Shows
The Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerFinish Your Life-Changing Memoir: a 3-Step System to Cut Through Confusion and Write a Memoir Readers Can’t Put Down (Ep. 10)>> Doors are open for UNEARTHING BEAUTY: MEMOIR EDITION! Enroll by April 2.Sign up for Unearthing Beauty: Memoir Edition by Thursday, March 26th, to get the BONUS round of feedback, or shoot me an email at mara @ maraeller.com with your questions by that date and I'll still include it if you sign up. ___________________________________Come join the discussion!InstagramTikTokThreadsSubstackAnd visit my website to learn more about my editing services, book coaching, and upcoming courses.
2026-03-251h 18The Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerHow to Write Your Hard Story: the Alchemy of Memoir with Lisa Cooper Ellison, Trauma-Informed Writing Coach (Ep. 9)What if the most powerful memoirs come not from telling your story—but transforming it?In this episode, I’m joined by trauma-informed writing coach Lisa Cooper Ellison for a powerful conversation about the alchemy of memoir—the process of transforming lived experience into meaning—and why great memoirs always reveal a truth about the human condition.Lisa shares how to uncover the deeper “aboutness” of your story, how to reveal that “aboutness” on the page, and why rushing the process often keeps writers from telling their most powerful story.We also discuss how...
2026-03-191h 00The Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerRewrite Your Life: 7 Reasons to Write a Memoir Even if You Never Publish a Word (Ep. 8)Should I still write a memoir if I don’t think I want to publish it?My answer is a resounding “yes!” And I have 7 reasons why you should, regardless of whether you ever want to share a word with another living soul (plus a bonus reason if you do!). In fact, I think we should always write first and foremost for ourselves, because of the person the process will help us become.In this episode, I explore the transformational power of personal writing, including:the health benefits of expressive writingwhy storytelling helps t...
2026-03-1125 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerBecoming the Hero of Your Memoir with Megan Young (Ep. 7)“You can't hide from your own calling.”Megan always knew she would write a book — someday.But when she finally committed to writing a memoir, she found herself wandering in “no-man’s land” — pages of stories, no through line, and no idea how to go from there to a finished book. That led her to reach out for book coaching, and her growth over the last five months has been so inspiring.We talk about:The challenge — and reward — of becoming the hero of your own storyWhat to do when your transf...
2026-03-0443 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerFrom Meandering to Magnetic: 5 Memoir Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (Ep. 6)You’ve found the courage to write your memoir, and you’re pouring your heart onto the page. But it’s not landing the way you hoped. Something feels . . . off. Flat. And each page of progress feels like pulling teeth.It’s not because your life isn’t interesting. And it’s not a lack of talent.You’ve got the soul for a great memoir. Now you just need the science.In this episode, I break down the five most common mistakes aspiring memoirists make that sabotage both the writing process and the reading ex...
2026-02-2531 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerThe Real Reason You Haven’t Written Your Memoir Yet: the "6 Veils of Resistance" and How to Move Past Them (Ep. 5)You feel called to share your story. Yet the moment you sit down to write, you find yourself suddenly possessed by the need to deep-clean your baseboards. It’s maddening. (Ask me how I know.)But here’s the secret: procrastination is just the mask that fear wears to keep you safe. Today, we’re peeling back that mask to look at the real reasons most memoirs never get written—and how to make sure yours isn't one of them.In this episode, we step back from the technical "how-tos" of memoir writing to explor...
2026-02-1824 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerThe Architecture of Memoir with Ariel Curry, Acquisitions Editor at Sourcebooks (Ep. 4)What makes for a truly great memoir?In this episode, we sit down with Ariel, co-author of Hungry Authors and a veteran editor specializing in nonfiction. While many writers approach their life stories with pure "soul," Ariel argues that a great memoir requires a rigorous "science"—a structural logic that delivers a powerful transformation.In this episode, we discuss:The Architecture of a Great Book: Why the "underlying logic" of your book is just as important as your prose itself.Memoir vs. Autobiography: The critical distinction that most first-time authors miss.Transformation as the Co...
