Johnny Worthing on the Art of Storytelling and Societal Change

In the latest episode of our podcast, we delve into an intriguing conversation with Johnny Worthen, an award-winning author, and teacher, about the power and impact of storytelling on cultures and societies. Known for his famous series "Tony Flannery, Slacker Detective" and his science fiction masterpiece "Koranon", Worthen has earned his place in the world of storytelling, using his unique approach to shed light on important societal issues.

The episode begins with a look at storytelling's role in culture. We discuss Johnny's journey as a writer, his diverse background, and how it influenced his writing. We explore his popular series and his unique approach to teaching creative writing, which includes a course on Buddhist lessons for writers. The discussion emphasizes the cultural impact of storytelling and how it has shaped Johnny's life and career. The conversation then moves onto the themes, genres, and power of stories. We explore the creative process of writing and the role of themes in driving a story. The discussion highlights the power of storytelling in increasing empathy and understanding of different cultures. It also touches on the debate between literary and genre fiction, emphasizing the importance of themes and the impact of storytelling on readers.

Next, we delve into the influence of social media on reading habits. We discuss pressing societal issues such as class war, poverty, and the culture war, dissecting the invisible ties between social media, critical thinking, personal biases, and identity politics. The conversation underscores the importance of unity and evolution in the face of the digital media revolution and political polarization.

The episode also delves into the importance of reading and critical thinking. We explore how reading fosters understanding and discernment, playing a vital role in societal growth. We discuss the rise of long-form media and the decline of literacy in today's society, emphasizing the need for evolution and unity. In a fascinating exploration of the occult, storytelling, and biases, the conversation shifts to discuss the topic of allyship and personal biases. The hosts share their experiences and discuss the slow evolution of society and the importance of storytelling in promoting change. We then explore the topic of identity politics and its impact on various aspects of our lives. The conversation touches on the strong emotional attachment people have to their beliefs, the binary thinking prevalent in Western culture, and the connection between the creative process and steps towards enlightenment.

Lastly, we discuss how Buddhism can be used as a tool for creativity and self-discovery. We delve into how writing can be a means of learning about oneself and how the structure of a story can mirror the structure of life. This chapter highlights the potential for creativity to be a path towards personal development and getting good at life.

Listen to the episode at https://www.buzzsprout.com/2267353/14081913-storytelling-and-social-reform-with-author-johnny-worthen.mp3?download=true

Interview Friday with Author Maggie Lyons

Maggie Lyons was born in Wales and brought up in England before gravitating west to Virginia’s coast. She zigzagged her way through a motley variety of careers from orchestral management to law-firm media relations to academic editing. Writing and editing nonfiction for adults brought plenty of satisfaction but nothing like the magic she discovered in writing fiction and nonfiction for children. Several of her articles, poetry, and a chapter book have been published in the children’s magazines Stories for Children Magazine and knowonder! VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today, Maggie. To get things started can you share what you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Maggie: Very fortunately for me, I’m retired and my son left the nest some time ago. That doesn’t mean I have no other commitments, of course. In fact, I’m very busy as a freelance editor, but I do have the privilege of being able to control m...

Writing Prompt Monday: The Challenge

The idea is too basically express yourself on paper, learn how to use your five senses, or build upon an idea. Think back to when you were in school, it used to only take your teacher saying, “Write a paragraph or one page composition on any subject you want.” This was all it used to take to get those creative juices flowing, but what about now? If you are like me and most writers I know, you have most likely experience the dreaded word “Writer’s Block” from time to time. Getting past this wide-eyed, blank page stare can be hard, and the flashing cursor does not help matters. What is a writer to do? Well it does not matter if you are a New York Best-selling author or an aspiring author, we all need a little creative boost from time to time and that is where my Writing Prompt Monday comes in. In my search for a writing prompt for this week, I came across a great site called Creative Writing Prompts . They have over 300 writing prompts to get your creative juices flowin...

Interview Friday: Author Sands Hetherington

Sands Hetherington credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands raised his son as a single parent from the time John was six. He read to him every night during those formative years. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. He lives in Greensboro. VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. To get things started, Sands, what do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Sands: Hi Mama and thanks for having me over. Actually, my family life was part of my writing life. I was a single (male) parent of a six-year-old son. We always did bedtime stories. One night John invented a red crocodile named Crosley for an after-lights-out companion. This evolved directly into...

VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

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