Alle afleveringen
147 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
-
My Top 10 Writing Lessons from 2025
3 december 2025 · 53 min
Check out Sublime at https://sublime.app/?ref=perell Lees meer
This episode brings together the moments from How I Write in 2025 that have stayed with me the longest. These are the clips I revisit when I need to be reminded why writing matters.
Robert Macfarlane talks about wonder as something you have to actively protect. Jayne Anne Phillips explains why the memories we keep from childhood reveal who we are. Paul Harding makes the case for aiming higher than feels comfortable and learning from the writers who shaped you.Henrik Karlsson shows what it means to really look at the world instead of getting trapped in your own words. Alain de Botton reveals how the news narrows our thinking. Lulu Cheng Meservey talks about writing that feels alive rather than polished to death and Mitch Albom tells a story that shows why storytelling is a craft of emotion as much as technique.
And then there is poetry. Dana Gioia and David Whyte both treat poems as part of a life, something to memorize, perform, and return to when everything feels confusing or heavy.
This episode is a reminder that writing is not just about words. It is about attention, courage, honesty, and the way we make sense of being alive.
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Jonathan Franzen: How to Write Truly Great Characters | How I Write
26 november 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
Check out Sublime at https://sublime.app/?ref=perell
Jonathan Franzen is one of the most influential novelists alive today. He sees fiction as the most fundamental human art, and in this conversation he explains how he actually makes it: the discipline, the daily grind, and the psychological spelunking required to write characters who feel startlingly alive. Lees meerFranzen has always had an outsider’s eye. He questioned the hype of the Internet long before it was fashionable, and he’s been ruthless in diagnosing the spiritual emptiness of modern consumer life. Practically, more than anything else, this episode is about how he develops rich characters. For Franzen, the people are the story. When they’re real and true, fiction has a way of getting to the core of the human experience in a way that gives people a visceral experience, as if they’ve lived the story firsthand.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Atul Gawande: How to Use Writing to Improve Your Thinking | How I Write
19 november 2025 · 1 uur 5 min
Check out Sublime at https://sublime.app/?ref=perell
Atul Gawande has written four books and countless articles for The New Yorker. When you think about doctors who write well, he's going to be the first person who comes to mind.
What's unique about him is that this isn't something that came naturally. The work of research, writing, editing, shaping sentences, telling stories: those are all things that he taught himself.
He's a surgeon, and he's still been able to write as much as he has. How has he done it? What has the discipline of writing for him been? That's what this episode is all about.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Lees meerFollow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perellLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
-
Brandon Stanton: Meet The Creator of “Humans of New York” | How I Write
12 november 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
Check out Sublime at https://sublime.app/?ref=perell Lees meer
Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York, came on the show to talk about how he wrote his way to five published books and 13 million Instagram followers. Along the way, the man basically invented his own genre of biography. There are short stories, there are long stories.
What he would do every single day is he'd walk out onto the streets of New York, photograph people, and interview them. He would say, "How do I tell this person's story?"
What he discovered is that these people's stories were stories about the human condition itself. It went completely viral.
So if you're interested in thinking about how to tell better stories about people, how to find your voice as a writer, then you're going to like this conversation.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
David Grann: How to Write Non-Fiction That Reads Like Fiction | How I Write
5 november 2025 · 1 uur 26 min
Check out Sublime at https://sublime.app/?ref=perell Lees meer
David Grann: one of the best storytellers alive today and an absolute master at narrative nonfiction. You might know him from "Killers of the Flower Moon", which Martin Scorsese turned into a film. And then there's "The Wager"; I can't think of a single book that more people I know have said that they just read the entire thing, from start to finish, in one sitting.
So what is it that he does to find stories, to research them, to turn them into writing that just makes people flip from page to page? Lush, vivid prose, great descriptions. How does he do it?
That's what this conversation's all about.
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Susan Orlean: Award-Winning Writer Explains Her Entire Process | How I Write
29 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
Susan Orlean writes nonfiction books that read like fiction, sort of working in the style of Joan Didion or Tom Wolfe. But what makes her different is how intentional she is about her writing process.
She's very intentional about the research, the writing, the editing phases, all of it. And if you're thinking about your own process, how can you structure your life in order to lead to good writing? Well, you're going to love this episode. Lees meerAbout the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Stefan Sagmeister: Why Are Things Less Beautiful Today? | How I Write
22 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 9 min
Stefan Sagmeister is the author of six books and one of the most influential designers in the world. He's won multiple Grammy Awards for his designs, and he's designed album covers for people like Jay-Z and David Byrne, the Rolling Stones. Lees meer
But he's a writer. What does he write about? Well, design, beauty, how to find good ideas.
You'll notice when you pick up one of his books that the form, the style, the vibe, the typography is every bit as important as the content. This is really about design, beauty, and why our world looks the way it does. Enjoy!
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Morgan Housel: How to Master Writing | How I Write
15 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
Morgan Housel is one of the top non-fiction writers in the world. He is most famous for his book “The Psychology of Money”, which has now sold more than 8 million copies. Lees meer
Before he wrote the book, he wrote more than 4,000 blog posts for publications like The Wall Street Journal and The Motley Fool, and that’s how he honed his craft. This is my second time having Morgan on the show. The first time, I just wanted to talk about Morgan, how he goes about his work. But this time I said: “Tell me about stories.”
“How do you find stories? How do you tell stories? How do you think about the rhythm of stories?” That’s why he’s been able to sell millions of books in the world of psychology, investing, and business: because of his ability to tell a really good story. Enjoy!
00:00:50 Collecting Good Stories00:04:12 Storytelling Beats Facts00:05:16 How to Hook Readers00:08:39 How Morgan Uses ChatGPT00:15:53 Teaching vs Preaching in Writing00:18:01 The #1 Worst Writing Advice00:25:18 Wide Funnel, Tight Filter Framework00:27:08 How to Find Your Writing Style00:31:45 Why Write Books in an Online World00:36:20 How Morgan Wrote ‘The Art of Spending Money’00:47:16 Morgan’s Admiration for Beautiful Writing00:53:28 How to Start a Chapter00:57:18 Becoming More Observant01:01:01 You Don’t Need New Ideas01:08:16 How Morgan Deals With Rejection
About the host
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Mitch Albom: Storytelling Master Shares His Secrets | How I Write
8 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 40 min
You can’t walk through an airport without seeing a Mitch Albom book on one of the shelves. He’s most famous for writing Tuesdays with Morrie, which may very well be the best-selling memoir of all time. He’s now written 14 books, which combined have sold more than 40 million copies. Lees meer
In 45 years of hitting the keyboard, this is the deepest conversation he’s ever had about the craft of writing. I asked him to approach this like a college writing seminar. Give me the rigor. Give me the examples, baby. Show me how you go about your craft.
And that’s what he did. He taught me the ins-and-outs of character building, writing novels, and our conversation started with how to tell great stories.
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Dan Wang: How He Became America’s Favorite China Expert | How I Write
24 september 2025 · 2 uur 2 min
I interviewed Dan Wang, a writer and analyst whose annual letters from China have become a first draft of modern Chinese history. We talked about how he blends personal observation with deep analysis, how to skip the cliches and write with texture instead, and how classical music and literature have shaped his writing style. Lees meer
What’s unique about Dan is that he built a name for himself by writing one essay per year (in an age where writers are encouraged to publish consistently). We also talked about his approach to travel writing, the difference between living in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, how AI is changing the way he thinks (but not how he writes), and why China’s influencer culture is his least favorite thing about the country.
00:1:04 Why Dan writes Annual Letters00:07:53 Dan’s favorite novel00:15:01 Dan’s method for writing00:26:02 Why most travel writing stinks00:30:44 How to travel through China00:33:05 The regions of China, explained00:44:47 Trade books vs. academic books00:53:46 The problem with history books01:01:42 Did Dan write his book with AI?01:10:50 Dan’s least favorite part about China1:15:42 A critique of American elites1:33:08 Dan’s website got blocked in China1:39:52 What China mocks about America1:54:49 A simple way to improve your writing
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Ada Limón & Joy Harjo: Everything I Learned From The World's Greatest Poets | How I Write
17 september 2025 · 48 min
I interviewed Ada Limón and Joy Harjo, two of America’s most celebrated poets and former U.S. Poet Laureates. We talked about the art of deep listening, how to translate the music of the world into language, and why silence is never empty but always alive. We explored how poetry resists “clock time,” why metaphor is essential to truth, how culture lives through song and dance, and what it means to trust your voice across a lifetime of writing.If you want to write with more presence, rediscover the mystery of language, or understand how poetry can awaken a deeper way of being, this conversation will give you timeless insights from two masters of the craft. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
AJR: The Writing Secrets Behind TikTok's Viral Sounds | How I Write
10 september 2025 · 1 uur 34 min
I interviewed Jack and Ryan from AJR, the band that has built one of the most original voices in modern music. We talked about how they use humor and vulnerability to write songs that connect on a deeper level, why embarrassment is often the best creative compass, how Broadway and magic inspire their live shows, and what they’ve learned about navigating TikTok, streaming, and the new economics of the music industry. We also explored their thoughts on AI, why imperfection makes art feel authentic, and how they’ve grown from writing dorm-room party songs to filling arenas around the world. Lees meer
If you want to understand the future of music, create art that’s both playful and profound, or learn how to stay true to yourself in a world driven by algorithms, this conversation will give you a rare inside look at the creative process of AJR.
00:00:00 The truth in music
00:09:41 Embarrassment as creative fuel
00:20:05 Context is everything
00:29:24 From 2D to 3D songwriting
00:39:36 Live shows as the real artwork
00:49:42 Truth, AI, and the future of music
00:59:41 Haters, resilience, and regret-proof songs
01:09:27 Writing a thousand bad songs
01:18:58 Partnership and balance
01:28:32 Themes, loss, and the arc of Maybe Man
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Steven Pressfield: The Brutal Truth About Creative Success | How I Write Classic Episode
3 september 2025 · 1 uur 28 min
Every so often, I’ll re-publish one of my favorite How I Write episodes. This classic episode is with Steven Pressfield, the author of more than 25 books who speaks as beautifully about the creative process as he writes. He waded through 27 years of Resistance so you don’t have to. Come learn his best practices for doing your best work. Lees meer
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:40 Your career in writing
00:07:00 Writing rough drafts
00:11:10 Copywriting
00:13:20 Hemingway
00:14:20 The Legend of Bagger Vance
00:18:40 Fiction vs Non-fiction
00:19:15 Storytelling advice
00:29:20 Editing your work
00:40:55 Discipline in writing
00:43:45 Villains in writing
01:02:45 How Steven started writing
01:05:15 Robert Greene
01:08:50 Tim Ferriss
01:12:00 60 scenes method
01:13:20 Writing styles
01:20:20 Make your heroes suffer
01:23:55 Steven Pressfield's new book "The Daily Pressfield"
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Jimmy Soni: Kobe Bryant’s Secret Obsession with Writing | How I Write
27 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 33 min
I interviewed Jimmy Soni, who is currently writing a book about Kobe Bryant. He spent six years on his previous book about the origin story of PayPal and has mastered the art of investigative biography. We talked about his 4am writing routine, how he blends research and writing to battle writers block, why he finds the best stories by talking to people on the periphery, his thoughts on using AI as a writing tool, and his experience creating a new publishing company. If you're interested in writing better non-fiction, doing deeper research, or finding the stories everyone else misses, this conversation will show you exactly how to do that. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
John Lennox: AI, God & Writing | How I Write
20 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
I interviewed John Lennox, the Oxford mathematician who's spent decades bridging science and faith. We talked about why John 1:1 reveals we live in a word-based universe, how to recognize God-breathed scripture, why scientific explanations don't exclude God, and his fascinating take on AI as humanity's attempt to "make God." He also shared practical writing advice about self-criticism and why young people struggle with metaphors. If you're curious about how faith and reason work together, or worried about what AI means for humanity's future, this conversation will challenge how you think about both. Enjoy! Lees meer
00:00:00 Why John 1:1 Reveals a Word-Based Universe
00:09:30 How to Know Scripture Is God-Breathed
00:17:40 Why Scientific Explanations Don't Exclude God
00:23:24 Why Style Is As Important As Substance
00:29:29 How to Balance Argument and Self-Criticism
00:33:35 How Narrow vs General AI Create Different Risks
00:41:40 Why the AI Race Is About Making God
00:46:02 How AI Changes What It Means to Be Human
00:52:47 How Christians Can Lead in AI EthicsHey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Henrik Karlsson: One of the world’s most under-rated writers | How I Write
13 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 34 min
I interviewed Henrik Karlsson, a writer who's developed a five-step method for writing that starts with exploring without pressure and ends with crafting the opening last, after everything else is done. We talked about why looking away from the page improves your writing, how to suck reality into your descriptions, why protecting young ideas from early critique matters, and how to access pre-linguistic mental states where the best ideas live. He shared strange experiments that actually work, why breaking grammar rules improves your voice, and how writing becomes a search query for finding your perfect audience. If you want to write with more depth, develop your authentic voice, and learn how to turn mental chaos into compelling essays, this conversation will show you exactly how. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Jayne Anne Phillips: Learn Storytelling from a Pulitzer Winner | How I Write
6 augustus 2025 · 52 min
I interviewed Jayne Anne Phillips, who won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for her novel Night Watch. We dug into passages from her writing that will show you how she thinks about voice, character, and the poetry of great writing. As you listen, I want you to notice something: pay attention to how many times Jane describes writing as a full-bodied experience. She sees the creative process almost like an archaeologist would, feeling her way into the hidden and mysterious world of her own novel. Now that sounds fascinating, but how do you actually do that? Well, that's what this interview is all about. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Rosanne Cash: Writing Masterclass from 4x Grammy Winner | How I Write
30 juli 2025 · 1 uur 9 min
I interviewed Rosanne Cash, a 4-time Grammy winner who's been writing songs for over 40 years. She's mastered something most writers struggle with: turning raw emotion into beautiful, lasting songs. She writes songs like a painter, starting with visual images, and brings the same rhythmic approach to both music and prose. We talked about how to turn pain into art, why anger and grief are powerful creative forces, how to deconstruct great songs to learn from masters like Bob Dylan, and how to develop your authentic voice through decades of deliberate practice. If you want to write with more emotional depth and turn life's difficulties into meaningful art, this conversation will show you how. Enjoy! Lees meer
00:00:00 Why Great Writers Love Language Early
00:07:47 When to Ask for Feedback on Songs
00:14:46 How to Deconstruct Songs Like Bob Dylan
00:21:25 How to Study Different Songwriting Traditions
00:25:19 Why Truth Should Drive Your Creative Work
00:31:11 Why You Must Master Rhyme Schemes First
00:35:13 How to Use Anger as Creative Fuel
00:42:15 Why Emotions Are Invitations for Discovery
00:50:56 How Your Voice Changes Over Your Career
00:56:06 How Songs Start as Visual Images
01:01:25 Why Music Survives When Everything Else Dies
01:05:48 The Dream That Changed Everything About ArtHey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
David Whyte: Inside the Mind of A Master Poet | How I Write
23 juli 2025 · 1 uur 38 min
I interviewed David Whyte, a poet who has mastered the art of turning life's deepest experiences into beautiful writing. We talked about how to write from the place where your inner world meets the outer world, why difficult emotions like grief and anger are actually forms of care, how memorizing poetry changes how you experience reality, and practical techniques for developing deeper attention. If you want to write more authentically, develop a stronger presence, or learn to find beauty in ordinary moments, this conversation will give you specific tools to do that. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Alain de Botton: Writing Is Revenge | How I Write
