The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience

Kelton Reid

If you’re searching for a show that pulls back the curtain on the mystique of the writing life, look no further than The Writer Files. Hosts Kelton Reid and Milena Gonzalez study the habits, habitats, and brains of the biggest and brightest authors of our time. Tune in each week to learn from bestselling and acclaimed writers on how to keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block. Please follow The Writer Files wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a rating or review to help other writers find us.

  1. vor 14 Std.

    How Acclaimed Author & Screenwriter Kevin Wade Writes

    Novelist, veteran screenwriter, and longtime Blue Bloods showrunner Kevin Wade spoke with us about the challenges of transitioning across writing mediums, storytelling principles, and book two of his debut crime series, ONE GOOD EYE. Kevin Wade is the Golden Globe and the Writers Guild of America nominated screenwriter of movies including the seven-time Oscar nominated comedy Working Girl (1988), True Colors (1991) starring John Cusack and James Spader, the Tom Selleck comedy Mr. Baseball (1992), Ivan Reitman's Junior (1994), the epic romance Meet Joe Black (1998),  and the rom-com Maid in Manhattan (2002). In 2010, he joined the rookie CBS drama Blue Bloods as a writer, and in 2011 he became its showrunner and executive producer for the entire 14-year run. His latest release is the follow-up to his debut crime novel Johnny Careless, a book author John Sanford called a “fast-moving classic crime novel,” and that was shortlisted for the Edgar Best First Novel Award. One Good Eye is the second in the Police Chief Jeep Mullane series and Library Journal said of the author, “Wade delivers another compelling literary mystery. His characters feel intimately real...and Jeep remains a deeply engaging protagonist...With sharp prose and a vivid sense of place on Long Island’s Gold Coast, Wade’s second…book will have readers eager to read more stories about Jeep and his community." [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Kevin Wade, Milena, and I discussed: What his early aspirations as an actor in NYC taught him about playwriting How he had his first screenplay turned into a hit movie by a legendary director Why he wrote his debut novel during the Writers Guild strike The biggest challenges of moving from TV writing to the novel His favorite advice from Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules for Writers How to write relatable characters Classic advice from literary lions And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web One Good Eye: A Jeep Mullane Novel (The Jeep Mullane Series, 2) by Kevin Wade (Amazon) Kevin Wade Amazon Author Page Kevin Wade on IMDb Kevin Wade on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. vor 1 Tag

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Gillian McAllister Writes

    New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister spoke with us about how to deal with rejection, deleting full drafts, the business side of adaptations, and her latest US release, the thriller THAT NIGHT. Gillian McAllister is the internationally bestselling author of Wrong Place Wrong Time, Just Another Missing Person, Famous Last Words, and others. Her novels have been selected by both Read with Jenna and Reese’s Book Club, and she has become one of today’s most celebrated voices in psychological suspense. Her latest US release is That Night (already adapted into a Netflix series), a novel that follows a family’s dream vacation in Italy that spirals into a nightmare.  New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry said of Gillian, “McAllister is the best at putting her characters in impossible situations and making her readers not only contemplate but feel what it would be like to find themselves in those situations.” Gillian graduated with an English degree before working as a lawyer. She is also the creator and co-host of the popular Honest Authors podcast. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Gillian McAllister, Milena, and I discussed: Her law background and path to publication How she wrote close to 400K words before breaking through Why she plans novels via synopsis and keeps her early drafts private Business advice on how to talk to publishers once you’ve sold a book The real reason so many lawyers become crime writers And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web gillianmcallister.com The Honest Authors’ Podcast That Night: A Novel by Gillian McAllister (Amazon) Gillian McAllister Amazon Author Page Gillian McAllister Facebook Gillian McAllister on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. 7. Aug. ·  Bonus

    How to Make Your Story Matter with Storytelling Expert Abbie Emmons

    Bestselling author and storytelling expert Abbie Emmons spoke with us about topping 600K YouTube followers, helping writers craft emotionally resonant narratives, and her new writing guide MAKE YOUR STORY MATTER. Abbie Emmons is the popular YouTube creator behind the channel Make Your Story Matter. For over seven years, she has been sharing her wisdom on YouTube (@abbieemmons), where she teaches writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling to transform their ideas into masterpieces Her latest book, Make Your Story Matter: An Interactive Guide to Unlocking Your Brain's Storytelling Power and Writing a Book Readers Love (releasing August 11, 2026), “... [offers a] simple but powerful 3-step framework for storytelling that’s rooted in psychology called the Who, What, Why Method.” Jessica Brody, bestselling author of Save The Cat! Writes a Novel, wrote of the book, "Understanding why stories move us is one of the most powerful things a writer can learn. Make Your Story Matter brings the psychology and heart of storytelling to life in a way that will transform how you think about your characters and your craft."  Her online learning platform, Abbie’s Story University, has thousands of students worldwide. Through monthly live lectures and in-depth courses, Abbie offers comprehensive instruction on creative writing, editing, publishing, and more. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Abbie Emmons, Milena, and I discussed: Her three-pillar framework for crafting compelling stories How to make your characters relatable  Why writers struggle with motivation and writing slumps despite having great ideas What “writing ugly” can do for your productivity How to create a conversation around your book And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web abbieemmonsauthor.com abbiesstoryuniversity.com Make Your Story Matter: An Interactive Guide to Unlocking Your Brain's Storytelling Power and Writing a Book Readers Love by Abbie Emmons (Amazon) Abbie Emmons on YouTube Abbie Emmons on Facebook Abbie Emmons on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  4. 5. Aug.

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Laura Moriarty Writes

    New York Times bestselling author Laura Moriarty spoke with us about her teaching philosophy as a creative writing professor, the craft of historical fiction, and the research process behind her latest novel, SUNLIGHT FINDS YOU. Laura Moriarty is the New York Times bestselling author of The Chaperone, The Center of Everything, The Rest of Her Life, While I'm Falling, and a Creative Writing Professor at the University of Kansas. Her latest novel is Sunlight Finds You, described as a book that “explores the fervor of young love, the shock of parental betrayal, and the long-term consequences of adolescent choices.”  A Kirkus starred review wrote of the work, “Moriarty has an unusual gift for voice, a spark that can turn a novel about ordinary events into something compelling…A rich, rewarding slice of history that should remind us how important it is for women to have choices of all kinds.” Laura Moriarty received her master's degree from the University of Kansas and was awarded the George Bennett Fellowship for Creative Writing at Phillips Exeter Academy. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Laura Moriarty, Milena, and I discussed: Her early career in social work and how she almost became a doctor Why she loves working with graduate students on their WIPs The research process that went into Sunlight Finds You What changing the POV can do for your narrative How incorporating psychological authenticity over modern values can improve historical fiction And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web english.ku.edu/people/laura-moriarty Sunlight Finds You: A Novel by Laura Moriarty (Amazon) Laura Moriarty Amazon Author Page Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  5. 31. Juli

    How Bestselling Author Sarma Melngailis Writes: Part Two

    Bestselling memoirist, chef, and former restaurateur Sarma Melngailis spoke with us about her much-loved restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, reclaiming her narrative post Bad Vegan, and her eight-year journey writing THE GIRL WITH THE DUCK TATTOO. Sarma Melngailis is the founder of One Lucky Duck and co-creator of the acclaimed New York City restaurant Pure Food and Wine. Her notorious story of scandal and betrayal was the subject of the Netflix docuseries Bad Vegan—a series that left much of her story misrepresented. Her bestselling memoir, The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, is described as a “reclamation” and “... a raw, unflinching memoir of how one smart, driven woman went from building a dream to being ensnared in a cult of one.” Sarma is the author of cookbooks Living Raw Food and the co-author of Raw Food/Real World, and is currently in production on a new docuseries while working to re-launch her businesses. She is also graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the French Culinary Institute [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In Part Two of this file Sarma Melngailis, Milena, and I discussed: Her professional journey from the French Culinary Institute to celebrity restaurateur Reclaiming her narrative from sensationalist and biased media coverage  How she continues to examine the psychology of manipulation Reliving some of the trauma of her experience by recording the audiobook Her thoughts on resurrecting Pure Food and Wine  And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/files! #squarepod sarmaraw.com linktr.ee/sarmamelngailis The Girl with the Duck Tattoo: A Memoir by Sarma Melngailis (Amazon) Sarma Melngailis on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  6. 30. Juli

    How Bestselling Author Sarma Melngailis Writes: Part One

    Bestselling memoirist, chef, and former restaurateur Sarma Melngailis spoke with us about her much-loved restaurant, Pure Food and Wine, reclaiming her narrative post Bad Vegan, and her eight-year journey writing THE GIRL WITH THE DUCK TATTOO. Sarma Melngailis is the founder of One Lucky Duck and co-creator of the acclaimed New York City restaurant Pure Food and Wine. Her notorious story of scandal and betrayal was the subject of the Netflix docuseries Bad Vegan—a series that left much of her story misrepresented. Her bestselling memoir, The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, is described as a “reclamation” and “... a raw, unflinching memoir of how one smart, driven woman went from building a dream to being ensnared in a cult of one.” Sarma is the author of cookbooks Living Raw Food and the co-author of Raw Food/Real World, and is currently in production on a new docuseries while working to re-launch her businesses. She is also graduate of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and the French Culinary Institute [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In Part One of this file Sarma Melngailis, Milena, and I discussed: How she knew she would write the book while serving time at Rikers Island The Art of Memoir as part of the healing process When she knew the book would become an investigation and a cautionary tale How memory plays tricks on us Why she chose to publish her memoir independently And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/files! #squarepod sarmaraw.com linktr.ee/sarmamelngailis The Girl with the Duck Tattoo: A Memoir by Sarma Melngailis (Amazon) Sarma Melngailis on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  7. 24. Juli

    How Pulitzer Winner & NY Times Bestselling Author Daniel Kraus Writes

    New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Kraus spoke with us about book promotion as an introvert, writing two books a year, his creative process, and his first sci-fi novel, THE SIXTH NIK. Daniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling novelist, screenwriter, and 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction for his novel Angel Down. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in The New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist, and was named a Best Book of Year by NPR, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and more. His latest novel is The Sixth Nik, “Perfectly aligned for readers of Iain M. Banks’s The Culture series and Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”, The Sixth Nik is a galaxy-spanning adventure,” that Booklist called “Strange and intense and impossible to look away from … sf at its most daring.” Daniel Kraus coauthored The Shape of Water with Guillermo del Toro, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus coauthored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy Award–winning Netflix series. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, and more. Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Daniel Kraus, Milena, and I discussed: How he overcame the productivity “delays” of winning a Pulitzer Prize When he sensed the momentum shift in his writing career The distinctive honor he shares with Cormac McCarthy Adapting Whalefall for the big screen His first foray into science fiction And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/files! #squarepod DanielKraus.com Angel Down (Pulitzer Prize Winner): A Novel by Daniel Kraus (Amazon) The Sixth Nik by Daniel Kraus (Amazon) Daniel Kraus Amazon Author Page Daniel Kraus on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  8. 23. Juli ·  Bonus

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Eddie Huang Writes

    New York Times bestselling author, filmmaker, and decorated chef Eddie Huang spoke with us about his origins as a writer, the pivot from memoir to autofiction, and the personal transformation behind his debut novel COME UNDONE. Eddie Huang is a chef, restaurateur, food personality, filmmaker, and polmath widely recognized for his bestselling memoir, Fresh Off the Boat, which inspired the hit ABC sitcom of the same name. Anthony Bourdain wrote of the book, “Mercilessly funny and provocative, Fresh Off the Boat is also a serious piece of work.” Eddie recently published his fiction debut, Come Undone: A Novel, described as “a sharp, emotionally raw exploration of love, masculinity, and self-destruction.” “A subversively funny first novel, the bestselling author of Fresh Off the Boat delivers a portrait of a haunted manchild and his messy search for love…” Eddie is also a co-owner of BaoHaus, a restaurant in the East Village of Lower Manhattan, and was previously the host of “Huang's World” for Viceland. He wrote and directed the feature film Boogie (2021) and released the documentary Vice Is Broke (2024). He now co-hosts a popular lifestyle podcast alongside his wife, Natashia Perrotti, Canal Street Dreams. [Discover The Writer Files Extra: Get 'The Writer Files' Podcast Delivered Straight to Your Inbox at writerfiles.fm] [If you’re a fan of The Writer Files, please click FOLLOW to automatically see new interviews. And drop us a rating or a review wherever you listen] In this file Eddie Huang, Milena, and I discussed: Why Good Will Hunting changed his life The decade of self-doubt that followed runaway hit Fresh Off the Boat How autofiction allowed him to access an emotional truth without the constraints of memoir On not being Cormac McCarthy What Anthony Bourdain's death meant to him personally His key literary influences And a lot more! Show Notes: ElevenReader is a new, award-winning audio app for iOS, Android, Web Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at square.com/go/files! #squarepod Eddie Huang on Substack Canal Street Dreams Podcast “I Immediately Sh*t My Pants”: Eddie Huang’s Book Tour Confessions Come Undone: A Novel by Eddie Huang (Amazon) Eddie Huang Amazon Author Page Eddie Huang on Instagram Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer diary_of_a_book_babe on Instagram Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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If you’re searching for a show that pulls back the curtain on the mystique of the writing life, look no further than The Writer Files. Hosts Kelton Reid and Milena Gonzalez study the habits, habitats, and brains of the biggest and brightest authors of our time. Tune in each week to learn from bestselling and acclaimed writers on how to keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block. Please follow The Writer Files wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a rating or review to help other writers find us.

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