The Art of Discovery in Stand-Up Comedy and Writing: A Convo with Amy Silverberg

The Art of Discovery in Stand-Up Comedy and Writing: A Convo with Amy Silverberg

"Don't be cleverer than your reader," says stand-up comic and writer Amy Silverberg– meaning, always try surprising yourself when creating your art! In this amusing and intelligent conversation, Tony and Amy discuss the short story and stand-up forms in tandem. Silverberg's stories have been published in The Best American Short Stories series, Paris Review, Granta, among other top journals; her stand-up can be viewed here [https://www.amysilverberg.com/index.html] and on Comedy Central, Hulu, NPR, and Amazon Prime.

How to Write a Novel That Actually Gets Published

In this conversation, first-time novelist Jennifer Mandula gets frank about the joys and challenges – the adventure, really – of not just writing but selling a novel. She and Tony (an aspiring novelist himself) debate everything from hosting Feedback Dinner Parties to mapping outlines to using elementary technology to type, and much more! Bottom line: writing is one thing; finding a massive audience through navigating the "book business" is another. Mandula's fantasy novel, The Geomagician, can be ordered here [https://www.jennifermandula.com/books].

The Dying Art of Public Speaking and Why It's Essential to Master It

Why does the fear of public speaking feel like the fear of death? In this conversation, Dustin Hall answers that and more. Despite public speaking's many challenges, young people today actually crave the civic engagement that public speaking affords; they want to develop empathy in live situations removed from their phones and their echo chambers. Public speaking, says Dustin, is always a "dialogue," even when speaking solo. How can we get better at it? This convo explains how. Dustin Hall is the Assistant Public Speaking Lab Coordinator at UF's Dial Center for Speech and Communication Studies, as well as adjunct faculty for the Department of Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies and a writing tutor at the University Writing Studio. To date, he's taught public speaking courses for six years and counting. Hall has a BA in Religious Studies (minor in Linguistics) from Youngstown State University and an MA in Hindu Traditions from UF.

Science for the People! Media Literacy and Project-Based Learning in Scientific Communication

In this conversation, Dr. Jamie Loizzo [https://aec.ifas.ufl.edu/directory/faculty/jamie-loizzo/] makes a strong pitch for all scientists to communicate to the public in a variety of mediums: podcasts, photo essays, virtual reality tours, and more. Scientists have a social responsibility to strengthen public understanding and trust. Among other topics, she and Tony discuss her background in radio/TV; the critical importance in being understandable to middle schoolers; what makes for a terrific science podcast; and the importance of not just 'scaring' people but offering 'solutions.' Loizzo is an associate professor in the University of Florida's Department of Agricultural Education and Communication; her project, Streaming Science [https://streamingscience.com/], disseminates research to the broader public alongside her students.

Science Fiction as Emotional Metaphor: Writing a Novel as a Way of Thinking

In this conversation, Tony is joined by Albertine Clarke, whose first novel, The Body Builders, is being published by Bloomsbury Press in February 2026. In addition to exploring the mind-bendingly original novel itself, Albertine and Tony discuss what makes the science fiction genre so special and unique; how reading and writing go hand-in-hand; tips on overcoming challenges of writing a massive project over months and years; and why writing fiction and receiving feedback is just so darn personal. Clarke is graduating from the University of Florida's MFA program in Spring 2025.