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

In Part Two of this file we return with an exclusive look into the process behind not only how a writer gets paid to ghostwrite a title for a celebrity, but also the writing, researching, and indie publishing of a book that has sat on top of the Amazon charts for over a year. “If you’re struggling to figure out what to write, it means you don’t know what you want to say." – Adam Skolnick Note: We had to get special permission from the incredible human and author, David Goggins, to share this story – so this is truly an exclusive – but it’s no secret that the book was written by my good friend. A huge thank you to Mr. Goggins and his spirit, generosity, and ethos. From ideation of his bestselling book Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by Author David Goggins – to publishing with Lioncrest, and the experimental new media formats like an audiobook/podcast and beyond, this is a glimpse behind the camouflage curtain. “... Can't Hurt Me, shares [Goggins's] astonishing life story and reveals that m

Welcome back to a special edition of the show we traditionally call “Writer Porn.” To kick off 2020 we have a very enlightening show for you that you're not going to want to miss. It’s an exclusive look into the process behind not only how a writer gets paid to ghostwrite a title for a celebrity, but also the writing, research, and indie publishing of a book that has sat on top of the Amazon charts for over a year! Did it beat Michelle Obama in 2019? TK “If you’re struggling to figure out what to write, it means you don’t know what you want to say." – Adam Skolnick Note: We had to get special permission from the incredible human and author, David Goggins, to share this story – so this is truly an exclusive – but it’s no secret that the book was written by my good friend. A huge thank you to Mr. Goggins and his spirit, generosity, and ethos. From ideation of his bestselling book Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – by Author David Goggins – to publishing with Lioncrest, and the experimenta

Acclaimed, award-winning Mexican author and critic, Juan Pablo Villalobos, spoke with me from Barcelona, Spain about making difficult subjects accessible to young adults, the challenge of shifting from fiction to non-fiction, and why finding the right voice and POV is so important to telling your story. “If you know perfectly where you're going, the reader will feel the same ... he or she will get bored.” – Juan Pablo Villalobos The tragicomic, avant-garde author (known to his friends as J.P.) has published film and literary criticism, short stories, and award-winning novels now translated into 15 languages. His novels include Down the Rabbit Hole, shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award (2011), as well as I Don’t Expect Anyone to Believe Me, a Herralde Prize (2016) winner soon to be published in English. New York Times bestselling author Roxane Gay has called his writing “Excellent satire ... hilarious and smart, [that] takes on class in Mexico ... in a really useful way.” The author's latest is

Tony Award-winning Broadway producer, writer, and artrepreneur, Ken Davenport, stopped by this week to talk with me about what it takes to consistently create hit musical theatre, his passion for storytelling, and lessons on today's business of Broadway. “I'm on a mission to help 5000 shows get produced by 2025.” – Ken Davenport Over his storied career Mr. Davenport has had multiple Tony Award wins and nominations for his productions including 2018's Best Revival of a Musical for Once on This Island. His lengthy list of credits also includes The Play That Goes Wrong, Groundhog Day (Tony nomination), Awakening (Tony nomination), Macbeth starring Alan Cumming, Godspell, Kinky Boots (Broadway – Tony Award, National Tour, Toronto and West End), The Visit (Tony nomination), Mothers and Sons (Tony nomination), The Bridges of Madison County, Chinglish, Oleanna starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, and Will Ferrell’s You’re Welcome America, to name only a few. Ken is a co-founder of TEDxBroadway whose product

In Part Two of this file the Academy Award nominated screenwriter, actor, and author, Kim Krizan, returned to discuss how she came to work with director Richard Linklater on the critically acclaimed Before Sunrise film series, her lifelong study of femme fatales, and the pioneering work of author Anaïs Nin. "I write so the endangered thoughts roaming naked and vulnerable through the misty jungles of my mind aren't slain by the guns of practical living." – Kim Krizan Kim earned her Masters degree in English and Literature and while she was writing her thesis – titled "Anaïs Nin and The Psychology of Creativity" – she auditioned for a film part on a lark. As a result, she went on to act in some of acclaimed director Richard Linklater's best known films including Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and even played herself in Waking Life. After taking interest in her Masters thesis, Linklater and Krizan went on to co-write the lauded film Before Sunrise (1995), featuring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and they colla

