We tend to think of our job history as just about labor. But the world of work--especially those jobs that we hated at the time--is also a powerful teacher, a way of understanding the world beyond our home lives and families--our own powers and vulnerabilities. We'll look at the work of T. Kira Madden and others as inspiration for our own work stories.

Steve Almond is the author of twelve books of fiction and non-fiction including the New York Times bestsellers Candyfreak and Against Football. His first novel, Which Brings Me to You (co-written with Julianna Baggott) was made into way-better-than-he-expected movie starring Lucy Hale and Nat Wolff. His last novel, All the Secrets of the World, is in development for television by 20th Century Fox. His work has appeared in the Best American Short Stories, the Pushcart Prize, Best American Mysteries, and the NYT Magazine. His most recent book, Truth Is the Arrow, Mercy Is the Bow, is about craft, inspiration, and how to keep going at the keyboard. Almond teaches at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism and lives outside Boston with his family and his anxiety.

Worst Job Ever: How Bad Work Generates Good Stories with Steve Almond