When do fact-checks work? And when do they backfire and cause someone to dig in? Yamil Velez, a political scientist at Columbia University, set up an experiment using chatbots and found that people can change their mind, even on deeply held beliefs. Except under one condition: when the chatbot is rude. Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices wh…

Tessa and Annie talk the details of Fall Writing camp -- 5 days and 4 nights of writing time, campfires, readings, craft talks, agent chats... but probably no karaoke. Nov 7-11 at Purity Springs Resort in NH. More details here: https://www.accountabilityworkshops.com/writing-camp We also talk hot writers and Annie says "anxiety" 400 times. Happy al…

Police rarely move between jobs and departments. But according to a paper co-authored by the University of Chicago law professor John Rappaport, officers aren’t necessarily choosing to stay in the same place—a lot of policies have made it costly for them to switch. And that lack of mobility can have all kinds of ripple effects. Get more from your f…

Americans love local government. In a December 2023 Pew Research survey, 61 percent of respondents had a favorable view of their local government while 77 percent had an unfavorable view of the federal government. But behind this veneer of goodwill is a disturbing truth: Local government is driving a housing crisis that is raising rents, lowering e…

There’s a traditional line of thinking about the history of Black people and the law. It describes how slaves were entirely shut out of the legal system, disenfranchised and bereft of even a modicum of legal know-how or protection. But research from the UC Berkeley professor Dylan C. Penningroth (in his book Before the Movement: The Hidden History …

The 2010s saw attitudes—on issues such as race, immigration, and gender—shift to the left. Liberals became more liberal. And then a "wokeness" backlash began. The backlash, though, didn’t just come from conservatives. It came from people all over the political spectrum. Host Jerusalem Demsas talks with the New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg…

Is there such a thing as “balancing the ticket”? How much can a vice-presidential nominee influence the election? Host Jerusalem Demsas talks with political commentator and journalist Matt Yglesias about Kamala Harris’s recent pick of Tim Walz as her running mate and whether that choice could sway undecided voters. Get more from your favorite Atlan…

From 1999 and 2019, researchers found that the maternal-mortality rate in the U.S. more than doubled. Over the years, these findings filtered their way through academic journals and the news media to the general public. But was there something more to this story? How had the U.S. become such a deadly place for pregnant women? In this episode of Goo…

If Democrats care more about climate change than Republicans, then why is Texas the nation’s leader in renewable energy? Host Jerusalem Demsas talks to Jesse Jenkins, an assistant professor at Princeton University, about how the Lone Star State emerged as America’s No. 1 renewable-energy producer, despite its politics—and about the broken bureaucra…

America is in a “loneliness epidemic.” But is turning to religion the answer? Host Jerusalem Demsas talks to Arthur Brooks, a professor at the Harvard Business School who teaches classes on leadership and happiness. He’s also a contributing writer for The Atlantic where he has written that happiness comes, in part, through faith. Brooks argues that…

School choice is usually about providing parents an option outside the traditional public school system. Between 2010 and 2021, public charter school enrollment in the U.S. more than doubled. But LAUSD did something different. It recognized the growing appetite for choice and wondered whether the normal public school system could help satisfy it. I…

Does everyone really need therapy? The destigmatization of mental health problems—and the normalization that many people do struggle with severe mental illnesses—has been one of the great cultural transformations of the 21st century. But has this shift carried unintended consequences? After all, what if therapy is less like exercise—something every…

Does an aging workforce mean greater worker power? One of the takeaways from pro-worker advocates during the pandemic financial crisis was that employees saw fantastic gain. As demand for workers skyrocketed, employees got to be choosy. What bosses called “The Great Resignation” was actually workers having the power to demand better wages and worki…

Are young men becoming radicalized? Could they be further to the right than even their fathers and grandfathers? These are big questions that have yet to be answered definitively, but in some countries, electoral results and polls suggest that a meaningful contingent of young men are frustrated and may be finding a home in radical spaces. Host Jeru…

In 2020, two major protest movements defined our political landscape: the racial justice protests after the murder of George Floyd and the anti-lockdown protests pushing against COVID-19 restrictions. At the time, these movements were seen by many as near polar opposites and were often defined by their extremes. But did the two actually have much i…

In recent years, there's been an overarching narrative that immigration is seen as an obvious political loser for the left and a clear political winner for the right. But does that theory make sense? Host Jerusalem Demsas talks to John Burn-Murdoch, columnist and chief data reporter for the Financial Times, about the factors that influence public o…

Four years after the Great Remote-Work Experiment began, the public debate has boiled down to: Bosses hate it and workers love it. But is that all there is to it? Who really benefits from remote work—and who doesn’t? And why is it that women with more job experience suffer the most? Host Jerusalem Demsas talks to Natalia Emanuel, a labor economist …

Have you ever heard a commonly held belief or a fast-developing worldview and asked: Is that idea right? Or just good on paper? Each week, host Jerusalem Demsas and a guest take a closer look at the facts and research that challenge the popular narratives of the day, to better understand why we believe what we believe. Good on Paper launches Tuesda…

Ellen and Annie reunite after many months and we talk about the cutest baby and Ellen reveals a secret we've kept from listeners. We talk disciplining children, and why Drew isn't starting a home daycare any time soon. We love you, you're doing a good job. xx Annie Ellen and TessaBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

We're back! Hoping to start more regular programming... For free admission to the Novel & Memoir classes, preorder Tessa's novel The Red Grove from any bookstore and email receipt to goodmomsonpaper@gmail.com Novel Class, April 23 at 8 pm est on zoom Memoir class, April 30 at 8 pm est on zoom One place to preorder: https://riffraffpvd.com/the-red-g…

Annie and Tessa got to hang with Lucas Mann, the author of the forthcoming essay collection ATTACHMENTS (May, 2024) and the new co-owner of the bookstore/bar Riff Raff in Providence with his wife, Ottavia De Luca. He is also the author of Captive Audience: On Love and Reality Television, Lord Fear: A Memoir, and Class A: Baseball in the Middle of E…

We're back! We missed you! In this casual return episode, we talked about Tessa's great adventures spending a few months in Portugal with a toddler, about Tessa's upcoming book THE RED GROVE (preorder now!), about our writing contracts and our accountability group -- and new website!!! Oh, and Annie cries at the end. The Red Grove preorder! New web…

Ellen & Annie got to talk with Sara Peterson, author of Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture. We have been waiting for this episode and Sara didn't disappoint! About her work, Sara says: "I want to understand why our culture idealizes motherhood (online and off) but fails again and again to give moms …

Tessa and Annie got the chance to talk to Yael Goldstein-Love, author of The Possibilities, about postpartum anxiety and writing as a meaning making practice. Yael is on tour now -- try to see her! Buy The Possibilities here xx The Good MomsBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Hi friends -- Tessa and Ellen chatted with Szilvia Molnar and she had wonderful things to say about her new book, The Nursery, literature that makes you uncomfortable, mental health, and about the urgency to "stitch yourself back together after birth" and what she learned between her first and second pregnancies. Buy The Nursery here Read Ellen's F…

Hi friends -- Tessa and Annie connected with Disha Bose, author of the April Good Morning America Bookclub pick Dirty Laundry. She talks about writing after having a kid, writing during the pandemic, the man who said her career was over after kids and: how she showed him!!! Get Disha Bose's book here: DIRTY LAUNDRY xx The Good Moms…

Tessa and Ellen caught up with our friend Julia Fine -- we talked writing schedules, her new novel Maddalena and the Dark, finding a book that fits your interests, and her super supportive husband. Get Julia's new book now! Maddalena and the Dark and her other books! The Upstairs House What Should Be Wild xox The Good Moms…

Hi friends -- We've gotten so many great members for the accountability groups who are listeners of the podcast, but when people join they always say: this community is so much more than we expected! So we wanted to take a deep dive to explain everything the accountability workshop community offers. Even if you don't join us, there are great tips i…

Hi friends! In this episode, Ellen and Tessa interviewed M.M. de Voe, author of A Flash of Darkness, Book & Baby, and Founder of Pen Parentis, a literary non-profit designed to help parents get their work done. MM de Voe's books: Book & Baby A Flash of Darkness Also mentioned: 7 Writer Residencies that Are Family Friendly xx The Good Moms…

Hi pals! In this episode, Annie and Ellen talk about being together IN REAL LIFE at the Boston marathon and how fast (and kissable! and heroic!) Ellen's husband is. Then Ellen and Tessa interview Krys Malcom Belc, a transmasculine essayist/dad/teacher/baker and the author ofThe Natural Mother of the Child. Get Krys's book here: The Natural Mother o…

Hi friends! Today we talked with Julie Carrick Dalton about raising bees, raising kids, climate anxiety, hope for the future, and a fiery message from the beyond. Julie's books: The Last Beekeeper Waiting for the Night Song Tessa and I are offering a deal for our accountability workshop for podcast listeners if you sign up for the month of June. To…

Hi friends -- Tessa and Annie talked with Jennifer De Leon, author of the novels Borderless and Don't Ask Me Where I'm From, and the essay collection White Space: Essays on Culture, Race, and Writing. We also talk about what we learned when Rufi Thorpe visited our accountability groups as the guest speaker. Event on April 25th!: Celebrate the relea…

Hi friends, In this episode, we catch up a bit on life stuff, talk about this incredible Maggie Smith essay: My Marriage Was Never the Same After That (also we're so excited to buy her book!) and discuss our book club pick: Fight Night by Miriam Toews. Listen to the NPR segment about Ellen's book here! For our next book club, we'll read Tomorrow To…

Hi friends -- It's been a month since we last spoke, but we've recorded some great episodes! Ellen and Tessa spoke with Marisa Crane, author of I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself, which received a great review in the NYT. You can buy Mac's book here: I Keep My Exoskeletons to Myself Until next time, you're doing a great job. The Good Moms…

Hi friends -- This week, we were lucky to be joined by the writer and NYT bestseller Christie Tate. Christie talks about writing success after having kids, rejection and professional envy, and the power of the 10 minute check-in phone call. It's such a great and helpful conversation -- don't miss it. Christie's books: BFF: A Memoir of Friendship Lo…

Hi friends, Today on the podcast, we discussed a great listener question: How can I find/build a writing community when I’m the primary caregiver for my toddler? Or—can I get by as a writer without one? Momming is a job I love, but it’s all-consuming. Every hour that I have childcare is spent adjunct teaching (need to give that up—too little pay fo…

Hi friends, This week we're back with Diksha Basu, the author of internationally bestselling novels Destination Wedding and The Windfall. Articles/podcasts mentioned: Gretchen Rubin, podcast: More Happier Rebranding Motherhood - New York Times Restraint Is My Family's Love Language - The Cut Gabe Hudson, podcast: The Twitterverse Buy Diksha's books…

Hi friends, We've always wanted to be part of a bookclub (where we mostly drink and brag about our kids), so we started our own! We read SPARE by Prince Harry, and highlighted some of the best gossip so you don't have to read the book (but you can if you want to! It's fun! Unless you're Tessa. Then it would be torture.) In February, we'll be readin…

Hi dear friends-- This week, we talked about Leora's Moana costume and also Halloween (even though, yes, it's January....) and then we had a wonderful conversation with the writer L'Oreal Thompson Payton, a health and wellness writer at Fortune magazine, and author of the forthcoming STOP WAITING FOR PERFECT. We discuss perfectionism as a writer an…

We are back this week with a new podcast name -- Good Moms on Paper! We hope you love it, we spent *a lot* of time texting about it. This week, we responded to questions from listeners... we hope we were helpful! If you have questions for us about writing or parenting or both, write to us: goodmomsonpaper@gmail.com If you want to be part of the boo…

Your hosts Ellen Annie & Tessa talk with Rufi Thorpe on the cost (and gift) of motherhood, stubbornness, f*&k you energy, and being a fearless, feral writer. Also announcing our bookclub! Read along with us! Authors mentioned: Prince Harry Jane Smiley Jodi Picoult Rufi's books: The Knockout Queen The Girls from Corona Del Mar Dear Fang, With Love…

Catching up with your hosts, Ellen Annie & Tessa, about various holiday plagues and new years writing plans. Plus, bumpkins! Send your questions for the podcast to HTSYpod@gmail.comBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Ellen and Annie and Katie Runde talk acknowledgements, Fleabag, prologues, freelance editors, and not quitting on your book. Katie's book is here: THE SHOREBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Tessa and Annie talk accountability groups (find out more at anniehartnett.com/workshops and then chat with Vanessa A. Bee, author of HOME BOUND, out October 11 See Vanessa on tour: https://vanessaabee.com/ Vanessa's book: HOME BOUNDBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Ellen and Tessa and our guest Joe Scapellato talk writing 2 books at once, writing for middle grade audiences, and how parenting can enrich your writing. Joe's books: The Made-Up Man Big LonesomeBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Ellen and Annie talk agents and non-fiction projects put on the back burner, and then chat with Nancy Reddy and Emily Pérez, the editors of The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood. The Long Devotion: Poets Writing Motherhood Article mentioned Folding Clothes is a Scam by Kathleen DonahoeBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Antonia Angress, author of SIRENS & MUSES, doesn't have children, but hopes to have one someday soon. Antonia's book: SIRENS AND MUSESBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Amy Jo’s Books: SHINER CINDERLAND Also mentioned: Joni Mitchell and Brandi Carlisle concert Empathy Exams by Leslie Jamison Everything I Have is Yours by Eleanor HendersonBởi Annie Hartnett, Tessa Fontaine & Ellen O'Connell Whittet

Shannon Sanders's book COMPANY, is forthcoming from Graywolf Press in 2023. Her short story “The Good, Good Men” was a 2020 winner of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. She is a mother of three, including a set of twins, and she writes on the back porch. We met her on twitter, so you should follow her too, @ShandersWrites…

Tessa and Annie talk with the wise and earnest Jericho Vincent, author, parent, and spiritual entrepreneur. Jericho's books: Cut Me Loose: Sin and Salvation After My Ultra-Orthodox Girlhood Legends of the Talmud: A Collection of Ancient Magical Jewish Tales Also mentioned: The Crane Wife: A Memoir by CJ Hauser…