Academy Award nominated screenwriter, actor, and author, Kim Krizan, joined me this week to discuss how she came to work with director Richard Linklater on the critically acclaimed Before Sunrise film series, her lifelong study of femme fatales, and the pioneering work of author Anaïs Nin. "I write so the endangered thoughts roaming naked and vulnerable through the misty jungles of my mind aren't slain by the guns of practical living." – Kim Krizan Kim earned her Masters degree in English and Literature and while she was writing her thesis – titled "Anaïs Nin and The Psychology of Creativity" – she auditioned for a film part on a lark. As a result, she went on to act in some of acclaimed director Richard Linklater's best known films including Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and even played herself in Waking Life. After taking interest in her Masters thesis, Linklater and Krizan went on to co-write the lauded film Before Sunrise (1995), featuring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, and they collaborated on the ent

In Part Two of this file the showrunner and Executive Producer of Netflix's Daybreak, Aron Eli Coleite, returned to chat with me about what it takes to survive high school (at the apocalypse), paying his dues in Hollywood, and the collaborative nature of world-building and scriptwriting for TV. "Surviving high school is like surviving the apocalypse," – Aron Eli Coleite Aron is a comic book writer, TV writer, and producer best known for his work on the popular NBC series Heroes and the CBS series Star Trek Discovery. His latest is the dark, zombie comedy series Daybreak starring Matthew Broderick, co-created with Brad Peyton for Netflix. It's been called “Mad Max meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” by SyFy.com and is based on Brian Ralph's graphic novel series of the same name. Aron also helped co-develop the newest version of Locke & Key for Netflix - including co-writing the first episode with comic book series creator Joe Hill. His upcoming projects include adapting Amulet for 20th Century Fox. Please

Showrunner and Executive Producer of Netflix's Daybreak, Aron Eli Coleite, took a break to chat with me about what it takes to survive high school (at the apocalypse), paying his dues in Hollywood, and the collaborative nature of world-building and scriptwriting for TV. "Surviving high school is like surviving the apocalypse," – Aron Eli Coleite Aron is a comic book writer, TV writer, and producer best known for his work on the popular NBC series Heroes and the CBS series Star Trek Discovery. His latest is the dark, zombie comedy series Daybreak starring Matthew Broderick, co-created with Brad Peyton for Netflix. It's been called “Mad Max meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” by SyFy.com and is based on Brian Ralph's graphic novel series of the same name. Aron also helped co-develop the newest version of Locke & Key for Netflix - including co-writing the first episode with comic book series creator Joe Hill. His upcoming projects include adapting Amulet for 20th Century Fox. Please help us learn more about

In Part Two of this file the award-winning, New York Times bestselling narrative nonfiction author, Andrew Maraniss, returned to chat about what it was like to grow up around so many famous journalists, why he chooses to weave social issues into sports history, and some age-old wisdom on how to beat writer's block. "Just get started.” – Andrew Maraniss Andrew is the son of Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post journalist and author, David Maraniss, so it's no surprise that he has writing in his blood (and a touch of impostor syndrome). His winding path to bestseller started out as a history writing assignment at Vanderbilt University that only years later became his award-winning book Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South. His lauded basketball biography went on to become a bestseller, and received the 2015 Lillian Smith Book Award for civil rights and the RFK Book Awards’ Special Recognition Prize for social justice, the first sports-related book to ever receiv

Award-winning, New York Times bestselling narrative nonfiction author, Andrew Maraniss, stopped by to chat about what it was like to grow up around so many famous journalists, why he chooses to weave social issues into sports history, and some age-old wisdom on how to beat writer's block. "Just get started.” – Andrew Maraniss Andrew is the son of Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post journalist and author, David Maraniss, so it's no surprise that he has writing in his blood (and a touch of impostor syndrome). His winding path to bestseller started out as a history writing assignment at Vanderbilt University that only years later became his award-winning book Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South. His lauded basketball biography went on to become a bestseller, and received the 2015 Lillian Smith Book Award for civil rights and the RFK Book Awards’ Special Recognition Prize for social justice, the first sports-related book to ever receive either honor. The author

Bestselling children's author and publishing coach, Laurie Wright, joined me this week to talk about her mission to help the emotional welfare of kids around the world, how she self-published a bestseller, and tools and resources for writer's aspiring to pen their own illustrated children's books. “I've realized, quickly, that what they say about 80% of people wanting to write a book really is true.” – Laurie Wright The former kindergarten teacher and mom of three saw an opportunity in the classroom for both parents and educators seeking solutions to get their kids to overcome "learned helplessness," and undertake simple problem-solving. She crowdfunded her first self-published, illustrated children's book in 2016, the hugely popular Amazon bestseller, I Can Handle It (a Mindful Mantras book), now translated into seven languages. The book established her as a childhood mental health authority – even though her background is in education – and since 2016 Laurie has gone on to publish 11 kid's books, thre

International and New York Times bestselling author, Tess Gerritsen, dropped by to chat with me about the role of luck in finding success as a writer, where she draws inspiration for her thrillers, her love-hate relationship with writing for the screen, and her unique creative process. “Make every single chapter feel that somebody is off balance, that something is not right. That is what propels readers to read the next chapter.” – Tess Gerritsen The award-winning author graduated from medical school at the University of California, San Francisco, and began her writing career in earnest while on maternity leave from her work as a physician. She published her first romantic thriller in 1987 and never looked back. Her books have since topped the charts in both the US and abroad, and sold more than 30 million copies in 40 countries. Tess has now written 28 novels, including the acclaimed Rizzoli & Isles series (which inspired the TNT TV series of the same name starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander), as

In Part Two of this file bestselling author, Kim Petersen, returned to talk with me about tactics to tap into age-old wisdom, quiet your inner critic, get back to basics, rediscover your voice, and recharge your creative batteries. “With how our lifestyles are, and the technology, we seem to have also become more disconnected from ourselves.” – Kim Petersen The award-winning, USA Today Bestselling, Australian author of fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian fiction, writes The Ascended Angels Chronicles, and co-authors the Stone the Crows series. Her latest is a foray into non-fiction titled Creative Writing Energy: Tools to Access Your Higher-Creative Mind - co-authored with colleague, romance writer Catherine Evans. It's been described as a book "...written for creatives about developing pathways to access the higher-creative mind...alternative ways..." and tools for unlocking your creativity. Before you dismiss this episode as a little "woo-woo," I assure you that we dig into the reasons behind the curr

Bestselling author, Kim Petersen, spoke with me about tactics to tap into age-old wisdom, quiet your inner critic, get back to basics, rediscover your voice, and recharge your creative batteries. “With how our lifestyles are, and the technology, we seem to have also become more disconnected from ourselves.” – Kim Petersen The award-winning, USA Today Bestselling, Australian author of fantasy, paranormal, and dystopian fiction, writes The Ascended Angels Chronicles, and co-authors the Stone the Crows series. Her latest is a foray into non-fiction titled Creative Writing Energy: Tools to Access Your Higher-Creative Mind - co-authored with colleague, romance writer Catherine Evans. It's been described as a book "...written for creatives about developing pathways to access the higher-creative mind...alternative ways..." and tools for unlocking your creativity. Before you dismiss this episode as a little "woo-woo," I assure you that we dig into the reasons behind the current shift for creatives toward alter

In Part Two of this file the award-winning novelist, speaker, and activist Talia Carner spoke with me about the intensive research processes that go into her novels, why she chose fiction to write about global social issues, the real-life crisis happening right before our eyes, and what we can do about it. “I take a skeleton out of the closet and dance with it. The skeleton being the many social issues around the globe that vie for attention.” – Talia Carner Ms. Carner writes suspense novels with a social message and her latest historical novel, The Third Daughter, aims to turn the issue of sex trafficking into real-world activism. Talia's mission is to transform the lessons of the past into action in the present. Her fifth book has been described as, “A frightening journey into the New World of the late 1800s, told by a trusting young woman lured from Russia and forced into prostitution in Buenos Aires.” Before becoming a professional novelist the author had a corporate career in the magazine business,

Award-winning novelist, speaker, and activist Talia Carner spoke with me about the intensive research processes that go into her novels, why she chose fiction to write about global social issues, the real-life crisis happening right before our eyes and what we can do about it. “I take a skeleton out of the closet and dance with it. The skeleton being the many social issues around the globe that vie for attention.” – Talia Carner Ms. Carner writes suspense novels with a social message and her latest historical novel, The Third Daughter, aims to turn the issue of sex trafficking into real-world activism. Talia's mission is to transform the lessons of the past into action in the present. Her fifth book has been described as, “A frightening journey into the New World of the late 1800s, told by a trusting young woman lured from Russia and forced into prostitution in Buenos Aires.” Before becoming a professional novelist the author had a corporate career in the magazine business, started her own business as a

In Part Two of this file the award-winning actress, comedian, and screenwriter, Jorjeana Marie, returned to talk with me about fulfilling her childhood dream of writing for Disney, how writers can rewire their inner-critic, improv as a writing (and life) philosophy, and secrets for beating block and creating countless ideas. “In improv the philosophy is, there are no mistakes.” – Jorjeana Marie The talented multi-hyphenate storyteller started out writing and producing plays during her stint at NYU's Dramatic Writing Program, and has gone on to write for several animated television shows, including a popular kids' series for Disney. Jorjeana is also an actress with extensive film and TV experience, as well as a prolific, award-winning audiobook narrator who has voiced over 300 titles for multiple NY Times bestsellers. She writes and performs comedy regularly on stage at UCB, The Improv, and The Comedy Store, and teaches improvisation to students across the country, including at studios in Hollywood where

Award-winning actress, comedian, and screenwriter, Jorjeana Marie, took a break to talk with me about fulfilling her childhood dream of writing for Disney, how writers can rewire their inner-critic, improv as a writing (and life) philosophy, and secrets for beating block and creating countless ideas. “In improv the philosophy is, there are no mistakes.” – Jorjeana Marie The talented multi-hyphenate storyteller started out writing and producing plays during her stint at NYU's Dramatic Writing Program, and has gone on to write for several animated television shows, including a popular kids' series for Disney. Jorjeana is also an actress with extensive film and TV experience, as well as a prolific, award-winning audiobook narrator who has voiced over 300 titles for multiple NY Times bestsellers. She writes and performs comedy regularly on stage at UCB, The Improv, and The Comedy Store, and teaches improvisation to students across the country, including at studios in Hollywood where she's coached writers of

In Part Two of this file the New York Times bestselling memoirist and journalist, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, returned to talk about her decades long journey to publication, why it's so important to find yourself in the pages, the meaning of memory, and the impostor syndrome that all writers face ... especially the kids of celebrities. "Writing can be the master, it can't be the servant of your time.” – Lisa Brennan-Jobs Lisa is a Brooklyn based writer whose father was the widely worshipped tech pioneer and entrepreneur, Steve Jobs, best known as the co-founder of Apple. Her first book, Small Fry, is her lauded memoir about growing up being shuffled between single parents in Silicon Valley during the 1980s and '90s, always in the orbit of her celebrity dad and struggling artist mom. Small Fry was a New York Times, New Yorker, and People Magazine Top 10 Book of the Year for 2018, and Best Book of the Year for the LA Times, NPR, Amazon, GQ, Vogue (UK), and Publishers Weekly. The book has been called, “Beautiful, literar

The New York Times bestselling memoirist and journalist, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, joined me this week to talk about her decades long journey to publication, why it's so important to find yourself in the pages, the meaning of memory, and the impostor syndrome that all writers face ... especially the kids of celebrities. "You find yourself in a whole net, in a constellation of stories, each one connecting to another. It was amazing how much I remembered.” – Lisa Brennan-Jobs Lisa is a Brooklyn based writer whose father was the widely worshipped tech pioneer and entrepreneur, Steve Jobs, best known as the co-founder of Apple. Her first book, Small Fry, is her lauded memoir about growing up being shuffled between single parents in Silicon Valley during the 1980s and '90s, always in the orbit of her celebrity dad and struggling artist mom. Small Fry was a New York Times, New Yorker, and People Magazine Top 10 Book of the Year for 2018, and Best Book of the Year for the LA Times, NPR, Amazon, GQ, Vogue (UK), and Pu