How can listening inform the way you write? We decided to ask Charles Duhigg is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and bestselling author—best known for The Power of Habit and most recently released Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, a compelling guide that explores the art and science of meaningful conversation.

We talked with Charles about myriad elements of writing, speaking, and listening—that is, communication in all its forms! We explored how passion and clarity are key parts of both pitching and book proposals. Charles also introduced us to active listening techniques, such as "looping for understanding," which can foster stronger connection in conversations. These effective and meaningful exchanges can help you showcase your project’s vision and voice.

Thing of the Week: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg

Homework: Charles has two pieces of homework for us!

1. First, tomorrow, ask someone a deep question that you might not usually ask a deep question of. Instead of asking, “How was your day?” ask them, you know, “I noticed that you really like Jasper. What do you admire about Jasper?”

2. Write one paragraph is terrible, but you feel like indulges some aspect of your voice. Maybe it's funny, maybe it's wry, maybe it's sad. Just do something completely pointless. Set that paragraph aside for a couple of days. And when you come back to it, you are going to see something in there that surprises you at how good it is. And that is a pebble on the path to finding your voice.

P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here.

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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How does a room sound? Does your childhood have a taste? What is the smell of summer?

In this episode, we dive into the sensory layers that anchor worldbuilding, character, and perspective. We explore how invoking smell, sound, touch, and taste can transport readers more powerfully than sight alone. What makes a setting feel real and lived in on the page? How do the where and the when hit our reader's and character's senses— and how real is too real?

Thing of the Week: Darkfield

Homework: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 exercise from C. L. Polk: list five things your character can see, 4 things they can hear, 3 things they can touch, 2 things they can smell, and 1 thing they can taste.

P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here.

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, and Howard Tayler. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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Time isn't just a backdrop—it’s a powerful tool in storytelling. In this episode, we explore how time shapes narratives, beyond just plot structure. From magnifying moments in a fight scene to revealing a character’s morals through temporal shifts, we unpack how timing, pacing, and the passage of time can deepen emotional impact, build tension, and elevate a scene's resonance.

We discuss practical techniques like character memory, flashbacks, and sensory shifts, while also considering how time reveals inner worlds—through fear, anticipation, or even a late-night zoomie session with a talkative cat. Whether you're writing action scenes or quiet reflections, this episode offers practical insights for using time as a dynamic storytelling tool.

Homework: Change the time at which a scene takes place. Try to move something from day to night, or spring to fall. What do you notice?

P.S. Our 2025 writing retreat (on a cruise! In mexico!) is over 50% sold out! Learn more and sign up here.

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, and Erin Roberts. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

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