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

Have you ever wondered how prolific writers summon vast stores of creativity without seemingly breaking a sweat? I would like to introduce you to a guest segment where I enlist the help of a neuroscientist to give us a tour of The Writer s Brain.I've invited research scientist Michael Grybko — of the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington — to help me define creativity from a scientific standpoint.He will help us to pinpoint where exactly in the brain creative ideas come from, decide if you can teach an old writer new tricks, and test the theory that writer s brains are similar to professional athletes.In this 22-minute file Michael Grybko and I discuss: How Science is Expanding Our Definition of Creativity Why Memory Plays Such a Big Part in Writing Don’t Take Your Typing Skills for Granted Where Creative Ideas Come From Can You Teach an Old Writer New Tricks? Why Staying Curious Is So Important to Creativity Are Prolific Writers Like Pro Athletes? Why “Write What You Know” Is Good Advice The Show Notes This Is Your Brain on Writing Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes word nerds just need a place to talk shop, and that s what we intend to do here. In this episode of the The Writer Files I ve asked award-winning journalist Adam Skolnick to join me on a guest segment we’re calling Writer Porn.Adam is an award-winning, globetrotting travel journalist, which is kind of a rare thing these days. He is the author and co author of 25 Lonely Planet guidebooks, and has written for publications as varied as the New York Times (for whom he won a big award from the Associated Press Sports Editors last year), ESPN.com, Wired, Men’s Health, Outside, BBC, and Playboy Magazine.He recently finished his first narrative non-fiction book based on his award-winning NY Times coverage of the death of the greatest American free diver of all time, titled One Breath (slated for publication in January).Adam and I talk about how a page one New York Times story became a book, the secret literary legacy of Playboy Magazine, debunking Jack Kerouac’s prolificness, and tips and tricks to staying focused when you re working on multiple projects across multiple timezones.In this 29-minute file Adam Skolnick and I discuss: How a Tragic New York Times Story Became a Book What a Globetrotting Journalist Does to Get a Story The Secret Literary Legacy of Playboy Magazine What Mr. Skolnick Has in Common with Hunter S. Thompson One Great Trick to Stay Focused on Multiple Deadlines Busting The Urban Legend of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” Why You Shouldn’t Compare Yourself to Other Writers How to Stay Organized When You Have a Ton of Research The Show Notes AdamSkolnick.com A Deep-Water Diver From Brooklyn Dies After Trying for a Record Top 10 Writers Published in Playboy ‘I Only Read It For The Interviews’ The Fact and Fiction of ‘On the Road’ Process: The Writing Lives of Great Authors by Sarah Stodola Voice Recorder HD for Audio Recording, Playback, Trimming and Sharing Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Kaherine Boo Zeitoun by Dave Eggers Kelton Reid on Twitter Adam Skolnick on Twitter Writer Porn on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Writer Files, a tour of the habits, habitats, and brains of renowned writers — from online content creators, to fictionists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and beyond.Great writing is more vital and in demand than it’s ever been.But sometimes writers get stuck — the right words don t appear, we get distracted, or worse, lose interest in our work — and that s when the solitary nature of writing can become a curse.I m here to remind you that all writers have moments of doubt, feelings of ineffectiveness, and droughts where the words won t flow.For writers like you and I to stay productive, creative, and sane, sometimes we just need to take a look at how other scribes find ways keep the ink flowing and the cursor moving.In this episode, I want share the file of prolific online publisher, Demian Farnworth.Between the writing he does for Copyblogger, his personal blog, and his two podcasts that regularly land at the top of iTunes, he promises to … deliver the essential writing advice you need to succeed online.In this 32-minute file Demian Farnworth and I discuss: Why Demian Loves The Writer Files Interview Series How a Poet Learned to Make a Living Online Why You Should Treat Your Writing Like Music Demian’s Secret to His Prolificness Why You Need to Over-Sharpen Your Axe 3 Timeless Ideas that Lead to Enhanced Creativity Why So Many Writers Quit A Single Word that Will Help You Keep the Cursor Moving The Show Notes The Writer Files Interview Series on Copyblogger Influence by Robert Cialdini Demian’s Author Page on Copyblogger.com The Copybot Rough Draft Podcast The Lede Podcast Journalist Michael Kruse Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices