Andrea Askowitz

Author & Teacher

What the Critics are Saying

Going the Wrong Kind of Viral: Q&A with Andrea Askowitz

Author, editor, and podcaster Andrea Askowitz (@andreaaskowitz) discusses what she learned from going the wrong kind of viral, the power of vulnerable truth in writing, and whether she would rather be famous for her writing or good at it, if she had to choose one or the other.

Askowitz is the author of the memoir My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy (Cleis Press) and the editor of Badass: True Stories, the Double Album (Lominy Books). She produced a documentary about homelessness that is currently nominated for an Emmy and founded Lip Service, a Knight Foundation award-winning night of true stories, which she produced quarterly for nine years. Now, she is the host of the podcast Writing Class Radio. In just five years, the podcast has been downloaded more than 650,000 times.

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Meet Andrea

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrea Askowitz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrea below.

Andrea, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

The most meaningful project I’ve done was called Our Abortion Stories. Rabbi Greengrass of Temple Beth Am, probably the biggest synagogue in Florida, enlisted me to create a show as we were heading into the elections of 2024. There was a ballot initiative that would have brought abortion rights back to the women of Florida and we thought telling true abortion stories would open people’s minds and hearts and bring back basic healthcare.

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“Andrea is warm, funny, and filthy.”
Mickey Kaus, Slate.com
“Andrea Askowitz hits on all the key points of surviving pregnancy as a single lesbian–dealing with donor choices and unreliable ex’s, coping with hormonal hell and morning sickness at all hours, and figuring out exactly what one will need for life with a new baby (and no, a new tent isn’t the best baby registry item!). It takes a brave mama-to-be to tell it like it is so honestly, and I am deeply grateful for her occasionally despondent, but usually hilarious, tale. Our community is in desperate need for more true-life tales from the pregnancy front, and this is one book that should be mandatory reading for all lesbian mothers-to-be.”
–Rachel Pepper, author of Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians.
“You don’t have to be a miserable, lonely, pregnant lesbian to adore Andrea Askowitz’s awfully funny story. Anyone who enjoys schadenfreude, laugh-out-loud asides, and frank depictions of biological horrors will love this wonderful book. You read it dog-eared and quote the most outrageous parts at length to all your friends.”
–Jennifer Traig, author of Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood
“This is one whiny, bitchy pregnant lady—and you can’t help but love her. Askowitz is funny and fearless.”
–Louise Sloan, author of Knock Yourself Up: A Tell-All Guide to Becoming a Single Mom
"Funny, sad, unblinkingly honest–I would give this one to any pregnant friend and a few who aren’t.”
–Joyce Maynard, author of At Home in the World and To Die For.
“Andrea is the lesbian Annie Lamott. Her book makes me want to donate sperm.”
–Taylor Negron, author, actor, performer.
“Hilarious and all too true. After my own miserable lesbian pregnancy, Andrea Askowitz’s confessions cheered me up immeasurably.”
–Ariel Gore, creator of Hip Mama and author of many books including The Mother Trip and How to Become a Famous Writer Before You’re Dead.

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