Season 7 Episode 7 - Interview with Alyson Shelton
In this warm, reflective, and deeply moving episode, Susanna talks with Alyson Shelton about the power of storytelling, reclaiming our voices, and the quiet courage it takes to believe our stories are worth telling. An award-winning screenwriter, essayist, and editor, Alyson shares the origin story of her beloved Instagram Live series, Where I'm From β inspired by George Ella Lyon's iconic poem of the same name β and how a simple invitation during the pandemic grew into a gathering of over 250 writers and poets sharing pieces of who they are.
Together, Susanna and Alyson explore the idea of the heroine's journey as it played out in Alyson's own life: answering an unexpected call, stepping out of the background and into her voice, and building a space defined by generosity rather than gatekeeping. Alyson reflects on her friendships with George Ella Lyon and writer Fred Furst, the surprising vulnerability she's witnessed even in seasoned, published writers, and the deep interconnectedness she feels with every story she receives. Full of honesty, humor, and hard-won wisdom, this conversation is a gentle reminder that no story (including your own) is too ordinary to matter.
Episode Highlights
00:41 β Introducing Alyson Shelton and her work as a screenwriter, essayist, and editor
03:48 β How Alyson's Instagram Live series, Where I'm From, began β inspired by George Ella Lyon's poem and a prompt from Fred Furst
15:36 β Susanna and Alyson trace the heroine's journey through Alyson's own "ordinary life" and the call that led her to start the project
20:30 β What Alyson has learned from hosting 250+ writers: the power of invitation, and why she refuses to gatekeep
30:31 β The one message Alyson hopes listeners carry with them
Get To Know Alyson Shelton
Alyson Shelton (she/her) is a Writer, Editor & Host. She is an award-winning screenwriter and essayist whose work has been widely published, including in The New York Times and Ms. Her writing is anthologized in collections such as No Contact: Writers on Estrangement and The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope, which she also co-edited.
Alyson is best known for her Instagram Live series inspired by George Ella Lyon's poem "Where I'm From", where she has hosted over 250 writers and poets β many of whom don't consider themselves writers until she helps them find that voice. She is also the writer and creator behind the comic book Reburn, featuring heroine Mae, illustrated by Elise McCall and colored by painter Hillary Jenkins.
Alyson believes deeply in the power of invitation, the freedom that comes from resisting gatekeeping, and the idea that every single person's story is extraordinary.
Connect With Alyson
Website
Substack
Where I'm From
Instagram
Buy Now: The Loss of a Lifetime: Grieving Siblings Share Stories of Love, Loss, and Hope
Kickstarter: Reburn Volume 1: Our Lady May
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