How I Write

Gillian Flynn: How to Write Thrilling Stories | How I Write

Taylor Tomlinson: How to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write

The creative process of stand-up comedy relies on the principle that quantity leads to quality, requiring comedians to constantly generate ideas, test them in live settings, and refine them through immediate audience feedback. Taylor Tomlinson emphasizes the necessity of starting from a personal, emotionally resonant p...

Dean Koontz: This Is What Mystical Writing Feels Like | How I Write

Writing is a mystical, non-linear process that thrives when authors abandon rigid outlining to grant characters true free will. Dean Koontz, a prolific novelist, emphasizes that the most compelling stories emerge from a deep sense of wonder and an openness to the inherent strangeness of the world. By prioritizing emoti...

Jodi Picoult: The Writing Habits Behind 50 Million Books Sold | How I Write

Writing a novel annually requires rigorous discipline, extensive research, and the ability to treat the creative process as a professional workday. Authors must cultivate objectivity to act as their own best editors, often dismantling early drafts to refine narrative structure and voice. Research serves as a foundation...

Robert Greene: The Unwritten Laws of Great Writing | How I Write

Robert Greene, author of The 48 Laws of Power, details the arduous process of writing his latest book, Sublime, while recovering from a stroke that left him partially paralyzed. He defines the sublime as a transcendent experience that shatters the limiting circles of cultural conventions, urging creators to cultivate a...

Andy Weir: Project Hail Mary Author Teaches Writing | How I Write

Science fiction author Andy Weir treats the genre as a versatile setting rather than a rigid category, enabling the integration of diverse narrative elements like thrillers and dramas. His writing process centers on scientific accuracy and logical plot progression, often utilizing complex spreadsheets to ensure technic...

Mark Normand: How to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write

Stand-up comedy demands a rigorous, iterative process where writing is less about innate genius and more about the uncomfortable discipline of facing a blank page and constant failure. Success relies on precise structural engineering, where every word is optimized to deliver a surprise twist that feels both inevitable ...

Michael Arndt: Oscar-Winning Writer Teaches Storytelling | How I Write

Great storytelling relies on a rigorous, iterative process that prioritizes emotional resonance and thematic clarity. Pixar’s success demonstrates the power of a non-hierarchical, collaborative environment where early drafts are continuously refined through audience feedback. Effective screenplays require a "North Star...

Francine Prose: This Is What a Harvard Writing Masterclass Feels Like | How I Write

Writing effectively requires "reading like a writer," which involves dissecting sentences, characters, and structural choices in enduring literature to understand why they succeed. Rather than relying on rigid manuals, writers should focus on clarity, plain language, and the power of revision to eliminate unnecessary v...

Harlan Coben: Tough Love Advice for Every Writer | How I Write

Harlan Coben, author of 38 novels, details the mechanics of writing suspenseful fiction, emphasizing that the "what if" question serves as the foundational engine for both plot and character development. Rather than viewing mystery as a rigid genre, he treats it as a flexible form that requires emotional resonance to s...

R.F. Kuang: Meet The Writer Who Sold Millions of Books Before 30 | How I Write

Writing requires a transition from abstract theorizing to the precise articulation of physiological responses. By mapping emotions to physical sensations—such as tingling toes or elevated heart rates—writers can bypass clichés and achieve greater narrative intimacy. This process demands "literary shapeshifting," where ...

Matt Haig: How to Write a Book Millions of People Read | How I Write

Writing for a mass market requires balancing commercial success with the preservation of an authentic, human voice. Matt Haig, author of The Midnight Library, emphasizes that true creativity thrives on "beautiful mistakes" and emotional resonance, qualities that distinguish human art from the perfectionist nature of AI...

Elif Shafak & Robert Macfarlane: Two Novelists Have an Epic Conversation | How I Write

Writing serves as a bridge between the human imagination and the natural world, functioning as a tool for both deep attention and moral inquiry. Language often fails to perfectly capture the essence of nature, yet the beauty of the craft lies in the attempt to articulate these ephemeral moments. By shifting from "payin...

Andrew Sean Greer: Pulitzer Winner Teaches Writing | How I Write

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Andrew Sean Greer examines the intersection of intuition and technical precision in the writing process. First drafts function as an ethereal, subconscious outpouring, while revision serves as a surgical process to identify repeating images, thematic "rhymes," and structural integrity. E...

Mark Forsyth: 13 Techniques to Improve Your Writing | How I Write

Rhetorical devices serve as timeless tools to transform ordinary writing into memorable, enchanting prose. By employing techniques like polyptoton—using the same word in different grammatical forms—writers create rhythmic patterns that stick in the reader's mind, a method utilized by figures ranging from Shakespeare an...

Jack Carr: Bestselling Author Shares His Entire Writing Process | How I Write

Writing thrillers requires a blend of personal experience and rigorous research to create authentic, immersive narratives. Drawing on his background as a Navy SEAL, Jack Carr translates the visceral reality of combat and strategic decision-making into fictional scenarios, emphasizing that emotional truth resonates more...

Scott Dikkers: 11 Ways to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write

Comedy writing relies on a structured, repeatable process rather than innate, mysterious talent. Scott Dikkers, former editor-in-chief of The Onion, demystifies humor by identifying 11 "funny filters"—including irony, hyperbole, and madcap—that transform simple observations into professional-grade comedy. Success in sh...

What the Experts Really Think About AI | How I Write Compilation

AI is fundamentally reshaping the creative process, acting as a powerful research assistant and "sparring partner" while simultaneously challenging the necessity of human struggle in art. While tools like ChatGPT and Claude excel at summarizing data, generating code, and overcoming writer's block, they lack the lived e...

David Baldacci: How to Write Books That Actually Sell | How I Write

Prolific novelist David Baldacci details his intuitive approach to storytelling, emphasizing the "big pop" technique—a method of subverting reader expectations early in a narrative to establish authorial control. Rather than relying on rigid outlines, he writes linearly, allowing characters to evolve through personal "...

David Shelley: How to Get Your Book Published | How I Write

Navigating the modern publishing industry requires understanding that publishers function as both creative partners and commercial distributors. While digital platforms have lowered barriers to entry, major houses provide essential services, including global logistics, professional typesetting, and targeted marketing c...