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Everything Nat Eliason Learned Writing His First Book

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Jul 3, 2024

Guest

Nat Eliason

Nat Eliason, author of *Crypto Confidential*, shares his transformation from SEO blogger to memoirist. He dives into the art of compelling storytelling, revealing the key techniques he discovered during his two-year journey. Nat discusses the balance between personal vision and marketability in writing, the nuances of crafting engaging dialogue, and the importance of emotional authenticity. He also explores how AI can enhance the writing process without overshadowing one's unique voice. This conversation is packed with invaluable insights for aspiring storytellers.

01:39:16

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ADVICE

Developing Taste as a Writer

Read widely, including books you dislike, to develop taste and articulate what makes writing good or bad.
Analyze what doesn't work in "bad" books and identify what works well in "good" books.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Transitioning to Narrative Nonfiction

Nat Eliason transitioned from how-to articles to narrative nonfiction, initially receiving feedback that his writing was boring.
He used Red Rising as inspiration to learn how to write exciting, commercially successful stories.

insights

INSIGHT

The Grammarly Problem

Many writing problems perceived by writers go unnoticed by readers.
Learn to read as both a writer and a reader, recognizing that most people read as readers.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Crafting Authentic Narratives

02:08 • 17min

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The Art of Balancing Vision and Marketability

19:26 • 26min

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Crafting Tension and Intrigue in Dialogue

45:17 • 4min

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Navigating the Storyteller's Journey

49:00 • 29min

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The Art of Storytelling Techniques

01:18:17 • 12min

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Harnessing AI for Enhanced Writing Techniques

01:30:13 • 4min

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AI as a Collaborative Writing Tool

01:34:04 • 5min

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Two words: Storytelling. Masterclass.

Yeah, yeah, we know — “become a better storyteller” is probably the most basic writing advice out there. But this episode is far from basic. It’s all about the storytelling advice you actually need that you didn’t get in school.

Once upon a time, Nat wrote online SEO blogs: simple, generic, and kind of boring. What he really wanted was to write a memoir: something narrative, beautiful, and exciting. But his storytelling skills didn’t match his vision. So, for two years, Nat disappeared into a cave to master the art of storytelling. He emerged with Crypto Confidential, a captivating memoir that Grammarly hates and readers love. And in this episode, he reveals the not-so-basic tactics he learned as a self-made storyteller.

Want to write stories that people actually read? This episode is for you.

SPEAKER LINKS:

Website: https://www.nateliason.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/nateliason

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nat_eliason

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nateliason

Newsletter: https://substack.com/@nateliason

Book: https://a.co/d/7axrA8F

WRITE OF PASSAGE:

Want to learn more about the next class 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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

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