Episode Details
Back to EpisodesBeth Biss transforms her 35-year diagnostic journey into empowering fiction for women
Description
Beth Biss writes women's fiction that encourages and empowers women living with illness, sharing her personal journey from diagnosis to authorship through compelling characters and storylines.
• Beth became a writer after being a lifelong reader, first attempting to write in high school
• After a 35-year journey to get diagnosed with POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), Beth found little representation in fiction
• Beth's first book "Redolent" follows a college fashion student receiving a sight-threatening diagnosis
• Her second book "Radiant" focuses on an artist with ADHD navigating life challenges
• The books are part of a trilogy centered on female friendships and different chronic illnesses
• Writing has been therapeutic for Beth and offers readers three levels of engagement: escape, connection, and bibliotherapy
• Beth includes journaling prompts in her second book to encourage deeper reflection
• The conversation highlights how women are often dismissed in medical settings and face longer diagnostic journeys
• Beth emphasizes there's "no such thing as a normal brain" and everyone exists on a spectrum
• Accessibility features originally designed for disabilities (like closed captioning) now benefit everyone
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