This week, host Karen Han talks to actor, director, and writer Tim Blake Nelson, who just came out with his first novel, City of Blows. In the interview, Tim explains why he decided to reference real life events–like the #MeToo movement and COVID–in a fictional story about Hollywood. He also talks about the challenges of writing fictional prose and offers some useful wisdom about writing in general.

After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss the best ways to juggle multiple projects at once.

In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Tim shares his rejected idea for the cover image of City of Blows.

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675.

Podcast production by Cameron Drews.

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Working: A Hollywood Actor Learns to Write Novels