Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Noah Hawley has written books, movies, and TV shows like Alien Earth and Fargo. He's been successful not just because he's a talented writer, but also because he's a consummate professional. He's fluent not just in the world of stories and characters, but he also knows how to work inside the industry and how to get things done.
If you want to make it as a writer, whether on the page or the big screen, this interview is a roadmap for doing that.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:25 Hollywood writer’s room
00:06:38 What makes for a good story?
00:11:19 The state of TV in 2026
00:16:17 The 2nd season trap
00:21:23 Horror films
00:29:40 Scriptwriting
00:38:05 Can AI write TV shows?
00:45:34 The problem with Hollywood
01:07:09 Art vs. business
01:10:03 How sound shapes a film
01:15:24 Becoming a better artist
01:17:39 Noah’s top career advice
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
Noah Hawley has written books, movies, and TV shows like Alien Earth and Fargo. He's been successful not just because he's a talented writer, but also because he's a consummate professional. He's fluent not just in the world of stories and characters, but he also knows how to work inside the industry and how to get things done.
If you want to make it as a writer, whether on the page or the big screen, this interview is a roadmap for doing that.
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:25 Hollywood writer’s room
00:06:38 What makes for a good story?
00:11:19 The state of TV in 2026
00:16:17 The 2nd season trap
00:21:23 Horror films
00:29:40 Scriptwriting
00:38:05 Can AI write TV shows?
00:45:34 The problem with Hollywood
01:07:09 Art vs. business
01:10:03 How sound shapes a film
01:15:24 Becoming a better artist
01:17:39 Noah’s top career advice
*About the host*
Hey! I’m David Perell and I’m a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible.
*Follow me*
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470
YouTube: youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv
X: https://x.com/david_perell
