Joe Bunting's Character Test
24 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 26 ratingsJoe Bunting is best known as a bestselling author and the founder of The Write Practice, a top community of writers. Character Test examines good characters of all kinds (from Harry Potter to NY Times bestselling Navy SEALs to social activists), then draws out the practical tips, lessons, and strategies listeners can use to improve the stories they are telling with their own lives.
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Episodes
#24 Hamody Jasim and How to Take a Stand
January 14, 2020 18:08 - 1 hour - 77 MBIn this episode, we test Hamody Jasim author of The Terrorist Whisperer and discuss how to take a stand. The Terrorist Whisperer (documentary) The Terrorist Whisper (book) Hamody Jasim's website Hamody Jasim grew up in Iraq under the height of Sadam Hussein’s rule. He was arrested and tortured as a young teenager for getting on the wrong side of a corrupt police officer. Then he came of age just as the Iraq War was breaking out, and decided to join the newly formed Iraqi milita...
#23 State Champ Coach Gary Skop, Knives Out Review, and How to Win
December 17, 2019 13:28 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBIn this episode, we test Marta Cabrera from Knives Out, talk to state champion high school wrestling coach Gary Skop, and discuss how to win. Gary Skop is high school football coach and high school wrestling coach, and in 2019, one of his wrestlers won the state wrestling championship in Michigan. When we’re talking about how to live a good story, sometimes that involves competition. Many good stories are about winning, and knowing how to win and how to think about competing so th...
#22 Seth Barnes, Noelle Kringle, and How to Take a Risk
December 10, 2019 15:45 - 46 minutes - 42.6 MBIn this episode, we test Noelle Kringle from the film Noelle on Disney+, interview Seth Barnes, author of Kingdom Journeys: Rediscovering Pilgrimage, and talk about how taking risks can change your life. Seth Barnes, the leader of a large nonprofit and the author of a book about pilgrimage, Kingdom Journeys: Rediscovering the Lost Spiritual Discipline. Seth also happens to be my father-in-law, and in my book Crowdsourcing Paris, he’s the one who challenged me to add more adventure ...
#21 Personality Disorders, Frozen 2, and How to Avoid Drama
December 05, 2019 15:24 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBIn this episode, we test Anna and Elsa from Frozen 2, interview therapist Lynn Bunting, an expert on personality disorders, and talk about how to avoid drama in your relationships. Lynn Bunting has been a licensed therapist for over 40 years, specializing in reconciliation in relationships and emotional management. She also happens to be my mom, which is kind of fun. Together, we're working on a new book, called Crazy: What to Do With the People in Your Life Who Make You Feel Cra...
#20 Navy SEAL, NY Times Best-selling author Jason Redman
November 27, 2019 19:48 - 55 minutes - 51.2 MBJason Redman is a retired NAVY SEAL, a wounded warrior, and a New York Times bestselling author. His book, OVERCOME, comes out in just a few weeks and it’s so good. If you’ve ever had something HARD or traumatic happen to you and frozen or just not known how to get through it and start making progress in your life again, Jason’s message is for you. It’s really powerful and I think more people need to listen to it. Jason Redman is a retired Navy SEAL and NY Times bestselling author ...
#19 Phil Blattenberger, Inspector Beauvoir, and How to Fake It Until You Make It
November 12, 2019 11:00 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBIn this episode, we test Inspector Jean Guy Beauvoir from the Inspector Gamache series, interview Phil Blattenberger the film maker best known for the Vietnam War movie Point Man, and talk about how to fake it until you make it. Point Man (Amazon streaming) Instagram Facebook Phil Blattenberger is best known for the film Point Man, a film about four men separated from their platoon during the Vietnam war. Three of the soldiers are African American, and they have to fight back to...
#18 Eric Hanson, Where the Crawdads Sing, and How to Overcome Shame
November 05, 2019 13:34 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBIn this episode, we test Kya from Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, talk to Eric Hanson host of the TV Show Epic Trails, and discuss how to overcome shame. Eric Hanson is best known as the host for the TV show Epic Trails on Outside TV and Fox Sports. He’s also a writer, outdoor adventure photographer, and outdoor filmmaker whose work has been featured on the Discovery Channel, NBC Universal, and the Weather Channel. You can follow Eric's work here: Eric Hanson's Website In...
