How I Write

Everything Nat Eliason Learned Writing His First Book

Jul 3, 2024

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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Nat Eliason

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Quick takeaways

Craft scenes with tension that advance conflict and connect to character goals.

Create dialogue with adversarial elements to propel the narrative and add suspense.

Maintain a balance between realism and intrigue by infusing tension and purpose into dialogue.

Strive for continuous growth and learning in writing, embracing diverse styles and genres for inspiration.

Deep dives

Creating Intriguing Storylines

When crafting a story, the tension lies in ensuring that each scene advances the conflict or action, maintaining a direct connection to the main character's goal and the obstacles in their way. By infusing dialogues with adversarial elements, redirection, and nonverbal responses, the dialogue propels the narrative forward, adding depth and suspense. Every scene culminates in either a yes-but or no-and result, intensifying the stakes and driving the plot towards resolution.

The Importance of Promise, Progress, and Payoff in Storytelling

01:45

Intention and Obstacle in Storytelling

01:18

The Importance of Braiding in Storytelling: Description, Action, Internalisation, Dialogue

02:07

Striving for Improvement in Writing

01:40

Intro

2min

Crafting Authentic Narratives

17min

The Art of Balancing Vision and Marketability

26min

Crafting Tension and Intrigue in Dialogue

4min

Navigating the Storyteller's Journey

29min

The Art of Storytelling Techniques

12min

Harnessing AI for Enhanced Writing Techniques

4min

AI as a Collaborative Writing Tool

5min

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

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