Amor Towles is our modern day F. Scott Fitzgerald. Sure, he’s a critically acclaimed, award-winning novelist (ever heard of “A Gentleman in Moscow”?) but not because he’s cracked the publishing algorithm. Rather than scheming how many books he can sell or how many critics he can impress, his #1 goal is to fulfill his covenant with his reader.

“They’ve invested in my art, and I owe it to them.”

Towles' work oozes sensory detail and psychological richness. While most writers would describe writing as “creative” or “free-spirited,” he describes it as “accurate” and “careful.” Every sentence he writes serves a larger truth. In this episode, Towles gives one of the most detailed breakdowns of his writing process that we’ve had so far on How I Write.

You’ll learn the step-by-step process for how Towles drafts each novel; specifically, how outlining your work can free up your creative, poetic side. You’ll learn how to write descriptively — without bogging down your reader in indulgent details. You’ll learn how to master craft through repetition; how to approach your first draft versus your second; how to influence your writing with reading; and how to create art that serves a broader purpose.

Ultimately, you’ll learn how to tell exceptional stories from one of today's most exceptional storytellers.

WRITE OF PASSAGE:
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PODCAST LINKS:
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:40 Descriptive writing
00:10:00 Pacing of a novel
00:12:45 Premise of a novel
00:13:30 A Gentleman in Moscow
00:22:55 Trope of artists and writers
00:27:10 Career advice
00:29:30 What makes good descriptiveness
00:38:20 Writing class
00:45:00 Consuming and Deconstructing
00:48:35 Editing drafts and getting feedback
00:51:00 Admired writers
01:00:10 Manifestos
01:03:30 "Opening for doors"
01:05:15 Short stories

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.