Ira Glass Habits for Storytelling Mastery
Table of Contents
Ira Glass's Habitual Approach to Storytelling
Ira Glass, the celebrated host of This American Life, has cultivated a set of habits that underpin his remarkable storytelling career. These habits are not just about creativity; they are a carefully constructed system designed to maximize output, foster collaboration, and ensure consistent quality. From embracing failure to obsessing over niche topics, Glass's approach is a masterclass in blending creative exploration with disciplined execution.
- Focuses on iterative improvement through constant revision
- Prioritizes collaboration and external feedback
- Emphasizes volume and consistency in output
- Integrates productivity hacks to streamline workflow
- Values learning from mistakes and embracing failure
Delve into Ira Glass's habits to understand how consistent practices and a unique mindset can forge a path to storytelling excellence.
Filter Habits
Ira Glass's Habit Sets
Ira Glass's Habit Sets 
Collaborative Editing with Google Docs
Utilize cloud-based document editing for real-time collaboration, allowing multiple editors to refine scripts simultaneously. This approach streamlines the iterative process and incorporates diverse perspectives efficiently.
Why This Matters
Ira Glass uses Google Docs to facilitate seamless collaboration with his team, ensuring stories undergo multiple revisions. This habit supports his goal of producing polished content by leveraging collective input and maintaining version control.
Setting Weekly Deadlines
Impose self-regulated deadlines to complete one story per week, fostering consistency and volume. This builds momentum and bridges the gap between creative ambition and execution.
Why This Matters
Glass emphasizes volume as critical for skill development. By committing to regular output, he honed his craft through repetition and incremental improvement over decades.
Jotting Key Interview Moments
Immediately document standout moments after interviews through handwritten notes or typed summaries. These highlights later form structural anchors for narratives.
Why This Matters
Glass learned to identify resonant audio clips early, creating scaffolding for stories. This method prevents overwhelming tape archives and sharpens editorial focus.
Walking the Dog Daily
Incorporate mandatory outdoor walks into daily routines, using pet care as both responsibility and creative reset. The physical movement aids problem-solving.
Why This Matters
Glass prioritizes proximity to work to accommodate dog walks. These breaks provide mental clarity while fulfilling care obligations, blending productivity with self-care.
Using Todoist for Task Management
Maintain dynamic to-do lists with priority rankings and deadlines. Sync tasks across devices for accessibility during commutes or remote work.
Why This Matters
Glass combats procrastination by offloading mental load to digital tools. This compensates for his admitted weakness in time management amid multiple roles.
Same Meals Daily
Simplify food decisions through repetitive breakfast/lunch choices eaten at the desk. Eliminates decision fatigue around mundane tasks.
Why This Matters
Glass minimizes cognitive drain on meal planning to preserve mental energy for creative work. This mirrors other high-output creators' strategies.
Working from Anywhere
Cultivate ability to write/edit in diverse environments - planes, diners, hotels. Redefine workspace fluidity to exploit unexpected productive moments.
Why This Matters
Glass finds focus improves in transient spaces without office interruptions. This adaptability sustains output during travel or unconventional schedules.
Embracing Failure as Process
Normalize killing 75% of story ideas after development. Judge failures as necessary steps toward exceptional work rather than defeats.
Why This Matters
Glass maintains quality by ruthless curation. This 'failure rate' became institutionalized at TAL, ensuring only most compelling narratives air.
Structuring with Anecdotes
Build stories around chronological events before layering analysis. Use 'this happened then that happened' sequencing to hook listeners.
Why This Matters
Glass leverages anecdotal momentum for radio's visual-free medium. This structure compensates for lack of imagery by creating narrative urgency.
Iterative Script Rewriting
Revise scripts 5+ times with teams, reading aloud to test flow. Time each draft to meet broadcast constraints while preserving essence.
Why This Matters
Glass considers rewriting the core of radio production. Collaborative edits transform raw material into polished stories through layered improvements.
Seeking External Feedback
Share drafts with disinterested third parties for fresh perspectives. Compensate critics if necessary to guarantee candor.
Why This Matters
Early in his career, Glass paid NPR colleagues $50/story for critiques. This revealed blind spots and accelerated his narrative technique development.
Living Near Workplace
Reside within walking distance of office to minimize commute time. Trade urban flexibility for proximity-based time recovery.
Why This Matters
Glass optimized location to accommodate long hours and dog walks. The time savings compound daily, protecting creative capacity.
Balancing Tone
Alternate heavy investigative pieces with whimsical stories to prevent audience fatigue. Use humor as relief valve in serialized content.
Why This Matters
Glass curates TAL episodes for emotional range, believing contrast enhances impact. This sustains listener engagement across diverse topics.
Learning from Early Mistakes
Revisit formative professional failures as teaching tools. Analyze where old approaches faltered to refine current methods.
Why This Matters
Glass references cringeworthy early work like his Oreo factory story to demonstrate growth. This habit normalizes the learning curve.
Persisting Through Creative Gaps
Continue producing work despite quality/ambition mismatches. Trust repeated effort will eventually elevate output.
Why This Matters
Glass spent 15 years bridging his 'taste-quality gap.' This persistence through mediocrity was essential for eventual mastery.
Prioritizing Sound Design
Use ambient noise and music swells to heighten emotional beats. Treat audio as active storytelling element beyond mere narration.
Why This Matters
Glass exploits radio's sensory limitations as strengths. Strategic sound cues spark listener imagination more powerfully than visuals.
Consuming Media at Double Speed
Listen to podcasts/audiobooks at 2x velocity to absorb more content. Train comprehension to accommodate accelerated playback.
Why This Matters
Glass adopted this for efficiency despite initial awkwardness. It reflects his lifelong adaptation to audio technology evolution.
Using Muji Notebooks
Take revision notes in minimalist notebooks with specific pens. Curate tactile tools to make editing sessions more pleasurable.
Why This Matters
Glass pairs Muji's .38mm gel pens with their notebooks for sensory satisfaction. This tactile ritual eases transitions between creative tasks.
Collaborative Editing Sessions
Gather teams to read scripts aloud, timing segments and debating changes. Make editing social rather than solitary work.
Why This Matters
Glass believes group edits surface issues solo work misses. The performative aspect of reading aloud tests narrative flow practically.
Obsessing Over Topics
Dive deep into niche subjects that spark curiosity, regardless of perceived broad appeal. Trust obsession begets compelling stories.
Why This Matters
Glass encourages producers to pursue personal fascinations. These passion projects often resonate universally despite narrow origins.
Key Takeaways for Aspiring Storytellers
Ira Glass's habits offer valuable lessons for anyone seeking to refine their creative process and enhance their storytelling abilities. His approach is a testament to the power of structured creativity and the importance of embracing both the messy and the meticulous aspects of content creation. By adopting some of these principles, you can cultivate a more productive and impactful creative workflow.
- Embrace Iteration: Collaborative Editing and Iterative Script Rewriting highlight the power of multiple revisions and team input in refining your work. Don't be afraid to revisit and rework your creations.
- Value Feedback: Seeking External Feedback and Collaborative Editing Sessions demonstrate the importance of outside perspectives. Constructive criticism is crucial for identifying blind spots and improving your narrative.
- Prioritize Consistency: Setting Weekly Deadlines and Persisting Through Creative Gaps emphasize the significance of regular output and perseverance. Volume and consistent effort are key to honing your craft.
- Optimize Your Workflow: Using Todoist for Task Management and Same Meals Daily reveal simple yet effective productivity hacks. Streamlining mundane tasks frees up mental energy for creative endeavors.
- Find Inspiration Everywhere: Working from Anywhere and Obsessing Over Topics encourage embracing diverse environments and pursuing niche interests. Inspiration can be found in unexpected places when you remain open and curious.
Start integrating these habits into your routine and witness the transformative impact on your own storytelling journey.