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

Polymath and author of ARISTOTLE FOR NOVELISTS Douglas Vigliotti spoke with me about the outsized influence of Poetics on storytelling, why a well-told story is so cathartic, and the three big questions every writer must answer. Douglas Vigliotti is the author of four non-fiction and fiction books, including Tom Collins: A ‘Slightly Crooked’ Novel. He is also the host of Books for Men, a weekly podcast created to inspire (more) men to read. His latest, Aristotle for Novelists: 14 Timeless Principles on the Art of Story, is described as a writing and creativity guide on “... how to write a novel using tried-and-true principles that have been used since antiquity to tell great stories.” [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Douglas Vigliotti and I discussed: How he mined Poetics to help craft his first novel His take on why The Penguin is so popular Why he doesn’t trust writers who don’t read (a lot) The importance of consistency in all great fiction Why tragedies are more powerful than epics And a lot more! Show Notes:  douglasvigliotti.com Aristotle for Novelists: 14 Timeless Principles on the Art of Story by Douglas Vigliotti (Amazon) Douglas Vigliotti Amazon Author Page Douglas Vigliotti on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Times bestselling author Christina Lynch spoke with me about working with Harvard pal Conan O’Brien, gang writing for TV, her nom de plume, and her new novel, PONY CONFIDENTIAL, featuring a grumpy pony. Christina Lynch is the author of Sally Brady's Italian Adventure, The Italian Party, and – under the pen name Magnus Flyte – co-author of New York Times bestseller City of Dark Magic and City of Lost Dreams. Her latest mystery, Pony Confidential (Berkley/PRH), is “... an epic saga, narrated by a pony, about the bond between animals and their humans.” It was named an NPR “Book of the Day,” Amazon Top 100 Books of 2024, an Indie Next Pick for November, and many other “most anticipated” lists. Christina Lynch was an editor on the Harvard Lampoon, the Milan correspondent for W magazine, and wrote for TV on the writing staffs of Unhappily Ever After and Stephen King’s The Dead Zone among others. She teaches at College of the Sequoias. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Christina Lynch and I discussed:  End-of-semester panic and counseling her students Why she burned out on fashion and disappeared in Tuscany How a game with a fellow writer turned into a bestseller What her most recent success has meant to her The crazy story behind her latest novel And a lot more! Show Notes:  clynchwriter.com Pony Confidential By Christina Lynch (Amazon) In the new novel 'Pony Confidential,' a crime-solving pony seeks revenge - NPR Christina Lynch Amazon Author Page Christina Lynch on Facebook Christina Lynch on Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: I revisited a chat with the soothsayer A.M. Homes from 2022. Bestselling, award-winning author A.M. Homes, spoke to me about getting sued by J.D. Salinger, the irony of winning the Women's Prize for Fiction, and her latest "The Unfolding." A.M. Homes is a TV producer, art critic, and the author of 13 books, including the bestselling memoir The Mistress’s Daughter. Her last novel, May We Be Forgiven, was the winner of the 2013 Women’s Prize for Fiction. Her latest novel is The Unfolding, described as a "... darkly comedic alternative history that takes us into the heart of a fractured family living in a divided country." New York Times bestselling author Salman Rushdie called the book, “A terrific black comedy, written almost entirely in pitch-perfect dialogue, that feels terrifyingly close to the unfunny truth.” A.M. Homes was a Co-Executive Producer and Writer on David E. Kelly and Stephen King’s, Mr. Mercedes, and a writer/producer of the Showtime series The L Word. Her work has been translated into 22 languages and appears frequently in Art Forum, Harpers, Granta, McSweeney's, The New Yorker, The New York Times, and Zoetrope. She is a Contributing Editor to Vanity Fair, Bomb and Blind Spot, and she has taught in the Creative Writing Program at Princeton. Stay calm and write on ... [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file A.M. Homes and I discussed: Her early struggles with dyslexia Why awards and votes of confidence are so important for writers How she helped hire Dennis Lehane to write for Mr. Mercedes  Her strange obsession with George Washington and her claim to Capitol Hill How to write your way out of a jam And a lot more! Show Notes: amhomesbooks.com The Unfolding: A Novel by A.M. Homes (Amazon) A.M. Homes on Facebook A.M. Homes on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Note: I revisited a chat with multi-hyphenate Rob McElhenney from 2020. The writer, producer, and actor best known for It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rob McElhenney, took a timeout during the apocalypse to rap with me about how he runs his writer's room, his humble beginnings and admiration for the great TV comedies, and his advice for aspiring TV producers. "Everyone is going through the same things. At least, people who respect science are. That sense of loneliness and despair ... needs to be addressed in some way, but ultimately we want to leave people with a sense of optimism." – Rob McElhenney FX recently renewed his irreverent "It’s Always Sunny..." for a 15th season, making it officially the longest-running live-action sitcom in US history. The multihyphenate's latest, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, is a comedy series "...that follows a team of video game developers as they navigate the challenges of running a popular video game," The Apple TV+ show was co-created with "Sunny" alums Charlie Day and Megan Ganz (executive produced by McElhenney and Day), and has been described as "... the travails of a boisterous video game studio – think Silicon Valley meets Veep." *Note: Though I was lucky enough to catch Rob in his natural LA habitat, sadly the interview was cut short due to technical difficulties, our apologies for the abrupt ending. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Rob McElhenney and I discussed: How It's Alway Sunny in Philadelphia almost didn't make it to the fourth season The inner-workings of a perpetual creativity engine How little episodic and streaming models of TV differ from a sitcom producer's perspective His relationships with Danny DeVito and F. Murray Abraham The evolution of "It's Always Sunny..." and why it stays culturally relevant And how the greatest indie production tool you own is in your pocket Show Notes: Rob McElhenney on IMDb Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet – Apple TV+ It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia now longest-running live-action comedy series ever after season 15 renewal Rob McElhenney on Twitter Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices