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The Creative Nonfiction Podcast with Brendan O'Meara

Brendan O'Meara
Bleak Man
Levi Axtell
Larry Scully
Child Sexual Abuse
Vigilante Justice
The Quickening
Climate Change
Murder Farm Massacre
Young Woman and the Sea
The Atavist
Narrative Journalism
Thwaites Glacier
Motherhood
Antarctica
Polar Exploration
Oregon
Peonage
Memoir Writing
Women's Sports
Daddy's Little Stranger

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!

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes543Founded14 years ago
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Latest Episodes

“Not to confuse journalism with newspapers. Newspapers are one set of communication methods. But it's certainly not the only one. If they have the right mindset, and that's what I try to get them to do, there are so many more opportunities. You can g... more

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"When I was writing the book, I used a lot of my interest in art criticism and nature writing to get cross pollinate into my sports writing. And I really try not to fall into a rut and just read only adjacent to my own subject or my own field," says ... more

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"I think, like all writers, I will feel an itch that I have to scratch. There will be an idea in my head that I've got to get down on paper, whether I follow through with it or not," says R. Renee Hess, author of Blackness is a Gift I Can Give Her: O... more

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"I'm always calibrating when I'm interviewing somebody, like, how much of a prompt are they going to need, and what is what is going to get something out of them?" — Stephen Wood, whose Buffalo Raiders piece appears in The Atavist Magazine.

What is ... more

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Recent Guests

Giri Nathan
Staff writer, co-founder of Defector, author of Changeover
Defector, Changeover
Episode: Episode 521: Giri Nathan Takes the Insider-Outsider Perspective
Renee Hess
Founder of Black Girl Hockey Club (BGHC); author of Blackness is a Gift I Can Give Her
Black Girl Hockey Club
Episode: Episode 520: R. Renee Hess on the Work that Inspires her and the Founding of Black Girl Hockey Club
Stephen Wood
Journalist, author of The Buffalo Raiders/Atavist story
Atavist/American journalism outlets
Episode: Episode 519: Stephen Wood's 'Ocean's 11' Anti-Government Caper
Laura LeBleu
Co-founder of Geezer Magazine, writer/producer
Geezer Magazine
Episode: Episode 518: All Hail Gen-X with Geezer Magazine!
Paul von Zielbauer
Co-founder of Geezer Magazine, former journalist
Geezer Magazine
Episode: Episode 518: All Hail Gen-X with Geezer Magazine!
Keith O'Brien
Author of Heartland, A Forgotten Place, An Impossible Dream, and The Miracle of, Larry Bird
Author; Publisher: Atria Books
Episode: Episode 517: The Miracle of Writing a Book with Keith O'Brien
Tom Junod
Writer for GQ, Esquire and ESPN; author of The Memoir
Independent/Various magazines
Episode: Episode 516: Tom Junod Wrote One of the Best Memoirs You'll Ever Read
Peter Ward
Writer for The Atavist; author of The Consequential Frontier and The Price of Immortality
The Atavist
Episode: Episode 515: Pitching Stories and Not Topics with Atavist Writer Peter Ward
Tony Rehagen
Freelance journalist known for narrative nonfiction and features in various outlets
Freelance journalist
Episode: Episode 514: Tony Rehagen is Never and Always on the Clock

Host

Brendan O'Meara
Host of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 209 ratings
  • 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 States3 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 States3 months ago
  • Great 500

    I’ve listened to Brendan’s earliest episodes, the later ones and most of his latest episodes and I’ve learned much and been entertained by all of them. He encourages his guests to be relevant and to the point, while at the same time allowing for a free flowing conversation. Congrats for the 500.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Pab429
    Spain5 months ago
  • Too Much

    All the interjections in this show destroy the flow of the interviews, as well as any illusion of intimacy.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    ManInProgress
    United States7 months ago
  • I love this podcast so much

    As an aspiring author myself, having access to a constant stream and massive archive of talented writers, talking through how they made their sausage, and all the ups and downs in the process is extremely valuable. And inspiring. Brendan is doing great work here.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dfctfdsgjhf
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Voices strong on craft, with guests who are clearly seasoned writers and editors.
Shows are consistently insightful for writers, with practical takeaways for craft and publishing.
Listeners praise the host's preparedness and thoughtful questions.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#235
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#134
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#156
Australia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#130
Denmark/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 516: Tom Junod Wrote One of the Best Memoirs You'll Ever Read
Q: When did the shape of the memoir start to reveal its true form?
The memoir began to crystallize when Tom wrote the waking-up section about his father's ankles, shifting from a broad family history to a personal exploration of his relationship with his father and the secrets surrounding him.
Episode 516: Tom Junod Wrote One of the Best Memoirs You'll Ever Read
Q: What's your typical approach to interviewing people?
Tom describes entering interviews with a sense of curiosity rather than a fixed list, aiming for a conversational exchange that reveals what he is curious about, and allowing voices to emerge naturally rather than scripting every detail.
Episode 511: Writing to Leave the Past in the Past with Jane Marie Chen
Q: How did you reach the go from the anger and the resentment to finding that compassion?
Understanding their histories and seeing how violence trickles into societies helped me find compassion for my parents.
Episode 511: Writing to Leave the Past in the Past with Jane Marie Chen
Q: What was it like for you having to revisit so much of the sort of the original trauma of your childhood?
It was hard, especially the childhood stuff. To be a good writer, you have to get into the visceral parts of the experience.
Episode 509: Howard Bryant Masterfully Braids History in 'Kings and Pawns'
Q: When do you know it's a book?
You know it's a book when you have a compelling idea, the right character connections, and enough material to build a narrative around those characters.

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?

The show centers on conversations with writers, editors, and journalists who shape narrative nonfiction, memoir, and investigative storytelling. Guests range from authors and editors to freelance journalists and publishing professionals, exploring craft, reporting methods, and the realities of building a long-form career. Listeners often gain practical insights into reporting, structure, and the emotional elements of storytelling, making it valuable for both aspiring and established writers. A notable strength is its ability to pull back the curtain on the craft through candid discussions with industry practitioners across publishing, editing, and journalism.

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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. Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry
2. Writers on Writing
3. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
4. Writer's Routine
5. The New Yorker Radio Hour

How many episodes of The Creative Nonfiction Podcast are there?

The Creative Nonfiction Podcast launched 14 years ago and published 543 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. Giri Nathan
2. Renee Hess
3. Stephen Wood
4. Laura LeBleu
5. Paul von Zielbauer
6. Keith O'Brien
7. Tom Junod
8. Peter Ward

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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