Cover image of The Secret Library Podcast

The Secret Library Podcast

Most people believe that books are created in cabins all alone, where authors pound away on some manner of keyboard. Then they hand this masterpiece off to a publisher and it feels very much like it g... Read more

Ranked #1

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#44 Susan Orlean on Making Writing Your Career

#44 Susan Orlean on Making Writing Your Career

I knew I loved Susan Orlean the moment she mentioned the Vikings. Ok, I loved her writing already. Of course. And not ma... Read more

30 Mar 2017

50mins

Ranked #2

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#37 Alexandra Franzen on Hope & Making it Through

#37 Alexandra Franzen on Hope & Making it Through

Alexandra Franzen's daily mantra is "Today isn't over yet." I wanted to talk to Alexandra because I was so impressed whe... Read more

9 Feb 2017

49mins

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Ranked #3

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#68 Gabriela Pereira on to MFA or not to MFA

#68 Gabriela Pereira on to MFA or not to MFA

Gabriela Pereira doesn't think you NEED to get an MFA. However, need and want are two different things. An MFA grad he... Read more

14 Sep 2017

47mins

Ranked #4

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#98 :: The Editing Adventure | Elaine Castillo

#98 :: The Editing Adventure | Elaine Castillo

Elaine Castillo broke my brain with something she said on the show. The book she ended up publishing, her debut novel Am... Read more

12 Apr 2018

43mins

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Ranked #5

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#122 :: The Importance of Trying | Alexandra Franzen

#122 :: The Importance of Trying | Alexandra Franzen

When Alexandra Franzen first wrote her novel, So This is the End, she wasn't ready to publish it with the wide world.   ... Read more

25 Oct 2018

51mins

Ranked #6

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#84 Joanna Penn on building a full-time writing life.

#84 Joanna Penn on building a full-time writing life.

Joanna Penn is a prosperous writer. Yes, you read that correctly. I wanted to begin the New Year with an episode guarant... Read more

4 Jan 2018

49mins

Ranked #7

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#90 :: Succeeding Slowly | Jojo Moyes

#90 :: Succeeding Slowly | Jojo Moyes

Before Me Before You sold 8 million copies, Jojo Moyes wrote three books that didn't sell at all. Jojo Moyes wrote thre... Read more

15 Feb 2018

48mins

Ranked #8

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#114 :: Reading and Writing History | Diana Gabaldon

#114 :: Reading and Writing History | Diana Gabaldon

Reading and Writing History When the Life and Adventures of Joaquín Murieta was announced for a reprint from Penguin, I ... Read more

2 Aug 2018

36mins

Ranked #9

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#58: Dal Kular on being at the beginning of the writing process

#58: Dal Kular on being at the beginning of the writing process

Dal Kular didn't plan on becoming a novelist. After recording nearly sixty episodes of The Secret Library, I realized ... Read more

6 Jul 2017

49mins

Ranked #10

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#93 :: The Magic of the Absurd | Lord Birthday

#93 :: The Magic of the Absurd | Lord Birthday

Chad Murphy is the genius behind Lord Birthday. He wasn't always out as Lord Birthday- in fact, he decided to start as ... Read more

8 Mar 2018

58mins

Ranked #11

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#132 :: Bullet Journaling for Writers | Ryder Carroll

#132 :: Bullet Journaling for Writers | Ryder Carroll

Talking to Ryder Carroll was a particularly meta experience   As both the creator of the Bullet Journal Method and autho... Read more

3 Jan 2019

40mins

Ranked #12

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#121 :: The Library Book | Susan Orlean

#121 :: The Library Book | Susan Orlean

When I found out Susan Orlean's latest was called The Library Book it took me exactly 2 minutes to invite her on the sho... Read more

18 Oct 2018

50mins

Ranked #13

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#60 Megan Hannum goes Draft by Draft

#60 Megan Hannum goes Draft by Draft

Megan Hannum is about to help you face your first draft without fear. Have you ever been writing away, actually buildi... Read more

20 Jul 2017

47mins

Ranked #14

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#35 Amy Kuretsky on the Healthy Writer

#35 Amy Kuretsky on the Healthy Writer

Amy Kuretsky is over the suffering artist: She's ushering in the healthy creative instead.  Amy Kuretsky is a health coa... Read more

26 Jan 2017

49mins

Ranked #15

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#99 :: Creating a Writing Life in France | ML Longworth

#99 :: Creating a Writing Life in France | ML Longworth

ML Longworth has one of the greatest writing stories I've heard so far.   After the tech company her husband worked for ... Read more

19 Apr 2018

1hr 3mins

Ranked #16

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#136: Writing When Life Happens | Caroline Wright

#136: Writing When Life Happens | Caroline Wright

When you don't sweat the small stuff and just write I was lucky enough to get connected to Caroline Wright and immediate... Read more

31 Jan 2019

46mins

Ranked #17

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#100 :: When the Book Finally Comes Out | Sarah Selecky (+ Mary Laura Philpott Book Recs)

#100 :: When the Book Finally Comes Out | Sarah Selecky (+ Mary Laura Philpott Book Recs)

I don't know how else to say it. This episode is long.  But it's so good that we couldn't stand to cut anything out of i... Read more

26 Apr 2018

1hr 21mins

Ranked #18

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#112 :: Finding the Story of Your Novel | Lucy Tan

#112 :: Finding the Story of Your Novel | Lucy Tan

How I love speaking to writers who also teach writing!   Lucy Tan is that delightful hybrid: a novelist who also knows h... Read more

19 Jul 2018

35mins

Ranked #19

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#135 :: Writer as Company of One | Paul Jarvis

#135 :: Writer as Company of One | Paul Jarvis

Bigger isn't always better for writing. Of course, we'd all love a movie deal for our books or a huge advance, but the a... Read more

24 Jan 2019

47mins

Ranked #20

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#55 Autumn Witt Boyd Demystifies Book Contracts

#55 Autumn Witt Boyd Demystifies Book Contracts

Once you sell a book, you're going to have to sign a book contract. Thanks to Autumn coming on the show, this doesn't ... Read more

15 Jun 2017

43mins

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