New WHYY Interview
My Professional Evolution
What I find most satisfying about my work has evolved over many years. At the beginning, as a newspaper reporter, I loved learning and writing about people I would not have otherwise met as well as being on top of the latest trends. (Because of this, I was confident that I was an interesting person to chat with at cocktail parties.)
As I got older I found that as much as I enjoyed writing about remarkable people and things, which I still do, I wanted to express myself and write about things I knew or imagined would be thought-provoking and/or emotionally resonant. Personal essays and op-eds became my preferred genres, while I continued to do the more reportorial writing and had opportunities to write in and for the business world.
I still love the writing process; I still love reaching people with my words. But at this point I am most thrilled about helping people express themselves – in the business world or personally — by offering writing tools that I can almost guarantee will be useful and possibly healing. I feel like a midwife, helping people give birth to their own words.
Listen to Janet
Janet Falon reads her essay about family on the Podcast This I Believe
Watch Janet
Janet Falon explains the immense value of keeping a journal and/or scrapbook as an integral part of cancer therapy.
Places I’ve Worked
What Clients Say
I came home from yesterday’s morning (Yom Kippur) service and thought I want to do something quiet and reflective. I went to my bookcase and pulled out In the Spirit of the Holidays. I read all of your Yom Kippur poems. It was exactly what I needed and wanted. CAROL
Each poem is a little treasure and each one makes me think about something I didn’t think about before or say to myself, “Yes, I have felt the same way but never had the marvelous language to express it the way Janet does.” SHELLEY
It was very helpful to peruse your book’s Yom Kippur writings yesterday afternoon as I was struggling to stay engaged with the day while at home. MARK
My sister is delighted with the copy of In the Spirit of the Holidays I gave her and told me how she read from it at Pesach at her seder. JONATHAN
“There’s this workshop we all have with Janet
She is the best teacher who every ran it
She makes it so exciting
All this thinking and writing
(But her earrings are from another planet!)”
“Thank you for hosting your “Journaling for Health and Happiness” workshop. It eased the burdens of our caregivers. Not only did your writing prompts allow our guests to reflect on their own experiences, but gave them the chance to share those experiences with others, whether joyous or melancholy.”
“I loved your poem. I felt as if I were having a conversation with you, and that the poetry was you, answering me.”
“I honestly think you do more good for everyone’s soul that a world full of rabbis, ministers priests, dalis, imams AND therapists! Thank you – this is important work and you do it beautifully!”
“I’m happy to report the feedback from the writing class is overwhelmingly positive. Participants are talking about the class and sharing your suggestions. Thank you for making this event a success.”
“You have changed my life by helping me love writing as much as I do. You gave me the confidence to put stuff on paper while helping me understand that I have to push myself to fight my writing demons.”
“My daughter-in-law and I found a copy of the article you wrote about me. She LOVED it!!! She kept saying that you “nailed me” so perfectly!! And once again, I laughed; I cried.”