Critically acclaimed screenwriter and director John August stopped by the show to chat with me about his writing process, the film business, and his hit podcast Scriptnotes. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Since his breakthrough film debut Go (1999), John has penned an impressive list of big budget Hollywood films from Charlie’s Angels (2000), to a h...
Nov 02, 2015•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Critically acclaimed screenwriter and director John August stopped by the show to chat with me about his writing process, the film business, and his hit podcast Scriptnotes. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Since his breakthrough film debut Go (1999), John has penned an impressive list of big budget Hollywood films from Charlie’s Angels (2000), to a h...
Oct 26, 2015•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast From incredibly successful transmedia serial writer to internationally published author, this week’s guest — Michelle Miller — has tapped into her former life in high finance to create a hit franchise in The Underwriting. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Billed as social satire, Ms. Miller’s original 12-part serial drew angel investors that helped her...
Oct 19, 2015•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast From wildly successful transmedia serial writer to internationally published author, this week’s guest — Michelle Miller — has tapped into her former life in high finance to create a hit franchise in The Underwriting. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! Billed as social satire, Ms. Miller’s original 12-part serial drew angel investors that helped her bui...
Oct 12, 2015•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author and Fast Company Editor Joe Berkowitz stopped by the podcast this week. His latest, a humor book titled You Blew It!: An Awkward Look at the Many Ways in Which You’ve Already Ruined Your Life, lands this October. He took a break from his busy schedule to rap with me about how he survives the harried life of a big city journalist. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more fro...
Oct 05, 2015•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author and Fast Company Editor Joe Berkowitz stopped by the podcast this week. His latest, a humor book titled You Blew It!: An Awkward Look at the Many Ways in Which You’ve Already Ruined Your Life, lands this October. He took a break from his busy schedule to rap with me about how he survives the harried life of a big city journalist. Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more fro...
Sep 28, 2015•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast The New York Times bestselling author of The Martian dropped by to chat with me about his writing process and the upcoming movie adaptation of his hit book directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon (release date October 2nd, 2015). Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! The author’s journey to #1 on the NY Times Best Sellers list began as a humble se...
Sep 21, 2015•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast The New York Times bestselling author of The Martian dropped by to chat with me about his writing process and the upcoming movie adaptation of his hit book, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon (release date October 2nd, 2015). Rainmaker.FM is Brought to You By Discover why more than 80,000 companies in 135 countries choose WP Engine for managed WordPress hosting. Start getting more from your site today! The author’s journey to #1 on the NY Times Best Sellers list began as a humble s...
Sep 14, 2015•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered why storytelling is such an omnipresent theme of human life? Welcome to another guest segment of “The Writer s Brain” where I pick the brain of a neuroscientist about elements of great writing. Research scientist Michael Grybko — of the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington — returned to the podcast to help me define storytelling from a scientific standpoint. If you missed the first two installments of The Writer s Brain — on How Neuroscience Defines bot...
Aug 24, 2015•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Prolific, bestselling, multi-genre author Hugh Howey took me on a walk through the writer’s process. Mr. Howey is the well-known author of Wool, and his self-published dystopian “Silo Series,” that has sold over two million copies worldwide. His books have been optioned for film and TV by well-known Hollywood director Ridley Scott and Heroes creator Tim Kring respectively. He has been a fierce advocate for self-publishing authors and even inked a rare print-only contract with major publishers to...
Aug 10, 2015•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Showrunner behind multiple top-ranking podcasts and Vice President of Marketing for the Rainmaker.FM podcast network, Jerod Morris, paid me a visit this week to talk about his beginnings as a writer, podcaster, and digital marketer. Mr. Morris started out online as a sports blogger and became the editor of a high-traffic blog that was tapped by Fox Sports. His blogging has led to quite a few opportunities for the writer, including: Co-founding a WordPress hosting company Leading the editoria...
Aug 03, 2015•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Multiple New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink stopped by The Writer Files to chat about his secrets for getting words onto the page. Mr. Pink is the author of five provocative titles on the subjects of business, work, and human behavior — including To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others — and has written for The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The Sunday Telegraph, Fast Company, and Wired. In addition to having one of the most viewed TED talks of all time — ...
Jul 27, 2015•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast New media pioneer and entrepreneur Darren Rowse — creator of both Digital Photography School and ProBlogger — joined me to chat about the opportunities that 13 years of blogging have provided, his new podcast, and the importance of having the right mindset as a writer. This sage blogging veteran and educator has blazed an inspiring path for enterprising online publishers. His step-by-step blog series — 31 Days to Build a Better Blog — went from zero to viable business in no time, and now it’s a ...
Jul 20, 2015•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Award-winning designer and marketing consultant Pamela Wilson — who has helped small businesses and large organizations alike create ”big brands” since 1987 — stopped by to chat about what it’s like to run the blog at Copyblogger.com, and her mission to publish impeccable online content. As head of the editorial team for Copyblogger Media, she helps guide an abundance of educational content for one of the top online marketing, blogging, and copywriting sites in the world. Pamela’s unique point-o...
Jul 13, 2015•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bestselling author and prolific lit interviewer Brad Listi was named One of LA s most fascinating people of 2015 by the LA Weekly. He stopped by to chat with me about podcasting and the secrets of successful writers. On his “in depth and inappropriate” podcast, Otherppl with Brad Listi, he has interviewed over 350 leading contemporary authors — including George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed, Tao Lin, Jonathan Lethem, Austin Kleon, and Susan Orlean — and his takeaways for writers are often priceless a...
Jul 06, 2015•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon has been called one of the most interesting people on the Internet by The Atlantic Magazine, and he stopped by The Writer Files to chat with me about creativity and the writing life. Austin is the author of three illustrated books — Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! — guides I recommend to all writers seeking insights for tapping into your endless reserves of creativity and innovation. In addition to being featured on NPR...
Jun 29, 2015•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast New York Times bestselling author Austin Kleon has been called one of the most interesting people on the Internet by The Atlantic Magazine, and he stopped by The Writer Files to chat with me about creativity and the writing life. Austin is the author of three illustrated books — Steal Like An Artist, Newspaper Blackout, and Show Your Work! — guides I recommend to all writers seeking insights for tapping into your endless reserves of creativity and innovation. In addition to being featured on NPR...
Jun 22, 2015•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered why great writing creates an emotional response in readers? Welcome to another guest segment where I pick the brain of a neuroscientist. Research scientist Michael Grybko — of the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington — returned to the show to help me define empathy from a scientific standpoint. Mr. Grybko sheds some light into the darker corners of our understanding of how to tap into the hopes, dreams, and fears of your readers. In this file Michael Gr...
Jun 15, 2015•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, award-winning, globe-trotting travel journalist Adam Skolnick returns as guest host for another edition of Writer Porn, where we discuss pertinent, writerly paraphernalia that has crossed our collective radar. Adam is the author and co author of 25 Lonely Planet guidebooks. He has also written for publications as varied as the New York Times, ESPN, Men’s Health, Outside, and Playboy. He recently finished his first narrative non-fiction book — based on his award-winning New York Times ...
Jun 08, 2015•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Writing can be a lonely sport, whether you re running a digital agency, or slaving away on the next great novel. In this week's episode, we'll examine the writing process of James Chartrand, a prolific online publisher, copywriter, and digital entrepreneur. It s hard to settle on a specific title for my guest because James wears so many different hats — founder of the popular blog, web design, and copywriting agency Men with Pens — as well as an author, educator, and writing coach. James s many ...
Jun 01, 2015•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast Journalist and creative non-fiction author Sarah Stodola shared her writer s file with me in this episode. Her recent book Process: The Writing Lives of Great Authors is a fascinating collection of the habits and habitats of heralded scribes. Ms. Stodola is also an accomplished journalist and editor whose work has appeared in The New York Times, Mental Floss, The Daily Beast, The Fiscal Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Nation, The Wall Street Journal, Storyboard, Slate, and many others. Take a li...
May 18, 2015•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast Coral-coiffed marketer and prolific online publisher Sonia Simone stopped by the show this week to share her writing secrets with us. Ms. Simone is co-founder and Chief Content Officer of Copyblogger Media as well as an educator, speaker, and the devious mastermind behind the podcast Confessions of a Pink-Haired Marketer. Sonia appeared in the written series over on Copyblogger.com and stopped by again to drop some writerly wisdom on us. You can also see Sonia Simone live at Authority Rainmaker,...
May 11, 2015•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode I ve invited digital marketing pioneer Ann Handley to chat with me about her writing process. She s a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, brilliant keynote speaker, the world s first Chief Content Officer, and a prolific digital content creator. Ann Handley appeared on the written interview series last year and stopped by again to share her methods of madness with us. You can also see Ann live at Authority Rainmaker, a carefully designed live educational experience that prese...
May 04, 2015•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have you ever wondered how prolific writers summon vast stores of creativity without seemingly breaking a sweat? I would like to introduce you to a guest segment where I enlist the help of a neuroscientist to give us a tour of The Writer s Brain. I've invited research scientist Michael Grybko — of the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington — to help me define creativity from a scientific standpoint. He will help us to pinpoint where exactly in the brain creative ideas come from...
Apr 27, 2015•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sometimes word nerds just need a place to talk shop, and that s what we intend to do here. In this episode of the The Writer Files I ve asked award-winning journalist Adam Skolnick to join me on a guest segment we’re calling Writer Porn. Adam is an award-winning, globetrotting travel journalist, which is kind of a rare thing these days. He is the author and co author of 25 Lonely Planet guidebooks, and has written for publications as varied as the New York Times (for whom he won a big award from...
Apr 20, 2015•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Welcome to The Writer Files, a tour of the habits, habitats, and brains of renowned writers — from online content creators, to fictionists, journalists, entrepreneurs, and beyond. Great writing is more vital and in demand than it’s ever been. But sometimes writers get stuck — the right words don t appear, we get distracted, or worse, lose interest in our work — and that s when the solitary nature of writing can become a curse. I m here to remind you that all writers have moments of doubt, feelin...
Apr 13, 2015•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast