WHY I WRITE

Self-Help Humor, Fiction, and Poetry.

I created a new hybrid genre: Self-Help Humor where I guide my readers with laughter as I usher us through our daily grind. Through this writing, we journey toward resolving our real-world problems and our inner conflicts.

I use metaphor and double entendre to shake us and wake us. In my article, “I Am A Psycho Killer Writer,” I expose every writer’s pain and difficulty of editing our own words. Here, I detail my battle for a final draft by metaphorically updating three different versions of a popular song. My fraught and funny journey begins with my false sense of accomplishment, which then rapidly spirals into the pain of uncertainty as I confront a new iteration of my messy draft. I emerge victorious as the final version and I join hands and run away together in the sunset.

I revisit my roots as a writer of poetry-prose in the horror/suspense short story “The Return.” Unlike “I am a Psycho Killer Writer,” this piece is both psychologically haunting and real-world scary. Though the genre departs from my signature Self-Help Humor, my writing style will be familiar. I continue to use my favorite literary devices: metaphor, double entendre, and whimsy which presents here as dark humor.

As you read my writing, you will be entertained and comforted to know that you are in good company as you face your daily struggles.

Episode 1: Author Robin Riback on moving forward after a bump and a detour in the road – The Storied Human (What is your Story?)

Join me on The Storied Human's inaugural interview! I got to spend time talking to the always witty and helpful Author Robin Riback, my former college roommate and good friend. Listen to find out how Robin dealt with her "bump in the road" in her career (she got laid off at the beginning of Covid from a job she had had for many years) and also to hear our "secret bond." It's pretty cool. Robin bounced back and re-found a part of herself. A lively and informative conversation, which of course all good stories are!SHOW NOTES:Links:https://robinriback.com/https://rriback7k.medium.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/robinriback/Takeaways:1. How to use humor to get through a tough time.2. How to get used to No.3. How to move through grief to action.Bio:Robin Riback’s writing styles include poetry, short fiction, and humor driven self-help articles. A gravitation toward the dramatic attracted her to stand-up comedy where she created various funny characters for her comedy scripts. Today she continues to nurture her “writer’s brain” which takes grit and resolve when she hears “No!” If you would like to try your hand at participating in the writing contest Robin mentioned, there are actually several throughout the year and they are found at NYC Midnight — https://www.nycmidnight.com/. They are currently running a screenplay contest, but they do short story and microfiction contests too. You get a set of prompts and a genre to write in and you only have 24 or 48 hours to write a piece. Really challenging and fun!THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!Check out my Facebook group — The Storied Human.Have a story? DM me on instagram: lthompson_574Drop me an email: thestoriedhuman@gmail.comSee all my links on Linktree:https://linktr.ee/StoriedHuman/Also see all episodes on my new website: https://www.podpage.com/the-storied-human-what-is-your-story/episodes/Keep in touch!Original music "Saturday Sway" by Brendan Talian

“Writing humor is not something every single person can do. “
Celia Riverbark