Before book sales and PR buzz, your favorite writers began with two things: the blank page and an idea. Each week on How I Write, we go behind-the-scenes with today’s top writers to uncover the meta-mechanics of writing and the lifestyle behind it. You’ll be the first to hear writers deconstruct their creative process: from banging their head on the keyboard to marking the last period of their final draft. Victory. Come discover how great writing is made. And who knows? Maybe you’ll be next. New episodes of the How I Write show go live every week on Apple, Spotify and YouTube.com/DavidPerellChannel.
Storytelling excellence requires navigating the distinct structural demands of film, television, and literature while maintaining a consistent creative voice. Noah Hawley, creator of Fargo and Legion, emphasizes that successful creators must be "multilingual," balancing artistic experimentation with the fiscal realitie...
Creative excellence requires a state of "porousness," where writers remain open to the world's intensity while excavating buried personal truths. Suleika Jaouad, author of Between Two Kingdoms, emphasizes that writing from a place of vulnerability—rather than seeking to assert authority—allows the subconscious to guide...
Comedy writing hinges on the ability to transform mundane observations into shared experiences through a distinct, opinionated perspective. Humor thrives on agitation and the refusal to remain indifferent, as seen in the way comedians deconstruct concepts to expose their underlying absurdity. Effective stand-up require...
The conversation explores how reading and archival research serve as essential tools for understanding the human experience and navigating personal suffering. Maria Popova, creator of The Marginalian, emphasizes that true discovery requires moving beyond the surface-level, algorithmically driven internet to engage with...
Storytelling functions as a collaborative act of co-creation between the author and the reader, where the written word invites subjective interpretation rather than providing absolute answers. Yann Martel, author of Life of Pi, utilizes an analog system of organizing research snippets in envelopes to construct narrativ...
Writing is a practice of "resisting less" rather than trying harder, requiring writers to cultivate deep awareness of the world around them. Creative stagnation, often mislabeled as "writer's block," typically signals a need to replenish one's internal resources through observation rather than forcing output. By treati...
Tish Rabe, a prolific children's book author who has written over 200 titles including 53 Dr. Seuss books, details the specialized craft and business of writing for young audiences. Successful children's literature relies on writing the ending first to ensure a meaningful punchline and utilizing a three-act structure—b...
Character-driven storytelling serves as the foundation for compelling documentary filmmaking, prioritizing the "why" behind a subject's actions over mere informational content. By focusing on origin stories and personal motivations, filmmakers can create emotional resonance that transforms technical craft into a memora...
Patrick Radden Keefe, a staff writer at the New Yorker and author of narrative nonfiction, discusses his "Write Around Reporting" technique, which involves writing about individuals who refuse to be interviewed. He emphasizes the importance of painting a multifaceted picture of a subject, drawing on extensive research ...
The conversation explores the craft of writing, particularly non-fiction storytelling, with Wright Thompson as the guest. Thompson emphasizes that good writing stems from saying something new, true, specific, and universal, helping readers understand themselves better. He highlights the importance of architecture in wr...
The conversation explores how writers can cultivate novelty and freshness in their work, challenging conventional writing rules and embracing idiosyncrasy. Ocean Vuong, a poet, novelist, and professor, argues that literature, particularly the novel, has been steered toward a standardized, efficient style akin to newspa...
The book publishing industry's inner workings are explored through a conversation with John Yaged, who runs Macmillan. Consolidation aims for profitability through scale, but often diminishes output quality. Cost pressures arise from retailers demanding discounts, rising author advances, and increased printing expenses...
The podcast explores the craft of writing, focusing on techniques for detail, character development, and maintaining momentum in storytelling. Crime novelist Michael Connelly shares insights on observing "telling details" in real life to enrich fiction, emphasizing that fewer, more vivid details are better for pacing. ...
Steven Pressfield, a master storyteller, joins the podcast to discuss the principles of storytelling and character building that transcend genre and culture. The conversation explores the three-act structure, the importance of the inciting incident in foreshadowing the climax or establishing mystery, and the role of an...
The podcast explores the principles of comedy writing and joke construction, drawing insights from comedians like Jerry Seinfeld, Mitch Hedberg, and Stephen Wright. Robert Mac, a stand-up comedian, explains that comedy often stems from presenting reality from a skewed perspective, creating surprise and incongruity. The...
Bill Browder, author of Red Notice and Freezing Order, discusses the craft of writing compelling narratives based on true events. Browder emphasizes the importance of storytelling over pure writing technique, focusing on creating drama, tension, and uncertainty to keep readers engaged on every page. He outlines his wri...
The podcast explores the role of a historian in society and the core principles that guide their work. Diarmaid MacCulloch, a professor at Oxford and history expert, argues that historians serve as guardians of sanity, defending against lies and societal madness by presenting a balanced view of the past. He emphasizes ...
Lee Child, the author of the Jack Reacher series, discusses his writing process, emphasizing the importance of creating a sense of place through temperature and the physics it imposes on a story. Child reveals his method of improvising stories based on location rather than detailed planning, drawing inspiration from Al...
The podcast explores the creative process of filmmaking through the lens of adapting source material, specifically Denis Johnson's novella "Train Dreams." Filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar discuss their collaborative approach to writing, directing, and the importance of deeply understanding the story's essence a...
The conversation explores the writing processes, influences, and philosophies of Fareed Zakaria, a journalist and author. Zakaria discusses his motivations for writing books, driven by a sense of scholarly guilt and a desire for deep learning, detailing his research methods, such as reading extensively on topics like t...
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