The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
Kelton Reid
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Top 10 The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience Episodes
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Tomi Adeyemi Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
04/12/24 • 33 min
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Tomi Adeyemi, spoke to me about the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, her evolution as a writer, and the final book in her Orisha trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy.
Tomi Adeyemi is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Hugo and Nebula award-winning novelist and screenwriter who was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes’s 30 Under 30 in Media, and whose website was named one of the 101 Best Websites for writers by Writer’s Digest.
Her Children of Blood and Bone series continues to be a publishing phenomenon, acquired in a heated bidding war with the first two books becoming instant #1 NY Times bestsellers – spending over 150 weeks on the list – and over 1.5 million copies in print to date including recent paperback re-releases.
The Nigerian/American writer graduated from Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature and studied West African mythology, religion, and culture in Salvador, Brazil
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In this file Tomi Adeyemi and I discussed:
Her newly found balance and definition of success as a writer
Facing rejection early on in her career
How she persevered through meticulous planning
Why her acknowledgments are so lengthy in her long-awaited capstone to her trilogy
What’s next for the superstar
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Legacy of Orisha, 3) – June 25, 2024 by Tomi Adeyemi (Amazon)
Tomi Adeyemi Amazon Author Page
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How Booker Prize-Winning Author Anne Enright Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
09/29/23 • 36 min
Bestselling, Booker Prize-winning author, Anne Enright, spoke to me about eagles and moles, the interior engineering of a novel, her love of Irish poetry, and her latest THE WREN, THE WREN.
Anne Enright won the Man Booker Prize and the Irish Fiction Award for her novel The Gathering. She has also been awarded the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Book Awards, and was the first Laureate for Irish Fiction (2015-2018).
Her latest novel The Wren, the Wren, was named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by TIME, The Millions, Literary Hub, and others, and is described as the story of “... three generations of ... women who must contend with inheritances―of poetic wonder and of abandonment by a man who is lauded in public and carelessly selfish at home.”
The New York Times called it, "... a powerful, thoughtful book by one of the great living writers on the subject of family," and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jennifer Egan said of the book, “The Wren, the Wren is an electrifying romp through language itself―its dizzying possibilities and satisfactions―led by one the most gifted writers working in English today."
Anne Enright has also published two books of short stories, her essays on literary themes have appeared in the London Review of Books and The New York Review of Books, and she writes for the books pages of The Irish Times and The Guardian.
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In this file Anne Enright and I discussed:
- The moment of burnout that changed her career
- How she used to be a night owl scribe
- Why you shouldn’t over-panic, or over-plan
- The fallacies of impostor syndrome and inspiration
- How to create a fictional poet out of thin air
- Taking a long look at James Joyce across the table
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
- Anne Enright - Wikipedia
- The Wren, the Wren: A Novel by Anne Enright (Amazon)
- Anne Enright Amazon Author Page
- Book Review: ‘The Wren, the Wren,’ by Anne Enright - The New York Times
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Bestselling Author Adelle Waldman Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
02/23/24 • 44 min
Bestselling author, Adelle Waldman, spoke with me about her former life as a journalist, writerly wish fulfillment, and going undercover for her latest workplace novel, Help Wanted.
Adelle Waldman is a journalist and the bestselling author of The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P., which was named a best book of the year by The New Yorker, Economist, NPR, The New Republic, Slate, Bookforum, The Guardian and many others.
Her latest novel, Help Wanted, is from W.W. Norton in March of 2024, and described as a “funny, eye-opening tale of work in contemporary America.” It has been named one of New York Magazine's "23 Books We Can’t Wait to Read in 2024," VOGUE’s Best Books of the Year So Far, ELLE’s Best (and Most Anticipated) Fiction of 2024, Lit Hub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024, and one of Kirkus’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024.
A starred Kirkus Review called the book, "The workplace dramedy of the year." Publishers Weekly said of the book, "A bracing and worthwhile glimpse of the high stakes faced by low-wage workers."
Adelle attended Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal, among others.
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In this file Adelle Waldman and I discussed:
Why she turned to journalism as a day job
Writing a hard-to-like protagonist
The breakout success of her first novel
How co-workers and friends at a Big Box store inspired her latest
Found comedy, unfortunate nerds, unrealistic dreams
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
Help Wanted: A Novel by Adelle Waldman (Amazon)
Adelle Waldman Amazon Author Page
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
07/05/24 • 36 min
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jodi Picoult, spoke with me about writing for Wonder Woman, adapting books for musical theater, and the question of Shakespeare's true authorship in her upcoming novel BY ANY OTHER NAME.
Jodi Picoult is the bestselling author of 30 novels, including landmark titles such as Mad Honey – her most recent 1 million-copy bestseller – Wish You Were Here, A Spark of Light, and Small Great Things. 40 million copies of her books are in print worldwide and have been translated into 34 languages.
Her forthcoming novel is BY ANY OTHER NAME (on sale 8/20; Ballantine), described as a novel about two women, centuries apart – one of whom is the real author of Shakespeare’s plays – who are both forced to hide behind another name.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kristin Hannah said of the book, “You’ll fall in love with Emilia Bassano, the unforgettable heroine based on a real woman that Picoult brings vividly to life in her brilliantly researched new novel.” Elle called it, “[An] inspiring work of feminist literature inspired by real historical accounts.”
Jodi was also co-librettist for the stage musical adaptation of her young adult novel Between the Lines (which premiered Off-Broadway in Summer 2022), the co-librettist of the musical BREATHE, the co-librettist of the musical adaptation of The Book Thief, and she is currently at work on an adaptation of Austenland.
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In this file Jodi Picoult and I discussed:
- What's changed and what hasn't for women (in theater) over 400+ years?
- The best time to break an arm for an author
- How she works in cycles for her books
- Why her kids made her write for Wonder Woman
- The conundrum of a famous playwright who didn’t own a single book
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
- jodipicoult.com
- By Any Other Name: A Novel By Jodi Picoult (Amazon)
- Jodi Picoult Amazon Author Page
- WAS SHAKESPEARE A WOMAN? – Elizabeth Winkler for The Atlantic
- Jodi Picoult on Facebook
- Jodi Picoult on Twitter
- Jodi Picoult on Instagram
- Jodi Picoult on TikTok
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Critically Acclaimed Author Tracy O'Neill Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
06/28/24 • 36 min
Critically acclaimed author, Tracy O'Neill, spoke with me about reality hunger vs. the hyper-realness of the pandemic, writing a love letter to friendship, and searching for her birth mother in her noir-adjacent memoir WOMAN OF INTEREST.
Tracy O'Neill is a National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 honoree, and the author of The Hopeful, one of Electric Literature's Best Novels of 2015, and Quotients, a New York Times New & Noteworthy Book, TOR Editor's Choice, & Literary Hub Favorite Book of 2020.
Her first book of nonfiction is the memoir WOMAN OF INTEREST (HarperOne; on-sale: 6/25/24) described by The Millions as “an intimate memoir written with the narrative propulsion of a detective novel” in their list of Most Anticipated Books of Spring 2024.
In a Starred Review Publishers Weekly, called it “...riveting... cool, noir-tinted prose shot through with wit and compassion, O’Neill presents her inquiry as a sort of metaphysical detective story. Readers will be riveted.”
Her writing has appeared in Granta, The New York Times, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, the New Yorker, LitHub, and BOMB, among other publications. She teaches at Vassar College and holds an MFA from the City College of New York and a PhD from Columbia University.
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In this file Tracy O'Neill and I discussed:
COVID as a catalyst for life change
Why real life doesn’t adhere to any genre
Meditations on language and storytelling
How her process has evolved from fiction to non-fiction
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
Woman of Interest: A Memoir By Tracy O'Neill (Amazon)
Tracy O'Neill Amazon Author Page
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The Art and Craft of TV Drama with Aaron Tracy: Part Two
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
12/08/23 • 41 min
Yale educator and TV writer/producer, Aaron Tracy, returns to chat with me about surviving the WGA writer’s strike, finally teaching the podcast at Yale, and his latest audio thriller on Audible, Nowhere Man, starring Lee Pace and Zosia Mamet.
Aaron Tracy also teaches “The Art and Craft of Television Drama” at Yale University, and his TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Fairly Legal, The Tap, and Sequestered, a serialized thriller that ran two seasons, for which he was Creator and Executive Producer.
He is also a Creator, Director, and Exec. Producer of scripted audio dramas for iHeartRadio, Audible, and Spotify, with various production partners including: Supreme: The Battle For Roe, his 9-part audio drama starring Eva Longoria (feat. Maya Hawke and William H. Macy); Murder in Bermuda (feat. Mary-Louise Parker); and many others.
His most recent is Nowhere Man, a noir political thriller Executive Produced by and starring Lee Pace, with co-stars Zosia Mamet, and Chazz Palminteri. “Set in the mid-1980s, Nowhere Man is a dark, paranoid thriller about temptation and obsession through the prism of a profession most people don’t even know exists.”
Aaron’s debut audio drama, The Coldest Case, a detective thriller starring Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter, and Alexis Bledel, premiered as the #1 download on Audible in 2021, and has since become the most downloaded show in Audible Plus history.
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In this file Aaron Tracy and I discussed:
Why he loves the ‘80s period pieces
How his directing experience has shaped his writing
Why he teaches the narrative podcast the same way he teaches Television Drama
The two greatest innovations of the modern TV art form
What aspiring TV writers should be reading
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
How to Write a Bestselling Audio Drama with Writer/Producer Aaron Tracy: Part One
Amazon Author Page for William Goldman
Story by Robert McKee [Amazon]
Save the Cat by Blake Snyder [Amazon]
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‘What You Will Learn’ from the Best Books Ever with Adam Ashton & Adam Jones
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
09/24/21 • 50 min
#PodcastersForJustice
Co-hosts of the top international podcast "What You Will Learn," Adam Ashton and Adam Jones, spoke to me about why writers should (and can) read more, how to turn a podcast into a book, and The Sh*t They Never Taught You.
What You Will Learn became Australia's #1 Book Podcast with over 4 million downloads, 300 episodes, and interviews with some of the biggest non-fiction authors in the business (including Seth Godin).
The Adams pledged to deliver "The Best Bits From The Best (Non-Fiction) Books" weekly on their show, and now they've distilled their collective knowledge even further into their own book.
Their compendium, The Sh*t They Never Taught You, offers "... takeaways from over a hundred of the world’s greatest thinkers, capturing lessons in personal development, career, business, personal finances, human nature, history, and philosophy."
Stay calm and write on ...
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As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey.
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If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file the Adams and I discussed:- Everything from growth mindset, GTD, to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- The formulas for reading more with greater retention
- Why turning a podcast into a book isn't easy
- The importance of sticky notes, marginalia, life-changing books...
- And a lot more
- What You Will Learn
- What You Will Learn on Apple Podcasts
- The Sh*t They Never Taught You: What You Can Learn From Books (Amazon)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Amazon)
- Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene (Amazon)
- What You Will Learn on Facebook
- What You Will Learn Instagram
- What You Will Learn Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Psychology and Neuroscience Prof. Kurt Gray Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
01/31/25 • 34 min
Psychology and Neuroscience Professor Kurt Gray spoke with me about the timely release, and inspiration behind his latest book OUTRAGED: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground.
Kurt Gray is a Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding.
Kurt Gray's, new book OUTRAGED: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground “... explains the science behind the United States' current political divide.”
A NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB MUST-READ BOOK • It is described as “A groundbreaking new perspective on the moral mind that rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from, and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us.”
#1 New York Times best-selling author Adam Grant called it, "A riveting read. . . . Overturns widespread assumptions about why we’re divided and reveals how we can come together."
Kurt Gray received a PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University, has published over 120 scientific papers, and his findings have been featured in The New York Times, the Economist, Scientific American, Wired, and Hidden Brain.
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In this file Kurt Gray and I discussed:
What it finally feels like to publish a book after decades of research
How we have misunderstood the moral mind
Who makes a profit from the “outrage machine”
Why humans are innately storytelling creatures
How to unplug, get words on the page, keep going
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
Outraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground By Kurt Gray (Amazon)
Why We Fight About Morality and Politics | Kurt Gray | TEDxReno
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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Susannah Cahalan Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
04/18/25 • 38 min
#1 New York Times bestselling author, Susannah Cahalan, spoke to me about her writing process, witch candles, and stepping into the shoes of psychedelic pioneer Rosemary Woodruff Leary in her new biography THE ACID QUEEN.
Susannah Cahalan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and public speaker. Her first book, Brain on Fire, has sold over a million copies and has been translated into more than twenty languages. Her second book, The Great Pretender, was shortlisted for the Royal Society’s 2020 Science Book Prize.
Her latest biography The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, “...chronicles the life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary (1935–2002), a prominent figure in the 1960s psychedelic movement and Timothy Leary’s wife from 1967 through 1976.”
Kirkus gave THE ACID QUEEN a glowing review, calling it a “well-wrought narrative that brings deserved attention to a lost figure in the counterculture,” and Publishers Weekly called it a “... stranger than fiction story [that offers] a vivid portrait of how flower power cracked up in the ’70s.”
Susannah Cahalan has been profiled in the New York Times, featured as an answer on Jeopardy!: delivered a TEDx Talk, and appeared as a guest on The Today Show, PBS, BBC’s Inside Science, and Fresh Air, among many others.
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In this file Susannah Cahalan and I discussed:
The throughline that connects all of her books
Synchronicities that led her to the life story of a psychedelic icon
How she used the research process to fully immerse herself in Rosemary’s persona
What she’s learned over the course of her writing career
Why you need to find time for “deep work” to get the pages
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary By Susannah Cahalan (Amazon)
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport (Amazon)
The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen Koch
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How Bestselling Self-Published Author Steff Green Writes: Part Two
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
10/23/18 • 24 min
In Part Two of this file the prolific, bestselling author of the paranormal and dark fantasy, Steff Green, returned to talk with me about overcoming rejection, perseverance, her inspiring journey from copywriter to bestseller, and her advice to fellow scribes who may be facing adversity.
Steff Green is a New Zealander who is a fervent self-publishing advocate, public speaker, and a legally blind writer who has turned her disability into a superpower to self-publish 24 books and counting.
She has topped the USA Today bestsellers list writing paranormal romance under the pen name, Steffanie Holmes, and is also the author of six dark fantasy books under the name S C Green.
Steff received both the 2017 Attitude Award for Artistic Achievement, and was a finalist for the 2018 Women of Influence award.
She recently launched a successful crowdfunding campaign to raise interest and awareness for an anti-bullying storybook for kids that caught the eye of traditional publishing.
That book, Written and illustrated by two artists who were victims of bullying themselves, Only Freaks Turn Things Into Bones uses darkly gothic humour to address the very real issue of being different.”
Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half you can find it here.
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In Part Two of the file Steff Green and I discuss:- Her simple yet effective workflow and organizational hacks
- Why curiosity is a synonym for creativity
- What motivates the author to write 20,000 words in just a few days
- Jack London’s timeless and moving credo
- How to read an ebook ... with your nose
- And why we need to remember why we’re doing this crazy thing called writing
- Copyblogger’s first persuasive copywriting course — coming this autumn
- How Bestselling Self-Published Author Steff Green Writes: Part One
- Steff Green’s author website
- Only Freaks Turn Things Into Bones – Steff Green
- Story behind the crowdfunding of Only Freaks Turn Things Into Bones
- Blind and bullied, now a bestselling author: Steff Green’s next book is personal
- Steff Green on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience have?
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience currently has 433 episodes available.
What topics does The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience cover?
The podcast is about How To, Podcasts, Books, Education and Arts.
What is the most popular episode on The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience?
The episode title 'How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult Writes' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience?
The average episode length on The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience is 37 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience released?
Episodes of The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience?
The first episode of The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience was released on Apr 13, 2015.
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