Writer's Routine

Mari Hannah is a prolific writer. Over the last 12 years she's won the Northern Writer's Award, the Polari First Book Prize, the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, and Capital Crime's Crime Book of the Year. She's a series authors, publishing books in the 'Stone and Oliver' series, the 'Ryan and O'Neil' novels, and the 'Kate Daniels' thrillers.Her newest novel is 'The Longest Goodbye', and it sees Kate Daniels involved in a case incredibly close to her. It's the story Mari never wanted to write. Inspired by a moment she thought her partner, a police officer, had been killed in the line of duty.We talk about series writing and how she plans characters and arcs over a long time. Also, about the precision across details that is needed when writing crime, her murder wall, and the tool-box that moves with her through the series.You can hear how closely she works with her partner, to uncover the unknowns of police life, also how working in a prison has helped Mari deal with some of the tougher parts of writing crime, and the rules of genre.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Triona Campbell worked as a TV producer and writer, creating many dramas and comedies for teens, and picking up 3 Emmy nominations. Through Lockdown (capital L?) she started writing a novel for teens... thus, a whole career change.Her debut, 'A Game of Life and Death' went down very well, and she's followed it up with 'The Traitor in the Game'. It's about Asha, who enters an eSports tournament in New York, when it becomes harder to keep the game under control.Triona has written radio plays too, and we discuss moving between mediums... what you gain, what you lose, what you learn and what you miss. She has recently moved with her whole family to Portugal, simply to write a novel - we discuss how this has helped and what life is like for her now.You can hear about moving from TV to novels, why writing is all about the obstacles, and why it's hard to get the voice and tone right when writing for teens.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yangsze Choo's debut novel 'The Ghost Bride', was released 10 years ago, and has been adapted by Netflix. Her follow-up 'The Night Tiger', was a BBC 2 'Between the Covers' pick, a Reese Witherspoon Book Pick, and was selected for the UK's Big Jubilee Read. She's a New York Times bestseller.Her 3rd novel in the last 10 years is 'The Fox Wife'. Set in 1908 Manchuria, it weaves in folklore and myth, it's a quest for love, and a murder mystery. We discuss changes in her routine over the last 10 years, and why she takes her time, brooding over a low word-count. You can also hear how much impact the weather has., and how much debut success can affect what you follow up with. We chat about the tantalising prospect of streaming and film rights, how that changes how you plan future novels, and why we all think differently.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mandy Robotham has had many careers, and is busy. She's worked as a midwife, a journalist, and now is an author across genres. Her newest novel is 'The Hidden Storyteller', tells the story of reporter Georgie Young who, in 1946 returns to Germany and finds it unrecognisable post-war, she then teams up with detective Harri Schroder to catch a killer.We talk about historical fiction, how she knows the rules of the genre, and how much she thinks about the style of the writing. You can hear about the thorough research she took on, about what happens when you get caught out, and why Buffalo wings were her undoing. Mandy discusses the balance of being an extroverted writer, how she finds the male voice, and why she likes to stop mid-scene.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a brand new true crime podcast. Take a listen wherever you get your shows.Support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caroline Dunford has published over 30 books across many genres. Her best loved is the 'Euphemia Martins' Mysteries', which solves crimes set one hundred years ago. Her latest release is 'The Augmentors', a Young Adult novel published under the name Gemini Gibson. We get quite philosophical, talking about the big picture of writing, and why she feels the need to carry on. She has a story-telling infection, and has published many books, even though she's never got down that 'perfect' novel which sells millions upon millions. We discuss why sometimes she writes under contract, and other times there are stories that have be written regardless, and how she structures a year around that. You can hear how plot development changes in a series of books, how she figures out the tone of a book as she flits between genre, and how she decides what book comes next.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a true-crime podcast available wherever you get your shows.Support the podcast at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Orlando Murrin has had many careers. In the early 90's he appeared on 'Masterchef', reaching the semi-final on a show watched by 12 million people. From then, he's worked as a chef and hotelier, written cookbooks, edited magazines, made podcasts, and now has a novel out. 'Knife Skills for Beginners' sees Paul Delamare investigating murders at a high-end cookery school in Belgravia, London. We talk about why the kitchen has the perfect recipe for crime. You can hear why his protagonist very rarely did what he was supposed to, how he researched the novel while writing, and what made he keep going on tangents.We discuss why Orlando is extremely particular about his keyboard, whether magazine writing influences story-telling, where his drive to do comes from, and why a little bit of wine sometimes helps alot.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a new true crime podcast putting you in the heart of one of the UK's most famous unsolved murders. Listen wherever you get your [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we chat to Maura Cheeks, who has written pieces and columns all over the place, being featured in the New York Times, The Atlantic and the Harvard Business Review. Her debut novel is called 'Acts of Forgiveness', and is out on the 13th February.It tells the story of Willie Revel who gives up a career as journalist in New York to help run her family's struggling company in Philadelphia. When the President prepares to pass a bill allowing black families to claim reparations if they can prove they're descendants of slaves, Willie delves into the family history and learns much more than she expected.We chat about the importance of subject, how writing columns as a journalist changes what you do as an author, and her method of free-writing. Her dad is NBA legend Maurice Cheeks, currently assistant coach of the Chicago Bulls, and we discuss whether growing up with successful parents has any impact on your own quest for success.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', about a 1983 unsolved murder, one of Scotland's grimest... and you can be part of the live investigation. Find it wherever you get your shows.Support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by Sarah Marsh. Her debut is 'A Sign of Her Own'. It tells the story of Ellen Lark, who discovers a side to Alexander Graham Bell, one of history's most famous figures, that few other people know. Sarah was shortlisted for the Lucy Cavenish Prize in 2019, selected for the London Library Emerging Writer's Programme, and has a Masters in Creative Writing. She is also deaf, as is her protagonist Ellen, and we discuss why this story was so important to write. You can hear why it took 12 years to get published, whether you ever really know the story is finished, and how she went about researching real figures from the past.This episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a brand new true crime podcast you can find wherever you get your shows.Support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebecca Thorne's new novel is 'The Grief House', it's about the ex-tarot reader Blue, who escapes to a grief retreat on a beautiful country estate. Only, when the weather closes in, and someone disappears in the night, Blue wonders whose grief might hide a deeper secret.Rebecca published 2 psychological thriller books under the name Rebecca Tinnelly, and we discuss why she swapped names and how it helped her break up her day, and switch between tasks.You can hear why her date is structured pretty thoroughly, why she likes to be as cosy as possible for the first draft, and how mentoring at the Faber Academy changes the way she thinks about her own writing.We also get very deep into why Rebecca is very passionate about verb placement.This week's pod is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', take a listen wherever you get your podcasts.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Helen Fisher's debut, 'Space Hopper' was acclaimed as one of the most unique debuts of 2021, recommended by Cosmopolitan, Woman's Weekly', Marian Keyes, and many more, it looked set to launch her to a glittering career.Things weren't that simple for Helen. In the following 2 years, she wrote 3 novels which were all turned down and rejected. At an incredibly low point, she almost gave up. It was only the story of Joe, along with her editor, that gave her enough strength to carry on for one last go. 'Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life' tells the story of Joe, who likes everything predictable, consistent and in order, yet he soon finds an adventure pushes him well outside of his comfort zone, where sometimes joy lies.We discuss how Helen overcame her tricky 2 years, what she's learned from it, and how that is affecting how she approaches publication now. Also, you can hear why she's always writing, even when she isn't writing, why it wasn't the plot that drew her into the story, and how she made characters authentic, not cliched or predictable.This week's episode is sponsored by true-crime podcast, 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', find it wherever you're listening to this!Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Emma Smith teaches Shakespeare Studies at the University of Oxford. She has published some academic non-fiction works before, but this is her first work of real commercial non-fiction. 'Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers', looks at why books are so importantly culturally - why can't we throw them away? What is it about a physical copy that means more than a digital file? What is the history of this phenomenon?We discuss the idea for the book, how she began to research it, and what inspired her when thinking commercially. You can hear why she labours over the introduction, making it perfect, also how much a non-fiction author knows before starting to write, and the questions she asks herself to get the tone right.As Emma is a professor of Shakespeare Studies, we discuss why his work is still relevant 400 years after it was first written, whether he could have written it all alone, and why scepticism of its authorship could be classist. This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a brand new true-crime podcast you can listen to wherever you get your shows.Support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year! Let's start 2024 with a bumper episode from a fantastic historical fiction author. D.V Bishop has published 3 'Cesare Aldo' novels, and the 4th is on the way. He's won the CWA Historical Dagger Award, and his novels are highly commended across the board.His newest novel is 'Ritual of Fire'. It takes you to 1538 Florence, where a rich merchant is found hanged and set ablaze in the centre of the city, as a warning to put the fear of God into Florence... only Cesare Aldo can discover what's happening.We talk through the process of planning historical fiction, how much he's strict on sticking to the facts of the day, and what happens when he's got something wrong. You can hear how he overcomes the challenges of using language approriate for the 1500s, why word-count isn't the end of the world, and what writing tie-in fiction is really like... how does it feel to be responsible for some of the most famous characters in the world.This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a true-crime podcast about Scotland's most gruesome unsolved murder... which is being solved at this moment. Take a listen wherever you get your shows.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In our last episode of 2023, we chat to Jane L. Rosen, whose new boook 'On Fire Island' is out now. It’s all about Julia, a book lover that lives on Fire Island in New York, who… dies, and then we follow the different lives of those she loves, and how her life affects theirs.Julia is also a screenplay and columnist, and we chat through how she turned a screenplay which didn't quite make it, into a novel. Also, you can hear how Jane captures a perfect sense of place in her writing, and how she balances writing novels with being in the tricky, but lucky, position of being responsible for promoting it.Get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Prowse has written over 30 books. Her newest is 'All Good Things', which tells the story of life-long neighbours, the Kelleways and the Harrops, who couldn’t be further apart. However, when they celebrate a big anniversary, huge secrets are revealed and change everything.She has written fiction, non-fiction, novellas, short stories, and memoir. Her novel 'A Mother's Story' was Sainsbury's eBook of the Year. Her work, 'The Boy Between' is a compelling memoir written with her son, detailing his experience with depression. Amanda often explores trauma through her writing, and we discuss how she researches these experiences...but only ever writes what she knows.We discuss how she has created an 'Amanda Prowse universe' in her mind, picking characters out that she wants to focus on, yet even through all this, she doesn't ever plan or plot, but simply knows everything that will happen, and exactly what her characters are thinking.You can hear why everything she was told about writing, turned out to not be not true, also how much she has learned about her characters over the last 30 books, and whether success has changed anything about her life and how she works.You can get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Femi Kayode's debut 'Lightseekers' was a book of the month in many national newspapers, it was longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger Award, and was a commercial success.His follow up is 'Gaslight', it's the second in the Phillip Taiwo 'Whydunnit' series. Following the investigative psychologist who has been urgently called in to investigate the disappearance of the 'First Lady' of a Nigerian mega-church. We discuss why he's interested in the why, rather than the who or what, also what he's learned from a varied life of work and studies all around the world. You can hear how his family take him leaving the home to write alone, also what he tells himself when he's struggling getting the draft done, and the boring fonts that keep him focused.We chat about chapter titles, why he's perfectly happy with where he is right now, and what a Nigerian spin on crime fiction really means.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutineGet 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Katie Marsh. Katie has published 5 romantic fiction novels, ‘Unbreak your Heart’, ‘The Rest of Me’, ‘The Beautiful Life’, ‘A Life Without You’ and ‘My Everything’, and has now completely switched genre. You can find out why in the podcast.Her new novel is 'How Not To Murder Your Ex', and tells the story of Clio, who opens the door to find her hated ex Gary dead on the lawn in front of her. It's no accident, and the eyes of blame quickly fall on her.We discuss why she holds herself back for 2 months before starting to write, also why she strives to be distraction free above all things, and why the genre switch really needs to work out for her.DISCLAIMER - sorry if your name is Gary.Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutineGet 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Terry Hayes started his career as a journalist before heading to Hollywood. He found real success there, writing on 'Flight Plan', 'Payback', and penning, 'Mad Max II'. In 2013, he published 'I Am Pilgrim' to international acclaim and success.10 years later, he's written his second novel, 'The Year of the Locust'. It tells the story of Kane, a CIA spy who can go where other's can't. We discuss the pressure of following huge success, why he's taken 10 years to publish a new book, and why that combination of thoughts made him chuck out hundreds of thousands of words.You can hear what Hollywood is really like for a writer, why writing novels is more validating than penning screenplays, and why the easiest way to stave off boredom... is to create challenges.Get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Freya Berry's debut, 'The Dictator's Wife', was a bestselling, critically acclaimed hit, and was a BBC 2 'Between the Covers' pick. She's back with 'The Birdcage Library'.It tells the story of Emily Blackwood, a young adventuress tasked by an exotic animal hunter to track down a lost treasure hidden in a castle... it becomes a deeper, darker hunt into secrets best left untold.We talk about the article that gave her the inspiration for the novel, also the research around Scottish Castles she called work. You can hear about why it's the themes of a story that keep her going, how much she knows about the road ahead of her as she writes it down, and why she likes to leave herself space to seize ideas.ALSO hear why listening to the same song works, how to change things if lockdown is still affecting your work day, and how things change through the second novel.Get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denzil Meyrick has published 11 bestselling DCI Daley books, many standalones, and is back with, 'Murder at Holly House'.Set in 1952, it takes Inspector Frank Grasby despatched to investigate a strange body discovered at historic Holly House. When snow strands him there, and another body is found, we find ourselves in a locked room mystery.We talk about why Denzil doesn't like being limited by genre... he is a writer of all sorts, as that's what writers should be. Also, you can hear how working in the police, and also as the director of many companies, influenced his writing.We chat through why his routine is to simply sit down and get on with it, how to deal with missing the word count, and why he wanted to take a break from the DCI Daley stories.Get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dann McDorman is an Emmy-nominated news producer, working for MSNBC in New York. His debut novel is 'West Heart Kill', which is something particularly unique. It places the reader at the heart of the mystery. Dann invites you in to an exclusive country club to be an active guest over a holiday weekend... when the bodies start dropping.We discuss the decision to put a singular twist on the crime mystery genre, and how it wasn't supposed to end up that way at all. You can hear how he began writing with no idea what would happen... only for his detective to ask questions he, as a writer, had to answer.Dann runs through why he doesn't write linearly, why he likes to write outisde, and how he might change the way he writes as he publishes more novels.You can get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to D.L. Douglas and Donna Hay at the same time. For D.L. see Donna, and Donna see D.L. Donna Hay has published many saga novels, and worked as a journalist across magazines. She's now dipping her ink into historical crime mystery, as D.L. Douglas and her novel, 'Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer'. It features the real life 1920's forensic pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury. It's a golden age mystery that meets CSI. We discuss how structuring crime stories and saga books are completely different, and how she refocuses her mind when switching genre, and how she deals with a year of writing stories for different audiences.You can hear what she always tells herself when she begins a book, how she found the voice of Dr. Spilsbury, why her dream of a white board soon got overwhelming, and we get a new acronym to live by!Get 10% off Plottr, at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're chatting to Claire Daverley. Her new novel is 'Talking at Night', which tells the story of Will and Rosie, two polar opposites who fall in love and are destined to be together forever, until a tragedy shatters their future.We discuss how much Claire thought about genre, and how she learned from working in the industry. Also, you can hear how she dealt with rejections and went to a writing course which helped her move into a new frame of writing mind. We run through why she takes time to create the right mood, how a house move has switched things