2026-02-111h 05The Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerThe Science of Great Writing (Ep. 3)Do you ever feel like your writing is a muffled version of the brilliant ideas in your head? This week, we’re demystifying the science of writing—the rules, techniques, and structures that bridge the gap between raw creativity and powerful prose. I explore why science isn't a cage for your creativity but the very thing that frees it. Plus, I share my favorite way to think about the role rules play in the writing process and the crucial distinction that keeps soul and science working together in harmony to produce the beautiful, life-changing writing we lov...
2026-02-0421 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerThe Soul of Great Writing (Ep. 2)What makes some writing feel alive? And how can we bring that quality into our own work?In this episode, I explore the “soul” of great writing, both descriptively—what that looks like on the page—and prescriptively—what writers can do to cultivate it.We talk about the role of vulnerability, where writers go wrong in pursuit of authenticity, and how words can become a bridge to connection.Plus, I share practical tips for tending to your writer soul and a sneak peek of what’s coming up next month!M...
2026-01-2821 minThe Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerWhat Makes Writing Great? (Ep. 1)In this first full episode, I ask a deceptively simple question: what is great writing? If you’re like me, great writing is something you recognize on an intuitive level, but when you try to articulate what makes that writing great, things get . . . complicated. In this episode, I offer a way of thinking about great writing that cuts across genre and style—a simple framework, both descriptive and prescriptive, for naming what sits at the heart of every truly great work of literature.Mentioned in this episode:“Introduction to Poetry” by Billy CollinsThe Writing Life by A...
2026-01-2122 min
Peiling på SeilingPREMIERE: Peiling på Seiling – Mara skal seile alene rundt jorda uten moderne hjelpemidlerHelga Marie Løvenskiold Kveseth, også kjent som Mara skal seile Golden Globe Race 2026. Altså solo, nonstop, jorden rundt med teknologi fra 1968. Det betyr sju til ni måneder alene på havet uten moderne hjelpemidler som GPS eller autopilot. Thomas Nilsson spør om eventyret: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2025-12-2026 min
LIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller19: Finale — TLOAS is a culmination, not a contradiction (with Kelley Erickson)For our last episode, I sit down with functional mental health practitioner Kelley Erickson to explore The Life of a Showgirl through the lens of emotional integration, identity, and resistance.We unpack why this album feels so different, the emotional arc of Taylor’s discography, and why this album is a culmination, not a contradiction.We talk about performance, power, and what it looks like refuse to play by patriarchy’s rules while remaining within the system—and we go DEEP. I learned so much from this conversation, and it unlocked a whole new lev...
2025-12-191h 27The Soul and Science of Great Writing with Mara EllerTrailerWhat makes writing great? Is it the spark of inspiration, unique voice, and intangible soul that breathes life into the words? Or is it the careful structure, repeatable strategies, and attention to detail that shape an idea into something readers can’t put down? In truth, it’s both. The Soul and Science of Great Writing brings creativity and craft together, both dissecting and reveling in the power of language.We'll explore the qualities that set great writing apart, the challenges every writer faces, and the habits, strategies, and mindsets that help writers grow their creat...
2025-12-1601 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller18: The Crowd Is King — what the prologue poems reveal about the life of a showgirlIn this episode, we uncover the secrets hidden in the six poems that fans are calling a prologue for the album. From the meticulous preparatory rituals to the unspoken rules that keep a showgirl sane under the gaze of adoring—and sometimes ruthless—crowds, these poems deepen our understanding of the album but also add a missing element. We explore the “monotonous thrill” of performing night after night, the moments of connection that make it all worth it, and what it truly means to love the life of a showgirl.I encourage you to read the poems...
2025-12-1550 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller17: Punk Scholar Meets Showgirl (with Micah Vandegrift)For our second bonus episode and our first interview, I’m joined by musician and scholar Micah Vandegrift.Micah and I met in graduate school when we both studying American culture at FSU. He specialized in music culture, specifically local post-punk scenes. In short, NOT a swiftie.I invited him to listen to the album for the first time with me and share his thoughts and impressions after each song. We ended up talking about musical cohesion, sonic arcs, and whether authenticity and performance are mutually exclusive.You can find Micah on his we...
2025-12-131h 07LIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller16: From Shakespeare to Swift: Can Popular Art Be Great Art?In this first bonus episode, we step beyond the showgirl’s story to explore the bigger picture of Taylor's reception as an artist. I’m sharing an essay I wrote that’s been getting a lot of attention on Substack about why some art—like Taylor Swift’s songwriting—is dismissed as “popular,” while other work—like Shakespeare's plays—is celebrated as “serious” or "literary." It's about artistic hierarchies, who gets to decide which art is considered important, and what those decisions say about who we are as a society. You can see the piece (including citations) and j...
2025-12-0821 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller15: “The Life of a Showgirl” — is this a comedy or a tragedy?This final track takes us back to our showgirl’s beginnings when her idol warned her of the harsh reality behind the shimmering facade of sequins and lace.From star-struck encounters at glittering performances to the bruises that are the price of admission, this episode examines how the showgirl claims her calling, embraces her reality, and shares the hard-won wisdom of a life lived in the spotlight. Plus: a motif treasure hunt, discussion questions, and writing prompts to help you dive deeper!Here are the motifs I found:1. Love...
2025-12-0522 min
LöpardrömmarMot Valencia Maraton - Nerver, maratondrömmar och veckans superpass!Jackie laddar inför Valencia Maraton – hennes 17:e mara och nu är startskottet nära, pirret är verkligt och måldrömmarna stora. Vi pratar om hur man hittar balansen mellan att satsa mot personligt rekord och samtidigt vara redo att lyssna på kroppen om något känns fel. Är det värt att trycka, eller är den smartaste strategin ibland att släppa taget?Och vad är det egentligen som gör Valencia till en magisk maratonupplevelse med blå matta, pepp i varje gatuhörn och en atmosfär som måste upplevas?Lina delar även vecka...
2025-12-0544 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller14: “Honey” — trust, tenderness, and the golden glow of truthIn “Honey,” the showgirl steps into a life she once feared was only a mirage: a relationship so secure she can finally let her armor drop.After years of battling manipulation, half-truths, and outright deception, the showgirl delights in a partnership built on honesty, transparency, and mutual respect.Performance gives way to play, and the golden glow of relational safety begins to feel like home.Don’t miss the discussion questions and writing prompts at the end!_______________________________________ It's not too late to snag the replay for Write...
2025-12-0128 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller13: "CANCELLED!" — something wicked this way comesIn "CANCELLED!", the showgirl confronts the forces that try to keep women small head on. She’s done trying to play nice. Instead, she embraces infamy and forges a sisterhood with other women who refuse to conform.This episode unveils the showgirl’s journey from reactive victim to empowered advocate, turning public criticism into a badge of honor. Through allusions to classic myths and Macbeth’s witches, Swift points to the double standards of our patriarchal system, the internalized misogyny that pits women against one another, and the transformative power of refusing to let shame define you.O...
2025-11-2827 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller12: “Wood”— superstition, satire, and the subversive power of female desirePerhaps the most divisive song on the album, “Wood” might sound like little more than raunchy puns about how much Taylor loves her fiancé’s… assets. But beneath the playful surface lies a daring critique of patriarchy, double standards, and the policing of female desire. In this episode, we unpack this audacious performance’s cheeky innuendo and Shakespearean echoes to reveal how the showgirl flips centuries of expectation on its head, manipulates the audience, reclaims her power.Scandalous wordplay, bold sexuality, and literary mischief await!Plus discussion questions and writing prompts to help you take it...
2025-11-2429 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller11: “Wi$h Li$t“ — the luxury of being left aloneNo, Taylor hasn’t gone tradwife.In this episode, we look at “Wi$h Li$t“ not as a love letter to domesticity, but as the showgirl’s fantasy of escape, her quiet breaking point in Act II.We’ll unpack the ironic dollar signs, the list of luxuries our showgirl says she doesn’t want, and the line that reveals the real enemy in this story. “Wi$h Li$t“ isn’t a retreat into tradition—it’s the showgirl imagining the one thing she can’t buy, can’t outrun, and can’t ever fully have.
2025-11-2123 min
POESIDIGG PODKAST#63 Poesidigg: Mara LeeBli med inn i Mara Lee sin grensesprengende verden! Et navn som har runget også i Norge helt siden den harde knyttneven av en debut fra 2000 med tittelen KOM. Å beskrive kombinasjonen av vold og seksualitet i en så utsøkt poetisk form sjokkerte og inspirerte mange i de unge poetiske miljøene her til lands. Sjangerblandingen i de poetiske verkene er gjort på oppsiktsvekkende vis og vitner om en forfattervilje som driver stoffet sitt urokkelig akkurat dit den vil uansett sjangernes stengsler, noe som virkelig blir tydelig i boken «Kärleken och hatet», er det en roman eller en diktsamli...
2025-11-201h 02LIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller10: “Actually Romantic” — above the fray or becoming the enemy?Our unreliable narrator is back!In this lesson, we dive into “Actually Romantic,” the album’s grunge-pop, razor-edged exploration of envy, fixation, and the fine line between love and hate. We’ll unpack the layers of verbal and dramatic irony, the unsettling sexual bravado, and the emotional whiplash of a persona caught between tender vulnerability and savage self-protection.Along the way, we’ll consider why the showgirl reaches for seduction as a weapon, whether this track signals her turn toward villainy, and how pretending not to care can be its own tragic performance.Plus...
2025-11-1715 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller9: “Ruin the Friendship” — the price of playing it safe“Ruin the Friendship” expands on the vulnerability we saw in “Eldest Daughter” and reveals the showgirl at her most human.In this episode, we unpack the song’s quiet heartbreak and the recurring tension between the “good girl” who plays it safe and the artist who longs to live boldly. We’ll trace how Swift’s lyrics move through time, how regret becomes revelation, and how this moment of tenderness deepens the album’s larger story.Don’t miss the writing prompts at the end, or go to www.maraeller.com/prompts to get them sent straight to your...
2025-11-1418 min
Courage & Clarity165: Mara Signed Three $6K Clients & Exploded Her Audience in 30 DaysIn this episode, Steph sits down with Sold Out Group Programs client Mara Eller, a writing coach, book coach, and former English teacher who recently left her 11-year teaching career to run her business full-time.Just weeks after rejoining the mastermind, Mara (@mara.eller on Instagram) went from 1,300 Instagram followers (where she'd been stuck for two years) to over 5,000 — and more importantly, signed three $6K book coaching clients in a single month.Her secret? A Taylor Swift post that went viral with 450,000 views on TikTok.But here's what makes this story different: the vi...
2025-11-1038 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller8: "Eldest Daughter" — the showgirl takes off her makeupWhat is this confessional ballad doing in the middle of an album about the glamour of the showgirl life? In this episode, we explore the surprising intimacy and aching vulnerability of “Eldest Daughter.” Our heroine—fresh from the ruthless triumph of “Father Figure”—seems to be asking herself who she’s become and whether she can stay kind, loyal, and true to herself in a world that rewards performance and punishes softness.We’ll unpack the song’s use of slang, its play with hot and cold, and how it reframes the showgirl’s story at the midpoint of th...
2025-11-1017 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller7: "Father Figure" — professional slavery and the cost of successIn this episode, we dive into “Father Figure” — a song that dramatizes the complex dynamics between a young, vulnerable artist and the powerful adults who offer guidance and protection. We also explore why she credited George Michael and her own battle for creative control. As the final track in Act 1 of this unfolding drama, “Father Figure” shows our heroine at a crossroads, faced with a difficult choice between two less-than-ideal options: surrender to the forces that want to keep her small, or claim her power and risk losing her soul?Listen through to the end for your wr...
2025-11-0731 minLIT112: The Life of a Showgirl with Mara Eller6: “Opalite” — all that glitters is not . . . opal?On the surface, “Opalite” sparkles — a feel-good, danceable love song about moving on and finding happiness. But when you look closer, both musically and lyrically, the shimmer seems to be only skin deep. The happiness she’s portraying is not entirely real — it’s manufactured, just like opalite itself.In this episode, we dive into chapter three of the showgirl’s story and uncover a tension between the joyful chorus and the unresolved verses that mirrors the lyrics’ emotional undercurrent. What does it mean when your “sky is Opalite”? This image captures the tension between manufactured happiness and authentic emotio...
2025-11-0319 min