Writing Excuses4 Touko 2025

20.18: LIVE: The Art of Teaching

This episode was recorded live at our 2024 Writing Excuses Cruise. (Did you know that we host a writing retreat on a cruise every year!?! You can learn more at https://writingexcuses.com/retreats/)

While on a boat in Mexico, Erin Roberts was joined by Marshall Carr—our incredible recording engineer who is also a teacher during the school year— and author Mark Oshiro—who also teaches both kids and adults! For those who don’t know, our host Erin is a Creative Writing professor at UT Austin.

We wanted to record an episode with these three educators to give them a platform to talk about the art—and complexity and passion—of teaching. They discussed how they came to teaching, what they get from teaching as a writer, and why they continue to teach.

Thing of the Week: All This and More by Peng Shepherd

Homework: This homework is from Marshall! If you’re considering teaching, think of something you’re passionate about (it doesn’t have to be writing). Then, create a lesson for that thing that would work for your younger self.

P.S. Want to come write with us in 2025?! Our retreat registration is open, and we are starting to fill up! We are going to unlock our creative processes in Minnesota and explore Story Refinement as we cruise down the Mexican Riviera! Learn more here.

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mark Oshiro, Marshall Carr, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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