up for her, and how Claire is dealing with a full day's worth of writing.Get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Moorhead is busy. She's a doer who wants to achieve. She's been a teacher, a Chaplain, started youth-groups, has a black-belt in kickboxing, and writes novels. She published 'Witness X' in 2020, and is back with 'The Treatment'.The novel is all about the future of law enforcement. It looks at how ground-breaking technology could alter what we think of criminals... only psychiatrist Grace Gunnarsson discovers it could let people get away with murder.We chat through the 'what if?' that started the whole plot off, also why her creativity with books extends to more than just writing them, and why she likes to keep busy. You can hear extensively about her writing desk, why she keeps advice from other authors in her mind, and how much she thought about genre.You can get 10% off Plottr on this link - go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by Nick Hunt. He's worked as a journalist and travel writer, publishing 'Outlandish', 'Where the Wild Winds Are', and 'Walking the Woods and the Water'. We discuss how he fell into becoming a travel writer, and how in reality it got in the way of his novel writing.He's published 'Red Smoking Mirror', an alternate history set in 1521, in the Mexican City of Tenochtitlan, in which 29 years earlier, Islamic Spain never fell to the Christians, and Andalus launched a voyage of discovery to the New Maghreb. We talk about how he blended his own experiences travelling, with historical fact, to create fiction.Also you can hear why it surprised him to not be in control of everything, why writing and plotting feels like travelling, and why he's passionate about page-setups.You can get 10% off the software Plottr, at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diana Janney is busy. She is a doer. She's worked as a barrister, a model, published two successful novels through the last 20 years, and has a new one out. 'A Man of Understanding' was named runner up for The People's Book Prize 2023. It tells the story of Horatio Hennessy, his orphaned grandson, and their journey together. It explores trauma which Diana has experienced, and she's used it as a way of understanding what it all means.We discuss her love of philosophy and poetry, and how that seeps into the novel. Also, you can hear why she can write anywhere, how much of a skeleton she likes for her story, and why she likes to give herself time off to let an idea form.You can support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Hay's new novel is 'The Housekeepers'. It won the Caledonia Novel Award 2022. It's all about Mrs King, a housekeeper from a world of con artists and thieves. She's dismissed from her position running the grandest home in Mayfair, and gets her revenge by recruiting an eclectic group of women to try and rob the house of its every position, right under the owner's nose.We discuss how he organises his writing around his day job, and how he manages to shift gears through different work. Also how he manages sharing his working space, why he thinks so much about his writing routine, and how he is planning the tweak it.You can hear how much he thinks about the first sentence, deep chats on fonts, and why his most listened to songs are always rain sounds.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan Wiggs has written more than 50 books and sold more than 25 million copies in more than 20 languages.Her new one is 'Welcome to Beach Town'. It's a warm, summer read, about the idyllic beach town of Alara Cove. On graduation day, class valedictorian Nikki Graziola veers off script to reveal secrets that will break down the whole community, and have repercussions which never leave Nikki's life.We talk about the sweet spot of classics, how they blend literary language and an unputdownable plot. Also, how to find your voice and how to know where your work sits on shelves. You can hear why she gave a school student the most boring time of their life, and how it feels being in the early days of a new project.You can support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sara Ochs is an attorney, law professor, and now author. Her debut is 'The Dive'. It's inspired by her own time travelling through Thailand, and hearing about a grisly murder near her hotel.We discuss why being an impatient person affects her drafting, also why getting an agent doesn't mean everything suddenly falls into place, and how she made characters feel genuine when they could so easily become stereotype.You can hear how splitting her time between the US and Sweden helped her write a novel which travels across the world, also why she's thinking rationally about the future, and how much she knew of the story at the start.This week's episode is sponsored by 'The Return of King Arthur', a historical fantasy series by Jacob Sannox. There are 3 in the series, 'The Ravenmaster's Revenge', 'Agravain's Escape' and 'Tristan's Regret'. It's dual-timeline, flashing between modern day and the 5th century. If you enjoy fantasy like Tolkien and George RR Martin, crime like Lee Child, and a touch of historical fiction like Bernard Cornwell, you'll love these. Get a copy on Amazon or at