Brin-Jonathan Butler has the world record for appearances on The Creative Nonfiction Podcast at four times. In honor of that, here’s a riff in 4/4 time.
“What I’m doing when I’m not working is thinking.” —Natalie Singer (@Natalie_Writes)
Hey, this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about the craft of telling true stories. Today I welcome Natalie Singer, author of California Calling: A Self Interrogation to the show.
We talk about confidence, or the lack thereof, books as mentors, and day jobs and feeling shame for day jobs. I hope to change that perception over the next six million episodes, but shame is real, man, it is real. This brought up the great story about Andre Dubus III and how he wrote his famous book in 17-minute spurts.
Well, are you subscribed to the show? You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and just about anywhere else you get your pods. If you like this episode, tell one friend. Hand the show off like a baton and let them run with it. I’d love to see the show grow. For a small show, we get some big headliners. I’d love to keep that going. The headliners bring more ears so that we little people can get some attention we might not otherwise get. It’s getting there. We march on.
Got a newsletter you should consider subscribing to. I give out reading recommendations, but I’m also thinking of sprinkling in some other cool stuff I’ve stumbled on over the past month in the vein of Austin Kleon’s newsletter. I love his newsletter. I’m gonna Steal Like an Artist. See what I did there?
Okay, this is my conversation with Natalie Singer…
You doing the newsletter thing? Subscribe here at the website. And if you like the show, share it with a friend, just one friend. The pod needs to keep on growing. Otherwise, what are we doing? Otherwise people won’t want to come on the show. They’ll be like, you’re not worth my time and I’ll be like, “Man, that hurts, Mom.” So please share it with a friend and subscribe if you haven’t.
Tweetables by Elena Passarello (@elenavox on Twitter):
“I loved going to the library and getting lost.”
“I wanted to dig deeper into the essay collection as the essay.”
Welcome wayward CNFers, it’s the Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to bad ass writers, filmmakers, movers and shakers about the art and craft of telling true stories. Here you’ll learn the story, tips, and tactics that will inspire you to greater heights in your own own work. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara, hey, hey.
“I’m always learning about structure. Always.” —Susan Orlean (@susanorlean)
Oh, hey, welcome to the show, CNFers, and, my, my, my are you in for a treat. Susan Orlean, @susanorlean on Twitter, a New Yorker staff writer and the best selling author of The Orchid Thief, Rin Tin Tin, and now her latest book, The Library Book (Simon & Schuster, 2018), is out now. And it’s everything you’d expect from her work.
Eli Saslow, Pulitzer Prize winner, stopped by the show.
By Brendan O’Meara
[Pull Quotes TK]
Welcome to The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about the art and craft of telling true stories. Leaders from narrative journalism, doc film, memoir, essay, radio, and podcasting stop by to share their stories and how they go about the work so you can apply those tools of mastery to your own work.
Eli is one of the good ones. You can tell by talking to him that he’s an energy giver, you know what I mean? You talk to the guy and you want to go out and do your best work. I felt similarly when I spoke with Elizabeth Rush and Andre Dubus III.
Fact is, Eli’s work alone makes you want to go out and do good work because it’s top notch and major league. His latest book is a masterpiece so you need to go out and buy a copy for you and a pal. It is published by Doubleday.
You’re gonna learn a lot of great writing and reporting tips from your time spent listening to this episode.
Be sure to follow the show and me on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod. Why not sign up for my monthly newsletter? I give out reading recommendations. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.
Go like the Facebook page too and consider leaving a nice review on Apple Podcasts.
But before we get to that, maybe I should let you know what it is we do here at CNF HQ. This is the podcast where I speak to the best artists about the craft of telling true stories: origins, habits, routines, key influences, so you can apply those tools of mastery to your own work.
Steve Brusatte, author of “The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs.”
By Brendan O’Meara
It’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best about telling true stories. Leaders in narrative journalism, doc film, radio, podcasting, essay, and memoir stop by Digital CNFPod HQ to talk about how they go about the work so you can apply those tools of mastery—if you so choose—to your own work.
Scott C., author and illustrator, whose Adventures in Drawing is wicked awesome.
By Brendan O’Meara
“I find it inspiring to see people have successes. It makes me want to do better stuff.” —Scott C. (@scottlava on IG)
“When I get started I have to make decisions on color and it kinda stresses me out and there’s always a middle zone where I’m trying to salvage the painting. This is gonna turn out horrible. I’m trying to salvage it.” —Scott C.
Loping along here at CNF HQ. What the hell is going on, CNFers?
Today’s guest is Scott Campbell, better known as Scott C., also known as Scottlava across the Twitter and Instagram.
Scott is an author and illustrator and his latest wonderful creation is Adventures in Drawing: A Guided Sketchbook. This thing is tons of fun. I love drawing as a way unplugging my brain from my daily nonsense. His Instagram feed is chock full of his amazing and playful sketches and water colors. His Great Showdowns are hilarious and cute and fun. I won’t do them justice by talking about them so you should visit Scottc.com or look him up on Insta at Scottlava.
We talk a lot of creative insecurities, comparing yourself to others, and the importance of community in any artistic pursuit. I wish I had two hours to talk to Scott, but we’ll have to made due with one.
One other thing…are you subscribed this pod? Go find it on Apple Podcasts, Sticher, Google Play, and Spotify. And if you’re feeling kind, leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Please share this with a buddy.
Hey, CNFers, today’s episode is brought to you by my amazing monthly newsletter. That’s right. Sign up for my reading recommendations list by entering your email either in the Smart Bar at the top of the page or on the pop up in the middle.
On the first of the month you’ll receive a cool photograph I took, four book recommendations, a cool quote or two, links to any writing I’m proud of, and links to that past month on the podcast. It’s a tasty bit of goodness to start your month.
Today’s guest is Candice Hare (@candicehare_ on Twitter). She’s a broadcaster for TVG, a horse racing channel. As some of you know, my primary field of expertise in the writing world is horse racing, so there’s quite a bit of that here.
“The great thing is if you find the right story it often is more interesting than fiction because it’s weird and quirky.” —Matthew Polly (@MatthewEPolly)
This is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best in narrative journalism, doc film, radio, podcasting, essay, and memoir about the art and craft of telling true stories.
Today’s guest is Matthew Polly. He’s the author of three books of nonfiction, most recently Bruce Lee: A Life. He’s a graduate of Princeton and a Rhodes Scholar, so you can say my 1050 SAT score didn’t exactly level me up any in this conversation.
