David Perell
Hosted by David Perell
A writer and online educator interviews elite authors, screenwriters, and thinkers about the mechanics of their creative process.
The channel's flagship show is "How I Write," a long-form interview series that deconstructs the specific techniques and habits of world-class writers and creators. Perell's deep research focuses on the 'how-to' of the creative process, from structuring a story to finding a unique voice. The feed is also supplemented with a high cadence of short, daily clips that feature philosophical musings from guests on topics like time and emotion.
“The show's focus is relentlessly on the *how* of writing, not just the *what*. Perell's detailed, well-researched questions extract actionable frameworks and mental models from masters of their craft, such as Pixar's story development process or a best-selling author's editing system.”
Who hosts this show
David Perell is a writer, teacher, and podcaster often called "The Writing Guy." His primary show is the "How I Write" podcast, where he interviews top writers about their creative process. He is the founder of "Write of Passage," an online writing school that has taught thousands of students. Perell also publishes essays on his website and runs the "Writing Examples" project to dissect what makes writing effective.
Credentials & credits
- Founder, Write of Passage online writing school
- Writer & Essayist, Perell.com
- Media Studies degree, Elon University
- Emergent Ventures Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Other ventures
- Write of Passage (online course)
- Writing Examples (website)
- Monday Musings (newsletter)
- North Star Podcast
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Live to the Point of TearsJun 27, 2026 · 2 min
- 02Rethinking Our Relationship with TimeJun 26, 2026 · 57s
- 03Why Children Grow Out of Being ArtistsJun 25, 2026 · 1 min
- 04The Secret Behind Every Great JokeJun 24, 2026 · 48s
- 05Meet The Writer Behind Toy Story, Nemo and Wall-EJun 24, 2026 · 1h 00m
- 06Harvard Professor Teaches Writing (Michael Pollan Interview)Jun 17, 2026 · 1h 13m
Notable episodes
- 01Meet The Writer Behind Toy Story, Nemo and Wall-E
A deep deconstruction of Pixar's storytelling process, revealing the actual premises behind iconic films like 'Finding Nemo' and 'WALL-E'.
- 02Harvard Professor Teaches Writing (Michael Pollan Interview)
Showcases the caliber of guest and the show's focus on non-fiction, with a celebrated author and professor breaking down his craft.
- 03Live to the Point of Tears
Illustrates the show's secondary format of short, daily, philosophical clips featuring guests like poet David Whyte.
What you'll be asked on this show
The main episodes are long-form, single-guest interviews, often featuring an introductory monologue by the host with clips of the guest's work and on-screen text overlays. In contrast, the channel also publishes daily short-form (1-2 minute) clips, typically repurposed from longer conversations, that present a single, potent idea from a guest.
Questions David Perell keeps coming back to
- “How do you get feedback at scale without dumbing down the work?”
- “What are the pillars of a script you're writing?”
- “What makes for a good love story?”
- “What have you learned from silent films?”
- “What does live action give you that animation doesn't, and vice-versa?”
- “How do you think AI will change storytelling?”
- “What makes for a good ending?”
- “What have you learned from [a specific collaborator, like Steve Jobs]?”
- “What makes for good dialogue?”
- “Where does an idea like [specific project] begin in your head and how does it get to the page?”
Signature segments
- · Host's introductory monologue with guest clips
- · Text overlays summarizing key points
- · Daily short-form philosophical clips
- · Signing a movie poster or book
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are elite, established writers, screenwriters, public intellectuals, and creative entrepreneurs with a significant and respected body of work. Examples include Pixar filmmakers, Harvard professors, and New York Times bestselling authors.
- Andrew Stantonon Meet The Writer Behind Toy Story, Nemo and Wall-E
- Michael Pollanon Harvard Professor Teaches Writing (Michael Pollan Interview)
- David Whyteon Live to the Point of Tears
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
Sponsors are typically writing-focused software and productivity tools, such as an AI service that turns voice notes into text. This suggests the audience consists of serious writers and professionals who are willing to invest in their craft.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch David Perell
h•••@•••.comFree: limited reveals · Pro: unlimited reveals + CSV export
You’re only charged when we return a verified hit.
People also ask
- What is David Perell's real name?
- His real name is David Perell.
- What is the format of the podcast?
- The main format is a long-form interview show called "How I Write." The YouTube channel also features daily short clips (1-3 minutes) with philosophical ideas from guests.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, the channel releases new long-form interviews and multiple short clips on a weekly basis.
- What kind of guests are on the show?
- The show features elite writers, including bestselling authors, acclaimed screenwriters, and prominent public intellectuals.
- Where can I listen to the podcast?
- The podcast is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
- What is 'Write of Passage'?
- "Write of Passage" is David Perell's popular online writing school, a cohort-based course designed to help people write online and build an audience.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]David Perell's Official Websiteperell.com
- [02]Write of Passage Coursewriteofpassage.com
- [03]How I Write Podcastyoutube.com
- [04]David Perell: Writing for the Digital Thinkercastmagic.com
- [05]How I Write Podcast Transcriptshappyscribe.com
- [06]About - Monday Musings by David Perelldavidperell.substack.com
Podcasts like David Perell
Saad Rashid - YouTube Automation
Saad Rashid
A Pakistani host interviews creators of 'faceless' YouTube channels, breaking down their niche strategies, AI workflows, and revenue generation.
Backstage with Millionaires
Pankaj Chauhan
A weekly news show and documentary-style channel breaking down the biggest stories and trends in the Indian startup and venture capital ecosystem.
Thomas Brush
Thomas Brush
A podcast for aspiring indie game developers, hosted by a solo dev who interviews peers about the practical and emotional journey of making games.
Middle Nation
Middle Nation
A political commentator analyzes global events from a pro-Muslim, anti-imperialist perspective, advocating for decolonization and sovereignty.
HAHA Podcast
Three Korean-American sisters and YouTubers bring their chaotic, unfiltered group chat to a weekly video podcast.
Voice of Mogasala | Telugu Podcast
Siva Kalyan
A serious Telugu podcast where host Siva Kalyan Mogasala interviews medical and professional experts to explain and debunk myths about pressing health and societal issues.
Farah Sharghi
An ex-FAANG recruiter's insider playbook for navigating the corporate hiring process and getting promoted in top tech roles.
Technical Suneja
Technical Suneja
A career-focused podcast for India's next generation of software developers, deconstructing the journeys of successful engineers.