How I Write

I interviewed a Pulitzer-Winning Stanford Professor (Richard Powers Interview)

Oct 9, 2024

01:24:46

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Richard Powers, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Overstory," shares his insights into crafting unforgettable characters. He discusses the emotional relationships between authors and their creations, likening them to personal journeys. Powers explores the intricacies of dialogue, rhythm, and narrative tension, while emphasizing the role of empathy in storytelling. He also reflects on the evolution of his writing process over 40 years, from focusing on word count to creating deeper connections with readers through nature and personal experiences.

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Quick takeaways

Character complexity drives the narrative by forcing protagonists into moral dilemmas, revealing their true selves and enhancing emotional impact.

The podcast explores three types of character-driven drama, emphasizing the importance of conflict within characters and their environment for richer storytelling.

Empathy towards the natural world enriches character development, highlighting humanity's interdependence with nature and fostering deeper thematic exploration.

Deep dives

The Complexity of Character

Character complexity is highlighted as a crucial element in storytelling, pushing protagonists into moral dilemmas that reveal their true selves. The narrative suggests exploring inner and outer conflicts, such as a character's struggle against themselves or interpersonal tensions with others. This complexity adds depth to the drama, making readers question how characters reconcile their actions with their values. When characters are confronted with choices that force them to prioritize one value over another, the resulting tension enhances the narrative's emotional impact.

Navigate Your Own Narrative

01:34

Crafting Life in Writing

00:44

Emotion Trumps Fact in Understanding

00:58

Intro

3min

The Emotionally Charged Journey of Character Creation

28min

The Interplay of Rhythm and Narrative Elements in Storytelling

4min

The Art of Voice and Structure in Storytelling

20min

The Art of Beginnings and Tension in Storytelling

12min

Crafting Authentic Dialogue

13min

The Instrumentation of Writing: Tools and Techniques

2min

From Word Count to World Connection: A Writer's Journey

3min

Richard is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory, one of the most praised novels of the decade. His writing absolutely explodes with life. But perhaps Richard’s most impressive skill is his character development. And we’re not talking about the stodgy character arc you learned in English class. Richard shares 40+ years and 14 novels worth of insight on how to write characters that readers can’t get out of their head.

This episode is a deep dive into the psychoanalytical complexities of character: drama and tension, thinking and feeling, motivation and suspense. Plus, we dive into the three different types of character-driven drama: People against People, People against Themselves, and People against the Environment.

In a nutshell, this episode is a novel-writing masterclass that you don’t want to miss.

SPEAKER LINKS:

Website: https://www.richardpowers.net/

Books: https://www.richardpowers.net/category/novel/

New Novel “Playground”: https://a.co/d/g9nzmbO

WRITE OF PASSAGE:

Want to learn more about the final class for Write of Passage?

Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/

PODCAST LINKS:

Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470