Not by Accident: Samantha Dunn Speaks on Journalism, Writing, and Teaching the Next Generation of Creatives

Writer, author and educator Samantha Dunn joins host Holly Hughes on today’s episode of The Holly Hughes Podcast. Coming from a background in writing rooted in journalism, Samantha Dunn always writes with the idea that someone, somewhere will read what she’s writing. From that foundation, Samantha has authored numerous books, short stories, essays and memoirs, including Faith in Carlos Gomez: A Memoir of Salsa, Sex and Salvation. She is now the editor of PREMIUM Magazine for the Southern California News Group, and also teaches at Chapman University.Samantha and Holly talk about their creative processes, the influence of journalism on her writing, her love of horses, and living with Parkinsons.Find Samantha online at samanthadunnwriter.com.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene03:03 The Creative Journey and Writing Process06:00 The Role of Personal Narrative in Writing08:59 Navigating the Challenges of Writing and Journalism12:08 The Impact of Social Media on Storytelling15:08 Defining Success and the Creative Identity17:55 Finding Your Voice and Overcoming Obstacles21:00 The Journey to Los Angeles and Personal Growth23:31 Dancing Through Life25:49 Creative Vulnerability and Transparency27:06 Managing Challenging Personalities29:06 The Burden of Teaching30:31 Kintsugi - A Japanese art form using gold to repair broken pottery32:22 The Art of Memoir34:52 Cataloging Life Experiences38:39 Facing Chronic Illness40:08 Connection with Horses46:38 Life-Changing Accidents48:07 The Beauty of Scars and Friendship49:04 The Art of Memoir: Truth vs. Fiction50:11 Memory and Its Intricacies52:30 Foundational Memories and Their Impact54:44 Writing About Personal Experiences57:19 The Process of Writing and Reflection01:00:01 Transforming Material: From Memoir to Essays01:02:34 The Challenge of Finding a Home for Writing01:06:51 Embracing the Past: The Trailer Life01:11:19 Caution: Frequent Stops AheadConnect with Holly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehollyhughes/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hollyhughesintuitiveGet Holly’s book here: http://bit.ly/4ggvAamWebsite: https://hollyhughesintuitive.com/