Meet Conor Powell | Journalist and Podcast Host

We had the good fortune of connecting with Conor Powell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Conor, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
It’s funny to be described as artistic or creative. I think of painters, or novelists or movie directors as artists.

I certainly don’t consider myself as all that “artistic,” nor all that creative. I’ve always thought of myself as a journalist – which is something slightly different than an artist. I kind of feel like journalist are in the same room as “artists” but maybe a separate dingier table. Certainly not the colorful creative table.

But I do enjoy a good story. Particularly if it helps me understand something better. So for me the goal has always been how to best explain something in the most interesting way.

The funny think is, along the way the more I write and produce podcasts, the more I think I am focusing on creativity to tell a story. So in some ways, I feel like I’ve stumbled into art or creativity.

In news I was always focused on getting information right – often at the expense of creativity.
With professional time or word count restrictions an extra anecdote or sound bite might dropped because of space limitation.

With podcasts, there aren’t really any rules or time restrictions so as long the information is interesting and relevant I can us it. So I kind of think podcast script writing has allowed me to flex creativity muscles I really wasn’t using all that often as a traditional journalist.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always taken calculated risks. Whether it was moving to Afghanistan as a freelance journalist ( really an unemployed) or starting an independent political history podcast. But I’ve always tried to take informed risks and believe in reaching out to anyone and everyone asking for advice. I’ve emailed thousands of people in my life asking for information about how they do their job, for interviews, for opportunities. Most never respond but many do and help answer basic.

Before I moved to Afghanistan, I asked dozen of reporters who had done similar things for advice and for lessons learned. I received a lot of great information. It was similar to launching a podcast, I really had no idea what I was doing but most creative people are willing to answer questions and provide insights – particularly about their failure.

I am a big believer the best people to get advice from are people who talk about failure. Failure is often way more instructive than success.
This was also a driving force for my political podcast, “LongShots.”

I wanted to know more about losing presidential campaigns – what their goals were, how they operated and why they think they lost. I think I learned a lot from people who faced challenges and pressed on. A lot of “success” is just keep trying new things and to keep moving forward.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I really enjoy LA and I have lived here for two years. But most of my time here has been spent with a new born and then with COVID-19 restriction so I still don’t feel like I have a great grip or understanding of LA. As an East Coast person born and bred, I feel like I have to take any guest to eat fish tacos.

We just don’t have anything similar on the East Coast. I mean there are places that sell fish tacos all over the US but they just aren’t the same. In Southern California there is just something fresher and tastier.

And to me a sunset on the beach with drinks is a must. I grew up in DC and spent time in the Maryland and North Carolina beach waking up early for sunrises. I don’t know if it was the early mornings or what but sunrises just don’t do it for me. Theree is just nothing more beautiful than the colors of a Pacific sunset.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife Atia Abawi is also a journalist but she got an opportunity to write a realistic young adults novel about Afghanistan a few years ago, called “A Secret Sky.”

Atia really had no idea what she was doing but just sort of put he head down and did it.

It wasn’t easy for her, nor was it always easy to watch but it was the first time I saw someone up close sort of figure it how to write and struggle through writing.

It was both inspiring and eye opening. Writing is not a linear process, it comes in fits and starts so watching Atia do it really helped understand how to do it and reduced some of the fear around it.

Website: https://longshotspodcast.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conor-powell-70468769

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ConormPowell

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LongShotsPoliticalPodcast/

Image Credits
Photos all belong to me Conor Powell. Logos were owned by me but made by Carimus. Sorry about the Nats World Series T Shirt. Can’t help my sports fandom!