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

In Part Two of this file the multi-hyphenate and bestselling author of over 20 books, Elizabeth Ann Atkins, returned to share her inspiring and winding journey from Pulitzer Prize nominated journalist to groundbreaking novelist, ghostwriter, educator, TV host, and health & wellness expert. "When you write from that intuitive voice, it's your truth. And writing from that is your power." - Elizabeth Ann Atkins She received a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University and her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the San Diego Tribune, Essence, Ebony and the Detroit News, for her articles on race which were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Elizabeth has written 20 books, including novels White Chocolate, Dark Secret (Amazon), and Twilight (a collaboration with Billy Dee Williams), and she's also one half of the indie publishing duo Two Sisters Writing and Publishing, with sibling Catherine, where the two share the mission to promote diverse voices in the book world. Their credo is to "... publish quality anthologies of exceptional short fiction and inspirational nonfiction..." and "... books by authors of color, [and] women writers." They offer consulting, editing, and ghostwriting services as well. Elizabeth has been featured on Oprah, Montel, NPR, Good Morning America Sunday and CBS Evening News, and also co-hosts a weekly TV talk show, MI Healthy Mind, with a focus on mental health and wellness. She is presently working on her memoir. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. If you missed the first half of this show you can find it right here. And if you’ve missed previous episodes of The Writer Files you can find them all in the show notes, in the archives at writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in. In Part Two of this file Elizabeth Ann Atkins and I discussed: How intuitive writing can give your voice a turbo boost Why unplugging from notifications and the internet is so important to avoid burnout The importance of exercise for staying sane and getting into a flow state How the author juggles multiple deadlines and stays so prolific The power of rituals and routines for productivity How to use self-awareness and naps to supercharge your output And more inspired advice from an author with one amazing laugh Show Notes: Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Elizabeth Ann Atkins' author page on Amazon Power Journal: A 28-Day Challenge (Amazon) Gods Answer is Know by Elizabeth Ann Atkins - Godsanswerisknow.com "Mental training changes brain structure and reduces social stress" - Science Daily Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Amazon) Two Sisters Writing - @2sisterswriting on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the PayPal Donate button to support The Writer Files with a secure PayPal donation   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The multi-hyphenate and bestselling author of over 20 books, Elizabeth Ann Atkins, joined me this week to share her inspiring and winding journey from Pulitzer Prize nominated journalist to groundbreaking novelist, ghostwriter, educator, TV host, and health & wellness expert. "I'm trying to help people see ourselves through our hearts and spirits instead of through our skin, our religions, and all the labels and divisions." - Elizabeth Ann Atkins She received a Master's degree in Journalism from Columbia University and her writing has appeared in the New York Times, the San Diego Tribune, Essence, Ebony and the Detroit News, for her articles on race which were nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Elizabeth has written 20 books, including novels White Chocolate, Dark Secret, and Twilight (a collaboration with Billy Dee Williams), and she's also one half of the indie publishing duo Two Sisters Writing and Publishing, with sibling Catherine, where the two share the mission to promote diverse voices in the book world. Their credo is to "... publish quality anthologies of exceptional short fiction and inspirational nonfiction..." and "... books by authors of color, [and] women writers." They offer consulting, editing, and ghostwriting services as well. Elizabeth has been featured on Oprah, Montel, NPR, Good Morning America Sunday and CBS Evening News, and also co-hosts a weekly TV talk show, MI Healthy Mind, with a focus on mental health and wellness. She is presently working on her memoir. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this two part file Elizabeth Ann Atkins and I discussed: How the author wrote herself into American literature What it's like to write a novel with Billy Dee Williams of Star Wars fame Why the author leans toward underdog and against-the-odds stories How she combines her passion for writing and health and wellness in her work The power of journaling and meditation for writers And how mindfulness and writing notes by hand can help you cut through all of those modern distractions Show Notes: How Bestselling Author Elizabeth Ann Atkins Writes: Part Two Two Sisters Writing and Publishing Elizabeth Ann Atkins' author page on Amazon Power Journal: A 28-Day Challenge Gods Answer is Know by Elizabeth Ann Atkins - Godsanswerisknow.com "Mental training changes brain structure and reduces social stress" - Science Daily "Here's why writing things out by hand makes you smarter" - Business Insider Two Sisters Writing - @2sisterswriting on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter  Please click the PayPal Donate button to support The Writer Files with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of another special edition of The Writer Files focused squarely on creativity and how to keep the creative juices flowing under duress, New York Times bestselling author, Austin Kleon, returned to talk about his journey, a wariness of technology, and his new book. "Do good work and share it with people." - Austin Kleon Austin Kleon has been deemed “one of the most interesting people on the Internet” (The Atlantic Magazine), and he is “a writer who draws,” best known for illustrated creativity manifestos Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work! His latest, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (Amazon), is the third book in his "box set." It offers ten simple, timeless, practical "...rules for how to stay creative, focused, and true to yourself — for life." Important messages for writers. His work has been translated into over twenty languages and featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS Newshour, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Kleon speaks about “creativity in the digital age” for organizations as varied as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. If you missed the first half of this show you can find it right here. And If you’ve missed previous episodes of The Writer’s Brain you can find them all in the show notes, in the archives at writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part Two of this two part file Austin Kleon and I discussed: Why unplugging is so important for writers A return to the importance of 'productive procrastination' The unsolvable tension for creatives between connection and disconnection The author's love of being lazy Why we need to redefine productivity The zen of Getting Things Done How 'you can be woke without waking to the news' Show Notes: This podcast is produced solely by yours truly and New Media Dojo, my production moniker, and I'm incredibly thankful to you for your continued listenership and loyalty. Please leave us a comment or question and visit the archives at writerfiles.fm where I humbly ask you to support the show with an anonymous, secure donation to help us keep going with more great writerly content. For listeners who donate $25 or more and leave me a message, I will include your name and the type of writing you're working on, on air or in the show notes. Just head over to writerfiles.fm and click the Donate button. Thank you, sincerely – Kelton Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation How to Stay Creative with Bestselling Author Austin Kleon: Part One AustinKleon.com Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon (Amazon) Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon (Amazon) Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part One Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl Getting Things Done by David Allen 'The Writer's Brain' on Productivity vs. Creativity: Part One Austin Kleon on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another special edition of The Writer Files focused squarely on creativity and how to keep the creative juices flowing under duress. New York Times bestselling author, Austin Kleon, returned to talk about his journey, a wariness of technology, and his new book. "Writers aren't born, they are made." - Austin Kleon Austin Kleon has been deemed “one of the most interesting people on the Internet” (The Atlantic Magazine), and he is “a writer who draws,” best known for illustrated creativity manifestos Steal Like an Artist and Show Your Work! His latest, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad (Amazon), is the third book in his "box set." It offers ten simple, timeless, practical "...rules for how to stay creative, focused, and true to yourself — for life." Important messages for writers. His work has been translated into over twenty languages and featured on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS Newshour, and The Wall Street Journal. Mr. Kleon speaks about “creativity in the digital age” for organizations as varied as Pixar, Google, SXSW, TEDx, and The Economist. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews In Part One of this two part file Austin Kleon and I discussed: How to stay inspired in crazy times Why life is hard and creative work is harder How to think of creativity like the movie Groundhog's Day Why you should stay mindful and 'practice in public' The importance of lists, rituals, routines, and writing every day And the authors that have shaped Austin's skepticism of technology and his creative journey Show Notes: This podcast is produced solely by yours truly and New Media Dojo, my production moniker, and I'm incredibly thankful to you for your continued listenership and loyalty. Please leave us a comment or question and visit the archives at writerfiles.fm where I humbly ask you to support the show with an anonymous, secure donation to help us keep going with more great writerly content. For listeners who donate $25 or more and leave me a message, I will include your name and the type of writing you're working on, on air or in the show notes. Just head over to writerfiles.fm and click the Donate button. Thank you, sincerely – Kelton Support The Writer Files with a secure PayPal donation How to Stay Creative with Bestselling Author Austin Kleon: Part Two AustinKleon.com Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad by Austin Kleon (Amazon) Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon Show Your Work! by Austin Kleon How Bestselling Author Austin Kleon Writes: Part One Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey 'The Writer's Brain' on Productivity vs. Creativity: Part One How WNYC Podcast Host and Author of 'Bored and Brilliant' Manoush Zomorodi Writes Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman  (Amazon) The Real World of Technology by Ursula M. Franklin Austin Kleon on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of another special edition of The Writer Files called “The Writer’s Brain,” with guest host neuroscientist Michael Grybko, we’ll dig back into the inextricable link between productivity and creativity, and the Catch-22 so many writers face as a result. This all began when Michael and I started a conversation about why we need to rethink our definition of productivity. As busyness, the cult of productivity, and multitasking seem to take over our lives, it’s easy to forget that the origins of the word productivity comes from the Latin, productivitas. Translation: creative power. Creativity — a topic Michael and I have discussed at length — is the beating heart of change, progress, and innovation, but our work-life scales are bending dangerously toward more busywork, distraction, inefficiency, and overall dissatisfaction. Truly scaling creativity requires productivity, so a balance must be struck between the two. Writing is a great example of this push and pull in the human brain. Luckily, research scientist Michael Grybko returned to the podcast to help me find some answers from the perspective of neuroscience. If you missed the first half of this show you can find it right here. And If you’ve missed previous episodes of The Writer’s Brain you can find them all in the show notes, in the archives at writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part Two of this file Michael Grybko and I discuss: Why professional writers, musicians, and athletes all share similar brain activity How adrenaline, mind-wandering, dreams, and the default mode network affect productivity and creativity Einstein’s theory of “combinatory play” for greater productivity Why your brain’s ability to filter out irrelevant information is so important to creativity And tips for anyone “drowning in data and starved for wisdom” The Show Notes ‘The Writer’s Brain’ on Productivity vs. Creativity: Part One The Best of 'The Writer's Brain' Part One: Creativity The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Two: Empathy The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Three: Storytelling The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Four: Writer’s Block The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Five: Fake News The Writer s Brain on Impostor Syndrome: Part One Productivity vs. Creativity, the Content Creator’s Catch-22 Rethink Your Definition of Productivity to Squash Uninspired Filler How to Outsmart Writer s Block with Neuroscience Mapping Creativity in the Brain: New research sheds some light on the neuroscience of improvising – The Atlantic This Is Your Brain on Writing Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome back to another special edition of The Writer Files called “The Writer’s Brain,” a guest series with neuroscientist Michael Grybko, and in this episode we’ll dig into the inextricable link between productivity and creativity, and the Catch-22 so many writers face as a result.  This all began when Michael and I started a conversation about why we need to rethink our definition of productivity. As busyness, the cult of productivity, and multitasking seem to take over our lives, it’s easy to forget that the origins of the word productivity comes from the Latin, productivitas. Translation: creative power. Creativity — a topic Michael and I have discussed at length — is the beating heart of change, progress, and innovation, but our work-life scales are bending dangerously toward more busywork, distraction, inefficiency, and overall dissatisfaction. Truly scaling creativity requires productivity, so a balance must be struck between the two. Writing is a great example of this push and pull in the human brain. Luckily, research scientist Michael Grybko returned to the podcast to help me find some answers from the perspective of neuroscience. If you’ve missed previous episodes of The Writer’s Brain you can find them all in the show notes, in the archives at writerfiles.fm, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you tune in. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Michael Grybko and I discuss: How neuroscience views the complex interplay between productivity and creativity Why writers often struggle to finish longer projects The great irony of the “10 year overnight success” How memory plays such a big part in productivity Why so many writing instructors prescribe “life experience” for great writing How always on, open concept workspaces can actually hinder both productivity and creativity And the close study of musicians, artists, and the pitfalls of mapping creativity in the brain The Show Notes: ‘The Writer’s Brain’ on Productivity vs. Creativity: Part Two The Best of 'The Writer's Brain' Part One: Creativity The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Two: Empathy The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Three: Storytelling The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Four: Writer’s Block The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Five: Fake News The Writer s Brain on Impostor Syndrome: Part One Productivity vs. Creativity, the Content Creator’s Catch-22 Rethink Your Definition of Productivity to Squash Uninspired Filler How to Outsmart Writer s Block with Neuroscience Mapping Creativity in the Brain: New research sheds some light on the neuroscience of improvising – The Atlantic This Is Your Brain on Writing Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy holidays from the Writer Files, this is just a quick update that we are on hiatus until 2019. Thank you so much for listening and helping us find our audience! I hope 2018 has been a creative, productive, and successful year for your writing life and career, and that you’re setting some ambitious goals for 2019. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews, and leave us a rating or a review on APPLE PODCASTS to help your fellow scribes find us. I am very looking forward to wiping the slate clean myself and we have some great episodes to look forward to to kick off the podcast when we return in January. We'll start the next year with a Writer's Brain episode, featuring my esteemed serial co-host and friend, neuroscientist Michael Grybko. He and I got a chance to sit down over coffee in the studio to talk about the fascinating, inextricable link between productivity and creativity on a double-wide special edition of the podcast. Of course we have more bestselling authors and journalists in the queue where we ll continue our study of their habits, habitats, and brains to learn their secrets. We'll have more self-publishing superstars in the mix for 2019 and of course more writer porn, so stay tuned for episodes with the illustrious Adam Skolnick and the reclusive Robert Bruce. I hope you learned as much as I did about how successful writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving and avoid writer s block, and I also hope you had a chance to reflect on all you’ve accomplished or hope to accomplish in the coming year. A big shout out to my two associate producers this year, long time collaborator Clare Garrett, and more recently, the talented Claire Emerson. This show couldn't happen without your help. You can also explore our archives to find interviews with notable guests that include bestselling authors John Scalzi (Old Man’s War), Greg Iles (Natchez Burning), Jay McInerney (Bright Lights, Big City), Kevin Kelly (founder of WIRED magazine), Emma Donoghue (Oscar Nominee for Room), Maria Konnikova (The Confidence Game), Andy Weir (The Martian), Dan Buettner (The Blue Zones), Austin Kleon (Steal Like an Artist), Daniel Pink (When), and many others. Thank you for tuning in, catch you next year! Show Notes: Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this file the audiobook publisher, award-winning podcast producer, and internationally acclaimed speaker, Tina Dietz, returned to wrap up our chat about her passion for helping authors grow their audiences, why you should produce an audiobook, and the bright future of audio content. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By   Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Tina is an entrepreneur and content marketing expert who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Huffington Post, and Forbes (to name a few), and her company, StartSomething Creative Business Solutions, helps authors and entrepreneurs expand their audiences with audio content. She is an award-winning podcaster and an expert in leveraging and repurposing content, and her company specializes deeply in audiobook production and publishing for one simple reason … It’s “… the fastest growing, in-demand segment of the book publishing industry,” and the barrier to entry is dropping rapidly. Tina and her cohorts love to help authors expand their audiences, income, influence, and opportunities. If you missed the first half you can find it here. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part Two of this file Tina Dietz and I talk about: The surprising truth about who should, and who should not, narrate their own audiobook How to decide whether to invest the time and money in professional voice narration or go DIY The art and science that goes into a bestselling audiobook Why you can’t rush professionally produced audio Where to send your audiobook once it s finished The future of audio content and smart coffee makers And why you need to fall in love with your own voice and message The Show Notes: The Bright Future of Audiobooks with Tina Dietz: Part One StartSomething Creative Business Solutions – StartSomethingPositive.com StartSomething Creative Business Solutions on Facebook ACX Findaway Tina’s Blog & Free Resources (incl. Secrets of the 3 Billion Dollar Audiobook World) Tina Dietz on LinkedIn Tina Dietz on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week audiobook publisher, award-winning podcast producer, and internationally acclaimed speaker, Tina Dietz, took a timeout to chat with me about her passion for helping authors grow their audiences, why you should produce an audiobook, and the bright future of audio content. Tina is an entrepreneur and content marketing expert who has been featured on ABC, Inc.com, Huffington Post, and Forbes (to name a few), and her company, StartSomething Creative Business Solutions, helps authors and entrepreneurs expand their audiences with audio content. She is an award-winning podcaster and an expert in leveraging and repurposing content, and her company specializes deeply in audiobook production and publishing for one simple reason … It’s “… the fastest growing, in-demand segment of the book publishing industry,” and the barrier to entry is dropping rapidly. Tina and her cohorts love to help authors expand their audiences, income, influence, and opportunities. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Tina Dietz and I talk about: The Renaissance of audiobooks, the fastest growing format in publishing When authors should start thinking about audiobook production The importance of reading your book out loud for editing Tina’s twisty journey from voice acting to helping authors’ tell their own stories with audio Why audiobooks are more popular than ever And who can benefit the most from publishing an audiobook today The Show Notes: The Bright Future of Audiobooks with Tina Dietz: Part Two StartSomething Creative Business Solutions – StartSomethingPositive.com StartSomething Creative Business Solutions on Facebook The Messengers: A Podcast Documentary Tina’s Blog & Free Resources (incl. Secrets of the 3 Billion Dollar Audiobook World) Tina Dietz on LinkedIn Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this file the acclaimed New York Times bestselling sci-fi author, Richard K. Morgan, spoke with me from overseas about his winding journey from English tutor to bestseller, having his novel adapted for the small screen, what it’s like to write for Marvel comics, and his unique take on creativity and the writing life. Richard is best known as the award-winning author of the noir sci-fi novel Altered Carbon (Amazon), a New York Times Notable and Philip K. Dick Award winner, that was recently turned into a hit Netflix series. [Beware: Some ‘explicit’ language.] The author of the hard-boiled, “carbon-black,” futuristic thriller series, the Takeshi Kovacs novels (including Altered Carbon), also writes the dark fantasy series A Land Fit for Heroes (The Steel Remains, The Cold Commands, and The Dark Defiles). His award-winning novels also include stand-alones Market Forces (also optioned for film) and Thirteen, and he’s the author of two volumes of Black Widow comics for Marvel, as well as the Crysis 2 and Syndicate computer games. His latest novel, Thin Air, is described as “an atmospheric tale of corruption and abduction set on Mars” and it’s a return to his signature hardboiled sci-fi that The New York Times Book Review called, “Ferociously readable.” Join us for this two-part interview. If you missed the first half you can find it here. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part Two of the file Richard K. Morgan and I discussed: The writing life and the fallacy of “a hard day’s writing” How exercise, unplugging, and reading a lot jumpstart creativity Why good writers live inside of their work Richard’s candid takes on the incredible influence of Bladerunner and the critics reviews of the Altered Carbon Netflix series Why serious writers need grit, stamina, and self-confidence And his entreaty to all aspiring novelists The Show Notes: How Bestselling Sci-Fi Author Richard K. Morgan Writes: Part One Thin Air: A Novel – Richard K. Morgan (Amazon) RichardKMorgan.com Fragments of a Jet-lagged Dream – Richard K. Morgan Richard K. Morgan on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Please click the donate button to support the podcast with a secure PayPal donation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices