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

Kelton Reid
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“Learn how acclaimed writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block.” Each week, host Kelton Reid chats with guests like Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, on life after becoming a laureate; #1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry on her past life as a YA mid-lister; Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, on his conflicted feelings after winning a National Book Award; NY Times bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline, on what she learned from literary lion Philip Roth; #1 NY Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane on what he borrowed from Clint Eastwood; and bestselling author, Matt Haig, on the process behind his novel, The Midnight Library, and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.

  1. 18H AGO

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Emma Knight Writes: Redux

    Listen to a replay of 2025's most popular episode! New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and entrepreneur Emma Knight spoke to me about finding the courage to write fiction, the Loch Ness Monster of motherhood, and her breakout debut novel The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus. Emma Knight is an author, journalist, Co-Founder and Head of Brand at Greenhouse, an award-winning organic beverage company, and co-author of The Greenhouse Cookbook (2017), a national bestseller. Her debut novel and instant New York Times bestseller, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, is described as a “coming-of-age story, part family drama, and part campus novel.” #1 New York Times bestselling author Carley Fortune called the book “A spellbinding debut about friendship, motherhood, first love, and the choices that bind us . . . I couldn’t put it down.” Emma Knight also has an MA in Journalism, and her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, Literary Hub, 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 Emma Knight and I discussed: The contrast of her whirlwind world tour after five years of writing Why you can only write one sentence at a time The process of removing your ego from the work Taking the same advice she shared with her daughters Why it's so much better to make things up for a living And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus⁠ by Emma Knight (Amazon) ⁠Emma Knight talks how debut novel is a metaphor for motherhood⁠ - Today ⁠Emma Knight on Instagram⁠ Kelton Reid Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    32 min

  2. DEC 12

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Peter Heller Writes: Part One - Redux

    Part 1 of 2 Throwback to a Pre-Pandemic podcast! Pete has some big news on the radar … The New York Times bestselling novelist, award-winning adventure writer, and journalist, Peter Heller, spoke with me about his early life as a starving poet, breaking into journalism, how he makes things up for a living, and what it's like to be compared to your heroes. Peter is a longtime contributor to NPR, and a former contributing editor at Outside Magazine, Men’s Journal, and National Geographic Adventure. He received an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop in fiction and poetry, is the author of four nonfiction books, and winner of the National Outdoor Book Award for Literature. Heller is also a notable bestselling author of a half-dozen novels including The Dog Stars – a lauded breakout bestseller, now published in 22 languages – The Painter, and Celine (a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize that won the prestigious Reading the West Book Award, shared in the past by Western writer Cormac McCarthy). His latest novel, and Edgar Award Nominee, The River, has been called a "... heart-pounding survival story of .... two college students on a wilderness canoe trip – [and] a gripping tale of a friendship tested by fire, white water, and violence." The New York Times called The River, “[A] modern-day survival tale .... [with] the urgency of a thriller.” [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to⁠ ⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [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 Peter and I discussed: How the author channels his fictional characters The only way to start a novel Why once you start "making it up" you can never go back Productivity hacks for writing 1000 words a day, rain or shine The importance of connecting with your  #writingcommunity And fantastic advice from other award-winning authors to help you relax and let it rip    Show Notes: The River: A novel⁠ by Peter Heller [Amazon] peterhellerauthor.com  ⁠Peter Heller on Amazon⁠ ⁠Peter Heller on Facebook⁠ 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

    42 min

  3. DEC 5

    How Bestselling Ghostwriter, Award-Winning Journo & Debut Novelist Adam Skolnick Writes: Part Two

    Part 2 of 2 Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Adam Skolnick returns to chat with us about the mystery of the creative process, why timing is everything in crafting a story, and his much-anticipated debut novel, AMERICAN TIGER. I am joined by my co-host Milena Gonzalez. Adam Skolnick is an author and award-winning journalist who covers travel, adventure and endurance sports, and the environment. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Outside, Wired, Lonely Planet, and Men's Health. He's the author of One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits, and the ghostwriter and audiobook narrator of the bestselling David Goggins memoirs, Can't Hurt Me and Never Finished. A frequent contributor on The Rich Roll Podcast, he lives in Southern California where he was born and raised. His debut novel, American Tiger (available for preorder now, out  December 2, 2025), “Based on true events, rooted in the stunning Southern California landscape, and populated with vivid characters, [the book] is more than a frantic tiger hunt. It's about a child's quest for self-discovery, her stoic father's struggle to come to terms with their past, and the innate wildness of every living thing.” New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert said of the author, "Adam Skolnick is a tireless investigator of the human experience, writes like a dream, and American Tiger is a gorgeous, subtly subversive yarn ringing with truth." [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ⁠ulys.app/writeabook⁠ to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [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 Adam Skolnick, Milena Gonzalez and I discussed: Why the journey of becoming a dad changed the scope and tenor of his novel The only way to write something great Telling his moving story from a unique point of view  The many paths to publication Receiving signs from the universe And a lot more! Show Notes: americantigerbook.com American Tiger by Adam Skolnick (Amazon) adamskolnick.substack.com Adam Skolnick on Instagram AdamSkolnick.com Adam Skolnick on Twitter 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

    44 min

  4. NOV 28

    How Bestselling Ghostwriter, Award-Winning Journo & Debut Novelist Adam Skolnick Writes: Part One

    Part 1 of 2 Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Adam Skolnick spoke with us about earning his 10,000 hours, living with yours truly in a trailer in the mountains, and his much-anticipated debut novel, AMERICAN TIGER. I am joined by my co-host Milena Gonzalez. Adam Skolnick is an author and award-winning journalist who covers travel, adventure and endurance sports, and the environment. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Outside, Wired, Lonely Planet, and Men's Health. He's the author of One Breath: Freediving, Death and the Quest to Shatter Human Limits, and the ghostwriter and audiobook narrator of the bestselling David Goggins memoirs, Can't Hurt Me and Never Finished. A frequent contributor on The Rich Roll Podcast, he lives in Southern California where he was born and raised. His debut novel, American Tiger (available for preorder now, out  December 2, 2025), “Based on true events, rooted in the stunning Southern California landscape, and populated with vivid characters, [the book] is more than a frantic tiger hunt. It's about a child's quest for self-discovery, her stoic father's struggle to come to terms with their past, and the innate wildness of every living thing.” Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful, wrote that the book,  “Gripped me from the first page. Rarely have I read a novel with such an exquisite sense of place.” [This episode is sponsored by Ulysses. Go to ulys.app/writeabook to download Ulysses, and use the code FILES at checkout to get 25% off the first year of your yearly subscription."] [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 Adam Skolnick, Milena Gonzalez and I discussed: His latest adventures and his next non-fiction book What it was like to go through a horrible dry spell as a writer The evolution of his process from non-fiction to fiction Our superhero origin story How he wrote and published a true labor of love And a lot more! Show Notes: americantigerbook.com American Tiger by Adam Skolnick – December 2, 2025 (Amazon) adamskolnick.substack.com Adam Skolnick on Instagram AdamSkolnick.com 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

    50 min

  5. NOV 21

    How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Mitch Albom Writes

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Mitch Albom spoke with us about his humble beginnings as a sports journalist, the origins of Tuesdays with Morrie, and the universal themes he explores in his latest novel TWICE. I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez. Mitch Albom is the internationally acclaimed author of 12 New York Times bestselling books. He is best known for Tuesdays with Morrie, the best-selling memoir of all time, which tells the story of his college professor, Morrie Schwartz. His books have collectively sold 42 million copies worldwide; have been published in 51 territories in 48 languages around the world; and have been made into Emmy Award-winning and critically-acclaimed TV movies. His latest novel, Twice, is described as “... a stunning love story that dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along.” Time magazine wrote of the author, “Think of Mitch Albom as the Babe Ruth of popular literature, hitting the ball out of the park every time he’s at bat.” Mitch Albom is also a journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster, musician, and philanthropist. [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 Mitch Albom, Milena Gonzalez and I discussed: Learning the art of storytelling at the dinner table as a kid His past life as a musician playing nightclubs in Greece, and dive bars in NY How he didn't write a word until he was 23 years old Writing Tuesdays with Morrie and the hurricane of notoriety that followed What it’s like to play in a band with Stephen King and James McBride The different writers from different eras that have influenced his career Why you need to swim in the water of creativity as a writer And a lot more! Show Notes: mitchalbom.com  Twice by Mitch Albom Mitch Albom Amazon Author Page Mitch Albom on Facebook Mitch Albom on Instagram Mitch Albom on Twitter 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

    54 min

  6. NOV 14

    How Bestselling Author & Award-Winning Podcaster Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Writes

    Bestselling author and award-winning podcaster Barbara DeMarco-Barrett spoke with me about producing 20+ years of Writers on Writing, why writers don’t retire, and her debut noir short story collection POOL FISHING. Barbara DeMarco-Barrett’s first book Pen on Fire: A Busy Woman’s Guide to Igniting the Writer Within, was an Los Angeles Times bestseller and honored with an American Society of Journalists and Authors Outstanding Book Award. Her latest book of short stories, Pool Fishing, is “... centered around deviant women …. in a world with characters who live on the fringes of society-physically, psychologically, or financially”.  Barbara DeMarco-Barrett is creator, executive producer, and host of the award-winning podcast, Writers on Writing, where she interviews authors, agents, and poets. She taught at the UC-Irvine Extension, where she received a Distinguished Instructors award, and is professor of creative writing at Saddleback College’s Emeritus Institute and lecturer at Chapman University. Her fiction and poetry have been published in Coolest American Stories 2022, CrimeReads, Dark City Crime & Magazine, Serial Magazine, Beach Reads, among others. She was nominated for a Pushcart Prize for her short story, “Rowboat,” in Kelp Journal (Dec. 2023). Her essays and articles have also been published in The Los Angeles Review of Books, Orange Coast Magazine, Westways, The Los Angeles Times, Writer’s Digest, and Poets & Writers and many others. [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 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and I discussed: Writing Pen on Fire early in her career Why she feeds off of the energy of the writing community How to write a noir short story Hanging out with Raymond Chandler in Beverly Hills Why you need to quit the negative self talk and be a good literary citizen And a lot more! Show Notes: barbarademarcobarrett.com  Writers on Writing podcast Pool Fishing: Stories by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett (Amazon)  Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Facebook Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Instagram Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Twitter Kelton Reid Instagram Kelton Reid on Twitter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    42 min

  7. NOV 7

    How #1 New York Times Bestselling Author E. Lockhart Writes

    #1 New York Times bestselling author E. Lockhart spoke with us about her past life in academia, falling in love with the YA scene, and returning to the world of TikTok favorite We Were Liars with her latest beachy gothic WE FELL APART. I am joined by a co-host this week, none other than The Book Babe, Milena Gonzalez. E. Lockhart is author of #1 New York Times bestsellers We Were Liars (also now a hit original series on Prime Video) and Family of Liars. Her other books include Again Again, Genuine Fraud, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Recently celebrating 11 years in print, Lockhart’s We Were Liars has sold more than 2 million copies, become a TikTok sensation, and remained a regular New York Times bestseller since its publication. Her latest novel returns to the world of We Were Liars with WE FELL APART described as “...an intricate, highly bingeable psychological suspense novel exploring themes of privilege, family legacy, freedom, and parental abandonment.” #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inheritance Games Jennifer Lynn Barnes called it, “Compulsively readable to the very last page.” E. Lockhart is also the inventor of DC Comics superhero Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero. She has been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the National Book Award and an honoree for the Printz Award. She has a PhD in English literature from Columbia University and chaired the committee on Young People's Literature for the National Book Awards.  [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 E. Lockhart, Milena Gonzalez and I discussed: The dangers of bottomless espresso How her process has evolved over the years and across genres What getting a two-book deal for a YA novel did for her career Writing the back matter for the new Deluxe Editions of her trilogy What it was like to Exec. Produce the TV adaptation for We Were Liars Getting readers to lie about her twist endings And a lot more! Show Notes: emilylockhart.com We Fell Apart: A We Were Liars Novel by E. Lockhart - Book 3 of 3: We Were Liars (Amazon)  E. Lockhart Amazon Author Page Family of Liars: the songs in the novel by E. Lockhart (Spotify) How #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Lynn Barnes Writes: Part One - Redux E. Lockhart on Instagram E. Lockhart on Twitter 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

    38 min

  8. NOV 1 · BONUS

    How NY Times Bestselling Author Jami Attenberg Writes: Bonus

    In honor of Novel November and every writer who needs 1000 Words, I'm republishing author Jami Attenberg's interview. Keep calm and write on ... New York Times bestselling author, Jami Attenberg, spoke with me about documenting the process of being a writer online and off, building a global literary movement, and her latest, 1000 Words: A Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All-Year Round. Jami Attenberg is the New York Times bestselling author of seven books of fiction, including The Middlesteins, All Grown Up, and her recent memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You. Her work has been published in 16 languages, she is the founder of the annual #1000WordsofSummer project and maintains the popular Craft Talk newsletter. Jami Attenberg’s latest is 1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round. “Inspired by [her] wildly popular literary movement #1000WordsofSummer, this writer’s guide features encouraging essays on creativity, productivity, and writing from [over 50] acclaimed authors including Roxane Gay, Lauren Groff, Celeste Ng, Meg Wolitzer, and Carmen Maria Machado.” Lit Hub said of the book, “It will be the new Bird by Bird, you heard it here first.” A Booklist, Starred Review called it “A fantastic set of essays… Readers of this collection will feel surrounded and bolstered by like-minded people who have been in the trenches.” [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 Jami Attenberg and I discussed: The blessing and the curse of knowing you’re a writer  How she built an online writing community into a literary movement Her tongue-in-cheek approach to the craft The reason she uses the seasons as a metaphor for writers How to harness the power of write-alongs And a lot more! Show Notes: ⁠JamiAttenberg.com⁠ ⁠1000wordsofsummer.substack.com⁠ ⁠1000 Words: A Writer's Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round⁠ by Jami Attenberg (Amazon) ⁠Jami Attenberg Amazon Author Page⁠ ⁠Jami Attenberg on Twitter⁠ ⁠Jami Attenberg on Instagram⁠ ⁠Kelton Reid on Twitter⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
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About

“Learn how acclaimed writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block.” Each week, host Kelton Reid chats with guests like Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, on life after becoming a laureate; #1 New York Times bestselling author, Emily Henry on her past life as a YA mid-lister; Celebrated author, Walter Mosley, on his conflicted feelings after winning a National Book Award; NY Times bestselling author, Lisa Scottoline, on what she learned from literary lion Philip Roth; #1 NY Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane on what he borrowed from Clint Eastwood; and bestselling author, Matt Haig, on the process behind his novel, The Midnight Library, and serial guest hosts: neuroscientist Michael Grybko, journalist Adam Skolnick, and short story writer Robert Bruce.

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