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Jack Carr: Bestselling Author Shares His Entire Writing Process | How I Write

How I Write

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Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite [https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite] Jack Carr is a master at writing thrillers. He's a former Navy SEAL turned author who loves books and storytelling. When he walked in, I told him, "I want you to teach me how you write so visually. You're so good at visually taking the minutiae of combat and violence, writing about weapons in a way that comes to life on the page. How do you actually do that?" And this is a guy whose method clearly works. He publishes a new novel every year, has built a successful writing business, and Amazon Prime adapted his book, The Terminal List, into an original series starring Chris Pratt. 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 the craft of writing compelling fiction, from drawing on lived experience to building believable characters and worlds. It also follows the professional habits and creative decisions that help an author sustain a long-term career.
02:21
Authenticity turns combat memory into fiction.
13:45
Story momentum matters more than perfect outlines.
22:49
Discipline matters more than overthinking.
32:02
Details make characters feel real.
41:49
Compelling stories matter more than literary awards
56:23
Ignore the odds and pursue difficult goals.
1:05:46
Finish the draft, then make it worthy of readers.

Chapters

How Real Experience Gives Thrillers Their Authentic Edge
00:00
Why the Story Matters More Than a Fixed Writing Formula
09:03
Turning Writing Into a Disciplined Professional Practice
20:35
What Small, Precise Details Reveal About a Character
29:42
Balancing Creative Storytelling With the Business of Writing
39:25
Building Believable Worlds While Pursuing Unlikely Ambitions
49:35
How a Warrior Story Became a Journey Toward Forgiveness
58:24

Transcript

David Perell: Jack Carr is a master at writing thrillers. He's a former Navy SEAL turned author, and this is a guy who just loves books, loves storytelling. So he walks in and I'm like, Hey, I want you to teach me how you write so visually. You're so good ...