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First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

Mitzi Rapkin
Poetry
Identity
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Literature
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Motherhood
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Creative Writing
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Mortality
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First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing is a weekly show featuring in-depth interviews with fiction, non-fiction, essay, and poetry writers. First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing highlights the voices of writers as they discuss their work, their craft, and the literary arts. This weekly show hosted by Mitzi Rapkin is a celebration of creative writing and the individuals who are dedicated to bringing their... more

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Artwork for First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

Latest Episodes

Yiyun Li is the author of several works of fiction—Wednesday’s Child; The Book of Goose; Must I Go; Where Reasons End; Kinder Than Solitude; Gold Boy, Emerald Girl; The Vagrants; and A Thousand Years of Good Prayers—and the memoirs Things in Nature M... more

T. Geronimo Johnson is the bestselling author of Welcome to Braggsville, longlisted for the National Book Award and Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence; and Hold It ’Til It Hurts, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award. He won the inaugural Joyce Car... more

Robert Kolker is the author of Hidden Valley Road, an instant #1 New York Times best-seller and selection of Oprah's Book Club that was named a Top Ten Book of the Year by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and Slate; o... more

Margrét Ann Thors is a writer based in Reykjavík, Iceland. Originally from Fairfield County, Connecticut, she holds a BA, MA, and MFA from Columbia University and teaches at the University of Iceland. In 2025, she earned her PhD with an emphasis on l... more

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Recent Guests

T. Geronimo Johnson
Author of The Occidental Book of the Dead; bestselling author of Welcome to Braggsville; MFA from Iowa Writers' Workshop
Author
Episode: First Draft - T. Geronimo Johnson
Robert Kolker
Author of The Vanishing Family, Hidden Valley Road, Lost Girls
Harper/Related publishers
Episode: First Draft - Robert Kolker
Margrét Ann Thors
Author of Freyja
Author, Freyja
Episode: First Draft - Margrét Ann Thors
Sebastian Barry
Author of The Newer World, Irish novelist
Author, The Newer World
Episode: First Draft - Sebastian Barry (Returns)
Elizabeth Alexander
Prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author and renowned poet, educator, scholar, and cultural advocate
Mellon Foundation; author of Signals Across Vast Distances, Essays and Tales
Episode: First Draft - Elizabeth Alexander
Roberta Recchia
Author of the novel All That Is Left of Life
Episode: First Draft - Roberta Recchia
James Salter
Author of novels, poetry, essays, memoirs and more
Author (Various works: A Sport and a Pastime, Light Years, All That Is)
Episode: First Draft - James Salter
Jess Row
Author of Storyknife and other works
Episode: First Draft - Jess Row
Richard Russo
Author of 11 novels, including Under the Falls; Pulitzer Prize winner for Empire Falls
Author
Episode: First Draft - Richard Russo

Host

Mitzi Rapkin
Host of First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 303 ratings
  • Interesting podcast...

    This was such an interesting episode to listen to, especially hearing Jim Newton talk about the intersection of journalism, biography, and storytelling. I liked how the conversation explored not just the writing process, but also the deeper cultural themes behind his work.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mary Burruss
    United States5 months ago
  • What a great place to land!

    I couldn’t stop listening to the interview with Philip Schultz.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cool Dude's Wife
    United States7 months ago
  • One Pilgrimage after the other

    THE absolute best podcast on a writers' process from a prism of angles. Ultra-inspire time and again

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Stone Statue
    Canadaa year ago
  • Dear Podcasters..

    I find it hard to believe that on an Anniversary episode, picking the best of 500 interviews to choose from, you chose the one about Iran on the VERY week Trump bombs their nuclear sites. We come here for anything but that stuff. We all have our own brains, our own opinions our own perspectives, we don’t need anyone else’s political agenda pushed. Sick of audiences being taken advantage of that were originally organically grown, for the sake of politics. It’s not subtle.

    Give us a freaking break... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    littlebird1983
    United Statesa year ago
  • Super helpful for writers

    Also really enjoyable for readers!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pang Dynasty
    Canada2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests consistently praised for insight and preparation.
Thoughtful, deep interviews with top writers.
Audience appreciation for the intimate view into the writing life.
Hosts ask unique, probing questions that reveal craft and process.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#203
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#147
South Korea/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#167
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#167
South Africa/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

First Draft - T. Geronimo Johnson
Q: What do you hope readers walk away with after finishing the book?
Rather than a single takeaway, Johnson hopes readers experience an unburdening through the act of reading, leaving with a sense of having engaged deeply with difficult truths about race, history, and the power of narrative to shape perception.
First Draft - T. Geronimo Johnson
Q: Can you talk about the idea of telling a story through three different narrative modes and why you settled on a first-person point of view?
Johnson explains that the three modes allowed him to explore different angles on the same story, but the first-person narrative ultimately became the most compelling conduit for the character's internal life and the reader's access to the truth behind the surface events.
First Draft - Robert Kolker
Q: When is the moment that you figure out how you want to structure the book, and how do you take in all the research to write the narrative?
Kolker explains that the book centers on the family, with science woven in as essential context. He plans chapters around individual family members, uses bold/italics to track who is diagnosed, and keeps a linear timeline to avoid confusing jumps in time, ensuring readers can follow multiple generations as they unfold. He emphasizes starting with the family story and letting scientific details support the emotional core.
First Draft - Elizabeth Alexander
Q: What drew you to title your collection Signals Across Vast Distances, and how does that title reflect the pieces inside?
The title ties to the idea of poetry as messages sent across time and distance, aiming to connect readers in unseen ways, much like the poem referenced by Muriel Rukeyser about making connections beyond immediate presence.
First Draft - Elizabeth Alexander
Q: How did you approach writing the inaugural poem for Barack Obama and what did it feel like to share that moment on the national stage?
It was a serious, solemn responsibility that connected poetry to a national event, and I felt a deep duty to honor the tradition of American poetry while bearing witness to the moment.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing

What is First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful interview series spotlighting writers across fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and essays. Episodes center on craft, process, memory, and the life of creating books, often delving into drafting, revision, research, and the emotional journeys behind publication. Guests range from established novelists to poets and memoirists, with conversations that mix practical writing tips, personal narratives, and reflections on the literary world. A standout aspect is the host's deep, reader-friendly engagement and thorough preparation, which tends to yield intimate, actionable insights for aspiring writers and literary lovers alike.

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Which podcasts are similar to First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing?

These podcasts share a similar audience with First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing:

1. Writers on Writing
2. Otherppl with Brad Listi: Books & Culture
3. Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry
4. City Arts & Lectures
5. Poured Over

How many episodes of First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing are there?

First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing launched 11 years ago and published 598 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing?

Recent guests on First Draft: A Dialogue on Writing include:

1. T. Geronimo Johnson
2. Robert Kolker
3. Margrét Ann Thors
4. Sebastian Barry
5. Elizabeth Alexander
6. Roberta Recchia
7. James Salter
8. Jess Row

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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