Book Alchemy
The Secret Library Podcast
#44 Susan Orlean on Making Writing Your Career
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#44 Susan Orlean on Making Writing Your Career

I knew I loved Susan Orlean the moment she mentioned the Vikings.

Ok, I loved her writing already. Of course. And not many people get to say they've been played by Meryl Streep. But when I saw her speak on a panel and she said something to the effect of "Everything I needed to know about writing I learned from the Vikings," she had my complete attention. In the ways that no one expects the Spanish Inquisition, no one expects the Vikings. I got her to tell this story on the episode and did a lot of listening to so many important things she shared. As smart as you think Susan Orlean is, I assure you that she's even smarter than that.

Getting to discuss the reality of being a writer in a time of such change and transformation in the world of media and publishing was invaluable. The story of how she ended up at the New Yorker as a staff writer is absolutely worth the price of admission and anyone, I mean anyone, who has dreamed of being a writer as their job must listen to what she has to say about writing as a profession. Period. I haven't been the same since. You won't be either. See you on the other side... happy listening.

Show notes with links | This episode sponsored by Scrivener


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Book Alchemy
The Secret Library Podcast
Most people believe that books are created in cabins all alone, where authors pound away on some manner of keyboard. Then they hand this masterpiece off to a publisher and it feels very much like it goes down a tube and comes out the other side as a book. By speaking to authors and other book lovers, I'm diving into the mystery that is the book world today.