Advertise on podcast: Carter Wilson's Making It Up

“It was something that I absolutely had to write. It was an idea that just would not leave me alone.” — Gregory Poirier  Gregory Poirier is an acclaimed screenwriter, director, and producer whose work spans film and television. His credits include National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Knox Goes Away, and Rosewood. A graduate of the USC School of Theater and the UCLA Masters program in screenwriting, he brings a sharp, cinematic eye to fiction. A THOUSAND CUTS is his debut novel.  Among other things, Gregory and Carter discuss living in LA in the 80s, why the film industry has changed so much, and Gregory’s pivot to writing novels. At the end of their conversation, they make up a descriptive story using a line from Clémence Michallon’s The Quiet Tenant.

"If I had delivered this scene to a director, my director would say to me, 'I need the actors to do something. I need some action.' And so then I put in the whole thing about him trying to escape from his ropes... and it made the scene immeasurably better just asking the basic question: what are they doing?" — Arvind Ethan David  Arvind Ethan David is a writer and producer whose work spans Broadway, television, and film. He was a lead producer of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Jagged Little Pill and has written and produced extensively in television, including Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency, Anansi Boys, and the Asian Academy Award winner, The Garden of Evening Mists. His graphic novels include the Stoker-nominated Darkness Visible, and his stage work includes the adaptation of his late mentor Douglas Adams' legendary The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. His debut prose novel, The Great Game, was published in July 2026. Among other things, Arvind and Carter discuss both being inspired by Douglas Adams and Monty Python, how Arvind went to Oxford exclusively to put on comedy shows, and struggling with writing too much dialogue after shifting to writing novels. At the end of their conversation, they make up a descriptive story using a line from Jennifer Givhan’s The Sleeping Sisters.

"If I'm writing strong, I walk away for the day so I can come back tomorrow and take off immediately. Once that energy starts flowing, it carries right through into the next scene." — Mike Papantonio  Mike Papantonio is an American trial lawyer, television presenter, radio talk show host, and author. He is a senior partner with Levin Papantonio, one of America’s largest plaintiffs’ law firms, and was one of the youngest inductees into the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. He has aggressively taken on Big Pharma, tobacco, corporate polluters, and weapons manufacturers, among other bastions of corporate greed, and uses his own cases as springboards for his seven-book series of legal thrillers featuring Nicholas “Deke” Deketomis. Mike’s most recent legal thriller is “A Death in Arcadia,” inspired by the infamous Dozier School for Boys. Among other things, Mike and Carter discuss how Mike’s novels are inspired by real cases he has litigated, the prevalence of “anti-heroes” in Hollywood, and the myth of writer's block. At the end of their conversation, they make up a poetic story using a line from Robert Thorogood’s The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts.

"I'm going to write what I want to write, because that's what I'm going to write best—what makes me feel passionate. It’s all about messed up people doing messed up things." — David Ellis  Welcome to Episode 250 of Making It Up! Our 250th episode features David Ellis, a judge and an Edgar-award-winning author of ten novels of crime fiction, as well as eight bestselling books co-authored with James Patterson. His novels have been translated into more than ten languages worldwide. In December 2014, Dave was sworn in as the youngest-serving Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court for the First District.  Among other things, David and Carter discuss concerns of AI in the writing industry, how plot is less important than character, and how the movie The Sixth Sense is the perfect example of a big plot twist. At the end of their conversation, they make up an interesting story using a line from Alex Finlay’s The Anniversary.

"The difference between a professional writer and an amateur is that the professionals get to the end and write 'The End.' And the thing that helps with that is we have contracts. But I've always found the pressure of a monthly mortgage a very good way of focusing concentration on actually doing your word count for the day." — Robert Thorogood  Robert Thorogood is an English screenwriter and Sunday Times and USA Today Bestselling novelist. He created the BBC One murder mystery series Death in Paradise as well as co-created two spin-off shows from it, Beyond Paradise and Return to Paradise. Since then, he's written The Marlow Murder Club series of murder mystery novels, which he turned into a TV series for PBS and UKTV.  Among other things, Robert and Carter discuss the feeling of seeing your book in person for the first time, writing series versus standalones, and how Robert emulates Agatha Christie in the way he plans out his stories.

