Cambridge Professor: The Problem with Traditional Writing Advice

I interviewed Robert Macfarlane, a writer who has mastered the art of nature writing. What makes him fascinating isn’t just that he writes beautifully about landscapes, but how he thinks about language itself. We talked about why he rewrites first sentences hundreds of times, what happens when entire languages die forever, why AI makes all writing sound the same, and how to build a stronger feel for using vivid and rich language. If you want to write more powerfully and develop your distinctive voice, this conversation will show you how to do that. Enjoy! 00:00:00 Growing Up in Mountains 00:06:16 How to Write Like Water Flows 00:10:12 Why He Rewrites First Sentences 100 Times 00:16:15 How Messy Notebooks Become Real Books 00:21:37 How Your Brain Finds Hidden Patterns 00:27:03 Why Wonder Keeps Kids Alive 00:34:34 It Took 300 Pages to Answer One Question 00:42:52 Do Writers Plan Their Books or Wing It? 00:48:06 Why He Started Writing About People Too 00:53:08 How Learning Songs Made Him a Better Writer 01:00:19 He Spent 3 Years Collecting Weird Words 01:04:30 Why Writing Is Like Making Pottery 01:08:44 Why AI Makes All Writing Sound the Same 01:11:32 How to Make Readers Feel 'Visceral' 01:19:35 Why Some Words Feel Thick and Heavy 01:23:54 Why "Cut Extra Words" Is Terrible Advice 01:27:08 The Weird Fact About the Word "River Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell