Episode 128—David Lee Morgan on Positivity, Trust, and Telling the Story Straight

If you’re anything like me, and one assumes you are because you find some value in this humble little podcast, you need constant prodding in a sense. That can either be to get your work done or to get your brain in check. I’m one of those dudes who gets pretty down pretty easily, so it helps to have guests on who inspire me. Enter David Lee Morgan, @davidleemorgan on Twitter. David was a long time sports writer for the Akron Beacon Journal and most recently he turned his attention to teaching high school English, a move he doesn’t regret in the slightest. For the people who say “If you can’t do teach,” one of the more insulting things you can say to any artist who teaches or teachers who don’t, I give you David, who not only is a brilliant writer, but by the very nature of his attitude and approach, makes him that rare teacher that inspires with every lesson. To be frank, I haven’t been in David’s classroom, but if my 90 minutes with him is any indication of what it’s like to sit at a desk in his class, well, sign me up. Oh, hey, this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best writers, filmmakers, podcasters, and producers about the art and craft of telling true stories. Here I try and unpack their personal history and also drill down on their routines and habits around getting the work done so you can apply those tools of mastery to your own work. If you haven’t subscribed, be sure to head over to Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, Spotify, or Stitcher and hit that button. Share this episode with just one friend, or across your social platforms, and if you’ve got the time, please leave an honest review over on Apple Podcasts. Okay, so David is the author of six books, including LeBron James: The Rise of a Star, which was the book on LeBron before he became King James. We talk about garnering trust among sources, being positive, and using slights as fuel. I think you’re going to love this episode, now, it’s time for the main event. Thanks to our sponsors in Goucher College’s MFA in NOnfiction as well as Creative Nonfiction Magazine. What else? Oh, yes, be sure to subscribe to the show and be sure to head over to brendanomeara.com to sign up for my monthly newsletter. New one goes on the first of the month. It’s an inventory of great reading material as well as what you might have missed from the world of the podcast. I hope it gives you as much value as it gives me by putting it together. I’m @BrendanOMeara on Twitter and IG. The podcast is @CNFPodHost on Facebook, so connect with me or the show wherever you like. The show is in service of you, so if you have questions of me or my guests, please don’t be shy to email or ping me on social.