How I Write

• Will Storr: The Science of Storytelling | How I Write

  Will Storr has written 7 books and he’s basically a scientist for storytelling. Now you might be thinking: Do we really need another storytelling guy? But Will is different. That's because he doesn’t just talk about plot or the hero’s journey, he focuses on character. Great stories don’t start with plot… they start with people. The best part? By the time you’re done with the episode, you’ll have the tools to be a better storyteller in your next conversation.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Michael Dean: The 27 Patterns To Fix Bad Writing | How I Write

  Architect Michael Dean breaks down the hidden patterns behind the great essays of our time. In this video, we go over his 27-point framework that makes up every world class piece of writing and how he uses the same system to analyze the Guggenheim and Apple Store. We also talk about what skills will still matter as AI continues to improve and why learning to write might be more important than ever. Enjoy! A few links: Join the Essay Architecture beta: https://essayarchitecture.com/ Follow Michael Dean on Substack: https://michaeldean.site/ Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Lulu Cheng Meservey: Meet Silicon Valley’s Top PR Master | How I Write

  The old communications playbook is dead: Political and company narratives used to be controlled by publicists and journalists. But now, founders can Go Direct. The question is… how? How do you spread a message in this new world? Lulu Cheng Meservey has worked with companies like Substack, Anduril, and Activision Blizzard, and this is her tell-all about how to build your own platform, build your own audience, and shape your own narrative. 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:32 Go direct 00:05:01 Beware of "perfect" writing 00:10:06 Ship-to-Yap ratio 00:15:20 Shaping a comms strategy 00:17:51 How to craft your message 00:22:57 Should you write with AI? 00:27:01 You don't need new ideas 00:32:13 Say what no one else will 00:35:20 The writing AI can't do 00:41:23 The power of the right messenger 00:47:31 Borrowing tactics from elections 00:55:12 Apple vs. crypto cults 01:02:38 How to launch your product 01:07:06 Stop making narcissistic announcements 01:09:55 What slogans work? 01:14:29 How to write an apology Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• The Ultimate Guide to Writing with AI | How I Write

  Get my free PDF on using LLM's for writer's + my in-depth prompts: https://perell.com/ai AI has triggered an existential crisis for me. In this episode, I share my thoughts on standing out as a writer with AI and how I use it everyday. This is one of the most in-depth looks at what it means to be a writer in 2025. Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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• Johnny Harris: Master Storytelling on YouTube | How I Write

  In this episode, I sit down with YouTube storytelling master Johnny Harris to discover how he creates his videos. Johnny Harris has proven he can make pretty much anything go viral, from breakfast and lottery tickets to bread-making and extra virgin olive oil. We look at his entire creative process, breaking down exactly what makes his storytelling so addicting to watch. We cover the complete workflow: writing, drafting, editing, visual composition, and sound design. By the end of this video, you'll walk away with practical tools to become a better visual storyteller yourself. Enjoy! Get 60 days free Readwise Reader at https://readwise.io/davidperell/ 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:35 The Video Process 00:09:18 How to Research for a Documentary 00:10:10 The Marketing for a Video 00:13:15 Scripted vs Unscripted Content 00:15:18 The only app I use to read articles [Readwise Reader] 00:16:44 Full Breakdown of Johnny Harris' 4M View Mormon Video 00:45:34 Balancing Personal Passion vs Views 00:50:27 Every Story is a Promise 00:51:47 Highlighting Paradoxes in Human Stories 00:58:56 The "There's More Going On" Approach 01:03:20 Vox vs Independent YouTube 01:04:26 Pillars of YouTube Writing 01:05:27 Dealing with the Details in Complex Stories 01:07:19 The Art of Surprising Viewers 01:11:33 Learning from The Economist 01:18:11 Human Stories 01:21:05 Craftsmanship in the AI Age 01:24:02 How Would Johnny Harris Teach a University Class Johnny Harris https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyharris https://www.patreon.com/johnnyharris https://www.instagram.com/johnny.harris/ I also made a website that helps you learn from the best writing of all-time: https://writingexamples.com/ Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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