Podcast: The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

Kelton Reid studies the habits, habitats, and brains of a wide spectrum of renowned writers to learn their secrets of productivity and creativity. Tune in each week to learn how great writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid block. Explore our archives at writerfiles.fm to find interviews with notable guests that include bestselling authors John Scalzi (Old Mans War), Greg Iles (Natchez Burning), Jay McInerney (Bright Lights, Big City), Kevin Kelly (founder of WIRED magazine), Emma Donoghue (Oscar Nominee for Room), Maria Konnikova (The Confidence Game), Andy Weir (The Martian), Dan Buettner (The Blue Zones), Austin Kleon (Steal Like an Artist), Daniel Pink (When), and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.

How NY Times Bestselling Author Emma Knight Writes

New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and entrepreneur Emma Knight spoke to me about finding the courage to write fiction, the Loch Ness Monster of motherhood, and her breakout debut novel The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus.

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Carley Fortune Writes – Redux

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Carley Fortune, spoke to me about her storied career as a journalist, writing a breakout hit in just four months, and her latest novel, MEET ME AT THE LAKE.

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How Acclaimed Debut Novelist Jeanette Horn Writes

Acclaimed debut novelist and award-winning poet Jeanette Horn spoke to me about writing experimental poetry, getting a fateful call from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and the magical realism in her debut novel PLAY, WITH KNIVES.

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How Award-Winning Journo & The Atlantic Writer Olga Khazan Writes

Award-winning journalist and The Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan spoke to me about the worst way to launch a book, writing long-form watchdog journalism, and her latest ME, BUT BETTER, The Science and Promise of Personality Change. Olga Khazan is a staff writer for The Atlantic – covering science, health, and psychology for more than…

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Bonus: Matt Haig Reads an Excerpt from ‘The Midnight Library’ on Storybound – Redux

Matt Haig reads an excerpt from The Midnight Library, backed by an original Storybound remix with Robert Wynia, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer. Robert Wynia is a founding member of the Portland band Floater. Known for their progressive concept albums, Floater is famous for incorporating stylized storytelling. Wynia also releases music under…

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How NY Times Bestselling Author Matt Haig Writes: Redux

Internationally bestselling author, Matt Haig, spoke with me about how the novelist became an accidental “mental health expert,” why writers need resilience, and the process behind The Midnight Library. “The only reader you’re ever going to truly know … is yourself.” – Matt Haig Matt is the author of 20 books, including the #1 bestselling…

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How Bestselling Author & Literary Agent Betsy Lerner Writes

Bestselling author and literary agent Betsy Lerner spoke with me about being a “late bloomer,” what 35 years in publishing has taught her, and portraying mental illness in her debut novel SHRED SISTERS. Betsy Lerner is the author of the popular advice book to writers, The Forest for the Trees, and the memoirs Food and…

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ernest Cline Writes: Part Two – Redux

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY. Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player…

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ernest Cline Writes: Part One – Redux

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY.

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How #1 NY Times Bestselling Marissa Meyer Writes

#1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer spoke with me about, cutting her teeth on fanfiction, working briefly in publishing, and THE HAPPY WRITER, a guide to writing with less stress and more JOY.

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