nonfiction – Page 19 – Home of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast

Episode 201: Walter Thompson-Hernandez on Journalism as Ethnography in ‘The Compton Cowboys’

Man, what a show we’ve got for you with Walter Thompson-Hernandez. He is a Los Angeles-based writer who catapulted onto the scene with a feature he wrote about the Compton Cowboys.

It was one of those stories where as soon as published it blew up. Then agents are banging on his door, he’s got a book deal, movie deal and maybe the best of it all: a berth on The Creative Nonfiction Podcast: the show where I speak to badass people about the art and craft of telling true stories.

In speaking with Walter, it reminded me of conversations I had with Mike Sager, Eli Saslow and Maggie Messitt about taking deep dives into various subcultures (and I know I’m missing dozens who have been on this show).

Compton Cowboys is a brilliant book about a subculture tucked into the heart of Compton where, to quote the subhead of Walter’s NYT story, “A group of childhood friends wants to create a safer community and challenge the notion that African-Americans can’t be cowboys.”

I’d say more, but I don’t want to spoil this great conversation with Walter (@mychivas).

Dig the show? Keep the conversation going on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @CNFPod.

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Get after it, CNFers!

Episode 198: Rani Shah — Blue High Heels, Dude Hats, and Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish

By Brendan O’Meara

Rani Shah is the mastermind behind the beautiful, fun, and quirky book Wisdom from a Humble Jellyfish: And Other Self-Care Rituals from Nature (Dey St., 2020).

Lots of fun speaking to Rani about how her parents nurtured her creative side, but were worried about she’d make a career out of creative work.

We talk about day jobs, imposter syndrome, growth/fixed mindsets, power heels, and dude hats.

She’s the founder of Fuss Class, a south Asian satire site. Very Onion-esque. Rani hangs out on Instagram @raanstermonster. She came to play ball.

I think you’ll have fun with this one and I’d love to hear from you if you did. Email the show and ping us on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

We need more submissions to our first ever audio magazine. The theme is Social Distancing: Essays from Isolation. 2,000 words/15-minute read. Deadline is MAY 1. Email your essay with SUBMISSION in the subject line to creativenonfictionpodcast at gmail dot com. I can’t wait to hear what you come up with.

Questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out. This a community. We’re in this mess together. Share this episode with your people and encourage them to share it to. If you don’t feel the need to share it, then I’ve failed at making something remarkable. And I’ll keep working harder and harder so that it continues to earn your endorsement and, more importantly, your valuable time.

Episode 197: Eva Holland — Coping by Going into Reporter Mode

By Brendan O’Meara

Eva Holland returns to the show after a long, long absence.

In this episode, you’ll hear some of the advanced advice she knows and wants to know regarding freelancing, the nexus of memoir and deep reportage, participatory antics, and overcoming the imposter syndrome of stepping out of her comfort zone.

I’m hesitant to include or first interview because it is a rough production. Eva was great. Me on the other hand …

In any case, Eva has a new book out called Nerve: Adventures in the Science of Fear (The Experiment, 2020) and it is a trip.

“I knew right away I would be writing about my mom’s death. I knew that immediately,” Eva told me, and that was what triggered a years’ long journey into fear and her relationship to it.

Follow the show @CNFPod on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Email the show with questions or kind words creativenonfictionpodcast@gmail.com. If this show means something to you, please consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 196: How to Be Fine with Jolenta Greenberg and Kristen Meinzer

By Brendan O’Meara

Man, this was fun, CNFers. We’ve got Jolenta Greenberg (@JolentaG) and Kristen Meinzer (@kristenmeinzer) in the CNFin’ house.

They are the co-hosts of By the Book, a podcast where they read a self-help book, follow its “recipes,” and report back. It’s a great show and the inspiration for their book, How to Be Fine: What We Learned from Living by the Rules of 50 Self-Help Books (Willam Morrow, 2020).

I think this episode pairs well with Austin Kleon, Jeff Goins, Chase Jarvis, and maybe a little Allison Fallon.

So many great insights about negative self-talk, what they feel is fundamentally lacking in most self-help books, and how to ultimately be kinder to yourself.

This book comes at a good time because things are rough. Things are topsy-turvy. We need people like Jolenta and Kristen doing their thing and thankfully their work is out there for us.

As you know, you can keep in touch on social media by following the show @CNFPod wherever. Also, if you’re feeling kind, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. Share this show if it means something to you. We’d be honored if you did.

[Again, no art because my website host hasn’t fixed the issue yet.]

Episode 193: Allison Fallon — Find Your Voice

By Brendan O’Meara

Hey, CNFers, citizens of CNF Nation! We’ve got Allison Fallon here for you. She offers brilliant insights into following your calling and finding your voice.

She’s the author of several books, most recently Indestructible.

Allison has taken control of her writing journey and I think you’ll find some juicy nuggets to apply to your life. Good stuff.

This episode is brought to you by Bay Path University’s MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing, as well as HippoCamp2020. Use that CNFPOD2020 coupon code to receive $40 off your tuition.

Also, be sure to follow the show’s social channels as a way to keep the conversation going and to keep in touch. @CNFPod on IG, Twitter, and Facebook.

Episode 192: Paul Lisicky — The Book Teaches You What It Wants to Be

By Brendan O’Meara

Hey, CNFers, Paul Lisicky is back! He first came on the show in 2016 when his book The Narrow Door came out.

Now he’s back to talk about Later: My Life at the Edge of the World. Both are published by Graywolf Press.

What I particularly loved about Paul’s book is how hyper-local it is to a specific time and place. We can all learn how to best drill down on the specifics of a story by reading Paul’s latest book.

Thanks to Bay Path University and HippoCamp2020 for the support (use that CNFPOD2020 coupon code for $40 off your registration!).

Episode 191: Alexander Norman on the Journey of Finding Voice, Ghostwriting, and the Dalai Lama

By Brendan O’Meara

Alexander Norman is here to talk about his book The Dalai Lama: An Extraordinary Life (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020).

In this conversation we talk about the challenge of finding a voice, how even after 30 years, Alexander is still trying to find it.

And, you know, the Dalai Lama.

We talk about how his time as an army officer influenced his writing, how to surrender to the story, and how he came to know the Dalai Lama.

I hope you’ll subscribe to the show if you already don’t. I do my best to make the best show for you. If you dig the show, consider leaving a kind review on Apple Podcasts. I’ll read it on the air as a way of saying thank you.

You can follow the show’s various social media channels. @CNFPod on IG, Twitter, and Facebook. Always nice to connect.

That reminds me. We all need editors. We all need editing. We all need accountability. If you’ve got an essay or a book that needs coaching I’d be honored and thrilled to serve you and your work. Email me brendan @ brendanomeara.com and let’s start a conversation because the world needs your work. We need you to show up and I want to help.

Books by Alexander

The Secret Lives of the Dalai Lama

Episode 190: Adrienne Brodeur on Taking Your Story Head On, Loosening the Grip on Your Narrative, and Her Memoir ‘Wild Game’

By Brendan O’Meara

One of the many things that struck me about this conversation I had with Adrienne Brodeur, author of Wild Game: My Mother, Her Lover, and Me, was what she said about confronting what was tough about relationship with her mother.

She said:

One of the great gifts of writing memoir or creative nonfiction, to do it well you have to kind of loosen the grip on your own narrative and you have to really do your best to understand what was driving other people in your story.

You have to take people in your life, people who likely affected you in some capacity, and approach it with empathy and understanding. By and large, these people we write about aren’t monsters. They were adults trying to get by.

We’re all just trying to get by and some of us are better at getting by than others.

In any case, I hope you enjoy this conversation with Adrienne. You could pair it with Natalie Singer, Vanya Erickson and Meredith May.

Thanks to Bay Path University’s MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing for the support.

Also, if you want a $40 discount on your HippoCamp2020 registration fee, enter the promo code CNFPOD2020 at checkout. It’s the best money you’ll spend on a conference this year. In fact, I’ll be using that coupon code myself!

We all need editors. We all need editing. We all need accountability. If you’ve got an essay or a book that needs coaching I’d be honored and thrilled to serve you and your work. Email me brendan @ brendanomeara.com and let’s start a conversation because the world needs your work. We need you to show up and I want to help.

Episode 189: Damon Brown on ‘Bring Your Worth’ and the Secret Power of Cocktail Napkins

By Brendan O’Meara

You ready for a treat, CNFers? I’ve got Damon Brown for you this Valentine’s Day. Awwwww.

Damon has written several books, most self-published, but some not. His book Bring Your Worth is what prompted this conversation.

He’s in that vein of Jeff Goins, Austin Kleon and Chase Jarvis about how to get inspired to do your best work.

We met at HippoCamp 2019 and got to talking about a lot of the themes that you’ve come to love from this little podcast. Jeanette Hurt was also with us at the bar. Actually, I was with them since they’ve been creative partners for years and they co-talked a talk about earning money while you sleep. Passive Writer is the book they co-authored about it. Good stuff.

They were really sweet and attended my train wreck of a presentation. More on that another time.

Make sure you sign up for Damon’s newsletter, after mine 😉 and follow him on Twitter @browndamon.

That it? I think so.

Episode 188: Katherine Keith — Say Yes to Life

By Brendan O’Meara

You know the drill, CNFers, it’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast and this week’s show features Katherine Keith, the badass behind Epic Solitude: A Story of Survival and a Quest for Meaning in the Far North (Black Stone Publishing, 2020).

In this conversation we talk about her capacity to carry her past, carry her tragedies with her and how she channelled that into something positive for her and her family.

As a heads up, this podcast is unedited. I did not have the time to grind on the edit. Nor will next week’s episode. But after that, I swear I’ll find the time to edit. I didn’t think you’d mind. 😉

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

Books by Alexander

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER!: Once a Month. No Spam. Can’t Beat It.