#051 - Nathan Baugh on Storytelling, World Building, Fiction, & The Internet

Nathan Baugh writes fiction and the World Builders newsletter. We talk about writing, non-fiction vs. fiction, storytelling and world building devices, Kurt Vonnegut and other authors, getting the most out of technology and the internet, and more.

—

(00:47) Why writing

(02:46) Loops & closing the curiosity gap

(04:05) The combination of short form non-fiction & long form fiction

(09:54) Storytelling & world building; Virgil Abloh’s 3% Rule

(14:30) Tradeoffs of traditional publishing vs. self-publishing; going direct-to-audience

(21:54) Tech and magic; AI

(28:26) His most influential authors

(31:08) Favorite opening sentences

(34:25) Vonnuget’s shape of stories & promise, progress, payoff

(49:11) Why not go all in on fiction?

(44:41) Writer’s self limiting beliefs

(52:54) Biggest fear as a writer: not living up to expectations

(55:33) Balancing technology and the internet with deep work

(59:58) What's one work of fiction that has stuck out?

—

Nathan’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nathanbaugh27

Nathan’s Newsletter: https://www.worldbuilders.ai/

Vonnegut’s Shape of Stories: youtu.be/oP3c1h8v2ZQ

Spencer’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/SP1NS1R

Spencer’s Blog: https://spencerkier.substack.com