Post Time: 2026-03-11

Country: United States, Australia, United Kingdom. City: Burbank, Chattanooga, Inglewood, Macon, RaleighSign Up for "Writing Examples" and Learn From The Best Writing of All Time: Amor Towles is our modern day F. Scott Fitzgerald. Sure, he’s a critically acclaimed, award-winning novelist (ever heard of “A Gentleman in Moscow”?) but not because he’s cracked the publishing algorithm. Rather than scheming how many books he can sell or how many critics he can impress, his #1 goal is to fulfill his covenant with his reader. “They’ve invested in my art, and I owe it to them.” Towles' work oozes sensory detail and psychological richness. While most writers would describe writing as “creative” or “free-spirited,” he describes it as “accurate” and “careful.” Every sentence he writes serves a larger truth. In this episode, Towles gives one of the most detailed breakdowns of his writing process that we’ve had so far on How I Write. You’ll learn the step-by-step process for how Towles drafts each novel; specifically, how outlining your work can free up your creative, poetic side. You’ll learn how to write descriptively — without bogging down your reader in indulgent details. You’ll learn how to master craft through repetition; how to approach your first draft versus your second; how to influence your writing with reading; and how to create art that serves a broader purpose. Ultimately, you’ll learn how to tell exceptional stories from one of today's most exceptional storytellers. WRITE OF PASSAGE: Want to learn more about the next class for Write of Passage? Click here: PODCAST LINKS: Website: Apple: Spotify: TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 Introduction 00:00:40 my website Descriptive writing 00:10:00 Pacing of a novel 00:12:45 Premise of a novel 00:13:30 A Gentleman in Moscow 00:22:55 Trope of artists and writers 00:27:10 Career advice 00:29:30 What makes good descriptiveness 00:38:20 Writing class 00:45:00 Consuming and Deconstructing 00:48:35 Editing drafts and getting feedback 00:51:00 Admired writers 01:00:10 Manifestos 01:03:30 "Opening for doors" 01:05:15 Short stories ABOUT THE navigate to this site HOST: I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and try here 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. How I Write is a podcast by Write of Passage // Production by Adam Soccolich