“My favorite writers aren’t up in the proverbial ivory tower, smoking a pipe full of self-congratulation, writing fancy prose that’s so dense and enigmatic you don’t know what the hell they’re saying. My favorite writers write. Hit us in the gut, break our hearts, expand our minds. Fancy words are great if they fit. Simple words are great if they hit. I want to read. I want the title to pull me in, the story to sweep me off my feet, the ending to send my entire life in a new direction.

Mark Radcliffe is one such writer.” ~ Waylon Lewis⁠

Walk the Talk Show with Waylon Lewis presents:

Waylon talks with the prolific Elephant Journal (etc.) author about how to be a writer—successfully—in 2023. They discuss Mark’s process of writing and editing his soon-to-be book, The Wheels that Carried Us. Listen as these two authors dig into writing, editing, and the art of a (really) good title.

Mark’s philosophy is to find the small kernels in our life that inspire the bigger stories:

“If you can find something that almost doesn’t feel like work at first, you’re probably on the right path.

It should be something that feels like, ‘I could talk about this forever.’ That means you’re the right person to write it.” ~ Mark Radcliffe

A clip of our conversation: 

“I irritate my friends constantly. We’ll be in the middle of a really lively conversation out in a bar and I’m like, hold on. I got a good thought here. Takes twelve seconds. I’ve learned I won’t remember tomorrow and you got to grab it really quickly and just beg forgiveness. But if they want to be friends with a writer, that’s what they gotta gotta put up with.” ~ Mark Radcliffe

Or listen to the podcast:

“I think a lot of times it’s the days and the times in which I’ve been meditating more that I’ve come up with my better ideas” ~ Mark Radcliffe

Want the rest? Find it here.

Check out some of Mark’s more recent articles:

• 11 Lessons on Character from American Cyclist Sepp Kuss who Just Won the Tour of Spain.
• Why “Daddy Issues” are a way Bigger Problem for Men than Women.
• The Real Reason Men Date Younger Women.
• Mentioned in the conversation: How I Got Everything I Ever Wanted by Walking Away from Everything I Ever Wanted.

Mark is on Elephant; And you can follow him on Instagram, here. 

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Want more? Check out last week’s
Walk the Talk Show episode:

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2023/09/waylon-iye-bako-on-veganism-fast-fashion-equity-justice-on-a-planet-on-fire/