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Mitch Albom on Storytelling, Tuesdays with Morrie, and the Craft of Writing

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125,326 views vs a median of 167,601 across the channel's last 8 long-form uploads · as of Oct 29

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Bestselling author and veteran journalist Mitch Albom joins David Perell on 'How I Write' to break down his storytelling philosophy, writing habits, and narrative craft. Albom discusses learning narrative timing at family dinner tables, whittling down prose to its bare emotional core, anchoring every project to a single universal theme, and exploring the painful dimensions of lost love in his novel Twice.

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Source: How to Write Exceptionally Well (Mitch Albom Interview) · David Perell
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    In this extensive interview on How I Write, host David Perell speaks with prolific author Mitch Albom about the principles that govern compelling storytelling across journalism, memoir, and fiction. Albom explains that every piece of writing must remain firmly tethered to a central idea1:08, likening the author's primary theme to a spacewalker's lifeline—deviations and anecdotes are welcome only if the writer never severs that fundamental cord. He emphasizes knowing the ending before beginning a book, which provides an unmistakable North Star toward which the narrative continually sails.

    Albom traces his storytelling instincts back to listening to relatives at the dinner table4:15 as a boy, observing the sharp contrast between aunts who got stalled by minor trivia and uncles who drove military war tales forward with relentless momentum. This taught him to eliminate sluggish passages and keep prose lean. In his early reporting days, critiques of wordiness pushed him to ruthlessly strip away unnecessary adjectives, eventually resulting in the stripped-down emotional style17:35 that came to define Tuesdays with Morrie. Rather than indulging in ornate descriptions of terminal illness, Albom let Morrie Schwartz’s words carry the narrative weight, accidentally creating a physical short-format masterpiece that publishers initially worried was far too brief.

    Discipline and deadline pressure form another cornerstone of Albom’s craft. Conditioned by decades as a sports columnist writing under intense printing deadlines24:25, Albom treats creative writing strictly like a day job. He adheres to a strict three-hour morning routine28:45, drafting in absolute silence without checking emails, music, or news. He emphasizes the psychological habit of quitting for the day mid-sentence so he can easily pick up the momentum the following morning, avoiding the dread of writer's block.

    Throughout the discussion, Albom shares practical narrative tactics, such as finding oblique perspectives on famous events31:35—citing Jimmy Breslin profiling John F. Kennedy's gravedigger—and unearthing universal humanity over statistics, demonstrated by his iconic column on Derek Redmond and his father51:20 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He also analyzes the innate musical rhythm1:02:40 required for prose to flow effortlessly, before detailing his novel Twice, which turns away from combustible young passion to examine the maintenance of long-term love1:24:45 and the unique tragedy of a partner who remains physically present after their emotional connection has evaporated.

    Highlights
    1. 1:08Staying tethered to the core theme
    2. 8:10Starting with themes rather than plots or characters
    3. 28:45The three-hour daily writing routine and stopping mid-sentence
    4. 31:35Jimmy Breslin and telling huge stories through unexpected angles
    5. 51:20The Barcelona Olympics Derek Redmond father-and-son story
    6. 1:02:40Musical rhythm and sentence cadence in prose
    Chapters across the 1:37:54 runtime
    How it's told

    In-depth studio interview structured like a writing masterclass

    Format: Interview. Host David Perell interviews author Mitch Albom on storytelling mechanics, daily writing routines, and finding universal themes. Albom illustrates his craft principles with anecdotes from journalism, novel writing, and personal grief.

