John and Craig welcome comedian, actor, writer and Jeopardy! champion Patton Oswalt to discuss joke structure and building standup specials. Patton pulls back the curtain on his writing process, how he develops a comedic premise, and earning an audience’s trust. We also dissect M.O.D.O.K., punching up other people’s scripts, and the art of adaptation. We […]
Books
Adapting Your Own Novel
Taffy Brodesser-Akner joins us to discuss her journey adapting her bestselling novel “Fleishman Is in Trouble” into an acclaimed limited series. We chat about drawing inspiration from the familiar, learning how manage others, and presenting multiple sides to a story. We also answer listener questions about naming characters, decorative dialogue, and the renaissance of the […]
What I Learned Writing a Trilogy
Here’s what I wish someone had told me before I started writing the Arlo Finch trilogy.
Summer Reading
On Saturday, I hosted a group of local authors to celebrate Chevalier’s Books, LA’s oldest independent bookstore, which recently reopened for pick-up orders. Chevalier’s is our neighborhood bookstore, hosting many of our launch parties — including Arlo Finch — so we’re excited to see its doors semi-open. The theme for our Zoom conversation was “summer […]