How NY Times Bestselling Author Jessica Knoll Writes
The Writer Files: Writing, Productivity, Creativity, and NeuroscienceShow Notes
New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll spoke with us about her career trajectory from magazine editor to novelist and screenwriter, the allure of dark romance, and her latest erotic thriller, HELPLESS.
Jessica Knoll is the New York Times bestselling author of Bright Young Women, The Favorite Sister, and Luckiest Girl Alive — now a major motion picture on Netflix starring Mila Kunis. She adapted and executive-produced Luckiest Girl Alive for the screen.
In 2021, she was named a screenwriter to watch by Variety, and in 2019, her original script, ‘Til Death, sold to Amazon and made The Black List.
Her latest novel, Helpless, was named a New York Times, Oprah Daily, Crime Reads, Town & Country, and Bookpage Most Anticipated Book.
Booklist described Helpless as “[A] taut contemporary tale of the explosive reunion of two former lovers… Knoll's twisty tale of psychological suspense, with its exploration of a nuanced relationship with elements of submission and control, will get readers talking.” And the New York Times Book Review wrote, “Knoll is the author of really unsettling thrillers… [Helpless] is like Misery but with your ex.”
Before writing fiction, Knoll built a career in editorial journalism, serving as a senior editor at Cosmopolitan and as articles editor at Self magazine. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Vogue.
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In this file Jessica Knoll, Milena, and I discussed:
Writing her first novel in under ten months
How she taught herself the screenwriting craft
Why you need to write the book you want to read
How to write “low-fat” novels
The first time she understood that unlikable characters can anchor your fiction
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
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jessicaknoll.com
Helpless: A Novel by Jessica Knoll (Amazon)
Jessica Knoll Amazon Author Page
Jessica Knoll on Facebook
Jessica Knoll on TikTok
Jessica Knoll on Instagram
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