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
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
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 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 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 #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 #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 Copywriter and Entrepreneur James Chartrand (of Men with Pens) Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
06/01/15 • 31 min
Writing can be a lonely sport, whether you re running a digital agency, or slaving away on the next great novel. In this week's episode, we'll examine the writing process of James Chartrand, a prolific online publisher, copywriter, and digital entrepreneur.
It s hard to settle on a specific title for my guest because James wears so many different hats — founder of the popular blog, web design, and copywriting agency Men with Pens — as well as an author, educator, and writing coach.
James s many accomplishments have been chronicled in such high profile publications as Forbes, Newsweek, and The New York Times, and we got the chance to sit down and talk shop.
In this 26-minute file James Chartrand and I discuss:
- How Wearing Many Hats Can Boost Your Productivity
- Why Simplicity Helps You Stay Focused
- The Cathartic Feeling of Crumpling Up Post-It Notes
- The Hardest Question in the World
- Why Good Ideas are Like Fishing
- The Difference Between Making Friends and Making Money
- Why Every Writer Should Have a Therapist
The Show Notes
- Men with Pens
- Damn Fine Words
- Demian Farnworth s Interview With James
- Why James Chartrand Wears Women s Underpants
- James Chartrand on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Bestselling Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author Catherynne M. Valente Writes: Part Two
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
05/23/17 • 33 min
In Part Two of this file the prolific, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author, Catherynne M. Valente, took a break at her spooky writer’s island to chat with me about her superhero origin story, earning street cred with readers, and her truly unique process.
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Start getting more from your site today!Since her first novel — The Labyrinth, published in 2004 — the hybrid author has gone on to pen over 24 volumes of both fiction and poetry across multiple genres (including fantasy, sci-fi, young adult, and horror).
In addition to being published and anthologized in dozens of print and online journals, Catherynne has won or been nominated for every major award in her field, including the Hugo Award (for both a novel and a podcast), and been a finalist for both the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards.
She is perhaps best known for her crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making — a book launched by a dedicated online fan community that went on to become a NY Times bestseller.
The series — which recently concluded with book five, The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home — has been lauded by fellow author Neil Gaiman, and Time magazine called it, “One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century.”
The prolific author continues to find innovative ways to connect with her audience, and she recently launched a Patreon project called “The Mad Fiction Laboratory,” where she offers professional and personalized advice on the business and craft of writing, as well as a sneak peek at her multiple works-in-progress.
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If you missed the first half you can find it right here.
In Part Two of this file Catherynne Valente and I discuss:
- Her love of Spotify playlists for writing inspiration
- Why the first draft doesn’t have to be perfect
- Her organizational hack for Scrivener writers
- Why your personal creative outlet is important for your sanity
- Where the author keeps her three Oxford English Dictionaries and 24 tarot decks
- Why writers need to read everything
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 200,000 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com
- How Bestselling Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author Catherynne M. Valente Writes: Part One
- CatherynneMValente.com
- Catherynne M. Valente on Amazon
- Cat’s Patreon project – “The Mad Fiction Laboratory”
- Cat Valente on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How Bestselling Thriller Writer Nick Petrie Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
03/11/21 • 32 min
#PodcastersForJustice
Bestselling novelist, Nick Petrie, spoke with me about keeping your sanity as a writer, the importance of boredom for creativity, and how to write a thriller series.
Nick's the award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Peter Ash series. His debut novel, The Drifter, won the ITW Thriller and Barry Awards, and was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Hammett Awards.
He won a 2016 Literary Award from the Wisconsin Library Association and was named one of Apple’s 10 Writers to Read in 2017. Light It Up was named the Best Thriller of 2018 by Apple Books and has been nominated for a Barry Award.
His latest is The Breaker, the sixth in his award-winning series featuring Peter Ash, the war veteran struggling with PTSD who travels the US, "... stumbling into mysteries that only a man with his unique skill set can solve."
#1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box said of the book, "Nonstop action at a machine-gun pace. If you aren't reading Nick Petrie, now is the time to start."
Stay calm and write on ...
If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Nick Petrie and I discussed:- His 25-year overnight success
- The challenges of running a business and writing a book a year
- How to "keep the faith"
- The rituals and routines that keep him going
- William Gibson's genius
- And more!
- NickPetrie.com
- The Breaker (A Peter Ash Novel) by Nick Petrie (Amazon)
- Nick Petrie Amazon author page
- Neuromancer by William Gibson (Amazon)
- The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch (Amazon)
- Nick Petrie on Facebook
- Nick Petrie on Twitter
- Kelton Reid on Twitter
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How NY Times Bestselling Author Ashley Audrain Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience
06/16/23 • 29 min
New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Audrain, spoke to me about giving herself permission to write sh*tty first drafts, writing in public, and her second novel THE WHISPERS.
Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, The Push, was a New York Times, Sunday Times (London), #1 international bestseller, and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. It has sold in more than 40 territories, and a limited TV series is currently in development.
Her latest, The Whispers, is described as “ ... a propulsive page-turner about four families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens – and what is lost when we give in to our own worst impulses.”
The New York Times Book Review wrote, "Expertly, subtly and powerfully rendered .... [The Whispers] delivers a sucker-punch ending you’ll have to read twice to believe.” And #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune called it, “[An] electrifying ... razor-sharp page-turner.”
Ashley Audrain previously worked as the publicity director of Penguin Books Canada, and prior to that, worked in public relations.
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In this file, Ashley Audrain and I discussed:
- Why she felt intimidated by writers while working in PR
- How to write claustrophobic, voyeuristic fiction
- Why she is drawn to the darker side of literature
- Tapping into the messiness of midlife ennui
- How to escape your kids
- And a lot more!
Show Notes:
- ashleyaudrain.com
- The Whispers By Ashley Audrain (Amazon)
- Ashley Audrain Amazon Author Page
- Ashley Audrain on Instagram
- Ashley Audrain 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 407 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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