John Branch is a Pulitzer-prize-winning journalist with the New York Times and the author of the brand new book Sidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of Sports. He is also the author of The Last Cowboys: A Pioneer Family in the New West, which is one of my favorite books about the modern-day challenges facing ranching families in the American West. Whether he’s reporting on the historic ascent of the Dawn Wall on Yosemite’s El Capitan, reconstructing a deadly avalanche in the Washington backcountry, or describing the financial realities of the cattle ranching business, John’s has one of the most unique and engaging voices you’ll find anywhere in print.
Growing up in Colorado, John never had serious childhood dreams about a career in writing or journalism. He studied business at CU Boulder and graduated fully focused on pursuing jobs in the business world. But after several years of building a successful career with retail-focused companies, John found himself dreaming of a career as a writer. So, in the mid-1990s, with minimal writing experience under his belt, he applied to graduate school, was accepted, and officially began his journey as a journalist. Fast forward to 2013, and John won the Pulitzer Prize for his New York Times article titled Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek.
In our modern-day, frenetic world that is overflowing with articles and information, I’ve found that John’s work rises above the fray and sticks with me for many years after my first reading. While he has reported on many well-known sports figures such as Tommy Caldwell or even Kobe Bryant, John says he enjoys finding meaning in less-flashy tales, telling the stories of “ordinary people tangled up in something extraordinary.” So in this conversation, we talk about his commitment to uncovering these little-known stories– from his on-the-ground reporting to his process of sitting down at the keyboard to write. We also dig into some of his favorite outdoor-related stories, his new book Sidecountry and his older book The Last Cowboys, and his unconventional path into journalism. We talk about reporting from the top of El Capitan, his process of writing Snow Fall, his heroes and mentors, and much more. Finally, John offers up some great book and music recommendations, and well as timely advice for aspiring creatives.
I’ve been a fan of John’s for many years, so I can’t thank him enough for taking the time to chat with me. I encourage you to find copies of Sidecountry and The Last Cowboys, and keep an eye out for everything he writes for the Times. Check the notes for links to everything we discuss. Hope you enjoy!
Photo courtesy of John Branch
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EPISODE NOTES
Topics Discussed:
- 4:30 – John discusses his childhood, education, and career shift from business to journalism
- 10:00 – John discusses his family’s reaction to his change in career
- 11:15 – John explains how he ended up in Colorado Springs
- 12:00 – John describes his climb through the journalism world
- 14:30 – John explains how he caught the attention of the New York Times
- 16:30 – John explains why he feels his career transition worked
- 19:00 – John describes the kind of stories he looks to tell in his writing and how he knows when there is a story in front of him worth digging into
- 25:00 – John explains how he builds trust with the subjects of his stories
- 27:00 – John describes his most recent book, Side County
- 32:15 – John describes his writing process
- 38:30 – John describes his editing process and explains how he still gets nervous about submitting his work
- 43:15 – John talks about the importance of journalism now more than ever
- 46:15 – John talks about how he manages the constant influx of information in his job
- 48:45 – John talks about his ideal writing environment
- 50:00 – John identifies several of his writing heroes/role models
- 53:00 – John talks about how he differentiates between which stories should be told in articles and which should be told in books
- 56:15 – John discusses his musical tastes
- 59:00 – John’s parting words of wisdom
Information Referenced:
- John Branch
- John on Twitter and Instagram
- Sidecountry: Tales of Death and Life from the Back Roads of Sports
- The Last Cowboys: A Pioneer Family in the New West
- Zima
- Colorado Springs Gazette
- New York Times
- Snow Fall
- Stevens Pass
- ‘Battling’ Up a Sheer Yosemite Face, Seizing a Dream, Not a Rope
- Tommy Caldwell
- Jay Bilas
- John Prine
- Dan Barry
- Barry Lopez
- Paul Theroux
- Larry McMurtry
- Louis L’Amour
- The Avett Brothers
- Gin Blossoms
- Smashing Pumpkins
- Counting Crows
- The Kooks
- The Coral
- Tom Petty
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these too:
- Heather Hansman – Demystifying Water in the West
- Monte Burke – Exploring Obsession
- Brendan Leonard, Part 2 – On Running, Creating, and Other Irrational Passions
- Steve Casimiro – Voice of Adventure
- Chris Burkard – The Art of Suffering
- Anna Brones – Committed to Creativity
- Emilene Ostlind – Storytelling for the New West
- Alexis Bonogofsky – Taking a Stand for the West
- Sara Dant – A Deep Dive Into the History of the West
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