Writer's Routine

Barnaby Martin is a busy man. He works as a teacher, runs a successful YouTube channel with over 10 million views, as a composer he's had pieces performed across the world, and now he's released his first novel, 'The Quiet.It tells the story of a dystopian world covered by the Soundfield. A domer which surrounds the Earth and changes everyone's life. It brings deadly heat, ravages food and water supplies, and everyone lives with its constant background hum. When scientist Hannah learns her son Isaac has a gift which could threaten the Soundfield, she must battle to keep him safe.We talk about why his influences across science and music have all led to this story, and how everything affected the other. You can hear why he was surprised about one key difference between writing and composing, and why he's always anxious to get new ideas done. Barnaby's YouTube channel, 'Listening In', dissects how music is used throughout our lives and the role it plays in other entertainment, and it's got more than 10 million views with over 200k subscribers. How does he divide his creative energy between all these projects?You can hear about who is novel is influenced by and how heavily he can wear those in the narrative. We discuss his quest to make things new and exciting every time, and what questions he asked when given a brilliant initial hook of an idea.Get a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caitlin Davies has always wanted to be a writer. It took her a long time to admit it to herself, let alone voice it aloud. She started writing as a journalist, covering stories across Europe and Africa, and now, finally, is a published author. She writes widely, switching genres and styles, releasing 6 novels and 8 narrative nonfiction books along the way. Caitlin tends to be inspired by forgotten women from history, and water. Her most recent book is 'Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths'. It was partly inspired by 'Queens of the Underworld' and 'Bad Girls', two books that told a history of crime from the other side of the coin - from the crooks. Caitlin has also published books about swimming in the Thames River, the Ponds on Hampstead Heath, and the history of Camden Lock. To make time to write, Caitlin has fingers in many different creative earning pies - occasionally teaching, designing and decorating sea shells for local businesses. We discuss how all this feeds into inspiration for her books. You can hear whether, as her writing seems so varied and eclectic, there is any grand plan for where it'll take her, also why she wnet back to school for reserach, and why she forgets how tricky it is writing fiction after a time away.You can get a copy of the book here - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heidi Perks is the bestselling author of 7 novels, 'Now You See Her', 'Come Back for Me', 'Three Perfect Liars', 'The Whispers', 'The Other Guest', 'The Next Girl', and her new one, 'Someone is Lying'It tells the story of Jess and her daughter, Issie. They have an unbreakable bond and for years it's just been the two of them. However, when a new boyfriend, Dylan, takes Issie travelling... and contact dries up, Jess needs to figure out who is lying.The story is told through mixed media, merging true crime, podcasts and traditional prose, and we talk about the inspiration for that, and the practicalities of getting it done.You can why she writes things over and over in a notebook, and why she always underwrites her first draft. Also, we chat about why, before writing, she went back to school and enrolled on the Curtis Brown Online Novel Writing Course, and you can hear why picking yourself up and going again really matters.Get a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is the phenomenally bestselling author, Simon Scarrow. He mainly writes historical fiction, best known for his 'Eagles of the Empire' series, and has written about Ancient Rome and Nazi Germany too. He's also published futuristic sci-fi, and began writing dystopian fiction and comedy, before realising he should write what he wants to read, not what he thought might sell.Simon has sold more than 6 million books, and has been translated into 25 languages. His passion for storytelling was perfected at boarding school, learning how to engage class-mates, and keep them hooked with a daring cliff-hanger. He then expanded this passion as a teacher, before finally becoming the author he always wanted to be.His new novel is 'A Death in Berlin'. It's an Inspector Schenke book, with a tale about the exceptional investigator fighting to keep criminals off the streets of Nazi Berlin at a time of war. We discuss the inspiration for the novel, and what he does to pull together a threadbare skeleton to write with.You can hear why he's a stickler for the rules of historical fiction, also why he's inspired to write new series, and why the great illusion of writing is something you can fall prey to... instead, get on with it!Get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/writersroutineSupport the show at -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Bridges has worked as an NHS Nurse, a theatre reviewer, a columnist and now is a published author. It was his work as a nurse, coupled with his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, that gave him the inspiration and experience to get the novel done. The novel is 'Sick to Death', it tells the story of Emma who can't go to work because of a neurological condition. When her boyfriend won't finally leave his wife, she takes matters into her own hands. Emma is sick, but not in the way you think. WHAT A LINE!Chris talks about why he wanted to write a character with disability, where the disability wasn't simply a trope that allows other characters to get on with the plot. Yet also, how that influenced the character arc he could write. You can hear how he got into Emma's head, and told her side of a story dealing with disability. We discuss how much he thought about the genre he was writing in, how he found the crucial mid-point, and how living with M.S. affects his daily writing in ways we don't consider.You can get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show at - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineSubscribe to the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.com@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

M.G. Leonard is the author of 16 children's books, which have won heaps of awards. She was awarded Sainsbury's Childen's Book of the Year, and the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2021. Meanwhile, as a child at school, she was told she'd never become a published author - that she simply wasn't smart enough.Before becoming a writer, she managed bands, ran an indie record label, and worked as a professional actor with some of the biggest names around. She now uses her performance experience to help her write, by reading her work aloud to get the flow and editing that way. Maya started writing her first children's book to overcome a lifelong phobia of insects. So, to get past her fear of beetles, she wrote about them, turning the story 'Beetle Boy' into a bestseller, and now has over 100 of them. She has co-written the 'Adventures on Trains' series with Sam Sedgman, published 'The Twitchers Quartet', along with other books for young readers. Her newest novel is 'Hunt for the Golden Scarab', it's the first in the 'Time Keys' series, which tells the story of Sim who discovers his Mum has the power to open doors through time.You can hear about the cabin she's had made to stop her lazy children from interfering, also about the way writing and publishing for children has changed rapidly and why, and we discuss how she dives into extremely thorough research.Support the show at - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/writersroutineSubscribe to the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.com@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're taking a look inside the writing life of Hanna Thomas Uose, author of 'Who Whats to Live Forever'.Hanna