Begin Again
On narrative agency and the promise of revision—in writing, identity, and public life...
Welcome to The Revisionist, a newsletter about how stories shape us—and how we can shape them.
We are the stories we tell ourselves.
Not just metaphorically, but neurologically, psychologically, behaviorally. Our self-narratives—how we explain our past, frame our present, and anticipate our future—shape our confidence, resilience, and choices. Whether we realize it or not, we’re constantly telling stories about who we are, what matters, and what’s possible.
Some stories liberate us. Others keep us stuck.
For the past 25 years, I’ve worked with students and writers to help them revise those stories—through writing, reflection, and critical thinking. Again and again, I’ve seen how powerful narratives can be. I’ve also seen how dangerous they are when left unexamined. A story that goes unquestioned becomes a script. And scripts can be rewritten.
That’s the central idea behind The Revisionist: not just that stories shape us, but that they’re always subject to revision. This isn’t just a newsletter about self-reflection or personal growth—though those will appear. It’s also a space for exploring how narrative works more broadly: in art, history, politics, and culture. We'll look at the rhetorical tools writers use to persuade, the stories institutions tell to maintain power, the myths we inherit, and the metaphors that frame our thinking—often without our awareness.
Who’s this for?
Writers, thinkers, educators, readers—anyone who believes in the power of language and wants to understand how stories shape both our inner lives and the public world we share.
Some essays will focus on writing technique—style, voice, structure, clarity. Others will dive into public discourse: how arguments are made, how beliefs are formed, how language shapes perception. We’ll examine memoir and myth, political rhetoric and propaganda, literary craft and cultural commentary.
In short, this is a space for anyone interested in the power of narrative—not just to describe reality, but to revise it.
Coming Up in The Revisionist
Future posts will explore how stories are built, how they operate at the level of sentence and structure, and how they influence the way we see ourselves and the world. We’ll analyze iconic texts and cultural moments, dissect speeches and essays, explore shifts in public memory, and reflect on what makes writing persuasive, honest, and artful.
We’ll also look inward—at the stories we tell ourselves and the possibility that they’re not finished yet.
If you’re curious about how stories shape identity, wield influence, or create meaning—welcome. I’m glad you’re here.