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.
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/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nickbilton
Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-Bilton/author/B003UP0RIM
Vanity Fair: https://www.vanityfair.com/contributor/nick-bilton
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbilton
WRITE OF PASSAGE:
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https://writeofpassage.com/
PODCAST LINKS:
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
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:40 Intro to Narrative Nonfiction
00:01:55 Crafting Compelling Characters
00:02:38 The Art of Storytelling Across Mediums
00:04:04 Building Themes and Tension
00:04:50 Lessons from Screenwriting and Murder Mysteries
00:07:33 The Importance of Pacing in Writing
00:11:14 Editing Techniques for Screenplays and Books
00:14:53 Creating Realistic and Memorable Characters
00:27:46 The Role of Themes in Storytelling
00:43:56 Navigating Truth in Narrative Nonfiction
00:45:40 The Art of Writing Dialogue
00:47:20 Character Traits and Humanizing Subjects
00:49:14 Building Tension in Storytelling
00:53:36 The Evolution of Magazine Features
00:55:36 Elon Musk's Most Challenging Mission
00:58:31 The Importance of a Strong Conclusion
01:02:34 Lessons from Writing and Reporting
01:08:40 Challenges of Writing a Successful Book
01:10:22 Finding the Next Great Narrative Nonfiction
01:15:14 Writing Example (Rocketmen)
ABOUT THE HOST:
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.