Sci-fi writer Andy Weir doesn't love writing
Worklife with Adam Grant
TED
4.8 • 9.4K Ratings
🗓️ 4 April 2023
⏱️ 42 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Andy Weir is the bestselling author of The Martian and Project Hail Mary. He’s known for weaving deep, carefully researched science into his novels, building intricate sci-fi worlds that have captivated millions of readers. But here’s a plot twist: Andy doesn’t actually love the act of writing itself – so how does he motivate himself to do it anyway? Adam talks with Andy about the creative process, the skills involved in discarding bad ideas, finding joy in worldbuilding and research, and why you should never be writing with a sequel in mind. Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Ted Audio Collective. |
| 0:06.0 | Are you curious about the hidden side of everything that I have the podcast for you? |
| 0:11.0 | I'm Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio. |
| 0:14.0 | Every week we hear from some of the world's most fascinating scholars and thinkers |
| 0:18.0 | as we tackle a variety of topics like why the best employees can make the worst bosses, |
| 0:24.0 | why the banana is the most interesting fruit in the world, |
| 0:28.0 | and why we dread air travel even though it's a miracle. |
| 0:32.0 | Go ahead, listen to Freakonomics Radio wherever you get your podcast. |
| 0:38.0 | Hey everyone, it's Adam Graham. |
| 0:40.0 | Welcome back to Rethinking, my podcast on the Science of What Makes Us Tip. |
| 0:44.0 | I'm an organizational psychologist and I'm taking you inside the minds of fascinating people |
| 0:48.0 | to explore new thoughts and new ways of thinking. |
| 0:50.0 | My guest today is Andy Weir. |
| 0:58.0 | He's become my favorite sci-fi writer, best known for his mega hits The Martian and Project Hail Mary. |
| 1:04.0 | But he wasn't the number one New York Times bestselling author overnight. |
| 1:07.0 | He started out self-publishing as a sidekick while working as a computer programmer. |
| 1:12.0 | And to borrow one of Andy's most quoted lines, what I admire most about his writing is his ability |
| 1:18.0 | to science the shit out of it. |
| 1:26.0 | Andy, it's great to meet you. |
| 1:27.0 | It's great to be here. Thanks for having me. |
| 1:29.0 | I'm excited to talk to the guy behind these books I've loved so much and I think your mind is just endlessly interesting. |
| 1:35.0 | The characters you come up with and the worlds that you transport me into |
... |
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