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The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Brendan O'Meara
Narrative Journalism
Journalism
Writing
The Atavist
Storytelling
Creative Nonfiction
Creativity
The New Yorker
Writing Process
Narrative Nonfiction
Memoir Writing
Sports Journalism
Hakeem Olajuwon
Burnout
Bleak Man
Atavist
Memoir
Freelance Journalism
Cartooning
Creative Writing

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara is a weekly podcast that showcases leaders in narrative journalism, essay, memoir, documentary film, radio and podcasts about the art and craft of telling true stories. Follow the show @creativenonfictionpodcast on Instagram and visit patreon.com/cnfpod to support!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes565Founded14 years ago
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Latest Episodes

"Sometimes you swing and a miss on a story, or you get scooped by someone, and I think there's a constant feeling of like you're only as good as your last story, as the last thing you published, and it's hard to shake that," says Joshua Robinson, co-... more

YouTube

"I think it's a great point with writing. You know early on you realize like putting pen to paper or starting to type early on was a massive achievement. There were huge gains, and now you're still grinding to figure out like 'I don't know how to end... more

YouTube

"Our our first job, job one, for anybody writing a book, for anybody writing a story of any kind, any length, is to get the reader to that last word. If you don't do that, it doesn't matter what pretty words you drop in the middle of the story. Doesn... more

YouTube

"I applaud anyone out there who's done the book circuit and trying to reach readers, because I'm not in this to make a lot of money, not at all. I just want people to read the story. I kind of felt like I owed it to the book to do my end of this effo... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Shanda McManus
Author of Brother Epistles, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine
Episode: Episode 541: 'Touch the Work Every Day' says Shanda McManus
Mitch Weiss
Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist, co-author on Toxic Lies
The Associated Press / Freelance
Episode: Episode 540: Holbrook Mohr and Mitch Weiss Tackle the Atomic City for The Atavist
Holbrook Mohr
Pulitzer Prize finalist, investigative journalist, co-author on Toxic Lies
The Associated Press / Freelance
Episode: Episode 540: Holbrook Mohr and Mitch Weiss Tackle the Atomic City for The Atavist
Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
Author of biographies of TV shows, including Parks and Rec, Seinfeldia, and Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted
Author
Episode: Episode 539: How Jennifer Keishin Armstrong Writes Biographies of TV Shows
Rachel Hartigan
Author of Lost, Amelia Earhart's Three Mysterious Deaths and One Extraordinary Life; former editor of The Washington Post Book World; National Geographic writer
National Geographic; former editor at The Washington Post Book World
Episode: Episode 538: The Enduring Mystery of Amelia Earhart with Rachel Hartigan
Pamela Colloff
Investigative reporter and author of Catch the Devil
ProPublica; The New York Times Magazine; Texas Monthly
Episode: Episode 537: Pamela Colloff's Now-or-Never Moment with 'Catch the Devil'
Matthew Wolfe
Author and journalist
Author, Fires in the Night; ELF researcher
Episode: Episode 536: The Blood, Flesh, and Messiness of Human Existence with Matthew Wolfe
Alex Ronan
Journalist whose work appears in Elle, The New York Times, Vogue, Atavist, etc.
Atavist
Episode: Episode 535: Alex Ronan's Masterclass in the Depth of Reporting
Wil Haygood
Award-winning journalist and author; author of The War Within A War
Knopf (publisher)
Episode: Episode 534: Shoeleather Reporting and Exploring the Riddles of America with Wil Haygood

Host

Brendan O'Meara
Host with a focus on craft, interviewing writers, editors, and journalists to explore narrative nonfiction and the writing life.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 216 ratings
  • RIFF

    I started listening to Brendan about a year ago, when I realised that the fiction I’d been slogging away at for literally decades just wasn’t my thing and it was writing n-f that I truly love. This pod has helped me enormously and I got my first 5,000 word piece commissioned — in print next month! Cheers BO’

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Munkster2
    United Kingdom25 days ago
  • A Riffing Good Time

    I drive back and forth between Maine and Massachusetts an hour and ten minutes which is exactly the length of an average CNF podcast. This tells you the first thing you need to know about our boy Brendan O’Meara. He doesn’t just play to our culture’s bite-sized attention span like so many other pods. He conducts hour-long in-depth interviews with his authors, skillfully pulling out stories, emotion, and advice, bracketed on either side by our host’s own insightful and entertaining takes on liter... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Doc CRB
    United States3 months ago
  • Could it be better? No.

    I’m so angry I only discovered this wonderful podcast last month! I’m a part time author with dreams of making every sentence a joy, and what I find here is everything I want: great advice, wisdom, and talented authors, all shepherded by O’Meara’s wit and skill. You will love this podcast and with hundreds of episodes in the can, you WILL find what you need.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jay from Knoxville
    United States3 months ago
  • Indispensable

    The CNF pod is great fun. Crucial insights into writing nonfiction from a pool of excellent writers who know their stuff. Must-listen not only for aspiring nonfiction writers but working, successful ones, too. This is the community you’re looking for.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ndyestermorrow
    United States7 months ago
  • Reader, Writer, Listener

    As a reader and writer I appreciate Brendan’s knowledge and preparedness with his interview subjects. As a lister, I love the candid conversations that unfold.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ali257
    United States8 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The host is praised for preparedness, empathy, and insightful questioning, with occasional criticism about intros and flow.
Audiences appreciate the breadth of guests from editors to journalists and memoirists, seeing it as a premiere source for narrative nonfiction craft.
Listeners value in-depth, craft-focused conversations that pull practical tips from established writers.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#241
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#30
Philippines/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#43
Philippines/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#65
South Africa/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#173
South Africa/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 540: Holbrook Mohr and Mitch Weiss Tackle the Atomic City for The Atavist
Q: How did you approach structuring a complex, decades-spanning investigative story for readability?
We built a linear, character-driven spine starting with a pivotal moment (Ron Fowler in the hospital), then gradually introduced the science, timelines, and broader context so readers can follow the human stakes without getting lost in the technical details.
Episode 538: The Enduring Mystery of Amelia Earhart with Rachel Hartigan
Q: What shaped your approach to turning a scattered set of Earhart theories into a cohesive narrative?
The guest explains starting with Earhart's biography and the three main theories, then structuring the book to alternate biography chapters with theory explorations, which helped braid diverse threads into a readable whole.
Episode 539: How Jennifer Keishin Armstrong Writes Biographies of TV Shows
Q: When you're looking to build out a scene, where do you start and what are some best practices you've found?
Armstrong explains she begins by compiling extensive outlines and researching details, then works to craft scenes by asking people close to the subject for day-to-day specifics, which helps create vivid, believable moments that anchor the narrative.
Episode 536: The Blood, Flesh, and Messiness of Human Existence with Matthew Wolfe
Q: How do you approach an interview from the very start to several down the line?
He admits to a clumsy start but emphasizes being present, transparent about his feelings, sharing his own reaction to events, and building trust through meals and direct, humane conversation.
Episode 536: The Blood, Flesh, and Messiness of Human Existence with Matthew Wolfe
Q: What are the tools that you like to have at your disposal, be it a notebook and a recorder, and this, that, and the other? Like, what do you have, if we tipped open your knapsack on the table, what were you looking at?
Wolfe describes preferring notetaking devices that keep him connected to the moment, often using a recording device and laptop notes, with colleagues using live typing to signal interest, while he strives to stay genuinely engaged and present in conversations.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Creative Nonfiction Podcast

What is The Creative Nonfiction Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A deep-dive interview series focused on narrative nonfiction, memoir, investigative journalism, and long-form storytelling. Guests range from authors and editors to reporters and editors of journalism outlets, exploring craft, reporting techniques, structure, sourcing, and publishing decisions. The conversations emphasize practical craft advice, editorial process, and the realities of researching and writing at length, often touching on memory, ethics, and the evolving media landscape. Expect thoughtful, long-form conversations with a steady emphasis on the writing life, collaboration with editors, and the journey from idea to finished narrative. A standout pattern is the blend of craft-first discussions with behind-the-scenes storytelling ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Creative Nonfiction Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Creative Nonfiction Podcast:

1. How I Write
2. Writers on Writing
3. Poetry Unbound
4. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
5. The Book Review

How many episodes of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast are there?

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast launched 14 years ago and published 565 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 The Creative Nonfiction Podcast?

Recent guests on The Creative Nonfiction Podcast include:

1. Shanda McManus
2. Mitch Weiss
3. Holbrook Mohr
4. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
5. Rachel Hartigan
6. Pamela Colloff
7. Matthew Wolfe
8. Alex Ronan

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