Beth Macy on Writing to Explore Why We’re So Divided

Memoir Nation: Weekly Inspiration for Writers is an extension of the Memoir Nation community hosted by Brooke Warner and Grant Faulkner, two friends and colleagues who bring a community-minded sensibility to the writing journey. Originally launched as Write-minded in 2018, this is a weekly writing podcast that focuses on memoir and personal writing, as well as industry trends and tips and resources for writers and authors.

Memoir Nation guest Beth Macy’s new memoir, Paper Girl, offers us the opportunity to dive into a social-cultural discussion this week as we explore the forces that seek to divide us, and also that seek to prevent pathways out of poverty. This is an important if hard conversation about subjects close to Beth’s book and her life—about the safety nets that are no longer there for the poor; about the legs up people are no longer getting; and about the resentment that’s been sowed as a result. Today’s show reminds us that memoir is many things, and that what we choose to write about can both get us into trouble and set us free.

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Beth Macy reported and wrote for The Roanoke Times for a quarter-century before leaving in 2014 to focus on book writing. She’s the author of Dopesick, which was made into a Peabody Award-winning series for Hulu. She’s also the author of Raising Lazarus and Factory Man. Her books examine the forces eroding American society, such as addiction, offshoring, and economic inequality. Paper Girl is her first memoir.