won the Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour, was shortlisted for Orion and DHA's Space to Write project, selected for the Asian Women Writers Mentorship Programme, and went back to study for an MA in Prose Fiction.Her new novel is 'Who Wants to Live Forever', and it comes from the simple question - how would the world change if we didn't have to die? We discuss how Hanna expanded on that idea, yet also narrowed down the focus to the other questions she really wanted answered. It's about Yuki and Sam who are soulmates, destined to spend the rest of their lives together. However, when a miracle drug is created that can extend your life indefinitely, what happens when Sam decides to live forever, rather than love Yuki forever?You can hear about the pressure of delivering a good ending, also how Hanna feels with a one-book deal. We discuss why she went back to University, what she does to get ready to tell the story, and why she is in two minds when getting feedback for the edit.You can support the show atpatreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineSubscribe to the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.comGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Robert Whitlow, prolific writer of over 20 bestselling novels. His new one is 'Guilty Until Innocent', a legal thriller that looks an an old case being reopened, and the two lawyers who have to prove the convicted's innocence against the odds. His debut novel, 'The List', was adapted into a successful movie starring Malcolm McDowell. In fact, four of Robert's novels have been adapted for the big screen, and Robert still divides his time between writing and working as a local attorney. You can hear how he seperates his day, energy and creativity for that, and why he thinks the secret is to relax and be consistent... it's to discover your 'writing bio-rhythm'Faith plays a huge part in Robert's work, and we figure out why that is, how organic it can ever be, and whether he's bothered about how a reader's opinion towards religion might change with his writing. It's led him to win the prestigious 'Christy Award for Contemporary Writing' in 2001. He reveals why he loves editing, how he wrestles characters back to his ideas, and why he needs a few drafts to really figure out who his protagonist is.Get a copy of the novel - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineSubscribe to the weekly newsletter - writersroutine.substack.com@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Saint worked as an English teacher in a secondary school for thirteen years, when all of a sudden, with an unexpected confidence, she felt the urge to write a novel. It wasn't just the confidence she could do it that surprised her, but the belief that it would do well. She was inspired by Greek mythology, and wanted to emphasise their relevance for the 21st Century. Her debut was 'Ariadne', which tells the legend of Theseus and the Minotaur from a female prespective. It was a Sunday Times Bestseller, a Waterstones Book of the Month, and was nominated for as their Book of the Year. She's also published 'Elektra' and 'Atalanta', also Sunday Times Bestsellers.Jennifer's new novel is 'Hera', who is Zeus' brother. Together, they overthrow their tyrannical father Titan Cronos... only Hera becomes confused with thoughts of power and leading. She is often portrayed as the jealous wife and wicked stepmother - Jennifer explains why she decided to spend a year with one of Greek mythology's most hated figures.We discuss how she picks her next retelling, also why as a teacher she wouldn't have liked how she gets to work as a writer, and what the point of Greek mythology is in 2025.Subscribe to the newsletter - writersroutine.substack.comSupport us on -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul S. Edwards is a lawyer, a family man with two children, and has just published his first sci-fi novel, 'The Triton Run'. He found time to write it... anywhere. If he was early at a football game, he'd get words down. If he was at a gig with a few minutes to spare, he'd write. On the sofa with his family watching TV, he will get down it it. His new novel is 'The Triton Run', the start of a new sci-fi series which spans planets and, Paul hopes, does something a bit different in the genre. We discuss how it's important to be inspired by what's come before, but not derivative of it... and there's a fine line in sci-fi. You can hear why he's trying to brand and market not just the novel, but also himself. He's made a short-life website to help with that - paulsedwards.comWe discuss how he changes writing his second novel which his publisher was quite keen for, after taking a while on the debut, what he knows needs to be in sci-fi, and how he found his publishers, Northodox Press.Subscribe to the Substack and let me know what you like to hear in the podcast - writersroutine.substack.comSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Raeside is a journalist and broadcaster, who has written for The Times, The Guardian, The Big Issue and many others, and appeared across the BBC. Her new novel is 'Don't Make Me Laugh', which looks at the culture within the world of comedy... an industry which is rapidly approaching a #MeToo moment. It tells the story of Ali Lauder, a radio producer enlisted to hire Paul Bonatti to host a show. It could be her career breakthrough. Bonatti is a comedian who is thought to be cosy, warm, cool, and a fun feminist... turns out he's anything but.We talk about how the idea developed from experiencing life at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, covering it as a journalist, and then thinking there was more to be discussed as a novel. You can hear why being a journalist isn't always helpful to novel writing, why she had to trick herself to write, and whether she was ever worried it wasn't her story to tell.You can get a copy of the novel at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we chat to Rosaria Girorgi, a mystery writer whose life has been as busy as one of her plots. Whilst studying in Denmark, she got a job working for who she thought was an antique dealer. He turned out to be 'The Umbrella Assassin', a cold war legend, who assassinated the Bulgarian dissident journalist Georgi Markov, with a poison pellet discharged from an umbrella.It's inspired her novel,'The Less Unkind', which tells the story of Pico, a young woman making her way in the world and forging new friendships, when she takes a job with a strange antique dealer... who turns out to be something different than he first seemed.Rosaria has lived all over, after being born in Tuscany, moving to Denmark, she founded a fashion start-up in Ireland, and is now living in Canada. We discuss how much where you live inspires what you write and how you write it. You can hear why she writes non-linearly and without a plot, which leads to a tricky edit smoothing the gaps of where chapters should join seemlessly.Also we chat about how to start your second novel when the first mines so much of your life, why a plot is like a flock of birds, and all about her day.Get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the showpatreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Alistair Henry has had a hand in writing some seismic shows across T.V. He is a BAFTA award winning writer for the comedy, 'Green Wing', worked on the sketch show, 'Smack the Pony', and his diverse career has seen him write for 'Bob the Builder', 'Hey Duggee', and 'Shaun the Sheep'. He's just published his debut novel, 'Pagans', which has already been optioned for Apple TV. It's set in an alternative Britain, threatened with political turmoil to unite the Celtic West, the Saxon East, and the powerful Nordic Kingdom of Scotland. It's inspired by a blend of Icelandic mythology, 'Game of Thrones', and scandi noir classics.We talk about why he started writing this kind of story as a complete reverse of what he'd worked on before, and how he tried to blend the comedy he knows with a darker story. Also, hear about what he learned from writing sitcoms that he could use in novels, and we get quite theoretical with discussions of rules and what stories need to include.You can hear why he's happy to chill, writing on the sofa, also what he's learned from the first novel that he can take into the second, and find out why one of his main motivations was simply to finish something.This week's episode is sponsored by Scribe Shadow, find out more about what they do at app.scribeshadow.comSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine OR ko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSubscribe to the newsletter at writersroutine.substack.com@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Maz Evans, a celebrated Children's author who has taken the plunge into Adult fiction, publishing her second cosy crime book.Maz is a Carnegie Award and CWA Golden Dagger Shortlisted writer. 'Who Let the Gods Out', 'Vi Spy', and her 'Scarlett Fife' series are loved by kids across the world. Her new adult novel is 'That'll Teach Her', it's a multi-media novel telling the story of a group of parents trying to solve a murder over their WhatsApp group. It's the perfect blend of Richard Osman and Janice Hallett. We discuss the intricate plotting of crime novels - setting up the character, laying enough red herrings, and making everything believable. You can hear why everything comes from character, why she's mindful of taking care of herself, and about the only rule she has.Maz is busy writing multiple books a year across different genre, for different audiences, and she brilliantly takes us through twelve months in her writing life. We dissect the business of writing, and why celebrities think they've got what it takes to instantly write a bestseller.This week's episode is sponsored by Scribe Shadow, find out more at app.scribeshadow.com.Get a copy of the book on uk.bookshop.com/writersroutineSupport the show on -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineWatch the video in full technicolour glory on www.youtube.com/@writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imran Mahmood has 30 years experience as a criminal defence lawyer, working on all manner of high-profile cases. He's taken that knowledge and forged a successful 2nd career as a crime writer. His debut, 'You Don't Know Me', was presented as a closing argument to a jury. It was long-listed for the Theakston Crime Novel of the year, the CWA Gold Dagger in 2017, and was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Choice. It's been adapted for a BBC/ Netflix Crime Drama. He followed that up with 'I Know What I Saw', which was a Sunday Times Crime Novel of the Month, and is now back with 'Finding Sophie'. It's about Harry and Zara, parents struggling to come to terms with their daughter who is missing. The police are unable to find any leads and they're growing ever more frantic and obsessed with their supicious neighbour who won't answer the door. We discuss his busy life as a barrister with a young family, and why he's chosen to spend what little free time he has writing novels. You can hear how both jobs have affected each other, why talking to a jury has helped novel writing, and why he thinks his greatest skill is simply getting words down.This week's episode is supported by Scribe Shadow, a game-changing tool for writers trying to reach international readers. Find out more at app.scribeschadow.comGet a copy of Imran's book at uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Newman is an award-nominated author, who as Nicholas Bowling has published 4 genre-defying books for children. Now, he's written his debut adult novel, called 'The Garden'. It's an other-worldly retelling of 'The Secret Garden', inspired by Cormac McCarthy. It tells the story of Lily, Evelyn and a nameless boy who wanders into their vast and flourishing garden.We discuss the balance of getting the plot down, whilst also writing some lovely words. Also, why he tells himself one thing about what works best for him... whilst knowing the opposite is true, hear about a recent location switch which has changed everything, and whether he thinks he's a writer or a story-teller (there is a difference)This week's episode is sponsored by Scribe Shadow, a game-changing tool for writers trying to reach international readers. It uses advanced AI to translate your work into other languages, helping you reach a global audience quickly and affordably. Find out more at app.scribeshadow.comSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we chat to A.F Steadman, the bestselling author behind the phenomenal 'Skandar series'. The fantasy saga has taken the literary world by storm, was reported to have sold for a seven-figure deal, and was believed to be the biggest advance ever given to a debut childrens author. The series is praised as the biggest children's fantasy since Harry Potter.In this episode, we dive into her journey from practicing law to becoming a celebrated writer, explore the inspirations behind her imaginative world of bloodthirsty unicorns, and look inside her working day.The first, 'Skandar and the Unicorn Thief', was selected as the Waterstones Children's Book of Year 2022, and won an Indie Book Award in 2023. The 3rd, 'Skandar and the Chaos Trials' is out in paperback right now, and the 5th and final book is released in August 2025.You can hear why it was inspired by a train journey listening to James Blunt, and why she sat on it for years simply drawing ideas before finally getting the first book out in a frantic rush. We discuss her busy 5 years, sometimes working on 3 books at the same time, in a rush to get these stories published. Annabel runs through why big screens don't work for her, how she knows she's good in the morning... but struggles to get up and make the most of it, and whether she's found her voice yet.You can get a copy of the books here - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the showpatreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER - https://writersroutine.substack.com/@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Laurie Dove is a do-er. She likes to keep busy. Alongside writing for numerous places like CNN, Animal Planet, the LA Business Journal, and many more, Laurie was elected local Mayor back in 2015, has a Masters Degree from Harvard, and has just published 'Mask of the Deer Woman'.It tells the story of Carrie Starr. Once a detective in Chicago, Carrie has hit rock-bottom after a personal tragedy and returned to the reservation in which she grew up to be their local Marshal. When a college student goes missing, Carrie must wrestle with the reasons why her own daughter disappeared.We discuss why Laurie has found time to write for pleasure when she makes money writing for other people, also how she dealt with the ambiguity of magical realism, and why she likes to sneak up on the story. You can hear how fiction comes from character, how hard it is to find an organic ending to the first novel in a series, and why the only way to find out how to write novels... is to write novels.This week's episode is sponsored by the 'Charley Scott Mysteries', by Vanessa Westermann. To find out more about these feel-good thrillers set in the stunning Canadian countryside, head here - www.vanessa-westermann.info/Support the showpatreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet copies of the novels we feature on the podcast - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peyton Corinne is a love story enthusiast. As a teenager, she would write fan-fiction about her favourite series, then she self-published her own writing whilst working as a teacher, because she hit it big on TikTok.The episode is a full break-down on why if you market yourself smartly and keep up with social trends, your book will find an audience, and traditional publishers will find you. Her new novel is 'Unloved', it tells the story of star hockey player Matt 'Freddy' Fredderic, who can do everything at school but pass his exams. When he gets a tutor to help him out... a pining love story starts to develop between them.We discuss why there will always be a happy ending, and how Peyton works the rest of her story out to reach that conclusion. Also, hear why she likes to write in long-hand, the little annoyances of writing full-time, and why getting a good editor can solve every problem.You can watch the episode fully visualised on YouTube - www.youtube.com/@writersroutineGet a copy of the novel - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we chat with Eowyn Ivey, the acclaimed author of The Snow Child and To the Bright Edge of the World, ahead of her new novel Black Woods, Blue Sky. We explore the inspiration behind her vivid Alaskan settings, her journey from bookseller to bestselling novelist, and the themes of resilience and wonder that thread through her work.Black Woods, Blue Sky, tells the story of Birdie and Emaleen, mother and daughter travelling through the Alaskan wilderness, until they meet the timid Arthur. They soon form a close-knit group and move in with him, only to discover that he came transform into a Grizzly Bear.It's a story inspired by a difficult childhood, and Eowyn explored how she was effected by her father's brutality through the story. We discuss how she managed to keep a plot going and grounded, when unpacking what had happened to her. You can hear why she has published just 3 books in 14 years, and how she keeps saying she's done with writing... only to be tempted back to the page.Eowyn reveals how much she thinks about genre, why the benegits of success don't apply to storytelling, and when she started to understand that the novel was drawing to a close.You can get a copy of the book here - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Stephen Spotswood. Stephen is an acclaimed author and playwright celebrated for his mastery of mystery and suspense. Best known for his 'Pentecost and Parker' series, Spotswood reimagines the noir genre with sharp wit, dynamic characters, and intricate storytelling. He's a Nero Award Winner, a New Blood Dagger Award finalist, an Edgar Award Nominee, wrote the NYT Book Review Best Crime and Mystery of the Year. His new novel is 'Dead in the Frame', it's the 5th in the 'Pentecost and Parker' series. It sees the sleuthing duo Willowjean Park and Lillian Pentecost make a name for themselves as the premier detective outfit in 1940s New York City. However, when an old enemy is killed... Lillian is the prime suspect. She finds herself locked away in the notorious Women's House of Detention, and the race is on to get free and find the real killer.We discuss the first seed of the duo, and how he pays attention to the little details of period writing. We discuss how physical fitness helps mention output, why he writes almost exclusively for female performers, and how much a location influences creativity.You can hear how he approaches writing mysteries quite loosely and is fine to discover the solution at the same time as the reader. We discuss what he's learned from writing players, and how he knows whether it'll be a good work day.Get a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.com/shop/writersroutineSupport the show:patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode of 'Writer's Routine', the show that takes a look inside an author's working day, we're chatting to horror writer, Grady Hendrix. Grady is the bestselling author of "The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires", "Horrorstör", and "My Best Friend's Exorcism". He blends horror and humour with incredibly inventive plots and creative ways of creating terror.His new novel is 'Witchcraft for Wayward Girls'. It tells the story of a home for unwed expecting mothers, who can have their baby in secret whilst their family figures out what to do next, and how to forget the whole thing. Every moment of the girls' waking day is controlled by adults who "know what's best for them", that's until the girl Fern finds a book of the occult, all about witchcraft... suddenly the power is in the girls' hands.We discuss how it was partly inspired by his family history and why he sat on the idea for more than 4 years. You can hear what he thought about when he finally decided to write it, and how he managed to plot and plan such a character-heavy story.Grady reveals what he remembers to make horror fiction scary, who inspires him, and what a day in the life of his novel-writing looks like.Support the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineThis episode is sponsored by Faber Academy's 'Writing a Novel' course. Find out more - https://faberacademy.com/writing-a-novel@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Cathy Hayward. Cathy is busy. She runs an award-winning PR agency, bought a bookshop in Brighton on a whim, runs a 5 AM writing club, and manages a creative writing programme. Amongst all that she's just re-released her debut novel, 'The Girl in the Midnight Maze', and has just published her new novel, 'The Secret of the Brighton House'. The novel is all about Jackie, who always thought her mother died in childbirth. However, when she's preparing for her own, much longed-for, child, she discovers a truth that will change everything. It explores trauma, history and psychosis, and you can hear how Cathy's own experience as a new mother inspired and influenced the story.We discuss why she writes in dual timeline, and how she plans her space round that. Also, when characters develop tics, the mechanics of a plot twist, and how to go again after a rejected book.Get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.org/store/writersroutineThis week's episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Enroll in 2025's Writing a Novel coursse - faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Sellers is the bestselling author behind the 'Detective Lola Harris' series. Each involves a mysterious crime set across Scotland. The new one is 'Murder on Skye', which sees Lola track a potential murderous reality TV star out to the remote, windswept island. It starts as Lola discovers the body of a woman pulled from the river. Instantly, she knows it's Kathryn Main, who has been missing for a while, and was on the juror which convicted reality star Carter Craig of a double murder. When his conviction was overturned, people started disappearing... Kathryn is the latest body to be found.We discuss why readers have taken to Detective Lola Harris so well, and how he brings to life evocative locations around Scotland. You can hear why he has a tight schedule, how precise he is with word-count, and what he does to try and write THREE BOOKS A YEAR.It took Daniel many. years to finally get published, and you can hear what, after years of rejection, he changed to finally get signed.You can watch the episode fully visualised on the Writer's Routine YouTube channel.This week's episode is sponsored by Faber Academy's 'Writing a Novel' course. Find out more - faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show - patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nayantara Roy is a TV executive for the channel Starz over in Los Angeles, and now a published author. Her debut is 'The Magnificent Ruins'. It tells the story of Lila, on the verge of a massive career breakthrough, only to inherit her grandfather's home in Kolkata. She returns to face a resentful family and an unresolved childhood.We discuss learning from many sources and how she's grown from her debut. You can hear why with an office, she chooses to write in the sanctuary of the comfortable sofa, and how she remembers characters are thoughts and emotions, not just two-dimensional ideas.Get a copy of the book - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineThis show is sponsored by Faber Academy's 'Writing a Novel' course. Find out more about their January submissions - faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show -patreon.com/writersroutineko-fi.com/writersroutinewriterspod.com@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're looking inside the writing routine of Niall Williams. He is an acclaimed Irish author whose evocative storytelling has captivated readers and audiences around the world. He loves to capture a sense of placeBorn in Dublin in 1958, his writing is rooted in the rich cultural and literary traditions of Ireland. Niall studied English and French at University College Dublin before moving to New York City, where he worked in publishing and honed his craft. He moved back home to 'see if he had any talent'.In addition to his fiction, Williams is a playwright and co-author of four non-fiction books on healing, written with his wife, Christine Breen. Together, they live in Kiltumper, County Clare, where they restored a 19th-century cottage and continue to draw inspiration from the natural world around them. Their love of gardening inspires his fiction... we find out how much, and what the balance between the two is.Best known for novels like 'This is Happiness' and 'Four Letters of Live', Williams's work often explores themes of love, loss, resilience, and the profound connections between people and place. Niall's writing has been shortlisted for prestigious awards, including the Man Booker Prize, and his works have been translated into numerous languages.His newest novel is 'Time of the Child' - here's the blurb: Doctor Jack Troy was born and raised in the village of Faha, but his responsibilities for the sick and dying mean he has always been set apart from his community. A visit from the doctor is always a sign of bad things to come. His eldest daughter, Ronnie, has grown up in her father's shadow, and remains there. But in the advent season of 1962, as the town readies itself for Christmas, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when an abandoned baby is left in their car. As Christmas approaches, a deep and abiding love for this secret visitor takes root in the doctor's household. But it is Ireland in the 1960s, and under the eye of the church, and the gossip of the parish, what chance does the unmarried Ronnie have of holding on to this most unexpected gift?We discuss how a busy home-life through the years has dictated how his writing routine has evolved. Also his search for the perfecf first sentence, and why he keeps returning to write 11 novels later... what is he searching for?Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine and ko-fi.com/writersroutineGet a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.com/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we chat to the historical fiction author and academic, Steven Veerapen. He's best known for his Anthony Blanke series, set in the Tudor period, about the son of a black trumpeter, John Blanke, who was a real figure in the court of King Henry VIII. There's 'Of Blood Descended' and 'Of Judgement Fallen', which are out in print and just released as audiobooks. He's also written 3 in the 'Simon Danforth' series, and a few about the playwright Christopher Marlowe as a spy.We talk about the balance of writing academia and finding time for novels. Also about the morbid curiosity which gives him ideas, and why we all love the Tudors.You can hear about his sparse writing environment, how he plans a busy year, and what Tudor fiction needs to have in it.Get a copy of the book at uk.bookshop.com/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Pavesi spent a long time writing many debut novels. He would write a few thousands words, get struck by a brilliant new idea, get bored, stop writing and the cycle would continue. Finally, he landed upon a way of storytelling that allowed him to write a finished book. That became 'Eight Detectives', which was a Sunday Times Crime Book of the Year and a smash-hit.He's followed it up with 'Ink Ribbon Red'. It tells the story of a group of old friends who meet for an annual birthday weekend away, deep in the English countryside. One of them suggests a parlour game in which they write murder mystery stories about each other... what happens when murders really start happening. Will you be able to tell the real murder, from the ones they're writing? It's a brilliant way of telling stories within stories, and twisting the murder mystery genre even further.We discuss how he landed on a writing routine that helped him finally get published, also how the success of the first novel changed what his second had to be, and why he's obsessed with pen and paper.You can hear about accidentally becoming a full-time writer, about the balance of plot and character, and why he doesn't agree with a classic piece of writing advice.If you'd like a copy of 'Ink Ribbon Red', please do take a look at our dedicated Writer's Routine bookstore at - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineYou can get a writing tip everyday through NaNoWriMo on our TikTok and Instagram page.Support the show!Pledge - patreon.com/writersroutineTip - ko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Easter Collins is an all-round creative. Alongside being a painter, she's just published her debut, 'Things Don't Break on their Own'. It tells the story of Willa, whose life shattered into tiny pieces when her sister disappeared on the way to school, and she has never been able to put them back together again. Willa sees Laika everywhere: on buses, at parties, in busy streets. It's been twenty-five years, and the only thing that has kept her going is her belief that her sister is alive, somewhere. But when a dinner party conversation about childhood memories spirals out of control, a shattering revelation from one of the guests forces Willa to rethink everything she thought she knew about her past. It was inspired by many things - travelling around Africa and Thailand, teaching in the South West of England, the first dog in space, and also an obnoxious dinner party guest. We discuss bringing those themes together, also the art of showing without telling, and how her painting inspires her writing... and vice versa.You can hear how she knew the beats of a genreless novel, why she wakes up shockingly early, and how poetry helps her focus on prose.Get a copy of the book - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the show:patreon.com/writersroutinehttps://ko-fi.com/writersroutinewritersroutine.com@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Louise Swanson is the pen-name of bestselling and award-winning author, Louise Beech. Louise has 8 novels out, a memoir, and has picked up all sorts of prizes for her work. She has written the play based on her debut novel, 'How to be Brave', which is currently touring the UK, and has written columns for local newspapers.She's back with a Louise Swanson novel, called 'Light's Out'. Set in a strange version of the UK, where a state of emergency is declared and all electricity cuts out at 8pm every night. So, what happens when Grace, terrified of the dark, wakes up every morning after the cut-off, to find a different note from the same intruder - one, seemingly getting closer to something drastic?We talk about getting to the end of a novel as a panster, and how perhaps she's been figuring out how it ends the whole time, but never realising that. Also you can hear how her work writing novels, plays and columns is a bit like riding a bike, and we discuss how one influences the other.We chat about how she was improving in-between rejections, why she needs a news programme on whilst writing, and why her strict routine comes from working class guilt, perhaps.You can watch this episode on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@writersroutineGet a copy of 'Lights Out' and support the show - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport us on with a monthly pledge - patreon.com/writersroutineSupport us as a one-off donation - https://ko-fi.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gareth Rubin is back with one of the few Sherlock Holmes books officially authorised and certified by the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle estate. It's called 'Holmes and Moriarty', and tells the story of two of fiction's greatest adversaries being forced to form an alliance, to face a threat bigger than anything that's gone before.It's Gareth's 4th published novel, coming after 'Liberation Square', 'The Winter Agent', and 'The Turnglass'. They're high-concept historical thrillers that twist the way stories are told. We talk about the pressure of writing a Holmes story, and how concerned he was with getting the small details correct. You can hear how he went about planning the clues, the tricks and the mystery, and why he has to escape to somewhere incredibly dull to write. Also we discuss how, surprisingly, for a published author... Gareth doesn't enjoy writing. He likes being published... but not the act of getting words down.It's your last chance to get 10% off Writer's Rising 2024, one of the biggest writing retreats of the year. Use the code 'wr10' at writersrising.com.Support your local independent bookshop, and get a copy of Gareth's book in the dedicated Writer's Routine shop at Bookshop.org - https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly Green writes wartime novels that celebrate the women who stayed home and served their country. Her new novel is 'Courage for the Cabinet Girl'. Set in 19412, with Britain in the throes of the Second World War, it's about Katharina Valentine who feels sidelined. Employed as a shorthand-typist in the War Office, she is transferred to the basement below – home of the top-secret Cabinet War Rooms. Unexpected staff shortages present an opportunity to work directly for Winston Churchill himself, and Katie jumps at the chance. We talk about her working writing under 3 different names, why a job she had 40 years ago still makes her start early, and why she gets angry when people think she's wrong. To save money on one of the biggest writing retreats of the year, head to writersrising.com and use the code 'wr10'. Support your favourite authors, local bookshops and this podcast by buying books on our dedicated site over at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jodi Picoult is one of the world's most successful authors. She's written over 30 books, been translated into 34 languages, and has sold more than 40 MILLION books. Her novel, 'My Sister's Keeper', was turned into a huge film starring Cameron Diaz, and she's written as a librettist, with pieces performed across the world.Her new novel is 'By Any Other Name', which tells the story of Emilia Bassano, who back in 1581, like most women of the day, isn't allowed a voice of her own. When she starts writing dramatic masterpieces, she decides to pay a man for the use of his name... then what happens 500 years later, when the man becomes one of the most famous who ever lived?We discuss her thorough research which hasn't changed much in 30 years, also how she divides her time with so many projects going on and so many book tours planned. You can hear about the book she wrote as therapy during lockdown and never thought would release, and why she has a voodoo doll of her competitors.The book is released in the UK on October 10th, get a copy with our brand new Bookshop.org Writer's Routine store! Find lots of books we've featured on the show too - uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutineSupport the podcast - patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ciar Byrne has worked as a journalist for 25 years, usually as a gardening journalist, she's written for The Independent, The Guardian, Private Eye and many more. It turns out that all that experience, didn't make it easier to get published.Ciar wrote 6 books before she got a deal. When it eventually arrived, it came through the strange route of a random email after a Twitter Submission Window she'd entered half-heartedely. After waiting so long to get a contract, when she was finally offered one, what did she do? How did she immediately get to work to make her project the best it could be? We try and find out.The debut is 'A Deadly Discovery', which stars Virginia Woolf and her sister, Vanessa Bell, from the Bloomsbury Set, as a pair of unlikely amateur sleuths. It's set around the historic country town of Lewes, in the south of England, where Ciar lives, and incorporates murder, historic buildings, and a touch of gardening too.You can hear why she's had to slow down her writing to forget some journalistic practices, also the brilliant advice she's got about bad writing days, and why she likes to start early.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Peace Lilies: A Sweet Ghostly Novella' by Margaret Rodeheaver. It's all about Birdie and Martin who return froom vacation to discover they're dead. Get a copy here - books2read.com/peaceliliesSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Strange's debut is 'Look Up, Handsome'. It's a festive rom-com about bookshop owner Quinn, who is trying to save his business, only when romantic novelist Noah comes to town, he might provide an unwanted distraction.It's far from the first book he's written, having tried his hand at mysteries, crime, thrillers, but it's rom-com that's landed him a publishing deal, and we try to unpack why.We discuss why representation across sexualities and nationalities is very important to him, also why he's considered and planned in life, but perhaps not in writing. You can hear how spirituality helps him get to work, what it was like being submerged in Christmas for most of the year when writing this novel, and how he was inspired by those Hallmark holiday movies.You can support and sponsor the show at patreon.com/writersroutinewritersroutine.com@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Gray is an award-winning journalist who has written for The Guardian, Stylist, The Telegraph, Grazia, and many more. She's published 4 non-fiction books, which have sold over a million copies and been translated into 9 languages. She's best known for her book, 'The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober', which takes you through the benefits of going alcohol-free, and how it can positively impact your creativity. Her debut novel is 'Versions of a Girl'. It's a classic sliding doors story, which tells the tale of Fern, whose mother is a former ballet dancer and formidable social climber, while her father is a layabout who lives hand to mouth in Californian motels. When Fern is 14 she needs to chose who she is living with... and we follow both of those narratives. It's the ultimate nature v nurture questions - do we become who we are because of our parents, or in spite of them?We talk about avoiding stereotypes when writing characters, also why working as a journalist has helped her write on cue, and why it's vital to be critical of your own work.This week's episode is sponsored by Faber Academy's 'Writing a Novel' course. Submissions for their October 24 programme finish on the 15th and 16th September. Be quick, and find out more at faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is J.M. Hall, who has worked as a playwright, a primary school teacher, and is now a published novelist. Through lockdown he wrote 'A Spoonful of Murder', as a way to deal with a traumatic family situation, that was published in 2021. He's gone on to publish, 'A Brush with Death', and his most recent book 'A Clock Stopped Dead'. They tell the story of Pat, Liz and Thelma, retired teachers who turn to sleuthing.We talk about how, after recently retiring, Jonathan's routine has changed, also what he needed to have when designing his ideal writing space, and why he insists on writing long-hand... and is frankly bemused by people who don't.You can hear how working as a primary school teacher helped him refine storytelling, whether writing without a view of publication affected the process, and what authors your kids should be reading.This episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Their flagship, 'Writing a Novel' course is taking applicants for its new course starting in october. Find out more at faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by Santa Montefiore. A bestselling author, published across the world, who has sold millions of copies of her 31 novels. She's known for her richly drawn characters, intricate plots, and a deep sense of place, often set in the countrysides of England, Ireland, and Argentina.Her books, including The Deverill Chronicles series and The Beekeeper's Daughter, have been translated into more than 25 languages, captivating audiences worldwide. Beyond her novels, Santa is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and spirituality and often explores themes of love, loss, and redemption in her work.Her newest novel is 'Shadows in the Moonlight', which tells the story of time-shifter Pixie Tate, who needs to solve a mystery in the past, using her unique gifts.We discuss why her writing space is determined by her dog, also why a change of publisher finally landed her success in the UK, and why she's a pretty committed panster.You can hear hear why Santa's biggest problem is getting to her desk, also how she felt with immense European success, but not much at home, and what happens if your characters don't take you down the right path.This episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Their flagship, 'Writing a Novel' course is taking admissions for their new 6 month programme. Find out more at https://faberacademy.com/writing-a-novel/If you enjoyed the episode, please do watch a new visualised version on our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@writersroutineSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Rhode is a busy man. Working as a lawyer, with a full family, he's recently self-published his first novel. It's called 'The Eagle and the Cockerel', and was shortlisted for a 2024 Selfie Award.We discuss why Alan was so keen to become a published author, and he is very open about his reasons for wanting to be a novel, and what his ambitions are in the next few years. You can hear why concentration is subjective, why nature helps his writing, and why writing in a second language can make things tricky and a bit slow.'The Eagle and the Cockerel' is a political thriller based on a true story, of a plan to unite Germany and France after WWI, and create a new European superpower. We discuss the birth of the idea, how it grew, and what inspired him in the political thriller genre.This episode is sponsored by Faber Academy. Their flagship, 'Writing a Novel' course, is starting in October in person or remotely, and you can find out more at faberacademy.com/writing-a-novelSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Catherine Steadman had a very successful acting career, starring in 'Downton Abbey', 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen', 'Fearless' and many more. In her early 30s, she started to think about how her future as an actor might pan out. It's been well documented that roles for older women are depressingly stark, and often frustratingly uninspired. Giving that some thought, Catherine decide to switch things around, and trusting that her story-telling and improvisational abilities learned from acting would transfer well, started writing fiction.Her debut was 'Something in the Water', it became a Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick, which launched her to success. She's a New York Times Bestseller, has sold millions of copies and been published around the world. Her newest novel is 'Look in the Mirror', which looks at the lives of Nina and Maria, and how their lives become entangled with a huge house in the British Virgin Islands. It's a mysterious thriller which Catherine was keen to keep speculative, and not let it creep into being gritty or grimy.Catherine talks about how acting has helped her writing, why she feels able to understand the nuances of characters well, also why novelty is key to her day, and how she keeps grounded after sudden success.You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Milly Johnson is one of the top 10 Female Fiction authors in the UK, with over 3 million sales in the country alone, and many more across the world as she's been published in more than 20 different countries. She's been honoured with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award, and has just published her 21st novel in 20 years.It took her a long time to finally get published, and we discuss her desperate quest to become a novellist, and how it, at last, happened. Also, you can hear how she spent her time before in an incredibly unique job, and how it hugely helped her aspirations to write novels.Her newest novel is 'The Happiest Ever After', which tells the story of Polly Potter... someone taken for granted by everyone in her life. The only place where things are working is in her evening classes learning to write a novel - there she has created Sabrina Anderson, someone who has their life together. Yet, when Polly suddenly finds herself in a seaside hospital, with no recollection of why she is there... she finds her identity changing. She starts to believe she is not Polly, but Sabrina… her fictional character. It's a novel about whether she can move on and get the life she's always dreamed of... or will the past catch up with her?You can hear about how Milly keeps herself concentrating, whilst being surrounded by the best things. Also, why she still feels like everything might slip away tomorrow. We talk about the pressure of the 2nd and 3rd books, after finally securing a publishing contract, and why you have to be good at switching train tracks through the year.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crime writer B.P. Walter has always been around books. From beng submerged in reading growing up, to studying storytelling, to working in bookshops, it makes perfect sense that he's now a full-time author. His newest novel is 'The Garden Party', which tells the story of a wealthy family celebrating the engagement of son, Raphael. Only, his adopted brother chooses this day of celebration to expose what he really thinks of the family that has taken him in... and soon the bodies begin to drop. It's Saltburn meets Agatha Christie, and we discuss the idea, why he enjoys writing rich characters, and how he keeps them real and authentic, without slipping into absolutist ideas of stock stereotypes.Later this year, he's publishing his first horror novel, 'Scuttle'. You can hear how this has happened, why there's a slight name change for it, and what it's been like being immersed in gigantic spiders for a year. We talk about why he loves being distracted, what it's like to work tirelessly on a book and then hand it over to publishers who can hopefully sell it, and how working as a book-seller inspired him to become a book-writer.Support the shot at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amy Neff's new novel is 'The Days I Loved You Most'. It's taken 10 years to get to shelves. Amy has spent 10 years refining the story, sending it to publishers, even hiring her own editor to help get it into shape. We discuss how she stayed positive through that time and learned to deal with rejection. It tells the story of Joseph and Evelyn, once childhood friends now, 60 years later, married with children. One summer, they reveal the staggering news that Evelyn has received a life-ending diagnosis, and as Joseph cannot bare to live without her, they will both take their own lives. It looks at memories of lives, how decisions impact families, and how they face the prospect of making their plan reality.You can hear how the story is inspired by a long family tradition, what she starts off with, and how the story developed over 10 years.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julietta Henderson's debut novel, 'The Funny Thing about Norman Foreman', was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick and sold around the world. Her second is, 'How to Get a Life'. It tells the story of Danny Mulberry, a man who could do better... better at life, better at being an adult... generally better than everything. When a photo of him accidentally ends up in the papers, people across the country start to think he is actually a man with all the answers... and suddenly Danny becomes the guru who can solve everything.We talk about the north star for this story, and how Julietta pulled everything together whilst writing scattered scenes. Also, how she realised that writing won't get any easier, and whether that knowledge is comfort to her or not.You can hear how much she has learned about how she works best, what she does to get in the writing zone, and whether you really feel improvement when you're trying so hard to get better.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shaun Bythell runs 'The Bookshop' in Wigtown, it's Scotland's largest second-hand bookshop, and is now incredibly popular. Back in 2017, Shaun published, 'The Diary of a Bookseller', a book filled with his daily experiences running the store. People fell in love with his wry musings, the life of a bookseller, and it became a Sunday Times bestseller. He's followed it up with 'Confessions of a Bookseller', and 'Remainders of the Day', in the 'Bookseller Series'.We talk about why everyone finds the life of a bookseller appealing and whether that's really what it's like. You can hear how a diary becomes published, how an editor works on it, and whether having them published has changed how he writes a diary. This was recorded back in 2022, I have no clue why it's taken so long to be released. Sorry Shaun, and I hope you enjoy the episode!Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jonny Sweet won the 'Best Newcomer' Prize at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, created a sketch group with 'The Inbetweeners' Simon Bird and Joe Thomas, and appeared in many TV Comedies, including 'Chickens' and 'Him and Her'. He wrote the movie 'Wicked Little Letters' starring Olivia Colman, which was released this year. He has also just published one of the most acclaimed novels of the year. 'The Kellerby Code' tells the story of Edward, living in a world he can't afford and to which he doesn't belong. Getting by doing odd jobs for friends, he falls in love with one of them, and after a little act of kindness in the group takes a sinister turn, it unleashes the unspeakable brutality at Edward's core.We talk about why he's been lying to people about the plot, and how the writing process changes depending on what he's working on. You can hear how much he thinks like a director when writing, and why he prefers not to hear himself think. This novel has been highly recommended by some of the best authors around, and we discuss how he deals with such praise.You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our special guest this week is Kate Storey. Under the name Lisa Timoney, she's published 3 books, 'Her Daughter's Secret', 'Her Mother's Lies' and 'His Secret Wife'... but a change of genre means a change of name.Kate's back with book club fiction now, and has published, 'The Memory Library'. It's all about Sally Harrison, who has been building a library for 43 years. Every year she adds a new book to it, dedicated to her estranged daughter Ella who has fled to Australia... however, when disaster strikes, Ella must return home and fix their relationship. It's an ex-English teacher's dream novel, a book about books!We discuss outlining, how much she knows what she's doing, without trying to limit the places her characters could take her. Also, we chat through how how she has learned as an author, and what she wants to change about the way she works. You can hear why she finds pictures online to inspire her characters, what it's like to work with an editor, and how far the finished book is from her very first idea.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After writing around 7 books and getting many rejections or near-misses, Alina Khawaja finally has a published novel. It's called 'Maya's Laws of Love', and tells the story of Maya on her way to Pakistan for an arranged marriage she hopes will end with love. Only, after a disastrous journey, she begins to wonder if Mr. Right might actually be someone else she meets along the way.Alina is well read and decorated, with a degree in English, History and Creative Writing, and a Masters in Literatures of Modernity, and all the time whilst studying, she's been writing. She's been carrying on in the face of rejections, reading to get better, and cracking out stories. You can hear how she dealt with rejections and near-misses, and why she thinks this novel finally got her published. Also, at a time when self-publishing has never been easier or more successful, we talk about why Alina was desperate to follow the traditional route.You can hear about her outlining process and whether that's likely to change, also why she tries to avoid tangents, and how she's trying to make her work stand out in busy bookshelves.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Samuel Burr has worked as a TV executive, creating shows like 'The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds', 'Eight Go Rallying', and 'The Secret Life of Cleaners'. Many years ago he worked on a documentary in a retirement home, now it's given him the basis for his debut novel.'The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers' looks at Clayton Sumper, an enigma who was abandoned at birth on the steps of the puzzlemakers, ending up being raised by some of the sharpest minds in the country. The hope is that he's learned from them, as to discover the secrets of who he is and who he can be, he needs to crack one last puzzle.We talk about the details of writing such a tricksy book, matching chapter names to crossword answers, and how getting deep into those details impacted his ability to be creative. You can hear why he works towards a final sentence, also why he uses the pomodoro technique, and how he gets ideas by spying on strangers.We discuss his time at the Faber Academy, how working in TV has influenced his storytelling in novels, and you can hear about the business of writing - what does an advance mean? What happens if you get a big deal? How do you get paid?Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caz Frear was launched to debut success after winning the 'Richard and Judy Search for a Bestseller' competition. Her novel, 'Sweet Little Lies', won the prize and found the bestselling status they searched for. What happens next? How do you follow up on debut success? Caz discusses how she dealt with that writing her 2nd and 3rd novels, and why she's constantly looking to make her day better and improve how she works. We talk about the tech problems she attempts to deal with, how the process has changed after being a number of books down, and how she deals with the pressures of being an author that needs to do everything.Her new novel is 'Five Bad Deeds', which tells the story of Ellen Walsh, a teacher, mother, wife, and all round good citizen, who discovers she has done something incredibly bad... but has no idea what.You can hear about why she's changed her work-day to go easy on herself, how he stays creative while doing the admin, and how she's changed her mindset of working.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chioma Okereke's writing career started as a performance poet, even though she was terrified of performing poetry. From there she wrote short fiction, and was a highly placed runner up in the Costa Short Story Award, for 'Trompette de la Mort'. Her move into long-form began with her debut 'Bitter Leaf', which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writer's Prize. Her new novel is 'Water Baby', which looks at a 19 year old woman trying to escape her community in Makoko in Lagos, Nigeria. It explores the themes of education, digitalisation, and the representation of Africa. Her research for the novel prompted her to start a charity, 'Makoko Pearls', which is a direct and safe way to financially support the community.We discuss why it was inspired by her wandering thoughts during a cooking show, also how she researched the location, which is so vital to the plot, without going there for a while. You can hear why living around the world has influenced her reason to write stories, how changing her plotting method has helped her 2nd novel, and find out why you can accept that some days are simply bad.You can hear why her desk is always messy, how performing poetry affected how she viewed novels, and what she does when facing a creative block.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.