How Advice Columnist and Author Heather Havrilesky Writes: Part One

New York magazine’s “Ask Polly” advice columnist, Heather Havrilesky, stopped by the show to chat about her process and the many hats she has worn over her 20 year career as a critic, cartoonist, columnist, and essayist.

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The author s new book — How to Be a Person in the World: Ask Polly’s Guide Through the Paradoxes of Modern Life (available July, 2016) — is a collection inspired by her popular advice column.

Bestselling author and comedian Patton Oswalt said about the author, “…that rare writer who can dish out tangy snark but never fails to aim the knife back at her own damaged, hilarious heart …” and called the book, “Required reading.”

In addition to her Best Seller List column for Bookforum, Heather is the author of the memoir Disaster Preparedness, and was Salon.com’s TV critic for seven years. Her writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Slate, The Awl, NPR’s All Things Considered, and several anthologies.

Join us for this two-part interview, and if you’re a fan of the show, please click the “subscribe” button to automatically see new interviews with your favorite authors, and help other writers find us.

In Part One of the file Heather Havrilesky and I discuss:

• Why You Should Never Give Up Your Dreams of Being a Writer
• How to Embrace the Scribe’s Daily Descent into Madness
• Why You Need to Find Your Most Productive Hours
• How a Daily Writing Exercise Helps You Hit Deadlines
• How to Turn off Your Inner Critic and Get in Shape at the Same Time

Listen to The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and Neuroscience below ...

Download MP3 Subscribe by RSS Subscribe in iTunes The Show Notes

• How Advice Columnist and Author Heather Havrilesky Writes: Part Two
• How to Be a Person in the World: Ask Polly’s Guide Through the Paradoxes of Modern Life (Available July 12, 2016), by Heather Havrilesky
• Heather’s ‘Ask Polly’ Column and Essays for New York Magazine
• How to Write (The Awl)
• Heather’s Blog
• Heather Havrilesky on Twitter
• Kelton Reid on Twitter

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