#1942 - Mark Greaney
NaN minutesEpisode #1942
Mark Greaney
Mark Greaney is the New York Times bestselling author of the "Gray Man" novels. Look for book 12 in the series, "Burner," on February 21, 2023.
www.markgreaneybooks.com
Episode Timestamps
Writing Violent Books
- Mark discusses how he runs into people who have read his books and are surprised by the violent content.
- He also talks about how he likes creating a product that serves a physical purpose in people's lives and is a great instrument of escapism.
Grey Man Movie Adaptation
- Mark talks about the Hollywoodized version of his book and how it was a great commercial for his writing but not as gritty as the books.
- He also shares his experiences with various actors who were considered for the role of Court Gentry.
Inspiration behind The Gray Man and subsequent movie adaptation
- Mentions Ryan Gosling's casting and backlash before movie release
- Talks about timing of release and how it coincided with a Korean movie with a similar plot
- Highlights the rarity of having a big blockbuster movie adaptation with a big actor like Ryan Gosling
- Praises Chris Evans' portrayal of a character different from the book
On writing and being a prolific author
- Discusses the number of books written and the frequency of releases
- Mentions that it took 20 years to get published and trying to catch up
- Talks about committing to writing and enjoying the process
- Mentions finishing the first book after 15 years and writing subsequent books much faster
Responsibly giving advice
- Irresponsible to tell someone to quit their job and follow your path
- Share your own success as inspiration
- One size does not fit all in giving advice
- Confidence must be based on talent and work ethic
Learning from mistakes
- Success comes from learning from mistakes
- Confidence is not always the issue
- No one size fits all in helping others
- Gain actual life experiences for writing
Origin of "The Gray Man"
- The author shares the story of how he came up with the idea for "The Gray Man" and how his agent's suggestion changed the direction of the series.
- He also talks about creating outlandish scenarios and working hard to sell them to the reader.
Writing Process
- The author discusses his writing process, which involves starting with a basic idea and fleshing it out as he writes.
- He emphasizes the importance of having a blueprint and being flexible enough to make changes as needed.
- He also talks about the difficulties in maintaining focus and motivation over time.
Writing routine
- Author is always thinking about his book, even when not working
- Writing goal is 1500 words per day
- Takes breaks to walk dogs or go to the park for research or inspiration
- Plans to write two books this year
Shark phobia
- Author discusses his fear of sharks, while also scuba diving and swimming with them
- Believes that sharks are simple-minded and not provoked by eye contact
- Talks about a video where a shark almost attacked a man in a cage
- Mentions his interest in firearms training
Grayman's Training
- Grayman started his training in 2005 or 2004/05.
- He trained at Tactical Response, a tactical place in middle Tennessee.
- He learned more from sitting in the team room and drinking scotch with SWAT guys or special forces group dude or contractors than just learning about guns and gear.
- He has taken over 50 classes and spent close to a couple of hundred days in Tennessee.
Grayman and Special Forces Guys
- Grayman let the special forces guys know that he's the writer of the Greyman.
- Grayman became known as the mascot of the Tactical Response school.
- The term "Greyman" was heard at one of the classes from a contractor.
Narrative of the critic vs. Narrative of the fan
- Critic's narrative is now less important than the fan's narrative
- Allows for informed readers to share their opinions
- Even negative reviews can be helpful for growth
- Most critics wish they were writers
Non-athletes talking about athletes
- Criticism by non-writers/critics is like commentators that can't play sports
- Critics are often tearing down people who are more successful than they are
- Dissatisfaction with one's own creativity is often what leads people to become critics
Dealing with False Narratives and Paranoia
- People can create false narratives based on misconception
- Famous people often get misunderstood and labeled wrong
- Some people have extreme views and opinions
- Long emails can indicate paranoia or schizophrenia
- Despite overwhelming interaction, famous people are still just people
The Cost of Fame and Interaction Limits
- Famous people are inundated with projects, opportunities, and messages
- It can be nearly impossible to keep up with communication
- Friends and close connections might be lost or neglected
- There is a constant pressure to interact with fans and admirers
- The limits of interaction can create guilt and stress for famous people
Acting Transformations in Films |
- The speaker discusses the amazing acting transformations seen in films
- They specifically mention Kathy Bates in "Misery" and Charlize Theron in "Monster"
- The speaker marvels at the physical changes the actors underwent for their roles
Audiobook Narration |
- The speaker discusses the difficulty of the audiobook narration job
- They rave about their favorite audiobook narrators
- The speaker touches on Stephen King's narration skills (or lack thereof)
Staying Fresh in a Specific Genre
- The author discusses the challenge of not overusing tropes or repeating ideas in his writing
- He tries to bring in new information by traveling to different places and reading a lot
- While he has ideas for 20 more books, he struggles with finding new and unique scenarios
- Creativity on the macro level is great, but it can be challenging on the micro level
Keeping the Grey Man Series Fresh
- The author addresses the concern of maintaining the Grey Man series and not straining credibility
- He uses the example of James Bond and the longevity of the character and series
- The author tries to include larger geopolitical issues in his books to add tension and relevance
- He also has another series, the Josh Duffy series, which provides a way to branch out from the Grey Man
Sequel and spin-off plans
- The Grey Man is getting a sequel with Ryan Gosling reprising his role
- A spin-off series based on a character from the franchise is also in the works
- The author is unsure which character the spin-off will focus on, but thinks Zoya or Zach Hightower would be good choices
Book-to-film adaptations
- Watching someone change your script and characters can be strange and disconcerting
- The author is happy with some changes made in the Grey Man film, but has mixed feelings overall
- It's tough to deal with complaints from fans who aren't happy with changes
Insecurity and Imposter Syndrome in Writing
- The author always feels insecure about his writing and has imposter syndrome.
- He tends to hate the book he is working on until the end of August and only begins to feel proud of it then.
- Many other successful creatives also experience imposter syndrome.
- The author chickened out of meeting with agents due to social anxiety and was scared to meet Tom Clancy.
Being Co-Author of the Jack Ryan Series
- The author had to write 50 pages as a tryout to be a co-author with Tom Clancy for the Jack Ryan series.
- He was terrified to meet Clancy but got the job after meeting with him.
- Clancy's family asked the author to continue the Jack Ryan series after Clancy's passing, and the author felt he was the right one for the job by then.
- The author feels lucky and scared that he gets to write for a living.
Personal Experience with Working Out Regularly
- Working out regularly has helped the speaker after a divorce
- They lost 40 pounds and started sleeping better
- Exercise keeps them energized
- Skipping workouts makes them feel lethargic
Anxiety and the Physical Requirement of Taxing the Body
- Anxiety and fear evolved from actual real threats in humans
- Physical requirements are needed for that anxiety
- A hard workout helps the speaker deal with peak anxiety
- Taxing the body helps bring it back to a normal baseline
Reverse Hyper machine for decompressing the spine
- The Reverse Hyper machine, created by Louis Simmons, is an effective way to decompress the spine.
- Laying on a flat bench, hooking the ankles to a leg curl-like device and lifting the legs strengthens the back and actively decompresses it, feeling like traction.
Injuries from combat sports and ways to prevent surgery
- Combat sports, such as jujitsu and wrestling, can cause strain on the spinal column.
- Strengthening the tissue around it, such as with the iron neck, can keep it stable and prevent injuries.
- There are also ways around surgery, such as bulging discs being fixed without surgery, fusion and nerve damage recovery, and articulating discs in the neck.
Cold Therapy, Sauna, and Heat Therapy
- Discussion of cold therapy and benefits
- Use of chest strap to monitor heart rate in sauna
- Sauna and heat therapy reduce all-cause mortality
- Sauna use produces high heart rate
- Joe uses cold therapy for 3 minutes and is happy with the benefits
Discipline and Conquering Your Inner Bitch
- Discussion on discipline and inner bitch
- David Goggins' approach to conquering his inner bitch
- Inspiration from David Goggins' discipline
- David sends photo of his toe after a marathon run
David Goggins' incredible physical endurance and resilience despite injuries and health issues
- Goggins' toenails often fall off due to the high amount of running he does
- He has had bone on bone on his knee, which required surgery to fix
- Goggins runs miles every day despite the pain and pushes himself to his limit
- His mindset and mental toughness is what allows him to push his body to the maximum potential
Goggins' ability to push his body beyond its limits through mental fortitude
- Even with injuries and physical discomfort, Goggins continues to push himself to the limit
- His mindset and mental toughness is what sets him apart from others
- Goggins extracts the maximum amount of human potential out of what his mind and body is capable of
- He serves as a source of inspiration for millions of people
A CIA assassin's forced involvement in a paramilitary team
- The protagonist of the story is a CIA assassin who is forced to join a paramilitary team due to his trade craft abilities
- The team doesn't like him and he doesn't want to be a part of it
- Research is done to ensure accuracy in the portrayal of military and CIA operations
Researching Russian mafia and government in new book
- The author's latest book involves the Russian mafia and government
- He has researched real cases of Americans being influenced or taking money from Russian intelligence
- Recent news of an FBI agent in New York being indicted for taking money from a Russian oligarch highlights the real-life nature of his book's subject matter
Putin's protection of oligarchs
- Oligarchs are with Putin and he protects them in return for his support
- War is affecting children from Urals, Stans, and Siberia, not the oligarchs
- Putin's regime resembles a mafia and kleptocracy, and he doesn't care how many people die
- They had a mobilization last fall, with tens of thousands dying due to the lack of training
FSB incompetence and Putin's reliance on loyalty
- People in FSB were supposed to set up influence operations in Ukraine but were stealing money
- Putin relied on their loyalty over competence, leading to a feedback loop of hearing what he wanted to hear
- People are scared to tell bad news to autocrats like Putin and Xi Jinping
- Incorporating fictional narratives with espionage and crime in writing is complex and challenging