Susan Orlean

Susan Orlean, an award-winning nonfiction author, shares her intentional approach to writing that blends storytelling with in-depth research. She discusses her unique method of using index cards to structure her narratives and emphasizes the importance of strong leads to hook readers. Orlean highlights the significance of selecting compelling topics and maintaining a balance between writer passion and reader interest. She also reflects on the joy of editing and the discipline needed for long-term writing projects, comparing writing to marathon training.

Susan Orlean, a celebrated journalist and author known for her work in The New Yorker, shares her journey into the world of long-form narrative nonfiction. She discusses her early days with Tina Brown, describing the challenging yet inspiring editing style that pushed her to excel. Orlean explains her unique approach to storytelling, including building trust with reluctant subjects and her love for reading aloud as a tool for editing. Additionally, she reminisces about her adventures in reporting, such as her fascinating experience touring with a gospel group.

Don’t negotiate against yourself. It’s OK to drop the ball. Sleep. We get wisdom from women who are experts on how we work — and who have advice on how to ask for more money, achieve more by doing less, and avoid burning out. We talk with Duke University management professor Ashleigh Shelby Rosette about negotiating, Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington about sleep, Levo Chief Leadership Officer Tiffany Dufu about dropping the ball, and New Yorker writer Susan Orlean about confidence. Then HBR senior editor Alison Beard teams up with Amy to answer a few of your questions about work. Our HBR reading list: “Nice Girls Don’t Ask” by Linda Babcock, Sara Laschever, Michele Gelfand, Deborah Small    “Can an Agentic Black Woman Get Ahead? The Impact of Race and Interpersonal Dominance on Perceptions of Female Leaders” by Robert W. Livingston, Ashleigh Shelby Rosette, and Ella F. Washington HBR Guide to Negotiating by Jeff Weiss “How to Keep Email from Ruining Your Vacation” by Arianna Huffington “Connect, Then Lead” by Amy J.C. Cuddy, Matthew Kohut, and John Neffinger “Women, Find Your Voice” by Kathryn Heath, Jill Flynn, and Mary Davis Holt Please fill out our listener survey at hbr.org/podcastsurvey — tell us what you think of the show! Email us: womenatwork@hbr.org Our theme music is Matt Hill’s “City In Motion,” provided by Audio Network.

Bestselling author Susan Orlean discusses the entrepreneurial nature of a writing career and the importance of always having an audience in mind. She shares her approach to finding extraordinary stories in ordinary lives and highlights the value of silence in creating compelling narratives. The chapter also explores the challenges of reporting and writing and emphasizes the entrepreneurial mindset needed for success in the industry.

With the Food Network program “Barefoot Contessa,” Ina Garten became a beloved household name. Although she is a gregarious teacher and presence on television, Garten prefers to do her actual cooking alone. “Cooking’s hard for me. I mean, I do it a lot, but it’s really hard and I just love having the space to concentrate on what I’'m doing, so I make sure it comes out well.” Garten joins David Remnick to reflect on her early days in the kitchen, and to answer listener questions about holiday meals and more. Her latest book is “Go-To Dinners.” Plus, Susan Orlean joins with an installment from her column “Afterword.” She writes about the life of a Texas man who founded a rattlesnake handling business. He liked providing a service for his neighbors, and for whatever reason, he just loved rattlesnakes—a passion that proved fatal.

We continue our look back at 25 years of shows with Keegan Michael-Key, Regina King, and Susan OrleanSupport NPR by signing up for Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Introducing a new miniseries: Book Exploder, where authors break down a passage from one of their books, and discuss the creative process that went into writing it. Every other week, in between episodes of Song Exploder, you’ll hear from a new author, in conversation with host Susan Orlean. But for this first episode of the series, Susan is interviewed by Hrishikesh Hirway about her own book, The Library Book. Susan Orlean is the author of twelve books, including The Orchid Thief (which inspired the Oscar-award winning film Adaptation), a staff writer at The New Yorker . Published in 2018, The Library Book became a New York Times Best Seller and named a Washington Post Top 10 Book of the Year. The book tells the story of the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles Central Library. In this inaugural episode, Susan discusses a passage from her book, which details the blaze itself. For more, visit bookexploder.com/episodes/susan-orlean.

Susan Orlean, award-winning nonfiction writer behind The Orchid Thief and The Library Book, discusses turning her attention inward in Joyride. She talks about reporting adventures, risky assignments, and the tiny details that make stories sing. The conversation explores immersion journalism, career-wide curiosity, and why noticing matters to narrative nonfiction.

Susan Orlean, a celebrated nonfiction writer and contributor to The New Yorker, shares her insights into storytelling and her memoir, Joyride. She discusses the art of finding compelling narratives in everyday life, like the hidden world of taxidermy. Orlean emphasizes the importance of emotional depth in writing and why prose journalism allows for rich detail and intimacy. She reflects on the changing landscape of journalism, the serendipity that sparked The Orchid Thief, and offers advice for aspiring writers to craft unique story ideas.

In this engaging conversation, bestselling author Susan Orlean shares insights from her memoir, Joyride. She discusses her initial reluctance to label it a memoir and the balancing act between confidence and humility in writing. Orlean reflects on the role of curiosity, the ethics of journalism, and the importance of adaptability in a changing media landscape. With anecdotes about handling rejection and her journey from alt-weeklies to The New Yorker, she dives deep into the intricate relationship between reporters and their subjects.