Write About Now

Avoiding adverbs, steering clear of the passive voice, never ending a sentence with a preposition—these are some of the writing rules that have been instilled in us since elementary school. But Carol Saller says they’re wrong ( as is never beginning a sentence with but or and). Carol is a contributing editor for the esteemed Chicago Manual of Style and the author of The Subversive Copy Editor. In this episode, she dispels the most common mistakes and assumptions writers believe. She also talks about the resources you can use to check your work and the role of AI in the future of writing.

In 2011, an oil tanker named Brillante Virtuoso was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden. At first, this seemed like a fairly common pirate attack. But when investigators looked deeper, they realized everything about this event was far from typical. This is the story of a murder mystery, a shady shipping magnate, insurance fraud, and two dogged cockney private investigators, as told by Bloomberg journalists Matthew Campbell and Kit Chellel.

The blank page is only one of many hurdles writers have to overcome. But how can we ensure that we have the proper mindsets and techniques to tackle these inevitable roadblocks? This week, Jenn T. Grace joins the podcast to talk about getting over the biggest roadblocks—both in our personal lives and as writers—that get in the way of our writing hopes and dreams. Jenn is the CEO of Publish Your Purpose, which combines both the benefits of traditional publishing and self publishing to help thought leaders get their books published. On the pod, Jenn details the biggest obstacles she sees when working with aspiring writers, and ties them to her own process of writing her memoir House on Fire. She also discusses the importance of a support system and reveals the three people writers need to have throughout their journey.

If you’re like me you probably have a lot of great ideas for books and articles that you get really excited about but kind of just go nowhere. But what about if you acted on some of these ideas, no matter what happened? That’s what guest Sascha Rothchild does. Sascha has written for TV shows like GLOW and The Carrie Diaries. She wrote a memoir How to Get Divorced by 30: My Misguided Attempt at a Starter Marriage. And this month, she released her first novel, a fun thriller called Blood Sugar. On the pod, Sascha talks about how she manages to make the time for her passion projects even when she’s not on the clock.

This week, Matt Richtel joins the pod to explain the concept of creativity: what it is, why we have it, and how we use it. Matt knows a thing or two about this topic. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New York Times, a novelist, and a songwriter. His latest book is Inspired: Understanding Creativity: A Journey Through Art, Science, and the Soul Creativity. 

In this episode, Matt details what science and research tell us about the mysterious creative spark—and why creativity may not always be a good thing. He shares what several studies have taught us about creativity, and talks about the way our creativity is stifled by our environment. Matt also shares his personal journey to unlocking creativity, and how a new mindset towards thinking has allowed him to fully explore any and all ideas that pop into his head.

As the son of a truck driver, John Searles remembers developing a love of literature at stops he’d frequent with his dad. Since then, his unconventional writing path has taken him everywhere from the esteemed offices of Cosmopolitan magazine to abandoned drive-in movie theaters for book inspiration. On the pod, John takes us through the triumphs and obstacles he went through to get his foot in the door of the journalism industry, and how he became a successful author on top of his 9 to 5. John also talks about writing his latest book Her Last Affair, and the different strategies he’s used to get his thoughts on paper

In 1947, during India’s troubling time period of Partition, six young nuns set out from Kentucky and established a hospital in the small Indian town of Mokama. Their fascinating story may have never been told if it wasn’t for Jyoti Thottam, whose mother was a part of the legacy these nuns left behind. Jyoti draws upon 20 years of research to tell their story in Sisters of Mokama: The Pioneering Women Who Brought Hope and Healing to India. Thottam joins the pod to talk about the story and what the book tells us about history, community and legacy. She also talks about what it’s like interacting with the community on a daily basis as the leader of the editorial board at the New York Times, and advice she has for journalists hoping to make their way into the industry.

Mary Roach has written several books that dive into the weirdness of science topics like dead bodies, sex, and digestion. But how does she use her curiosity to write a full-fledged book, especially when she doesn’t have a background on the subject? This week, Mary joins the pod and talks about the firsthand experiences and research that goes into her books, especially in her book Packing for Mars and its adaptation Packing for Mars for Kids. She touches on how she comes up with book-worthy ideas to explore and why she approaches nonfiction with a distinctive, humor-filled voice. Plus, she discusses some of the questions you may have about space exploration, like puking in your spacesuit, whether people bathe in space, and what it feels like to be in zero gravity.

Laurie Segall’s journalism career has landed her in the unlikeliest places, from purity balls, sex parties, and awkward interviews with some of Silicon Valley’s biggest leaders. She recounts these larger-than-life stories and more in her memoir Special Characters: My Adventures with Tech's Titans and Misfits. This week, Laurie joins the pod to talk about her journey into journalism, and how she managed to create a position for herself at CNN. She talks about being one of the first reporters covering the tech industry during Web 2.0, and how she’s managed to hold powerful figures like Travis Kalanick accountable. Plus, Laurie talks about what led her to eventually leave CNN, and why she decided to strike it out on her own.

This week, acclaimed author Karen Joy Fowler joins the podcast to share the processes and methods that have brought her success throughout her writing career. Ever since getting a late start to the writing world in her 30s, Karen has defied expectations by achieving awards for novels spanning science fiction, short stories, and historical fiction genres. Her newest book, Booth, tells the somewhat true story of the famous family of best Lincoln's assassin John Wilkes Booth. On the pod, Karen discusses how critiquing other writers helped launch her career by developing her style. She also talks about the experience of writing in different genres, and how emotional resilience is an underrated skill for authors attempting to make it.