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

The recent Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University and acclaimed author of the award-winning short story collection Hot Little Hands, Abigail Ulman, visited the show this week to talk about having a beer with George Saunders, the life of a traveling freelancer, and the idiosyncrasies of great writers. 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! In addition to being a freelance copywriter and screenwriter, the native Australian author and self-confessed gypsy has followed in the footsteps of other famous itinerant writers. At Stanford’s two-year creative writing fellowship she got the chance to study with great writers like Tobias Wolff and Colm Toibin. Other notable fellows — to name a few — have included Raymond Carver, Ken Kesey, Scott Turow, Thomas McGuane, and Larry McMurtry. Abigail’s short stories invited the interest of publishers, and her first book, Hot Little Hands, went on to win a 2016 Best Young Australian Novelist Award and is a collection of “… heartbreakingly tender and often darkly funny fiction.” Lena Dunham called it a “… highly inventive collection of short fiction which hits virtually all my buttons,” and Publishers Weekly said of the book, “The captivating women in this collection leave a lasting impression.” If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Abigail Ulman and I discuss: How a love of travel and words led her to Stanford University The emotional challenges she faced finishing her first book On the shift from the solitude of writing fiction to the collaborative nature of screenwriting How she tested out her interview skills on the biggest stage available Why she nerds out about her coffee ritual Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Award-Winning Short Story Writer Abigail Ulman Writes: Part Two Hot Little Hands: Fiction – Abigail Ulman The Agony and the Ecstasy of Girlhood – The Atlantic review Abigail Ulman on writer’s block Sydney Writers’ Festival – Podcast Sydney Writers’ Festival Abigail Ulman on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this file the associate editor and lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, and acclaimed author of the book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, Kory Stamper, paid me a visit to talk about being a celebrity word nerd, how she manages her time between the dictionary and her own writing, and the pending “pencil apocalypse.” 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! In addition to writing and editing for the oldest dictionary in the U.S., Kory gained notoriety when she appeared in Merriam-Webster’s popular “Ask the Editor” video series, short video blogs that tackle topics of “lexical contempt” like irregardless. Her non-fiction debut is titled Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, and it “… cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it, to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language.” Publishers Weekly called it a “… witty, sly, occasionally profane behind-the-scenes tour aimed at deposing the notion of real and proper English.” The New Yorker called it “illuminating,” and “An unlikely page-turner.” Kory also blogs about language and “defining the words that define us” on her own website, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and on Slate.com. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. If you missed the first half you can find it right here. In Part Two of this file Kory Stamper and I discuss: The importance of boredom, procrastination, deadlines, and staring into space Secrets on how lexicographers stays sane Why you should rethink your definition of creativity How to counteract the “tyranny of the alphabet” Her tendency to hoard rare pencils Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Merriam-Webster Lexicographer and Author Kory Stamper Writes: Part One Kory’s blog – KoryStamper.wordpress.com Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries – Kory Stamper Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster’s “Ask the Editor” video series on YouTube The Case Against the Grammar Scolds – The Atlantic Kory Stamper on npr’s Fresh Air Kory Stamper on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The associate editor and lexicographer at Merriam-Webster, and acclaimed author of the book Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, Kory Stamper, paid me a visit to talk about being a celebrity word nerd, how she manages her time between the dictionary and her own writing, and the pending “pencil apocalypse.” 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! In addition to writing and editing for the oldest dictionary in the U.S., Kory gained notoriety when she appeared in Merriam-Webster’s popular “Ask the Editor” video series, short video blogs that tackle topics of “lexical contempt” like irregardless. Her non-fiction debut is titled Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries, and it “… cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it, to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language.” Publishers Weekly called it a “… witty, sly, occasionally profane behind-the-scenes tour aimed at deposing the notion of real and proper English.” The New Yorker called it “illuminating,” and “An unlikely page-turner.” Kory also blogs about language and “defining the words that define us” on her own website, and her writing has appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and on Slate.com. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Kory Stamper and I discuss: How a want ad in a print newspaper led to her writing career The viral video blog that catapulted her into the spotlight Why your high school English teacher lied to you How Kory’s book will make you feel better about your frustrations with usage Why writing a book is also a full-time job Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. How Merriam-Webster Lexicographer and Author Kory Stamper Writes: Part Two Kory’s blog – KoryStamper.wordpress.com Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries – Kory Stamper Merriam-Webster Merriam-Webster’s “Ask the Editor” video series on YouTube Kory Stamper on npr’s Fresh Air The Case Against the Grammar Scolds – The Atlantic Kory Stamper on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Reformed “media manipulator,” proponent of stoic philosophy, expert marketer, and bestselling writer, Ryan Holiday, has accomplished more in ten years than most will in a lifetime. He spoke with Robert Bruce about how he does it … 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! Note: This episode contains a few phrases that some may find explicit. Ryan Holiday has written six bestselling books on topics as diverse as growth hacker marketing, practical stoicism, and the dark arts of the digital media landscape … and his next book — Perennial Seller — will be published in July. He ran marketing for American Apparel, one of the most notoriously successful brands in modern times, and now runs a thriving marketing shop of his own. The list of his accomplishments is a lot longer than that, but I think you get the idea. Oh, and did I mention he’s just 29 years old? Enjoy. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file Ryan Holiday and Robert Bruce discuss: How Ryan approaches the problem of procrastination Where he writes his books and essays How writers can compete against the recorded history of … everything Media Manipulation in the age of Trump His next book Perennial Seller, and why the long game is the only game Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details. Ryan Holiday Trust Me, I’m Lying Trust Me, I’m Lying Book Trailer Growth Hacker Marketing The Daily Stoic Perennial Seller Ryan Holiday on Twitter Robert Bruce on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this file the multiple award-winning, internationally published author, podcaster, and writing coach, K.M. Weiland, stopped by the show to chat with me about Helping Writers Become Authors, balancing creativity and logic, and beating writer’s block. 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! As an award-winning author of acclaimed writing guides — including standouts Outlining Your Novel, Structuring Your Novel, and Creating Character Arcs — Ms. Weiland uses part of her writing day helping mentor authors via her online writer’s community. Her website Helping Writers Become Authors has collected many accolades, including Writer’s Digest “Best Websites for Writers” multiple years running, and nurtures a community of scribes dedicated to helping “… show you how to write your best story — change your life — and astound the world.” In addition to developing an app for writers, her weekly podcast, and steady social media presence, Katie also somehow finds time to write and self-publish both historical and speculative fiction. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. If you missed the first half you can find it right here. In Part Two of this file K.M. Weiland and I discuss: Her love of Scrivener for taking notes, organizing, and outlining her books How writers can combat “internet brain” Why tapping into your subconscious is vital for writers How to manage your creative energy Why writers need tap into their “rascal spirits” Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com Toby Lyles, podcast editor and wizard at TwentyFourSound.com How Award-Winning Author & Educator K.M. Weiland Writes: Part One KMWeiland.com HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com K.M. Weiland on Amazon Helping Writers Become Authors Podcast – K.M. Weiland Novel Finding: Reading Literary Fiction Improves Empathy K.M. Weiland on Facebook K.M. Weiland on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The multiple award-winning, internationally published author, podcaster, and writing coach, K.M. Weiland, stopped by the show to chat with me about Helping Writers Become Authors, balancing creativity and logic, and beating writer’s block. 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! As an award-winning author of acclaimed writing guides including standouts Outlining Your Novel, Structuring Your Novel, and Creating Character Arcs Ms. Weiland uses part of her writing day to help mentor authors via her online writer’s community. Her website Helping Writers Become Authors has collected many accolades, including Writer’s Digest “Best Websites for Writers” multiple years running, and nurtures a community of scribes dedicated to helping “… show you how to write your best story — change your life — and astound the world.” In addition to developing an app for writers, her weekly podcast, and steady social media presence, Katie also somehow finds time to write and self-publish both historical and speculative fiction. If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews. In Part One of this file K.M. Weiland and I discuss: How sharing her writing journey launched her career as both an author and educator What writers need to remember about the intersection of business and art Why if you’re going to be a writer … you have to read How her routine helps her easily shift gears from fiction to non-fiction On Conquering Writer’s Block and Summoning Inspiration Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com How Award-Winning Author & Educator K.M. Weiland Writes: Part Two KMWeiland.com HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com K.M. Weiland on Amazon Helping Writers Become Authors Podcast – K.M. Weiland Outlining Your Novel Workbook Computer Program Copyblogger.com K.M. Weiland on Facebook K.M. Weiland on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this file the prolific, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author, Catherynne M. Valente, took a break at her spooky writer’s island to chat with me about her superhero origin story, earning street cred with readers, and her truly unique process.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!Since her first novel — The Labyrinth, published in 2004 — the hybrid author has gone on to pen over 24 volumes of both fiction and poetry across multiple genres (including fantasy, sci-fi, young adult, and horror).In addition to being published and anthologized in dozens of print and online journals, Catherynne has won or been nominated for every major award in her field, including the Hugo Award (for both a novel and a podcast), and been a finalist for both the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards.She is perhaps best known for her crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making — a book launched by a dedicated online fan community that went on to become a NY Times bestseller.The series — which recently concluded with book five, The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home — has been lauded by fellow author Neil Gaiman, and Time magazine called it, “One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century.”The prolific author continues to find innovative ways to connect with her audience, and she recently launched a Patreon project called “The Mad Fiction Laboratory,” where she offers professional and personalized advice on the business and craft of writing, as well as a sneak peek at her multiple works-in-progress.If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews.If you missed the first half you can find it right here.In Part Two of this file Catherynne Valente and I discuss: Her love of Spotify playlists for writing inspiration Why the first draft doesn’t have to be perfect Her organizational hack for Scrivener writers Why your personal creative outlet is important for your sanity Where the author keeps her three Oxford English Dictionaries and 24 tarot decks Why writers need to read everything Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ...Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 200,000 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com How Bestselling Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author Catherynne M. Valente Writes: Part One CatherynneMValente.com Catherynne M. Valente on Amazon Cat’s Patreon project – “The Mad Fiction Laboratory” Cat Valente on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The prolific, multiple award-winning, New York Times bestselling author, Catherynne M. Valente, took a break at her spooky writer’s island to chat with me about her superhero origin story, earning street cred with readers, and her truly unique process.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!Since her first novel — The Labyrinth, published in 2004 — the hybrid author has gone on to pen over 24 volumes of both fiction and poetry across multiple genres (including fantasy, sci-fi, young adult, and horror).In addition to being published and anthologized in dozens of print and online journals, Catherynne has won or been nominated for every major award in her field, including the Hugo Award (for both a novel and a podcast), and been a finalist for both the Nebula and World Fantasy Awards.She is perhaps best known for her crowdfunded phenomenon The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making — a book launched by a dedicated online fan community that went on to become a NY Times bestseller.The series — which recently concluded with book five, The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home — has been lauded by fellow author Neil Gaiman, and Time magazine called it, “One of the most extraordinary works of fantasy, for adults or children, published so far this century.”The prolific author continues to find innovative ways to connect with her audience, and she recently launched a Patreon project called “The Mad Fiction Laboratory,” where she offers professional and personalized advice on the business and craft of writing, as well as a sneak peek at her multiple works-in-progress.If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews.In Part One of this file Catherynne Valente and I discuss: How to write a novel in three to ten days The story behind her four-month “circus” book tour and the birth of a viral bestseller Her love of performance Previews of her three wildly different upcoming projects The umbrella cover museum that doubles as her office Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ...Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 200,000 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to StudioPress.com How Bestselling Fantasy & Sci-Fi Author Catherynne M. Valente Writes: Part Two CatherynneMValente.com Catherynne M. Valente on Amazon Cat’s Patreon project – “The Mad Fiction Laboratory” James Patterson Teaches Writing Cat Valente on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of this interview the senior culture writer for Buzzfeed News and author of the debut novel Startup, Doree Shafrir, took a few minutes to talk with me about the early days at Gawker, her highly-anticipated fiction debut, and her tips for getting words onto the page.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!The veteran online journalist started out at the Philadelphia Weekly before taking a position at Gawker in 2006. She went on to work as an editor and staff writer for Rolling Stone, The New York Observer, and has contributed to publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Slate, The Awl, New York Magazine, The Daily Beast, and WIRED.Her whip-smart debut novel is Startup, a satirical skewering of startup culture in New York City “…that proves there are some dilemmas that no app can solve.”Vanity Fair’s Nick Bilton, former tech and business columnist for the New York Times, said of the book, “I was hooked from the first page and found myself lost in a beautifully-written fiction that so succinctly echoes today’s bizarre reality.”Doree also co-hosts a podcast with husband and Nerdist alum, TV writer Matt Mira, titled “Matt and Doree’s Eggcellent Adventure,” described as an “…unintentionally hilarious journey through the world of infertility.”If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, click subscribe to automatically see new interviews.If you missed the first half you can find it right here.In Part Two of this file Doree Shafrir and I discuss: The reality and frustration of writer’s block Why she made the revelatory move from Microsoft Word to Scrivener How the author manages stress (hint: HGTV) The city as muse Why done is sometimes better than good Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ... Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 200,000 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to Rainmaker.FM/StudioPress How Senior BuzzFeed Writer and Author of Startup Doree Shafrir Writes: Part One Doree-Shafrir.com Meet Startup Author Doree Shafrir – Tour Dates Startup: A Novel – Doree Shafrir Doree Shafrir is a culture writer for BuzzFeed Sex, Lies and Tech: How New Novel Skewers Startup Culture – Rolling Stone Episode 865: Nerdist Podcast – Doree Shafrir 24 Quotes That Will Inspire You To Write More – Doree Shafrir Doree Shafrir on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The senior culture writer for Buzzfeed News and author of the debut novel Startup, Doree Shafrir, took a few minutes to talk with me about the early days at Gawker, her highly-anticipated fiction debut, and her tips for getting words onto the page.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!The veteran online journalist started out at the Philadelphia Weekly before taking a position at Gawker in 2006. She went on to work as an editor and staff writer for Rolling Stone, The New York Observer, and has contributed to publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Slate, The Awl, New York Magazine, The Daily Beast, and WIRED.Her whip-smart debut novel is Startup, a satirical skewering of startup culture in New York City “…that proves there are some dilemmas that no app can solve.”Vanity Fair’s Nick Bilton, former tech and business columnist for the New York Times, said of the book, “I was hooked from the first page and found myself lost in a beautifully-written fiction that so succinctly echoes today’s bizarre reality.”Doree also co-hosts a podcast with husband and Nerdist alum, TV writer Matt Mira, titled “Matt and Doree’s Eggcellent Adventure,” described as an “…unintentionally hilarious journey through the world of infertility.”If you’re a fan of The Writer Files you can find us on Apple Podcasts, and please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews as soon as they’re published.In Part One of this file Doree Shafrir and I discuss: The writer’s journey from Gawker content creator to buzzworthy debut novelist How her user-generated Tumblr got her a book deal Why she doesn’t own her personal domain name How to research and create a believable antagonist The challenges she faced making the shift from journo to fictionist The Show Notes: If you’re ready to see for yourself why over 200,000 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — just go to Rainmaker.FM/StudioPress How Senior BuzzFeed Writer and Author of ‘Startup’ Doree Shafrir Writes: Part Two Doree-Shafrir.com Meet Startup Author Doree Shafrir – Tour Dates Startup: A Novel – Doree Shafrir www.PostCardsfromYoMomma.com Doree Shafrir is a culture writer for BuzzFeed Sex, Lies and Tech: How New Novel Skewers Startup Culture – Rolling Stone Episode 865: Nerdist Podcast – Doree Shafrir 24 Quotes That Will Inspire You To Write More – Doree Shafrir Doree Shafrir on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices