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

#PodcastersForJusticeNote: Hey, just a quick note that the podcast is on hiatus this week but we’re bringing back a fan favorite. Here is my interview with the amazing Tana French from late 2020, at the height of the pandemic. Catch you soon and thanks for your support!The New York Times bestselling crime novelist, Tana French, took a break to talk with me about her early training as an actress, her definition of creativity, and how to write through the tough times."I didn't know if I could write a book. I'd written short stories and really galactically bad teenager poetry, but I'd never tried to write a book before." — Tana FrenchThe author has written eight mystery novels and is considered a master of suspense and the modern psychological thriller. Her work has been compared to writers including James Ellroy and Donna Tartt, and has been called "incandescent" by Stephen King, and "absolutely mesmerizing" by Gillian Flynn.Her novels have sold over three million copies and won numerous awards, including the Edgar and Barry awards, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller, and the Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction.Her latest bestseller, The Searcher, is her second stand-alone novel, and she was described by The Washington Post as "...the most important crime novelist to emerge in the past 10 years."Stay tuned for a clip from The Searcher audiobook at the break, “... excerpted courtesy [of] Penguin Random House Audio ... read by Roger Clark.”Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Tana French and I discussed: Her "galactically" bad poetry The archaeological dig that inspired “In the Woods,” her Edgar-winning 2007 debut novel How she came to riff on the Western genre in her latest And why writers need to fight off the struggle of isolation Show Notes: TanaFrench.com The Searcher: A Novel by Tana French [Amazon] Tana French Amazon page The Essential Tana French, The New York Times Tana French on FaceBook Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticeAward-winning, queer, Jamaican-American writer, videographer, activist, and debut memoirist, Prince Shakur, spoke to me about James Baldwin's legacy, writing towards his father's murder, and his latest, "When They Tell You To Be Good."Prince Shakur is a freelance journalist, videomaker, and New York Times recognized organizer whose debut memoir, When They Tell You To Be Good, is about his "political coming of age in Obama and Trump’s America." It is a Powell's Holiday Pick for 2022 and a TIME, Poets & Writers, Publishers Weekly, them, The Week, Debutiful, and Book Riot Best “Book of Fall.”Described as an exploration of "... his radicalization and self-realization through examinations of place, childhood, queer identity, and a history of uprisings," the memoir won the Hurston/Wright Crossover Award and has earned him residencies with Sangam House, La Maison Baldwin, The Studios of Key West, and The Atlantic Center for the Arts. As a freelance journalist Shakur has penned numerous op-eds, essays, and features in Teen Vogue, Daily Dot, CodaStory, Cultured Magazine, AfroPunk, and more. His writings have been used in university classrooms, including Nikkita Oliver’s Prison Abolition course offered at the University of Washington.Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Prince Shakur and I discussed: How he hustled as a young freelance journalist The black, queer, activist experience Why he feels the need to push past the notion of "bearing witness" What it's like to navigate anti-blackness abroad The urgency of artwork in the face of death Why artist residencies and grants are so important for writers And a lot more! Show Notes: princeshakur.com When They Tell You To Be Good by Prince Shakur (Amazon) Prince Shakur on Instagram Prince Shakur on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, Deanna Raybourn, spoke to me about how she still feels like a debut author, why she doesn't read reviews, and her new contemporary thriller "Killers of a Certain Age."Deanna Raybourn is the author of 19 books including the award-winning, New York Times bestselling Lady Julia Grey series, as well as the USA Today bestselling and Edgar Award-nominated Veronica Speedwell Mysteries, and several stand-alone works.Her latest is Killers of a Certain Age, described as "a witty contemporary spy thriller perfect for fans of Killing Eve and Ocean’s Eight." An instant New York Times bestseller and an Amazon Best Book of Month 2022, Buzzfeed said of the book, “This Golden Girls meets James Bond thriller is a journey you want to be part of."Deanna Raybourn graduated with a double major in English and history from the University of Texas at San Antonio.Stay tuned until the end of the show for a preview of the Audiobook, excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn, read by Jane Oppenheimer and Christina Delaine.Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Deanna Raybourn and I discussed: Why her agent told her to stop writing for a whole year What it feels like to get that first three-book deal How she came to writing older women doing kick-ass things When she turns into a feral author in her pajamas Why writers need to trust their inner voice And a lot more! Show Notes: deannaraybourn.com Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn (Amazon) Deanna Raybourn on Instagram Deanna Raybourn on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist, hit entertainment podcaster, and debut novelist, Bobby Finger, spoke to me about writing for Jezebel, turning a screenplay into a novel, and his debut, "The Old Place."Bobby Finger is a writer and co-host of the popular celebrity and entertainment podcast, Who? Weekly, "The podcast that tells you everything you need to know about celebrities you don’t."His debut novel is The Old Place, described as "A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town."It has been named Washington Post‘s 10 Noteworthy Books for September, People‘s Best New Books, Town & Country’s 45 Must-Read Books of Fall, New York’s 25 Notable New Releases, Kirkus Review‘s 150 Most Anticipated Fall Books, LitHub‘s Most Anticipated Books of 2022, among many others.New York Times bestselling author Emma Straub said of the book, “I loved being inside this skillful novel—at the planning parties for church fundraisers, learning to drive with a can of beer in the cupholder, and in the heads of some wonderfully tangy old Texan ladies. Bobby Finger has built a rich world in The Old Place, and I will think of it every time I make toast.”Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Bobby Finger and I discussed: Growing up in a small Texas town His start in copywriting and freelance journalism Writing screenplays in the margins Becoming a full-time podcaster How to write autofiction with a twist What happens when people leave, and those left behind And a lot more! Show Notes: whoweekly.us The Old Place By Bobby Finger (Amazon) Bobby Finger on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling, award-winning author A.M. Homes, spoke to me about getting sued by J.D. Salinger, the irony of winning the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her latest "The Unfolding."A.M. Homes is a TV producer, art critic, and the author of 13 books, including the bestselling memoir The Mistress’s Daughter. Her last novel, May We Be Forgiven, was the winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction.Her latest novel is The Unfolding, described as a "... darkly comedic alternative history that takes us into the heart of a fractured family living in a divided country."New York Times bestselling author Salman Rushdie called the book, “A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth.”A.M. Homes was a Co-Executive Producer and Writer on David E. Kelly and Stephen King’s, Mr. Mercedes, and a writer/producer of the Showtime series The L Word.Her work has been translated into 22 languages and appears frequently in Art Forum, Harpers, Granta, McSweeney's, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Zoetrope. She is a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair, Bomb and Blind Spot, and she has taught in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton.Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file A.M. Homes and I discussed: Her early struggles with dyslexia Why awards and votes of confidence are so important for writers How she helped hire Dennis Lehane to write for Mr. Mercedes  Her strange obsession with George Washington and her claim to Capitol Hill How to write your way out of a jam And a lot more! Show Notes: amhomesbooks.com The Unfolding: A Novel by A.M. Homes (Amazon) A.M. Homes on Facebook A.M. Homes on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticeBestselling, award-winning author Candice Carty-Williams, spoke to me about the tragicomic nature of being, winning "Book of the Year" at the British Book Awards, and her latest "People Person."Candice Carty-Williams is a TV producer, culture writer, and author of the international bestseller Queenie, a book that was named a best book of the year by NPR, TIME, PARADE, The Guardian, Good Housekeeping, Marie Claire, and many others.She also became the first black woman to win the "Book of the Year" award at the British Book Awards for Queenie in 2020.Her latest novel is People Person, a book described as an "... insightful novel about the power of family — even when they seem like strangers." The Guardian called it, “A big-hearted story of a young woman coming to terms with her complicated London family from the author of the game-changing Queenie.”Candice created and launched the Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize in 2016, the first initiative of its kind in book publishing for underrepresented writers. She has written for The Guardian, i-D, Vogue, every iteration of The Sunday Times (London), BEAT magazine, Black Ballad, and more.Her original drama, "Champion," will be airing on BBC One in the U.K., and on Netflix globally, in 2023.Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Candice Carty-Williams and I discussed: Her early career in book marketing and the disparities she saw in publishing The inciting incident that inspired her latest How to balance humor and depth in fiction Why tragedy plus time equals comedy Great advice from Toni Morrison And a lot more! Show Notes: candicecartywilliams.com People Person By Candice Carty-Williams (Amazon) Guardian 4th Estate BAME Short Story Prize Candice Carty-Williams on Instagram Candice Carty-Williams on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticeAward-winning journalist and debut memoirist, Casey Parks, spoke to me about her lifelong reverence for journalism, the emotional cost of writing a memoir, and her debut "Diary of a Misfit."Casey Parks is a reporter for The Washington Post who covers gender and family issues. She spent a decade at The Oregonian writing about race and LGBTQ+ issues and was a finalist for the Livingston Award.A former Spencer Fellow at Columbia University, Parks was awarded the 2021 J. Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award for her debut memoir, Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery. Described as "... a sweeping journalistic saga about sexuality and gender, family trauma and the redemptive force of love...," Publishers Weekly – in a starred review – called the book, “A tantalizing blend of personal history and reportage .... A brilliantly rendered and complex portrait of Southern life alongside a tender exploration of queer belonging [and] a marvel to witness.”Casey's articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, The Oxford American, ESPN, USA Today, and The Nation.Stay calm and write on ...Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Casey Parks and I discussed: Earning $50 per story at the outset of her career ... ... to working in a virtual newsroom for The Washington Post Why that first byline in the New Yorker changes everything Asking permission to tell the stories of ghosts Why you can never take "no" as the final answer And a lot more! Show Notes: caseyparks.com Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery By Casey Parks (Amazon) Casey Parks for The Washington Post In the Deep South, a Search for Queer Identity - The New York Times Book Review Casey Parks on Facebook Casey Parks on Instagram Casey Parks on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJustice2021 winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Abdulrazak Gurnah, spoke to me about life after becoming a laureate, the difference between authors and writers, and his latest novel "Afterlives." The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 was awarded to Abdulrazak Gurnah "for his uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism and the fate of the refugee in the gulf between cultures and continents"The Tanzanian-born British novelist and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Kent, has written short stories, essays, and ten novels including Paradise (shortlisted for the Booker Prize), By the Sea (longlisted for the Booker Prize and a finalist for the LA Times Book Award), and Desertion.His latest novel, Afterlives, has been described as "... a sweeping, multi-generational saga of displacement, loss, and love, set against the brutal colonization of east Africa"The New York Times Book Review called the author, "... a master of the art form who understands human failings in conflicts both political and intimate — and how these shortcomings create afflictions from which nations and individuals continue to suffer, needlessly, generation after generation."Stay calm and write on ...Discover The Writer Files ExtraGet 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Abdulrazak Gurnah and I discussed: Finding global readers and acclaim two years after the UK release of his latest book The irony of becoming a Nobel laureate in literature  Why he always writes the final episode first The intergenerational trauma of war and how he chooses his protagonists Why you may be in the wrong business And a lot more! Show Notes: Afterlives: A Novel by Abdulrazak Gurnah The Nobel Prize in Literature 2021 Abdulrazak Gurnah Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticePushcart Prize-winning short story writer and debut novelist, LaToya Watkins, spoke to me about landing the cover of Publishers Weekly's Writers to Watch Fall 2022, the legacy of William Faulkner, and her debut "Perish."LaToya Watkins holds a PhD from the University of Texas at Dallas and her writing has appeared in A Public Space, The Sun, McSweeney's, Kenyon Review, The Pushcart Prize Anthology, and elsewhere.Her debut is Perish, a novel "... about a Black Texan family, exploring the effects of inherited trauma and intergenerational violence as the family comes together to say goodbye to their matriarch on her deathbed."It has been named A Most Anticipated Book of 2022 by Good Morning America, Essence, Esquire, The Millions, among others, and named Amazon’s best debuts in August 2022. The New York Times Book Review called Watkins’s Perish, "... an impressive feat of storytelling ... a difficult read and a tender story of silences and secrets."Stay calm and write on ...Discover The Writer Files ExtraGet 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file LaToya Watkins and I discussed: How she went from first-generation college grad to being compared to Alice Walker and Toni Morrison Carving out the time to write as a mother of three  How writing short stories prepared her to write the novel Why it takes her two hours to find her flow state Writing about intergenerational trauma and the cost of slavery And a lot more! Show Notes: latoyawatkins.com Perish: A Novel by LaToya Watkins Writers to Watch Fall 2022 - PW Has Texas Finally Found Its William Faulkner? LaToya Watkins on Instagram LaToya Watkins on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#PodcastersForJusticeLongtime literary critic and publishing insider, Bethanne Patrick, spoke to me about how she became a famed reviewer, where she puts all the books, and her new investigative podcast "Missing Pages."Bethanne Patrick is a writer, author, and critic whose monthly column on hot books appears in The Washington Post. An influencer in the book world, Bethanne (@TheBookMaven) has over 200K Twitter followers and originated the popular #FridayReads tag.She is also host to the all-new podcast Missing Pages, which investigates the good (rarely), the bad (frequently), and the messy (always) of the publishing industry.Described as an investigative podcast, "Missing Pages uncovers the power struggles, mistaken identities, and unfathomably bad behavior within the secretive world of book publishing. Each episode brings in authors, experts, publishing insiders, and a circus of NYC media elites to tell the real story; unfit for print."Bethanne's book reviews and author profiles have appeared in The Los Angeles Times, Poets & Writers magazine, NPR Books, Lit Hub and many others. She is the author of two books for National Geographic, an editor of an anthology for Regan Arts, and is currently writing a memoir for Counterpoint Press.Stay calm and write on ...Discover The Writer Files ExtraGet 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your InboxIf you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please "Follow" us to automatically see new interviews.In this file Bethanne Patrick and I discussed: How she became a self-styled book "maven" The logistical issues of receiving 20 books a week What it's like cracking the Cosa Nostra of publishing  Why disruption in the publishing industry can't come fast enough How to start your career by writing reviews And a lot more! Show Notes:bethannepatrick.comMissing Pages on Apple PodcastsInside the Push to Diversify the Book Business - NY TimesDOJ v. PRH: Agents, Publishers Move Center Stage by Bethanne Patrick for PWBethanne Patrick for The Washington PostBethanne Patrick on InstagramBethanne Patrick on FacebookBethanne Patrick on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices