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BIOGRAPHY
 An
award-winning writer for more than 25 years, Michele
Weldon is nationally recognized as an authority on the
power of writing and an advocate for women’s issues. A
journalist, author, keynote speaker and assistant
professor at Northwestern University’s Medill School
of Journalism, Weldon uses her words to inform and
inspire.
Her first book, a creative nonfiction memoir, I Closed
My Eyes (Hazelden, 1999), was translated into six languages.
It earned Weldon several awards including the International
Women’s Peacepower Award in 2000. Her second book,
Writing To Save Your Life: How To Honor Your Story
Through Journaling (Hazelden, 2001) received the Chicago Women
in Publishing 2002 Excellence Award for nonfiction book
and has been translated into four other languages. Recently,
Weldon trademarked her “scribotherapy” process
of writing for self-discovery. Weldon’s third book,
Everyman News: the Changing American Front Page (University
of Missouri Press, 2008) deals with the cultural and
economic reasons why print media content and style has
changed so drastically.
Since 1996, Weldon has been teaching undergraduate and
graduate students at her alma mater, Northwestern
University’s Medill School of Journalism, where she
received both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Weldon
owns and operates “Michele Weldon’s Writing To Save
Your Life Workshops” and has been offering workshops
quarterly in Chicago and by special arrangement in cities
such as Tucson, Az.; Austin, Texas; Fargo, N.D.; Boston
and Pensacola, Fla., since 1998.
Weldon travels around the country and Canada as a
keynote speaker on women’s issues and the power of
writing. She has delivered more than 150 keynotes and
lectures on a variety of topics since 1992.
A versatile journalist, Weldon is a former editor and
columnist on staffs at many regional and national
publications including North Shore magazine, ADWEEK
magazine, Fairchild Publications and the Dallas Times
Herald.
As a freelancer and contributing writer, Weldon has
written personal essays as well as news, feature
articles and columns for hundreds of newspapers and
magazines including the Los Angeles Times, New York
Times, Dallas Times Herald, Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago
magazine, Woman’s Day, Parenting, Writer’s Digest,
Dial and many other publications. She continues to write
regularly for the Chicago Tribune, West Suburban Living,
Chicago Parent and Writer’s Digest.
She has been a guest on more than 100 radio stations in
the United States and Canada including Wisconsin Public
Radio and Minnesota Public Radio. Weldon has appeared on
several television shows including “Oprah
Winfrey,”
“Jenny Jones,” “Later Today,” “ABC Sunday
Morning,” BBC-TV in London, public television and
scores of cable stations across the country. She is on
the board of advisors of MOM-bo Radio, where she writes
and reads essays on air for shows syndicated through
Public Radio International.
The mother of three sons, Weldon lives in the Chicago
area where she serves on the advisory boards of several
nonprofit agencies dedicated to stopping violence
against women and children. Weldon is a member of
Journalism & Women Symposium, Association of Women
Journalists, Society of Midland Authors and Chicago
Women in Publishing. She is a fellow at Northwestern’s
Hobart House for Women and one of four women nationwide
creating a national mentoring program for university
women in journalism.
AWARDS and HONORS:
Chicago Women In Publishing, Excellence Award,
Nonfiction Book, 2002
International Women’s Peacepower Media Award,
Nonfiction Book, 2000
Bread and Roses Individual Courage Award in Publishing,
2000
Finalist, Association for Women Journalists, Commentary
Writing, 1999
Finalist, Nonfiction Book Contest, National Writers
Association, 1997
First Place, National League of American Pen Women,
Essay Contest, 1997
First Place, Writer’s Digest 1996 Writing Competition,
Personal Essay, 1996
Finalist, Writer’s Digest 1995 Writing Competition,
Personal Essay, 1995
Best Newspaper Columnist, Dallas Psychological
Association, 1987
Judge for Hearst College Competition, 2000-2003
Judge for Writers Digest Self-Published Book Contest,
2001
Judge for Writer’s Digest Writing Competition,
Personal Essay, 2003
Judge, Associated Church Press Awards, 2003
OTHER DISTINGUISHED RECOGNITION:
Book excerpted: “Not To People Like Us,” by Susan
Weitzman (Basic Books, 2000)
Amazon.com No.1 Writing
Reference Book, June, 2002 (“Writing to Save Your
Life”)
Amazon.com No. 5 Bestseller, October, 2002 (“Writing
to Save Your Life”)
Amazon.com No. 95 Bestseller, October, 2002 (“I Closed
My Eyes”)
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