#17 Crowdsourcing Paris, Joe Bunting, and How to Grow
October 29, 2019 10:00 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBIn this episode, we test Joe Bunting, me, from my new book Crowdsourcing Paris, read a chapter from the book, and talk about how to grow. You can order the book here: Crowdsourcing Paris Amazon Barnes & Noble IndieBound My new book,Crowdsourcing Paris, is about a real life adventure story set in Paris. To raise the last $600 I needed to make the trip happen, I asked my audience to give me adventures to accomplish in Paris. I got hundreds of ideas, including finding dead author...
#16 Max Dubinsky, Ernest Hemingway, and How to Become a Better Person
October 23, 2019 17:39 - 1 hour - 63.5 MBIn this episode, we test our first real life character, Ernest Hemingway from his memoir A Moveable Feast, have a conversation with writer Max Dubinsky about travel and adventure, and talk about how to be a better person. Our guest today is Max Dubinksy. Max is a writer, best known for his short fiction. He’s the author of the graphic novel Dislocated, and his short fiction has been published in Longleaf Review, Outlook Springs, and McSweeney’s. You can find his work here: maxandr...
#15 James Victore, Animal Farm, and How to Find Your Voice
October 15, 2019 11:14 - 1 hour - 62.2 MBIn this episode, we test Napoleon from Animal Farm by George Orwell, interview James Victore designer and author of Feck Perfuction, and talk about how to find your voice. James Victore is a designer whose work has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art, MOMA, in New York City. He is also the author of Feck Perfuction, in which he talks about creativity, courage, strength, and resilience. You can find James' work here: Feck Perfuction (Amazon) jamesvictore.com Instagram Earl...
#14 Magician Nate Staniforth, Blue Bloods, and How to Make It as an Artist
October 08, 2019 13:24 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBIn this episode, we test the characters from the show Blue Bloods, interview magician and author Nate Staniforth, and how to make it as an artist. We begin the episode by testing the characters from the hit show Blue Bloods, now in it's 10th season. (After a month of Netflix binging, Joe is in the fifth season.) Then we talk to Nate Staniforth. Nate is best known as a magician, he cohosted a Discovery Channel show called Breaking Magic, has a YouTube channel, and performs a magic ...
#13 Kristina McMorris, Lydia Bennet, and How to Live a Story with a Happy Ending
October 01, 2019 10:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBKristina McMorris is best known as the author of Sold On A Monday, which spent 20 weeks on the NY Times bestsellers list. The novel is set during the great depression and is about a newspaper reporter who takes a photograph of two boys holding a sign, “2 children for sale.” The photograph kicks off a series of events that leads to a romance with a young woman at the paper, a run in with the mob, and a terrible quest to get to the bottom of the fate of the 2 children in the photograp...
#12 Joanna Penn, Inspector Gamache, and How to Get Your Dream Job
September 24, 2019 13:22 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MBJoanna Penn, also known as J.F. Penn, is the New York Times bestselling author of supernatural thriller novels and a leading voice in the indie publishing movement. In this episode we talk about travel, life and death, and how to get your dream job. You can find Joanna's work here: J.F. Penn (for thriller readers) The Creative Penn (for writers) J.F Penn's Books (Amazon) Joanna Penn's Books (Amazon) Books and Travel Podcast Social: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook Before Joanna ...
#11 Awe, Bird Box, and How to Find Your Core Message
September 17, 2019 10:00 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MBWhat is your life's core message? The story that, if you look back at your life, you've been telling since you were a kid? What if, by founding out that message, you could re-invigorate your creativity and your work? In this special edition of Character Test, I share a speech I gave at ATL Ideas where I talk about my core message, Awe, and how I discovered it. Special thanks to Plywood People, the host of the conference, for inviting me to speak and giving me permission to share th...
#10 Rea Frey, Tyrion Lannister, and How to Outrun Imposter Syndrome
September 10, 2019 14:55 - 1 hour - 57.8 MBRea Frey is the author of the suspense novels NOT HER DAUGHTER and BECAUSE YOU'RE MINE. In this episode, she talks about learning from death row inmates, how to empathize with villains, and how to recover from trauma from sexual assault. We also examine Tyrion Lannister from GAME OF THRONES and how to outrun imposter syndrome. To learn more about Rea and follow her writing, you can find her here: Rea Frey's books Rea's Website Facebook Twitter (@reafrey_author) Rea has an amaz...
#9 Joshua Becker, How to Train Your Dragon, and How to Be a Minimalist
September 03, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 62 MBJoshua Becker is the bestselling author and leader of the minimalist movement. In this interview, we talk about how to find the purpose of your home, of each room in your house, and even the purpose of our lives, and how we can use our purpose to enhance our purpose not distract from it. To learn more about Joshua and follow along with his writing, you can find him here: Joshua's Books Becoming Minimalist (Joshua's Blog) Becoming Minimalist Facebook Page Instagram (@joshua_beck...
#8 Kevin J. Anderson, Gilmore Girls, and How to Be a Pro
August 27, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBKevin J Anderson is the international bestselling novelist of books in the Dune series, Star Wars, Superman, X-Files, and more. In this episode, he talks about his love of hiking in the Colorado mountains while narrating novels, the importance of professionalism, and how to leave a legacy. Kevin J. Anderson's books Publisher Twitter (@TheKJA) Facebook Publishing MFA This is an interview about professionalism and about how to make it to the top of your field. Kevin upends the m...
#7 Paul Angone, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, and How to Be Courageous
August 20, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 58.1 MBMy guest is Paul Angone, who worked for 10 years to publish one book. When his wife asked him, "How much longer are you going to do this?" he was close to giving up. But one month later, his blog post 21 Secret for Your Twenties went viral on Pinterest, and a connection from a friend led to his first publishing deal. His book 101 Secrets for Your 20s has now sold over 100,000 copies. In the interview, Paul talks about what it feels like to achieve something after ten years of tryin...
#6 Derek Murphy, Bilbo Baggins, and How to Be an Artist
August 13, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 77.4 MBDerek Murphy is a bestselling novelist and creativity guru, and in this interview he talks about his travel nomadic lifestyle, the importance of discipline for any artist or creative career, and how to create things people will love. You can find Derek's work at the following places: creativindie.com D.S. Murphy, Derek's novels Derek's Nonfiction Facebook Instagram This is an interview about creativity, and about how to make a living doing creative work. Derek makes the contro...
#5 Marianne Richmond, Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, and How to Be Creative
August 06, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 70 MBMarianne Richmond is best known as the author of the bestselling children's books IF I COULD KEEP YOU LITTLE and BE BRAVE LITTLE ONE. Her books collectively have sold over 6 million copies. In our interview, she tells the story of the horrible seizures that left her emotionally disconnected growing up, the breakthrough that led to her first book, how she built her publishing empire only to watch it nearly crumble when Target cancelled a giant order, and how she stays creative. This...
#4 Terence Lester, The Fifth Season, and How To Find a Mentor
July 30, 2019 10:00 - 1 hour - 59.9 MBTerence Lester is best known as an activist and author of I See You, tells the story of how he overcame poverty and homeless to get two masters degrees and create Love Beyond Walls, an organization that has gotten 300+ people off the streets. This is an interview about finding strength in unexpected places. If you've ever made a poor choice and wondered if you could come back from it, this interview is for you. We also examine "You," the protagonist of The Fifth Season by N.K. Jem...
#3 Shawn Coyne, Ender's Game, and How to Make Hard Decisions
July 19, 2019 19:50 - 1 hour - 79.3 MBShawn Coyne is best known as the author of Story Grid and the editor of Steven Pressfield's The War of Art, one of my favorite books about the writing process. In this episode, he tells the story of how he became an editor, learned his craft, and then made the difficult decision to leave New York publishing and start his own thing. This is an interview about how to make hard decisions. If you've ever faced a risky choice (or if you're facing one right now, you'll want to listen...
#2 Jason Redman (SEAL & NY Times Bestseller), The Magicians, and How to Be Resilient
July 19, 2019 14:50 - 55 minutes - 50.9 MBJason Redman is a retired Navy SEAL and NY Times bestselling author of The Trident and the upcoming book Overcome: Crush Adversity with the Leadership Techniques of America's Toughest Warriors. In this interview Jason tells his story of surviving being horrifically wounded in Iraq, how he overcame life ambushes, and the biggest piece of advice he gives to wounded warriors and anyone experiencing tough times (which is all of us, at some point). We also examine Alice Quinn, a charact...
#1 Joe Bunting and What Makes a Good Character
July 19, 2019 14:49 - 1 hour - 57.5 MBWelcome to the very FIRST episode of Character Test, my show about good characters and the lessons we can learn from them to make our stories, the stories we're telling with our lives, better. In this episode, my editor Alice Sudlow and I talk about the 4 things that actually make a good character. Then, Alice interviews me about my story, and we discuss whether I am a good character (spoiler: I pass the test, barely). Finally, we give practical advice on things you can do to i...