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It Helps Me Feel Less Alone: How Workshop Community Propelled Emily Rekstis to The Washington Post
by Writing Workshops Staff
2 weeks ago
A deep dive into one writer's evolution from essay work to memoir, and how strategic workshop choices led to major publication success.
Sometimes, the most profound breakthroughs happen when you're willing to push past your comfort zone. This truth shines brilliantly in alumni Emily Rekstis's journey from workshop participant to Washington Post contributor, culminating in her powerful piece "I may get an incurable disease. I'm choosing not to test for it," published in the paper's Well + Being section.
But Emily's success story isn't just about one essay; it's about how strategic engagement with multiple workshops helped her evolve as a writer and tackle increasingly ambitious projects.
A Strategic Approach to Skill Building
Emily didn't just take one workshop and call it done. Over her time with WritingWorkshops.com, she strategically selected classes that would build different aspects of her craft, such as:
Our Nonfiction Workshop: Writing the New York Times Essay with Sarah Herrington, where she workshopped her Washington Post piece. "Sarah pushed me to add back a layer of emotions I stripped to get the timeline and story in order," Emily explains.
Our Fiction Technique in Memoir with Michelle Kicherer, which "really helped me align my taste with my practice in non-fiction writing. I got to play around with my memoir's structure, POV and voice."
As well as To Catharsis & Beyond: a Micro-Memoir Flash Nonfiction Workshop with Mira Ptacin, and Intro to The Personal Essay with Diana Spechler, which has been a staple of our programming since 2018.
Each of these classes helped to build different elements of her narrative toolkit.
This multi-workshop approach reflects Emily's understanding that different instructors and formats can unlock different aspects of your writing. As she puts it, the most valuable lesson she gained was learning "when to summarize events and when to build out a scene. I've always leaned more towards summarizing, but through the narrative non-fiction classes, I've learned how and when to build out scenes, even in short pieces."
The Workshop Behind the Washington Post Success
Emily's latest essay emerged directly from Sarah Herrington's Nonfiction Workshop: Writing the New York Times Essay. In this piece, Emily grapples with a question that many of us fear to even consider: How do you live fully when you might carry the gene for an incurable disease? Her exploration of living at-risk for Huntington's Disease offers readers not just her story, but a meditation on choice, uncertainty, and what it truly means to embrace life.
The workshop's impact was crucial in shaping the final piece. Sarah's feedback helped Emily restore the emotional depth that she had initially removed in favor of structural clarity—a perfect example of how skilled instruction can help writers balance technical craft with an authentic voice.
From Essays to Memoir: A Writer in Transition
Emily's workshop experiences have prepared her for her next big challenge. "After writing essays throughout most of my 20s, I'm anxious (both in motivation and fear) to dive into a more narrative structure with a memoir," she shares. "I've been scribbling away in notebooks for the last two years. After being let go from my fulltime job in May, I've been able to dedicate my mornings to pushing the project forward."
This evolution from essay to book-length work showcases how the skills developed in workshops—particularly the ability to balance scene and summary—transfer to larger projects. Emily's experience in Michelle Kicherer's Fiction Technique in Memoir class, where she experimented with "structure, POV and voice," has proven invaluable as she tackles this longer form.
A Writer Making Waves Across Publications
Emily's Washington Post piece represents just the latest achievement in an impressive and diverse portfolio. This Brooklyn-based writer and editor has reported on everything from healing trauma on TikTok to wedding scents and beauty trends for publications including Allure, The Cut, and Byrdie. Her multiple first-person pieces about living at-risk for Huntington's Disease have appeared in The Washington Post, mindbodygreen, and Women's Health.
Her creative talents extend beyond journalism into theater, where she co-created the original play Codependent. Critics praised it as a "crowd-pleaser" filled with "whip-smart dialogue," and the production won Best Comedy at the 2019 Capital Fringe Festival in Washington, D.C., before running for three sold-out nights in New York City.
The Power of Community and Feedback
What Emily valued most about her workshop experiences wasn't just the instruction—it was the community. "Workshopping! I loved reading other people's work and providing helpful feedback. And I loved having people read my pieces that were in-the-works. It's so helpful and exciting to get it out of just your head and in front of other people."
This insight speaks to something essential about the writing process: the need for trusted readers who can help you see your work clearly. As Emily notes, "Reading other people's work is always where I go for inspiration when I'm feeling tapped out. I also love hearing about other people's writing process and struggles and journies. It helps me feel less alone in my own process."
Lessons in Craft and Courage
Emily's success demonstrates what happens when technical skill meets emotional courage. Her Washington Post essay tackles one of life's most difficult questions with both journalistic rigor and profound personal honesty. The piece has resonated with readers navigating their own medical uncertainties and difficult family histories—exactly the kind of impact that transforms personal writing into genuine service to others.
This is the kind of growth our workshops are designed to foster: not just better writing, but writing that matters. Emily's journey from someone who "always leaned more towards summarizing" to a writer who knows how to build compelling scenes shows how strategic skill development can unlock new levels of storytelling power.
Writing That Serves
In a media landscape often focused on quick content and viral moments, Emily's essay stands as a testament to the enduring power of thoughtful, well-crafted personal journalism. Her willingness to explore difficult terrain—both in her Washington Post piece and in her forthcoming memoir—demonstrates how workshop training can give writers the tools and confidence to tackle meaningful subjects.
Your Own Writing Journey Awaits
Emily's path from workshop participant to major publication contributor illustrates what's possible when writers commit to sustained skill development and community engagement. Whether you're working on personal essays that could help others, exploring memoir possibilities, or simply looking to elevate your craft, our diverse workshop offerings provide the structure, feedback, and community you need to grow as a writer.
As Emily's story shows, each workshop builds on the last, creating a foundation for increasingly ambitious and impactful work.
Want to follow Emily's continuing journey? Find her on Instagram @emrex07, read her Substack at emilyrekstis.substack.com, or visit her website at emilyrekstis.com.
Ready to start your own transformative writing journey? Explore our Nonfiction Workshop: Writing the New York Times Essay and discover all our workshop offerings at WritingWorkshops.com.
