How ‘Sweetbitter’ Author Stephanie Danler Writes: Part One

The instant national bestselling author of the acclaimed debut novel Sweetbitter, Stephanie Danler, stopped by the show to chat with me about her not-so-overnight success as a rising literary star.

Ms. Danler signed a six-figure deal with Knopf for her first book, the coming-of-age story of a young woman transplanted into New York City’s upscale, cutthroat restaurant world.

Bestselling author Jay McInerney called Sweetbitter “… a stunning debut novel, one that seems destined to help define a generation,” and the book has been compared to Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential.

Before returning to her love of writing, and earning an MFA in Fiction from The New School in NY, Ms. Danler spent much of her life working in the food and wine industry.

Stephanie has also written essays for The Paris Review, Vogue, Literary Hub, and Travel + Leisure.

Join us for this two-part interview, and if you’re a fan of the show, please subscribe in iTunes to automatically see new interviews, and help other writers find us.

In Part One of the file Stephanie Danler and I discuss:

• Why You Should Write What You Know and Love
• The Unglamorous Yet Rewarding Work of Promoting a New Book
• Why Cultural Artifacts Are Great for Research
• An Author’s Careful Balance of Daily Beverage Consumption
• Why the Old Rules of Productivity Shouldn’t Apply to Writers

The Show Notes

• How ‘Sweetbitter’ Author Stephanie Danler Writes: Part Two
• Sweetbitter: A novel – Stephanie Danler
• StephanieDanler.com with Links to Essays by Stephanie Danler
• One Writer on Loving and Letting Go of Her Drug-Dependent Father – Stephanie Danler for Vogue
• Stephanie Danler on Instagram
• Stephanie Danler on Twitter
• Kelton Reid on Twitter

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices