I Hate Author Readings (And How to Fix Them)

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By Brendan O’Meara

Maybe it’s my ADHD, but when it comes to author readings, I can’t focus. I can’t stay engaged no matter how hard I try. There are any number of reasons why they suck. Let’s dispense with, perhaps, my own shortcomings as an audience member, someone with a pathological inability to not drift off or fall asleep while in an audience. But in my defense, few writers are skilled in performance. You’re a writer! You work in the quiet  hours! You prefer the quiet! And now you’re being asked to turn it on? Whose idea was this, anyway? 

But OK set aside how bad readings are for a moment. We must attend them because OK here’s the cynicism YOU WANT PEOPLE TO ATTEND YOURS and you’re not an asshole, are you? We work hard to not be assholes in this biz.

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Episode 254: Elena Passarello on Weird Freelance Work, Podcasting, and Oatmeal Brain

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By Brendan O’Meara

A great pleasure to welcome back Elena Passarello to the show to talk about … jeez … just about everything.

This was very much a shoot-the-shizz pod, but when it comes to Elena, there are few people you’d rather be listening to. So if you dug episodes with Bronwen Dickey and Peter Brown Hoffmeister, you’re in the right place, CNFers!

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Episode 123—Elena Passarello on Listening to the Book, Polaroids, and Self-Doubt

Elena Passarello, author of “Animals Strike Curious Poses,” stopped by (literally) CNFPod HQ for Episode 123.

By Brendan O’Meara

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.

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