Find Empathy with Journalist Robert Kolker

When it comes to having her work adapted, author Cheryl Strayed is on a roll. In 2014, two years after Strayed released her number one New York Times bestseller "Wild," Reese Witherspoon played her in the film version. Now, Kathryn Hahn is set to star in "Tiny Beautiful Things," a new Hulu miniseries based on Strayed's beloved book. In the Riveted season finale, Strayed and showrunner Liz Tigelaar talk about adapting a story for television, female partnership, and the power of vulnerability.

What does food have to do with storytelling? A lot, says chef Keith Corbin. Growing up in Watts, an impoverished Los Angeles neighborhood, Corbin learned to cook crack before he learned how to dice an onion. Now, he is the chef and co-owner of Alta, an acclaimed modern soul food restaurant in L.A. In his recent memoir, "California Soul," Corbin describes how his family, his time in prison, and his determination to survive informed and shaped his fresh approach to good food. Join us in the kitchen with the writer-cook.

Increasingly, businesses are using marketing less to build brand awareness and more to prove brand relevance. Jon Iwata, former chief brand officer at IBM, shares how he led the company's messaging and communications efforts through more than one technological transformation—strategies that have kept IBM as one of the most well-known and valuable brands in the world. Iwata argues that in order to survive, companies must craft and share their stories, own up to their mistakes, and build trust.

Imagine creating a big-budget feature film with wondrous mythical creatures and non-stop action. Now imagine having the courage to base that blockbuster on some of the most intimate and vulnerable moments of your childhood. That's what Oscar-winning Pixar director Domee Shi did in her animated feature "Turning Red." Join us as Shi illuminates the power of visual storytelling and tells us why she likes to embrace messiness in her work. The result: movies that resonate with audiences all over the world.

Crafting nuanced portrayals of real people is hard, but journalist Robert Kolker makes it look easy. In his two books ("Hidden Valley Road," "Lost Girls"), he delves into complexities while never taking sides. Here, for the first time on a podcast, Kolker discusses "Who Is the Bad Art Friend?," his New York Times Magazine piece that became a viral sensation. The story, about a dispute between two writers, raised questions about ethics, ownership, and downright meanness. 

How do you create an entirely new world and make it feel authentic—a place where readers believe a story could unfold? That's what N. K. Jemisin does in her Hugo and Nebula Award-winning science-fiction and fantasy novels. The MacArthur "genius" grant recipient talks about her craft, the challenges she's faced in publishing her work, and how marginalized writers who speak truth to power can literally help reshape the world.

How do you tell a story of one family's lingering grief with sensitivity and care? Writer Jennifer Senior did just that in her Pulitzer Prize–winning nonfiction piece for The Atlantic, "What Bobby McIlvaine Left Behind." Jennifer is a brilliant chronicler of what connects us, what troubles us, and what helps us keep putting one foot in front of the other. Join us as she explains her approach to a story about how a family has coped in the 20 years since Sept. 11. It's a lesson in empathy and grace.

You're telling a story that people already know. How do you pump life back into it and create something exciting, visceral, and new? According to Hollywood legend Baz Luhrmann—the acclaimed director of "Moulin Rouge," "The Great Gatsby," and most recently "Elvis"—you scrape off the rust, take away the fear, and get to the heart of what you're really saying. Join us as Baz—holding court in a bungalow at the Chateau Marmont hotel—breaks down the hunt for the universal truths and heightened romance that inform every one of his storytelling decisions.

There's a mystery to great storytelling. An alchemy, even. All of the elements have to come together, in perfect balance, to bring a story to life. How do the best storytellers do it? On the new podcast Riveted, award-winning writer-editors—and longtime collaborators—Amy Wallace and Mary Melton are on a mission to find out. Join them as they talk to every kind of storyteller—from journalists and filmmakers, to chefs and marketers—to deconstruct the art of creating narratives that break through the noise.