How I Write

The world isn’t made of atoms, it’s made of stories. I’ve never heard anyone speak so deeply about interviewing. Johann Hari has written four books, and for each one he travels the globe to record hundreds of conversations. In this episode, he’ll explain exactly how he does it, sharing stories of getting up close and personal with homeless people in Vegas and a crack dealer in New York. In the end you’ll hear a wild story of the apple in Vietnam that almost killed him. Enjoy!

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Will Storr has written 7 books and he’s basically a scientist for storytelling. Now you might be thinking: Do we really need another storytelling guy? But Will is different.

That's because he doesn’t just talk about plot or the hero’s journey, he focuses on character.

Great stories don’t start with plot… they start with people.

The best part? By the time you’re done with the episode, you’ll have the tools to be a better storyteller in your next conversation.  

Explore Will's Storytelling Substack: https://willstorr.substack.com/

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Architect Michael Dean breaks down the hidden patterns behind the great essays of our time. In this video, we go over his 27-point framework that makes up every world class piece of writing and how he uses the same system to analyze the Guggenheim and Apple Store. We also talk about what skills will still matter as AI continues to improve and why learning to write might be more important than ever. Enjoy!

A few links:

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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The old communications playbook is dead: Political and company narratives used to be controlled by publicists and journalists. But now, founders can Go Direct. The question is… how? How do you spread a message in this new world? Lulu Cheng Meservey has worked with companies like Substack, Anduril, and Activision Blizzard, and this is her tell-all about how to build your own platform, build your own audience, and shape your own narrative.

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:32 Go direct

00:05:01 Beware of "perfect" writing

00:10:06 Ship-to-Yap ratio

00:15:20 Shaping a comms strategy

00:17:51 How to craft your message

00:22:57 Should you write with AI?

00:27:01 You don't need new ideas

00:32:13 Say what no one else will

00:35:20 The writing AI can't do

00:41:23 The power of the right messenger

00:47:31 Borrowing tactics from elections

00:55:12 Apple vs. crypto cults

01:02:38 How to launch your product

01:07:06 Stop making narcissistic announcements

01:09:55 What slogans work?

01:14:29 How to write an apology

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

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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Get my free PDF on using LLM's for writer's + my in-depth prompts: https://perell.com/ai

AI has triggered an existential crisis for me. In this episode, I share my thoughts on standing out as a writer with AI and how I use it everyday. This is one of the most in-depth looks at what it means to be a writer in 2025.

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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In this episode, I sit down with YouTube storytelling master Johnny Harris to discover how he creates his videos. Johnny Harris has proven he can make pretty much anything go viral, from breakfast and lottery tickets to bread-making and extra virgin olive oil. We look at his entire creative process, breaking down exactly what makes his storytelling so addicting to watch. We cover the complete workflow: writing, drafting, editing, visual composition, and sound design. By the end of this video, you'll walk away with practical tools to become a better visual storyteller yourself. Enjoy!

Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:35 The Video Process

00:09:18 How to Research for a Documentary

00:10:10 The Marketing for a Video

00:13:15 Scripted vs Unscripted Content

00:15:18 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]

00:16:44 Full Breakdown of Johnny Harris' 4M View Mormon Video

00:45:34 Balancing Personal Passion vs Views

00:50:27 Every Story is a Promise

00:51:47 Highlighting Paradoxes in Human Stories

00:58:56 The "There's More Going On" Approach

01:03:20 Vox vs Independent YouTube

01:04:26 Pillars of YouTube Writing

01:05:27 Dealing with the Details in Complex Stories

01:07:19 The Art of Surprising Viewers

01:11:33 Learning from The Economist

01:18:11 Human Stories

01:21:05 Craftsmanship in the AI Age

01:24:02 How Would Johnny Harris Teach a University Class

Johnny Harris

https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyharris

https://www.patreon.com/johnnyharris

https://www.instagram.com/johnny.harris/

I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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Tyler Cowen, an economist and writer, talks with me about how AI is changing writing and research. He explains a practical approach to using AI tools while maintaining your own voice. He explains the ways he incorporates LLMs into his daily work. We talk about how people will be writing fewer books in the future and how he believes truly human writing will stand out among AI-generated content. Enjoy!

