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

Acclaimed horror author — Jonathan Janz — stopped by this week to talk about his passions, his workmanlike process as a writer, and the skeletons in his closet. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Award-winning horror and zombie maestro Brian Keene called Janz, “One of the best writers in modern horror to come along in the last decade.” In addition to being a multi-genre author, Jonathan leads a double life as a full-time high school educator and family man. He is the author of nine novels and recently signed an 11-book deal to offer limited-run, collector’s editions of his books. Jonathan’s tenth novel — Children of the Dark — lands March 15th, 2016, and it has been likened by critics to Stephen King’s work. Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half you can find it here. In Part Two of the file Jonathan Janz and I discuss: The Faustian Curse of All Talented Writers Why Empathy is Crucial to Finding Creative Success How Your Success as a Writer Depends on Your Work Ethic Why Reading Is Just as Important as Writing The Secret to Overcoming Your Terror of the Blank Page Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes JonathanJanz.com Jonathan Janz on Amazon Jonathan on Facebook Jonathan on Goodreads Jonathan on Instagram Jonathan on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed horror author — Jonathan Janz — stopped by this week to talk about his passions, his workmanlike process as a writer, and the skeletons in his closet. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Award-winning horror and zombie maestro Brian Keene called Janz, “One of the best writers in modern horror to come along in the last decade.” In addition to being a multi-genre author, Jonathan leads a double life as a full-time high school educator and family man. He is the author of nine novels and recently signed an 11-book deal to offer limited-run, collector’s editions of his books. Jonathan’s tenth novel — Children of the Dark — lands March 15th, 2016, and it has been likened by critics to Stephen King’s work. Join us for this two-part interview. In Part One of the file Jonathan Janz and I discuss: Why Rejection Should Only Strengthen Your Determination The Value of Humility for Writers How to Write 1000 Words an Hour without Distraction Why Nothing Is Lost on Writers The Secret of True Creative Expression Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes How Acclaimed Horror Author Jonathan Janz Writes: Part Two JonathanJanz.com Jonathan Janz on Amazon Jonathan on Facebook Jonathan on Goodreads Jonathan on Instagram Jonathan on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National bestselling poet — Tyler Knott Gregson — visited the podcast to discuss his writing process and his journey to finding success. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! The New York Times called Mr. Gregson “the literary equivalent of a unicorn: a best-selling celebrity poet.” His latest collection recently “… hit No. 3 on Nielsen s top 10 best-selling poetry titles, ahead of Dante, Homer, Seamus Heaney and Khalil Gibran.” The author is also a professional photographer and multimedia artist who started his writing career as a humble freelance copywriter. His love of words, vintage typewriters, and photography have combined to inspire a new digital art form. Tyler boasts over 500,000 social media followers that have translated into two bestselling volumes of poetry with a third on the way. In this file, Tyler Knott Gregson and I discuss: Literary Unicorns and Celebrity Poets How a Hobby Turned into a Bestselling Book The Impostor Syndrome that Comes with Finding Success as a Writer Upcycled Art and the Hybrid Digital-Analog Revolution How a Daily Writing Practice Really Adds Up Why Nature is the Greatest Creative Muse in History Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes Web Poets Society: New Breed Succeeds in Taking Verse Viral (NY Times) Poetry by Tyler Knott Gregson on Amazon Tyler Knott Gregson on Instagram TylerKnott.com Tyler on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prolific, international bestselling authorpreneur, Mark Dawson, dropped by to talk about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the productivity hacks that have helped him publish over 23 books. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Mr. Dawson’s multiple thriller series, and self-publishing savvy, have helped him to build a vast, hungry audience of readers and unparalleled levels of success. In addition to international bestsellers, and stellar ratings from fans, Mark has become an indie author advocate and online marketing authority for writers. Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half, you can find it here. In Part Two of the file, Mark Dawson and I discuss: How an 80s TV Show Can Inspire Your Writing Why Great Writers Have to Understand Story First How to Write Page-Turning Fiction Why You Should Leave Out the Parts that Readers Skip Best Practices for New Writers Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes MarkJDawson.com Amazon Pays $450,000 A Year To This Self-Published Writer BookFunnel SelfPublishingFormula.com The Business Behind Writing and Selling with Mark Dawson – Authorpreneur Podcast Interview Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prolific, international bestselling authorpreneur, Mark Dawson, dropped by to talk about self-publishing versus traditional publishing, and the productivity hacks that have helped him publish over 23 books. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Mr. Dawson’s multiple thriller series, and self-publishing savvy, have helped him to build a vast, hungry audience of readers and unparalleled levels of success. In addition to international bestsellers, and stellar ratings from fans, Mark has become an indie author advocate and online marketing authority for writers. Join us for this two-part interview. In Part One of the file Mark Dawson and I discuss: The Challenges and Rewards of the Writer’s Life Why If Your Process Isn’t Broken … You Don’t Need to Fix It How to Write (and Publish) One Million Words in One Year What a Bestselling Author Does to Unwind Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes How Bestselling Thriller Author Mark Dawson Writes: Part Two MarkJDawson.com Amazon Pays $450,000 A Year To This Self-Published Writer BookFunnel SelfPublishingFormula.com The Business Behind Writing and Selling with Mark Dawson – Authorpreneur Podcast Interview Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author and New Yorker columnist, Maria Konnikova, took a beat from her hectic schedule to talk with me about her new book and the writer’s process. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Her latest book — The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time — examines the psychology of the con, and The New York Times Book Review wrote, “Konnikova … is an insightful analyst of the dark art of the scam.” As Forbes describes the book, “One of the best science writers of our time examines the minds, motives, and methods of con artists — and the people who fall for their cons.” In addition to her past work as a TV producer for Charlie Rose, Ms. Konnikova has contributed countless articles and essays for The Atlantic, The New York Times, Slate, The Paris Review, The Wall Street Journal, WIRED, and Scientific American, among many others. In this file Maria Konnikova and I discuss: How to Avoid Writer’s Block Why a Standing Desk Isn’t for Everyone How to Simplify Your Research & Writing Process Why Writing Is Hard … Just Like Any Other Job The Author’s Definition of Creativity Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes MariaKonnikova.com The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It . . . Every Time Maria Konnikova New Yorker Contributor Page The Joy of Psyching Myself Out by M. Konnikova Freedom App The Paris Review Interviews Maria Konnikova on Facebook Maria Konnikova on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, returned to the podcast and we got down to brass tacks about his writer’s journey, his new book, and the globetrotting life of a travel writer. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Adam’s first narrative nonfiction book — One Breath: Freediving, Death, and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits — was recently published by Crown Archetype, and it’s based on his award-winning New York Times sports coverage of the death of the greatest American free diver of all time. One Breath has been compared to other classics of extreme sports journalism — like Jon Krakauer s Into Thin Air — and early reviews have been very positive. In addition to his most recent work, Adam is the author and co author of 25 Lonely Planet guidebooks, and has written for publications as varied as ESPN.com, Men’s Health, Outside, BBC, Playboy Magazine, and The NY Times. Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half you can find it here. In Part Two of the file Adam Skolnick and I discuss: How to Infuse Your Life with More Creativity What Kindness, Collaboration, and Community Bring to Your Writing How an Author’s Favorite Quote Reflects Their Psyche The Most Eccentric Writers’ Dinner Ever Why There’s No Room for Self-Doubt on First Drafts Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes AdamSkolnick.com OneBreathbook.com One Breath Book Trailer When ‘One Breath’ Tests Life: Author Explores Extreme Freediving – NPR Interview Adam Skolnick Adam Skolnick on Instagram Adam Skolnick on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, returned to the podcast to get down to brass tacks about his writer’s journey, his new book, and the globetrotting life of a travel writer. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Adam’s first narrative nonfiction book — One Breath: Freediving, Death, and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits — was recently published by Crown Archetype, and it’s based on his award-winning New York Times sports coverage of the death of the greatest American freediver of all time. One Breath has been compared to other classics of extreme sports journalism — like Jon Krakauer s Into Thin Air — and early reviews have been very positive. In addition to his most recent work, Adam is the author and co author of 25 Lonely Planet guidebooks, and has written for publications as varied as ESPN.com, Men’s Health, Outside, BBC, Playboy Magazine, and The NY Times. Join us for this two-part interview. In Part One of the file Adam Skolnick and I discuss: What It’s Like to do Environmental Work with Jack Johnson How to Become an Award-Winning Journalist … without Taking a Writing Class Why You Should Tell the Stories that Come to You Simple Hacks to Help You Beat Writer’s Block How Daily Word Counts Can Keep Your Writing on Track Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes AdamSkolnick.com OneBreathbook.com One Breath Book Trailer Jack Johnson Is Sailing In Search Of Plastic Smog When ‘One Breath’ Tests Life: Author Explores Extreme Freediving – NPR Interview Adam Skolnick Adam Skolnick on Instagram Adam Skolnick on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International bestselling author and critically acclaimed screenwriter of Room — Emma Donoghue — talked with me about her writing process and adapting her best known work into an award-winning movie. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to writing for the screen, stage, and radio over her prolific career, the multi-genre author has had her popular fiction translated into over 40 languages. Her 2010 novel Room was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won a New York Times Book of the Year award, among others. The film adaptation of the book has been nominated for four Oscars — including Best Adapted Screenplay — for Ms. Donoghue’s stunning first full-length script. Room (2015) boasts 54 international award wins and 102 nominations (as of this writing), including nods from The Golden Globes, Critics Choice Movie Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, AFI Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half you can find it here: How Emma Donoghue (Bestselling Author of Room ) Writes: Part One In Part Two of the file Emma Donoghue and I discuss: Why Setting Constraints Can Help Your Writing How Writing for Yourself Is the Key to Success Why a Great Screenwriter Can’t Recall any Movie Quotes How Planning Is the Rope that Guides Your Writing through the Wilderness Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes EmmaDonoghue.com Weekend Read App Workflowy App Room Movie on IMDb The Business Podcast: Lenny Abrahamson & Emma Donoghue Bring ‘Room’ to the Screen Emma Donoghue on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

International bestselling author and critically acclaimed screenwriter of Room — Emma Donoghue — talked with me about her writing process and adapting her best known work into an award-winning movie. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! In addition to writing for the screen, stage, and radio over her prolific career, the multi-genre author has had her popular fiction translated into over 40 languages. Her 2010 novel Room was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and won a New York Times Book of the Year award, among others. The film adaptation of the book has been nominated for four Oscars — including Best Adapted Screenplay — for Ms. Donoghue’s stunning first full-length script. Room (2015) boasts 54 international award wins and 102 nominations (as of this writing), including nods from The Golden Globes, Critics Choice Movie Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, AFI Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, and the Toronto International Film Festival. Join us for this two-part interview. In Part One of the file Emma Donoghue and I discuss: How Getting Fired Can Boost Your Writing Career Why You Don’t Need a Magic Pen to Get It Done How Writing Is Like Sex Why Research and Preparation Informs Great Writing Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes How Emma Donoghue (Bestselling Author of Room ) Writes: Part Two EmmaDonoghue.com Weekend Read App Workflowy App Room Movie on IMDb Emma Donoghue on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices