First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

Ed Park is  the author of the novels Same Bed Different Dreams, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, and Personal Days, a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. His fiction, essays, and reviews have appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, Harper’s, The Atlantic, Bookforum, McSweeney’s, and elsewhere. He is a founding editor of The Believer and the former literary editor of The Village Voice and has worked in newspapers and book publishing.  His debut story collection is An Oral History of Atlantis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Torrey Peters is the author of the novel Detransition, Baby, which won the 2021 PEN/Hemingway award for debut fiction and was named a Best Book of the Century by the New York Times. Her second book of short stories is called Stag Dance. Torrey is an amateur sauna builder, rides a pink motorcycle, and splits her time between Brooklyn and Santa Marta, Colombia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sue Monk Kidd writes fiction and non-fiction. Her novels include The Secret Life of Bees, The Mermaid Chair, The Invention of Wings, and The Book of Longings. Some of her non-fiction titles include The Dance of the Dissident Daughter and When the Heart Waits. In this episode we discuss her new novel The Book of Longings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kristin Koval is a former lawyer who always wanted to be a writer but initially wandered down other paths. She attended Phillips Exeter Academy, Georgetown University and Columbia Law School. She lives in Boulder, Colorado and Park City, Utah with her husband, two sons and two Great Danes. Her novel is called Penitence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Macfarlane is a British writer internationally known for his writing on nature, people, and place.  His best-selling books include Underland, Landmarks, The Old Ways, The Wild Places and Mountains of the Mind.  They have been translated into more than 30 languages and won many prizes around the world and have been adapted for film, music, theatre, radio, and dance.  He has also written operas, plays and films including river and mountain.  In 2017 the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him the EM Forester Prize for literature.  Macfarlane lives in Cambridge England where he is a fellow at Emmanual College, Cambridge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andrew Porter, celebrated author of multiple novels and story collections, shares his insights on writing and identity. He explores themes of disappearance and familial dynamics in his latest works, revealing how personal experiences shape creativity. The conversation delves into the emotional complexities of memory, particularly in relation to childhood and nostalgia, using music as a lens for storytelling. Porter also reflects on the realities of feedback and rejection in the writing journey, emphasizing the importance of balancing family life with creative pursuits.

André Alexis was born in Trinidad and grew up in Canada. His novel, Fifteen Dogs, won the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. His internationally acclaimed debut, Childhood, won the Books in Canada First Novel Award, the Trillium Book Award, and was shortlisted for the Giller Prize and the Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize. In 2017, he was awarded the Windham-Campbell Literature Prize for fiction.  His new collection is Other Worlds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Salar Abdoh is a prominent author and professor, known for exploring complex themes like culture and migration. In this engaging conversation, he shares insights on navigating identity and cultural duality, particularly in relation to masculinity and LGBTQ experiences. Abdoh reflects on the feelings of loneliness prevalent in urban life, especially in New York City, and discusses the struggles faced by women under societal pressures. He also emphasizes the transformative power of reflective writing, drawing parallels to George Orwell's poignant reflections.

Lori Ostlund, an acclaimed author known for her thought-provoking works like Are You Happy?, engages in rich discussions about the intersection of personal truth and fiction. She delves into how unresolved family histories shape character identity and narratives. The talk highlights the emotional layers of storytelling, particularly in exploring trauma and class dynamics. Ostlund also emphasizes the significance of vulnerability in writing and the power of personal experiences to foster self-discovery, making the conversation a heartfelt journey into the craft of literature.

In this engaging dialogue, Ethan Rutherford, author and creative writing instructor at Trinity College, dives into the depths of his novel 'North Sun.' He explores the adventurous world of whaling, intertwining mythology with personal reflection. Rutherford discusses the musicality in writing, the transformative power of storytelling, and how his father's memory influences his creative process. The conversation spills into class dynamics, examining privilege and survival amidst capitalism, all enriched by humor and introspection.