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

Douglas Vigliotti, an author of four books, including "Aristotle for Novelists," shares insights on timeless storytelling principles. He discusses how Aristotle's 'Poetics' continues to shape narratives today, emphasizing the cathartic power of well-told stories. Vigliotti argues that tragedies resonate more deeply than epics and critiques writers who don’t read extensively. He also explores the challenges modern readers face and reflects on his journey from sports to storytelling, highlighting the importance of structure and character development.

Christina Lynch, a New York Times bestselling author, shares her journey from fashion burnout to writing whimsical tales. She discusses her latest novel, 'Pony Confidential,' narrated by a grumpy yet lovable pony, and explores the emotional impact of writing during challenging times. Christina reveals her experience with collaborative writing in TV, working alongside Conan O'Brien, and how a game with a fellow writer sparked her bestseller. With humor and heart, she emphasizes resilience in the face of rejection and the support needed for creative growth.

Note: I revisited a chat with the soothsayer A.M. Homes from 2022.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 ...[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 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

Note: I revisited a chat with multi-hyphenate Rob McElhenney from 2020.The writer, producer, and actor best known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rob McElhenney, took a timeout during the apocalypse to rap with me about how he runs his writer's room, his humble beginnings and admiration for the great TV comedies, and his advice for aspiring TV producers."Everyone is going through the same things. At least, people who respect science are. That sense of loneliness and despair ... needs to be addressed in some way, but ultimately we want to leave people with a sense of optimism." – Rob McElhenneyFX recently renewed his irreverent "It’s Always Sunny..." for a 15th season, making it officially the longest-running live-action sitcom in US history.The multihyphenate's latest, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, is a comedy series "...that follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game,"The Apple TV+ show was co-created with "Sunny" alums Charlie Day and Megan Ganz (executive produced by McElhenney and Day), and has been described as "... the travails of a boisterous video game studio – think Silicon Valley meets Veep."*Note: Though I was lucky enough to catch Rob in his natural LA habitat, sadly the interview was cut short due to technical difficulties, our apologies for the abrupt ending.[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 Rob McElhenney and I discussed: How It's Alway Sunny in Philadelphia almost didn't make it to the fourth seasonThe inner-workings of a perpetual creativity engineHow little episodic and streaming models of TV differ from a sitcom producer's perspectiveHis relationships with Danny DeVito and F. Murray AbrahamThe evolution of "It's Always Sunny..." and why it stays culturally relevantAnd how the greatest indie production tool you own is in your pocketShow Notes: Rob McElhenney on IMDbMythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet – Apple TV+It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia now longest-running live-action comedy series ever after season 15 renewalRob McElhenney on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, recently brought me along on a creative journey called Hey, Creator!We’re back with another episode from the second season titled “It’s a Matter of Taste.” This is part two of a two-part conversation.Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he inspires creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[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 Jeff Goins and I discussed:How developing your taste is a process of trusting yourself and your experienceLearning to live in the moment Why it never gets better than the first sipThe art of learning to live a little more fully aliveAnd a lot more!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, recently brought me along on a creative journey called Hey, Creator!We’re back with another episode from the second season titled “It’s a Matter of Taste.” This is part one of a two-part conversation.Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he inspires creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[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 Jeff Goins and I discussed:Why an artist’s taste is everythingHow it takes time and effort to develop your palateWhy we can’t know what we like until we experience what we don’tThe importance of paying attentionAnd a lot more!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: I revisited a chat with the amazing Walter Mosley from 2021.Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, took a timeout to chat with me about how he didn't write a sentence he liked until age 35, the sprawling muse of Los Angeles, and his conflicted feelings after winning a big National Book Award.“Write your truth, and believe in it. And if your mother doesn’t like it ... too bad.” – Walter MosleyWalter is the first Black man to receive the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters for lifetime achievement in writing.The critically acclaimed author, playwright, screenwriter, and producer has written over 60 books including fiction (literary, mystery, and science fiction), writing guides, memoir, a YA novel, has won dozens of prestigious awards (including an Emmy), and been translated into 25 languages.His bestselling historical mysteries feature infamous, hard-boiled detective "Easy" Rawlins, a black PI living in the Watts neighborhood of LA.Blood Grove (Easy Rawlins Book 15) is the latest in that series and described as "... a novel of vast scope and intimate insight, and a soulful call for justice by any means necessary."Walter's work has also been adapted for film and TV including Devil in a Blue Dress (starring Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle and Jennifer Beals) and the HBO production of Always Outnumbered (starring Laurence Fishburne and Natalie Cole).Preview a sample of a podcast at the break from this week's sponsor Look Closer: The Found Fiction Podcast, more at foundfiction.org.[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 Walter Mosley and I discussed: His winding career pathHow the apex of post-hippie Los Angeles, California affected his writingWhat it was like to work with the late, Oscar-nominated filmmaker John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood)Why you need to read your drafts out loudAnd more! Show Notes: WalterMosley.comWalter Mosley Amazon author pageWriting Los Angeles: A Literary Anthology: A Library of America Special Publication (Amazon)Roger Zelazny Amazon author pageWalter Mosley on FacebookKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and my friend Jeff Goins, recently brought me along on a creative journey called Hey, Creator!We’re back with another episode from the second season we did together titled “Creative Idiots.”Jeff Goins helps creative people succeed. Through his bestselling books, courses, coaching, and speeches, he inspires creators to discover their voice and share it with the world.He is also the founder of Fresh Complaint, a bespoke creative agency that helps authors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs turn their stories and ideas into books that change the way people think.[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 Jeff Goins and I discussed:Why all art is a little scandalousWhen great artists play the tricksterHow humanity expands and evolves by pushing the boundaries of artAnd a lot more weird stuff!Show Notes:goinswriter.comfreshcomplaint.comHey, Creator! PodcastJeff Goins Amazon Author PageKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anne Lamott, a #1 New York Times bestselling author with four decades of teaching experience, shares inspiring insights into writing. She discusses the value of brave writing and the necessity of 'shitty first drafts' for growth. Lamott emphasizes the power of authenticity in storytelling and reflects on her journey to literary success, highlighting community's role in supporting writers. She also talks about the importance of consistent practice and the transformative process of crafting intricate narratives from simple beginnings.

Note: A revisiting of an amazing chat I had with Ashley Audrain. Also ...We’re excited to be partnering with Writers Rising as one of this year’s sponsors, and as a special gift to our listeners, we were able to get you a 10% discount on your in-person or virtual retreat ticket.Visit WritersRising.com today and enter code writerfiles10 to get that discount. Buy your ticket now before they sell out! We’ll see you there.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: Writers Rising 2024 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