Richard Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He's one of the best novelists alive today. This interview is a detailed look at his writing process, inspired by the class he used to teach at Stanford - and he's never done an interview quite like this. Here are 17 lessons: 1. When you're sure what you're looking at, look harder. 2. There are ultimately only three kinds of novels: (1) Person vs. person, (2) person vs. society, and (3) person vs. environment. 3. Person vs. Person: This is the psychological novel. 4. Person vs. Society: This is the sociological novel. 5. Person vs. Environment: This type of novel has gone out of style, and Richard is bringing it back. 6. Clear out the clutter in your life so you can focus on your writing. The fewer complications you have, the more rich and textured your creative process can become. 7. The best writing advice he's ever received? “Keep your petri dishes open.” Don't tie down your plans or outlines too tightly. 8. There are two kinds of writers: Top-Down and Bottom Up. 9. Top-Down writers: Start with the theme and the formal shape that'll drive the story. 10. Bottom-Up writers: Start with people, faces, voices, and local events… then gravitate toward the design of the book. 11. How do you create compelling characters? Push them to the wall. Make them choose between their top two core values. 12. English speakers are innately bilingual because they can use Latin-inspired words and Anglo-Saxon ones. 13. Editing is the art of excavating what your subconscious mind already knows. 14. When writing dialogue, read it out loud to yourself. That's how readers will read it, too. They'll subvocalize. 15. For years, Richard wrote and wrote and wouldn't leave the computer until he had 1,000 words on the page. 16. “If you would learn the secrets of nature, you must practice more humanity.” 17. “The best arguments in the world won’t change a single person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.” And finally, what's his goal as a writer? Here it is: “We have this sense that structure is inimical to emotion or that systems are inimical to individuals, that a book can either be a heart book or a head book. And my desire is to write something that's like us, namely an all-in-one.”
I had never heard of this author until a few hours ago thanks to your video. I rushed to a bookstore and purchased Overstory 30 minutes before they closed. I will start reading it tomorrow.
The writing is so incredibly beautiful. Here are two of the quotes I referenced in the episode: 1) “The farm was where Nick first started sketching. The penciled dreams of boys-rockets, outlandish cars, massed armies, imaginary cities, more baroque with detail each year. Then wilder textures, directly observed-the forest of hairs on a caterpillar’s back and the stormy weather maps in the grain of floorboards.” 2) “Each child’s tree has its own excellence: the ash’s diamond-shaped bark, the walnut’s long compound leaves, the maple’s shower of helicopters, the vase-like spread of the elm, the ironwood’s fluted muscle.”
@@siterioffiji It was very moving, especially in the first third. Powers has an interesting writing style that can be very poetic without being overly purple or flowery. And some of the discreet moments he achieved, through language and subject matter , are unforgettable.
I'm watching a master talk about writing and then find myself in tears as he delivers that line from his friend. "First there was nothing. Then there was everything." That last utterance HITS. Oh man...
I listened to this twice this weekend already. It’s a really incredible interview. I paid a lot of money for a weekend online workshop from another well known author recently, and I learned so much more about writing from this podcast. Thank you for giving him this forum.
"First there was nothing. Then there was everything." And here Iam bawling my eyes out with those few but powerful words. Amazing interview, for sure one of the most enlightining author podcast I head in a long time. Congratulations and please keep up the marvelous work.
The Overstory really impacted me - I didn’t really notice it happening while reading it, but by the time I finished, and and now a few years later, I just have a deeper connection and love for trees and nature. Great book.
I admit i was a bit skeptical before getting into this podcast because my library of books ive read -though very limited- does not include The Overstory but you can bet on my life that I am going to give his book a read. His words are so articulate and his insight is absolute treasure for us aspiring writers. i LOVE diving into the "psychoanalytical" aspect of writing and mr Richard here made me fall in love with it even more! So thankyou to both of you for sharing this gem of a podcast!
One of the best literary podcasts I’ve seen in awhile. Thank you for such a great discussion. I’ve had his book “Overstory” sitting on the desk ready to begin…
Yeah, he really knows how to instruct on the technical nuances of the how-to of the thing. Thanks for this one. Honestly, congrats on landing the interview with the man.
This is surely my favourite episode of all your other very insightful interviews, David. Thank you for bringing Richard in and giving him space to share his wisdom and experiences. I listened to it thrice and am currently reading the Overstory!
Insightful, stimulating and immersive: what a lovely afternoon watch this conversation. So much to learn here and chew on from the author. And fromt the interviewer: as an asker of questions myself (i.e. a UX Researcher) it was gratifying to see many moderation techniques effortlessly being applied through the discussion. Big thanks to both you 🙏🏽 Following and following :)
One must admire the guest for suffering the host's plasticky worldview with such grace. A masterful demonstration of empathy in action, I am awed. Thank you 🙏
One can sense that empathy in The Overstory. Good to see it translates into the real world too. The fact that Powers was talking about Stanislavsky and Perrell randomly brought Nemo into the interview made me think he wasn’t paying attention (or got distracted by the book cover) and needed a quick comeback to hide his derailed train of thought. Luckily, Powers recognized this and navigated the faux-pas elegantly.
Thank you David and Richard for this tremendous interview. So many difficulties or challenges I encounter while writing stories right now that this particular information that Richard talked about writing was absolutely helpful!
Outstanding interview. It blew my mind so many times. So many beautiful insights, tips, and quotes. Thank you for asking beautiful questions and creating the conditions for inspiring answers. Well done. 🙌
New here and wow! Never a book reader when I was young and younger, but as I matured, I'm more into listening to audiobooks and learning from people across the globe. I've listened to this multiple times to learn from the David and Richard with the way of questioning and answering, and of course now I'm interested with Overstory. I've always been a nature and animal lover and always sympathise with it when people harm the surroundings and that affects me in any way. The tree, the solitude, the organising of thoughts, the character, etc are simply amazing to learn and listen to. Thank you for sharing this valuable lesson. 🙌👏
This might be the most useful writing advice I've ever heard. And I'm already loving Overstory. Thank you for sharing! Definitely gonna revisit this one.
Thank you for this wonderful masterclass. So many craft concepts, so simply and masterfully explained. Loved his humanity and humility - marks of a true genius. Looking forward to reading the book.
He’s on point. You go back to an earlier work, you want to make changes. Rewrites are never finished but one commits to publication because it’s necessary.
A brilliant fantasy series published in 2001, The Bitterbynde, is set in a world swept by weather and storms and natural elements. An amazing series nominated for Locus Award.
Great interview but what was that clicked the most for me is Richard Powers voice and intonation, makes me want to listen more and more. So calm, so “non mentor” despite the very fact that actually this interview was more of a lecture, I didn’t feel the heaviness (in a good way) of mentorship tone
Only ten minutes in but around that timestamp, it sounds like he's saying that if you want to bring characters to life you need to paint them with emotions. What are their fears and passions? What motivates them? What inner traits do they have which show their uniqueness, while also---seemingly paradoxically---express their universal humanity. Good writers must do what little girls who play with dolls intuitively know how to do: create rich stories of drama and imbue hitherto lifeless figures with experiences, both within and without, that transform them into "onions," as it were. Nuanced, special, imperfect onions that one cannot help but want to peel back layer upon layer to discover more.
❤"We have to know the world the way a Scientist knows the world and we have to know the world the way an Animist or Pantheist Child knows the world"❤ 🤯
At around 18 min he asks about novels that deal with humans vs the environment in the 1900s. Great point ... there aren't that many. Those that come to mind are The Grapes of Wrath, several by Jack London, and novels by Edward Abbey (probably why Abbey was called 'a voice crying in the wilderness.'
Brother it's two months I'm refreshing TH-cam every wednesday to check if you dropped a new episode. I'm missing you! 😂 When will you be back with the pod?
Richard Power's protagonists are familiar and surprising...akin to reading a diary of my life, written by another. ❤ Dozens of R. Powers quotes on neon sticky notes 😅
These passages read like a non-fiction book to me. It doesn't sound like literary fiction at all. I don't see how that can bring tears to anybody's eyes... And I thought I knew what moves people.
Wonderful interview! What is the name of the poet he quotes on her death bed "First there was nothing, then there was everything." ? Beautiful moment. I think he says her name: Brendon? But I can't hear it fully. Thank you!
It not only about literature but the is also a philosophy beautifully interwoven into this conversation . Thank you for letting me enjoy this interview , Dorota .
I enjoyed the interview; it was sophisticated and informative. However, the segment where Richard Powers discussed The Dialogue was unexpectedly lacking, as he seemed to show little appreciation for the great classical literature humanity has produced. For instance, Dostoevsky’s masterful use of dialogue, which vividly conveys physical emotions and sets the scene, was completely overlooked. It appears your esteemed guest may not be interested in the classics. I hope that is not the case. I love your show, David, and have subscribed to your website.🌺
Pulitzer-Winning Stanford Professor says something insightful. Interviewer reply's "Hmmmm". This was a very weird and one sided interview. Insightful. By all means worth watching and pondering. But this seems to entirely stem from the interviewee. Were the interviewer not also the owner of the youtube channel, I would be forced to decide between the options of the interviewer being out of his depth vs. the editor hating the interviewer. Since it is the interviewer's channel, that answers all my questions neatly.
There was a story of icons in conflict about Alfred North Whitehead. A friend of Gertrude Stein who co-authored Mathematica Principia with Bertrand Russell, sitting across from Ramanujan at Trinity. Who was ANW's math student at Harvard 1923-24? J. Robert Oppenheimer. Who was ANW's chief critic? Henry Nelson Wieman. What was the subject of MLK Jr's PhD? Henry Nelson Wieman's Creative Interchange. So, here are icons of intelligence vs. wisdom, love and power. Was Wieman a good man? Nope. A horrible father, possessed by his work. A tragic figure.
Richard Powers won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
He's one of the best novelists alive today. This interview is a detailed look at his writing process, inspired by the class he used to teach at Stanford - and he's never done an interview quite like this.
Here are 17 lessons:
1. When you're sure what you're looking at, look harder.
2. There are ultimately only three kinds of novels: (1) Person vs. person, (2) person vs. society, and (3) person vs. environment.
3. Person vs. Person: This is the psychological novel.
4. Person vs. Society: This is the sociological novel.
5. Person vs. Environment: This type of novel has gone out of style, and Richard is bringing it back.
6. Clear out the clutter in your life so you can focus on your writing. The fewer complications you have, the more rich and textured your creative process can become.
7. The best writing advice he's ever received? “Keep your petri dishes open.” Don't tie down your plans or outlines too tightly.
8. There are two kinds of writers: Top-Down and Bottom Up.
9. Top-Down writers: Start with the theme and the formal shape that'll drive the story.
10. Bottom-Up writers: Start with people, faces, voices, and local events… then gravitate toward the design of the book.
11. How do you create compelling characters? Push them to the wall. Make them choose between their top two core values.
12. English speakers are innately bilingual because they can use Latin-inspired words and Anglo-Saxon ones.
13. Editing is the art of excavating what your subconscious mind already knows.
14. When writing dialogue, read it out loud to yourself. That's how readers will read it, too. They'll subvocalize.
15. For years, Richard wrote and wrote and wouldn't leave the computer until he had 1,000 words on the page.
16. “If you would learn the secrets of nature, you must practice more humanity.”
17. “The best arguments in the world won’t change a single person’s mind. The only thing that can do that is a good story.”
And finally, what's his goal as a writer? Here it is: “We have this sense that structure is inimical to emotion or that systems are inimical to individuals, that a book can either be a heart book or a head book. And my desire is to write something that's like us, namely an all-in-one.”
Once he said "white and privileged" I stopped watching.
Thank you 🙏
@@Btainseems about white
0😊0⁰😊
Perfect summary! Thank you
I had never heard of this author until a few hours ago thanks to your video. I rushed to a bookstore and purchased Overstory 30 minutes before they closed. I will start reading it tomorrow.
The writing is so incredibly beautiful. Here are two of the quotes I referenced in the episode:
1) “The farm was where Nick first started sketching. The penciled dreams of boys-rockets, outlandish cars, massed armies, imaginary cities, more baroque with detail each year. Then wilder textures, directly observed-the forest of hairs on a caterpillar’s back and the stormy weather maps in the grain of floorboards.”
2) “Each child’s tree has its own excellence: the ash’s diamond-shaped bark, the walnut’s long compound leaves, the maple’s shower of helicopters, the vase-like spread of the elm, the ironwood’s fluted muscle.”
me too .just brought Kindle copy
Mee too
How was it? What did you think about it?
@@siterioffiji It was very moving, especially in the first third. Powers has an interesting writing style that can be very poetic without being overly purple or flowery. And some of the discreet moments he achieved, through language and subject matter , are unforgettable.
I'm watching a master talk about writing and then find myself in tears as he delivers that line from his friend. "First there was nothing. Then there was everything."
That last utterance HITS. Oh man...
I listened to this twice this weekend already. It’s a really incredible interview. I paid a lot of money for a weekend online workshop from another well known author recently, and I learned so much more about writing from this podcast. Thank you for giving him this forum.
What an absolutely brilliant man. He's a joy to listen to and he's incredibly articulate; which is obviously not surprising at all.
"First there was nothing. Then there was everything."
And here Iam bawling my eyes out with those few but powerful words. Amazing interview, for sure one of the most enlightining author podcast I head in a long time. Congratulations and please keep up the marvelous work.
I'm right there with you. I'm glad I'm not the only one who cried real tears over that. I didn't see that coming at all. What a beautiful vignette.
The Overstory really impacted me - I didn’t really notice it happening while reading it, but by the time I finished, and and now a few years later, I just have a deeper connection and love for trees and nature. Great book.
Yep, yep... his writing has a way of bringing nature to life
I love how he sees the metaphysical realm of writing as though it were a musical composition.
I admit i was a bit skeptical before getting into this podcast because my library of books ive read -though very limited- does not include The Overstory but you can bet on my life that I am going to give his book a read. His words are so articulate and his insight is absolute treasure for us aspiring writers. i LOVE diving into the "psychoanalytical" aspect of writing and mr Richard here made me fall in love with it even more! So thankyou to both of you for sharing this gem of a podcast!
Thanks! Glad you liked it
One of the best literary podcasts I’ve seen in awhile. Thank you for such a great discussion. I’ve had his book “Overstory” sitting on the desk ready to begin…
He's really, really articulate
Yeah, he really knows how to instruct on the technical nuances of the how-to of the thing.
Thanks for this one. Honestly, congrats on landing the interview with the man.
@@billyalarie929seriously, what an honor
It’s the sort of instruction you spend countless hours on TH-cam looking for.
I totally agree ! And I listen to so many!
He is a great tracher and the interviewer does a great job - its sincere and flows organically
my favorite part of this podcast is David's thoughtful questions which are a result of his active listening of the guest
Thanks! Appreciate that
This is surely my favourite episode of all your other very insightful interviews, David. Thank you for bringing Richard in and giving him space to share his wisdom and experiences. I listened to it thrice and am currently reading the Overstory!
The best talk I’ve heard on writ I’m in a long long time! Thank you both, the facilitator and the guest.
Insightful, stimulating and immersive: what a lovely afternoon watch this conversation. So much to learn here and chew on from the author. And fromt the interviewer: as an asker of questions myself (i.e. a UX Researcher) it was gratifying to see many moderation techniques effortlessly being applied through the discussion.
Big thanks to both you 🙏🏽 Following and following :)
One must admire the guest for suffering the host's plasticky worldview with such grace. A masterful demonstration of empathy in action, I am awed. Thank you 🙏
Yes. I thought I was the only one who noticed. I wish the way the host sat was less irreverent too, but that’s just me.
Me too. I was gonna say, "i hate looking at it" @@ronricooandasan9612
Youre mean
One can sense that empathy in The Overstory. Good to see it translates into the real world too. The fact that Powers was talking about Stanislavsky and Perrell randomly brought Nemo into the interview made me think he wasn’t paying attention (or got distracted by the book cover) and needed a quick comeback to hide his derailed train of thought. Luckily, Powers recognized this and navigated the faux-pas elegantly.
I also felt that,when he gave references from Finding Nemo and Forrest Gump. It's a good thing he let, the Guest speak.
What a wondeful conversation. Thank you for hosting it
Might be the best deep dive into the process I’ve ever seen.
Love to hear that! Thanks for listening
Thank you David and Richard for this tremendous interview. So many difficulties or challenges I encounter while writing stories right now that this particular information that Richard talked about writing was absolutely helpful!
Outstanding interview. It blew my mind so many times. So many beautiful insights, tips, and quotes. Thank you for asking beautiful questions and creating the conditions for inspiring answers. Well done. 🙌
New here and wow! Never a book reader when I was young and younger, but as I matured, I'm more into listening to audiobooks and learning from people across the globe. I've listened to this multiple times to learn from the David and Richard with the way of questioning and answering, and of course now I'm interested with Overstory. I've always been a nature and animal lover and always sympathise with it when people harm the surroundings and that affects me in any way. The tree, the solitude, the organising of thoughts, the character, etc are simply amazing to learn and listen to. Thank you for sharing this valuable lesson. 🙌👏
Niiiiiiice, stoked to listen to this one. Overstory forever changed the way I look at trees...
It was mesmerizing. Such a priviledge listening to Richard Powers takes on human beings and nature and all his writing process. Thank you!
Amazing masterclass. I am most certainly going to apply many of these principles and reshape some of my perceptions of writing due to this podcast.
Good stuff 👍
Richard Powers has articulated the beauty and process of writing stories.
The best literary talk on TH-cam that I have listened to! I have learned so much from this. Thank you!
I know this isn't relevant, but he looks fucking great for 67.
Neither do I
If you are watching this video, watch it with a pen and a notebook.
This might be the most useful writing advice I've ever heard. And I'm already loving Overstory. Thank you for sharing! Definitely gonna revisit this one.
Love to hear it!
I'd really like to have a professor like him, emphatic and strategic, and a lot more😊😊😊😊
Thank you for this wonderful masterclass. So many craft concepts, so simply and masterfully explained. Loved his humanity and humility - marks of a true genius. Looking forward to reading the book.
Great interview! Really glad the algorithm overlords recommend this. Can’t wait to read The Overstory now!
Me too. I was legitimately worried this one wouldn't do well
This is a gem. Thank you for this insightful conversation!
What a pleasurable watch. Thanks.
Best interview thus far. Thank you!
Nice, glad you liked it… will try to do more like this one
I like his expression of splitting the predication as it lends suspense or tension to the thought on the page.
This was beautiful, informative, eloquent. Thank you both
It is a very kind start at the morning, thanks
this episode is a treasure. Thank you!
Thanks for listening
You have a knack for storytelling. Well done! 🎥
This interview is very enjoyable to watch.
This was such a great episode. And i heard it on audio first 👌🏼
Thank you!
exceptional interview! Thank you!
Thanks!
Thank you for this interview ❤
Is it just me or can anybody else picture Richard powers reading you a bedtime story😌😌
This podcast was great! Love the storytelling frameworks and he’s really great speaker.
His teaching experience shined through in this one
Such an eye opener. I’ll have to put this one on repeat.
"One of the great sadnesses of a novelist ...it becomes this fixed thing."
He’s on point. You go back to an earlier work, you want to make changes. Rewrites are never finished but one commits to publication because it’s necessary.
I really enjoyed that. Thank you.
A brilliant fantasy series published in 2001, The Bitterbynde, is set in a world swept by weather and storms and natural elements. An amazing series nominated for Locus Award.
Great interview ! And as a voice over script writer I kept saying his voice is soooo perfect for VOICE OVER 😅 ... HE MUST CONSIDER THIIIIIS!!!
Excellent - thank you.
Great interview but what was that clicked the most for me is Richard Powers voice and intonation, makes me want to listen more and more. So calm, so “non mentor” despite the very fact that actually this interview was more of a lecture, I didn’t feel the heaviness (in a good way) of mentorship tone
too good to have listened just once
Such a joy whenever I saw an email or TH-cam notification from you. Great work.
Appreciate that, thank you
Sensational interview
Excelente clase. Gracias por compartir ✌🏾
🙌
Only ten minutes in but around that timestamp, it sounds like he's saying that if you want to bring characters to life you need to paint them with emotions. What are their fears and passions? What motivates them? What inner traits do they have which show their uniqueness, while also---seemingly paradoxically---express their universal humanity. Good writers must do what little girls who play with dolls intuitively know how to do: create rich stories of drama and imbue hitherto lifeless figures with experiences, both within and without, that transform them into "onions," as it were. Nuanced, special, imperfect onions that one cannot help but want to peel back layer upon layer to discover more.
Thanks for the interview. He sems like a great, sensible writer.
The man's got talent!
Amazing interview.
Thanks!
So good. Thank you so much
Its more than obvious that he loved and fully ingested the book "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben. I highly recommend!
Second half of the podcast was great 🔥👌
Incredible 💙
Amazing!
42:40 was worth the whole interview!!
❤"We have to know the world the way a Scientist knows the world and we have to know the world the way an Animist or Pantheist Child knows the world"❤ 🤯
Love that line. So good.
At around 18 min he asks about novels that deal with humans vs the environment in the 1900s. Great point ... there aren't that many. Those that come to mind are The Grapes of Wrath, several by Jack London, and novels by Edward Abbey (probably why Abbey was called 'a voice crying in the wilderness.'
Brother it's two months I'm refreshing TH-cam every wednesday to check if you dropped a new episode. I'm missing you! 😂 When will you be back with the pod?
His VOICE ❤❤❤❤❤❤
I still want to be a poet when I will grow up.😅 Could you believe he said that
I've hardly ever heard useful literary advice on TH-cam before.
Thank you
Richard Power's protagonists are familiar and surprising...akin to reading a diary of my life, written by another.
❤
Dozens of R. Powers quotes on neon sticky notes 😅
This guy is the truth.
Man against nature... my first thought when to The Old Man and the Sea. Ernest Hemingway wrote that in 1951 and it was met with popular acclaim.
But it was also man vs self.
These passages read like a non-fiction book to me. It doesn't sound like literary fiction at all. I don't see how that can bring tears to anybody's eyes... And I thought I knew what moves people.
Wonderful interview! What is the name of the poet he quotes on her death bed "First there was nothing, then there was everything." ? Beautiful moment. I think he says her name: Brendon? But I can't hear it fully. Thank you!
LOVE!
he looks like professor Bishop (Fringe tv series) of course he's a genius
Super awesome.
ty!
It not only about literature but the is also a philosophy beautifully interwoven into this conversation . Thank you for letting me enjoy this interview , Dorota .
reality is always moving..
The Overstory❤
Hi can’t wait to watch, but is this gonna spoil playground, I’m like halfway through.
Awesome 👍
Thanks for watching
I enjoyed the interview; it was sophisticated and informative. However, the segment where Richard Powers discussed The Dialogue was unexpectedly lacking, as he seemed to show little appreciation for the great classical literature humanity has produced. For instance, Dostoevsky’s masterful use of dialogue, which vividly conveys physical emotions and sets the scene, was completely overlooked. It appears your esteemed guest may not be interested in the classics. I hope that is not the case.
I love your show, David, and have subscribed to your website.🌺
Pulitzer-Winning Stanford Professor says something insightful. Interviewer reply's "Hmmmm". This was a very weird and one sided interview. Insightful. By all means worth watching and pondering. But this seems to entirely stem from the interviewee. Were the interviewer not also the owner of the youtube channel, I would be forced to decide between the options of the interviewer being out of his depth vs. the editor hating the interviewer. Since it is the interviewer's channel, that answers all my questions neatly.
Oh my Lord! Who is this hidden in my soul and body, That Who keeps speaking instead of me?!//j.m. Rumy
Starts @1:46
Really Amazing and I'm only 24 mins in.
Nice, let me know if anything sticks out from the rest of the episode
45:31 if you practice editing videos it might help with seamless transitions between short cuts
Richard Powers sounds like a movie narrator somewhere.
12:02 Define "wrong" please
he definitely had really good name
What a diamond! 😮❤
Video would be slightly better if the host didn’t say “hmm” after every sentence the guest says
There was a story of icons in conflict about Alfred North Whitehead. A friend of Gertrude Stein who co-authored Mathematica Principia with Bertrand Russell, sitting across from Ramanujan at Trinity. Who was ANW's math student at Harvard 1923-24? J. Robert Oppenheimer. Who was ANW's chief critic? Henry Nelson Wieman. What was the subject of MLK Jr's PhD? Henry Nelson Wieman's Creative Interchange. So, here are icons of intelligence vs. wisdom, love and power.
Was Wieman a good man? Nope. A horrible father, possessed by his work. A tragic figure.
Just when I thought I was out, David pulls me back in
Hahahahaha... that's my job