Life, Interrupted
Maya Shankar on unexpected change, deep listening, and finding steadiness after the ground shifts
Few people are as fluent in the science of change as Maya Shankar. A cognitive scientist and the creator of the acclaimed podcast A Slight Change of Plans, she’s long been drawn to moments of disruption: when a relationship ends, a diagnosis lands, or a carefully mapped future suddenly dissolves.
Her newly released book, The Other Side of Change, draws on both research and lived experience. When an unexpected disruption upended her own plans, Shankar began seeking out people who had navigated major life changes and emerged altered—but not diminished. Rather than tidy narratives of resilience, she found complex, human stories that reveal how upheaval can sharpen our values, reorient our identities, and open possibilities we couldn’t have imagined beforehand.
In her Author Insider questionnaire, Shankar reflects on writing through uncertainty, the discipline of deep listening, and why experimentation—failed drafts included—is often the only way forward.
21 Questions with Maya Shankar
1. I couldn’t have written my last book without…
My morning cup of Assam tea with freshly cut ginger!
2. What’s the thing most people get wrong about being a writer?
That most of our time is spent doing actual writing. The majority of my time was spent thinking.
3. What’s something you wish you’d started doing five years ago?
This book, haha. It took me 3.5 years, so if I’d started earlier, I would’ve finished it earlier ;)
4. Hemingway wrote standing up; Edith Wharton, lying down. What are your quirks?
I had a bowl of these coffee chew candies that I allowed myself to eat only when I was in a writing session. In psychology, this is known as temptation bundling (when you pair a difficult task with an immediately rewarding behavior) and it was wildly effective. I started to associate writing with sweetness :)
5. Do you read your reviews?
This is my first book, so I guess we’ll find out…
6. Kiss, marry, kill: podcasts, newsletters, and speaking gigs.
Marry: podcasts; Kiss: newsletters; Kill: speaking gigs
7. Is there a book you wish you’d written?
Suleika Jaouad’s Between Two Kingdoms. The most beautiful memoir I’ve ever read!
8. Have any tech tools made your job easier?
I used Speechify to upload my draft manuscripts and “listen” to my book. This often gave me a new and valuable perspective on the writing; I noticed things I hadn’t noticed when just reading the same words over and over again.
9. Where do you find new ideas?
Podcasts, audiobooks, and conversations with my friends and colleagues.
10. How do you keep track of new ideas?
The notes app on my phone.
11. What’s the best piece of professional advice you’ve ever received?
To act like an entrepreneur regardless of your environment.
12. What is the one piece of advice you would give to recent graduates who want to make a living as a writer?
Find a strong community of writers who can buoy you when you’re feeling low and celebrate your wins, however small.
13. Whose career do you most admire and why?
Michael Lewis. I have never met anyone who loves their job more than he does.
14. What’s on your nightstand right now?
Two books, an eyemask, and a white noise machine.
15. How did you find your agent?
As the host of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, I emailed the rockclimber Tommy Caldwell’s agent asking if Tommy might be interested in being a guest on my show. His agent responded with a “yes” and also asked if I’d like to be represented by CAA moving forward! I was stunned and absolutely delighted.
16. Coffee, tea, or something stronger?
Tea!
17. What’s the best non-writing skill that’s helped your writing career?
Being an attentive, thoughtful listener. I did long-form interviewing for my book, and learning to listen well was critical for knowing what I even wanted to write
18. How many drafts before you show your editor?
More than I can even count…
19. What do you wish you’d known when you were starting out?
That some degree of experimentation is necessary. I tried to write several versions of this book that simply didn’t work. It was frustrating at the time, but I can now see that each iterative round was necessary for landing on a final product that I am truly proud of.
20. What is your new book about?
The Other Side of Change is about how we can navigate the unexpected changes in our lives with more ease and a greater sense of possibility.
21. Any new projects the Author Insider community can help support?
I’d love it if the community listened to my podcast, A Slight Change of Plans! So many of the conversations I’ve with people far wiser than me have changed my life for the better, and I hope that they help you too.
One of Many
Author Insider publishes conversations like this regularly, plus interviews with publishing insiders and bestselling authors, reporting on industry trends, and strategies to help establish and grow a writing career.
If you’re curious, you can check us out here.
Until next time,
Panio Gianopoulos
Editorial Director, Author Insider & The Next Big Idea Club
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