An Interview with Author Mark Neyer

 

An Interview with Author Mark Neyer

In a cultural moment where certainty is scarce, Mark Neyer steps directly into the conversation with Rebooting Belief — a thoughtful, provocative exploration of how we rebuild meaning in a world that keeps shifting beneath our feet. Neyer writes with the precision of a researcher and the empathy of a storyteller, inviting readers to examine not just what they believe, but why those beliefs matter.

His work doesn’t preach. It probes. It opens doors. It challenges the quiet assumptions we carry and offers a framework for rediscovering conviction without sacrificing curiosity. In this interview, Neyer reflects on the origins of the book, the personal experiences that shaped its questions, and the evolving landscape of belief in the modern age. It’s a conversation for anyone who has ever felt their worldview wobble and wondered what might emerge if they rebuilt it with intention.

 
Welcome, Mark!
 
GM: What first inspired you to begin writing, and how has that spark evolved as your career has grown?
MN: I think I first found that I enjoyed writing after taking a poetry class in high school. By the end of high school, I found myself writing essays about things I cared about, to nobody in particular. I started blogging when I was in college. I never had much of an audience, but I enjoyed having a place to 'think out loud'. Over time, I found writing to be a way of understanding and working through what I felt, so I wrote more free-form things online. I never really cared who was reading, or if anyone was reading at all. At one point, when I was really struggling - around 2012 - I told myself that eventually computers would read everything on the internet, and help me make sense of what I was feeling, even if I couldn't do it myself at that time. Now I write on Substack, exploring ideas that combine wisdom traditions and modern rationality. 
 
GM: Are there recurring ideas or emotional threads you find yourself returning to across your work?
MN: Yes, absolutely. I wrote my memoir in part to try and help people avoid falling into the holes I fell into, by thinking that life had no real meaning, or that only things we could measure or prove could be true. I find there are a few people who are both religious and technically literate, but nobody else seems to be exploring whether or not these different domains reinforce each other. My goal is to show that not only are these domains not in conflict, but that mathematics and science don't have to make life sterile or meaningless; they can also point you to a perspective of wonder and awe, so long as you are open to it.
 
When people tell me that my writing has helped them—say, by relating the mathematical concept of 'gradient descent and utility maximization' to the old phrase "count your blessings"—that's a reminder I'm not just doing this for myself.  

GM: What part of the writing process pushes you the most, and how do you work through it?
MN: There are times when I know I want to say something, but I'm not quite sure precisely what it is. I feel various pieces in my mind, but I'm not sure how to put them together. What I usually do is take a first pass, and then stop writing and go for a walk. I first try to let go of thinking, and appreciate the environment around me. Then I spend time mentally working through what exactly I think. Why these threads?  What am I getting at here? Sometimes I have to do this two or three times. 
 
GM: When developing characters, do they arrive fully formed or reveal themselves slowly as you write?
MN: It's about half and half. I haven't written fiction in a while, but when I did, I usually started with the seed of an idea. As I'm writing, it feels more like my job is to make space for the story, including the characters, to reveal itself over time.
 
GM: What books or writers have shaped your voice in ways you didn’t expect?
MN: John Hodgman wrote a book called 'The Areas of My Expertise'. It's a fake almanac filled with all manner of clever nonsense. It still makes me laugh whenever I think of it. Dave Barry is another author whose style I really internalized. I find that I trust authors more when there's a bit of a 'wink and nod' game going on.
 
GM: How do you approach revision—are you a meticulous polisher or a bold re‑imaginer?
MN: My memoir went through about five or six iterations, depending on how you count it. I felt torn between two or three different approaches:
- what happened, in the order it happened
- a narrative that's compelling with a tension that builds, climaxes, resolves
- a narrative that conveys what I’ve learned about life without being preachy
 
With each iteration, I tried moving more in the direction of what I felt was missing. I don't feel that I'm "throwing away old writing' so much as" getting closer to the piece I wanted to write the whole time.    
 
GM: What’s something a reader has said about your work that stayed with you?
MN: "Thank you." When I get feedback like that, it's a reminder that writing isn't just something I'm doing for myself. 
 
GM: Did any scene, character, or idea surprise you while writing your latest project?
MN: I spent a year going through some of the most emotionally painful moments of my life, trying to understand why I was thinking and acting the way I was. I hadn't given much thought to how draining that kind of project would be.  
 
It was also surprising how some story arcs ended up working out as narrative devices. Two characters in particular acted as excellent foils. These are real people, good friends from college, but it just so happened that their life trajectories, although very different, both worked to contrast my own.
 
GM: What does a typical writing day look like for you—rituals, quirks, or must‑have tools?
MN: I do my best work in the morning. Afternoons are better spent doing chores or work that doesn't require so much thinking. I wake up with a certain amount of energy -- which coffee can amplify, if I drink it -- and then find that it's more or less all burned off by around lunch time. After lunch I might go for a walk and think a bit about what to write next.
 
Connect with Mark…
Website: markneyer.com
Substack: apxhard.substack.com

Editorial Review
Mark Neyer’s Rebooting Belief is a clear, compelling invitation to rethink how we form and reform our deepest convictions. Instead of prescribing answers, Neyer guides readers through the messy, honest process of questioning, rebuilding, and choosing belief with intention. His blend of personal reflection and cultural insight makes the book both accessible and quietly profound. It’s a thoughtful read for anyone navigating doubt, transition, or the desire to understand their worldview more deeply. ~ Gina McKnight