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

21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part One


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In this special edition of the show I’ve invited back award-winning international journalist, author, and serial pundit, Adam Skolnick, to discuss a piece I wrote for Copyblogger.com last year titled, “21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers.”

Over the last four years, I've been given the fantastic opportunity to interview a wide range of more than 70 prolific, renowned, and bestselling authors for The Writer Files series.

As you may know, each interview digs into the habits, habitats, and brains of these writers, and I ask them all roughly the same set of questions on how they get words consistently onto the page.

So, I sifted through the extensive series archives (including the written interviews) and cherry-picked 21 highlights on productivity from these writers for you. You’ll definitely notice some themes from their advice on keeping the ink flowing and the cursor moving.

You can go to 21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers to follow along. Audio snippets have been excerpted here from the available podcast episodes.

Guest host Adam Skolnick’s narrative nonfiction book, One Breath: Freediving, Death, and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits — based on his award-winning New York Times sports reporting — is now available in paperback.

In addition to his recent journalism, Adam has visited 45 countries and contributed to over 30 Lonely Planet guidebooks. He has written for ESPN.com, Men s Health, Outside, BBC, Playboy Magazine, and The NY Times, and has appeared on NPR.

If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click subscribe to automatically see new interviews.

In Part One of this file some highlights include:

  • Seth Godin (bestselling author of 18 books) on the power of deadlines
  • Elizabeth Gilbert (#1 New York Times bestselling author of Eat Pray Love) on the inefficiency of perfectionism
  • Joanna Penn (New York Times bestselling indie author and entrepreneur) on scheduling and writing every day
  • Andy Weir (bestselling author of The Martian) on motivation
  • And more great tips from Adam and I as we discuss all 21 productivity hacks The Show Notes
  • 21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers – Kelton Reid for Copyblogger
  • More Writer Files in the Archives at Copyblogger
  • Being Busy Is Killing Our Ability to Think Creatively – Derek Beres for Big Think
  • When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing – Daniel Pink
  • AdamSkolnick.com
  • Adam Skolnick on Twitter
  • Kelton Reid on Twitter
  • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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