Punking Your Story: A Guided Journey for Writers, Non-Writers, and the Rest of Us

Whether or not you identify as a punk or you’re just someone who’s drawn to the margins, telling your own story—even if it’s just to yourself—can be utterly transformative. Here's how to begin.

Punks are natural storytellers.

We’re the black sheep who left—or were forced out of—our families of origin, the ones who had to find their own way through uncharted paths and enemy territory. We’re the ones unafraid to tell uncomfortable truths. Yet all too often, we dismiss our own stories. It’s not that big a deal…why bother? Who would care, anyway?

We need stories; they’re how we make sense of a senseless-seeming world. But many of us feel alienated from them. Maybe it’s out of shame; maybe it’s that our stories feel like they happened to a different person. Rather than look back, so often we tough it out, tuck our heads down, and keep moving forward.

Here’s the thing: Telling your own story—even if it’s just to yourself—can be utterly transformative. When we reach back to try and make sense of our backstories, it lends clarity, gives us power and agency—two things we need more than ever today. It helps us write a new story, right here and right now. We become the authors of our own lives. And as we share our stories, we find deeper connections to ourselves and to others.

Whether you’re pursuing writing as a vocation—or you’re just trying to make sense of your tangled-up backstory—we think we can help you do it.

We’re Seth Lorinczi and Nicole Thomas, two D.C. punk musicians who’ve transitioned into writing and teaching as their primary creative pursuits.

And in this 90-minute virtual workshop—a sharing, conversational, and writing exercise designed for non-writers—we’ll help you sneak past those internal gatekeepers and reconnect with your untold stories.

Some of the topics we’ll explore together include:

• The generative power of story sharing: Our stories are far bigger—and more important—than we realize

• Why we don’t examine our own backstories: 7 key reasons (and how to overcome them)

• Strategies for accessing your hidden story gold: Dropping into time, place, and transformative moments

• Doing the work: Communal writing and sharing exercises to kick start the process

This 90-minute virtual event will take place Thursday, April 3rd at 6pm PDT. Cost is $15, and replays will be available for registered attendees. Nicole and I would be—no exaggeration—thrilled to see you there!