller.

In Conversation with Philip Kenney Following up on last week's post, more about the author's work

I've posted a video interview with author and therapist Philip Kenney. I used to have a radio program on Port Townsend, WA's station KPTZ. It felt good to get back to those kinds of conversations with authors.

sheilabender.substack.com/p/in-convers...

Philip Kenney | Substack Psychotherapist and author of "The Writer's Crucible" and a recent book of essays entitled: "So Many Surprises: Essays 2013-2023

I have a new article up on my Substack. It's on spirituality and writing by Philip Kenney.

On the Union of Writers and Spirit Excerpt from Philip Kenney's collection of essays, So Many Surprises: Essays 2013-2023

A new post on my Substack--"On the Union of Writers and Spirit," an excerpt from guest author Philip Kenney's collection of essays So Many Surprises.

Want to publish writing on writing? Helpful tips. anecdotes, pithy comments up to 1400 wds on: how-to, how-not-to, publishing, editing, marketing, promotion, humor, kid lit . . . workingwriters@aol.com Include a short bio.

Here’s a Stanley Kunitz quote I just read. He speaks of poetry, but I would add personal essay and memoir:

“A poem has secrets the poet knows nothing of.”

We write to touch these secrets even if we can’t know the full mystery of them, and our lives are better for it.

The Sunday Morning Rule That Saved My Writing Consistency She had been staring at the same four articles for weeks.

The Sunday Morning Rule That Saved My Writing Consistency

Sheila Bender’s Writing It Real | Sheila Bender Writing It Real | Substack I established Writing It Real as a community resource to facilitate those who write from personal experience in poetry, memoir, fiction, and nonfiction. Click to read Sheila Bender’s Writing It Real, ...

Please join my Substack for writing instruction articles, interviews, resource links and more. Soon, for chats and podcasts. sheilabender.substack.com

Andrea Gibson Refused to ‘Battle’ Cancer The last years of the poet’s life were among their most joyful.

A beautiful article about poet Andrea Gibson. www.theatlantic.com/books/archiv...

Interested in 2-hour Summer Classes to Generate Flash Writing and Prose Poems? Tiny Tales with Tremendous Power

I am looking forward to teaching three two-hour classes on generating flash stories and prose poems. There will be new prompts and sharing during each session, so you can choose to take one, two, or all three of the classes.

What I Told My Students When They Asked What It Is to Be a Poet It is to live into moments and then live them again by remembering the details of what I’ve seen, heard, smelled, tasted and touched.

I have added new writing to my substack.

sheilabender.substack.com/p/what-i-tol...

Early Morning Dialog with My Computer Computer: Hey, User, I can’t say I am glad to see you. You just pound my keys. How many more errors will you make before you log in today?

New post on Medium. In Tuscany's San Giovanni D'Asso with the Writing It Real in Tuscany writer's workshop sponsored by Il Chiostro. Beautfiul. Relaxing. I wrote along with my class. Assignment: Write a dialog with cliches to release yourself from something or someone with annoying power over you.

How to Spot AI Hype and Avoid The AI Con, According to Two Experts In the new book The AI Con, AI critics Emily Bender and Alex Hanna break down the smoke and mirrors around generative AI.

New excellent article in the Daily Mail about Emily Bender and Alex Hanna's argument concerning AI Hype.

Tattle Phone A Writing Exercise

I have a new writing exercise post on substack:
sheilabender.substack.com/p/tattle-pho...

5 Essential New Books That Challenge Big Tech | Kirkus Reviews Damning portraits of Elon Musk and Meta’s top brass are among the skeptical takes by journalists, scientists, and former insiders.

In Kirkus Review featured books today:

Review of Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna's The AI Con: How To Fight Big Tech’s Hype and Create the Future We Want (Harper/HarperCollins, May 13) summed it up as “a refreshingly contrarian take on AI and the clouds of hyperbole surrounding it.”

Vauhini Vara w/ Emily M. Bender Full-service, general bookstore operating since 1973. Frequent author events, cafe, over 150,000 titles

My daughter has been invited to participate in a talk with a journalist about AI at Elliott Bay Books on 4/23. Then she is giving a reading there with her co-author on 5/19. If you are near and can make this one, I know it will be informative.
www.elliottbaybook.com/events/45368

My daughter Emily Bender and her coauthor Alex Hanna's new book The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech and Create the Future We Want is out to rave reviews. Here's one of my favorites from Library Journal. So proud of them!

Unpacking My Files, I Find A Book You Made Though you would be 49 now, I still feel your chubby arms around my neck when I arrived to pick you up from daycare, when we’d hug at…

Finally, I have a new piece up on Medium Magazine.
medium.com/@sheilabende...

I have a new post up on my substack. I hope you'll come ad visit.

substack:https://substack.com/@sheilabender

The Trump daymare Friends,

The Trump daymare open.substack.com/pub/robertre...

There is a wonderful, restorative poem here at the end by
Alison Luterman.

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT! Narratively x Emma Roberts: The True Romance Writing Prize 💋💔✍️🏆 We’re weak in the knees over our latest collab, with star actor Emma Roberts, acclaimed producer Karah Preiss, and their production company/book club, Belletrist.

Narratively X Belletrist True Romance Writing Contest open for submissions today March 21 until May 1. This contest is in collaboration with actor Emma Roberts, for long form 1,000 to 5000 words and short form up to 999 words.

My friends at Port Townsend's North Press included this poem by Brecht in their February newsletter:

In the dark times
will there also be singing?
Yes, there will also be singing.
About the dark times.

Risk Encountering Your Deepest Feelings It may feel like chaos on the page but it is an important chaos in drafting

I have a new writing how to up on my substack: Risk Encountering Your Deepest Feeliings.

Want to know how DOGE came about and positioned itself and why as well as, how many work for it? www.nytimes.com/2025/02/28/u...

Negotiations Expert Explains Why Trump Fails To Get Deals Done One of the nation’s leading experts on the subject of negotiations is David Honig of Indiana University. He teaches both Fortune 500 company executives and heads of state on how to negotiate. Here’s h...

From a professional negotiation point of view, Trump isn't even bringing checkers to a chess match. He's bringing a quarter that he insists on flipping for heads or tails, while everybody else is studying the chess board to decide whether it's better to open with Najdorf or Grünfeld. --David Honig

bsky.app/profile/repe...

Gentle and important but LOUDER please. See the comments.It is time to act and move faster to stop the unconstitutional take over of our government. Keep letting us know what you and the dems are doing, please.