16 juli 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
I interviewed Alain de Botton, a philosopher and writer who has turned personal pain into universal wisdom. He's written dozens of books and built The School of Life into a YouTube channel with nearly 10 million subscribers, but the thing that makes him unique is that he approaches writing as a form of emotional archaeology. We talked about why good writing requires suffering, why loneliness is essential to the creative process, and how writing is actually a form of revenge. He also shared his approach to writer's block and why he believes the pressure is on us creatives to deepen our self-exploration. If you want to understand how to write with emotional honesty and create work that genuinely connects with people, this conversation will show you a completely different way to think about the craft. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Steven Levitan: How Modern Family Rewrote The Rules of Sitcom | How I Write
9 juli 2025 · 1 uur 43 min
I interviewed Steven Levitan, the co-creator and showrunner of Modern Family, one of the most successful sitcoms of the past two decades. What makes him fascinating isn't just that he wrote hundreds of TV episodes, but how he thinks about the craft of comedy writing itself. We talked about why story breaking is the hardest part of TV writing, how he juggles multiple storylines in 21 minutes, the difference between fast-twitch and slow-twitch writers, why the best jokes come from character, how to build character dynamics that last hundreds of episodes, and why Modern Family was designed to bring joy to families. If you want to understand how professional comedy writers think about storytelling, character development, and the creative process behind hit television, this conversation will give you an inside look at the secrets that made Modern Family. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
David Zucker: Hollywood Director Explains The 15 Rules of Comedy | How I Write
2 juli 2025 · 1 uur 14 min
I interviewed David Zucker, the director behind Airplane!, Naked Gun, and some of the funniest movies ever made. What makes this conversation fascinating isn't just the behind the scenes stories, but how he breaks down comedy writing like a science. We talked about his specific rules for making people laugh, his "flywheel theory" of pacing that keeps audiences laughing non-stop, and why they test-screened Airplane! so many times. If you want to understand what actually makes something funny, whether you're writing, performing, or just curious about the craft, this conversation will show you the discipline and technique behind comedy that looks effortless. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Bible Project: How Two Guys Changed Bible Education on YouTube | How I Write
25 juni 2025 · 1 uur 30 min
This is not a normal episode. There's two guests, not one. Tim Mackie and Jon Collins, and they're the founders of the Bible project, a YouTube channel with more than half a billion views. It is entirely devoted to teaching people how to read just one book. I think that book happens to be the most influential book in the history of western civilization. The beginning of this interview is about how they make these videos. They're so good, how they're researched, how they're written, how they're animated. Then we got into the deeper stuff, and I think you're going to like it whether you're religious or not. Questions like, how should you read the Bible? And what can we learn about all the different writing styles in scripture? Stories, songs, poetry, proverbs, parables, all those things. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Robert Macfarlane: The Most Beautiful Conversation About Language | How I Write
18 juni 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
I interviewed Robert Macfarlane, a writer who has mastered the art of nature writing. What makes him fascinating isn’t just that he writes beautifully about landscapes, but how he thinks about language itself. We talked about why he rewrites first sentences hundreds of times, what happens when entire languages die forever, why AI makes all writing sound the same, and how to build a stronger feel for using vivid and rich language. If you want to write more powerfully and develop your distinctive voice, this conversation will show you how to do that. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Paul Harding: A New Way To Think About Writing | How I Write
11 juni 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
I interviewed Paul Harding, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his very first novel Tinkers. Unlike most novelists, he’s not really interested in plots, and only halfway interested in characters. So what is he interested in? He’s focused on describing the wonders and mysteries of life, teaching us how to see, hear, and feel more vividly, and how to translate those sensations onto the page. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Steven Pinker: Harvard Professor Explains The Rules of Writing | How I Write
4 juni 2025 · 44 min
I’m here at Harvard in the office of Steven Pinker. He’s written nine books and spent his life studying language, cognition, and writing. In this interview, we started with the practical: the rules of writing. But what makes him unique is that he’s been thinking about AI since the 1980s. So if you’re interested in doing great non-fiction writing in the age of LLMs, this interview is for you. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Ezra Klein: The Case Against Writing With AI | How I Write
28 mei 2025 · 56 min
Ezra Klein is one of the internet’s most influential journalists. He co-founded Vox in 2014, and it was there he really pioneered this new era of online journalism. Remember those Vox explainer videos that were so popular? As I’ve recorded this, he’s got the #1 book on the New York Times bestseller list. We talked about the state of media, why pieces need to be longer not shorter, how he reads to understand the world, and why he’s skeptical that AI will ever change the craft of deep and meaningful journalism. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Eric Roth: The Screenwriter Behind Forrest Gump and Dune | How I Write
21 mei 2025 · 1 uur 37 min
Dune. Forrest Gump. Benjamin Button. Eric Roth wrote all of them. He’s been nominated for seven Oscars and won Best Adapted Screenplay for Forrest Gump. I got the chance to ask him about how you find a deeper theme in a story, what a writer can do to really move people, and what it’s actually like working with people like David Fincher, Steven Spielberg, and Martin Scorsese. Eric Roth is one of the greatest screenwriters of our time, hope you enjoy this one. Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Michael Jamin: The Hollywood Sitcom Writer | How I Write
14 mei 2025 · 1 uur 26 min
Michael Jamin has been writing Hollywood sitcoms for 28 years on shows like King of the Hill and Beavis and Butt-Head. Unlike most comedy writers, he’s not focused on punchlines, he’s more focused on building rich characters, developing deep storylines, and layering the comedy on top.
But how do you do that? That’s what this episode is all about. Enjoy! Lees meerHey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Dean Koontz: 120 novels published. 500 million copies sold. | How I Write
7 mei 2025 · 1 uur 49 min
Dean Koontz has written over 100 books and sold more than 500 million copies, making him one of the best-selling authors of all time. I visited Dean at his home and personal library to understand what truly sets him apart. Unlike most mass-market writers, Dean is obsessed with the craft. He doesn’t just write stories, he truly lives for the beauty of the English language. We talked about why he stopped outlining his novels and how to build characters that feel alive. But honestly, this conversation goes way deeper than just writing. I think you’re going to love it. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Johann Hari: The Obsessive Research Method | How I Write
30 april 2025 · 1 uur 15 min
The world isn’t made of atoms, it’s made of stories. I’ve never heard anyone speak so deeply about interviewing. Johann Hari has written four books, and for each one he travels the globe to record hundreds of conversations. In this episode, he’ll explain exactly how he does it, sharing stories of getting up close and personal with homeless people in Vegas and a crack dealer in New York. In the end you’ll hear a wild story of the apple in Vietnam that almost killed him. Enjoy! Lees meer
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Will Storr: The Science of Storytelling | How I Write
23 april 2025 · 1 uur 8 min
Will Storr has written 7 books and he’s basically a scientist for storytelling. Now you might be thinking: Do we really need another storytelling guy? But Will is different. Lees meer
That's because he doesn’t just talk about plot or the hero’s journey, he focuses on character.
Great stories don’t start with plot… they start with people.
The best part? By the time you’re done with the episode, you’ll have the tools to be a better storyteller in your next conversation.
Explore Will's Storytelling Substack: https://willstorr.substack.com/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Michael Dean: The 27 Patterns To Fix Bad Writing | How I Write
9 april 2025 · 1 uur 54 min
Architect Michael Dean breaks down the hidden patterns behind the great essays of our time. In this video, we go over his 27-point framework that makes up every world class piece of writing and how he uses the same system to analyze the Guggenheim and Apple Store. We also talk about what skills will still matter as AI continues to improve and why learning to write might be more important than ever. Enjoy! Lees meer
A few links:
Join the Essay Architecture beta: https://essayarchitecture.com/
Follow Michael Dean on Substack: https://michaeldean.site/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Lulu Cheng Meservey: Meet Silicon Valley’s Top PR Master | How I Write
2 april 2025 · 1 uur 22 min
The old communications playbook is dead: Political and company narratives used to be controlled by publicists and journalists. But now, founders can Go Direct. The question is… how? How do you spread a message in this new world? Lulu Cheng Meservey has worked with companies like Substack, Anduril, and Activision Blizzard, and this is her tell-all about how to build your own platform, build your own audience, and shape your own narrative. Lees meer
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:32 Go direct
00:05:01 Beware of "perfect" writing
00:10:06 Ship-to-Yap ratio
00:15:20 Shaping a comms strategy
00:17:51 How to craft your message
00:22:57 Should you write with AI?
00:27:01 You don't need new ideas
00:32:13 Say what no one else will
00:35:20 The writing AI can't do
00:41:23 The power of the right messenger
00:47:31 Borrowing tactics from elections
00:55:12 Apple vs. crypto cults
01:02:38 How to launch your product
01:07:06 Stop making narcissistic announcements
01:09:55 What slogans work?
01:14:29 How to write an apologyHey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Ultimate Guide to Writing with AI | How I Write
26 maart 2025 · 1 uur 32 min
Get my free PDF on using LLM's for writer's + my in-depth prompts: https://perell.com/ai Lees meer
AI has triggered an existential crisis for me. In this episode, I share my thoughts on standing out as a writer with AI and how I use it everyday. This is one of the most in-depth looks at what it means to be a writer in 2025.
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Johnny Harris: Master Storytelling on YouTube | How I Write
12 maart 2025 · 1 uur 29 min
In this episode, I sit down with YouTube storytelling master Johnny Harris to discover how he creates his videos. Johnny Harris has proven he can make pretty much anything go viral, from breakfast and lottery tickets to bread-making and extra virgin olive oil. We look at his entire creative process, breaking down exactly what makes his storytelling so addicting to watch. We cover the complete workflow: writing, drafting, editing, visual composition, and sound design. By the end of this video, you'll walk away with practical tools to become a better visual storyteller yourself. Enjoy! Lees meer
Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:35 The Video Process
00:09:18 How to Research for a Documentary
00:10:10 The Marketing for a Video
00:13:15 Scripted vs Unscripted Content
00:15:18 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]
00:16:44 Full Breakdown of Johnny Harris' 4M View Mormon Video
00:45:34 Balancing Personal Passion vs Views
00:50:27 Every Story is a Promise
00:51:47 Highlighting Paradoxes in Human Stories
00:58:56 The "There's More Going On" Approach
01:03:20 Vox vs Independent YouTube
01:04:26 Pillars of YouTube Writing
01:05:27 Dealing with the Details in Complex Stories
01:07:19 The Art of Surprising Viewers
01:11:33 Learning from The Economist
01:18:11 Human Stories
01:21:05 Craftsmanship in the AI Age
01:24:02 How Would Johnny Harris Teach a University ClassJohnny Harris
https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyharris
https://www.patreon.com/johnnyharris
https://www.instagram.com/johnny.harris/I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
…
-
Tyler Cowen: The Most Practical Conversation on AI Writing | How I Write
5 maart 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
Tyler Cowen, an economist and writer, talks with me about how AI is changing writing and research. He explains a practical approach to using AI tools while maintaining your own voice. He explains the ways he incorporates LLMs into his daily work. We talk about how people will be writing fewer books in the future and how he believes truly human writing will stand out among AI-generated content. Enjoy! Lees meer
Redeem your free week of Lex at https://lex.page/perell
0:00 Intro
1:00 How Tyler Cowen uses AI everyday
6:06 Hallucinations are rapidly declining now
9:28 Writing authentically with AI
11:34 AI for critiquing your work
17:29 Future of decentralized AI networks
20:34 How and why DeepSeek
22:21 How AI changes writing
24:04 Why there will be less books in an AI era
26:34 Video content will rise
28:17 Start Writing with AI [LEX AD]
29:18 AI Writing a personal biography
30:46 How you can tactically learning about AI
37:12 How AI can help you visualize information
38:31 Creating the perfect AI prompt
42:10 AI's impact in the classroom
46:56 Studying The Bible with AI
49:11 Secrets
50:10 Why social networks are more important now
51:48 Mastering AI prompting
53:58 Mentoring young people
54:49 Would you invest 4 years in a PhD
59:59 Perplexity replaces Google
01:01:09 The different AI tools, explained
01:05:43 The potential of large context windows
01:08:11 AI usage inside companiesI also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Lea… -
Dana Gioia: Why Poetry Matters | How I Write
26 februari 2025 · 3 uur 14 min
Dana Gioia is a poet, former Chairman of the NEA, and one of America's most insightful writers on the craft of poetry and prose. This is the deepest conversation I've ever had about writing. Dana breaks down the writing process from his first drafts to revision, and shares practical wisdom about finding your voice and creating work that lasts. His straightforward approach makes writing less intimidating and more accessible to anyone who loves language. Enjoy! Lees meer
Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/
0:00 First Drafts
7:52 The Power of Saying No
11:48 Objectivity in Writing
18:05 Learning from Writers
21:29 Daily Writing Routine
28:30 Poetry Analysis: Catullus
29:05 Production vs Consumption
36:07 Opera as Poetic Drama
43:47 Finding Your Voice
46:09 Personal vs Universal Writing
52:17 Breaking into Publishing
57:01 Writing Through Grief
1:05:21 Emotional Directness
1:10:16 Teaching Poetry
1:14:30 Poetry in Education
1:20:48 Unifying Literary Works
1:23:15 Patience in Writing
1:26:17 Improving Your Poetry
1:30:48 The Art of Description
1:34:34 Reading to Write Better
1:38:08 Creating a Masterpiece
1:45:08 Book Writing Process
1:47:45 The Art of Revision
1:48:45 Peer Feedback
1:55:47 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]
1:57:11 Anatomy of a Poem
2:02:29 Writing with Gratitude
2:08:00 Corporate World Lessons
2:16:40 Writing in Digital Culture
2:24:30 Poetry and Magic
2:28:55 Being a Catholic Writer
2:36:17 Catholic Literary Culture
2:37:40 Biblical Language in Poetry
2:39:51 Commonplace Books
2:45:24 Literary Influences
2:51:38 Cheever on Death
2:53:11 Tarantino vs. Tolkien
2:54:54 Tolstoy vs. Dostoevsky
2:55:47 The Modern Novel
3:01:18 Characters in Opera
3:09:06 Understanding Your GenreDana Gioia
https://danagioia.comI also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one…
-
Ward Farnsworth: How To Say Things That Last Forever | How I Write
12 februari 2025 · 1 uur 3 min
Ward Farnsworth is a law professor and former dean at the University of Texas School of Law who has written popular books about clear thinking, language, and philosophy. His books include Classical English Style and works on rhetoric and legal writing. He’s a genius at making complex ideas simple and useful for everyday life. Enjoy! Lees meer
Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:53 Example 1 (King James Bible)
00:07:09 Example 2 (Winston Churchill)
00:11:45 Example 3 (Winston Churchill)
00:15:19 Example 4 (King James Bible)
00:18:18 Example 5 (Abraham Lincoln)
00:22:57 Example 6 (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.)
00:26:40 Classical English Rhetoric
00:27:40 Example 7 (Abraham Lincoln)
00:29:59 Example 8 (Abraham Lincoln)
00:31:48 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]
00:33:15 Example 9 (Winston Churchill)
00:35:53 Example 10 (Lloyd Bentsen)
00:38:34 Example 11 (JFK)
00:42:00 Example 12 (Abraham Lincoln)
00:43:40 Example 13 (Henry Fielding - Tom Jones)
00:45:32 Example 14 (King James Bible)
00:47:42 The 3 Techniques, explained
00:52:24 Practical advice for everyone
00:56:08 The ideal writing curriculumWARD FARNSWORTH
http://wardfarnsworth.com/I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
FOLLOW ME
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Alex Hormozi: Copywriting Masterclass | How I Write
5 februari 2025 · 1 uur 10 min
Alex Hormozi has written two killer business books that have sold more than 1M copies. His writing has gotten him to 9M followers across social media. This is the first interview where he breaks down his writing system. Lees meer
Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/
I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:20 Hormozi’s cave
00:05:35 Discovery process
00:12:32 Fix problems using MECE
00:13:43 Marketing “$100M Leads”
00:20:55 Writing for YouTube vs Books
00:27:13 The pain is the pitch
00:31:37 Break down the world into frameworks
00:34:09 10x more effort = 1000x results
00:38:24 Understanding the table of contents
00:49:27 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader]
00:50:53 How to think about your audience
00:54:22 The #1 creator mistake
00:57:58 The business of Hormozi’s books
01:02:04 The love for writing as a kid
01:04:34 Hormozi’s ideal university writing classALEX HORMOZI
https://www.youtube.com/@AlexHormozi
https://www.instagram.com/hormozi/
https://x.com/alexhormozi/
https://acquisition.comFOLLOW ME
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
171 Years of Writing Advice in 90 Minutes | How I Write
10 januari 2025 · 1 uur 32 min
In this episode, I share my very favorite clips from world-class experts I interviewed last year. Their combined 171 years of writing experience is tightly packed into this 90-minute video. Enjoy! Lees meer
I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
Follow me
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Tucker Max: The King of Memoir Writing | How I Write
16 oktober 2024 · 1 uur 38 min
How do you know the difference between a banger journal entry and the foundation of a memoir?
If you’ve ever asked yourself this question, then this conversation is for you.Tucker is a memoir guru, having sold 5 million copies of his own memoir (“I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”) and millions more of ghostwritten memoirs (for names like Tiffany Haddish and David Goggins).
All of Tucker’s expertise can be dwindled down to three words: tell the truth. But it’s not as easy as it sounds.In this episode, you’ll learn everything it takes to write a bestselling memoir: how to tell a great story, how to infuse your work with humor, how to turn your suffering into art, and how to make sure you’re ready to write a memoir in the first place.
Most importantly, you’ll learn how to tell the unencumbered truth — the right way. Lees meerWebsite: https://www.tuckermax.com/
Twitter: @TuckerMaxWebsite: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Richard Powers: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Stanford Professor | How I Write
9 oktober 2024 · 1 uur 27 min
Richard is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Overstory, one of the most praised novels of the decade. His writing absolutely explodes with life. But perhaps Richard’s most impressive skill is his character development. And we’re not talking about the stodgy character arc you learned in English class. Richard shares 40+ years and 14 novels worth of insight on how to write characters that readers can’t get out of their head. Lees meer
This episode is a deep dive into the psychoanalytical complexities of character: drama and tension, thinking and feeling, motivation and suspense. Plus, we dive into the three different types of character-driven drama: People against People, People against Themselves, and People against the Environment.
In a nutshell, this episode is a novel-writing masterclass that you don’t want to miss.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://www.richardpowers.net/
Books: https://www.richardpowers.net/category/novel/
New Novel “Playground”: https://a.co/d/g9nzmbOWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the final class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Sam Altman: OpenAI Founder Reveals His Writing System | How I Write
25 september 2024 · 50 min
You know him as the CEO of OpenAI — but did you know that Sam Altman is an avid writer? Lees meer
As one of today’s most successful entrepreneurs, Sam champions the tremendous value of writing: how it clarifies your thinking, expands your ideas, and levels-up your life in every sense, both personally and professionally. Plus, he has a love for the creative. (Have you ever met someone who can recite Percy Bysshe Shelley poems from memory? Well, Sam can.)
In this episode, we discuss how Sam uses ChatGPT in his daily life; how LLMs are changing the future of writing; what it means to be a novelist in the age of technology; and Sam’s best-learned writing lessons from Paul Graham. If you want to learn how the king of ChatGPT writes, this episode is for you.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://openai.com/
Blog: https://blog.samaltman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/samaWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the final class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.school/how-i-write/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Robert Greene: The Blueprint for a Killer Story | How I Write
18 september 2024 · 1 uur 24 min
Robert went from being “a drunk, failed screenwriter” to writing seven bestsellers with millions of copies sold. Entrepreneurs, politicians, and hip-hop artists like 50 Cent all love his work. His secret ingredient? Storytelling. Lees meer
In Robert’s eyes, story is a form of seduction. So, welcome to 76-minutes of seductive storytelling advice. You’ll learn how to write stories that have timeless resonance, swapping cute and clever for crisp and clear. You’ll dive deep into style, themes, research, and revision. And you’ll hear all the nitty-gritty details that make a story sell.
And his books have flown off the shelves. 48 Laws of Power has sold millions of copies, and is as popular today as it was when it came out 25 years ago.
If you want behind-the-scenes storytelling advice from a seasoned bestselling author, this episode is for you.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://powerseductionandwar.com/
Twitter: https://x.com/RobertGreene
Book: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Robert-Greene/author/B001IGV3IS
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/RobertGreeneOfficialWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Nick Bilton: The Art of Storytelling in Films, Journalism, and Murder Mysteries | How I Write
11 september 2024 · 1 uur 22 min
Welcome to 74-minutes of storytelling strategy that’s better than all of your English classes combined. Nick is a journalist who has written for The New York Times and Vanity Fair. He’s a screenwriter, an author, a murder mystery enthusiast. In other words, he knows how to push a story through a brick wall. And he’s going to show you how you can, too. Lees meer
This episode is the ultimate storytelling toolkit. Cliffhangers. Tension. Dialogue. Character. Motifs. You’ll learn it all.
And here’s the thing: if you can tell great stories, then you will succeed in life. Stories make up our entire world — from a politician’s speech to the back of a cereal box to a dinner party with friends. Good storytellers always have the upper hand. So, if you want to tell fast-paced and dizzying stories, this episode is for you.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://www.nickbilton.com/
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-Bilton/author/B003UP0RIM
Vanity Fair: https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/nick-bilton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickbilton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbiltonWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How Peter Attia Wrote His First Book
28 augustus 2024 · 1 uur 18 min
“I’ll never forget the first patient whom I ever saw die.” Lees meer
Sheesh, what an opening line, right? Peter has an outstanding resume: he’s a medical surgeon, a Stanford grad, and a longevity expert with 25+ years of industry experience — not to mention, a published author who has sold over two million copies of his book, Outlive.
In a nutshell, Peter is a prime example of what can happen when you share your expertise through writing. And he’s going to help you get started.
In this episode, you’ll learn how Peter wrote his first book — frameworks, strategies, how he packages industry expertise in a way that’s digestible for the masses — and how you can, too. If you’ve been burning to turn your expertise into a bestseller, this episode is for you.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Website: https://peterattiamd.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PeterAttiaMD
Twitter: https://x.com/PeterAttiaMD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peterattiamd
Newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter
Book: https://a.co/d/57euBtRWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Become a better writer in just five weeks.
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
How Ben Thompson Built a Writing Empire
21 augustus 2024 · 1 uur 35 min
What if writing a newsletter could pay your rent? Well, it can. And today, you’re going to learn how.
Ben Thompson makes millions of dollars a year with his writing. He’s the OG of subscription-based newsletter writers. Maybe that’s your dream, too, but you’re plagued by questions like: “What should I write about?” “What’s my business model?” “How do I make my first dollar online?” We’re so glad you asked; because Ben has the answers. In this episode, you’ll learn his exact playbook for how to monetize your writing — not just for right now, but also for the future.
Ben’s blog, Stratechery, is the OG of subscription-based newsletters and actually inspired the creation of Substack. If you’ve ever wondered what a day-in-the-life of someone who makes millions of dollars writing looks like, now’s your chance. Lees meerSPEAKER LINKS:
Website & Newsletter: https://stratechery.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/benthompsonWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
Rob Henderson: How To Write A Memoir
14 augustus 2024 · 1 uur 37 min
Ever thought to yourself, “I would love to write a memoir someday”? Lees meer
Then you’re in the right place. Rob has an exceptional story — from foster care to Yale, from a troubled childhood to a best-selling memoir called Troubled — and in this episode, he demystifies the memoir-writing process just for you.
We cover questions like: Which stories are worthy of sharing? How do you pace the narrative? How do you excavate difficult memories? How do you balance the emotional highs with the lows? Buckle up, and get ready to learn how to write a gripping memoir.
SPEAKER LINKS:
Newsletter: https://www.robkhenderson.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/robkhenderson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robkhenderson/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Troubled-Memoir-Foster-Family-Social/dp/1982168536WRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices -
The Cultural Tutor: Two Kinds of Writing (Which One Are You?)
31 juli 2024 · 1 uur 18 min
Your success as a writer boils down to your style. And today, you’re going to learn how to master the two different types of style — minimalism vs. maximalism — from the style-king himself: The Cultural Tutor.
Minimalism is clear, concise, and direct. It distills an idea. Maximalism captures the texture, the nuance, the beauty of life. It creates an environment for your reader to inhabit. Style is a spectrum. And the sweet spot of memorable writing comes from the tension of competing forces — concision and beauty; Simplicity and texture; minimalism and maximalism.
If you want to develop a distinct and unforgettable style, then this episode is for you. Lees meerWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Website: https://culturaltutor.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/culturaltutorWRITING EXAMPLES:
Sign up and learn from the best writing of all time:
https://www.writingexamples.comWRITE OF PASSAGE:
Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage?
Click here: https://writeofpassage.com/PODCAST LINKS:
Website: https://writeofpassage.com/how-i-write
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel/videos
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices