How I Write

By David PerellSociety & Culture Education Arts Books

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per episode

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How I Write episodes

October 28 Gillian Flynn: How to Write Thrilling Stories | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Gillian Flynn is the author of one of my favorite books of all time: Gone Girl. Before the episode, I wondered who I'd be meeting. What kind of person could write such a crazy, bloody mystery? She ended up being super fun, light, and down-to-earth. We spent the whole time talking about her passions: books and the craft of writing a great novel.
After Gone Girl became a hit, she decided to turn it into a movie. She wrote the screenplay, teamed up with David Fincher, and the movie was nominated for an Oscar. I asked her to share what she learned from Fincher, why she writes like a method actor, and how she approaches plot, character, and the beginning of a novel.
Here's my awesome conversation with Gillian Flynn.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
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1 hr 22 min
October 26 Taylor Tomlinson: How to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Taylor Tomlinson is on the show today, and she is one of the world's top comedians with multiple Netflix specials and a book called "Actually, Nevermind".
I love having stand-up comedians on the show because their creative process is so pure. No matter your writing style, you can learn from them. Like any writer, they observe the world, look for ideas, and write down good material. The difference is, they immediately perform and get instant feedback.
At the club, if a joke works, they refine and improve it. If it flops, they discard it completely, never mentioning it again. They understand that quantity leads to quality.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
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54 min
October 21 Dean Koontz: This Is What Mystical Writing Feels Like | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Dean Koontz has written more than a hundred novels and sold over 500 million copies of his books. This is my second time having him on the show. The first time, we discussed writing practices, routines, and rituals: the standard topics we cover on How I Write.
This time was different. We explored the supernatural, mysticism, and how to cultivate a sense of wonder both in life and on the page.
The vibe of this conversation felt like two old friends sitting in a cabin, discussing life, the world, and the craft of writing.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 13 min
October 14 Jodi Picoult: The Writing Habits Behind 50 Million Books Sold | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Jodi Picoult is on the show today, and she has published 30 novels and sold more than 50 million copies of her books. For a while, she was writing a book a year!
What I admire so much about her is how much fun she clearly has with her craft. Her research sent her ghost hunting and up to Alaska to visit Eskimos. She also gets so invested in her stories that she literally hears her characters speaking to her.
How does she do it? How did she manage to write a book a year? That's what this conversation is all about.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 15 min
October 07 Robert Greene: The Unwritten Laws of Great Writing | How I Write
Pre-order Robert Greene's latest book here: https://sites.prh.com/lawofthesublime
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Robert Greene is on the show today, who's famous for books like The 50th Law and The 48 Laws of Power. How does he write books that so many people want to read? How has he written books so compelling that people literally want to steal them? That’s what we discuss in this conversation.

What I admire so much about Robert, and the reason I love spending time with him, is that he has devoted decades to the craft of writing. You can feel it in his presence. He has labored and labored over his work, and now he is out with a new book called Sublime, which he wrote after suffering a stroke that left him paralyzed on the right side of his body.

This book is his magnum opus. It is a departure from the standard Robert Greene fare, moving into something new, transcendent, and supernatural. An attempt to describe the indescribable. This conversation is beautiful and deep, and I think you will like it.

About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.

Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 40 min
September 30 Andy Weir: Project Hail Mary Author Teaches Writing | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Andy Weir is on the show today, and he's famous for books like Project Hail Mary and The Martian, both of which turned into movies.
In this conversation, we discuss science fiction as much as writing. How does he come up with new ideas? What makes for a good plot? How does he think through the science itself, bending reality in fun and playful ways?
This interview does have some spoilers! So, if you haven't read the books, you might want to do that before you listen. However, if you love writing and don't care about spoilers, this conversation is for you.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 12 min
September 28 Mark Normand: How to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Mark Normand is on the show today to teach us how to write good comedy. He moved to New York in 2006 when he was a nobody, barely knew how to tell jokes. This interview tells the story of how he worked his way up from admiring Seinfeld from afar to actually opening for him on tour in various cities.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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49 min
September 23 Michael Arndt: Oscar-Winning Writer Teaches Storytelling | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Michael Arndt, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter, is on the show today to teach us how to write great stories.
We started the conversation by discussing his time at Pixar. I asked Michael, "You worked on movies like Toy Story 3. What is it about Pixar's DNA that has made them so successful for so long?"
We also discussed Little Miss Sunshine, the movie that won him an Oscar in 2007. He has read thousands of screenplays, so he understands what distinguishes a bad screenplay from a good one. As a script doctor and storytelling scientist, he's here to teach us how to write great stories.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 18 min
September 16 Francine Prose: This Is What a Harvard Writing Masterclass Feels Like | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Francine Prose has written more than 30 books and taught at both Harvard and Bard College. If you ask her how to become a better writer, she'll tell you to start by reading like a writer. Look at words and sentences, characters and details. Study them, dissect them. Then find books that you love, ones that have stood the test of time, and ask yourself: Why has this book endured? Why has it stayed popular for so long?
But how do you actually do that? This interview provides an answer.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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59 min
September 09 Harlan Coben: Tough Love Advice for Every Writer | How I Write
Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite
Harlan Coben has written 38 books. If you want to write thrilling and suspenseful stories, he's the guy to learn from. His vibe is like a tough-love basketball coach who tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. And while it might feel a little challenging at times, I promise you'll leave this conversation motivated to write, to get back to working on whatever project you're pursuing.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell

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1 hr 16 min