Jennette McCurdy on Reclaiming Her Voice
How To Fail With Elizabeth Day
Writing Fiction vs Memoir and Personal Ties
Jennette explains Waldo's distinct voice, fictional distance, and the value of personal connection in fiction.
This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, including anorexia and bulimia. Listener discretion advised.
This might be one of the most powerful conversations I’ve ever had on How To Fail. I don’t say that lightly - I’ve had some amazing guests - but there’s something about how Jennette puts the female experience into words that I find truly electrifying.
Raised Mormon in Orange County, Jennette had a difficult, abusive childhood which she chronicled with unflinching honesty in her 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died - a book that spent more than 90 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Her new novel, Half His Age, follows 17-year-old Waldo as she embarks on an affair with her 40-year-old creative writing teacher. It’s a startling, powerful story about discomfort, agency and self-determination and it became a Sunday Times Number One bestseller in its first week!
In this episode, we talk about her upbringing, her experience of disordered eating, the writing process and the grounding partner she’s been with for nine years (who I was lucky enough to meet). Plus: setting boundaries, finding your voice, rage, recovery and autonomy.
Recorded in our London studio.
✨ IN THIS EPISODE:
00:00 Introduction
03:27 Speaking Up and Setting Boundaries
04:15 Reception of 'Half His Age'
07:22 Exploring Mormonism and Guilt
14:36 Failures and Creative Process
30:09 Calorie Restriction Lessons from My Mother
30:58 First Encounter with Anorexia
32:45 The Turning Point: Mother's Death and Recovery
32:58 Struggles with Bulimia
35:41 Therapy and the Road to Recovery
36:47 Understanding the Value of Eating Disorders
38:59 Healing Through Relationships
42:58 Finding My Voice and Inner Peace
💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:
I think oftentimes a woman is perceived as difficult if the person around her can't meet her standards.
It’s time that women start speaking up in any capacity - and not worrying about being 'too much'.
There is nothing more powerful than a woman's intuition. I believe our bodies have inherent knowledge... denying our bodies is nothing but a disservice to a better life path for ourselves.
If you feel resentment, it's time to set a boundary.
🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:
Jennette’s new book Half His Age is available to buy now
Join the How To Fail community: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
Elizabeth’s Substack: https://theelizabethday.substack.com/
📚 WANT MORE?
Dolly Alderton – writing personal truth and navigating public scrutiny swap.fm/l/XM98joc3GFEMTsLfkEfR
Matt Haig – mental health and transforming suffering into storytelling swap.fm/l/amHeyBr7x2jg3Isw3JxG
Jameela Jamil – body image, disordered eating and unlearning harmful conditioning swap.fm/l/D0j8oJQ52OwiJu6W3T4o
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Elizabeth and Jennette (who is a naturally brilliant agony aunt) answer listener questions in our subscriber series, Failing with Friends. Join our community of subscribers here: https://howtofail.supportingcast.fm/#content
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Production & Post Production Coordinator: Eric Ryan
Engineer: Matias Torres
Assistant Producer: Shania Manderson
Senior Producer: Hannah Talbot
Executive Producer: Alex Lawless
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