BJ Novak joins James Patterson on Hungry Dogs for a conversation about ambition, burnout, and storytelling. The Office star and author of The Book With No Pictures reflects on turning down the role of showrunner during the show’s peak, what he learned from doing stand-up comedy, and how working with Quentin Tarantino on Inglourious Basterds shaped his creative outlook. They also dig into the craft of writing and directing, why audience humility matters, and the difference between chasing success and finding meaning in your work.

00:00 Intro

01:10 The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak

05:52 Turning Down The Office Showrunner Offer

08:19 Lessons from Mel Robbins, Bill Clinton, and George Bush

13:31 Working with Quentin Tarantino

17:31 Directing and Writing Vengeance

20:08 Directing Advice and the Importance of Tone

22:35 Challenges of Screenwriting in Hollywood

26:48 The Art of Outlining Stories

29:27 Character Development in Writing

31:06 New Projects and Ideas

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices