The literary world is vast. As they flip through the pages of their favorite pieces, readers often find themselves wondering, “how was this work created?” What influences your favorite fictional stories? How does an author develop complex and realistic characters across the pages of a book? To give us a deep dive on how he writes, we welcome to the show Dustin Grinnell who shares how reality inspires him to write his best-selling books, to flesh out characters in his work, and to let curiosity be stronger than fear.
Dustin Grinnell is an award-winning Boston-based author who has ventured from short stories to sci-fi articles and novels. Dustin has also been published by many big media outlets like the Washington Post, Salon, VICE, and many more!
What to listen for:
00:23 – Intro
04:31 – Chance Encounter: Meeting Dustin
12:55 - Working on Mustang Makeover, Personal Essays, and Other Essays
16:30 – Aha Moment with Empathy Academy
21:54 – Authority without Guidance: The Stanford Prison Experiment
23:29 – Reality Captured in Empathy Academy
27:01 – Fleshing Out Complex Characters
32:50 – “Let Curiosity Be Stronger Than Your Fear”
34:57 – External and Internal Factors Influencing Characters
40:29 – Manifesto of a Villain
41:02 – The Light, Dark, and Blind Spot of Oneself
50:47 – Authenticity, Self-Improvement, and Rejection
56:19 – The Myth of Talent
1:08:58 – Exposing Yourself to Triggers
1:11:47 – The Cautionary Tale of Losing Yourself in Your Craft
1:17:00 – Turning Pain to Art
1:18:25 – Dustin’s Message to the World
1:26:00 – Creating A Winning Pattern to Level Up
Mentioned Resources/Links:
I genuinely appreciate your time and support, whether it’s through it’s through listening, sharing, leaving an honest review, or donating. A special thanks to my partner in life, Jeannette, my fantastic editor, Phil, today’s guest, Dustin, and of course, YOU—the curious and thorough type that drives growth from an idea and dream into something massive that moves the world. Until next time!
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