In mid-2022, I was hired as the first full-time Staff Writer for the podcast Meditative Story, a narrative storytelling show that interweaves sensory-rich memoir with guided meditation prompts. I was quickly elevated to the role of Senior Writer, taking on broader editorial responsibilities including training and managing a stable of freelance writers.

Given its unique format, the process behind making an episode of Meditative Story was involved. Each week, we’d interview a new guest storyteller over multiple “off-air” conversations, asking them to reflect on a perspective-shifting moment from their life and gathering specific details. As I writer, I would then take those details and structure them into story beats before re-writing the story from start to finish. The resulting script would not only stay true to the guest’s voice and their lived experience, but would adhere to the voice and format of the show.