"Essays took on this energy for me in part because they're unofficial and in part because they brought me in contact with the world that felt really generative," says Leslie Jamison. Make It Scream, Make It Burn by Leslie Jamison is the occasion. It is published by Little, Brown. Leslie is the bestselling author of The Empathy Exams and The Recovering. We dig into a lot of great stuff about her process and how she came to nonfiction from a background in fiction. Keep the conversation going on Tw...
Sep 27, 2019•53 min
Chase Jarvis is here to talk about his incredible book Creative Calling. Chase is a world-class photographer, CEO and founder of Creative Live, and a riser of tides. I hope you enjoy this conversation. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and Instagram @cnfpod . If you dig the show, share it with a friend. Thanks to our sponsors in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction . Also a shoutout to River Teeth....
Sep 20, 2019•59 min
"My writing life is being surrounded by 15 half-empty coffee cups which I keep dipping my paint brush into accidentally," says Rachel Dougherty. Rachel Dougherty is a Philadelphia-based illustrator, children's author, and lifelong knowledge-hunter. She works in acrylic paint, ink, and pencil smudges, using humor and color to inspire curious young minds. Rachel is passionate about US history, scruffy little dogs, and board games. This episode is brought to you by Goucher College's MFA in Nonficti...
Sep 13, 2019•1 hr 10 min
"You tend to agree more with the people who don't like what you do more than the people who do like what you do," says Steven Hyden, rock critic for Uproxx and the host and producer of Break Stuff. We talk about him always wanting to be a rock critic, how he still has passion for music, and his incredible podcast on Woodstock '99 titled Break Stuff. Support for this podcast comes from Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction , Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction and River Teeth, a journa...
Sep 06, 2019•53 min
Kate Hopper, author of the essay "Stumbling into Joy," stopped by the show to talk about this essay and how she approaches the work. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and Instagram @cnfpod. I hope you find what I made for you is worth sharing. Thanks to Goucher's MFA in Nonfiction , Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction , and River Teeth for the support. Head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to sign up for the newsletter!...
Aug 30, 2019•1 hr 16 min
Steven Kurutz, features writer for The New York Times and author of Like a Rolling Stone , stopped by CNFPod HQ to talk about libraries, getting to New York, and his incredible True Story essay "Fruitland." Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to you podcasts and keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and on Instagram @cnfpod. Thanks to Goucher's MFA in Nonfiction , Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction and River Teeth for the support....
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr
"I like to joke that this is my investment in literary citizenship," says Donna Talarico ( @donnatalarico ). Hey, CNFers, Donna Talarico makes her return to the show after two years to promote this year's Hippocamp, a creative nonfiction conference. This is a shorter-than-normal interview, but it's got the goods nevertheless. Subscribe to the show if you haven't already and consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts. Share with a friend. That's how this spreads. Keep the conversation going...
Aug 16, 2019•30 min
"A great story for me is one that engages me emotionally. It's like a love affair," says Fred Waitzkin, author of several books, including his latest Deep Water Blues. Fred Waitzkin comes by the show to talk about his love of writing, how he developed his knack for story, how his parents influenced him, and how breaking into other disciplines cracked the code of his latest book. Support for this episode comes from Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonf...
Aug 02, 2019•1 hr 6 min
"Let me be your sounding board for how the piece should come together," says Seyward Darby. Seyward Darby is the executive editor of The Atavist Magazine. She's also a writer and a brilliant mind. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonficiton and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for supporting the show. Twitter: @CNFPod. Instagram: @cnfpod Subscribe and share widely, CNFers!...
Jul 26, 2019•1 hr 21 min
"This is not something that comes over night. It's a long, arduous road," says Mark Kram Jr. Mark Kram Jr. is on the show to talk about his incredible career and his latest book Smokin' Joe. We talk about how he was a late bloomer and through hard work, long work, he grew into his own skin as a writer. This show is brought to you by Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction . Keep the CNFin' conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod....
Jul 19, 2019•1 hr 2 min
"I spend the most time on making my writing more clear and straightforward," says Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman). Hey, CNFers, Chuck Klosterman, author of eleven books, including his latest Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction , joined me for a nice conversation about how books can be anything you want them to be and how he structures his day so he can get the work done. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by pinging the show @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara . Thanks to Goucher College's MFA ...
Jul 12, 2019•1 hr 13 min
"Talent is not enough. You have to have luck. You have to have drive," says Allie Rowbottom ( @allierowbottom ) Allie Rowbottom, author of Jell-O Girls: A Family History is on the show to talk shop. She grew with an artist mother who empowered her to pursue her own art. Keep the conversation alive on Twitter @CNFPod or Instagram @cnfpod . Subscribe to the show and consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Crea...
Jul 05, 2019•1 hr 3 min
"There's always gonna be people who are better than you and there's also people who're gonna be worse than you. That really can't be the reason you write or don't write," says Naomi Gordon-Loebl. Naomi Gordon-Loebl, a journalist and essayist comes on the show to talk about her work. Find her on Twitter @naomigordonloebl and visit her website at naomigordonloebl.com . Keep the conversation going on Twitter by tagging the show @CNFPod and on Instagram @cnfpod. Thanks to our sponsors Goucher Colleg...
Jun 28, 2019•1 hr 14 min
"I want to hear more of you in this. I want this weirder. Let loose," says Eric Ducker ( @ericducker ). Eric Ducker, freelance writer for The Ringer, among others, came on the show to talk about music, his time at Fader, and his Ringer piece on Jenny Odell (check out Ep. 151 for her). Thanks to Goucher's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and on Instagram @cnfpod ....
Jun 21, 2019•1 hr 12 min
"I think that's why people stop writing. It's the not knowing what you're doing that feels so terrible." —Sonya Huber (@ sonyahuber ). Sonya Huber, author of five books and countless essays, joins me on the pod. Shoutout to our patrons in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction . Keep the conversation going on Twitter @ CNFPod or on Instagram @ cnfpod ....
Jun 14, 2019•1 hr 4 min
"You can persevere and you can grind, but you have to get lucky at times," says T.D. Thornton, @thorntontd. T.D. Thornton, author of Not By a Long Shot and My Adventures with Your Money came by the show. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for sponsoring the show. Twitter: @CNFPod. Instagram: @cnfpod Subscribe where you get your pods!...
Jun 07, 2019•1 hr 22 min
"You gotta fall in love with your subject, and sometimes people have to pull you out," says Julian Smith (@juliansmith on Twitter). Julian is the co-author of Aloha Rodeo: Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World's Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West. It is published by William Morrow. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod ....
May 31, 2019•1 hr 2 min
"It's like wet jeans, that's the feeling of generating a bunch of crappy writing," says Amanda Petrusich, a staff writer for The New Yorker. Amanda can be found @amandapetrusich on Twitter. She's the author of Don't Sell at Any Price and she came by the show to talk about her career and early struggles. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. You can join me on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod . Instagram is @cnfpod . ...
May 24, 2019•1 hr 3 min
"For a writer, ignorance and curiosity are a magical combination," says Philip Gerard. Philp Gerard, author of The Last Battleground: The Civil War Comes to North Carolina and the novel Cape Fear Rising , returns to CNF to talk about his latest book. Philip is a professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and has written several books. Visit philipgerard.com for more information. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod , and Instagram @cnfpod . Facebook @CN...
May 17, 2019•1 hr 13 min
"Find something else that is so absorbing to you. That is a place you can go to get away from [social media]," says Jenny Odell. Jenny Odell , author of How to Do Nothing , came by the show. Thanks to Goucher's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support. Be sure keep the conversation going on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod . Head over to brendanomeara.com for show notes and to sign up for the newsletter....
May 10, 2019•1 hr 9 min
"A good idea knows no experience level or age," says Ian Frisch, @IanFrisch on Twitter . Ian Frisch, author of Magic is Dead: My Journey into the World's Most Secretive Society of Magicians. We dig deep into the book, as well his approach to freelancing. Thanks to our show's patrons in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction ....
May 03, 2019•1 hr 24 min
"Part of me thinks nobody should write a memoir," says Anika Fajardo, @anikawrites . Anika Fajardo, author of Magical Realism for Nonbelievers , joined me for a nice conversation about her late-blooming journey through writing. She thinks writing is about community and connection and writers need to be submitting work. Be sure to keep the conversation going on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod . Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction ....
Apr 26, 2019•1 hr 4 min
"I don't have destinations in mind. I always have experiences in mind," says the poet Jericho Brown. ( @jerichobrown ) Today I welcome the award-winning poet Jericho Brown to the show, whose latest collection of poems The Tradition just released. It is published by Copper Canyon Press. We talk about his committment to phsyical fitness, experiences over destinations, his new collection of poems, that time he almost died of the flu, and how he invented the poetic structure known as the duplex. Sup...
Apr 19, 2019•1 hr 13 min
"The pleasure of reading a book is that it's reciprocal," says Meredith May ( @meredithmaysf) . Meredith May, author of The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage, and a Girl Saved by Bees, stopped by the show. The show is made possible by Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction , Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction and my monthly newsletter ! Keep the conversation going on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod . Instagram is @cnfpod . Subscribe to the show and thanks for listening!...
Apr 12, 2019•1 hr 26 min
"Maybe the world will aways be crazy, and creative work will always be hard. Then the question becomes: How do you keep going?" says Austin Kleon. This is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to badass writers, filmmakers, producers, and podcasters about the art and craft of telling true stories. Austin Kleon is the author of Newspaper Blackout, Steal Like an Artist, Show Your Work, The Steal Like an Artist Journal, and his latest book is Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative i...
Apr 05, 2019•1 hr 1 min
"At what point are you taxing the reader?" asks Scott Eden, "knowing when the reader has had enough." That’s Scott Eden , investigative reporter for ESPN the Magazine and THIS is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. Subscribe at iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher to get this delivered to your feed on every Friday. Follow me on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod and follow the show on Instagram @cnfpod . So Scott Eden is here. He’s an intrepid reporter and we got to dig deep into his proc...
Mar 29, 2019•1 hr 5 min
"If I fail, I want to fail because of me. If we succeed, I want to succeed because of us," says Vlad Yudin. Vlad Yudin, director and filmmaker, stopped by the show to talk about his bodybuilding documentaries and why he left Russia to come to the United States. This episode is brought to you by Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction , Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction , and my monthly newsletter. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara ....
Mar 22, 2019•42 min
"I want to do right by these people. I want to tell a story that honors the stuff they did," says Blake J. Harris. Blake J. Harris, author of The History of the Future and Console Wars came by the show to talk about his latest book on virtual reality, Oculus, and Facebook. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for sponsoring today's show. Keep the conversation going by joining me @BrendanOMeara and the show @CNFPod on Twitter. Visit br...
Mar 15, 2019•1 hr 19 min
"You've gotta find new ways to have fun in old things," says Jeff Goins. It’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I talk to badass writers, producers, and filmmakers about the art and craft of telling true stories, how they got to where they are, how the cope with crippling self-doubt, and the routines they enlist to get the work done. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara and today’s episode is a tight 30, man. When you get somebody like Jeff Goins (@JeffGoins) on the show, author of a quin...
Mar 08, 2019•41 min
"My system is, it's okay not to have a system," says Evan Ratliff, @ev_rat on Twitter. This week I spoke to Evan Ratliff, who puts the bad in badass. Yes, that means I put the ass in badass. Neither here nor there. Evan came on the show to talk about his career as a freelance journalist and, most recently, his epic new book titled The Mastermind: Drugs. Empire. Murder. Betrayal. It’s a book that combines all the tools of the trade a master reporter needs to tell the globetrotting story That’s ri...
Mar 01, 2019•1 hr 23 min
