Patrick Radden Keefe on his book Say Nothing and the TV Adaptation

The importance of outlining, the joys of research and learning when to trust your gut

Matt here. Thanks for being an early member of the Origin Stories community. Our guest is Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker staff writer and author of several books, including “Empire of Pain” and “The Snakehead.”

I believe Patrick is the best structural architect working in journalism today – a true wizard when it comes to making complex narratives sing.

In our interview, he told me that great reporting in 2025 must be accessible: “Personally, I want people to read what I’m writing,” Patrick says. “There’s a point beyond which I’m not gonna dumb it down. But I will take no satisfaction from having preserved my belletristic integrity and insisted on the two paragraph description of what the landscape looks like.”

He adds, “I do think that if you don’t consider your audience, it just feels sort of self-indulgent.”

Watch now or listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you haven’t joined the Origin Stories community:

And send me questions or guest ideas at originstories@campsidemedia.com.

Thanks,

Matt