The art of audio storytelling isn鈥檛 just for famous poets, performers, or podcast hosts. It's also practiced by University of South Florida students.
鈥淲riting for the Ear" is an innovative Honors course designed and taught by Judy Genshaft Honors College affiliate faculty member Deepak Singh. This course teaches students how to use audio as a medium to craft effective and impactful stories and then allows them to record and produce their creations using the college鈥檚 own professional A.V. and podcast studios.
Inspired by his time in radio, Singh encourages students to adapt their writing for sound and beyond the world of print. While students curate compelling narratives, they also learn how utilizing different audio techniques can enhance the impact of a story or shift its meaning.
鈥淚n the world of audio journalism and storytelling, where every word resonates and every sound matters, effective writing takes center stage,鈥� says Singh.
To help students navigate audio storytelling, Singh spends the first few weeks of the course immersing the class in various audio genres, such as podcasts, documentaries, and radio shows. Students dissect concepts like tone, style, intonation, and pacing, which they use to build their own stories in the second half of the semester. A workshop-based approach to project revisions fosters an engaging classroom setting where students learn to offer thoughtful critiques and channel feedback into tangible improvements.
With over 15 years of industry experience, two published books, multiple magazine features, and roles at BBC India and NPR in the United States, Singh offers a unique a wealth of knowledge to his students. He regards writing for radio as his first love and is passionate about sharing this craft.
Singh appreciates the diverse life experiences of his students by giving them complete creative freedom over their projects, allowing them the 鈥減ermission to express themselves.鈥�
鈥淢y purpose in class is to make students comfortable about sharing. They can feel comfortable and safe and not worry about how people are going to react. Students have been very supportive,鈥� Singh adds.
BROAD PERSPECTIVES
Sophomore Honors student Amelie McLeod, dual majoring in world languages & culture and international studies, enrolled in Singh鈥檚 class to pursue her interest in creative writing. McLeod was drawn to the audio aspects of the course.
鈥淢y friends and I always joke that one day we will have a podcast together,鈥� she says.
McLeod moved to America from France when she was young and felt disconnected from parts of French culture. After listening to an audio story by a French author about her mother鈥檚 passing, she was deeply moved by the connection she made with the writer鈥檚 experiences. This inspired McLeod to revisit a story she wrote in high school about witnessing the effects of Alzheimer鈥檚 disease on her mother鈥檚 live-in partner.
Using techniques learned in class and fueled by her favorite artists, Sylvia Plath and Ocean Vuong, McLeod created a lyrical audio story employing motifs like the French phrase 鈥渦n ange passe鈥� 鈥� a term used to describe a sudden awkward break in conversation 鈥� to detail the confusion, grief, and resentment of watching someone succumb to Alzheimer鈥檚.
McLeod admitted that sharing her story with the class was nerve-wracking and emotional but helped her gain confidence.
鈥淚 never would have expected the praise I did,鈥� said McLeod. 鈥淚t inspired me to write so much more.鈥�
CREATIVE OUTLETS
Freshman Honors student Daniella Charco, majoring in kinesiology and exercise science, has loved writing for as long as she can remember. Growing up, she entered countless creative writing competitions and always 鈥渨rote the extra credit poem for class.鈥� When registering for Honors courses, Charco wanted a class that would unleash her creative side.
鈥淚t caught my attention that it鈥檚 a different type of writing than I usually do,鈥� Charco says.
After transitioning to college and leaving behind the competitive dance career that had played a foundational role in her young life, Charco wrote a narrative about growing while letting go of the things we love. Her story is told through her internal monologue on the day of her last regional dance competition. Framed by the remembrance of a childhood friend鈥檚 passing, Charco鈥檚 story recounts the choreography of her routine, her anxiety over change, and her emotions while navigating the different stages of grief.
To re-capture the moment, Charco revisited the day of the competition by watching videos recorded by her mother. She then embedded audio clips and music from the competition into her final audio project to help listeners become immersed in the fine details of in her narrative.
For Charco, this course didn鈥檛 only help her process a difficult chapter of her life; it also taught her how to share challenging experiences and gave her 鈥渟elf-assurance to share and to listen to constructive feedback.鈥�
According to Professor Singh, the course isn鈥檛 just about the quality of the end product but about encouraging creativity, building a creative community, and developing other skills along the way:
鈥淚鈥檝e given them a taste of what it is like to tell their story. Maybe they鈥檒l go on to become famous radio journalists for NPR, maybe they鈥檒l create their own podcast 鈥� and they didn鈥檛 know they could do this. The sky is the limit,鈥� says Singh.