#1942 - Mark Greaney

Episode Timestamps

• 00:01:03

  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.
• 00:03:09

  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.
• 00:09:54

  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
• 00:11:07

  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
• 00:18:25

  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
• 00:20:23

  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
• 00:26:48

  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.
• 00:29:23

  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.
• 00:36:15

  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
• 00:42:00

  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
• 00:45:26

  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.
• 00:46:49

  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.
• 00:54:56

  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
• 00:57:59

  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
• 01:06:22

  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
• 01:08:55

  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
• 01:14:32

  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
• 01:19:34

  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)
• 01:23:52

  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
• 01:25:27

  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
• 01:33:20

  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
• 01:34:13

  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
• 01:44:13

  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.
• 01:45:06

  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.
• 01:52:48

  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
• 01:54:18

  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
• 02:01:52

  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.
• 02:03:01

  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.
• 02:15:37

  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
• 02:18:37

  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
• 02:20:50

  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
• 02:22:56

  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
• 02:31:16

  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
• 02:37:43

  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
• 02:42:12

  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
• 02:43:45

  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