Beyond Better with Stacy Ennis10 Apr 2024

134. How to think like a poker player, with Alex O’Brien

A few months ago, I saw author Alex O’Brien on stage at Web Summit. Not only did she give excellent answers to questions on writing, AI, and beyond at Web Summit, but she also beautifully represented how I hope every author shows up when they talk about their work: with confidence, passion, and a genuine care to make a difference in this world.

Alex is a science writer and professional poker player whose work has appeared in publications such as The Guardian, BBC, New Scientist, and The Times. Her first book, The Truth Detective, is a nonfiction science book on how to think like a poker player. In this week’s episode, we talk about:

Alex’s journey as a science writer (and mine too)
Stories from the poker table and how the rules of poker apply to daily life, including improving one’s mindset and decision-making
Her writing process: how she came up with the concept of her book, The Truth Detective, and what the writing process was like (spoiler: it took her four years to finish)
Challenges she faced during the writing process and how she overcame them to write a book she’s proud of
How to get involved in science writing—a passion of hers

As you’ll learn in this week’s episode, Alex is an advocate for early critical thinking and works closely with educational institutions to help guide future generations into asking the right questions to then make smarter and wiser decisions for themselves. There are so many gems in this conversation—don’t miss it!

Learn more about Alex:

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To submit a question, email hello@stacyennis.com or visit www.stacyennis.com/contact and fill out the form on the page.

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