Fiction Storytelling as a Form of Self-Discovery with Nathan Baugh
"Most nonfiction books could’ve been blog posts—but fiction sticks with you for life."
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Is fiction just entertainment—or is it the best self-help you’re not reading? In this episode, Rain Bennett sits down with storyteller, writer, and World Builders creator Nathan Baugh to talk about the power of fiction in a world obsessed with productivity, optimization, and self-help checklists.
Together they explore the overlooked lessons hiding in classic novels, the creative trap of only producing for money, and the rising role of AI in the writing world.
Nathan opens up about how he left a traditional job to build a platform as a writer, how he balances client work with his fantasy novels, and why his mission is to simply write stories he’d want to read.
They also break down what makes a twist land, how storytelling frameworks translate across mediums, and the unexpected ways fiction can deepen human connection. If you're trying to create meaningful work in a noisy digital world, this conversation is a breath of fresh air.
In the episode, you will learn to:
Reframe fiction as a powerful personal development tool, not just an escape or guilty pleasure.
Balance monetized work with meaningful creative output, even if your art doesn’t pay off immediately.
Strengthen your audience connection by telling stories about your own struggles, not just giving advice.
Understand how fiction builds empathy, creativity, and resilience in ways nonfiction often can't.
Navigate the impact of AI on creative work by doubling down on voice, experience, and storytelling fundamentals.
Most nonfiction books could’ve been blog posts—but fiction sticks with you for life."
- Nathan Baugh
If you want to understand how to fiction stories shape the world and to find your unique storytelling voice... this is the episode for you!
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Some of the highlights of the episode:
00:00 - Introduction
05:00 - Nathan Baugh Joins the Show
06:45 - Why Fiction Might Be the Best Self-Help
09:08 - The Business World’s Fiction Problem
11:30 - Reclaiming Creativity in a Hyper-Productive Culture
13:10 - From Input to Output: Creating vs. Consuming
17:05 - The Market Gap in Fiction “Written for Guys”
20:02 - How Nathan Rediscovered Reading After Sepsis
22:00 - Why He Abandoned His First Novel (and Got Better for It)
23:31 - Will AI Replace Writers? A Music vs. Chess Debate
27:47 - Sculpting Stories in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
31:15 - The Writing Career Pivot: Spain, No Job, and a Newsletter
34:24 - Making Money as a Writer Without Publishing Books
36:39 - Creating Art vs. Monetizing Output
38:18 - Why Nathan Downsized His Agency to Write Full-Time
41:31 - Building an Audience That Will Support Your Fiction
43:28 - What Makes a Twist Work: Surprising Yet Inevitable
45:15 - Using Storytelling to Teach Storytelling
47:08 - Writing Output, Freelancers, and Focus in Austin
48:34 - Daily Word Goals, Novella Strategy, and Book Flywheels
51:20 - Getting Readers into the Series with a Low-Stakes Intro
53:04 - Theory vs. Practice: How We Really Learn to Write
55:22 - Diagnosing Story Problems: The 4 Essential Elements
58:51 - Behind the Scenes of Between Drafts Podcast
01:00:11 - Traditional vs. Self Publishing: Timelines and Tactics
01:02:02 - Building a Reader-Focused Newsletter
01:03:31 - Fictional Mentors and Real-Life Impact
01:05:48 - What Legacy Really Means to Nathan Baugh
01:07:35 - The Role of Sports and Drive in His Creative Path
01:09:29 - Title Reveal: The Pendulum Swings
As always, I hope you enjoy the episode!
Rain
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