Write About Now features in-depth interviews with successful writers of all types and stripes—journalists, screenwriters, novelists, ghostwriters, and more. Hos...
Two years ago, most people had never heard of generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. Now, they're an integral part of our workflow. But what astonishes and impresses us about the technology also scares the living bejesus out of us. Will AI eventually replace us as writers? Will our profession become obsolete? How do we make this rapidly evolving technology our assistant, not our adversary? Tech expert Christoper S. Penn joins the show to demystify the technology and offer tips on making AI a productive collaborative partner. Topics include understanding how generative AI works, writing effective prompts using his RAPPEL framework, comparing top AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, tackling thorny ethical questions, and practical strategies for using AI in your work. Whether you're excited or anxious about AI's impact on your profession, this episode gives you a roadmap to embracing the technology's awesome power. Follow us at: Small Talk substack: https://jonsmalltalk.substack.com/ Christoper S Penn's Almost Timely Newsletter: https://almosttimely.substack.com/
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Write About Now: The Best of 2024
In this year-end episode, we look back at some of the most memorable moments from the show, featuring intimate discussions with some of the literary world's most fascinating voices. You'll hear the writing origin stories of JA Jance, Joyce Maynard, and Richard Osman, how Kristin Hannah overcomes her fear of failure, writing through writer's block with Steve Almond, the best writing advice linguist Valerie Fridland ever received, Todd Boyd on the global appeal of hip hop, and how Molly Roden Winter endured 50 rejections of her manuscript before getting a yes. To listen to the interviews in full, click the links below. JA Jance Joyce Maynard Kristin Hannah Richard Osman Steve Almond Valerie Fridland Todd Boyd Molly Roden Winter Support the show by subscribing to the Small Talk substack @ https://jonsmalltalk.substack.com/
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How Aristotle's Rules Have Shaped Every Great Story Ever
Douglas Vigliotti is the author of the new book "Aristotle for Novelists: 14 Timeless Principles on the Art of Story." He says everything you need to know about storytelling can be found in the Ancient Greek philosopher's great treatise "Poetics," written over 2300 years ago. In this episode, Vigliotti breaks down Aristotle's tried-and-true principles that have been used since antiquity to tell great stories, including the real difference between tragedies vs. comedies, the importance of the three-act structure, why every character needs both external and internal obstacles, how a character's fatal flaw drives the story, why plot solutions must arise from within the story itself, how consistency in style and point of view shapes the narrative, the critical difference between plot-driven versus character-driven stories. Vigliotti also hosts the terrific podcast Books for Men and recommends his must-reads for 2025.
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Taylor Lorenz Wages War Against Traditional Media
Guest Taylor Lorenz is one of journalism's most notable and controversial voices. She covers tech and online culture as a reporter, podcaster, and internet personality. After leaving prime jobs writing for The New York Times and The Washington Post, she has launched her own media company called User Mag that covers "tech from the user side." In this spirited conversation, Lorenz explains why she's done with traditional media, how legacy companies fail miserably to understand internet culture, and why Democrats are losing the battle for online influence. She also discusses the challenges she's faced from right-wing nutjobs like Tucker Carlson, and why she believes the future of journalism lies outside traditional media. Looking for the perfect gift for an aspiring writer? Check out my new book Write About Now @ https://amzn.to/41ARP3R
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Murder, She Wrote: Inside the Mind of a Mystery Writer
Liz Mugavero is a bestselling cozy mystery writer of the Cat Cafe series, which she writes under the pen name Cate Conte. She's also a writing coach and the host of the podcast Get Writing with Liz Mugavero. In this episode, we explore the fundamentals of mystery writing and Liz's journey to becoming a published author. She shares insights passed down from her grandfather, a small town detective, and reveals how she discovered her passion for crime writing. Other topics include creating compelling characters, building story settings, the cozy mystery genre, the brilliance of The Artists' Way, writing productivity tips, and creative mindfulness practices. .
Write About Now features in-depth interviews with successful writers of all types and stripes—journalists, screenwriters, novelists, ghostwriters, and more. Host, Jonathan Small, takes a deep dive into how writers master their craft, offering tips, inspiration, and laughs for both aspiring and professional scribes.
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