The Fail Safe

The Fail Safe

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The Fail Safe explores how today’s most successful writers grapple with and learn from creative failure. From the blank page to the broken sentence, we examine the many challenges and pitfalls of the literary life and discover how authors transform false


    • Sep 23, 2020 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 45m AVG DURATION
    • 14 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Fail Safe

    Episode 14: Carmen Maria Machado

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 51:59


    Host Rachel Yoder interviews author Carmen Maria Machado who talks about anxiety writing outside her genre, why her attempts at novel writing keep failing, and what she thinks about Cat Person.

    Episode 13: Lauren Haldeman

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 49:21


    Host Rachel Yoder interviews poet Lauren Haldeman about the importance of writing terrible poems, the relationship between failure and humor, the lessons of grief, & what exactly it means to "be on the opposite of drugs."

    Episode 12: Alexander Chee

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 55:17


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with Alexander Chee about how to mentally prepare for a book's publication, the trials & tribulations of a 15-year novel project, & his ingenious journaling system that keeps him on task.

    Episode 11: Kelly Link

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 53:43


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with Kelly Link about the gifts of interesting failures, how imagining really bad stories can actually help your writing, and how she successfully blazed her own path all the way to a Pulitzer nom as a slipstream writer. Recorded live at Prairie Lights Bookstore.

    Episode 10: Kristen Radtke

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 39:48


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with author and artist Kristen Radtke about her evolution as a graphic essayist, the many foolish snobberies of grad school, and the connection between pathological liars and successful writers.

    Episode 9: Jessica Hopper & Alissa Nutting

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 61:45


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with music critic Jessica Hopper and author Alissa Nutting about everything from productive stalking and self doubt to parenting as a writer and early failed forays in poetry.

    Episode 8: Roxane Gay

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 45:23


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with literary powerhouse Roxane Gay about her first blog entitled “I Have Become Accustomed To Rejection,” her secret writing career, Little House on the Prairie and, of course, Beyoncé. Recorded live at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City.

    Episode 7: Laura van den Berg

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 52:42


    Author Laura van den Berg talks with Mark Polanzak about deleting an entire draft of a novel while at a haunted writing residency, why she started writing (spoiler: she wanted an easy A), & the year she combined every bad idea into one big failed project. Recorded live in Boston.

    Episode 6: New Year's Eve Wrap-Up

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 43:01


    Host Rachel Yoder and author Mark Polanzak talk about the many voices in their heads, a really bad chicken essay Rachel wrote, humiliation, and their favorite moments from the first 5 episodes of The Fail Safe.

    Episode 5: Leslie Jamison

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 54:17


    Host Rachel Yoder talks with best-selling author Leslie Jamison about the compost heap of failure, a tool for reframing failure that Leslie calls "Detroiting," and how to navigate feedback of all sorts, from classmates to spouses.

    Episode 4: Lucas Mann

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 45:08


    draft editor Mark Polanzak talks with author Lucas Mann about writing inspired by failed childhood dreams, workshop and post-workshop tantrums, and something Mann's grandmother called kennaharra, which he now uses to ward off failure (kind of).

    Episode 3: Christine Sneed

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 22:00


    Fail Safe host Rachel Yoder talks with author Christine Sneed about writing for a living, short stories vs. novel writing, and coping with social media. Taped at the Iowa Writers' House in Iowa City.

    Episode 2: Chris Boucher

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 17:13


    Join draft journal editor Mark Polanzak as he talks with novelist Chris Boucher about the 10 years he spent writing...and failing...on his first novel, How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive.

    Episode 1: Garth Greenwell

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2020 39:26


    In this debut episode of THE FAIL SAFE, host Rachel Yoder sits down with author Garth Greenwell to discuss his new book, What Belongs To You, and explore his creative process. Taped live at the Clinton Street Social Club in downtown Iowa City, with bonus audience interviews.

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