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

New York Times bestselling author Hanif Abdurraqib spoke to me about taking a leap of faith, the tentpoles of his writing practice, and his recent NBCC award-winning THERE’S ALWAYS THIS YEAR: On Basketball and Ascension. Hanif Abdurraqib is a lauded New York Times bestselling author, recent Winner of the NBCC Award for criticism, and a finalist for the National Book Award for A Little Devil in America. He is also a poet, essayist, cultural critic, contributor for The New Yorker, and a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” grant. His latest book, There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension, was described by Publishers Weekly, in a Starred Review, as "A triumphant meditation on basketball and belonging…" and named a Best Book of the Year by The New York Times Book Review, Time, The Washington Post, NPR, The Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Book Riot, Electric Lit and many others. Steve James, director of Hoop Dreams, called it, “Mesmerizing  ... not only the most original sports book I’ve ever read but one of the most moving books I’ve ever read, period.” Hanif’s first collection of essays, They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us, was named a book of the year by NPR, Esquire, BuzzFeed, O: The Oprah Magazine, Pitchfork, and the Chicago Tribune, 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 Hanif Abdurraqib and I discussed: What it’s like to be on a book tour for close to a year His superpower as a highly prolific writer Quitting his 9-5 job after squirreling away money from freelancing Building his own poetry curriculum Why his writing routine hasn’t changed much over the years Hot takes on the 2025 NBA Playoffs And a lot more! Show Notes: abdurraqib.com [https://www.abdurraqib.com/]  There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension by Hanif Abdurraqib [https://amzn.to/4kDq94e] (Amazon) Hanif Abdurraqib on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Habdurraqib#] Hanif Abdurraqib on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/nifmuhammad/?hl=en] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

New York Times bestselling author Laura Munson spoke to me about her acclaimed writing retreats, building a bridge to readers, and bringing wonder back into our lives with her latest THE WILD WHY. Laura Munson is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of the novel Willa’s Grove and the memoir This Is Not The Story You Think It Is. She is also an editor and Founder of the top-ranked Haven Writing Retreats. Her new book is THE WILD WHY: Stories and Teachings to Uncover Your Wonder. A Maria Shriver Sunday Paper Pick, “For fans of Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly, Glennon Doyle’s Untamed, and Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic, this illuminating self-help tool is the perfect book for anyone who yearns to rekindle their own voice.” Laura has been featured or published in Vanity Fair, Elle, Redbook, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times' “Modern Love” column, The New York Times Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, and many others. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The Early Show, WGN, NPR, London’s This Morning, Australia’s Sunrise, and other global media outlets. [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 Laura Munson and I discussed: How to rekindle your true voice Why we lose wonder in our worried world Her life’s journey to live in her truth The importance of finding radical empathy How to eradicate the “tortured artist” pattern And a lot more! Show Notes: lauramunson.com [https://lauramunson.com/] The Wild Why: Stories and Teachings to Uncover Your Wonder [https://amzn.to/42VjZXw] by Laura Munson (Amazon) Laura Munson on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/lauramunsonauthor/] Laura Munson on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/lauramunsonauthor/] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

