How Sarah Koenig Gets It Done

The podcast explores the work habits, anxieties, and creative process of Sarah Koenig, the host and co-creator of Serial. Koenig discusses her struggles with time management, procrastination through compulsive tidiness and crossword puzzles, and her reliance on collaborator Julie Snyder. Snyder's critical feedback and high standards push Koenig to refine her storytelling. Koenig also reveals her deep-seated fear of misrepresenting people's stories and the responsibility she feels towards her subjects, leading her to meticulously check information and protect individuals' privacy. She touches on balancing work with family life, admitting to parental guilt, and recounts Ira Glass's advice that helped her overcome her fear of flying by realizing she wasn't important enough to cause a plane crash. Ultimately, Koenig advises her younger self to avoid jealousy and embrace the fact that everyone is figuring things out as they go.