#107: The Beatles, Hollywood Writing, and Creative Ambition with Dan Greenberger
Help! I need somebody...to listen to all the good stuff in this episode. Dan Greenberger is the author of The Boys Next Door: A Novel About the Beatles, and he's diving into his writing process for this historical fiction novel, rules around creative liberties, and a Hollywood career that's spanned a quarter-century.
We're also discussing how someone with creative ambitions can find a place in Hollywood, the best writing exercise Dan did while in college, and his top Beatles songs.
Highlights of our conversation:
Why it’s difficult to write about what you want to write in Hollywood. Plus, why there are many things in a writer’s desk that an audience may never get to see. (3:33)
A nice life lesson about finding opportunities while also allowing yourself to be frustrated. (7:19)
How a person with creative ambition can survive a career in Hollywood — from someone who’s been living there for a quarter-century. (9:10)
Some of the ways working on content for shows like How I Met Your Mother helped Dan when writing a novel. Plus, we get a chance to shout out the Reduced Shakespeare Company. (13:05)
What Dan’s writing process is like — and what kind of background noise he prefers when writing today. (18:34)
The rule Dan had about taking creative liberties while writing a historical fiction novel. (21:30)
Why it was nice for Dan to be able to pull from his own experiences for The Boys Next Door. (24:32)
The trends Dan sees when documentaries such as Get Back come out. Plus, I reminisce on my favorite college course: Evolution of Rock. (28:22)
Dan’s top three Beatles songs. (31:58)
Where to find Dan Greenberger
Pick up a copy of The Boys Next Door on Amazon.
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