How To Write:
About Trauma, Addiction & Mental Health Without Oversharing
with Tawny Lara
A 4-week intensive Live Seminar starting Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
Learn from author Tawny Lara, whose signature wit combines mental health and humor. She wrote a book about sober sex called Dry Humping—she knows how to write about heavy topics while making you laugh. Dig into the gritty, glorious, complicated parts of yourself, then build boundaries so you know what belongs in public… and what stays locked in the Notes app forever.
Who This Course is For
Anyone who wants to write about heavy shit: substance use, sex addiction, eating disorders, daddy issues, mommy issues, long-ass medication journeys, queerness, religious trauma, gambling, shopping sprees, mental illness, grief—whatever chaos you’ve tangoed with.
Basically: if you’ve been through some shit, talked it through with a therapist or peer support, and feel ready to write from a place of reflection rather than rawness, pull up a chair. You can totally sit with us.
Specific Course Takeaways
LOTS OF WRITING: Tawny will guide you through prompts strategically designed to help you write about your adversity and mental health
BOUNDARIES: Identify what you want to keep private and what you want to publish
PITCHING 101: Learn how to pitch your mental health essays to editors and how to pitch yourself as a guest on podcasts
TALKING POINTS: Learn what makes your story unique then refine your talking points for public speaking, podcasting, and beyond
Who This Course is Not For
Folks who’ve never talked about their struggles with a mental health professional
People hunting for a “writing course instead of therapy” loophole
Important PSA: Tawny Lara is not a therapist, and this course is not therapy. Anything that bubbles up emotionally should go straight to your support system.
What to Expect
This is a generative, homework-having, page-sharing, feedback-giving situation. Come prepared to write and read a lot!
Course Summary
Writing With Boundaries: Learn how Tawny built The Sober Sexpert persona that landed her book deal—and what she’d do differently if she started today. Then we’ll do boundary-driven prompts that help you protect your privacy while sharpening your voice as a mental health writer who knows when to say “that’s enough.”
So What? We’ve all got our stories. This week is about figuring out why yours matters. Why should someone care? Why should they keep reading? Does your story have meaning beyond the shock factor? Write toward purpose, not trauma-dumping.
Essay Pitches: Once you know the stories you want to share publicly, view Tawny’s media pitches—the ones that landed bylines in Men’s Health, Playboy, LitHub, and more. You’ll write your own pitch, get feedback, and leave knowing how to pitch with confidence instead of, “pls publish me, I’m sad!!!”
COURSE OUTLINE (GUEST SPEAKERS FORTHCOMING)
Week 1: Write With Boundaries - Learn how Tawny built The Sober Sexpert persona that landed her book deal—and what she’d do differently if she started today. Then we’ll do boundary-driven prompts that help you protect your privacy while sharpening your voice as a mental health writer who knows when to say “that’s enough.” Homework: Submit pages to the group, read each other's submissions, and then we'll all give feedback.
Week 2: So What? - We’ve all got our stories; this week is about figuring out why yours matters. Why should an editor publish your story? Why should readers keep reading? Does your story have meaning beyond the shock factor? We'll write toward purpose, not trauma-dumping. Homework: Submit pages to the group, read each other's submissions, and then we'll all give feedback.
Week 3: Essay Pitches - Now that you know the stories you want to share publicly, it's time to write some pitches. View Tawny’s media pitches that landed bylines in Men’s Health, Playboy, LitHub, and more. You’ll write your own pitch, get feedback, and leave knowing how to pitch with confidence instead of, “pls publish me, I’m sad!!!” Homework: Submit pages to the group, read each other's submissions, and then we'll all give feedback.
Week 4: Final Critiques, Q+A, and Community - The critique energy continues into the final week of class. Here, you’ll have time to revisit drafts written during the previous weeks. We’ll close with ample time for Q+A and community connection. Writing can feel lonely at times, so moments like these help writers stay on track with their publishing goals... with boundaries!