Yann Martel: Life of Pi Author Reveals His Writing Process | How I Write

Yann Martel: Life of Pi Author Reveals His Writing Process | How I Write

From How I Write by David Perell

May 6, 2026 · 1h 11m

About this episode

Yann Martel discusses his unique writing process and storytelling approach in this episode.

Yann Martel is famous for writing "Life of Pi", which wasn't just a standout book but also an Academy Award-winning movie. What stood out to me about him is that he's strikingly well-read, and he's developed a unique approach to storytelling. Many writers say it's all about character, but Yann says other things are more important. Where other writers obsess over beginnings, it's the endings of stories that he truly falls in love with. If you want to learn about place, plot, people, and prose, you're in the right place. 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: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: David Perell

Guest: Yann Martel

Topics covered

  • writing process
  • storytelling
  • character development
  • endings
  • literature

Keywords

  • Yann Martel
  • Life of Pi
  • writing process
  • storytelling
  • endings
  • character development

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Life of Pi

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