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Andrew Sean Greer: Pulitzer Winner Teaches Writing | How I Write

How I Write

Shownote

Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite [https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite] Andrew Sean Greer won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2018 novel "Less". I had to ask him what it's like to win a Pulitzer Prize. His story about that is my favorite part of the interview. We also talked about his writing process: how he tells great stories, develops great characters, and writes good sentences. He shared his mantras, such as the idea that when you're editing, the editor is the patient, and you, the writer, are the doctor. He also explained why it's better to be honest than witty if you want to write great comedy. About the host Hey! 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. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Highlights

This conversation examines how literary work develops through experimentation, revision, close observation, and emotional honesty. Andrew Sean Greer offers a practical and deeply personal view of how writers discover what their stories are really about.
07:51
Omission lets readers complete the story.
19:21
Honesty and surprise make comedy memorable
33:25
Honest writing outlasts cleverness.
50:26
Comedy turns despair into a meaningful story
1:09:58
Good editing fixes what hurts without erasing originality.

Chapters

How Revision Reveals What a Novel Is Really About
00:00
Where a Writer’s Voice Comes From
10:45
Why Honest Details Give Stories Their Power
22:11
Turning Pain, Comedy, and Rejection into Creative Freedom
36:14
The Disciplined Craft of Seeing and Revising
53:23

Transcript

David Perell: Andrew Sean Greer won the Pulitzer Prize for a 2018 novel called Less. So I had to ask him, what is it like to win a Pulitzer Prize? And a story about that is my favorite part of the interview. But also, we talked about his writing process. H...