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

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Susannah Cahalan, spoke to me about her writing process, witch candles, and stepping into the shoes of psychedelic pioneer Rosemary Woodruff Leary in her new biography THE ACID QUEEN.Susannah Cahalan is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and public speaker. Her first book, Brain on Fire, has sold over a million copies and has been translated into more than twenty languages. Her second book, The Great Pretender, was shortlisted for the Royal Society’s 2020 Science Book Prize.Her latest biography The Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary, “...chronicles the life of Rosemary Woodruff Leary (1935–2002), a prominent figure in the 1960s psychedelic movement and Timothy Leary’s wife from 1967 through 1976.” Kirkus gave THE ACID QUEEN a glowing review, calling it a “well-wrought narrative that brings deserved attention to a lost figure in the counterculture,” and Publishers Weekly called it a “... stranger than fiction story [that offers] a vivid portrait of how flower power cracked up in the ’70s.”Susannah Cahalan has been profiled in the New York Times, featured as an answer on Jeopardy!: delivered a TEDx Talk, and appeared as a guest on The Today Show, PBS, BBC’s Inside Science, and Fresh Air, among 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 Susannah Cahalan and I discussed:The throughline that connects all of her booksSynchronicities that led her to the life story of a psychedelic iconHow she used the research process to fully immerse herself in Rosemary’s personaWhat she’s learned over the course of her writing careerWhy you need to find time for “deep work” to get the pagesAnd a lot more!Show Notes:susannahcahalan.comThe Acid Queen: The Psychedelic Life and Counterculture Rebellion of Rosemary Woodruff Leary By Susannah Cahalan (Amazon)Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport (Amazon)The Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction by Stephen KochSusannah Cahalan on FacebookSusannah Cahalan on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and entrepreneur Emma Knight spoke to me about finding the courage to write fiction, the Loch Ness Monster of motherhood, and her breakout debut novel The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus.Emma Knight is an author, journalist, Co-Founder and Head of Brand at Greenhouse, an award-winning organic beverage company, and co-author of The Greenhouse Cookbook (2017), a national bestseller.Her debut novel and instant New York Times bestseller, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, is described as a “coming-of-age story, part family drama, and part campus novel.”#1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune called the book “A spellbinding debut about friendship, motherhood, first love, and the choices that bind us . . . I couldn’t put it down.”Emma Knight also has an MA in Journalism, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, Literary Hub, 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 Emma Knight and I discussed:The contrast of her whirlwind world tour after five years of writingWhy you can only write one sentence at a timeThe process of removing your ego from the workTaking the same advice she shared with her daughtersWhy it's so much better to make things up for a livingAnd a lot more!Show Notes:The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight (Amazon)Emma Knight talks how debut novel is a metaphor for motherhood - TodayEmma Knight on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Carley Fortune, spoke to me about her storied career as a journalist, writing a breakout hit in just four months, and her latest novel, MEET ME AT THE LAKE.Carley Fortune is an award-winning Canadian journalist and the #1 New York Times and #1 Globe and Mail bestselling author of Meet Me at the Lake and Every Summer After. Her latest, Meet Me at the Lake, is described as a “...love story about two strangers who come together when they need each other most. Once, in their early twenties, and again a decade later.”GMA said of the book, "Fortune explores the aftermath of losing a beloved parent and reclaiming a relationship in this unputdownable, witty, soulful and stirring novel." And New York Times bestselling author Jill Santopolo called Meet Me at The Lake “... a beautiful, heart-tugging, love story about secrets, lies, missed connections and second chances.”Carley has worked as an editor at some of Canada’s top publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Toronto Life, and a now-defunct weekly paper, The Grid. She was most recently the Executive Editor of Refinery29 Canada.[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, Carley Fortune and I discussed: What prompted her to reclaim her creative energyHow to write 80 thousand words in just four monthsWhy writers need to keep their expectations realistic and protect their mental healthHow she starts planning her novels Why extroverted writers need to get into real clothes and out of the houseAnd a lot more!Show Notes:carleyfortune.comMeet Me at the Lake By Carley Fortune (Amazon) Carley Fortune Amazon Author PageCarley Fortune on InstagramCarley Fortune on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Acclaimed debut novelist and award-winning poet Jeanette Horn spoke to me about writing experimental poetry, getting a fateful call from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, and the magical realism in her debut novel PLAY, WITH KNIVES.Jeanette Horn is an Iowa Writers' Workshop MFA program graduate and was a Maytag Fellow.Her debut novel, Play, With Knives, is described as the story of “A struggling theater troupe [that] tours the Midwest by surreal train—where aspects of their plays come to life and wreak havoc—in this inventive literary novel.”Elizabeth Gilbert, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat Pray Love, said of the book, "Play, With Knives is a work of wondrous imagination—a dream from which I did not want to awaken." Jeanette also earned a BA in English from the University of Texas, where she won several Adele Steiner Burleson Awards for poetry and essay writing. Her work has appeared in MARGIE, Poetry International, Stand, Washington Square, and other journals.[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 Jeanette Horn and I discussed:What it was like at Iowa's famed Writer's WorkshopWhy her debut novel was a labor of love (10 years in the making)The successful query letter that led to publishing the bookHer true feelings about the cover artWhy it’s ok to write in the marginsAnd a lot more!Show Notes:www.jeanettehorn.comPlay, With Knives by Jeanette Horn (Amazon)Successful Queries: Jaynie Royal and “Play, With Knives,” by Jeanette HornBy Any Other Name Paperback by Jodi Picoult (Amazon)The Stab - jeanettehorn.substack.comJeanette Horn on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning journalist and The Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan spoke to me about the worst way to launch a book, writing long-form watchdog journalism, and her latest ME, BUT BETTER, The Science and Promise of Personality Change.Olga Khazan is a staff writer for The Atlantic – covering science, health, and psychology for more than a decade – and the author, previously, of Weird: The Power of Being an Outsider in an Insider World. She was also The Atlantic’s Global editor, and ​​former host of The Atlantic’s podcast How To Start Over.In her forthcoming book Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element), she reveals the science behind lasting personality change, and explains how anyone, at any age, can seize the reigns of their destiny.New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin called the book, “Hilarious, honest, and packed with cutting-edge research…”, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Adam Grant wrote, “This book shatters the myth that personality is set in stone. Drawing on state-of-the-art evidence and rich personal experience, Olga Khazan artfully reveals what our traits really are—and how we can adapt them to achieve our goals.”Olga Khazan has also written for The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Vox, and other publications. She is a two-time recipient of the International Reporting Project’s Journalism Fellowship and winner of the 2017 National Headliner Award for Magazine Online Writing.[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 Olga Khazan and I discussed:How she got her start at The AtlanticWhy she never got to see her first book in a bookstoreTurning a piece of long-form journalism into a book pitchWhy reducing your neuroticism by even a small amount can improve your lifeOn crappy first drafts And a lot more!Show Notes:olgakhazan.comOlga Khazan - The AtlanticMe, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change by Olga Khazan (Amazon)Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt Haig reads an excerpt from The Midnight Library, backed by an original Storybound remix with Robert Wynia, and sound design and arrangement by Jude Brewer.Robert Wynia is a founding member of the Portland band Floater. Known for their progressive concept albums, Floater is famous for incorporating stylized storytelling. Wynia also releases music under his own name and released his book Night Walks with its own accompanying soundtrack in 2020.Storybound comes to you from The Podglomerate and Lit Hub Radio. Season 4 is some of their most inspired work yet, so be sure to subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or wherever you tune in.Matt Haig is the author of 20 books including the #1 bestselling memoir, Reasons to Stay Alive, five novels – including How to Stop Time – and several award-winning children’s books. His work has been translated into over 40 languages.His latest novel is The Midnight Library, a runaway, #1 bestseller and reader favorite of 2020. It was a Goodreads Choice Awards Best Fiction Book of 2020, a Best Book of the Year by The Washington Post, Amazon, the New York Public Library, among many others.The New York Times said of the book, "An absorbing ... vision of limitless possibility, of new roads taken, of new lives lived, of a whole different world available to us somehow, somewhere, [perhaps] exactly what’s wanted in these troubled and troubling times.”Stay calm and write on …[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]Show Notes: How NY Times Bestselling Author Matt Haig WritesMattHaig.comThe Midnight Library: A Novel by Matt Haig (Amazon)Matt Haig Amazon author pageMatt Haig on InstagramMatt Haig on FacebookMatt Haig on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this engaging conversation, Matt Haig, bestselling author of 'The Midnight Library' and 'Reasons to Stay Alive', discusses his unexpected role as a mental health advocate. He shares insights about writing as a means of self-therapy, reflecting on the transformative power of storytelling during difficult times. The discussion touches on his journey from fiction to autobiography, the challenges of character development, and the significance of authenticity in the creative process. Haig emphasizes resilience and the bittersweet nature of success in writing.

Bestselling author and literary agent Betsy Lerner spoke with me about being a “late bloomer,” what 35 years in publishing has taught her, and portraying mental illness in her debut novel SHRED SISTERS.Betsy Lerner is the author of the popular advice book to writers, The Forest for the Trees, and the memoirs Food and Loathing and The Bridge Ladies. With Temple Grandin, she is the also co-author of the New York Times bestseller Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns and Abstractions.Her debut novel, Shred Sisters, is described as “... an intimate and bittersweet story exploring the fierce complexities of sisterhood, mental health, loss and love.” The book was longlisted for The Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, a New York Times Notable Book of 2024, and a New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and Best Book of the Year So Far, among many other accolades.Betsy received an MFA from Columbia University in Poetry and was selected as one of PEN’s Emerging Writers. She also received the Tony Godwin Publishing Prize for Editors. After working as an editor for 15 years, she became an agent and is currently a partner with Dunow, Carlson and Lerner Literary Agency.[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 Betsy Lerner and I discussed:Getting kicked out of film schoolHow "No Bad Dogs" inspired her to write The Forest for the Trees about writer personalitiesWorking with punk rock icon Patti SmithThe secrets behind her writing processWhy she wants to have dinner with filmmaker Greta GerwigAnd a lot more!Show Notes:betsylerner.comDunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary AgencyShred Sisters by Betsy Lerner (Amazon)The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner (Amazon)Betsy Lerner Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY.Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada,  and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg.His debut middle-grade novel, BRIDGE TO BAT CITY (on sale 4/9/24; ages 8 & up), is described as “... a mostly true tall tale about a recently orphaned girl and her mission to help a family of displaced bats find a new home under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas.”His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times bestsellers list.[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 Part Two of this file Ernest Cline and I discussed:The crazy story behind Stephen King’s MiseryWhat it was like waiting for a call from Stephen SpielbergHow the author got to see his fiction turned into realityMaking the transition from adult sci-fi to middle grade novelsHis shout outs to ET, Roald Dahl, Charles PortisAnd a lot more!Show Notes:How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ernest Cline Writes: Part OneBridge to Bat City by Ernest Cline (Amazon)Ernest Cline Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times bestselling novelist and screenwriter, Ernest Cline, spoke to me about what inspired him to become a novelist, the success of Ready Player One, and his love letter to Austin, Texas, the mostly true tall tale BRIDGE TO BAT CITY.Ernest Cline is the bestselling author of Ready Player One, Ready Player Two, and Armada, and co-screenwriter of the film adaptation of Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg.His debut middle-grade novel, BRIDGE TO BAT CITY, is described as “... a mostly true tall tale about a recently orphaned girl and her mission to help a family of displaced bats find a new home under the Congress Avenue Bridge in Austin, Texas.”His books have been published in over fifty countries and have spent more than 100 weeks on The New York Times bestsellers list.[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 Part One of this file Ernest Cline and I discussed:The signposts on the road to becoming a writerHis change of fortune (and opinion) as a screenwriterThe big idea behind Ready Player One Why 90% of Stephen King’s protagonists are school teachers or writersAnd a lot more!Show Notes:How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Ernest Cline Writes: Part TwoBridge to Bat City by Ernest Cline (Amazon)Ernest Cline Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices