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

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning documentarian, Mimi deGruy, joined me and author Adam Skolnick for a deep dive into the genesis of her documentary exploring the legacy and environmental activism of her late husband, trailblazing ocean filmmaker Mike deGruy. “When Mike died, I felt like he left in mid-conversation, and I knew that he had so much more to say,” – Mimi deGruy Mike deGruy was a lauded filmmaker, biologist, and activist, who pushed the boundaries of cinematography and diving technology to explore never-before-seen ocean life and share it with the world. "In 2012, deGruy died tragically at age 60 in a helicopter crash in Australia while filming for [Academy Award® winning] director James Cameron." – KCRW The documentary, “Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy” was crowd-funded, directed, produced, and written by Mimi, Mike’s widow and filmmaking partner. "Told through the eyes of his wife ... the film celebrates [Mike’s] life, career, and what he passionately believed: we are destroying the ocean before we even know what’s there." The Hollywood Reporter said about the film: “It [succeeds] as a touching personal reminiscence and as an understated but effective environmental manifesto.” The film opened the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in 2019, and won Best Film at the Ocean Film Festival, Audience Favorite at the Aspen Mountain Film Festival, and many other awards. It is available across all platforms including Apple TV/iTunes and Amazon rentals. Adam Skolnick is the award-winning journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, travel, and human rights for The New York Times and other outlets. He is the author of One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits, the ghostwriter and narrator of David Goggins’ smash hit memoir and audiobook Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds, and he is a co-host on the Rich Roll Podcast. As a bonus, Adam and I kick off the show by discussing the legacy of Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app! As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey. Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox Preview a sample of a podcast at the break from this week's sponsor Look Closer: The Found Fiction Podcast, more at foundfiction.org. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Mimi deGruy, Adam Skolnick, and I also discussed: Why friends and family described Mike as a "human exclamation mark" The single piece of footage that inspired Mimi to make the documentary How the BP oil spill cemented the filmmaker's life mission The fascinating arc of Mike's career Why his spirit was undeterred by a rare shark attack And more! Show Notes: “Diving Deep: The Life and Times of Mike deGruy” Diving Deep on Facebook Diving Deep on Instagram Diving Deep on Twitter AdamSkolnick.com Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by Author David Goggins [Amazon] One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits - by Adam Skolnick [Amazon] How to Ghostwrite a Bestseller with Author Adam Skolnick: Part One Adam Skolnick on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, took a timeout to chat with me about how he didn't write a sentence he liked until age 35, the sprawling muse of Los Angeles, and his conflicted feelings after winning a big National Book Award.“Write your truth, and believe in it. And if your mother doesn’t like it ... too bad.” – Walter MosleyWalter is the first Black man to receive the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters for lifetime achievement in writing.The critically acclaimed author, playwright, screenwriter, and producer has written over 60 books including fiction (literary, mystery, and science fiction), writing guides, memoir, a YA novel, has won dozens of prestigious awards (including an Emmy), and been translated into 25 languages.His bestselling historical mysteries feature infamous, hard-boiled detective "Easy" Rawlins, a black PI living in the Watts neighborhood of LA.Blood Grove (Easy Rawlins Book 15) is the latest in that series and described as "... a novel of vast scope and intimate insight, and a soulful call for justice by any means necessary."Walter's work has also been adapted for film and TV including Devil in a Blue Dress (starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals) and the HBO production of Always Outnumbered (starring Laurence Fishburne and Natalie Cole).Stay calm and write on ... Discover The Writer Files Extra You can now have The Writer Files podcast dropped right into your email inbox every time there’s a new show. No more shaking your podcast app!As a subscriber, Kelton will send you added insights, the chance to get TWF merch (like "Stay Calm and Write On" t-shirts anyone?), curated collections of shows like The Publishing Series and The Writer’s Brain, updates, and occasional special offers. Learn more at the link below and take our AuthorPods podcasting course survey.Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxPreview a sample of a podcast at the break from this week's sponsor Look Closer: The Found Fiction Podcast, more at foundfiction.org.[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 Walter Mosley and I discussed: His winding career pathHow the apex of post-hippie Los Angeles, California affected his writingWhat it was like to work with the late, Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood)Why you need to read your drafts out loudAnd more! Show Notes: WalterMosley.comBlood Grove (Easy Rawlins Book 15) by Walter Mosley (Amazon)Walter Mosley Amazon author pageWriting Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology: A Library of America Special Publication (Amazon)Roger Zelazny Amazon author pageWalter Mosley on FacebookKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Critically acclaimed novelist, short story writer, and educator, Erik Raschke, stopped by this week to talk about coming-of-age in Denver, Colorado, how The Beat Generation influenced his writing, and how your children consume you. Erik Raschke is a native to Denver, Colorado – and admittedly, one of my oldest friends. He became a dual Dutch and American citizen in 2013, teaches writing at the University of Amsterdam and is a certified New York public school teacher. Erik's first novel, The Book of Samuel, was translated into Italian and nominated for the prestigious Printz award. His short story, Winch (Portland Review), was nominated for the 2018 Best American Short Stories. His latest is To the Mountain, a novel described as "... an absorbing tale of sacrifice, hope, and the bond between father and son." NY Times bestselling author Margaret Coel called the book, “A deeply affecting tale of a father’s love for his autistic son ... Raschke’s lyrical prose evokes both the awesome wilderness of the Rocky Mountains in winter and the unfathomable wilderness of the human heart." As a journalist in the early '90s in Belfast, Erik briefly covered violence that marked the end of The Troubles. His short stories and essays have been published in The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times Magazine, Hazlitt, Georgia Review, De Volkskrant, and Guernica, among others. Stay calm and write on … And Stay Tuned: I’m cooking up some extras for fans of the show in the coming weeks you won’t want to miss including the option to have episodes, extras, and added insights delivered straight to your inbox, and maybe even some Writer Files merch on the way. Preview a sample of a podcast at the break from this week's sponsor Look Closer: The Found Fiction Podcast, more at foundfiction.org. In this file Erik Raschke and I discussed: The European Rockabilly facsimile that made him cry Denver and Ken Kesey's impact on his writing Why he studied the history of disability for his latest novel How grad school teaches you to write nice sentences, but not great stories And more! Show Notes: ErikRaschke.com To the Mountain by Erik Raschke (Amazon) Erik Raschke Amazon author page The Revenant by Michael Punke (Amazon) Erik Raschke on Facebook Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticeThe #1 New York Times bestselling author, Mark Greaney, dropped by to chat about hanging out with Tom Clancy at The Pentagon, the elements of a great spy novel, and the latest in The Gray Man series."Even if you finish a whole book and it doesn't get published, I promise you you're a much better author at the end of that process than you were at the beginning..." – Mark GreaneyMark's debut international thriller, The Gray Man, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and highly sought-after Hollywood property. He's released ten in that series to date including the #1 New York Times bestseller One Minute Out.The Gray Man series has drawn comparisons to giants of the field including Brad Thor, Daniel Silva, and – of course – Tom Clancy. Mark is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author or co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels – he co-wrote Clancy’s final three Jack Ryan thrillers prior to his passing.Mark's latest outing with The Gray Man is Relentless, a book bestselling author Lee Child called, “Hard, fast, and unflinching — exactly what a thriller should be.”Netflix recently announced an adaptation of the first book in The Gray Man series, starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans.Stay calm and write on ...And Stay Tuned: I’m cooking up some extras for fans of the show in the coming weeks you won’t want to miss including the option to have episodes, extras, and added insights delivered straight to your inbox, and maybe even some Writer Files merch on the way.Preview a sample of a podcast at the break from this week's sponsor Look Closer: The Found Fiction Podcast, more at foundfiction.org.If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Mark Greaney and I discussed: His 15 year, overnight success How his extensive research differs from book to book What it's like to work with the Russo brothers (best known for their Marvel films) Why writers need to relax and enjoy the process And more! Show Notes: MarkGreaneybooks.com Relentless (Gray Man) by Mark Greaney (Amazon) Mark Greaney Amazon author page Mark Greaney on Instagram Mark Greaney on Facebook Mark Greaney on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning author, poet, and Emmy-nominee, Patrick Hicks, joined me this week to talk about his unique research process, how stories choose their authors, and how to talk about The Holocaust. "Whatever scares you to write... that's what you should be writing." – Patrick Hicks Patrick is the award-winning author of over ten books, including The Collector of Names, Adoptable, This London, and the critically acclaimed novel, The Commandant of Lubizec. He is the Writer-in-Residence at Augustana University as well as a faculty member at the MFA program at Sierra Nevada University. He has been published widely in literary journals including Ploughshares, Prairie Schooner, Guernica, The Utne Reader, and many others. His poetry has appeared on NPR, The PBS NewsHour, and American Life in Poetry. The Emmy-nominated writer also hosts a weekly radio broadcast Poetry from Studio 47 that airs on NPR affiliates. Note: I’m cooking up some extras for fans of the show in the coming weeks you won’t want to miss including the option to have episodes, extras, and added insights delivered straight to your inbox, and maybe even some Writer Files merch on the way. Stay calm and write on … This week's sponsor is Neuro. Use the code WRITER at checkout for a 15% discount. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In this file Patrick Hicks and I discussed: A roadmap to making a living as a writer How he used grants to fund the research for his latest novel Note-taking and travel for historically accurate writing What it's like to get blurbed by your heroes The circularity and universality of the human condition across eras Why great writing should always be your end goal And more! Show Notes: PatrickHicks.org In The Shadow of Dora by Patrick Hicks (Amazon) Ulysses by James Joyce (Amazon) Poetry from Studio 47 How Grant Money Funded the Research and Writing of My First Two Novels (and how it could help you too) A prized poet, Hicks nominated for an Emmy Patrick Hicks on Facebook Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#BoulderStrong Brooklyn-based designer, artist, and creative director, Jason Naylor, rapped with me about his mission to inspire hope, how to write bite-sized wisdom for an attention-starved world, and why "love is the answer to everything." “Be yourself, be brave, be proud of who you are, be kind, be loving, be happy, and be colorful.” – Jason Naylor As a designer, Jason has won two CLIO bronze medals and a Golden Novum Design Award. But it's his "live life colorfully" credo and independent artwork that have found him fame. Jason's popularity has grown during the pandemic through his inspiring and intensely colorful murals. Jason has worked around the world to brighten communities through his public art installations. His first book is Live Life Colorfully: 99 Ideas to Add Joy, Positivity, and Creativity to Your Life, a "...quirky, illustrated mix of inspiring words, tips and tricks, and challenges from [the] award-winning artist." You may recognize his distinctive style from his collaborations with brands including Coach, Guess, Pepsi, Maybelline, MAC Cosmetics, and more. Stay calm and write on … Note: Watch this space – I’m cooking up some extras for fans of the show in the coming weeks you won’t want to miss including the option to have episodes, extras, and added insights delivered straight to your inbox, and maybe even some Writer Files merch on the way. This week's sponsor is Neuro. Use the code WRITER at checkout for a 15% discount. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In this file Jason Naylor and I discussed: How to create an instantly recognizable (and inspiring) brand Why a splash of color and surprise is what we all need right now His vivid tribute to the essential workers of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Why repetition is key to creativity And more! Show Notes: JasonNaylor.nyc Live Life Colorfully: 99 Ideas to Add Joy, Positivity, and Creativity to Your Life by Jason Naylor (Amazon) The Dream Room - "Fifty Hotel & Suites collaborated with world-renowned artist Jason Naylor..." Jason Naylor on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 HaigMatt's the author of 20 books including the #1 bestselling memoir, Reasons to Stay Alive, five novels – including How to Stop Time – and several award-winning children’s books. His work has been translated into over 40 languages.His latest novel is The Midnight Library, a runaway, #1 bestseller and reader favorite of 2020. It was a Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fiction Book of 2020, a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Amazon, the New York Public Library, among many others.The New York Times said of the book, "An absorbing ... vision of limitless possibility, of new roads taken, of new lives lived, of a whole different world available to us somehow, somewhere, [perhaps] exactly what’s wanted in these troubled and troubling times.”Stay calm and write on …**Audio excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, read by Carey Mulligan.[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 Matt Haig and I discussed:His superhero origins and the blog post that became a bookHow to write "like no one's watching"Inconsistent routines and the power of deadlinesWhy writers need to surprise themselvesHow he got Carey Mulligan to record his audiobookAnd more!Show Notes: MattHaig.comThe Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig (Amazon)Matt Haig Amazon author pageOn Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen KingMatt Haig on InstagramMatt Haig on FacebookMatt Haig on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Bestselling novelist, Nick Petrie, spoke with me about keeping your sanity as a writer, the importance of boredom for creativity, and how to write a thriller series. Nick's the award-winning author of the critically acclaimed Peter Ash series. His debut novel, The Drifter, won the ITW Thriller and Barry Awards, and was nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Hammett Awards. He won a 2016 Literary Award from the Wisconsin Library Association and was named one of Apple’s 10 Writers to Read in 2017. Light It Up was named the Best Thriller of 2018 by Apple Books and has been nominated for a Barry Award. His latest is The Breaker, the sixth in his award-winning series featuring Peter Ash, the war veteran struggling with PTSD who travels the US, "... stumbling into mysteries that only a man with his unique skill set can solve." #1 New York Times bestselling author C.J. Box said of the book, "Nonstop action at a machine-gun pace. If you aren't reading Nick Petrie, now is the time to start." Stay calm and write on ... If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews. In this file Nick Petrie and I discussed: His 25-year overnight success The challenges of running a business and writing a book a year How to "keep the faith" The rituals and routines that keep him going William Gibson's genius And more! Show Notes: NickPetrie.com The Breaker (A Peter Ash Novel) by Nick Petrie (Amazon) Nick Petrie Amazon author page Neuromancer by William Gibson (Amazon) The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch (Amazon) Nick Petrie on Facebook Nick Petrie on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Award-winning novelist and creative writing professor, Kali White VanBaale, chatted with me about the transition from literary fiction to true crime, her work with the PEN America Prison & Justice Writing program, and taking chances. Kali is an award-winning, Iowa-based author of novels, short stories, and essays. Her novel The Space Between (penned as Kali VanBaale), won an American Book Award, an Independent Publisher’s silver medal for fiction, and was winner of the Fred Bonnie First Novel Award. Her latest is The Monsters We Make (as Kali White), a mystery loosely based on the real-life unsolved "Des Moines paperboy abductions" of the early ‘80s. Pulitzer Prize finalist Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever, said, “[The Monsters We Make] ... kept me on the edge of my seat. I truly did read this remarkable new novel in one sitting.” Kali is a regular contributor to the A&E Network Real Crime blog series, and her short stories and essays have appeared in The Coachella Review, The Chaffey Review, Midwestern Gothic, Nowhere Magazine, Poets&Writers, The Writers’ Chronicle and others. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In this file Kali White VanBaale and I discussed: The challenges writers had to overcome in 2020 Her advocacy for social justice through writing How to cut yourself off from the rabbit hole of research On writing what scares you Why writers need to lean on revision And more! At the break I've got a special segment with an inspiring young non-fiction writer you won't want to miss. Hint: She is an influencer, author, artist, and tech-savvy 10-year-old. Stay calm and write on … Show Notes: KaliWhite.com The Monsters We Make: A Novel by Kali White (Amazon) Past Ten PEN America Prison & Justice Writing The Paperboy Abduction Cases: The Legacy of Two Des Moines Boys Who Are Still Missing Kali White VanBaale on Facebook Kali White VanBaale on Instagram Kali White VanBaale on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter _____ Prisha Hedau is a 10-year-old from Louisville, KY, and the author of PANDEMIC 2020: A 9 Year Old's Perspective. Prisha is an elementary student who holds USA state and USA national level ranking in Chess and Math Kangaroo competitions. She's also a budding philanthropist with a big heart! In this file Prisha Hedau and I talked about: The importance of note taking Staying positive through tough times Her favorite book And how she helps the less fortunate I know the audio is little rough, but it's an inspiring story. Show Notes: PrishaHedau.com PANDEMIC 2020: A 9 Year Old's Perspective by Prisha Hedau Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice Writer-director duo and activists, Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz (AKA Bush+Renz), took a timeout to chat with me about storytelling to amplify social justice, hanging out with Jay-Z, their debut feature film "Antebellum," and why you need stamina to make it. “When we conceived A​ntebellum​, we did not – could not – envision the way that systemic racism would break through to force the meaningful conversation we desperately need. But it has.” – Gerard Bush The duo have been together for 12 years and got their start in advertising in Miami. After losing the taste for producing champagne commercials they pivoted to their "... passion for telling powerful stories of the disenfranchised, marginalized, and underrepresented." After their police brutality PSA "Against the Wall," starring Michael B. Jordan, went viral, their paths shifted toward Hollywood. Their chart-topping, timely, debut feature film is "Antebellum" starring Janelle Monae, a "... psychological thriller showcasing the stark reality of being black in America." Variety named the film a Top 10 Best Film of 2020 and called it, "... a wickedly effective horror-movie metaphor for white supremacy’s enduring grip on American society." Bush+Renz's mission is to amplify weighty social justice issues including climate change, LGBTQ equality, women's equality, voter suppression, mass incarceration, and more. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In this file Bush+Renz and I talked about: Their unique perspectives and how they came to work in politics and social justice How Antebellum began as a short story The exhaustive research that went into their first film and the prescience that made them believers What it's like to be tapped by HBO And more! Show Notes: Antebellum on IMDb The Best Films of 2020 - Antebellum - Variety Bush+Renz on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices