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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How Award-Winning & Bestselling Author A.M. Homes Writes: Redux
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
11/15/24 • 34 min
Note: I revisited a chat with the soothsayer A.M. Homes from 2022.
Bestselling, award-winning author A.M. Homes, spoke to me about getting sued by J.D. Salinger, the irony of winning the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her latest "The Unfolding."
A.M. Homes is a TV producer, art critic, and the author of 13 books, including the bestselling memoir The Mistress’s Daughter. Her last novel, May We Be Forgiven, was the winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Her latest novel is The Unfolding, described as a "... darkly comedic alternative history that takes us into the heart of a fractured family living in a divided country."
New York Times bestselling author Salman Rushdie called the book, “A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth.”
A.M. Homes was a Co-Executive Producer and Writer on David E. Kelly and Stephen King’s, Mr. Mercedes, and a writer/producer of the Showtime series The L Word.
Her work has been translated into 22 languages and appears frequently in Art Forum, Harpers, Granta, McSweeney's, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Zoetrope. She is a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair, Bomb and Blind Spot, and she has taught in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton.
Stay calm and write on ...
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In this file A.M. Homes and I discussed:
- Her early struggles with dyslexia
- Why awards and votes of confidence are so important for writers
- How she helped hire Dennis Lehane to write for Mr. Mercedes
- Her strange obsession with George Washington and her claim to Capitol Hill
- How to write your way out of a jam
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
- amhomesbooks.com
- The Unfolding: A Novel by A.M. Homes (Amazon)
- A.M. Homes on Facebook
- A.M. Homes on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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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 NY Times Bestselling Author James Swallow Writes: Part One
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
05/14/20 • 55 min
Award-winning New York Times, Sunday Times, and Amazon #1 bestselling author, James Swallow, spoke with me about his superhero origin story, how he found success channeling his own anger, and the most important lessons he's learned along the way.
"I try to make the details as authentic as I possibly can ... because a lot of the action in my books is 'heightened reality.'" – James Swallow
James is a former journalist and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominated scriptwriter who has written for video games, TV, and radio.
The prolific author of over 50 books – who has written sci-fi for storied franchises including Star Trek, Dr. Who, and Stargate – is best known for his espionage thrillers.
His Marc Dane series – with over 750,000 books in print worldwide – includes novels Nomad, Exile, Ghost, Shadow, and his forthcoming novel Rogue, the fifth in the bestselling series featuring "Britain's answer to Jason Bourne," out May 28th (from Zaffre Books).
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In this file James Swallow and I discussed:
- Why the pandemic feels like "almost the end of the world"
- The renaissance of "high-speed, low-drag" thrillers inspired by the '80s
- His theories on the fallibility of action heroes
- How his journalism and TV writing experience set him up for success
- Why writers are always writing ... even when they're not
- His greatest influences
- And much more!
Show Notes:
- www.jswallow.com
- Rogue by James Swallow [Amazon]
- James Swallow on Amazon
- James Swallow on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Bestselling Author & Investigative Journalist Scott Carney Writes: Part One
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
04/24/18 • 33 min
Award-winning New York Times bestselling author, investigative journalist, and anthropologist, Scott Carney, stopped by the show recently to talk about the dangers of putting yourself into the story, what he’s learned in his 20+ years in mainstream publishing, and how he juggles his multiple creative adventures.
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Start getting more from your site today!Throughout his globe-trotting career as a journalist Scott has spent extensive time in South Asia, been a contributing editor at WIRED for over five years, and written for Mother Jones, Men s Journal, Playboy, Foreign Policy, Discover, Outside, Fast Company, and many others.
Mr. Carney is the author of a trio of nonfiction books that combine investigative journalism and anthropology, including The Red Market (where he explored the black market for human body parts), A Death on Diamond Mountain (an examination of the dark side of spiritual seekers), and most recently, the New York Times bestseller What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength.
As part of his research for What Doesn’t Kill Us, Scott spent time with Dutch extreme athlete and fitness guru Wim Hof to try to understand the science behind his now famous method to control his body temperature in extreme conditions and tap into ancient super-human abilities.
In addition to his writing, Scott is a public speaker and educator who has been a senior fellow at the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism and a Scripps Fellow at the Center for Environmental Journalism in Boulder, Colorado.
His work has been featured on NPR and National Geographic TV.
His most recent project is a video course for writers, called The Fine Print, aimed at helping freelancers, journalists, and creative entrepreneurs to think of themselves as a startup business and help merge their creative and business sensibilities.
If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews.
In Part One of this file Scott Carney and I discuss:
- Why he dropped out of his Anthropology PhD program to become a professional writer
- How to protect yourself from negotiating bad contracts
- Why you don’t have to fall into the traps so many broke journalists fall into
- The writer’s natural state of “productive procrastination”
- Why you need to gun for those “theme park” sized ideas
- The power of outlines and how to write 80,000 words in eight months
Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ...
Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes- If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com
- What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary – Scott Carney
- ScottCarney.com
- Scott Carney’s video course — The Fine Print.
- The Ice Guru [Wim Hof] Comes to Brooklyn – The Atlantic
- Scott Carney 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 431 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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