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Episode 116—Adventures in Drawing with Scott Campbell

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.

Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.

Episode 115—Candice Hare and the Wide World of Horse Racing

By Brendan O’Meara

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.

But Candice’s story is nice, so even if you don’t dig horse racing, you’ll be able to pull out some cool tidbits from her approach to her own work. Continue reading “Episode 115—Candice Hare and the Wide World of Horse Racing”

Episode 114—Matthew Polly on Bruce Lee, Shaolin Temples, and Video Games

Portrait of Matthew Polly, writer and author of “Bruce Lee: A Life” ©JUSTIN GUARIGLIA, WWW.EIGHTFISH.COM

By Brendan O’Meara

“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.

Episode 113—Jennifer Goforth Gregory: Your Ticket to Earning Six Figures

Jennifer Gregory might just change your life.

By Brendan O’Meara

Tweetables from Jennifer Goforth Gregory (@ByJenGregory)

“The persistence is the difference.”

“If you don’t follow up, you’re leaving money on the table.”

“We’re not each other’s competition; we’re each other’s colleagues.”

Well, well, well, look what your subscription dragged in. Another episode of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best in narrative journalism, doc film, radio, essay, and memoir about the art and craft of telling true stories so you can better at your own work.

You are subscribed, right? Head over to iTunes/Apple Podcasts and lay it down. We’re also on Spotify! Yeah, that’s right. The whole catalog is over there streaming if that’s your thing. Please leave a rating or review on Apple Podcasts because that’s how we prove to the newcomers that we’re doing something special over here at CNF Pod HQ.

Episode 112—Paul Willetts Slays ‘King Con’

By Brendan O’Meara

Tweetable by Paul Willetts:

“Revision as you go along can be tremendously destructive of what you’re doing.”

I’ve had quite a run of late of guests from the other side of the pond as it were. Today is no different as I welcome Paul Willetts to the show.

Paul is very smart and he loves the work. He is the author of several books of nonfiction, most recently King Con: the Bizarre Adventures of the Jazz Age’s Greatest Imposter.

Episode 111—The Empowering and Exciting Nature of Film with Emer Reynolds

Emer Reynolds wrote and directed “The Farthest,” the documentary about the Voyager Mission.

By Brendan O’Meara (@BrendanOMeara or @CNFPod)

“You’re really finding the film in editing the documentary.” —Emer Reynolds (@emerpreynolds on Twitter).

Ever catch yourself staring at the sky at night and being categorically floored, hair blown back by the scope of it all?

This happens to me almost nightly and there’s two distinct approaches you can take and I’ve taken both of them, believe you me.

Episode 110—Scott Neumyer on Podcasting, Writing, and Anxiety

Scott Neumyer is a writer and hosts the wildly popular Anxiety Diaries Podcast.

By Brendan O’Meara

Tweetables from Scott Neumyer (@scottneumyer):

“The more you do, the more apt you are to get an assignment.”

“I want to make something happen and I just work really hard to do it.”

Today’s guest has a voice as smooth as velvet. It’s a voice you want to listen to over and over again and you know what? You can!

Today I welcome Scott Neumyer to the show. Scott is a writer who has been published by The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, GQ, Esquire, Wired, Men’s Fitness, and many more publications. He is a contributor to the anthology Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles, which Simon Pulse published in 2018. He is also the creator and host of the popular Anxiety Diaries Podcast. He lives in central New Jersey with his wife, two daughters, and two cats.

This is the show where I speak to the best creators about telling true stories, how they’re told, and why it matters so you can apply those tools of mastery to your own work.

Scott has been working hard on his new podcast, Anxiety Diaries, and it’s raw, it’s honest, and it showcases interesting people across the mental health-sphere.

In this episode we dig into his origin as a writer, influential writers, lots about the craft of interviewing, and how to launch a successful podcast.

If you dig the show, please subscribe and leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Joe Rogan (love you Joe!) doesn’t need anymore. I need them. Me. Okay, CNFers, thanks for listening, let’s get right into it.

Thanks for listening CNFers. Thanks again to Hippocamp 2018 for the support. Be sure to use that CNFPOD coupon code to save $50 on your registration fee.

Again, if you’d leave a review on Apple Podcasts, I’ll edit a piece of your writing of up to 2,000 words. Just send me a screenshot and I’ll coach up your writing. That’s only fair.

Stories by Scott

I Am Royce White
Anxiety Makes the Holidays Harder

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast is sponsored by Hippocamp 2018. Now in its fourth year, Hippocamp is a three-day creative nonfiction writing conference that features 50+ speakers, engaging sessions in four tracks, interactive all-conference panels, author and attendee readings, social activities, networking opps, and optional, intimate pre-conference workshops. The conference takes place in lovely Lancaster, Pennsylvania from Aug. 24 through the 26th.

Visit hippocampusmagazine.com and click the “Conference” tab in the toolbar and if you enter the keyword CNFPOD at checkout you will receive a $50 discount. This offer is only good until Aug. 10 or until all those tickets are sold. There are a limited number so act now!

Hippocamp 2018: Create. Share. Live.

Episode 109—Jean Guerrero Tries to Solve the Mystery of Her Father

Jean Guerrero, an award-winning journalist, came by to talk about her memoir Crux. Photo credit Stacey Keck

By Brendan O’Meara

“I could leave my father as a mystery because he was the mystery I was trying to solve,” says Jean Guerrero, @jeanguerre on Twitter.

I’ve often wonder how to not just make the podcast better but different. What would that entail?

Could writing an extensive blog post about the guest instead of just show notes be seen as different yet adding value? I’m not sure.

Episode 108—Katie Baker on Working Outside of Journalism and Cultivating Enthusiasms

Katie Baker is a staff writer for The Ringer and damn good writer.

By Brendan O’Meara

“Working outside of journalism before working in journalism can be a useful thing in terms of seeing how the world works.” —Katie Baker (@katiebakes)

Hey there, CNFers, it’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about telling true stories, whether that’s narrative journalists, documentary filmmakers, essay and memoir writers and radio producers, I try unpack their lives and their work so you can apply those tools of mastery to your own work.

Continue reading “Episode 108—Katie Baker on Working Outside of Journalism and Cultivating Enthusiasms”

Episode 107—Matt Pentz on Collaboration, Hard Work, and U.S. Soccer

Matt Pentz is a freelance sports writer based out of Seattle.

Tweetables by Matt Pentz (@mattpentz):

“The work that you put in is what comes out.”

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast whereby I interview purveyors of the almighty true story.

Today is no different as I welcome Matt Pentz, @mattpentz on Twitter, for Episode 107 of the podcast. Matt is a freelance sports writer based out of Seattle.

In this episode we dig into his co-written expose on the U.S. Men’s Soccer Team that he wrote with Andrew Helms for The Ringer. We get real granular on how he collaborated on that piece.

We also talk about how he handles his days as a freelancer and other influential writers.

Share the episode if you dig it and tag me on social @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod on Twitter. You guys are the social network so when you share it, I know you’re digging it.

Why wait? Here’s Matt.

Thanks for listening everybody.

If you dig the show, consider leaving an honest review on Apple Podcasts and sharing with a friend.

Reach out on the socials if you have questions, concerns, or feedback.

Also you can sign up for the ever-growing monthly reading list newsletter where I share my book recommendations for the month, as well as what you might have missed from the world of the podcast. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.

What did you get out of this episode? Ping me on Twitter! I’d love to find out!