How I Write

Епизоди

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  Jack Carr: Bestselling Author Shares His Entire Writing Process | How I Write 29.07.2026 1ч 8мин

  Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite Jack Carr is a master at writing thrillers. He's a former Navy SEAL turned author who loves books and storytelling. When he walked in, I told him, "I want you to teach me how you write so visually. You're so good at visually taking the minutiae of combat and violence, writing about weapons in a way that comes to life on the page. How do you actually do that?" And this is a guy whose method clearly works. He publishes a new novel every year, has built a successful writing business, and Amazon Prime adapted his book, The Terminal List, into an original series starring Chris Pratt. 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
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  Scott Dikkers: 11 Ways to Make Your Writing More Funny | How I Write 22.07.2026 1ч 4мин

  Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite Scott Dikkers is the former editor-in-chief of The Onion, the site that brought news satire to the internet. Before the episode, I went up to Scott and said, “I have one goal for this: I want to start writing funny. You know how to do it. Can you teach me everything you've learned?" He’s been doing this for decades, so he was able to take me by the hand and show me what he learned, very concretely. You're obviously not going to framework your way to becoming the next George Carlin, but there are universal principles of comedy that work in any kind of writing, whether it's for a group chat or when you are talking with friends on a Saturday night at the bar. And Scott is about to teach us how to do it. 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
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  What the Experts Really Think About AI | How I Write Compilation 20.07.2026 54мин

  Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite AI and creativity. I've asked dozens of writers for their take; some think it's a godsend, while others believe it's the literal scum of the earth. Here are 12 of the best responses from literary award winners like Robert Macfarlane, builders like Sam Altman, and journalists like Ezra Klein. This is what people at the cutting edge are saying about how AI will impact writing, creativity, and culture. 00:00 Introduction 00:29 Ezra Klein 08:02 Maria Popova 09:55 Tyler Cowen 17:39 Tom Junod 22:30 Sam Altman 26:32 Steven Pinker 29:12 Jimmy Soni 40:14 Riva Tez 42:43 Yann Martel 46:01 Marc Andreessen 48:14 Robert Macfarlane 50:48 Jon Yaged 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
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  David Baldacci: How to Write Books That Actually Sell | How I Write 15.07.2026 1ч 31мин

  Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite David Baldacci, one of the most prolific writers in the world, joins us on the show today. He has written 53 novels and seven children’s books, publishes two novels every year, and has sold more than 200 million copies worldwide. How does he craft great stories, develop compelling characters, and build tension? How does he approach the business of publishing? Drawing from his background as a lawyer and his time in boardrooms worldwide, what strategies does he employ to ensure his books sell and are read? This conversation explores those very questions. 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
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  David Shelley: How to Get Your Book Published | How I Write 08.07.2026 1ч 23мин

  This episode is presented by Wispr Flow, a tool that turns voice notes into clear writing. I use it every day and recommend it to every writer I know. Try it for free at ref.wisprflow.ai/howiwrite Learn more about Alpha School at go.alpha.school/howiwrite David Shelley is on the show today and he’s the CEO of Hachette, one of the Big Five publishers. In this conversation, I focused on two things. First, how should writers navigate the publishing industry? Second, how does the publishing industry actually work? Who better to learn from than someone at the top of the field? David has spent more than 30 years in book publishing, and his company sells roughly 220 million books every year, generating about $3.5 billion in annual revenue. 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
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  David Sedaris: Bestselling Author Gives His Best Writing Advice | How I Write 01.07.2026 1ч 20мин

  This episode is presented by Wispr Flow, a tool that turns voice notes into clear writing. I use it every day and recommend it to every writer I know. Try it for free at ref.wisprflow.ai/howiwrite David Sedaris has long been one of the funniest writers in the game, and he’s got a method for how he does it. It starts with observation, always looking for what’s surprising, ridiculous, or a little bit strange about the world. Then, every single day, he writes the best ideas down in a journal. But there’s also a willingness to put himself in absurd situations, like working as a Christmas elf at Macy’s or cleaning up litter off English country roads for eight hours a day. He’s sold more than 16 million books, and he’s been writing for The New Yorker for more than 30 years. Today, he’s here to teach us how he does it. 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
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  Andrew Stanton: Meet The Writer Behind Toy Story 5 | How I Write 24.06.2026 1ч

  This episode is presented by Wispr Flow, a tool that turns voice notes into clear writing. I use it every day and recommend it to every writer I know. Try it for free at ref.wisprflow.ai/howiwrite Andrew Stanton was the second animator at Pixar, and he has been working there for 30 years. If you want to know how Pixar runs, this is your guy. He has directed movies like Finding Nemo and WALL-E, and he's the director of Toy Story 5. I had to ask him, "What have you done at Pixar to keep that quality bar so high? It's hit after hit, appealing to both kids and adults. How do you achieve this consistently?" 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. 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
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  Michael Pollan's Best Writing Advice | How I Write 17.06.2026 1ч 13мин

  This episode is presented by Wispr Flow, a tool that turns voice notes into clear writing. I use it every day and recommend it to every writer I know. Try it for free at ref.wisprflow.ai/howiwrite Michael Pollan is one of my all-time favorite nonfiction writers. He has been writing about food, nature, and consciousness for decades. For him, the writing process begins with a question. He finds something he's interested in and embarks on an adventure. He experiences things, talks to people, learns, and then compiles it all into a book. His writing style feels as if he's putting an arm around you, simply reporting back what he's learned and experienced, all in a very friendly way. The adventure we discussed most in this conversation was when he bought a cow and followed it from birth to slaughter, illustrating the industrial food system's impact on meat production. Michael has taught nonfiction writing at Harvard and UC Berkeley. At the end of the interview, he said: "I just gave you an entire semester's worth of content in one hour." 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
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  Andrew Hunter Murray: How to Write Fiction Incredibly Well | How I Write 10.06.2026 1ч

  This episode is presented by Wispr Flow, a tool that turns voice notes into clear writing. I use it every day and recommend it to every writer I know. Try it for free at ref.wisprflow.ai/howiwrite Andrew Hunter Murray is a writer, a journalist, and a comedian. What stood out from this conversation is his love for literature, which shows up both in his three novels and in how he's studied people like Edith Wharton and Jane Austen. We talked about what makes a good premise and how to make a character feel alive. This conversation was a lot of fun. 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
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  Noah Hawley: How He Wrote Fargo | How I Write 03.06.2026 1ч 26мин

  Noah Hawley has written books, movies, and TV shows like Alien Earth and Fargo. He's been successful not just because he's a talented writer, but also because he's a consummate professional. He's fluent not just in the world of stories and characters, but he also knows how to work inside the industry and how to get things done. If you want to make it as a writer, whether on the page or the big screen, this interview is a roadmap for doing that. 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
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  Suleika Jaouad: NYT Bestselling Author Teaches Writing | How I Write 27.05.2026 58мин

  Suleika Jaouad says: "If you want to write a good book, write what you don't want others to know about you. But if you want to write a great book, write what you don't want to know about yourself." She's had a lifelong love for words, ever since she was a little kid. She began writing for public consumption in her twenties, after being diagnosed with serious cancer. From her hospital bed, she started writing for The New York Times, which led to her memoir, "Between Two Kingdoms", and her book on creativity, "The Book of Alchemy". What are the driving themes of our conversation? How do you free yourself to be creative How do you show up as your most unedited self on the page How do you fight writer's block How do you live with curiosity, wonder, and enchantment How do you truly open your eyes to the world This conversation will explore all of that. 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
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  Tom Segura: How to Tell Jokes | How I Write 20.05.2026 1ч 13мин

  Tom Segura, a comedian known for specials like "Completely Normal" and "Sledgehammer", is also the creator of the TV show "Bad Thoughts". He's appeared on "Conan" and "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert". Today, he's here to teach us how to write comedy. What makes Tom's humor so distinct is its observational and story-based nature. He can look at something you've seen a thousand times and point out a hilarious detail, making you realize, "Yes, that's absolutely true!" That's why I asked him to come on the show and teach us how he finds and writes those kinds of jokes. Here's his answer, along with a few moments that had me in tears of laughter. [TIMESTAMPS] 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
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  Maria Popova: How to Write Something Truly Wise | How I Write 13.05.2026 57мин

  Maria Popova writes one of the internet's best personal blogs. Originally called "Brain Pickings", it is now known as "The Marginalian". She has published more than 6 million pages of writing there, and it has become such a treasure that the Library of Congress recognized its value and made it part of their permanent archive. This conversation, however, explores much more. It delves into how to live and how to see, and how to turn to books for wisdom when confused and comfort when suffering. How can we read and learn to improve our lives? That is the driving question behind our discussion. 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
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  Yann Martel: Life of Pi Author Reveals His Writing Process | How I Write 06.05.2026 1ч 11мин

  Yann Martel is famous for writing "Life of Pi", which wasn't just a standout book but also an Academy Award-winning movie. What stood out to me about him is that he's strikingly well-read, and he's developed a unique approach to storytelling. Many writers say it's all about character, but Yann says other things are more important. Where other writers obsess over beginnings, it's the endings of stories that he truly falls in love with. If you want to learn about place, plot, people, and prose, you're in the right place. 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
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  Anne Lamott Teaches Unforgettable Writing | How I Write 29.04.2026 1ч 19мин

  Buy Anne’s latest book, GOOD WRITING, below: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/786813/good-writing-by-neal-allen-and-anne-lamott/ Anne Lamott is famous for writing "Bird by Bird", one of the best books ever written about the craft of writing. In it, she states that "perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people." Sentences like that have made her a muse for countless writers over the years. Beyond "Bird by Bird", she has written more than 20 books, including novels and memoirs. She recently published a book with her husband, featuring 36 rules for writing. In this interview, we discussed the types of people creatives should surround themselves with, why writer's block is a misnomer, and what she considers the very best writing prompt. 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
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  Tish Rabe: How to Write Children’s Books | How I Write 22.04.2026 1ч 28мин

  This episode is presented by Mercury, the banking platform that makes this show possible. I can’t imagine trying to run my business without them. Learn more at https://mercury.com Tish Rabe has written more than 200 children's books. She's written for Disney and Sesame Street, and also after Dr. Seuss died in the early 90s, she started writing Dr. Seuss books. When she did, she really leaned into his distinct style. So I said, "You've been doing this for 40 years now. Can you teach me what you know about writing stories, bringing characters to life, rhythm and rhyme, and that unique flow that Dr. Seuss books are so famous for?" Beyond the tactics, this conversation will help you lighten up a bit and have a lot more fun with your writing. 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
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  David Gelb: How to Write Cinematically | How I Write 15.04.2026 1ч 9мин

  This episode is presented by Mercury, the banking platform that makes this show possible. I can’t imagine trying to run my business without them. Learn more at https://mercury.com David Gelb directed 'Jiro Dreams of Sushi' and 'Chef's Table', which is what this conversation is all about: the art of making documentaries, telling stories, and bringing people to life. He says that whenever you're writing a scene, a character should come into it wanting one thing and leave with something else. David spent a lot of time with the world's top chefs, so I had to ask what lessons he learned from them and how those lessons seeped into his work. 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
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  Patrick Radden Keefe: How to Write Captivating Stories | How I Write 08.04.2026 1ч 6мин

  This episode is presented by Mercury, the banking platform that makes this show possible. I can’t imagine trying to run my business without them. Learn more at https://mercury.com Patrick Radden Keefe is going to teach us how to write narrative nonfiction. It's something he's been doing for 20 years as a staff writer at the New Yorker. He's also written six full-length nonfiction books. Patrick is known for this style called Write Around Reporting. So you want to focus on somebody who's wealthy or powerful, and they're just like, "No, I'm not going to talk to you. I flat out refuse." How do you still get that story done? That is Patrick's area of expertise. He did this with his book about the Sackler family, where they basically said, "We're going to threaten to sue you if you write this book." So then I said, "Well, what is it that you do to tell that story once you find it?" And he said, "You got to find your Donkey. A donkey to pull you through the piece." I was like, "What do you mean by that?" Well, you're about to find out. 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
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  Wright Thompson: Learn Storytelling in 63 Minutes | How I Write 01.04.2026 1ч 4мин

  Wright Thompson is one of the best nonfiction storytellers in the world right now. He showed up to my place, and I immediately liked his vibe. We started talking, and it turns out we both love Guinness Zero. So we cracked open a beer, and we just talked about the writing process. How do you tell a great story? How do you nail an ending? How do you use details to bring a character to life? That's what this episode is all about, and it's a heck of a lot of fun, too. 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
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  Ocean Vuong: NYU Professor Teaches the Art of Writing | How I Write 25.03.2026 1ч 21мин

  This episode is presented by Mercury, the banking platform that makes this show possible. I can’t imagine trying to run my business without them. Learn more at https://mercury.com Ocean Vuong is a poet, a novelist, and a professor at NYU. He's just really good at writing in this fresh, enchanted, and imaginative way. He has this way of seeing and experiencing the world that's alive and filled with wonder. If you want to write prose that's lush, words that are vivid, and stories that pulse with life, then you're going to love this episode. 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