089: How to Find the Story You Were Meant to Write: Interview with Robert Kurson [Podcast] http://ift.tt/1mUQuOi @jeffgoins #blogging

Books allow us to escape the confines of reality and explore the realms of imagination. Between the pages of a book, anything is possible, anything can happen. But sometimes, as Mark Twain said, ”The truth is stranger than fiction.”

Writers spend most of their time searching for a story. Whether it is one they conjure out of thin air, or one they discover through arduous research. Robert Kurson found his story among the bookshelves of the Dominican Republic’s historical archives.

Robert is a writer and treasure hunter of sorts. He writes the true stories of pirates you’ve never seen on the big screen. As it turns out, real life pirates are even bigger than Hollywood portrays them.

This week on The Portfolio Life, Robert and I talk about what writers and pirates have in common, and uncover the truth behind popular pirate myths. Listen in as we discuss where to find great stories, and how tales of pirates and treasure speak to the little kid in all of us.

Listen to the podcast

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X does not mark the spot

Continuous innovation and advancing technology is shrinking the world. While we enjoy the intrigue and adventure of movies like National Treasure and Indiana Jones, it’s easy to think that everything has already been found. That there are no more pirate ships to discover or treasure chests to dig up.

As Robert Kurson shares in our interview, the truth tells a much different story. A lot of treasure has been resurrected from the bottom of the sea, but there are still plenty of ships waiting to see the surface again.

However, adventure doesn’t come cheap. There is no convenient “X” on the map that tells you where to dig or dive. Professional treasure hunters can spend many years and small fortunes looking for a valuable find.

Becoming a full-time writer requires the same dedication. Great writers aren’t made overnight any more than a treasure chest will magically appear next to your bed. While there are plenty of stories waiting to be written, you must look for a story with the same drive of a pirate looking for treasure.

The trick is to keep your eyes open and know where to look.

Show highlights

In this episode, Robert and I discuss:

What to do when you realize you’re in the wrong career
Why it’s never too late to start writing
Two different ways to think about escape
Discovering incredible human stories
The unique power of true stories over fiction
How to know when you’ve found a good story
Why fiction writers have an advantage when writing the end of a story
Learning to tell a full story with very limited space
A secret to finding a master who will train you in your craft
How writing a story changes a writer

Quotes and Takeaways

”We need to escape through books, like a prisoner needs to escape from jail.” —J.R.R. Tolkien
“A lot of people know a lot of interesting things if you ask them about it.” —Robert Kurson
“There are always adventures out there in the world if you’re bold enough to take a blind step forward.” —Robert Kurson
The hardest part of telling a good story is finding one.
Great art is created with constraints.

Resources

Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson
Pirate Hunters by Robert Kurson
Crashing Through by Robert Kurson
To Self-Publish or Traditionally Publish? How to Answer this Essential Question

Do you look for a story like a pirate searches for treasure? What is unique about your writing journey? Share in the comments