Over the past couple of months, I have become obsessed with listening to podcasts. I don’t even like to listen to music in the car anymore because I would much rather be listening to a good podcast. They are insightful, they make you think, and they are just very entertaining.
But did you know they also help to get your creative juices flowing? Also as a person who loves to write, whether I am drafting, staring at a blank page, or just thinking about what I could possibly write about next, it is good to get tips from the pros! If you want to be an author, or just want some ideas if you’re getting into the hobby of being a creative writer, there is a podcast for it!
New Yorker Fiction
In this monthly podcast, a celebrated writer picks a story from The New Yorker’s archive to read and discuss with the magazine’s fiction editor, Deborah Treisman. The pleasure lies as much in the pairings of authors and material as it does the stories themselves. You can hear Margaret Atwood reading Alice Munro, or Andrew Sean Greer reading Dorothy Parker. There is much to be learned from the podcast as it tells about the craft and discipline of writing short fiction. Also if this interests you, you can check out The New Yorker: the Writers Voice, where writers read their own stories. It is always interesting to hear the story told from the writer’s POV!
Longform
The Longform podcast is a weekly hour-long interview with a nonfiction writer about their work, practice, and own personal philosophies. Founded in 2012, Evan Ratliff and Aaron Lammer drilled into aspects of the crafts of note-taking and revising. Now in their episodes, they have warm conversations about life and writing. In their archives, you can hear great stories from Gay Talese, Renata Adler, Ariel Levy, and more! Much of their advice applies to all writers, but if you want more writing fiction, check out First Draft.
In Writing With Hattie Crisell
Hattie Crisell is a contributing editor of Grazia magazine and she interviews all kinds of writers about how they write, why they do it, and what they can teach new writers about “doing it better.” There are so many lessons that can be learned from these episodes, and it’s great to hear them straight from those who their lives work revolves around words and stories. This includes comedians, playwrights, critics, and even songwriters! Crisell is an amazing interviewer who puts her subjects at ease so that they can feel relaxed and speak freely and frankly of the realities of being a full-time writer. More or less, they even speak on the horrors of a blank page.
Start With This
Jeffrey Cranor and Joseph Fink aim to help you put your ideas in motion. Each episode discusses an aspect or a challenge that writers face. From scene-setting to plotting, to overcoming perfectionism (personally, something I continuously struggle with). They actively give their listeners assignments relevant to the subjects of discussion: “Something to consume” and “Something to create.” Though this series concluded last month, their episodes are lengthy and are always supportive steps towards writing practice.
Between the Covers
Episodes are often in excess of two hours, this literary radio show is one to sink into. When you have the time to solely invest in this podcast, it will expand your horizons through the in depth conversations with many literary experts. Even if you aren’t familiar with the topics being discussed, host David Naimon will surely get your attention and capture your interest. He is intelligent and curious. This podcast is unlike any other, and is much like a writer’s festival.
For more podcast talk, check out my article on Emma Chamberlain!