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

How to Design Your Writing Space with Award-Winning Architect Donald M. Rattner


Listen Later

Author, educator, and award-winning architect, Donald M. Rattner, stopped by this week to expound on invaluable research into the latest psychology and productivity studies to offer practical tips for designing your writing space for maximum creative output.

“Unfortunately, once you go down this rabbit hole, you could go on and on forever...” – Donald M. Rattner

Donald has an art history degree from Columbia (where he graduated with honors), and a Masters of Architecture from Princeton.

He's now the founder of an award-winning architecture firm and a "Creativity Architect" whose work (on the psychology of creative spaces) has been featured on CNN, in The New York Times, Work Design Magazine, Better Humans, Town & Country, and many others.

His latest book, My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation, offers "48 Techniques to Boost Your Creativity at Home, According to Science."

The book has a coffee table slash textbook feel to it and includes "... over 200 high-quality photos of interiors from around the world, [from] top-tier architects, designers, and creatives."

So guess what we're going to dig into today?

A quick note, I'm changing up the format of the show to present longer episodes presented in a single part, as opposed to two-parters split for a shorter, drive-time experience.

Reach out on Twitter or over at the writerfiles.fm if you like the longer episode format better, I appreciate your feedback.

Please help us learn more about you by completing this short 7-question survey

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

In this file Donald M. Rattner and I discussed:
  • The often disparate and misleading definitions of creativity
  • Why writers have such a unique relationship to their creative space
  • Science-based techniques to boost your creative output
  • Secrets behind why creativity is a 24-hour occupation
  • The optimal noise and clutter levels for idea generation
  • Why nature plays such a critical role in creativity and productivity
  • And so much more!
Show Notes:
  • DonaldRattner.com
My Creative Space: How to Design Your Home to Stimulate Ideas and Spark Innovation by Donald M. Rattner [Amazon]
  • Donald M. Rattner on Medium 
  • Donald M. Rattner on Facebook
  • Kelton Reid on Twitter
  • Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

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

    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5
    • 4.5

    4.5

    211 ratings


    More shows like The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

    View all
    The Book Review by The New York Times

    The Book Review

    3,869 Listeners

    On Being with Krista Tippett by On Being Studios

    On Being with Krista Tippett

    10,377 Listeners

    The New Yorker: Fiction by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker: Fiction

    3,316 Listeners

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

    615 Listeners

    Helping Writers Become Authors by K.M. Weiland

    Helping Writers Become Authors

    961 Listeners

    Otherppl with Brad Listi by Brad Listi

    Otherppl with Brad Listi

    502 Listeners

    Writing Excuses by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

    Writing Excuses

    1,294 Listeners

    The History of Literature by Jacke Wilson / The Podglomerate

    The History of Literature

    1,090 Listeners

    The History of Standup by Wayne Federman & Andrew Steven / The Podglomerate

    The History of Standup

    335 Listeners

    Micheaux Mission by The Podglomerate / Micheaux Mission

    Micheaux Mission

    211 Listeners

    Freelance to Founder by Millo / The Podglomerate

    Freelance to Founder

    69 Listeners

    Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson

    Writer's Routine

    299 Listeners

    Book Dreams by Eve Yohalem and Julie Sternberg / The Podglomerate

    Book Dreams

    57 Listeners

    Fiction Writing Made Easy by Savannah Gilbo

    Fiction Writing Made Easy

    1,426 Listeners

    The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

    The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

    749 Listeners

    Trail Weight by Andrew Steven / The Podglomerate

    Trail Weight

    62 Listeners

    Poured Over by Barnes & Noble

    Poured Over

    293 Listeners

    31 for 31 by Chris Boniello, Jamie Lansdowne, and Cody Mason

    31 for 31

    14 Listeners

    NPR's Book of the Day by NPR

    NPR's Book of the Day

    603 Listeners

    Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

    Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

    356 Listeners

    Writers on Writing by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone

    Writers on Writing

    72 Listeners

    No Write Way with V. E. Schwab by V. E. Schwab (Author)

    No Write Way with V. E. Schwab

    67 Listeners