EP 69 - Matteson Perry

Matteson Perry discusses winning The Moth Grand Slam, his writing process and why it is ok to ask for things in this episode. Enjoy! Show Notes: 8:41 - Matteson's writing process in the early morning. 9:38 - The double rejection of MBA school and the girlfriend. 13:10 - The chocolate heart story. 15:07 - Valuable lessons learned during his year of being single. 20:05 - How writing an essay that was placed in the New York Times ended up being a big break. 22:08 - "The best thing about writing is that you don't need anyone's permission." 25:23 - The emotions after winning The Moth Grand Slam. 28:38 - "You don't tell people about your victories, you tell people about your failures." 33:35 - Matteson's favorite season of The Wire. 37:00 - How has Matteson been able to stay so disciplined with his writing. 39:00 - There is a difference between being nice and being kind. 39:44 - "It's ok to ask for things … it doesn't mean you have lost if you ask for something." How to reach Matteson: Website | Twitter Book Recommendations: "Exit West" by Mohsin Hamid "The Sympathizer" by Viet Thanh Nguyen "Why Buddism is True" by Robert Wright