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

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.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Tracy O'Neill and I discussed:COVID as a catalyst for life changeWhy real life doesn’t adhere to any genreMeditations on language and storytellingHow her process has evolved from fiction to non-fictionAnd a lot more!Show Notes:tracyoneill.netWoman of Interest: A Memoir By Tracy O'Neill (Amazon)Tracy O'Neill Amazon Author PageTracy O'Neill on TwitterTracy O'Neill on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, recently brought me along on a creative journey called Hey, Creator! and it was some of the most fun I’ve had as a podcast producer. I also learned a lot from Jeff over the course of the show.We’re back with another episode from the second season we did together titled “Living the Dream.”`Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he shares his ongoing transformation journey, inspiring creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Jeff Goins and I discussed:What tattoos, dreams, and bulls have in commonThis dream-like existence we call lifeThe creator’s dilemma of making sense of the mysteryAnd a lot more!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, Fred Waitzkin, spoke with me about journalism, Searching for Bobby Fischer, the thin veil between fiction and non-fiction, and the Zen of his latest novel ANYTHING IS GOOD.Fred Waitzkin is the journalist and internationally acclaimed bestselling author of Searching for Bobby Fischer, made into the Academy Award-nominated film of the same name.His work has appeared in Esquire, New York Magazine, The New York Times Sunday Magazine, The New York Times Book Review, Outside, Sports Illustrated, and Forbes, among other publications.Fred Waitzkin’s fourth novel, Anything Is Good, is described as a “... hypnotically compelling tale of a man haunted by the fate of his childhood buddy, and of that friend’s pleasures and misfortunes as he navigates an unhoused life.”Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks said of the book, “Anything Is Good, based on the true story of a brilliant and beleaguered childhood friend, offers a deeply affecting dive into the lives of the unhoused.”[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Fred Waitzkin and I discussed:Finding his unique voice as a journalistWhy great writers blend non-fiction and fictionHow he chose the subject matter of his latest bookThe evolution of his process as a novelistWhy he hates the question, “What’s next?”And a lot more!Show Notes:FredWaitzkin.comAnything Is Good by Fred Waitzkin (Amazon)Fred Waitzkin Amazon Author PageFred Waitzkin on FacebookFred Waitzkin on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE: This is an updated replay of my amazing chat with New York Times bestselling author, Jami Attenberg, in honor of the start of #1000WordsofSummer that kicked off June 1st! Take a listen to learn more about how to jump in and get going. You can always sign up at 1000wordsofsummer.substack.com to get a letter each day from Jami encouraging you to write 1000 words, additional notes from contributing authors, on writing, creativity, and productivity, and there are write-alongs, a slack channel, and of course the book. Enjoy!New York Times bestselling author, Jami Attenberg, spoke with me about documenting the process of being a writer online and off, building a global literary movement, and her latest, 1000 Words: A Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All-Year Round.Jami Attenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books of fiction, including The Middlesteins, All Grown Up, and her recent memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You. Her work has been published in 16 languages, she is the founder of the annual #1000WordsofSummer project and maintains the popular Craft Talk newsletter.Jami Attenberg’s latest is 1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round. “Inspired by [her] wildly popular literary movement #1000WordsofSummer, this writer’s guide features encouraging essays on creativity, productivity, and writing from [over 50] acclaimed authors including Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, Celeste Ng, Meg Wolitzer, and Carmen Maria Machado.”Lit Hub said of the book, “It will be the new Bird by Bird, you heard it here first.” A Booklist, Starred Review called it “A fantastic set of essays… Readers of this collection will feel surrounded and bolstered by like-minded people who have been in the trenches.”[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Jami Attenberg and I discussed:The blessing and the curse of knowing you’re a writer How she built an online writing community into a literary movementHer tongue-in-cheek approach to the craftThe reason she uses the seasons as a metaphor for writersHow to harness the power of write-alongsAnd a lot more!Show Notes:JamiAttenberg.com1000wordsofsummer.substack.com1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round by Jami Attenberg (Amazon)Jami Attenberg Amazon Author PageJami Attenberg on TwitterJami Attenberg on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, recently brought me along on a creative journey called Hey, Creator! and it was some of the most fun I’ve had as a podcast producer. I also learned a lot from Jeff.We’re back with another episode from the first season we did together titled “On Mixtapes, or Curation vs. Creation.”Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he shares his ongoing transformation journey, inspiring creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Jeff Goins and I discussed:How to make a perfect playlistWhy taste is integral to all creationWhat it takes to turn a piece of creative curation into an actual work of artWhy what you leave out is more important than what remainsAnd a lot more!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer and editor Ariel Curry, along with ghostwriter Liz Morrow, discuss nonfiction writing, book mapping, the publishing process, successful writing elements, and debunking the need for a large platform for a book deal. They share their experiences transitioning from traditional publishing to freelancing, podcasting, and marketing challenges in preparing for their book launch.

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author April Henry, spoke with me about winning the Edgar Award, killing people on paper, and researching her latest cat-and-mouse survival story, STAY DEAD.April Henry is the acclaimed bestseller of mysteries for adults and over 15 novels for teens, including the bestselling Girl, Stolen; Girl Forgotten; The Girl I Used to Be (Edgar nominated and winner of the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery), and most recently winner of the 2024 Edgar Award in the Best Young Adult category for her novel, GIRL FORGOTTEN (2023).Her latest novel, Stay Dead (May 28, 2024), is described as “... a thrilling murder mystery featuring a teen with an assassin on her trail fighting to uncover the truth behind a government cover-up.”New York Times bestselling author Ellie Marney called it a “Pacy survival tale, eco-thriller, and murder mystery all rolled into one."[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file April Henry and I discussed:A crazy thing that happened to her after she won the EdgarThe postcard she got from Roald Dahl that started it allHow she made the transition to full-time writerWhy she trained with real FBI agentsHer love of the treadmill deskAnd a lot more!Show Notes:aprilhenry.comStay Dead by April Henry (Amazon)April Henry Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, brought me along on a creative journey not too long ago called Hey, Creator! and it was some of the most fun I’ve had as a podcast producer.Here’s an episode from the last season we did together titled “How to Finish the First Draft of Anything.”Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he shares his ongoing journey of transformation, inspiring creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Jeff Goins and I discussed:Why the first step to finishing is to beginThe secret to getting unstuckWhy nothing is ever really finishedAnd a lot more!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Mark Sullivan, spoke to me about the story that saved his life, how to write history’s darkest chapters, and his latest novel based on a true story, All the Glimmering Stars.Mark Sullivan is a journalist and award-winning, bestselling author of 20 novels including Beneath a Scarlet Sky, The Last Green Valley, and the #1 New York Times bestselling Private series, which he writes with James Patterson.His latest historical novel, All the Glimmering Stars (May 7, 2024), is “Inspired by a true story [of] two teens kidnapped by an African warlord [that] find salvation through love in a powerful [story] … set in 1990s Uganda.”New York Times bestselling author Gregg Hurwitz, said of the book, “Mark Sullivan’s All the Glimmering Stars is the pinnacle of an already distinguished career. A searing piece of historical fiction steeped in a yearslong deep dive into the horrors of child soldiering, it is at its core something tender and rare: a love story between two profoundly good people striving for light in unimaginable darkness.”Mark Sullivan graduated with a BA in English before working as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in West Africa. Upon his return to the US, he earned a graduate degree in Journalism at Northwestern University.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Mark Sullivan and I discussed:His former life as an award-winning investigative journalistHow his cross-cultural skills inform his work todayWhy he decided to make the transition from suspense to historical fictionSearching for the deeper meaning behind his storytellingThe four things he has to have before he can write a storyHis intensive research processAnd a lot more!Show Notes:marksullivanbooks.comAll the Glimmering Stars: A Novel by Mark Sullivan (Amazon)Mark Sullivan Amazon Author PageMark Sullivan on FacebookMark Sullivan on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author and TV producer, Tom Straw, spoke to me about breaking into television, the Gordian knot of ghostwriting, and his new “culinary, espionage, travel thriller” THE ACCIDENTAL JOE.Tom Straw is an Emmy and Writers Guild of America–nominated writer-producer, New York Times bestselling author, and former Mystery Writers of America board member.Writing as Richard Castle, Tom originated the hit Nikki Heat series, writing its first seven novels, all New York Times bestsellers, including Heat Rises, which reached number one.The first book in his latest series is The Accidental Joe: The Top-Secret Life of a Celebrity Chef (Regalo Press/May 14, 2024), described as the story of “...a maverick celebrity chef [who] reluctantly agrees to let the CIA use his hugely popular international food, culture, and travel TV series as cover for a dangerous espionage mission.”Bestselling author Walter Mosley said of the book, “Tom Straw's Sebastian Pike is a wonderful addition to the annals of amateur sleuths of the crime/spy genre.” Culinary personality Alton Brown said of the author, “Tom Straw has set the bar for culinary, espionage, travel thrillers. Actually, I think he invented the bar. And it’s a bar I’d meet him at any time.”Tom  Straw’s television career has included WGA and Emmy nominations for writing and executive producer stints for shows including Night Court, CBS’s Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and Nurse Jackie with Edie Falco.[Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm][If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen]In this file Tom Straw and I discussed:His early life as an AM radio personality and professional weathermanHow he got a shot to write on his first TV showWorking with Craig Ferguson and his robot skeleton sidekick The short version of hitting #1 as a ghostwriter for a fictitious mystery author How he invented the snarky, bad-boy, maverick chef for his latest novelAnd a lot more!Show Notes:tomstraw.comTom Straw on IMDbThe Accidental Joe: The Top-Secret Life of a Celebrity Chef By Tom Straw (Amazon)Tom Straw on FacebookTom Straw on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices