The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, a bestselling author and award-winning podcaster, shares insights from her extensive career and her new short story collection, Pool Fishing. She discusses her journey into noir fiction, revealing its moral complexities and character depth. Barbara also reflects on maintaining a vibrant teaching career, emphasizing the importance of community and self-promotion for authors. Plus, she shares the story behind her vintage typewriter collection and imagines a dinner with literary giants Edward Abbey and Raymond Chandler.

E. Lockhart, a #1 New York Times bestselling author known for her gripping YA novels, shares insights into her journey from academia to fiction. She discusses the impact of her PhD on her beachy gothic storytelling and addresses the resurgence of her hit We Were Liars thanks to TikTok. Lockhart delves into the importance of YA literature, connecting with fans through deluxe editions and emotional themes, and hints at upcoming adaptations. She emphasizes daily writing as a vital practice for aspiring authors.

In this engaging conversation, Jami Attenberg, a New York Times bestselling author and the brains behind the #1000WordsofSummer project, shares the origins of her global writing movement and how it blossomed from a two-week challenge into a supportive community. She discusses her latest book, 1000 Words, emphasizing creativity and productivity, while revealing the motivational anchors she believes every writer needs. Jami also teases her upcoming novel and offers insights into her writing process, making this a must-listen for aspiring authors!

Milena Gonzalez, bookstagram influencer and writer known as Diary of a Book Babe, shares her insights on the literary world. She dives into the differences of interviewing established versus debut authors like Geneva Rose and Penny Zhang. Milena highlights her top five-star book pick, 'Wild Dark Shore,' and discusses the immersive experiences in writing, alongside the importance of a supportive writing community. They also touch on adaptations of popular books and how fiction can inspire environmental awareness.

National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride spoke with me about finding her authentic voice, getting yelled at by kids, near-death experiences and the story behind her latest novel-in-verse THE LEAVING ROOM. Amber McBride is an award-winning author, poet, and former assistant professor of poetry, writing, and protest literature. Her debut young adult novel, Me (Moth) was a finalist for the National Book Award, 2021 and won the 2022 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent, among many other accolades. Her latest YA novel-in-verse is The Leaving Room, also a 2025 National Book Awards Finalist. “Told from the perspective of a girl hovering between life and death, The Leaving Room is a poignant story about connection, grief, love, and the power of memories.” Amber McBride’s middle-grade debut, Gone Wolf, won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She holds an MFA in poetry from Emerson College, and her poetry has been published in Ploughshares, The Rumpus, DecomP Magazine, Provincetown Arts, and more. [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Amber McBride and I discussed: Overcoming hundreds of rejections early on Finally quitting her assistant professorship to write full time How the loss of her grandfather changed her writing Why anything beyond publishing is icing on the cake How she creates an entire world with a quarter of the words Writing while the world sleeps And a lot more! Show Notes: amber-mcbride.com  76th National Book Awards - Young People's Literature - Finalists The Leaving Room by Amber McBride (Amazon) Amber McBride Amazon Author Page Amber McBride on Threads Amber McBride on TikTok Amber McBride on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Penny Zang, an English professor and debut novelist of "Doll Parts," dives into the emotional depths of friendship and grief in her writing. She shares her journey of processing loss through morning pages and discusses the influence of Sylvia Plath on her work. Listeners learn about her unique characters and the autobiographical elements woven into her thriller. Penny also emphasizes the importance of community for writers and reveals that her next novel is an 80s Edgar Allan Poe mashup. A captivating discussion on creativity and resilience!

Ted Braun, a WGA-nominated writer and USC professor, and Melissa Rosenberg, renowned for her work on Twilight and Jessica Jones, discuss the new MFA in Screenwriting at Bennington College. They share insights on how diverse experiences shape storytelling and the unique curriculum focusing on mentorship and collaboration. With only 12 students per cohort, the program aims to cultivate original voices in screenwriting. Both guests emphasize the importance of imagination, dedication, and the integration of film studies into crafting compelling narratives.

Award-winning, acclaimed debut novelist Jinwoo Park spoke to me about breaking out of a creative rut, writing as “self-therapy,” cracking the #BookTok code, and his literary espionage thriller OXFORD SOJU CLUB Jinwoo Park is a Korean Canadian writer based in Montreal. He completed a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Oxford, and currently works as a marketer in the tech industry. His first novel, Oxford Soju Club, is a literary espionage thriller exploring themes of identity and the Korean diaspora. Park's manuscript for Oxford Soju Club won the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers' Award in 2021. A Booklist starred review wrote of the book, “In stylistically rich prose, the author carefully portrays complex characters, distilling the intricate workings of the Korean psyche with riveting tension. Under the cover of a compelling espionage drama…” Jinwoo is also a literary translator and received the LTI Korea Translation Award for Aspiring Translators in 2023.  [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jinwoo Park and I discussed: How his notes from "self-therapy" became a breakout book Posting to TikTok every day to build a following Sharing a name with a character from K-Pop Demon Hunters In rewriting his debut novel five times to distill it to its essence What authenticity means to him And a lot more! Show Notes: jinwoo-park.com  Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park (Amazon) Jinwoo Park on Instagram Jinwoo Park on TikTok Jinwoo Park on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jeneva Rose, spoke with us about betting on herself, spurning the crown of “Queen of Twists,” her viral social media fame and latest post-apocalyptic romance, DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez. Jeneva Rose is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the multi-million copy bestseller, The Perfect Marriage. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages and optioned for film and TV. Her latest novel is DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD (October 1, 2025), a post-apocalyptic, zombie, enemies-to-lovers romance. Dating After The End of the World was named an Amazon First Reads pick and a #1 New Release in Romantic Comedy. Jeneva Rose has a background in social media, digital, and email marketing. She became a full-time author in March 2021, and has amassed over one million followers across all social media platforms, including TikTok where she’s known as “Mother Goose.” [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jeneva Rose, Milena Gonzalez, and I discussed: How she overcame the odds, and 500 rejections, to sign two major publishing deals Writing with a new baby on board Turning hate mail into a laughable social media saga Her inspiration for the latest The unwavering support of her husband Hanging out with Colleen Hoover And a lot more! Show Notes: jenevarose.com  Dating After the End of the World– October 1, 2025 by Jeneva Rose (Amazon) Jeneva Rose Amazon Author Page Jeneva Rose on Facebook Jeneva Rose on Instagram Jeneva Rose on TikTok Jeneva Rose on Twitter Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Lev Grossman, spoke to me about his tenure at Time magazine, how The Magicians poked holes in Narnia and Potter, and reimagining a legend with THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur. Lev Grossman is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician’s Land—which has been published in 30 countries and adapted as a TV show that ran for five seasons on SYFY. His latest novel is THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur, named a Best Summer Read by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time, Vulture, Esquire, Boston Globe, Elle, Town & Country, Seattle Times, New York Post, Lit Hub, and many others. George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones said of the book, “If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” Lev has written two critically acclaimed novels for children, and the screenplay for the movie The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, a finalist for the Critic’s Choice awards (based on his short story). He also worked as a staff writer at Time magazine, and has written essays and articles for Vanity Fair, the Believer, the Village Voice, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Salon, Slate, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, NPR, and many others.  [Discover ⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠writerfiles.fm⁠] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Lev Grossman and I discussed:  How he talked his way into writing for Time magazine The evolution of his career from journalist to novelist Breaking through with middle-grade fantasy and The Magicians How he “got into the weeds” with his latest Arthurian tome World-building for streaming vs. collaborating on the graphic novel And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠levgrossman.com⁠ ⁠The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur⁠ by Lev Grossman (Amazon) ⁠Lev Grossman Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Lev Grossman on Facebook⁠ ⁠Lev Grossman on Instagram⁠ ⁠Lev Grossman on Twitter⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices