Write About Now Jonathan Small

Guest Steve Almond has written a terrific new book called Truth is the Arrow, Mercy is the Bow: A DIY Manual for the Construction of Stories. In it, he shares the insights he gleaned over three decades as a teacher, mentor, and author of 12 books of fiction and non-fiction. He also talks about his strategy for confronting the all-too-commom fear of failure. Some topics we dive into:
Steve's transition from journalism to creative writing. Mastering plot, chronology, and creating a chain of consequences How he draws characters from real-life observations, personal experiences, and sometimes characters that emerge from his artistic unconscious. Co-hosting the podcast Dear Sugar with writer Cheryl Strayed Listen in as we try to demystify the writing process.
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How much do you know about the history of the day you were born? Could you tell me any significant event, aside from your birth, that happened on your birthday? If you are born on July 4th or January 6th, that’s cheating. We're taking about less infamous days. Guest Dan Bova has written a fun new book for the History Channel called: This Day in History For Kids: 1001 Remarkable Moments & Fascinating Facts, which is chock full of interesting moments from early civilization up to the 21st century all around the world for every day of the year. We don't talk about all 1001, but you'll learn quite a bit. Dan also discusses his research process, the challenges of writing for kids in a polarized world, and why April 15 is a cool day to be born. 
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When Ithaca College's president asked Jason DeLand to give this commencement address at his alma mater, he didn't hesitate for one second. DeLand, the co-founder of a big-time advertising firm called Anomaly, has quite the inspiring, rags-to-riches story. He grew up penniless on a street called Swamp Road. But he put himself through college and established an agency known for its viral Super Bowl ads. In the episode, DeLand talks about the process of writing his commencement speech, the profound role of teachers in his life, what makes advertisements stick, how that industry is changing, and what he's learned about life and writing over the years. 
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There has been a worrisome escalation of anti-Semitism over the past few months around the world. But what's behind it? Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza or something deeper, more complex? Jonathan Small sits down with Gavriel Rosenfeld, President of the Center for Jewish History and author of "Fascism in America, Past and Present," to delve into the historical roots and modern manifestations of this enduring prejudice. Rosenfeld offers insights into the nuanced interplay between anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, shedding light on a complex but important topic. 
 

Does it make your skin crawl when people use words like "like," "um," and "dude," like literally every hella second? You're not alone. But guest Valerie Fridland argues that these linguistic ticks are actually useful and important ways of communicating. Fridland is a sociolinguist at University of Nevada Reno, and the author of Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English. On the pod, she talks about the history and psychology behind these filler words and why they are far from the end of the world as we know it. 
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On this episode, we go behind the scenes with author Trish Lundy to find out what it takes get a YA novel written, sold, and published by a major house. Trish just released her eminently readable debut YA Thriller novel, “The One That Got Away with Murder.” She talks about the process of writing multiple manuscripts before getting it right, her journey in finding an agent, tips and tricks for finding a story and characters that jump off the page, and what she's learned about the craft by going through the process. 
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