From Paris-Thoughts on Life and Work with James Navé

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio. I'm your host, James Navé, coming to you solo today from Paris on rue Dauphine—a neighborhood I've been visiting since 1985. In this episode, I wander through the contours of my own story, musing on what it means to write from personal experience, especially when the backdrop is as evocative as Paris. Lately, I've considered the difference between being "a writer" and simply "a person who writes." It's a subtle shift, but it's made all the difference. I write longhand now, in fragments, imperfectly, but I'm happy with what's coming out. I'm not chasing the polished story. I'm following the thread. This podcast is a bit like that—fragmented but full of narrative moments. You'll hear my reflections on the inspiration of small details: how a coffee shop hums, taxies waiting at curbs, people asking for change, men smoking cigars at café tables, and pigeons waddling along sidewalks.   Paris is romantic, but it's also a working and walking city; I average about five miles a day here. It's 2025, and more now than ever, artists and creatives are responsible for making meaning—through books, images, conversations, poems, and songs. Can we shape meaning for ourselves? Can we offer a little something for others as well? I hope you enjoy the show.