The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

"A great story for me is one that engages me emotionally. It's like a love affair," says Fred Waitzkin, author of several books, including his latest Deep Water Blues.  Fred Waitzkin comes by the show to talk about his love of writing, how he developed his knack for story, how his parents influenced him, and how breaking into other disciplines cracked the code of his latest book. Support for this episode comes from Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by tagging the show @CNFPod, on Instagram @cnfpod and Facebook. Party on, CNFers!

"Let me be your sounding board for how the piece should come together," says Seyward Darby. Seyward Darby is the executive editor of The Atavist Magazine. She's also a writer and a brilliant mind.  Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonficiton and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for supporting the show. Twitter: @CNFPod. Instagram: @cnfpod Subscribe and share widely, CNFers!

"This is not something that comes over night. It's a long, arduous road," says Mark Kram Jr. Mark Kram Jr. is on the show to talk about his incredible career and his latest book Smokin' Joe.  We talk about how he was a late bloomer and through hard work, long work, he grew into his own skin as a writer. This show is brought to you by Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction.  Keep the CNFin' conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod.

"I spend the most time on making my writing more clear and straightforward," says Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman).  Hey, CNFers, Chuck Klosterman, author of eleven books, including his latest Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction, joined me for a nice conversation about how books can be anything you want them to be and how he structures his day so he can get the work done. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by pinging the show @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support.

"Talent is not enough. You have to have luck. You have to have drive," says Allie Rowbottom (@allierowbottom) Allie Rowbottom, author of Jell-O Girls: A Family History is on the show to talk shop. She grew with an artist mother who empowered her to pursue her own art.  Keep the conversation alive on Twitter @CNFPod or Instagram @cnfpod. Subscribe to the show and consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. 

"There's always gonna be people who are better than you and there's also people who're gonna be worse than you. That really can't be the reason you write or don't write," says Naomi Gordon-Loebl. Naomi Gordon-Loebl, a journalist and essayist comes on the show to talk about her work. Find her on Twitter @naomigordonloebl and visit her website at naomigordonloebl.com. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by tagging the show @CNFPod and on Instagram @cnfpod. Thanks to our sponsors Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction.

"I want to hear more of you in this. I want this weirder. Let loose," says Eric Ducker (@ericducker). Eric Ducker, freelance writer for The Ringer, among others, came on the show to talk about music, his time at Fader, and his Ringer piece on Jenny Odell (check out Ep. 151 for her). Thanks to Goucher's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and on Instagram @cnfpod. 

"I think that's why people stop writing. It's the not knowing what you're doing that feels so terrible." —Sonya Huber (@sonyahuber). Sonya Huber, author of five books and countless essays, joins me on the pod. Shoutout to our patrons in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod or on Instagram @cnfpod. 

"You can persevere and you can grind, but you have to get lucky at times," says T.D. Thornton, @thorntontd. T.D. Thornton, author of Not By a Long Shot and My Adventures with Your Money came by the show. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for sponsoring the show. Twitter: @CNFPod. Instagram: @cnfpod Subscribe where you get your pods!

"You gotta fall in love with your subject, and sometimes people have to pull you out," says Julian Smith (@juliansmith on Twitter). Julian is the co-author of Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West. It is published by William Morrow. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod.