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The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Brendan O'Meara
Narrative Journalism
Writing
Journalism
The Atavist
Storytelling
Creativity
Creative Nonfiction
The New Yorker
Writing Process
Narrative Nonfiction
Memoir Writing
Hakeem Olajuwon
Sports Journalism
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!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes567Founded14 years ago
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Latest Episodes

"Writing is such a lonely job, and I feel bad for people who don't have a crew. I think you really have to have a crew. I had a college crew my first couple years at ESPN. There was a bunch of us who were young writers and very ambitious. That was a ... more

YouTube

"There are a lot of stories that I come across that almost work or that don't quite work. And early in my career, I think I'd try and chase stories or force them to fit or force them to be a story when they don't actually work as a story," says Matth... more

YouTube

"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

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Seth Wickersham
Senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine (RIP)
ESPN
Episode: Episode 546: Seth Wickersham is On That Hill
Matthew Wolfe
Writer for the Atavist, author of Fires in the Night
Atavist
Episode: Episode 545: Stories Can Sit in the Notebook for Years. Just Ask Matthew Wolfe.
Joshua Robinson
Sports editor for the Wall Street Journal and co-author
The Wall Street Journal
Episode: Episode 544: Writing a Book is Like Driving a Bus, says Joshua Robinson
Chris Bennett
Nike Running Global Head Coach; author of This Is About Running? This is Not About Running, Lessons for Between and Beyond the Start and Finish Line
Nike
Episode: Episode 543: Doubt, Vulnerability, Confidence. Is Chris Bennett Talking About Writing or Running?
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

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 219 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 Kingdoma month 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 States4 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 States8 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
#216
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#192
Ireland/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#246
Denmark/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 546: Seth Wickersham is On That Hill
Q: What role did your notes and tooling play in keeping complex reporting organized?
I bound all my notes into a bound chronology, highlighted key moments, and then used those flags to reconstruct the best beats and scenes, allowing for a coherent synthesis without losing momentum for the long-form piece.
Episode 546: Seth Wickersham is On That Hill
Q: How did you arrive at the narrative structure for the Payton profile and related material?
The structure emerged from treating the arc like a book: varying the week-by-week timeline, selecting the strongest material from the right moments, and letting the middle deviation enrich the overall journey while keeping the AFC Championship climax as the anchor.
Episode 545: Stories Can Sit in the Notebook for Years. Just Ask Matthew Wolfe.
Q: Why did you decide to present Gabriel and Tamara's accounts as two competing versions rather than a single authoritative truth?
Because memory and perspective differ, and the piece benefits from reflecting multiple viewpoints, inviting readers to engage with the ambiguity and decide what resonates as the likely sequence of events.
Episode 545: Stories Can Sit in the Notebook for Years. Just Ask Matthew Wolfe.
Q: At what point did you know you had enough material to pursue the story for publication?
The moment when independent investigative documents and corroborating accounts from participants emerged, giving a reliable base beyond personal testimonies, allowing publication with confidence in the story's integrity.
Episode 545: Stories Can Sit in the Notebook for Years. Just Ask Matthew Wolfe.
Q: What were some little potholes in the road that you were looking to pave over?
The discussion covers editing decisions, trimming excessive scenes (like expanded family meetings and cafe scenes), and balancing lean narrative with essential context to keep the story tight while preserving needed texture.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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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. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
2. Otherppl with Brad Listi
3. Writers on Writing
4. How I Write
5. Writer's Routine

How many episodes of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast are there?

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast launched 14 years ago and published 567 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. Seth Wickersham
2. Matthew Wolfe
3. Joshua Robinson
4. Chris Bennett
5. Shanda McManus
6. Mitch Weiss
7. Holbrook Mohr
8. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

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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