Redeem your free week of Lex at https://lex.page/perell

0:00 Intro

1:00 How Tyler Cowen uses AI everyday

6:06 Hallucinations are rapidly declining now

9:28 Writing authentically with AI

11:34 AI for critiquing your work

17:29 Future of decentralized AI networks

20:34 How and why DeepSeek

22:21 How AI changes writing

24:04 Why there will be less books in an AI era

26:34 Video content will rise

28:17 Start Writing with AI [LEX AD]

29:18 AI Writing a personal biography

30:46 How you can tactically learning about AI

37:12 How AI can help you visualize information

38:31 Creating the perfect AI prompt

42:10 AI's impact in the classroom

46:56 Studying The Bible with AI

49:11 Secrets

50:10 Why social networks are more important now

51:48 Mastering AI prompting

53:58 Mentoring young people

54:49 Would you invest 4 years in a PhD

59:59 Perplexity replaces Google

01:01:09 The different AI tools, explained

01:05:43 The potential of large context windows

01:08:11 AI usage inside companies

I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/

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 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv 

X: https://x.com/david_perell

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dana Gioia is a poet, former Chairman of the NEA, and one of America's most insightful writers on the craft of poetry and prose. This is the deepest conversation I've ever had about writing. Dana breaks down the writing process from his first drafts to revision, and shares practical wisdom about finding your voice and creating work that lasts. His straightforward approach makes writing less intimidating and more accessible to anyone who loves language. Enjoy!

Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/

0:00 First Drafts

7:52 The Power of Saying No

11:48 Objectivity in Writing

18:05 Learning from Writers

21:29 Daily Writing Routine

28:30 Poetry Analysis: Catullus

29:05 Production vs Consumption

36:07 Opera as Poetic Drama

43:47 Finding Your Voice

46:09 Personal vs Universal Writing

52:17 Breaking into Publishing

57:01 Writing Through Grief

1:05:21 Emotional Directness

1:10:16 Teaching Poetry

1:14:30 Poetry in Education

1:20:48 Unifying Literary Works

1:23:15 Patience in Writing

1:26:17 Improving Your Poetry

1:30:48 The Art of Description

1:34:34 Reading to Write Better

1:38:08 Creating a Masterpiece

1:45:08 Book Writing Process

1:47:45 The Art of Revision

1:48:45 Peer Feedback

1:55:47 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]

1:57:11 Anatomy of a Poem

2:02:29 Writing with Gratitude

2:08:00 Corporate World Lessons

2:16:40 Writing in Digital Culture

2:24:30 Poetry and Magic

2:28:55 Being a Catholic Writer

2:36:17 Catholic Literary Culture

2:37:40 Biblical Language in Poetry

2:39:51 Commonplace Books

2:45:24 Literary Influences

2:51:38 Cheever on Death

2:53:11 Tarantino vs. Tolkien

2:54:54 Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky

2:55:47 The Modern Novel

3:01:18 Characters in Opera

3:09:06 Understanding Your Genre

Dana Gioia

https://danagioia.com

I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/

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

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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Ward Farnsworth is a law professor and former dean at the University of Texas School of Law who has written popular books about clear thinking, language, and philosophy. His books include Classical English Style and works on rhetoric and legal writing. He’s a genius at making complex ideas simple and useful for everyday life. Enjoy!

Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Intro

00:04:53 Example 1 (King James Bible)

00:07:09 Example 2 (Winston Churchill)

00:11:45 Example 3 (Winston Churchill)

00:15:19 Example 4 (King James Bible)

00:18:18 Example 5 (Abraham Lincoln)

00:22:57 Example 6 (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.)

00:26:40 Classical English Rhetoric

00:27:40 Example 7 (Abraham Lincoln)

00:29:59 Example 8 (Abraham Lincoln)

00:31:48 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]

00:33:15 Example 9 (Winston Churchill)

00:35:53 Example 10 (Lloyd Bentsen)

00:38:34 Example 11 (JFK)

00:42:00 Example 12 (Abraham Lincoln)

00:43:40 Example 13 (Henry Fielding - Tom Jones)

00:45:32 Example 14 (King James Bible)

00:47:42 The 3 Techniques, explained

00:52:24 Practical advice for everyone

00:56:08 The ideal writing curriculum

WARD FARNSWORTH

http://wardfarnsworth.com/

I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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Alex Hormozi has written two killer business books that have sold more than 1M copies. His writing has gotten him to 9M followers across social media. This is the first interview where he breaks down his writing system.

Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/

I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/

TIMESTAMPS

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:20 Hormozi’s cave

00:05:35 Discovery process

00:12:32 Fix problems using MECE

00:13:43 Marketing “$100M Leads”

00:20:55 Writing for YouTube vs Books

00:27:13 The pain is the pitch

00:31:37 Break down the world into frameworks

00:34:09 10x more effort = 1000x results

00:38:24 Understanding the table of contents

00:49:27 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]

00:50:53 How to think about your audience

00:54:22 The #1 creator mistake

00:57:58 The business of Hormozi’s books

01:02:04 The love for writing as a kid

01:04:34 Hormozi’s ideal university writing class

ALEX HORMOZI

https://www.youtube.com/@AlexHormozi

https://www.instagram.com/hormozi/

https://x.com/alexhormozi/

https://acquisition.com

FOLLOW ME

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv

X: https://x.com/david_perell

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