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

Acclaimed debut novelist Penny Zang spoke with us about making friendship bracelets for readers, why the world doesn’t stop when you lose a loved one, hanging out with Sylvia Plath, and her psychological thriller DOLL PARTS I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez. Penny Zang is an English professor at Greenville Technical College and the debut author of DOLL PARTS, described as “... a dark, poetic, dual-timeline psychological thriller that blends sad girl lit and feminist horror with a heavy dose of 90s grunge nostalgia.” International bestselling author Samantha Downing said of the book, "Doll Parts is the most mesmerizing and original book I’ve read in a long time. It’s eerie and addictive, a story that pulls you in and won’t let go," and Library Journal wrote, “Zang’s compelling debut delves insightfully into topics such as friendship, grief, and Plath’s place in literature...” Penny Zang holds an MFA in Creative Writing from West Virginia University and is the 2024 Elizabeth Boatwright Coker fiction fellow via the South Carolina Academy of Authors. Her work has appeared in New Ohio Review, Louisville Review, Superstition Review, Potomac Review, and South 85, among others. [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id984527862]. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Penny Zang, Milena Gonzalez, and I discussed: How she formed the #5AMWritersClub Writing as a form of grief after losing a good friend Reminding her parents that her fiction didn’t really happen Wending pop culture iconography into her work Why finding your writing community is so important And a lot more! Show Notes: pennyzang.com [https://www.pennyzang.com/]  Doll Parts: A Novel by Penny Zang [https://amzn.to/4nwWqfa] (Amazon) Penny Zang on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PennyZangWriter/] Penny Zang on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pennyzang/] Penny Zang on Twitter [https://x.com/penny_zang] Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer [https://milenajem.my.canva.site/] diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_a_book_babe/] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://x.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

WGA-nominated writer, director and USC professor Ted Braun, and TV and film writer and exec. producer Melissa Rosenberg, joined me to talk about reimagining screenwriting education with the MFA in Screenwriting at Bennington College. Ted Braun is the Program’s Director and the WGA-nominated writer and director of Darfur Now, Betting on Zero, and Viva Maestro. He is a Professor of Screenwriting and Joseph Campbell Endowed Chair of Cinematic Ethics at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts and was named one of Variety’s Top Ten Teachers in Film and TV in 2018. Melissa Rosenberg is a writer and executive producer known for Twilight, Jessica Jones, and a 1986 graduate of Bennington College, where she is now a Trustee. She helped create and showrun Jessica Jones and adapted the Twilight film series, while also serving as head writer for Dexter. Bennington College will admit just 12 gifted, driven writers—students who are serious about building a body of work and launching a professional screenwriting career—to their inaugural class of The MFA in Screenwriting. Braun notes, “We’re looking for students with imagination and hunger—those who want to develop a foundation for a decades-long screenwriting career.” The MFA in Screenwriting at Bennington College prepares writers for a life as creative and professional leaders in the evolving landscape of film and television. This low-residency, two-year program combines the academic depth of a liberal arts education with the rigorous preparation needed for a career in screenwriting. Learn more at bennington.edu/screenwriting [http://bennington.edu/screenwriting] Applications are due by December 1st, 2025. [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id984527862]. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Ted Braun, Melissa Rosenberg and I discussed: How life as a screenwriter starts with material that is unique and alive to you A one-of-a-kind screenwriting MFA, a low-residency program that yields six major pieces of work for TV and film, and why it is “perfectly suited to our times” Bennington’s legacy of influential writers Why we need strong, original cinematic voices now more than ever And a lot more! Show Notes: bennington.edu/screenwriting [http://bennington.edu/screenwriting] Ted Braun on IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0105862/] Melissa Rosenberg on IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0742279/] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://x.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Award-winning, acclaimed debut novelist Jinwoo Park spoke to me about breaking out of a creative rut, writing as “self-therapy,” cracking the #BookTok code, and his literary espionage thriller OXFORD SOJU CLUB Jinwoo Park is a Korean Canadian writer based in Montreal. He completed a master's degree in creative writing at the University of Oxford, and currently works as a marketer in the tech industry. His first novel, Oxford Soju Club, is a literary espionage thriller exploring themes of identity and the Korean diaspora. Park's manuscript for Oxford Soju Club won the Jim Wong-Chu Emerging Writers' Award in 2021. A Booklist starred review wrote of the book, “In stylistically rich prose, the author carefully portrays complex characters, distilling the intricate workings of the Korean psyche with riveting tension. Under the cover of a compelling espionage drama…” Jinwoo is also a literary translator and received the LTI Korea Translation Award for Aspiring Translators in 2023.  [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id984527862]. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jinwoo Park and I discussed: How his notes from "self-therapy" became a breakout book Posting to TikTok every day to build a following Sharing a name with a character from K-Pop Demon Hunters In rewriting his debut novel five times to distill it to its essence What authenticity means to him And a lot more! Show Notes: jinwoo-park.com [https://www.jinwoo-park.com/]  Oxford Soju Club by Jinwoo Park [https://amzn.to/46zclDZ](Amazon) Jinwoo Park on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jinwoopark0721/] Jinwoo Park on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@jinwoopark0721] Jinwoo Park on Twitter [https://x.com/ParkerJinwoo] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://x.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Jeneva Rose, spoke with us about betting on herself, spurning the crown of “Queen of Twists,” her viral social media fame and latest post-apocalyptic romance, DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez. Jeneva Rose is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including the multi-million copy bestseller, The Perfect Marriage. Her work has been translated into more than 30 languages and optioned for film and TV. Her latest novel is DATING AFTER THE END OF THE WORLD (October 1, 2025), a post-apocalyptic, zombie, enemies-to-lovers romance. Dating After The End of the World was named an Amazon First Reads pick and a #1 New Release in Romantic Comedy. Jeneva Rose has a background in social media, digital, and email marketing. She became a full-time author in March 2021, and has amassed over one million followers across all social media platforms, including TikTok where she’s known as “Mother Goose.” [Discover ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠⁠⁠⁠writerfiles.fm⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id984527862]. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Jeneva Rose, Milena Gonzalez, and I discussed: How she overcame the odds, and 500 rejections, to sign two major publishing deals Writing with a new baby on board Turning hate mail into a laughable social media saga Her inspiration for the latest The unwavering support of her husband Hanging out with Colleen Hoover And a lot more! Show Notes: jenevarose.com [https://www.jenevarose.com/]  Dating After the End of the World [https://amzn.to/4npxTs4]– October 1, 2025 by Jeneva Rose (Amazon) Jeneva Rose Amazon Author Page [https://amzn.to/4pnb5LC] Jeneva Rose on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/jenevaroseauthor/] Jeneva Rose on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/jenevaroseauthor/?hl=en] Jeneva Rose on TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@jenevaroseauthor?lang=en] Jeneva Rose on Twitter [https://x.com/jenevarosebooks?lang=en] Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer [https://milenajem.my.canva.site/] diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/diary_of_a_book_babe/] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://x.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Lev Grossman, spoke to me about his tenure at Time magazine, how The Magicians poked holes in Narnia and Potter, and reimagining a legend with THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur. Lev Grossman is the author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Magicians trilogy—The Magicians, The Magician King, and The Magician’s Land—which has been published in 30 countries and adapted as a TV show that ran for five seasons on SYFY. His latest novel is THE BRIGHT SWORD: A Novel of King Arthur, named a Best Summer Read by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Time, Vulture, Esquire, Boston Globe, Elle, Town & Country, Seattle Times, New York Post, Lit Hub, and many others. George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Game of Thrones said of the book, “If you love King Arthur as much as I do, you’ll love Lev Grossman’s The Bright Sword, a fresh and engrossing take on the Matter of Britain featuring a colorful cast of Round Table knights who don’t often get as much story time as they deserve. The creator of The Magicians has woven another spell.” Lev has written two critically acclaimed novels for children, and the screenplay for the movie The Map of Tiny Perfect Things, a finalist for the Critic’s Choice awards (based on his short story). He also worked as a staff writer at Time magazine, and has written essays and articles for Vanity Fair, the Believer, the Village Voice, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Salon, Slate, Wired, Entertainment Weekly, Buzzfeed, NPR, and many others.  [Discover ⁠The Writer Files Extra⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at ⁠writerfiles.fm⁠ [https://mailchi.mp/b93a5bdd9b99/writer-files-extra]] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please ⁠click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews⁠ [https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id984527862]. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Lev Grossman and I discussed:  How he talked his way into writing for Time magazine The evolution of his career from journalist to novelist Breaking through with middle-grade fantasy and The Magicians How he “got into the weeds” with his latest Arthurian tome World-building for streaming vs. collaborating on the graphic novel And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠levgrossman.com⁠ [https://levgrossman.com/] ⁠The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur⁠ [https://amzn.to/4eVsy8v] by Lev Grossman (Amazon) ⁠Lev Grossman Amazon Author Page⁠ [https://amzn.to/3LdKbmz] ⁠Lev Grossman on Facebook⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/levgrossman/] ⁠Lev Grossman on Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/levgrossman/] ⁠Lev Grossman on Twitter⁠ [https://x.com/leverus] ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://x.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]