Peter Heller is a renowned novelist, as well as an award-winning adventure writer and former contributing editor to Outside, Men’s Journal, and National Geographic Adventure. Since age eleven, Peter has been committed to the craft of writing, and his lifelong love of words and stunning prose are the threads that connect all of his work– from fiction to non-fiction to poetry. His most recent novel, The River, is the culmination of Peter’s decades of storytelling– the book weaves a masterful tale that combines adventure, deep friendships, wild places, chilling violence, and page-turning suspense. [For those of you who subscribe to my bimonthly book recommendations email, you may remember that I devoured the book in less than two days and absolutely loved it!]
Peter was born, raised, and educated on the east coast but headed West soon after college to paddle rivers and immerse himself in the wide-open spaces of the American West. His writing career has taken him to some of the most far-flung corners of the earth. Still, he always returns to the Rockies, where he currently splits his time between Denver and Paonia, a rural community on Colorado’s Western Slope. The people and landscapes of the West play prominent roles in all of Peter’s novels, and his talent for capturing the beauty and complexity of people and wild places is second to none.
We met up at Peter’s home in Denver and had a fun, wide-ranging conversation covering everything from his early obsession with writing to his current writing process to our mutual love of surfing. We discuss his first big paddling trip in Colorado, which started his decades-long love affair with the West. We talk about his early days as a professional writer– discussing everything from how he made it work financially to how he dealt with rejection. We dig into the specifics of his daily writing routine, and why he stops writing at 1,000 words, even if he is mid-scene. We also talk about how he avoids thinking when writing novels, his obsession with “finding the flow” in writing and outdoor pursuits, the importance of momentum, and balancing physical exuberance with the writer’s life. If you love Peter’s books, the West, or learning about writers, you will love this episode.
And as a special bonus, I’m giving away a copy of The River via Instagram. On Friday, January 3, 2020, I’ll post all the details, so head to my Instagram page, give me a follow, and be on the lookout for the giveaway. You can either search by my name- Ed Roberson- or follow this link. The River was one of the best books I read in 2019, so I know you’ll enjoy it too.
Thanks again to Peter for being so generous with his time and so insightful with his answers. I hope you enjoy!
Photo of Peter by John Burcham
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Episode Notes
Topics Discussed:
- 5:00 – Where Peter grew up
- 6:30 – Deciding to be a writer at 11-years old
- 10:00 – Specific disciplines to become a writer
- 10:40 – Peter’s parents’ backgrounds and their influence
- 13:30 – Peter’s love of writing as a career
- 14:50 – Childhood adventures
- 15:40 – Falling in love with the West
- 18:30 – Starting out as a writer
- 21:00 – Dealing with early rejections
- 22:50 – First published story
- 25:00 – “Not thinking” while writing fiction
- 29:00 – Starting Dog Stars
- 31:30 – Peter’s method – 1,000 words per day
- 36:00 – The inevitability of Peter’s stories
- 38:30 – Winslow Homer paintings and other real-life influences [Click to see “The Gulf Stream” painting]
- 41:45 – Importance of confidence and craftsmanship in writing
- 46:50 – Importance of momentum
- 49:00 – Love of entering “the zone” through writing, surfing, fishing, and more.
- 51:30 – Peter’s love for Paonia
- 55:00 – Surfing!
- 1:02:15 – Favorite books
- 1:04:00 – Favorite location in the West
- 1:05:45 – Best advice ever received
Information Referenced:
- Peter Heller
- The River by Peter Heller
- All of Peter’s books
- St Anne’s School
- E.E. Cummings
- In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
- Mad Men
- Nantahala Outdoor Center
- Fishers Island
- John Keats
- The Art of Fiction by John Gardner
- Carlton Cuse
- Elmore Leonard
- Graham Greene
- Life Work by Donald Hall
- The Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer
- NOLS
- Paonia, Colorado
- Brian Calvert episode
- High Country News
- Kook by Peter Heller
- Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
- Mark Twain
Enjoy this episode? Then you might like these as well:
- Hampton Sides – Live at the Aspen Institute
- Chris Dombrowski – Words, Water & the West
- Pete McBride – A Passion for Water & Wild Places
- Heather Hansman – Demystifying Water in the West
- Sara Dant – A Deep Dive Into the History of the West
- William deBuys – Sage of the Southwest
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