    Story arc

    1. 0:00IntroductionDavid Perell introduces Mitch Albom's extensive bestselling career and sets the masterclass premise.
    2. 0:43Serving the StoryAlbom explains the necessity of staying tethered to a single core idea throughout narrative development.
    3. 3:15Dinner Table PacingAlbom traces his storytelling roots to family dinner conversations and storytelling sessions at his orphanage.
    4. 6:06Sentence WhittlingAlbom describes learning prose economy and cutting unnecessary clutter from his mother's critiques.
    5. 8:00Theme FirstAlbom breaks down starting novels from universal human themes rather than plots or characters.
    6. 12:42Measuring ImpactAlbom evaluates storytelling success based on lasting emotional resonance rather than ephemeral sales.
    7. 14:56Restraint in MorrieAlbom recounts the origin of Tuesdays with Morrie and maintaining stylistic simplicity.
    8. 22:36Deadline DisciplineAlbom discusses how sports journalism deadlines eliminated writer's block and trained decisive drafting.
    9. 27:21Professional CraftAlbom treats writing as daily blue-collar labor and describes playing music in the Rock Bottom Remainders.
    10. 29:05Morning RoutineAlbom reveals his three-hour morning routine and the momentum trick of stopping mid-sentence.
    11. 30:23Unexpected AnglesAlbom examines Jimmy Breslin's JFK gravedigger column as the prime model for fresh narrative angles.
    12. 32:20Journalistic EmotionAlbom discusses emotional engagement versus clinical detachment when writing about sports and community.
    13. 38:03Character ArcsAlbom explains structuring character transformations and redemptive arcs across long narratives.
    14. 42:40Serving ReadersAlbom cautions writers against self-indulgence, emphasizing that stories belong primarily to the reader.
    15. 45:32Capturing IdeasAlbom explains filing story concepts away for years until the appropriate format and moment emerge.
    16. 47:00Overcoming Writer's BlockAlbom recounts veteran columnist Dick Young's advice on forcing immediate prose on deadline.
    17. 50:06Olympic NarrativeAlbom dissects the Derek Redmond 1992 Olympic race to illustrate uncovering universal themes in sport.
    18. 54:55Narrative ModulationAlbom explains pacing climaxes, modulating reader energy, and using transitional scenes effectively.
    19. 1:01:08Prose RhythmAlbom connects his musical background to prose rhythm, demonstrating phrasing and sentence cadence.
    20. 1:09:23Writing on FaithAlbom discusses approaching spiritual themes and humility without slipping into didacticism.
    21. 1:14:11The Rabbi's FileAlbom recounts opening Rabbi Albert Lewis's posthumous sermon file labeled 'God'.
    22. 1:22:23Enduring Love in TwiceAlbom discusses his novel Twice and explores long-term romantic commitment against sudden infatuation.
    23. 1:30:46Testing ResonanceAlbom describes reading manuscript endings out loud to his wife as an emotional litmus test.
    24. 1:32:56Loss of Life vs. LoveAlbom examines real-life examples of devotion, comparing grief from loss of life to loss of love.
    25. 1:36:53Musical CodaAlbom sings acapella lines about yearning for lost love and concludes with final reflections.

    Setups and payoffs

    1. 1:06Setup Mitch introduces the astronaut safety tether metaphor to explain staying anchored to a narrative core.
      ↳
      2:35Payoff Mitch applies the tether concept to knowing the story's ending beforehand as a guiding North Star.
    2. 4:06Setup Mitch recalls family dinner stories bogged down by trivial dates and side details.
      ↳
      7:11Payoff Mitch shows how he learned to whittle down prose sentences to prevent bogging down reader momentum.
    3. 9:51Setup Mitch's novel Twice is introduced via graphic and theme setup.
      ↳
      1:22:28Payoff Mitch dives into Twice's central themes of romantic longevity, regret, and re-living choices.
    4. 20:27Setup Editor Bill Thomas tells Mitch that book readers grant authors more time than newspaper readers.
      ↳
      21:05Payoff Mitch explains learning to modulate prose depth while maintaining his journalistic discipline.
    5. 28:44Setup Mitch mentions his strict three-hour uninterrupted morning writing block.
      ↳
      1:03:05Payoff Mitch describes how unconscious physical rocking signals deep flow state during those morning sessions.
    6. 1:01:08Setup Mitch links his background as a pianist to understanding prose cadence and phrasing.
      ↳
      1:06:13Payoff Mitch sings Paul Simon lyrics aloud to illustrate how percussion beds drive lyrical language.
    7. 1:14:36Setup Mitch describes Rabbi Albert Lewis keeping a mysterious folder labeled 'God'.
      ↳
      1:15:15Payoff Mitch discovers the humorously insightful final sermon cassette tape left inside the folder.

    Devices

    • MetaphorThe astronaut's safety tether in open space used to define staying connected to the central premise.1:33
    • Character ImpressionImitating family members around the dinner table to illustrate slow, detailed storytelling versus quick punchiness.4:42
    • MetaphorContrasting a quick match spark against a steady fireplace flame to differentiate infatuation from long-term love.1:25:00
    • Vocal DemonstrationSinging acapella lines by Paul Simon and Barry Manilow to demonstrate the rhythm of language.1:06:131:37:03
    • Prop DemonstrationDisplaying physical hardcover copies of Albom's books to emphasize career scope and physical formatting.0:08

    From the video's own structure, matched to the transcript and on-screen text.

    Teardown

    A legendary author's airport-bestseller credentials and a weird thumbnail instruction pull in craft-focused writers, while intimate industry war stories and physical demonstrations sustain a 97-minute studio dialogue.

    About typical for the channel: 0.8× its typical views (125,326 vs a median of 167,601 across the channel's last 8 long-form uploads, as of Oct 29) · Long-form interview · 385 days old

    The promise

    Viewers expect to learn unconventional, elite writing techniques directly from bestselling author Mitch Albom.

    Packaging

    How it looks in the feed

    Show the feed as
    1:37:54

    How to Write Exceptionally Well (Mitch Albom Interview)

    David Perell125K views · 1y agoYou can’t walk through an airport without seeing a Mitch Albom book on one of the shelves. He’s most famous for writing Tuesdays with Morrie, which may very…

    Views and age as of the teardown, Oct 29, 2026. Other videos are blanked out.

    • 4/5Thumbnail imageA crisp, well-lit portrait of Mitch Albom with an engaged expression gives immediate authorial weight. The blurred bookshelf background subtly reinforces the literary subject matter.Mitch Albom occupies the left half of the frame mid-speech against a warm, dimly lit bookshelf background.
    • 5/5Thumbnail text““Stop writing mid-sentence””At four words, it delivers a counterintuitive instruction that instantly sparks curiosity. The serif font style visually aligns with literature and book publishing.White stylized quotation reading '“Stop writing mid-sentence”' takes up the right half of the image.
    • 3/5TitleClear and searchable, but the phrasing feels standard and lacks tension. Appending an interview tag signals a long-form conversation rather than a fast-paced tutorial.The title states 'How to Write Exceptionally Well (Mitch Albom Interview)' without added stakes or specific metrics.
    • 4/5Title + thumbnailThe thumbnail text creates an intriguing puzzle, and the title provides the context of who is giving the advice. Together they turn a basic interview into an actionable craft breakdown.The thumbnail gives a strange specific action while the title names the instructor and the ultimate goal.

    Curiosity gap: Why would deliberately stopping in the middle of a sentence make you a significantly better writer?

    The three hooks

    The title, the thumbnail text and the first words spoken each make a promise, and each does a different job.

    • Title“How to Write Exceptionally Well (Mitch Albom Interview)”How-toOutcomeCuriosityIt makes the viewer want to discover the exact habits that turn ordinary writing into exceptional prose.
    • Thumbnail text““Stop writing mid-sentence””Contrarian takeCuriosityNoveltyIt makes the viewer want to understand why stopping mid-thought would improve writing rather than ruin it.
    • First words spoken“I challenge you to walk through an airport without seeing one of Mitch Albom's books on the shelves.”AuthorityCuriosityProofIt challenges the viewer to recognize Mitch Albom's inescapable airport bestseller status and makes them want to learn the storytelling craft behind 40 million sales.
    • PairingDifferent jobsThe thumbnail hooks with a weird, counterintuitive piece of advice while the title establishes the broad promise and the guest's identity.
    • StakesFitsThe packaging promises elite writing advice from Mitch Albom, and the conversation delivers direct, actionable explanations of his drafting, editing, and pacing systems.
    • UrgencyNoneThe video is framed as an evergreen, masterclass-style conversation with no time-sensitive urgency or manufactured fear of missing out.

    The first 20 seconds

    TimeWhat you seeWhat you hearWhat it does
    0:00Host sitting in a leather chair in a library setting, speaking directly to camera.I challenge you to walk through an airport...Hooks viewer with a direct challenge establishing a relatable scenario.
    0:01Host gestures with his hand to emphasize his point....without seeing...Builds momentum into the subject introduction.
    0:02Host finishes gesture; cut begins to book graphic....one of Mitch Albom's books...Names the guest and connects him to airport bestseller ubiquity.
    0:03Book cover graphic of 'The Stranger in the Lifeboat' appears on screen....on the shelves.Visually introduces Mitch Albom's work to trigger recognition.
    0:04Book cover transitions to 'Finding Chika'.It's just not going to happen. He's everywhere.Reinforces the claim of Albom's inescapable bestseller status.
    0:05Book cover transitions to 'The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto'.He is famous for...Shows breadth of the author's catalog in rapid succession.
    0:06Book cover transitions to 'For One More Day'....writing The Five People You Meet in Heaven...Names one of his most recognized global hits.
    0:07Warm flash transition back to the host holding up a copy of 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven'....and then there's...Grounds the claim with physical proof in the host's hands.
    0:08Host displays the physical book to the camera....Tuesdays with Morrie...Brings up the author's defining cultural masterpiece.
    0:09Host swaps books, reaching for his other hand....which...Keeps visual interest moving through physical prop handling.
    0:10Host holds up a copy of 'Tuesdays with Morrie'....I think at one point...Shows the exact iconic cover viewers recognize.
    0:11Host holds the book steady facing camera....was the...Prepares the viewer for a massive credential reveal.
    0:12Host begins gesturing with the book in hand....best-selling memoir...Delivers the huge historical sales benchmark.
    0:13Text graphic 'Best-selling memoir' appears in large serif font....of all time.Reinforces the record-breaking claim with on-screen text.
    0:14Host lowers the book and continues talking with open posture.He's written 14 books...Stacks another quantitative proof point.
    0:15Host gestures emphatically to emphasize career scope....he's sold...Builds anticipation toward the final sales metric.
    0:16Still photo of Mitch Albom sitting with the host, holding up books, text '14 Books'....more than 40...Visually confirms Mitch Albom's presence in the studio.
    0:17Cut to video of Mitch Albom in the studio chair laughing, text '40'....million...Introduces the guest's personality and warmth in live footage.
    0:18Text updates to '40 Million' over footage of Mitch Albom smiling....copies...Delivers the headline sales figure in bold text.
    0:19Camera punches in closer on Mitch Albom smiling in interview lighting.[music swell]Lands the guest's authority before kicking into the interview.
    0:20Mitch Albom looks directly at the host, ready to speak.[music resolves]Transitions smoothly from authority setup to the conversation.
    Click confirmation
    Immediately delivers within two seconds by naming Mitch Albom and flashing his most recognizable book covers.
    Time to the point
    0:03
    Hook
    bold claim, authority
    Reason to stay
    Establishes Mitch Albom as a 40-million-copy author to promise the viewer will learn how to write from an undeniable master.
    Missing on purpose
    No show intro sequence, no host greeting, and no channel call-to-action before proving the guest's credentials.
    Pace and texture
    Fast cuts every 1 to 2 seconds mixing host talking, rapid book cover stills, on-screen sales metrics, and studio B-roll.

    Story map

    Tutorial. David Perell seeks to extract the actionable storytelling mechanics behind 40 million book sales, while Mitch Albom works through his 45-year career to prove that great prose comes from emotional discipline, tight editing, and musical cadence rather than ornate vocabulary.

    TimeSectionNew tensionStakesTurnLoops
    0:00 –3:00Introduction & Serving the Central StoryCan an author with 40 million book sales reduce his storytelling method to a simple repeatable principle?RiseDavid asks about narrative craft, therefore Albom introduces the astronaut safety tether metaphor to show how every scene must connect to one central theme.Opens: How does Albom stay tethered to an idea when drafting a whole book?Closes: Establishes Albom's massive sales authority with hard book numbers.
    3:00 –7:50Dinner Table Pacing & Sentence WhittlingHow do you avoid losing modern readers who have zero patience?RiseAlbom wanted to tell complex tales, but his family's impatient dinner table reactions forced him to whittle out every unnecessary clause.Opens: Where did Albom's signature pint-sized book style come from?Closes: Shows how childhood impressions shaped his instinct for narrative speed.
    7:50 –14:55Starting with Themes: Five People & TwiceShould a novelist invent memorable characters first or build an intricate plot first?HoldMost writers focus on plot, but Albom ignores plot completely to anchor the entire project to a universal human lesson.Opens: How did Albom apply this theme-first method to his novel Twice?Closes: Clarifies why 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven' was built around worth rather than afterlife lore.
    14:55 –22:35Tuesdays with Morrie, Understatement & Self-EditingHow do you tackle heavy subjects like terminal illness without turning melodramatic?RiseAlbom lacked confidence to write flowery prose about dying, therefore he stripped away all decoration and produced a 160-page cultural phenomenon.Opens: How does Albom handle his own brutal drafting and editing process?Closes: Explains the accidental origin of his trademark physical book dimensions.
    22:35 –30:25Deadlines, Writers' Band & Morning RoutinesHow do professional writers overcome writer's block and keep creating on demand?HoldSports journalism forced simultaneous win/loss columns under live buzzer deadlines, therefore Albom limits daily book drafting to three focused morning hours.Opens: What is the momentum trick Albom uses to guarantee morning flow?Closes: Answers the thumbnail quote 'Stop writing mid-sentence' at 29:50.
    30:25 –37:55Perspective, Jimmy Breslin & Sports PassionHow do you report an event when hundreds of competing journalists are watching the exact same room?HoldEveryone covered JFK's national funeral speeches, but Jimmy Breslin interviewed the gravedigger preparing the dirt hole.Opens: Can sports writing succeed if you openly express love for the home team?Closes: Demonstrates how unconventional peripheral angles capture universal grief better than bird's-eye views.
    37:55 –47:55Character Transformation & Serving ReadersWhy do promising book concepts fail to hold interest past chapter three?RiseWriters often indulge their private interests, but readers only care about watching a broken protagonist transform by the final page.Opens: How does Albom collect and organize concepts over multiple decades?Closes: Provides Albom's checklist for starting a protagonist at an emotional zero.
    47:55 –54:45Finding Universal Humanity: The Derek Redmond StoryShould a reporter cover the record-breaking Olympic superstar or an injured runner in a minor qualifying heat?RiseCarl Lewis was running the premier 100-meter final, but Albom abandoned it to report on a father assisting his hobbled son across the finish line.Opens: How do you translate an emotional sports scene into a structured chapter climax?Closes: Proves that shared human vulnerability beats technical stats and box scores.
    54:45 –1:02:30Pacing, Narrative Crescendo & Cinematic StructureHow do you prevent non-stop heavy drama from exhausting the reader?HoldHis Holocaust manuscript was becoming emotionally suffocating, therefore Albom inserted a quiet fable about an imprisoned tower painter to let readers breathe.Opens: How does a writer measure whether a paragraph's internal rhythm is working?Closes: Explains how modulating reader heart rates works across chapter endings.
    1:02:30 –1:09:10Musicality, Sentence Rhythm & CadenceWhy do some grammatically correct sentences feel clumsy and flat?HoldProse should communicate logical thought, but Albom edits entirely by sound and involuntary bodily rocking.Opens: How do song lyric structures like Paul Simon's translate into prose?Closes: Shows that physical cadence must govern paragraph transitions.
    1:09:10 –1:18:45Humility & Writing About FaithHow can an author address religious belief without coming off preachy?HoldTheological books often sound arrogant, therefore Albom emphasizes doubt, self-deprecation, and humor.Opens: What was written inside the deceased rabbi's private folder marked 'God'?Closes: Reveals the comedic audio cassette punchline left behind by Rabbi Lewis.
    1:18:45 –1:22:45Songwriting Hooks & South DetroitWhy do certain lyrical phrases stick forever even when they make zero geographical sense?FallJourney wrote about 'South Detroit' which is actually Canada, yet the melody sold the line anyway.Opens: How does this musical hook concept apply back to long-term love in novel writing?Closes: Concludes the digression on pop music hooks.
    1:22:45 –1:32:55Exploring Romantic Commitment in 'Twice'Why is long-term emotional loyalty harder to portray compellingly than a quick whirlwind infatuation?HoldPop culture celebrates the combustible match strike of new love, but Albom focused his novel on tending a quiet fireplace flame.Opens: How does Albom verify whether his emotional book endings actually work on an audience?Closes: Pays off the setup of 'Twice' by breaking down its relationship climax.
    1:32:55 –1:37:54Unique Grief of Lost Love vs. Death & ConclusionIs it more painful to mourn someone who died or someone who is alive but no longer loves you?HoldDeath brings clear finality, whereas lost love forces you to watch your former partner continue living without you.Closes: Closes the interview with an acapella song verse and closing credits.

    Payoff: delivered fully at 29:50. Albom delivers the exact thumbnail promise by explaining why he deliberately quits his morning writing session mid-sentence so he can resume the next day without staring at a blank page. Ending: Albom sings an acapella line from an old ballad about lost love before the host concludes the session with brief studio pleasantries and warm handshakes.

    Leaks

    Where a viewer might leave. Guesses from watching, not retention data.

    • 1:25 The opening two minutes lean heavily on host talking-head praise and book cover graphics without jumping immediately into the conversation.
    • 32:48 The host pauses the writing tutorial flow to share a lengthy personal anecdote about cheering in a college press box.
    • 43:04 The dialogue meanders into Albom's personal affinity for 1950s doo-wop bands before connecting back to publishing principles.
    • 1:18:45 The conversation shifts into casual music banter about Journey lyrics and Detroit geography, breaking the craft-instruction momentum.

    Steal this

    1. Quantified credential flash Rapidly displays total books published and lifetime copies sold alongside physical paperbacks to cement authority in the first 20 seconds. 0:16
    2. Physical action as metronome Ties abstract creative flow states to an observable bodily cue (rocking back and forth at the desk) to help viewers diagnose their own writing blocks. 1:02:46
    3. Contrast-based scene pacing Inserts a low-stakes quiet fable immediately following a sequence of intense trauma to reset reader emotional stamina. 56:19
    4. Aural line recitation Sings a lyrical passage aloud acapella to demonstrate cadence and meter in language rather than just defining it intellectually. 1:06:14

    Skip this

    • Extensive discussions about personal relationships with deceased mentors and private book royalty agreements. Albom's unique cultural stature from 'Tuesdays with Morrie' lets him reflect on legacy publishing arrangements that do not apply to regular creators.
    • Long digressions about celebrity rock bands. Mentioning Stephen King and Amy Tan as casual bandmates works strictly because of Albom's elite literary peer group.

    Open questions

    • What portion of viewers who clicked for the writing tutorial dropped off when the talk turned into a retrospective on his back catalog?
    • Did viewers watching for Albom's literary work leave during the extended sports journalism anecdotes?
    • How many viewers made it through the full 97 minutes versus scrubbing directly to the thumbnail quote at minute 29?

    Teardown by Avail.video from the thumbnail, the title, the first 20 seconds and the report's notes on the whole video.

    On screen

    Everything the video showed you

    Slides, frameworks, quotes and formulas, captured verbatim with the moment they appeared. Tap any card to jump there.

    Reference shelf

    People, ideas and things mentioned

    Said means mentioned aloud; Shown means it appeared on screen.

    People33

    • Mitch AlbomBestselling author, journalist, playwright, and musician.0:00Said + shown0:05Said + shown0:30Said + shown
    • David PerellWriter, teacher, and host of the 'How I Write' podcast.0:00Said + shown
    • Tom ClancyBestselling American techno-thriller novelist.6:28Said
    • Joan DidionAmerican essayist and novelist noted for razor-sharp prose economy.19:05Said19:07Said
    • Bill ThomasBook editor who worked with Mitch Albom.20:27Said
    • Vinnie JohnsonFormer professional basketball guard for the Detroit Pistons.25:27Said
    • Stephen KingProlific American horror author and member of Rock Bottom Remainders.27:28Said
    • Amy TanAmerican novelist and member of Rock Bottom Remainders.27:30Said
    • Dave BarryPulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist and author.27:31Said
    • Scott TurowAmerican author and legal thriller novelist.27:32Said
    • Ridley PearsonAmerican suspense and thriller author.27:32Said
    • James McBrideNational Book Award-winning American writer and musician.27:35Said
    • Frank McCourtPulitzer Prize-winning Irish-American memoirist and author of Angela's Ashes.27:37Said
    • Greg IlesNovelist and member of the Rock Bottom Remainders.28:04Said
    • Red SmithPulitzer Prize-winning American sports columnist.28:28Said
    • John F. Kennedy35th President of the United States.30:31Said
    • Jimmy BreslinPulitzer Prize-winning columnist noted for street-level reporting.30:35Said30:37Said
    • Bill SimmonsProminent sports analyst, writer, and podcaster.33:14Said
    • David Foster WallaceAmerican novelist and essayist.33:20Said
    • Derek RedmondBritish Olympic sprinter renowned for his 1992 Barcelona 400m finish.41:17Said54:15Said
    • Bill MurrayAmerican actor and comedian.45:06Said
    • Dick YoungInfluential American sports journalist and columnist.47:07Said
    • Don LarsenMajor League Baseball pitcher who pitched a World Series perfect game.47:11Said
    • Carl LewisNine-time Olympic gold medal track and field athlete.50:24Said
    • Jim RedmondFather of Derek Redmond who assisted him across the finish line in 1992.52:56Said
    • William GoldmanAcademy Award-winning screenwriter and author.59:00Said
    • Paul SimonAmerican singer-songwriter celebrated for musical phrasing and rhythm.1:05:18Said1:05:20Said
    • Norman MacleanAmerican author and scholar who wrote A River Runs Through It.1:08:33Said
    • Marilynne RobinsonAcclaimed American novelist and author of Gilead.1:10:19Said
    • Bob DylanNobel Prize-winning American singer-songwriter.1:21:22Said
    • Ryan GoslingCanadian actor.1:34:09Said
    • Barry ManilowAmerican singer and songwriter.1:36:55Said
    • David PomeranzAmerican singer, songwriter, and composer.1:36:58Said

    Ideas & frameworks11

    • Tuesdays with MorrieMitch Albom's 1997 bestselling memoir recounting conversations with Morrie Schwartz.0:10Said + shown8:48Shown13:30Said18:25Said
    • The Five People You Meet in HeavenMitch Albom's debut novel exploring an amusement park worker's afterlife journey.0:08Said + shown8:45Said8:46Shown38:34Shown38:35Said
    • TwiceMitch Albom's novel exploring a protagonist granted the ability to live moments twice.0:16Said + shown9:50Said + shown1:24:45Said
    • The Stranger in the LifeboatNovel by Mitch Albom about ship passengers encountering God.0:02Shown9:51Shown
    • Finding ChikaMemoir by Mitch Albom about an orphaned Haitian child.0:04Shown1:31:53Shown
    • The Magic Strings of Frankie PrestoNovel by Mitch Albom narrating the life of a musical genius.0:05Shown42:07Shown
    • For One More DayNovel by Mitch Albom exploring family bonds and second chances.0:06Shown
    • The Little LiarHolocaust novel by Mitch Albom set in Greece exploring truth and deception.51:11Shown55:10Said
    • Have a Little FaithNon-fiction book by Mitch Albom examining faith through a rabbi and a pastor.8:46Shown1:14:05Said + shown
    • A River Runs Through ItSemi-autobiographical novella collection by Norman Maclean.1:08:34Shown
    • GileadPulitzer Prize-winning novel by Marilynne Robinson.1:10:19Said1:20:19Shown

    Organizations3

    • Detroit Free PressMajor daily newspaper in Detroit where Albom worked as a sports columnist.22:45Said
    • The Rock Bottom RemaindersAmateur rock and roll band composed of famous American authors.27:20Said
    • Detroit PistonsNBA professional basketball franchise based in Detroit.25:25Said

    Things on screen1

    • DetroitMajor city in Michigan directly across from Windsor, Ontario.36:20Said1:19:50Said
    Video description

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    The video

    Views
    125.3K
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    Comments
    172
    Published
    Oct 8, 2025
    Length
    1:37:54
    Category
    People & Blogs
    YouTube's topics
    Knowledge
    Captions
    No
    HD
    Yes
    Language
    English
    Paid promotion
    None declared
    Made for kids
    No
    License
    Standard YouTube

    Creator's tags

    • writing advice
    • how to write
    • writing guide
    • writing
    • advice
    • writing lessons
    • writing books
    • writing online
    • writing essays
    • writing articles
    • knowledge
    • productivity
    • david perell
    • how i write
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    The channel

    David Perell@davidperellchannel
    Subscribers
    333K
    Videos
    771
    Total views
    26.3M
    Channel age
    9 years (since Jan 2017)
    Country
    United States
    Uploads
    about every 6 days
    Across the last 8 long-form uploads
    Before this video
    —

    Calculated by Avail.video from YouTube's public numbers

    Outlier score
    0.8× · Typical
    Views against the median of the channel's last 8 long-form uploads
    Views per subscriber
    0.38
    Likes vs the channel's usual
    1.5× the channel's usual
    2.3% of views vs a usual 1.5%
    Comments vs the channel's usual
    1.2× the channel's usual
    0.14% of views vs a usual 0.12%
    Rank among recent uploads
    #6 of 9
    By views: this video and the channel's last 8 long-form uploads
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    Watched by Avail.video · 2026-10-29