People Who Do Things
Join hosts John H. Matthews (Runt, Designated Survivor) and Laura Buchwald for conversations with creators, including authors, screenwriters, musicians, playwrights and more, as well as chats between the hosts about the basics of writing, inspiration, getting over writer's block, and more.
Episodes
John and Laura talk with Claudia Zuluaga—author of Fort Starlight and longtime creative writing teacher at John Jay College—about the art of surviving your messy first draft. Together, they explore why messy drafts are essential, how to push past perfectionism, and strategies to keep going when the words feel chaotic. A conversation full of honesty and insight, this episode reminds us that the first draft’s job is simply to exist.
In their 40th episode, Laura and John dive into one of the most essential—and sometimes misunderstood—principles of storytelling: show, don’t tell. They unpack what it really means to let readers experience a scene through vivid detail, dialogue, and action instead of flat description. With practical examples and writer-friendly tips, they explore how showing builds emotional resonance, creates immersive worlds, and deepens charact...
In this episode, Laura and John dive into the power of place in fiction—how setting does more than anchor a story; it breathes life into it. They explore how writers can craft landscapes that shape mood, theme, and even character behavior, transforming locations into living, breathing entities. Whether you're building a fictional town or drawing from real-world places, this conversation offers insight into turning setting into...
In this episode, John and Laura dive into the challenges and rewards of writing sequels and building book series. They discuss how to keep momentum after the first book, balancing character growth with expanding the world, and sequel fatigue. Drawing from personal experiences and favorite examples from literature, the duo explores strategies for planning long arcs, keeping continuity fresh, and knowing when a series should end. Whe...
John talks with Laura about her newly released debut novel, The Coat Check Girl.
Laura and John discuss Laura's upcoming debut novel, The Coat Check Girl, John's new middle grade novel Ace Adler and the Pendulum of Doom, and get inspiration from a quote by John Steinbeck.
Laura and John talk about their two paths to publishing: Laura with her traditional contract, and John with his self publishing. Also, tips and tools for getting reviews for your book, whichever way it is published, from Kirkus Reviews to Net Galley.
Laura and John welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Richard Drew to the podcast. Richard has been an Associated Press photographer for more than fifty years and has been front row to many historic events, from the assassination of Robert Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, to the fall of the towers on 9/11. He is known for his image Falling Man from 9/11.
Laura and John catch up after a busy summer and talk about progress and next steps as they are both preparing books for publishing. Laura is in revisions for her publisher, and John is about to release his eighth book independently. They also discuss their next projects and what their plans are for those.
John welcomes special guest, PWDT's own Laura Buchwald to talk with her about some big announcements in her world. They also discuss progress in their WIPS (works in progress), and more!
Laura and John contemplate self doubt in writing, how it ties to ego and confidence. They also go through a few 'best first lines' of book, according to The Guardian.
Laura and John welcome author Barbara Josselsohn into the PWDT virtual studio to talk about her book The Lilac House, being a prolific author, managing multiple points-of-view in a book, and her recipe for a great first chapter.
Laura and John talk about their WIPs (work in progress) and their processes for revising and editing. As usual, they get sidetracked talking about other things, such as Yellowstone, Marc Maron, and more.
Laura and John distract themselves from writing by talking about what it takes them to get motivated to write.
Laura and John discuss the importance of creating three-dimensional protagonists and antagonists, and how much detail to give supporting characters.
Laura and John welcome Claudia Zuluaga back to the podcast. We talk about writing tips and advice for new writers, when you are no longer an aspiring writer, and finding time and 'your place' to write.
Laura and John talk about what comes first: plot or character.
In what we'll call our Season Two premiere after a summer break, Laura and John catch up on what projects they are working on, the benefits of taking breaks, the excitement of new projects, and prove neither of them know how to pronounce Taiki Waititi's name.
We talk to Brian Niemietz about writing for New York City tabloids The Daily News and the New York Post, covering nightlife in the city, and hanging out with James Brown.
We talk to Deborah Way, founder of The Keepthings, an Instagram submission based memoir project. A hat your dad wore. Your grandmother's diamond ring. An artificial hip. People post a photo and a short description of the item and what it means to them.
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