Lee Gutkind (@LeeGutkind) has returned to the show after a long, long time, this time to talk about his wonderful new book My Last Eight Thousand Days: An American Male in His Seventies (University of Georgia Press).
We talk about a lot of stuff, like voice. Lee says:
Continue reading “Episode 233: Lee Gutkind on Magical Moments, the Rope Test, and ‘My Last Eight Thousand Days’”
For the 30th and final edition of what we have come to know as The Best American Sports Writing series (Best American Paper, or Houghton Mifflin. Harcourt, (Amazon says Best American Paper, HMH’s website says it’s theirs. I don’t know anymore.), 2020), CNFPod bestie Glenn Stout returns to the show to talk about BASW and the evolution of journalism, or the evolution of the medium.
He also has a new book coming out in March: Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid: America’s Original Gangster Couple. It is available for pre-order.
If you want your fix of Stout, he’s been on the show here, here, and here. All worth listening to. There’s nobody better at distilling what this mess is all about.
Continue reading “Episode 232: Change is the Only Constant with Glenn Stout”
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Pete Croatto (@petecroatto on Twitter) is here to talk about freelancing, writing, and his new book From Hang Time to Prime Time: Business, Entertainment, and the Birth of the Modern-Day NBA (Atria Books, 2020).
Where’s the juice? Where’s the juice in the enterprise?
Continue reading “Episode 231: Pete Croatto on Listening, Showing His Work, ‘From Hang Time to Prime Time,’ and Adding that Ding”The juice is in coming up with an idea and convincing an editor that the idea is worth pursuing, convincing a person, selling a person on that idea. When I get an idea for a story, it’s almost a giddy feeling. It’s a feeling that that you have a secret that no one else knows about, so you want to just tell as many people as you can about that. It’s like gossip, it’s a big piece of juicy gossip, and you want to share it and get it in the right hand.
Pete Croatto from Episode 231 of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast
It’s been a long time coming, but, at long last, here is the inaugural Creative Nonfiction Podcast Audio Magazine!
The essays take you to edges of isolation and what that means to these five brilliant contributors.
I’m very proud of this, and I’m thrilled to keep improving the product and developing it.
As you know, this is the show where I usually speak to badass writers about the art and craft of telling true stories. So it’s my esteemed pleasure to bring you true stories on the feed.
Now, this inaugural issue will forever be free for all, but subsequent issues will only be available for members in the Patreon community. The first tier grants you exclusive access to the 2021 audio mag, which I hope will publish around June/July. The new theme and submission guidelines are at the end of this audio mag. Very exciting!
You’ll want to keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and let me know what you think of this exciting enterprise.
Continue reading “Audio Magazine Issue No. 1: Isolation”
Meichi Ng is the genius behind Barely Functional Adult, her wildly popular web comic. Her first book is … Barely Functional Adult: It’ll All Make Sense Eventually (Harper Perennial).
I can’t speak highly enough about it. It’s hilarious and heartfelt.
In this episode we chat about:
You can now become a Patreon member of the CNFin’ community. I have four tiers of membership and if you do the math on the BIG tier, it’s actually a killer deal.
Becoming a member supports the podcast, supports the audio mag, grants you exclusive content, transcripts, and access to me as an editor and coach. Every dollar goes into producing the show and leading to more creative independence, which means I can make more cool stuff for you.
I know it’s a big ask, but I figure it’s better than a tip jar as you’ll get some cool stuff in exchange for your membership.
Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts. They help with the packaging of the show. If you can’t or don’t want to leave one on Apple, you can email me a review and I’ll read it on air and use it as I court sponsors.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the free monthly newsletter where I share reading recommendations, articles, blogs, and what you might have missed from the world of the CNFin’ podcast. First of the month. No spam. Can’t beat it.
Kermit Pattison (@KermitPattison) steps up this week to talk about his new book Fossil Men: The Quest for the Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind (William Morrow, 2020).
It’s a great read about the rivalries among scientists, the purity of the mission, discovery and inquiry. Kermit does an admirable job of making this science accessible.
We talk about:
Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod. Consider leaving a kind a review of the show wherever you listen to podcasts. I’ll be sure to read it on the air and give you the love you deserve.
A Patreon page is coming VERY soon, so I want to prime the pump for that. I’m excited to offer some cool goodies and access and coaching for those who are willing to take the leap. It’ll help keep the lights on. This enterprise is free, but it ain’t cheap!
Norton Anthology of Poetry
A John Le Carre novel
Collected Works of Charles Dickens
Fossil Men
A blank journal
A special call out to journalists and nonfiction writers who could use some extra support in these unpredictable times. Writers House Pittsburgh is accepting applications for a 6 month residency starting as early as January 2021. The Writers House is a physical home and long-term residency seeking to provide housing stability, mentorship, and community when you need it most. Head over to WritersHousePittsburgh.org to learn more. Applications will close on November 30th.
Annie Duke (@AnnieDuke) is a world-class poker player and the author of How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices.
This book is essential reading because what is more fundamental to life than making decisions? It provides a framework for making the most educated decisions, objective decisions, and the context to tell you whether or not a bad outcome was, in fact, the result of a bad decision.
There are many instances where you make a great decision, but the outcome is horrible. When you see the play calling at the end of Super Bowl when New England beat Seattle, you realize Pete Carroll’s decision to throw was a brilliant decision, but it had the worst possible outcome.
It’s a bad throw. But that’s not the point. Annie breaks this play down in the podcast.
Great decision … TERRIBLE outcome. What if they complete the pass? Greatest, gutsiest call in history! That’s resulting and that’s what Annie gets at, among other things, in her new book.
Keep the conversation going by linking up to the show on social media, @CNFPod.
How to Decide
Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don’t Have All the Facts
How I Raised, Folded, Bluffed, Flirted, Cursed and Won Millions
“That’s what the practice is. It’s for people who have read enough blog posts or books to know the method, but for whatever reason look straight at the method and blink,” says Seth Godin.
Seth is the author of twenty books and I’m thrilled to celebrate his latest book, The Practice: Shipping Creative Work.
It’s an incredible book and the book we need for these distracting and troubling times. You’ll want to pair this book with The Dip and This is Marketing. And Linchpin.
You’ll want to keep the conversation going on social media, @CNFPod, across the Big Three.
Signing up for the my monthly newsletter is where it’s at! Reading recommendations, writing tips, and news from the podcast. I hosted the first CNFin’ Zoom Happy Hour for newsletter subscribers. If you want to come to the next one, subscribe! Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.
If I’ve made something worth sharing, I hope you you’ll considering linking up to the show on social media. And if you have a moment, leave a kind review on Apple Podcasts.
OK, that’s it, friend. Please enjoy.
Edward Parnell, the author of Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country (William Collins), comes by the show to talk about the new book, a book that is part travel log, culture log, and memoir.
It is a haunting read, a mournful read, so naturally I dug it.
You can find Edward @edward_parnell on Twitter.
We talk about our shared love of Kurt Vonnegut, keeping the fun in writing, his approach to take this book away from the traditional grief memoir path, and lots more.
Keep the conversation going on social media @CNFPod and be sure to sign up for the monthly newsletter where I give out reading recommendation, podcast news, and writing tips. This month I plan to try something new: An exclusive Zoom link to have a little happy hour. First of the month. No spam. Can’t beat it.
By Brendan O’Meara
What a pleasure to have Amalia Andrade (@amaliaandrade_ on Twitter) on the podcast to talk about her new book What You Think About When You Bit Your Nails: A Fear and Anxiety Workbook (Penguin Life).
She’s so damn cool and her style of drawing and writing is so fun and whimsical. I think you’re gonna dig her.
We talk about:
Consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts so more CNFers like YOU will see it. Subscribe to my monthly newsletter where you’ll get great reading recommendations, be entered in raffles for books and maybe, just maybe, be invited to a Zoom Happy Hour on the first of the month, the day the newsletter goes out. You’ll have to subscribe, open the newsletter, and follow the link at the appropriate time.
Cheers!