This week, host Isaac Butler talks to crime novelist and TV writer Megan Abbott, who describes her creative-writing rituals, her go-to story structure, and the challenges of adapting one of her novels for television.  

After the interview, Isaac and co-host Rumaan Alam talk about the surprising origins of the terms story beat and character beat. 

Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected].

Podcast production by Cameron Drews

And if you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. It’s only $35 for the first year, and you can get a free two-week trial now at slate.com/workingplus

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.