Worklife with Adam Grant

How Celeste Ng writes fiery prose

Oct 11, 2022

Acclaimed novelist Celeste Ng, best known for her bestsellers "Everything I Never Told You" and "Little Fires Everywhere," dives into her captivating writing process with Adam Grant, a long-time friend. They discuss how she balances narrative with language's beauty and the transformative power of writing as a tool for understanding. Celeste shares the challenges of marrying personal experiences with her storytelling, while reflecting on how her latest book tackles themes of dystopia mirroring societal issues, emphasizing hope amidst chaos.

48:23

Creator website

Episode guests

Celeste Ng

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Writing Is a Tool for Thinking

02:28

Author's Work Habits and Dealing with Writer's Block

02:48

Reading and reverse engineering as a Novelist

03:34

An Eye for Tiny Details

02:43

Intro

2min

The Writer's Journey: From Passion to Profession

16min

Balancing Narrative and Aesthetic in Writing

2min

Preserving Darlings and Creative Challenges

3min

Reflections on Love and Learning

15min

Navigating Dystopia in Writing

9min

The Impact of Words: Celebrating Storytelling

2min

It took Celeste Ng a long time to believe she could write for a living. Now she’s the New York Times bestselling author of the novels “Everything I Never Told You” and “Little Fires Everywhere”-- which was developed into a hit TV show by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine. Adam and Celeste have been friends since college–they met through her first writing job. They discuss Celeste’s versatile writing process, her insights on thinking and communicating more clearly, and how she feeds her curiosity–both as a reader and a writer. Celeste’s latest book, “Our Missing Hearts,” is out now. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG5

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