In this inspiring episode of Pockets of Knowledge, host Desiree Stanley welcomes award-winning writer, USC screenwriting professor, and founder of Storytelling Lab, Bonnie Garvin, for an honest and uplifting conversation about creativity, reinvention, and owning your voice—on the page and in life.
Bonnie shares her unexpected journey into writing, sparked by a happy accident that led her to an advanced playwriting class she hadn’t even meant to take. What followed was a career filled with accolades, teaching, storytelling, and even painting—each a chapter in her ever-evolving creative life. She opens up about how to navigate the highs and lows of the writing life, why expectations can sabotage joy, and how leaning into the process, rather than the outcome, is the true key to fulfillment.
Together, Desiree and Bonnie explore what it means to make space for yourself, especially as a woman juggling roles and responsibilities, and why creative expression is not only healing but essential. Bonnie also discusses her unique Storytelling Lab and how it's helped countless people—from first-time writers to aspiring artists—rediscover their voice and confidence through creative exploration.
If you’ve ever felt the pull to create but didn’t know where to begin, this episode is for you. Whether you’re a writer, artist, or someone just looking to reconnect with your creative spark, Bonnie’s down-to-earth wisdom will encourage you to take that first step—no expectations required.
Bio:
I'm an award-winning writer, producer, USC screenwriting professor, painter, and creator of Storytelling Lab, a six-person, six-week international Zoom class designed to reconnect you with your creative spirit.I fell into writing, quite literally. I never had so much as a fantasy about it. I was pushing 30, married, and in therapy, trying to figure out if I wanted to have a baby. But if I didn't, what would I do with my life? My therapist suggested going back to university and taking classes that sounded interesting. I signed up for a class that sounded like it had to do with journalism. It was an advanced playwriting class. The other eleven students had written plays, won awards, etc. When class ended, I approached the Professor and said I wouldn't return next week. But she convinced me to stay, and I did it because I'm a people pleaser. Our assignment was to write a scene. I had no idea what a scene entailed. I figured I know people, and I know how people talk, so I'll give it a try. The play, once finished, became a finalist for the most prestigious playwriting festival in the U.S. My husband and I lived in Michigan. I gave up my job, convinced my husband to give up his law practice, and set off for New York so I could pursue a career as a writer. Over the last thirty years, I've continually invented and reinvented myself, creating a more diverse and multifaceted career than I could've ever imagined back then.
Connect with Bonnie:
Books mentioned:
Just Kids: A National Book Award Winner by Patti Smith (Author)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Pantheon Graphic Library) by Marjane Satrapi (Author)
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (Author)
Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief 1st Edition, by Pauline Boss (Author)
How to Kill Your Family: A Novel by Bella Mackie (Author)
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Questions? Contact me through my website, www.PocketsofKnowledge.com, or find me on Instagram @desireedstanley. Thanks for liste
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