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

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

#1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer spoke with me about cutting her teeth on fanfiction, working briefly in publishing, and THE HAPPY WRITER, a guide to writing with less stress and more JOY.Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, Heartless, The Renegades Trilogy, and Instant Karma, as well as the graphic novel duology Wires and Nerve.Marissa also created and hosted a popular podcast, The Happy Writer, that inspired her debut writing guide, The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond.Described as, “Applicable to writers in all genres and disciplines—from screenwriters to novelists, journalists to picture book authors, aspiring to many-times published—The Happy Writer is a heartfelt and optimistic guide that will show you the way to a happier writing journey.”Marissa holds a BA in Creative Writing from Pacific Lutheran University and a MA in Publishing from Pace University.[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 Marissa Meyer and I discussed:How an overactive imagination led to a lifetime of storytellingWhat she learned about the author/editor relationship early on Why optimism has always been a part of her brandHow to bring more joy to your writing “process”Embracing lifelong creativityAnd a lot more!Show Notes:marissameyer.comThe Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond By Marissa MeyerMarissa Meyer Amazon Author PageSave the Cat! Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You'll Ever Need by Jessica Brody (Amazon)Marissa Meyer on FacebookMarissa Meyer on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Psychology and Neuroscience Professor Kurt Gray spoke with me about the timely release, and inspiration behind his latest book OUTRAGED: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground.Kurt Gray is a Professor in Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he directs the Deepest Beliefs Lab and the Center for the Science of Moral Understanding.Kurt Gray's, new book OUTRAGED: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground “... explains the science behind the United States' current political divide.”A NEXT BIG IDEA CLUB MUST-READ BOOK • It is described as “A groundbreaking new perspective on the moral mind that rewrites our understanding of where moral judgments come from, and how we can overcome the feelings of outrage that so often divide us.”#1 New York Times best-selling author Adam Grant called it, "A riveting read. . . . Overturns widespread assumptions about why we’re divided and reveals how we can come together."Kurt Gray received a PhD in Social Psychology from Harvard University, has published over 120 scientific papers, and his findings have been featured in The  New York Times, the Economist, Scientific American, Wired, and Hidden Brain.[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 Kurt Gray and I discussed:What it finally feels like to publish a book after decades of researchHow we have misunderstood the moral mindWho makes a profit from the “outrage machine”Why humans are innately storytelling creaturesHow to unplug, get words on the page, keep goingAnd a lot more!Show Notes:kurtjgray.comOutraged: Why We Fight About Morality and Politics and How to Find Common Ground By Kurt Gray (Amazon)Dragon Transcription AppWhy We Fight About Morality and Politics | Kurt Gray | TEDxRenoKurt Gray on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Crais, known for his thrilling Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series, as he shares captivating insights from his writing journey. He reflects on the emotional toll of recent LA wildfires and how real-life events shape his storytelling. Crais delves into his latest novel 'The Big Empty,' tackling themes of resilience and community. He also explores the gripping case of a missing father, demonstrating the art of emotional storytelling and the profound influence of crime writers on his craft.