#1 New York Times bestselling author, Tomi Adeyemi, spoke to me about the film adaptation of Children of Blood and Bone, her evolution as a writer, and the final book in her Orisha trilogy, Children of Anguish and Anarchy. Tomi Adeyemi is the #1 New York Times bestselling, Hugo and Nebula award-winning novelist and screenwriter who was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, Forbes’s 30 Under 30 in Media, and whose website was named one of the 101 Best Websites for writers by Writer’s Digest. Her Children of Blood and Bone series continues to be a publishing phenomenon, acquired in a heated bidding war with the first two books becoming instant #1 NY Times bestsellers – spending over 150 weeks on the list – and over 1.5 million copies in print to date including recent paperback re-releases. The Nigerian/American writer graduated from Harvard University with an honors degree in English literature and studied West African mythology, religion, and culture in Salvador, Brazil [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 Tomi Adeyemi and I discussed: Her newly found balance and definition of success as a writer  Facing rejection early on in her career How she persevered through meticulous planning Why her acknowledgments are so lengthy in her long-awaited capstone to her trilogy What’s next for the superstar And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠tomiadeyemi.com⁠ [https://tomiadeyemi.com/] ⁠thewritersroadmap.net⁠ [https://www.thewritersroadmap.net/] ⁠Children of Anguish and Anarchy (Legacy of Orisha, 3)⁠ [https://amzn.to/3VWioxA] – June 25, 2024 by Tomi Adeyemi (Amazon) ⁠Tomi Adeyemi Amazon Author Page⁠ [https://amzn.to/4au55sA] ⁠Tomi Adeyemi on Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/tomiadeyemi/] ⁠Tomi Adeyemi on Twitter⁠ [https://twitter.com/tomi_adeyemi] ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Acclaimed debut novelist Emily Everett spoke to me about finding a writing community, impostor syndrome, setting aside self-doubt, and her literary debut, ALL THAT LIFE CAN AFFORD. Emily Everett is a writer and the managing editor of The Common, a literary magazine based at Amherst College. Her debut novel All That Life Can Afford, is the Reese’s Book Club pick for April 2025 (out now from Putnam Books), was named a most anticipated book of 2025 by Harper’s Bazaar, Town & Country, and E! News, as well as an Apple Books Audiobook Staff Pick. Described as “A taut and lyrical coming-of-age debut about a young American woman navigating class, lies, and love amid London’s jet-set elite.” New York Times bestselling author Sarah McCoy said of the book, “Emily Everett’s All That Life Can Afford is a wildly entertaining fish-out-of-water story meets Cinderella fairy tale.” Emily Everett has an MA in literature from Queen Mary University of London, where she lived and worked from 2009 to 2013. Her short fiction appears in Electric Literature, Tin House, and Mississippi Review, 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 Emily Everett and I discussed: Teaching SAT classes for wealthy families abroad Why you don’t have to wait to get started on your book Her thirst to prove herself with the first novel Time-blocking vs writing in the margins with a full-time job On crappy first drafts And a lot more! Show Notes: emily-everett.com [https://www.emily-everett.com/] The Common [https://www.thecommononline.org/] literary magazine All That Life Can Afford: Reese's Book Club [https://amzn.to/4jY4Eef] by Emily Everett (Amazon) Emily Everett on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ednahi/?hl=en] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Award-winning writer and producer Arvind Ethan David spoke to me about making sh*t up for a living, late bloomers, and adapting RAYMOND CHANDLER’S TROUBLE IS MY BUSINESS into a graphic novel. Arvind Ethan David is the Stoker Award-nominated graphic novelist who has also written chart-topping Audiodramas (The Crimes of Dorian Gray, Earworms), television (Anansi Boys) and plays (The Boy with Wings). Arvind is also a producer of film and theater, including the Emmy & Grammy award-winning musical Jagged Little Pill with Diablo Cody. His latest adaptation TROUBLE IS MY BUSINESS is a graphic novel adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s novella featuring one of the most well-known characters in hard-boiled fiction, detective Phillip Marlowe. Library Journal called it “A gripping adaptation of a classic short story [...] A compelling exploration of greed and justice in shadowy 1940s Los Angeles.” Arvind is a principal of Prodigal, the entertainment company where he has produced eight feature films including the Asian Academy Award-winning "The Garden of Evening Mists" and theatrical shows including the Tony- and Grammy-winning Alanis Morissette musical "Jagged Little Pill." [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 Arvind Ethan David and I discussed: Why he was told to be more like Chekhov or Grisham His past lives as a lawyer and venture capitalist Working with some of the greatest writers in the world How storytelling is genetic Adapting one of the great prose stylists for a graphic novel The most interesting dinner in literary history And a lot more! Show Notes: Raymond Chandler's Trouble Is My Business [https://amzn.to/446Jqq4] – May 20, 2025 – by Raymond Chandler and Arvind Ethan David; illustrated by Ilias Kyriazis (Amazon) Arvind Ethan David on IMDb [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2366922/] Arvind Ethan David on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/arvind.david/] Kelton Reid on Twitter [https://twitter.com/KeltonReid] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]