"Once upon a time when I was young, I wanted to be an actor. And I think writing in first person is like being an actor—you’re climbing inside this role and it gets you outside of yourself. Third person just felt like a middle-aged suburban dad telling a story." — Joe Moldover  Joseph Moldover is the author of the Young Adult novels Every Moment After and Just Until. His adult debut, To the End of Reckoning, is forthcoming in 2026. His short fiction has appeared in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Stonecoast Review, MonkeyBicycle, One Teen Story, and elsewhere. From 2020-2023 he co-hosted the online program and podcast Authors Love Bookstores for A Mighty Blaze. Joe is also a clinical psychologist and specializes in learning and developmental challenges. He is the author of The Empowered Parent, a short guide for parents of children with special needs. Among other things, Joe and Carter discuss writing YA fiction, how Joe started writing short fiction through an online class, and the pressure of living up to a high advance from your publisher. At the end of their conversation, they make up an eerie story using a line from Matt Goldman’s The Murder Show.

"Publishing is very married to the idea of you as a writer having a brand... I have ADHD, I get really bored writing the same thing over and over again—I actually can't do it. My brand is just women with mental health issues; it doesn't matter what genre or time period it's in." — Maria Dong  Maria Dong is the author of Aviary, Psychopomp, and Liar, Dreamer, Thief. Her short fiction, articles, and poetry have been published in dozens of magazines, like the Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Lightspeed, Augur, Nightmare, Khoreo, Fantasy, Apex, and Apparition Literary Magazine, and her story, In the Beginning of Me, I was a Bird, was a finalist for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award.  Among other things, Maria and Carter discuss deviating from your original vision when writing, their appreciation for copy editors, and why Maria enjoys reading her negative reviews. At the end of their conversation, they make up an intense story using a line from Alex Finlay’s The Anniversary.

"I wrote the story that I thought I would want to read... I tell people, this was like a love letter to those years that I got to spend in a completely different part of the world... I met so many fascinating people who opened their hearts and told me their stories." — Radha Lin Chaddah  Born in London, Radha grew up in Kenya, the UK, and the US and majored in Biology at the University of Chicago, earned medical and law degrees at the University of Illinois, and a Master of Public Health at Harvard University. She completed Internal Medicine residency training and later practiced at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Radha worked as a primary care physician in Boston, NYC, and Beijing; worked with the China CDC to co-write the book, HIV/AIDS: Beyond the Numbers; and provided mental healthcare to patients as a telemedicine doctor. And the Ancestors Sing is her debut novel.  Among other things, Radha and Carter discuss having an international worldview growing up, how Radha interviewed Chinese sex-workers from the 1980s as research for her book with the China CDC, and the struggles of getting her book published during COVID. At the end of their conversation, they make up a gripping story using a line from Mailan Doquang’s Ceylon Sapphires.

"I'm constantly thinking that I'm the total underdog here... I sent off like half a dozen applications, and three days after an agent told me I'd never be published, I had offers from two of the biggest agencies in London. I thought, 'Okay, nobody knows anything in this business." — Steve Cavanagh  Steve Cavanagh is the multi-million bestselling author of the Eddie Flynn novels and standalone thrillers. In 2018 The Liar won the Crime Writers Association Gold Dagger for crime novel of the year. In 2019 Thirteen won the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Novel of the year 2019. All of his novels have either been nominated for awards, or have won awards internationally. He is a former lawyer, and was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where he still lives.   Among other things, Steve and Carter discuss word-of-mouth press, how the passing of Steve’s mother inspired him to write his first novel, and how your books’ covers contribute to your brand. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from Harlan Coben’s The Woods.

"Everything that I do between directing, acting, producing, being an author… it's all storytelling. And that's the one piece of confidence that I've always had clarity on. I'm a storyteller." — Eriq La Salle  Actor, director, producer, and masterful storyteller Eriq La Salle is best known to worldwide television audiences for his award-winning portrayal of Dr. Peter Benton on the medical drama ER. Educated at Juilliard and NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, his credits range from Broadway to film roles, starring alongside Eddie Murphy in Coming to America, Robin Williams in One Hour Photo, and Hugh Jackman in Logan. La Salle has worked as a director for HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Amazon Prime, ABC NBC, Fox and CBS productions. As a writer, La Salle is the author of several critically-acclaimed thrillers published by Sourcebooks—Laws of Depravity (2022), Laws of Wrath (2023), and Laws of Annihilation (2023).  Among other things, Eriq and Carter discuss Eriq’s journey entering the writing industry when he already had a degree of fame, feeling like a “real” writer when you self-publish, and the movie The Godfather. At the end of their conversation, they make up a fascinating story using a line from Lisa Gardner’s Kiss Her Goodbye.

"Anyone who's ever taught writing has said it wasn't the young 'genius' in the room who ended up making it as a writer... It's about stamina. It's about becoming really good at learning—an autodidact who's like, 'I'm just going to keep learning. I'm going to figure out how to do this." — Andromeda Romano-Lax  Andromeda Romano-Lax worked as a freelance journalist and travel writer before turning to fiction. Her first novel, The Spanish Bow, was chosen as a New York Times Editors’ Choice, BookSense pick, and one of Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year. Her novels have been an Amazon Book of the Month, a winner of the Sunburst Award, and a Booklist Top 10 Historical Fiction Book of the Year. ​Starting with The Deepest Lake (a Barnes & Noble Monthly Pick and Amazon Book of the Month) and continuing with her next novel, What Boys Learn, Andromeda has swerved into the world of suspense fiction.  Among other things, Andromeda and Carter discuss how Andromeda got varying academic degrees to have a broad knowledge base, how thinking of the audience can hinder your writing, and to what extent authors should experiment with different genres. At the end of their conversation, they make up a twisted story using a line from Stephen King’s Just After Sunset.

"A lot of it is learning to trust your reader too. I feel like I'm tempted to do a lot of handholding when I write... and you have to go through with a red pen after and say, 'Okay, what is really not needed? What can the reader figure out on their own?' ... You're not writing books for idiots, so don't act like they're idiots." — Corinne Sullivan  Corinne Sullivan is the senior news editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers celebrity and entertainment news. She graduated from Boston College in 2014 with a degree in English and creative writing. She went on to receive her MFA in fiction from Sarah Lawrence College. Her stories have appeared in literary magazines such as Night Train, Knee-Jerk, and Pithead Chapel, among other publications, and her 2018 debut novel, Indecent, was included on several "best of" lists. Among other things, Corinne and Carter discuss trying to become an editorial assistant after getting her MFA, lessons on the writing industry that Corinne has learned from being a senior news editor at Cosmopolitan, and how descriptive writing can slow a story down. At the end of their conversation, they make up a suspenseful story using a line from BJ Magnani’s We’ll Always Have Poison.

"The mom guilt—you hit the nail on the head. I’m like, 'Sorry guys, mommy’s writing a murder chapter right now, somebody’s getting murdered.' But at the end of the day, writing is a passion... and it makes me a better mom." — Rachael Ramas  Rachael Ramas is a multi-faceted storytelling force whose creative pursuits span novels, screenwriting, and film production. As both a published author and active member of prestigious writing organizations, Ramas continues pushing boundaries in thriller literature while advocating for authentic representation. Her debut thriller, Objects in Lakes, was released in May 2026, and her second novel, Meanwhile, in Florida, is set to be released in April 2027. Among other things, Rachael and Carter discuss writing from different points of view, how Rachael is preparing for her first book tour, and the challenge of boasting about yourself and your book as a modest person. At the end of their conversation, they make up an intense story using a line from Matthew Sullivan’s Midnight in Soap Lake.

"I don't like when violence is trivialized in any genre... someone's dead, like the little jokes or the puns or the whatever, it doesn't work for me... I can't buy into that atmosphere. There has to be… it's not even a ripple effect. It's a freaking tsunami when there's a violent death. So let the storm come, you know, I want to see it. I want to feel it." — Ellery Adams  Ellery Adams is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of over 40 novels, including the Books by the Bay mysteries, the Charmed Pie Shoppe mysteries, and the Book Retreat mysteries. She grew up on a beach near the Long Island Sound. Adams has held many jobs, including caterer, retail clerk, car salesperson, teacher, tutor, and tech writer, all the while penning poems, children’s books, and novels. Among other things, Ellery and Carter discuss the fluidity of the horror genre, storytelling as a child, and setting a story in the 1980s. At the end of their conversation, they make up a descriptive story using a line from R.H. Herron’s Stolen Things.

"I remember rereading it and being like, 'This is what I have been looking for... through all of these jobs and career to careers, that thing that brings me happiness on a day-to-day level.' And also that macro level satisfaction of like, ‘I'm kind of proud of what I created,’ you know? It's those two levels that I think are really, really hard to find. And I think it's worth trying to go from thing to thing, trying to find that for yourself, whatever that may be." — Angie Kim  Angie Kim moved as a preteen from Seoul, South Korea, to the suburbs of Baltimore. She studied philosophy at Stanford University and attended Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. Her debut novel, Miracle Creek, won the Edgar Award and the ITW Thriller Award, and was named one of the 100 best mysteries and thrillers of all time by Time, and one of the best books of the year by Time, The Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, and the Today show. Happiness Falls, her second novel, was an instant New York Times bestseller and a book club pick for Good Morning America, Barnes & Noble, Belletrist, and Book of the Month Club. Among other things, Angie and Carter discuss how Angie immigrated from Korea in middle school, using writing as a form of therapy, and how Angie fictionalized her personal life and started her writing career. At the end of their conversation, they make up an intriguing story using a line from Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking.