

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara
Brendan O'Meara
The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories. Follow the show @creativenonfictionpodcast on Instagram and Threads and visit patreon.com/cnfpod to support!
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 10, 2024 • 1h 15min
Episode 411: The Heart Part and Big Dreams with Isa Adney
Isa Adney (@isaadney) is a writer and documentary producer and the author of The Little Book of Big Dreams: True Stories About People Who Followed a Spark (She Writes Press).Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

May 3, 2024 • 1h 19min
Episode 410: Brian Fairbanks and "The Last Shall be First"
Brian Fairbanks is an author and journalist whose piece for the 150th issue of the Atavist Magazine, The Last Shall be First, chronicles the actions of a corrupt New Orleans cop and his trail of victims still crying for justice.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Apr 26, 2024 • 1h 3min
Episode 409: Chain Smoking Book Projects with Earl Swift
Earl Swift is the best-selling author of Hell Put to Shame: The 1921 Murder Farm Massacre and the Horror of America's Second Slavery (Mariner Books).In this episode we talk about how Earl strings together book projects and what this story from more than 100 years ago still says about today.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Apr 19, 2024 • 1h 3min
Episode 408: North to Trees, South to Gold with Ruby McConnell
Ruby McConnell (@rubygonewild) is one of our great environmental writers and her latest book is Wilderness and the American Spirit. It's published by Overcup Press.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Apr 12, 2024 • 1h 5min
Episode 407: Alex Squadron Respects the Grind
Alex Squadron is a sports writer for Slam Magazine and the author of Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Apr 5, 2024 • 58min
Episode 406: When to Share a WIP with Darrell Hartman
Darrell Hartman (@dwhartman) is the author of The Battle of Ink and Ice: A Sensational Story of News Barons, North Pole Explorers, and the Making of Modern Media. It is published by Viking.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Mar 29, 2024 • 1h 18min
Episode 405: Hallie Lieberman and the Drawer of Dead Pitches
Hallie Lieberman (@hallielieberman) is a journalist, writer, and historian. She's the author of Buzz: A Stimulating History of the Sex Toy. Her latest piece for The Atavist is "The Handcuff Man." Visit magazine.atavist.com to read it.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Mar 22, 2024 • 1h 3min
Episode 404: Hanif Abdurraqib's Nod to Witnessing in 'There's Always This Year'
Hanif Abdurraqib is poet, critic, and author of several books, including There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension (Random House).In this episode we talk about his nod to witnessing, specificity, intentionality, making it, and LeBron James.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Mar 15, 2024 • 1h 8min
Episode 403: Elizabeth Rush Moves Toward Exactitude
Elizabeth Rush is the author of The Quickening: Creation and Community at the Ends of the Earth (Milkweed).Liz talks about writing toward exactitude, lyricing her way through sticking points, being a character in her own work, and voice.For a couple weeks, visit combeyond.bu.edu, use the promo code NARRATIVE25 at checkout and get 25% your tuition for the two-day Power of Narrative Conference. And, no, I don’t get any dough.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod

Mar 8, 2024 • 1h 9min
Episode 402: The Stentorian-Voiced Dudely Bro-ness of Rob Harvilla
Rob Harvilla (@harvilla on X) is a staff writer for The Ringer and the host and creator of the long-running 60 Songs that Explain the 90s. His first book is 60 Songs that Explain the 90s.We talk about the end of the podcast, the evolution of voice, and the maze he purposefully escapes each episode.For a couple weeks, visit combeyond.bu.edu, use the promo code NARRATIVE25 at checkout and get 25% your tuition for the two-day Power of Narrative Conference. And, no, I don’t get any dough.Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @creativenonfiction podcast on IG and ThreadsSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpod