20.24: An Interview with Charles Duhigg

33 snips

Jun 15, 2025

Charles Duhigg, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author of The Power of Habit, dives into the art of communication. He discusses how listening shapes writing and shares techniques like 'looping for understanding' to enhance conversations. Duhigg emphasizes the power of deep questions in fostering meaningful connections. He also encourages writers to embrace feedback as growth opportunities and offers creative homework to tap into one's unique voice. Get ready to unlock the secrets of impactful dialogue!

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ANECDOTE

Passion Wins Over Pitching

Charles Duhigg got a book agent interested by showing genuine passion about habits.
His excitement about the topic helped overcome the first hurdle in book pitching.

ADVICE

Craft a Detailed Book Proposal

Write a detailed book proposal that reads like the book itself.
Spend time crafting a proposal to give a clear taste and roadmap of your book.

INSIGHT

Voice Is Discovered, Not Given

Voice is developed through persistent writing and rewriting.
Authentic voice emerges from deliberate work, not innate discovery.

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How can listening inform the way you write? We decided to ask Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author—best known for The Power of Habit and most recently released Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, a compelling guide that explores the art and science of meaningful conversation.

We talked with Charles about myriad elements of writing, speaking, and listening—that is, communication in all its forms! We explored how passion and clarity are key parts of both pitching and book proposals. Charles also introduced us to active listening techniques, such as "looping for understanding," which can foster stronger connection in conversations. These effective and meaningful exchanges can help you showcase your project’s vision and voice.

Thing of the Week: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Homework: Charles has two pieces of homework for us!

1. First, tomorrow, ask someone a deep question that you might not usually ask a deep question of. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” ask them, you know, “I noticed that you really like Jasper. What do you admire about Jasper?”

2. Write one paragraph is terrible, but you feel like indulges some aspect of your voice. Maybe it's funny, maybe it's wry, maybe it's sad. Just do something completely pointless. Set that paragraph aside for a couple of days. And when you come back to it, you are going to see something in there that surprises you at how good it is. And that is a pebble on the path to finding your voice.

P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here.

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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