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

Jami Attenberg, NY Times bestselling author, discusses documenting the writer's process, building a literary movement, and her latest writer's guide featuring essays from acclaimed authors. They explore topics such as the importance of writing, retirement savings, unique cover design, book structure, and author newsletters.

This is the second part of a year-end retrospective with award-winning indie journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, who returns to rap with me about show highlights from the last half of 2023, hot takes, and shootin’ the breeze.Adam Skolnick is an award-winning independent journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health, among others. Adam is co-author of Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within, the follow-up to David Goggins’ smash hit memoir Can’t Hurt Me. Adam is also the author of One Breath, has narrated David Goggins’ bestselling audiobooks, and co-hosted The Rich Roll Podcast, on the "Roll On" edition.[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 Adam Skolnick and I discussed:How Literary Critic & Publishing Insider Bethanne Patrick Writes: Part Two: The sui generis of the Colleen Hoover effectHow Award-Winning Climate Journalist Amy Westervelt Writes: Why more writers need to set their stories in the real worldHow Booker Prize-Winning Author Anne Enright Writes: The moment of burnout that changed her careerHow National Book Award Winner & Bestselling Author James McBride Writes: Why  some writers find no joy in being well-knownHow #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Emily Henry Writes: Part Two: What it feels like to live inside a lightning strikeShow Notes:Best of 2023 - Hot Takes and Shootin’ the Breeze with Adam Skolnick: Part OneAdamSkolnick.comNever Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within – by David Goggins (Amazon)Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by David Goggins (Amazon)Adam Skolnick on InstagramA Mostly Uncensored Chat with Award-Winning Journo Adam Skolnick21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part One21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part TwoKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the first part of a year-end retrospective with award-winning indie journalist and author, Adam Skolnick, who returns to rap with me about show highlights from the last half of 2023, hot takes, and shootin’ the breeze.Adam Skolnick is an award-winning independent journalist and author covering adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health, among others. Adam is co-author of Never Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within, the follow-up to David Goggins’ smash hit memoir Can’t Hurt Me. Adam is also the author of One Breath, has narrated David Goggins’ bestselling audiobooks, and co-hosted The Rich Roll Podcast, on the "Roll On" edition.\This is the last episode of the year but we’ll be back soon with more inspiration from your favorite authors. Happy Holidays![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 Adam Skolnick and I discussed:How Literary Critic & Publishing Insider Bethanne Patrick Writes: Part Two: The sui generis of the Colleen Hoover effectHow Award-Winning Climate Journalist Amy Westervelt Writes: Why more writers need to set their stories in the real worldHow Booker Prize-Winning Author Anne Enright Writes: The moment of burnout that changed her careerHow National Book Award Winner & Bestselling Author James McBride Writes: Why  some writers find no joy in being well-knownHow #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Emily Henry Writes: Part Two: What it feels like to live inside a lightning strikeShow Notes:Best of 2023 - Hot Takes and Shootin’ the Breeze with Adam Skolnick: Part TwoAdamSkolnick.comNever Finished: Unshackle Your Mind and Win the War Within – by David Goggins (Amazon)Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by David Goggins (Amazon)Adam Skolnick on InstagramA Mostly Uncensored Chat with Award-Winning Journo Adam Skolnick21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part One21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part TwoKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lucinda Halpern, founder and president of Lucinda Literary LLC turned author, discusses the importance of literary agents and shares insights into the publishing industry. They debunk publishing myths and offer advice for aspiring authors, emphasizing the importance of finding the right audience and debunking misconceptions about the publishing process.

Acclaimed debut novelist, Jo Segura, spoke with me about her love of the romance writing community, why natural history and archaeology are her jam, and her debut romcom RAIDERS OF THE LOST HEART.Jo Segura’s debut, Raiders of the Lost Heart, is described as an adventure romance about “Rival archaeologists [who] must team up on a secret Aztec expedition, [that] could leave their careers—and hearts—in ruins.Entertainment Weekly called it, “Romancing the Stone meets Indiana Jones in this thrilling adventure romance.” And Publishers Weekly said of the book, “Segura’s rip-roaring debut is sure to put her on the map."The book was named a LibraryReads Pick and Indie Next pick for December, Entertainment Weekly’s 41 New Fall Books We're Most Excited To Read, and Book Riot’s 8 Of The Best Romance Books With Action.[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 Jo Segura and I discussed:Why she dedicated a whole year to getting publishedHow she turned to escapist fare during the PandemicWriting her debut novel for NaNoWriMoThe reason she named her main character after her great-auntWhy writers have to find their people And a lot more!Show Notes:Josegura.comRaiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura [Amazon]Jo Segura on TwitterJo Segura on InstagramKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yale educator and TV writer/producer, Aaron Tracy, returns to chat with me about surviving the WGA writer’s strike, finally teaching the podcast at Yale, and his latest audio thriller on Audible, Nowhere Man, starring Lee Pace and Zosia Mamet.Aaron Tracy also teaches “The Art and Craft of Television Drama” at Yale University, and his TV credits include Law & Order: SVU, Fairly Legal, The Tap, and Sequestered, a serialized thriller that ran two seasons, for which he was Creator and Executive Producer. He is also a Creator, Director,  and Exec. Producer of scripted audio dramas for iHeartRadio, Audible, and Spotify, with various production partners including: Supreme: The Battle For Roe, his 9-part audio drama starring Eva Longoria (feat. Maya Hawke and William H. Macy); Murder in Bermuda (feat. Mary-Louise Parker); and many others.His most recent is Nowhere Man, a noir political thriller Executive Produced by and starring Lee Pace, with co-stars Zosia Mamet, and Chazz Palminteri. “Set in the mid-1980s, Nowhere Man is a dark, paranoid thriller about temptation and obsession through the prism of a profession most people don’t even know exists.”Aaron’s debut audio drama, The Coldest Case, a detective thriller starring Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter, and Alexis Bledel, premiered as the #1 download on Audible in 2021, and has since become the most downloaded show in Audible Plus history.[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 Aaron Tracy and I discussed:Why he loves the ‘80s period piecesHow his directing experience has shaped his writingWhy he teaches the narrative podcast the same way he teaches Television DramaThe two greatest innovations of the modern TV art form What aspiring TV writers should be readingAnd a lot more!Show Notes:How to Write a Bestselling Audio Drama with Writer/Producer Aaron Tracy: Part OneYale University – Aaron TracyAaron Tracy Audible PageAmazon Author Page for William Goldman Story by Robert McKee [Amazon]Save the Cat by Blake Snyder [Amazon]Aaron Tracy on IMdBAaron Tracy on TwitterKelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James McBride, bestselling author and National Book Award winner, discusses eschewing literary fame, his friendship with Spike Lee, and his latest novel. They explore the importance of leaving a writer's legacy, the challenges and rewards of being a writer, and the writing process. They also discuss an upcoming book tour and express gratitude and future plans for the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store.

Publishing legend, art historian, and author, Charles Scribner III, spoke with me about growing up surrounded by publishing, Hemingway’s Three Rules to Life, and his memoir/family history SCRIBNERS: FIVE GENERATIONS IN PUBLISHING.Charles Scribner III is an art historian, author, editor, and lecturer, who received his BA, MFA, and PhD from Princeton University in art and archaeology. He worked in publishing for nearly thirty years and is a prominent authority on Caravaggio, Bernini, Rubens, and other artists. He has written biographies on Rubens and Bernini; articles for Vanity Fair, Art & Antiques, among other publications; and has lectured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery, the Smithsonian, Christie’s, and various universities. His forthcoming family history, Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing, is about the inside story of 5 generations – over 150 years – at the legendary publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons.“The author, the fifth of the Charleses to work at that house of celebrated authors, provides … an inside view – ‘between the covers’ of illustrious and notorious books – of the family members, editors, and authors of this colorful literary history.”Kirkus Reviews called it "A charming memoir of a life in books," and Publishers Weekly called it “... a lively and refreshing must-read for those interested in the history of book publishing.”Charles remained at Scribners through three changes in ownership (Macmillan, Maxwell, and Viacom), overseeing the publication of its literary classics. He was also a commentator for TV documentaries on Edith Wharton (BBC/PBS), Fitzgerald and Hemingway (A&E Biography).[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, Charles Scribner III and I discussed:  How manuscripts and galleys symbolized the world he grew up in  Why he chose now to share the stories of the literary lions his father worked with Some of the greatest editors of the 20th Century How to write a book in two months Why loyalty is the most important thing in publishing The secret behind Hemingway’s will And a lot more! Show Notes: charlesscribner.com Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing by Charles Scribner III (Amazon) Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 NY Times bestselling author, Jim Butcher, outlines a hit 20-novel series. He discusses his journey as a writer, the influence of a writing class, and the challenges of balancing writing time. Butcher emphasizes the importance of connecting with fans and staying true to his artistic vision.

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Susan Wiggs, returns to chat with me about her island writing hideout, rescuing two puppies at the same time, holiday genre tropes, and her latest Christmas book THE TWELVE DOGS OF CHRISTMAS.Susan Wiggs is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of over 50 published novels, with over 25 million copies in print, published in 30 countries, and translated into over 20 languages.Her latest, The Twelve Dogs of Christmas: A Novel, is described as, “The ultimate holiday gift from New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs: a delightful novel about a Christmas transport of rescue puppies that’s guaranteed to warm readers’ hearts.”#1 New York Times bestselling author of Must Love Flowers, Debbie Macomber, said of the book, "Don't miss this charming Christmas tale of thawing hearts, escaping dogs, and finding home. I couldn't help digging into this book with both paws."[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, Susan Wiggs and I discussed:  Writing on planes, trains, and automobiles Her love of classic Christmas stories How the latest ties into her Lakeshore Chronicles series Why one of the easiest things in the world to do is “not write” Getting snowed in with Toni Morrison And a lot more! Show Notes: How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Susan Wiggs Writes: Part One Susanwiggs.com The Twelve Dogs of Christmas: A Novel by Susan Wiggs (Amazon)  Susan Wiggs Amazon Author Page Susan Wiggs on Instagram Susan Wiggs on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices