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

21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers: Part Two


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In Part Two of this special edition of the show we traditionally call “writer porn” 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 Two of this file some highlights include:

  • Emma Donoghue (Oscar nominee and international bestselling author of Room) on outlining and pre-planning
  • Maria Konnikova (New York Times bestselling author and New Yorker columnist) on standing desks and staying offline
  • Mark Dawson (international bestselling author and entrepreneur) on finding time to publish a million words in a year
  • Kevin Kelly (New York Times bestselling author and co-founder of Wired magazine) on first drafts and formulating ideas
  • And more great tips from Adam and I as we round out all 21 productivity hacks
  • Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ...
  • Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes
  • If you’re ready to see for yourself why more than 201,344 website owners trust StudioPress — the industry standard for premium WordPress themes and plugins — swing by StudioPress.com for all the details.
  • 21 Productivity Hacks from 21 Prolific Writers – Kelton Reid for Copyblogger
  • More Writer Files in the Archives at Copyblogger
  • A journalist won her first tournament in under a year of being coached by a poker legend – USA Today
  • The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part One: Creativity
  • The Best of ‘The Writer’s Brain’ Part Five: Fake News
  • How Bestselling Author Douglas Coupland Writes
  • Adam Skolnick on Instagram
  • OneBreathbook.com
  • AdamSkolnick.com
  • Adam Skolnick on Twitter
  • Kelton Reid on Twitter
  • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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    The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and NeuroscienceBy Kelton Reid

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