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

New York Times bestselling author and educator, Helen Schulman, spoke to me about her winding path to bestseller, why a writing career is 90% sweat and rejection, and how the #MeToo movement inspired her latest novel, LUCKY DOGS.Helen Schulman is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels, including Come with Me and This Beautiful Life, and she is currently the Fiction Chair of the Creative Writing Program at The New School.Her latest, Lucky Dogs, is described as a novel that “... lays bare what happens to women—no matter how fortunate they may appear to be on the surface—whose lives have been warped by brutality and misogyny.”Best-selling author Jennifer Egan called the book, "Part thriller, part Hollywood satire [and] a brash, sometimes heartbreaking saga in which trauma and self-preservation converge across decades and continents. This is Helen Schulman's best novel yet."Helen Schulman’s fiction, non-fiction, and reviews have appeared in such places as Vanity Fair, Time, Vogue, GQ, The New York Times Book Review, and The Paris Review. She also serves as Executive Director for WriteOn NYC, a fellowship program that provides free creative writing instruction to underserved New York City school children.[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, Helen Schulman and I discussed:  Why her latest book isn’t funny  Her intensive research process Why she wrote her latest from bed Her passion for helping underprivileged kids discover a love of writing How to tell if a writer is going to “make it” And a lot more! Show Notes: Helen Schulman | The New School Lucky Dogs: A Novel By Helen Schulman (Amazon)  Helen Schulman Amazon Author Page WriteOn NYC – Connecting passionate writers to New York City students Aspen Words Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author, James Swallow, returns to chat with me about the solitary life of a writer, his undying love of ‘80s and ‘90s cinema, why you’re only as good as your last title, and his latest novel DARK HORIZON.James Swallow is the Award-winning New York Times, Sunday Times, and Amazon #1 bestselling author, former journalist, and British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) nominated scriptwriter who has written for video games, TV, and radio.His latest, Dark Horizon, is described as stemming from, "A fatal crash and a brutal murder in an English village [that] sets off a deadly chain of events leading from the stormy skies over the Mediterranean to an explosive confrontation on a remote airstrip in North Africa.”The prolific author of over 50 titles and millions of books in print worldwide has written sci-fi for storied franchises including Star Trek, Dr. Who, Stargate, and is best known for his espionage thrillers.[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, James Swallow and I discussed:  The definition of “book head” What it’s like for a novelist to be stuck in an airport Why he makes his protagonists deliberately fallible How videogames have eclipsed most popular media Why you can’t automate the hardest part of writing And a lot more! Show Notes: How NY Times Bestselling Author James Swallow Writes: Part One www.jswallow.com James Swallow on Amazon  James Swallow on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author, Ashley Audrain, spoke to me about giving herself permission to write sh*tty first drafts, writing in public, and her second novel THE WHISPERS.Ashley Audrain’s debut novel, The Push, was a New York Times, Sunday Times (London), #1 international bestseller, and a Good Morning America Book Club pick. It has sold in more than 40 territories, and a limited TV series is currently in development. Her latest, The Whispers, is described as “ … a propulsive page-turner about four families whose lives are changed when the unthinkable happens – and what is lost when we give in to our own worst impulses.”The New York Times Book Review wrote, "Expertly, subtly and powerfully rendered …. [The Whispers] delivers a sucker-punch ending you’ll have to read twice to believe.” And #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune called it, “[An] electrifying … razor-sharp page-turner.”Ashley Audrain previously worked as the publicity director of Penguin Books Canada, and prior to that, worked in public relations.[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, Ashley Audrain and I discussed:  Why she felt intimidated by writers while working in PR How to write claustrophobic, voyeuristic fiction Why she is drawn to the darker side of literature Tapping into the messiness of midlife ennui How to escape your kids And a lot more! Show Notes: ashleyaudrain.com The Whispers By Ashley Audrain (Amazon)  Ashley Audrain Amazon Author Page Ashley Audrain on Instagram Ashley Audrain on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Internationally bestselling authors, Lynne & Valerie Constantine – AKA Liv Constantine – spoke to me about the importance of writers’ conferences, how to write perfidy with your best friend, and their latest thriller THE SENATOR'S WIFE.Liv Constantine is the pen name of sisters Lynne and Valerie Constantine who are the WSJ, USA Today, and Internationally bestselling authors of Reese’s Book Club pick The Last Mrs. Parrish, which has sold over 500,000 copies and is soon to be adapted for NetflixTheir latest, The Senator's Wife, is described as “... a psychological thriller that upends the private lives of those who walk the halls of power. Because when you have it all, you have everything to lose.”#1 New York Times bestselling author A. J. Finn called the book, “The Hand That Rocks the Cradle meets The West Wing, a high-stakes paranoia thriller, slippery as a politician’s handshake, that's both sophisticated and irrepressibly fun.”Lynne is a former marketing executive with a Master’s degree in Business from Johns Hopkins University who also writes The Jack Logan series under the pen name L.C. Shaw.Early in her career, Valerie worked in Washington D.C. as a White House Assistant in the President’s Scheduling and Advance Office planning presidential trips and travel.[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, Lynne, Valerie and I discussed:  How to team up with your sister to write a thriller Setting a book in the halls of power, Washington, D.C. How they plot their novels over Zoom Why they call Thiller Fest their “summer camp” The importance of freelance editors And a lot more! Show Notes: livconstantine.com The Senator's Wife by Liv Constantine (Amazon)  Liv Constantine Amazon Author Page thrillerwriters.org Liv Constantine on Instagram Liv Constantine on Facebook Liv Constantine on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author, Fiona Barton, spoke to me about why so many famous journalists have turned to crime fiction, the power of the deadline, and her latest hit novel LOCAL GONE MISSING.Fiona Barton is the award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author of novels The Widow, The Child, and The Suspect – all three featuring journalist Kate Waters.Her latest thriller, Local Gone Missing, follows a new protagonist in Detective Elise King and follows the brewing changes of a small seaside town. Kirkus Reviews said of the book, “Barton presents such an embarrassment of riches … Layers and layers of unlovely revelations about people who seemed perfectly nice.” And BookPage wrote, “Thanks to Barton’s airtight plotting and impeccable characteri­zation, a minibreak by the sea will never seem relaxing again."In her past life, Fiona was a senior writer at the Daily Mail, a news editor at the Daily Telegraph, and chief reporter at the Mail on Sunday. She has trained and worked with journalists all over the world.[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, Fiona Barton and I discussed:  What it was like to be a Chief Reporter in the UK during the 90s and Noughties  Why crime reporters don’t have time to write fiction How she made the transition to bestselling novelist Why journalism is so akin to crime fiction The definition of a “duvet writer” How to beat procrastination And a lot more! Show Notes: fionabartonauthor.com Local Gone Missing By Fiona Barton (Amazon) Fiona Barton Amazon Author Page Fiona Barton on Facebook Fiona Barton on Twitter Kelton 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

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry, returns to chat with me about depressing first drafts, what it's like to be a genre-bending, commercial fiction superstar, and her “glittering” new novel HAPPY PLACE.Emily Henry is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Book Lovers, People We Meet on Vacation, and Beach Read, and has sold over three million copies of her novels.Her latest is Happy Place, an instant ​​#1 New York Times bestseller and her first hardcover novel, described as a book “...about reluctant exes who make a pact to pretend to date during an annual friends’ trip...”Author Taylor Jenkins-Reid called it "Another knock-out from the champ.” The Washington Post wrote that the book, “Blur[s] the lines between women’s and literary-leaning commercial fiction, departing from the fantasy spaces of bodice rippers and misty moors to depict a world that looks a lot more like, well, our own…”Emily's books have been featured in Buzzfeed, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and many 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, Emily Henry and I discussed:  What it feels like to (still) be living inside a lightning strike Why it’s easy for her to stay humble as a writer How to write rom-com at the top of readers’ intelligence Her take on superhero movie tropes Why making a reader laugh is so much harder than making them cry And a lot more! Show Notes: How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Emily Henry Writes: Part One emilyhenrybooks.com Happy Place By Emily Henry (Amazon)  Emily Henry Amazon Author Page Emily Henry on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NOTE: This is an updated replay of an amazing chat I had with Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, Hernan Diaz, who spoke to me exactly one year ago about rejection, his unusual path to literary stardom, subverting reader expectations, and his latest novel TRUST.A big congrats to Hernan who recently won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.His novel, Trust, shared the Pulitzer Books prize with Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Demon Copperhead. Trust was named one of 2022’s Most Anticipated Books by The New York Times, OprahDaily, The Today Show, Vogue, Vulture, AV Club, and many others.Described as "...an immersive story and a brilliant literary puzzle .... about money, power, intimacy, and perception," The NY Times called Trust, “Intricate, cunning and consistently surprising ..."Hernan was also a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and his first novel, In the Distance, won the Saroyan International Prize, the Cabell Award, the Prix Page America, and the New American Voices Award, among other distinctions. He holds a Ph.D. from NYU, edits an academic journal at Columbia University, and his stories and essays have appeared in The Paris Review, Granta, Playboy, The Yale Review, McSweeney’s, and elsewhere.[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 Hernan Diaz and I discussed: Why the path to publication is a Catch-22 for authors The lonely road to Pulitzer Nominee and the disorientation of fame What he learned from Jorge Luis Borges Re-mapping the isthmus of referential reality How he unlearned academic writing  And a lot more! Show Notes: hernandiaz.net Trust by Hernan Diaz (Amazon Affiliate) Hernan Diaz Amazon Author Page (Amazon Affiliate) Pulitzer Prizes 2023: A Guide to the Winning Books and Finalists - NY Times Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning author Ruta Sepetys shares her insights on storytelling, underrepresented stories, and the importance of personal memories in crafting compelling narratives. Learn about her transition from the music industry to successful novelist, the Four Hs of the 'excitement of life', and her latest creative guide for writers.

New York Times bestselling author, J. Ryan Stradal, spoke to me about the unsurpassed passive aggressiveness of Midwesterners, writing about the restaurant industry during the pandemic, and his latest novel SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE LAKESIDE SUPPER CLUB.J. Ryan Stradal is the award-winning and New York Times bestselling author of Kitchens of the Great Midwest and national bestseller The Lager Queen of Minnesota, named one of the year's best books by NPR, USA Today, Booklist, and many others.His latest novel is Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club, described as “... a sharp and poignant tale of a couple from two different restaurant families in rural Minnesota – one has inherited her grandparents’ old-fashioned supper club, and the other is heir to a chain of homestyle diners (known for putting those supper clubs out of business).” The book was named An Amazon Best Book of April 2023.New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay said of the novel, “This is a perfect book.” And in a starred review, Kirkus called it, “A loving ode to supper clubs, the Midwest, and the people there who try their best to make life worth living.”J. Ryan Stradal has also worked extensively in TV, story editing and producing shows for VH-1, MTV, ABC, FOX, TLC, A&E, Discovery, and History. Working primarily for Original Productions from 2008 to 2014, he was the senior story producer on “Deadliest Catch” and “Ice Road Truckers” and a supervising producer on "Storage Wars," and “Storage Wars: Texas.”[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, J. Ryan Stradal and I discussed:  What it was like during the sunset of the halcyon days at MTV and VH1 Producing a popular reality TV show in the Canadian Arctic How he wrote a novel in the margins of editing Storage Wars  The unique dining experience of a Midwestern supper club Why writers need to ditch perfection And a lot more! Show Notes: jryanstradal.com Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club by J. Ryan Stradal (Amazon) J. Ryan Stradal Amazon Author Page J. Ryan Stradal on Instagram J. Ryan Stradal on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices