Pete Croatto

Pete Croatto is a freelance writer and author of From Hang Time to Prime Time. He's back to talk about that strange post-book period.Newsletter: Rage Against the Algorithm on BeehiivShow notes: brendanomeara.comSocial: @CNFPod and @creativenonfictionpodcast

Pete Croatto is a freelance writer and author of From Hang Time to Prime Time. He's back to talk about that strange post-book period.Newsletter: <a href="https://rageagainstthealgorithm.beehiiv.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm on Beehiiv</a>Show notes: <a href="https://brendanomeara.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Social: <a href="https://twitter.com/CNFPod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CNFPod</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/creativenonfictionpodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@creativenonfictionpodcast</a>

Episode 383: Pete Croatto

Lucy Sexton

Joe Sexton

Lucy Sexton and Joe Sexton, father and daughter, team up for this braided piece for The Atavist titled "Held Together."Newsletter: Rage Against the AlgorithmSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSuds: Athletic Brewing.com, promo code BRENDANO20

Lucy Sexton and Joe Sexton, father and daughter, team up for this braided piece for The Atavist titled "<a href="https://magazine.atavist.com/held-together-libya-iran-hostages/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Held Together</a>."Newsletter: <a href="https://rageagainstthealgormithm.beehiiv.com/p/search-miracles?utm_source=rageagainstthealgormithm.beehiiv.com&amp;utm_medium=newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=a-search-for-other-miracles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Support: <a href="http://Patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing.com, promo code BRENDANO20</a>

Episode 382: Lucy Sexton and Joe Sexton

Michael Finkel

Michael Finkel is the author of The Art Thief: A True Story of Passion, Obsession, and a Monumental Crime Spree.Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSocial: @CNFPod

Michael Finkel is the author of The Art Thief: A True Story of Passion, Obsession, and a Monumental Crime Spree.Substack: <a href="http://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Support: <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Social: <a href="http://twitter.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CNFPod</a>

Episode 381: Michael Finkel

Wudan Yan

Wudan Yan is a freelancer writer, journalist, coach, podcaster, fact checker, hiker. She wrote about food contamination for Undark.Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSuds: Athleticbrewing.com, promo code BRENDANO20

Wudan Yan is a freelancer writer, journalist, coach, podcaster, fact checker, hiker. She wrote about food contamination for Undark.Substack: <a href="https://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Support: <a href="http://Patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athleticbrewing.com</a>, promo code BRENDANO20

Episode 380: Wudan Yan

Alison Mariella Desir

Alison Mariella Desir (@alisonmdesir) is an activist, marathoner, and author of Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us.Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSponsor: Liquid IV, promo code cnfSuds: Athletic Brewing.com, promo code BRENDANO20 

Alison Mariella Desir (@alisonmdesir) is an activist, marathoner, and author of <a href="http://alisonmdesir.com/book" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Running While Black: Finding Freedom in a Sport That Wasn't Built for Us</a>.Substack: <a href="https://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Support: <a href="http://Patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/ql4bk1D-klUwOruoMlPBob3QSL8r1kvidvXm8LL4P4Iv3CtUOE7LmNDTPXF6PPN0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV, promo code cnf</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing.com, promo code BRENDANO20 </a>

Episode 379: Alison Mariella Desir

Steven Moore

Steven Moore is the author of The Distance from Slaughter County: Lessons from Flyover Country (UNC Press). Show notes: brendanomeara.comSubstack: Rage Against the AlgorithmSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSponsor: Liquid IV, code cnfSuds: Athletic Brewing, code BRENDANO20

Steven Moore is the author of The Distance from Slaughter County: Lessons from Flyover Country (UNC Press). Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com/steven-moore-slaughter-county-essays-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Substack: <a href="http://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Support: <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/thecreativenonfictionpodwithbrendanomeara2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV, code cnf</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing, code BRENDANO20</a>

Episode 378: Steven Moore

Carlos Barragan

Carlos Barragan is a journalist and MFA student at the Columbia School of Journalism and his piece for The Atavist is "The Romance Scammer on My Sofa."Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmSponsor: Liquid IV, promo code cnfShow notes: brendanomeara.comSuds: Athletic Brewing, promo code BRENDANO20

Carlos Barragan is a journalist and MFA student at the Columbia School of Journalism and his piece for The Atavist is "<a href="https://magazine.atavist.com/the-romance-scammer-on-my-sofa-nigeria-yahoo-boys/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Romance Scammer on My Sofa.</a>"Substack: <a href="https://t.co/oADMayUtf1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/thecreativenonfictionpodwithbrendanomeara2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV, promo code cnf</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing, promo code BRENDANO20</a>

Episode 377: Carlos Barragan

John Vaillant

John Vaillant (@johnvaillant) is the author four books including Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Knopf).Show notes: brendanomeara.comSubstack: Rage Against the AlgorithmSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSponsor: Liquid IV, code: cnfSuds: Athletic Brewing, code: BRENDANO20

John Vaillant (@johnvaillant) is the author four books including Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (Knopf).Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Substack: <a href="http://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Support: <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/thecreativenonfictionpodwithbrendanomeara2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV, code: cnf</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing, code: BRENDANO20</a>

Episode 376: John Vaillant

Hattie Fletcher

Stephen Knezovich

Hattie Fletcher and Stephen Knezovich are part of a team that started Short Reads, short-reads.org a weekly email dispatch of flash nonfiction.Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodShow notes: brendanomeara.comSponsor: Liquid IV, promo code cnfSuds: Athletic Brewing, promo code BRENDANO20

Hattie Fletcher and Stephen Knezovich are part of a team that started Short Reads, <a href="http://short-reads.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">short-reads.org</a> a weekly email dispatch of flash nonfiction.Substack: <a href="http://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Support: <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/thecreativenonfictionpodwithbrendanomeara2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV</a>, promo code cnfSuds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing</a>, promo code BRENDANO20

Episode 375: Hattie Fletcher and Stephen Knezovich

Christine Yu is the author of Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes (Riverhead Books).Substack: Rage Against the AlgorithmShow notes: brendanomeara.comSupport: Patreon.com/cnfpodSponsor: Liquid IV, promo code CNFSuds: Athletic Brewing, promo code BRENDANO20

Christine Yu is the author of Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes (Riverhead Books).Substack: <a href="https://rageagainstthealgorithm.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Rage Against the Algorithm</a>Show notes: <a href="http://brendanomeara.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>Support: <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon.com/cnfpod</a>Sponsor: <a href="https://zen.ai/thecreativenonfictionpodwithbrendanomeara2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Liquid IV, promo code CNF</a>Suds: <a href="https://athleticbrewing.rfrl.co/d1e6p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Athletic Brewing, promo code BRENDANO20</a>

Episode 374: Christine Yu

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories. Follow the show @CNFPod and visit patreon.com/cnfpod to support!

I was raised with three older brothers, no sisters. I dig chatting it up with dudes. I still feel like I get gents more than ladies. I first met Brendan at a Hippocampus Magazine reading at AWP in 2019. We sat across the table chatting about all things CNF. Although I am, no doubt, older than Brendan, it was delightfully like talking with one of my older brothers about CNF, if such a thing were possible, which it isn’t; CNF isn’t their thing. I went on to become a devoted listener of this podcast so that those delightfully delicious CNF big bro’s conversations would continue. Thanks Brendan for adding such great perspective to the CNF community.

Delightfully delicious CNF conversations!

I found Brendan’s podcast through his conversation with novelist Tim O’Brien. I appreciated Brendan’s informed questions, and how the talk between Tim and Brendan was natural and free-flowing. Subscribed, and looking forward to listening to more of Brendan’s podcast conversations.

Great conversations

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories. Follow the show @CNFPod and visit <a href="http://patreon.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">patreon.com/cnfpod</a> to support!

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Rachel Corbett

"It's usually when you stop trying so hard that something happens," says Rachel Corbett, a New York-based writer and author. Hey, there CNF-buddys, I’m comin’ at you live from my shiny new digs. New house up in Eugene and I’ve got a nice little office I can call my own. There’s no foam on the walls yet, so please pardon the audio, but we’re making strides to be the best. Part of that is me shutting the front door and getting the hell out of the way. I still haven’t quite figured out a way to completely edit myself out of these interviews. But I’m working on it. Don’t worry… Rachel Corbett joins me this week for Episode 88 of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak with the best artists about creating works of nonfiction, leaders in the world of narrative journalism, essay, memoir, radio, and documentary film where I try and tease out origins, habits, routines, mentors, key influences, so you can apply some of their tools of mastery to your own work. Rachel is a freelance journalist whose work appears in a few rags you might have heard of: The New Yorker, the New York Times, etc. She’s also the author of You Must Change Your Life, The Story of Rainer Maria Rilke and Auguste Rodin. She is @rachelncorbett on Twitter. Rachel hits on some key points about carving out your own niche How things come easier when you stop trying so hard Listening vs. talking Getting away from the work so you can come back refreshed. And the power of being dumb and defeated (some of us were born this way). Stay tuned to the end of the show for some incentivized calls to action. In the meantime, here’s my conversation with the brilliant Rachel Corbett.

Episode 88—Rachel Corbett says "Stop Trying So Hard."

Carrie Hagen

Carrie Hagen is the author of "We is Got Him," a gripping narrative of the first ransom kidnapping in the United States. This book, her first, reads like a seasoned pro, like a writer in total command. I hope you enjoy this conversation and if the audio is a bit off, I apologize. It's always a challenge with my primitive equipment to make it sound like your other favorite podcasts. Bear with me, brighter skies are ahead. That said, Carrie's insights into her book a fascinating and helpful to anyone embarking on this kind of writing. Enjoy!

Episode 11—Carrie Hagen on Finding the Essence of Story

Scott Neumyer

"I want to make something happen and I just work really hard to do it," says today's guest Scott Neumyer, a writer and host of the Anxiety Diaries Podcast. 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 Neumyer 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. You can find his work at scottwrites.com 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. I’m Brendan O’Meara, and this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. 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 doesn’t need anymore. I need them. Me. Okay, CNFers, thanks for listening, let’s get right into it.

"I want to make something happen and I just work really hard to do it," says today's guest Scott Neumyer, a writer and host of the Anxiety Diaries Podcast. 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 Neumyer 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. You can find his work at <a href="http://scottwrites.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">scottwrites.com</a> 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. I’m Brendan O’Meara, and this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. 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 doesn’t need anymore. I need them. Me. Okay, CNFers, thanks for listening, let’s get right into it.

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

Harrison Scott Key

"I always felt this indescribable pull to create something I'm proud of. 'Look. I made this,'" says Harrison Scott Key. Harrison Scott Key came back to the show to talk about his amazing work. Since that day way back in 2013, Harrison has published his first memoir The World’s Largest Man about his father, which also won the Thurber Prize for the funniest book in the country. And his latest book, Congratulations, Who Are You Again? Was my single favorite book from 2018. Do you subscribe this here podcast? You can find it just about anywhere and if you dig this show and others, link up to it on your social media platforms. You are the social network, CNFers. Rage Against the Algorithm. And if you have a minute or two, please give the show a rating over on Apple Podcasts. Follow the show @CNFPod on Twitter and @BrendanOMeara on Twitter. It also has a Facebook page. This is where we continue the conversation and I’d love to hear from you.

Episode 134—Harrison Scott Key on Finding the Nature of His Talent, Humor, and the Pull to Create

Sarah Einstein

Jane Eyre

Count Chocula

Sarah Einstein joins me to talk about her wonderful new book "Mot: a Memoir." Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a nice five-star review on iTunes!

Episode 12—Sarah Einstein on writing an other-person-centric memoir, Jane Eyre, and Count Chocula

Jean Guerrero

"I could leave my father as a mystery, because he was the mystery I was trying to solve," says Jean Guerrero. Today I’m joined by a special guest. You may have heard of her, maybe not, but nevertheless her name is Jean Guerrero. She is a television reporter for KPBS in San Diego covering immigration. Too bad that’s not a topical subject. She is the winner of the PEN/FUSION Emerging Writers Prize and has worked for the Wall Street Journal and has won several reporting awards. Most recently she is the author of Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir, a story about discovering her father by crossing borders both physical and spiritual. This is the show where I speak to the world’s best artists about telling true stories, how those stories are told, and why it matters to them. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara and this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast! Hey, did you enjoy the show? Be sure to tweet us some love, I’m @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod and Jean is @jeanguerre. If you have a moment and you made it this far, please consider leaving an honest review on Apple Podcasts and if you want more goodies, head over to brendanomeara.com to sign up for my monthly reading list newsletter. Once a month. No Spam. Can’t beat it. The Creative Nonfiction Podcast is sponsored by Hippocamp 2018. Now in its fourth year, Hippocamp is a three-day Pennsylvania 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, from Aug. 24 through the 26th. Past keynotes have been Lee Gutkind, Mary Karr, Dinty W. Moore, and Jane Friedman (all have been past guests on the podcast. Whaaaat?) This year Abigail Thomas will be the featured speaker. 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! Like RIGHT NOW. Hippocamp 2018: Create. Share. Live.

"I could leave my father as a mystery, because he was the mystery I was trying to solve," says Jean Guerrero. Today I’m joined by a special guest. You may have heard of her, maybe not, but nevertheless her name is Jean Guerrero. She is a television reporter for KPBS in San Diego covering immigration. Too bad that’s not a topical subject. She is the winner of the PEN/FUSION Emerging Writers Prize and has worked for the Wall Street Journal and has won several reporting awards. Most recently she is the author of Crux: A Cross-Border Memoir, a story about discovering her father by crossing borders both physical and spiritual. This is the show where I speak to the world’s best artists about telling true stories, how those stories are told, and why it matters to them. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara and this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast! Hey, did you enjoy the show? Be sure to tweet us some love, I’m @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod and Jean is @jeanguerre. If you have a moment and you made it this far, please consider leaving an honest review on Apple Podcasts and if you want more goodies, head over to <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a> to sign up for my monthly reading list newsletter. Once a month. No Spam. Can’t beat it. The Creative Nonfiction Podcast is sponsored by Hippocamp 2018. Now in its fourth year, Hippocamp is a three-day Pennsylvania 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, from Aug. 24 through the 26th. Past keynotes have been Lee Gutkind, Mary Karr, Dinty W. Moore, and Jane Friedman (all have been past guests on the podcast. Whaaaat?) This year Abigail Thomas will be the featured speaker. Visit <a href="http://hippocampusmagazine.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hippocampusmagazine.com</a> 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! Like RIGHT NOW. Hippocamp 2018: Create. Share. Live.

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

James Blackwell

"Don't worry if you go through a fallow period. It doesn't mean there's something wrong with you," says Leanna James Blackwell. Leanna James Blackwell (@baypathmfaCNF) stopped by the show to talk about her True Story essay "Lethe," as well grabbing hold of ideas, dealing with fallow times, and finding community. This episode is brought to you by Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction. Join me on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod to keep the conversation going! Subscribe to the show and consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts.

Episode 135—Leanna James Blackwell Talks About Fallow Periods, Running with Ideas, and 90s Grunge

Eli Saslow

Eli Saslow is a Pulitzer Prize—winning journalist for The Washington Post and author of the book "Rising Out of Hatred." Thanks to our sponsors Goucher College's MFA for Nonfiction and Creative Nonfiction Magazine. Lots to love in the episode. I hope you dig it, and if you do, please share with a friend and even consider leaving an honest review over on Apple Podcasts.

Episode 120—Eli Saslow, the Pulitzer Prize Winner on Empathy, Muscling Through Drafts, and His Book 'Rising Out of Hatred'

Debbie Millman

Welcome my CNFin’ buddy, how are YOU, doing? I’m @BrendanOMeara, Brendan O’Meara in real life and this is @CNFPod, or The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to badass writers, filmmakers, and producers about the art and craft of telling true stories. If you want to get better at the form, you’ve come to the right place. This is our little corner of the Internet. If you’re here for the first time, welcome, welcome, crack open a notebook, pour yourself a cup of coffee and settle in, CNFers. Where to start, where to start? My guest is Debbie Millman. Yes, you heard that correctly. Your ears did not deceive you. I didn’t bother digging too deep into Debbie’s origin story because there are several podcasts where she dives into that and I wanted to spare her from repeating herself. Maybe I was too timid in that regard, but I figured I’d steer the ship toward other things. At this point in the introduction is usually where I riff …. on what’s going on, maybe offer some insights into how you can improve your work by sharing something I find helpful. But...sometimes the most helpful thing is getting the cuss out of the way. In 17 words Debbie Millman is a writer, designer, educator, artist, brand consultant, and host of the podcast Design Matters. But in a single word? Debbie is an inspiration. She made a name for herself as a graphic designer and branding guru after years and years of rejections, failures, and false starts. She’s persistent sometimes, she admits, to a fault. Her writing is tight and playful. It’s deep, meaningful, resonant, and beautiful to look at as most of her essays are illustrated in her whimsical way of inking and penciling. As for her career in branding, If you’ve seen the Burger King logo, various Pepsi products, Tropicana, Haagen Daas, and Twizzlers (totally twisted) then you’ve seen her work. If it makes the supermarket look prettier, odds are Debbie had a hand in that. She was the president of Sterling Brands for 20 years, and under her stewardship grew the company from 15 employees to 150. But after a decade of being a titan in her field, from 1995 to 2005, often at the expense of her own creative projects, her writing, her drawing, her painting, she was granted the opportunity to host an internet radio program that, I must add, she had to pay to produce, called Design Matters. This was in 2005. 14 years later and she’s still doing it and for my money she, along with Joe Donahue of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, are the best interviews around. I have a reason for this and I talk about this with Debbie. She has interviewed Milton Glaser, Malcolm Gladwell, Anne Lamott, Seth Godin, Shepard Fairey, and hundreds more. Design Matters is a testament to her endurance and generosity. It wasn’t until she had done the show for several years that it really began to gain traction, win awards, and become the behemoth that it is today. I could go on and on and I must apologize for my titanic nerves in this episode. I mean I suffer from them all the time, but this one was especially bad, for that I’m sorry, but getting the chance to speak to Debbie for nearly an hour was such an esteemed an honor that I had trouble keeping my you know what together. You made it this far so I must say thanks for listening. I do this for you guys so you know that even the best of the best deal with the same bullshit we’re all dealing with. If you haven't already, consider subscribing to the show on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher and subvert the algorithms across the social platforms. If you liked the show, share it with just one friend. Email them the link or share it on social media. And tag me @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod so I can toast to your awesomeness. Consider leaving an honest review on iTunes as well. I want to see it hit 100 ratings. We’re gonna get there in 2019, but it starts with you. If you have five minutes to spare, please give the show some love. I also have a monthly newsletter where I send ou

Episode 131—Debbie Millman on Illustrated Essays, the Poem That Defines Her Life, and her Podcast 'Design Matters'

Susan Orlean

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, is out now. And it’s everything you’d expect from her work. But before we get to that, maybe you’re new to the show. Let me tell you what me and the voices in my head are up to here. This is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to great artists about the craft of telling true stories: Leaders in narrative journalism, memoir, documentary film, essay, radio, and podcasting stop by so we can talk about their creative path and how they go about the work so you can apply those tips, tricks, and routines to your own work. Susan Orlean, susanorlean.com, came back to the show. I recommend listening to both her shows. Episode 61 talks a lot about her origin story as a writer and running your show like a business. This time around for Episode 121, she dives into her methods of structure and what her latest book—a book she never thought she’d write—is all about. Thanks to our sponsors, Goucher College’s MFA in Nonfiction and Creative Nonfiction magazine for the support. Be sure to give me a fist bump over on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod. You can like the Facebook page too if that’s where you spend your time. And if you have questions, feel free to reach out. Also, if you dig the show, consider sharing it with a friend or even write a short review over on iTunes/Apple Podcasts. If you head over to brendanomeara.com, not only will you find show notes for the podcast, but you will also be able to sign up for my monthly newsletter where I send out reading recommendations and other CNFin’ goodies. You’d enjoy getting something tasty in your inbox from me on the first of the month, head over to the site. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.

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, is out now. And it’s everything you’d expect from her work. But before we get to that, maybe you’re new to the show. Let me tell you what me and the voices in my head are up to here. This is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to great artists about the craft of telling true stories: Leaders in narrative journalism, memoir, documentary film, essay, radio, and podcasting stop by so we can talk about their creative path and how they go about the work so you can apply those tips, tricks, and routines to your own work. Susan Orlean, <a href="http://susanorlean.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">susanorlean.com</a>, came back to the show. I recommend listening to both her shows. Episode 61 talks a lot about her origin story as a writer and running your show like a business. This time around for Episode 121, she dives into her methods of structure and what her latest book—a book she never thought she’d write—is all about. Thanks to our sponsors, Goucher College’s MFA in Nonfiction and Creative Nonfiction magazine for the support. Be sure to give me a fist bump over on Twitter @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod. You can like the Facebook page too if that’s where you spend your time. And if you have questions, feel free to reach out. Also, if you dig the show, consider sharing it with a friend or even write a short review over on iTunes/Apple Podcasts. If you head over to <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>, not only will you find show notes for the podcast, but you will also be able to sign up for my monthly newsletter where I send out reading recommendations and other CNFin’ goodies. You’d enjoy getting something tasty in your inbox from me on the first of the month, head over to the site. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it.

Episode 121—Susan Orlean on Pacing, Structure, and 'The Library Book'

"Every project I do has made me more fit and better to do my next project," says Allison K. Williams. It’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the very best in the genre of telling true stories, how they got to where they are and the tools, tips, and tricks that make them so good at what they do. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara. Today’s guest is none other than Allison K. Williams. She’s @GuerillaMemoir on Twitter and you can visit her website at idowords.com. Allison is a performer, an editor, and a writer. She also hosts the Brevity Podcast so I recommend subscribing to that wherever you get your podcasts. I mean, while you’re doing that, why don’t you consider subscribing to this show if you don’t already. Share it with your pals if you think they’ll get some value. This is our tiny corner of the Internet and we’re making it bigger each and every week. That’s on you, brah. Oh, and you gotta sign up for my monthly newsletter. I send out my monthly reading recommendations and some other tasty goodies straight to your inbox on the first of the month. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it? Be sure to give your buddy Brendan a follow on the socials: @BrendanOMeara on Twitter and @CNFPod on Twitter. I post cool audiograms and quote cards on Instagram @brendanomeara. One more, there’s a Facebook page for the podcast if you do most of your hanging out over there. Remember, kids, if you can’t Do, Interview! See ya!

"Every project I do has made me more fit and better to do my next project," says Allison K. Williams. It’s The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the very best in the genre of telling true stories, how they got to where they are and the tools, tips, and tricks that make them so good at what they do. I’m your host Brendan O’Meara. Today’s guest is none other than Allison K. Williams. She’s @GuerillaMemoir on Twitter and you can visit her website at <a href="http://idowords.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">idowords.com</a>. Allison is a performer, an editor, and a writer. She also hosts the Brevity Podcast so I recommend subscribing to that wherever you get your podcasts. I mean, while you’re doing that, why don’t you consider subscribing to this show if you don’t already. Share it with your pals if you think they’ll get some value. This is our tiny corner of the Internet and we’re making it bigger each and every week. That’s on you, brah. Oh, and you gotta sign up for my monthly newsletter. I send out my monthly reading recommendations and some other tasty goodies straight to your inbox on the first of the month. Once a month. No spam. Can’t beat it? Be sure to give your buddy Brendan a follow on the socials: @BrendanOMeara on Twitter and @CNFPod on Twitter. I post cool audiograms and quote cards on Instagram @brendanomeara. One more, there’s a Facebook page for the podcast if you do most of your hanging out over there. Remember, kids, if you can’t Do, Interview! See ya!

Episode 119—The Multi-Hyphenated Allison K. Williams

Pat Conroy

Cassandra King

"Writing is not a competitive sport," says Cassandra King Conroy, author of Tell Me a Story, her memoir of her time with Pat Conroy. This show is made possible by Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing. Follow the show on Twitter @CNFPod.  I hope you dig it.  Party on, CNFers!

"Writing is not a competitive sport," says Cassandra King Conroy, author of Tell Me a Story, her memoir of her time with Pat Conroy. This show is made possible by <a href="http://baypath.edu/mfa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing</a>. Follow the show on Twitter @CNFPod.  I hope you dig it.  Party on, CNFers!

Episode 175: Cassandra King Conroy — Mid-life Resurgence and Her Time with Pat Conroy in 'Tell Me a Story'

Chuck Klosterman

"I spend the most time on making my writing more clear and straightforward," says Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman).  Hey, CNFers, Chuck Klosterman, author of eleven books, including his latest Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction, joined me for a nice conversation about how books can be anything you want them to be and how he structures his day so he can get the work done. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by pinging the show @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara. Thanks to Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction for the support.

"I spend the most time on making my writing more clear and straightforward," says Chuck Klosterman (@CKlosterman).  Hey, CNFers, Chuck Klosterman, author of eleven books, including his latest Raised in Captivity: Fictional Nonfiction, joined me for a nice conversation about how books can be anything you want them to be and how he structures his day so he can get the work done. Keep the conversation going on Twitter by pinging the show <a href="http://twitter.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CNFPod</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/brendanomeara" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@BrendanOMeara</a>. Thanks to <a href="http://goucher.edu/nonfiction" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction</a> and B<a href="http://baypath.edu/mfa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction</a> for the support.

Episode 160: Chuck Klosterman—'Raised in Captivity,' Being Straightforward, and How Nonfiction is Closer to Bowling

Christopher McDougall

"All writing is re-writing, all reporting is re-reporting," says Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, Natural Born Heroes, and Running with Sherman. Thanks to Bay Path University and Riverteeth for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod!

"All writing is re-writing, all reporting is re-reporting," says Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run, Natural Born Heroes, and Running with Sherman. Thanks to <a href="http://baypath.edu/mfa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bay Path University</a> and Riverteeth for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@CNFPod</a>!

Episode 172: Christopher McDougall — 'Running with Sherman,' 'Born to Run,' and Finding Your Stride

John O’Connor

John O'Connor

John O'Connor talks about his "True Story" piece "Everything Gets Worse" and how every story needs a donkey. Thanks to Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter and Instagram @CNFPod and find show notes at brendanomeara.com

John O'Connor talks about his "True Story" piece "Everything Gets Worse" and how every story needs a donkey. Thanks to <a href="http://four.libsyn.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing</a> for the support. Keep the conversation going on Twitter and Instagram @CNFPod and find show notes at <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>

Episode 179: John O'Connor — Finding Your Donkey

Natalie Singer, author of California Calling: A Self Interrogation comes by the show this week. So here we are again. Happy to say last week’s episode was featured in Creative Nonfiction Magazine’s November newsletter as a “distraction,” meant only as flattery, of course. Jane Friedman, THAT Jane Friedman, also gave us a great shoutout in a blog post a few weeks ago. That’s riff worthy… Oh, you didn’t think I was gonna drop that hammer did you, sucka? Hey, this is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about the craft of telling true stories. I’m Brendan O’Meara (hey, hey) and this is what we do. 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. 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. 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? Thanks to our sponsors in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction as well as Creative Nonfiction Magazine. So, the show is @CNFPod on Twitter and I’m @BrendanOMeara on Twitter. I don’t know. Following either of those two would be pretty rad. The show is on Facebook too if you’re into that.

Episode 124—Natalie Singer on Finding the Time to Write and Living a Creative Life Around Day Jobs

Chase Jarvis

Chase Jarvis is here to talk about his incredible book Creative Calling.  Chase is a world-class photographer, CEO and founder of Creative Live, and a riser of tides.  I hope you enjoy this conversation. Keep the conversation going on Twitter @CNFPod and Instagram @cnfpod. If you dig the show, share it with a friend. Thanks to our sponsors in Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction and Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction. Also a shoutout to River Teeth.

Chase Jarvis is here to talk about his incredible book Creative Calling.  Chase is a world-class photographer, CEO and founder of Creative Live, and a riser of tides.  I hope you enjoy this conversation. Keep the conversation going on <a href="http://twitter.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter @CNFPod</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/cnfpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram @cnfpod</a>. If you dig the show, share it with a friend. Thanks to our sponsors in <a href="http://goucher.edu/nonfiction" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Goucher College's MFA in Nonfiction</a> and <a href="http://baypath.edu/mfa" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bay Path University's MFA in Creative Nonfiction</a>. Also a shoutout to River Teeth.

Episode 169: Chase Jarvis — Discover Your Creative Calling

Elizabeth Rush

Here we are again, welcome to The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about telling true stories. I’m Brendan O’Meara. I gotta say right up top that there’s been some serious issues with my hosting, Podomatic for those in the know, with the RSS Feeds. Shows are coming up unavailable in Apple Podcasts and it disappeared from Google Play and Stitcher. They say they’re on it, but it’s been three days with no improvement. You can still stream the episodes from the embedded player on my website, brendanomeara.com, but in the meantime, downloading through the most popular and widely used platform—Apple Podcasts—is impossible until Podomatic gets it fixed. You might say I’ve been shopping around for other options. Episode 104 brings back Elizabeth Rush to the podcast. Her new book Rising: Dispataches from the New American Shore (Milkweed Editions) is out. She could be coming to a city near you so check the show notes for the Rising Tour. I think that’s what Bruce Springsteen called his tour when his Rising came out. In this episode we talk about: Rising sea levels How to turn bleak material into something beautiful How Elizabeth finds teaching energizing And sexual harassment while doing fieldwork, something she’s never been asked about and was happy to get to talk about. So that’s where we’re at. Please bear with me on the RSS nonsense. If you follow the social feeds, that links you up to my website so go find @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara on Twitter and @CNFPodcast on Facebook. Follow Elizabeth @ElizabethaRush on Twitter for all things Rising. If you made it this far I suspect you might like the show and want to help it out. Would you mind leaving an honest review on Apple Podcasts? That helps with validation and visibility. Let’s try and get to 100. We’re 57 ratings away at the moment. If a small fraction of you take out your phones, click on the star you deem appropriate, hit submit, that’s all you gotta do and you will have helped out the show in a major way. That takes like 10 seconds, if you want to leave a review, I will still edit a piece of writing up to 2,000 words for your kindness and time. Just send me a screenshot of the review with the date and we’ll get started. I also have a great monthly reading list newsletter where I send out four book recommendations and what you might have missed from the world of the podcast. I don’t get any kickbacks or anything, so it’s just things I dig and endorse for your pleasure. First of the month. No Spam. Can’t beat that.

Here we are again, welcome to The Creative Nonfiction Podcast, the show where I speak to the best artists about telling true stories. I’m Brendan O’Meara. I gotta say right up top that there’s been some serious issues with my hosting, Podomatic for those in the know, with the RSS Feeds. Shows are coming up unavailable in Apple Podcasts and it disappeared from Google Play and Stitcher. They say they’re on it, but it’s been three days with no improvement. You can still stream the episodes from the embedded player on my website, <a href="http://brendanomeara.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brendanomeara.com</a>, but in the meantime, downloading through the most popular and widely used platform—Apple Podcasts—is impossible until Podomatic gets it fixed. You might say I’ve been shopping around for other options. Episode 104 brings back Elizabeth Rush to the podcast. Her new book Rising: Dispataches from the New American Shore (Milkweed Editions) is out. She could be coming to a city near you so check the show notes for the Rising Tour. I think that’s what Bruce Springsteen called his tour when his Rising came out. In this episode we talk about: Rising sea levels How to turn bleak material into something beautiful How Elizabeth finds teaching energizing And sexual harassment while doing fieldwork, something she’s never been asked about and was happy to get to talk about. So that’s where we’re at. Please bear with me on the RSS nonsense. If you follow the social feeds, that links you up to my website so go find @CNFPod and @BrendanOMeara on Twitter and @CNFPodcast on Facebook. Follow Elizabeth @ElizabethaRush on Twitter for all things Rising. If you made it this far I suspect you might like the show and want to help it out. Would you mind leaving an honest review on Apple Podcasts? That helps with validation and visibility. Let’s try and get to 100. We’re 57 ratings away at the moment. If a small fraction of you take out your phones, click on the star you deem appropriate, hit submit, that’s all you gotta do and you will have helped out the show in a major way. That takes like 10 seconds, if you want to leave a review, I will still edit a piece of writing up to 2,000 words for your kindness and time. Just send me a screenshot of the review with the date and we’ll get started. I also have a great monthly reading list newsletter where I send out four book recommendations and what you might have missed from the world of the podcast. I don’t get any kickbacks or anything, so it’s just things I dig and endorse for your pleasure. First of the month. No Spam. Can’t beat that.

Episode 104—Elizabeth Rush on "Rising" and What It Means to Be a Woman in the Field

Goforth Gregory

"We're not each other's competition; we're each other's colleagues," says Jennifer Gregory. Content marketing superstar Jennifer Gregory came by the show this week. Her book, the Freelance Content Marketing Writer, could be a life changer for you. @ByJenGregory on Twitter, @BrendanOMeara and @CNFPod on Twitter.

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

Thanks to Austin Kleon sharing a Stephen Harrigan quote to inspire this pod.

Thanks to Austin Kleon sharing a Stephen Harrigan quote to inspire this pod.

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