jacobsannox.comSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robert Thorogood's newest novel is 'Death Comes to Marlow'. It's the 2nd in the 'Marlow Murder Club Mysteries', about a group of amateur sleuths who solve crimes in a quintessentially British town. We talk about his love of cosy crime, why he is inspired by Agatha Christie's need to keep things fun, and why he wanted to write a mystery about where he lives.Robert created 'Death in Paradise', a tv series that has become a BBC institution, and is just wrapping it's 13th series. You can hear the story behind that, and why a fear of failure still drives him even after a triumphant TV show, and a bestselling book series.We chat through why he starts early, as early time is bonus time, also why you should always serve dessert first, and why you need to stop tricking yourself that the day isn't right to write.This week's episode is sponsored by 'The Return of King Arthur', a historical fantasy series by Jacob Sannox. There are 3 in the series, 'The Ravenmaster's Revenge', 'Agravain's Escape' and 'Tristan's Regret'. It's dual-timeline, flashing between modern day and the 5th century. If you enjoy fantasy like Tolkien and George RR Martin, crime like Lee Child, and a touch of historical fiction like Bernard Cornwell, you'll love these. Get a copy on Amazon or at jacobsannox.comSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jack Jordan's 7th novel is 'Conviction'. It tells the story of Neve Harper, a barrister who must make a terrifyingly tough choice: betray every principle she has and put an innocent man in prison, or put those she loves in mortal danger.Last summer, his novel, 'Do No Harm', was a runaway success and became a Waterstones 'Thriller of the Month'. We discuss the moment he knew that was becoming big, and how he dealt with the pressure of that when writing new stuff.You can hear how much he has changed across 13 years of writing, how light works for his dark writing, how he divides his writing time between spaces, and why his quiff is very important.We chat about why he likes to put his characters in tough situations, why he enjoys the business side of writing, and why he would pay to get lost in his work.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fiona Valpy is a historical fiction author who has sold millions of books, her work has been translated into more than 30 languages, and she's always up for a challenge.Her new novel, 'The Cypress Maze', is inspired by the true story of Iris Origo. An English-born woman in Italy, she sheltered refugee children and helped prisoners of war escape during World War II. It's a dual timeline novel, set across 1943 and 2015. We chat about the extensive research that goes into historical fiction, how she keeps track of it all, and why that's led to a filing system overhaul.Fiona writes for different publishers, doing different things, and we chat about the added pressure that heaps on her writing, and why she's always peering into her compost bin to see which ideas are ready to go.You can hear how she balances fictional plot with factual history, and how much her visual style utterly absorbs her while she's writing.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Nick Bradley. He's an author, a creative writing teacher, a translator, and his new novel is, 'Four Seasons in Japan'. It's about about Flo, a translator in Tokyo. She finds a book on the subway and tries to track down the author and translate it.We discuss his previous novel, 'The Cat and the City', which was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick. Also, how his time living in Japan transformed how he thought of novels, and how he spoke to his characters. You can hear how he's inspired by sitcoms when plotting, and why he takes it easy on himself.Nick discusses his 5000 word limit across the week, why seeing things from a different perspective can really help, and how life experience makes a writer.You can get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routine.Support the show at Patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're chatting to Jenna Clake. Her new novel is 'Disturbance', it tells the story of a young woman who, with the help of her strange, witchy neighbour, seems to bring her boyfriends presence back to haunt her. It's eery, creepy, razor sharp and beautifully written.Jenna began writing with poetry. Her first collection 'Fortune Cookie' won many awards, and she teaches creative writing. We discuss how writing poetry influenced her storytelling, and how much it affects the way she writes novels. You can hear why this story needed to be a book, rather than a poem, but why she still kept it at a tight 200 pages.Jenna discusses her different writing spaces, how she began unpacking characters, and her very strong font opinions.You can get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routine.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kerry Chaput is an award-winning historical fiction author. Her 'Defying the Crown' series has had much success, and her new book is 'Chasing Eleanor'. Set in 1935, it's all about Magnolia Parker, who must protect her sick brothers who get put in an Orphanage. She sets out to find Eleanor Roosevelt, the most famous woman in America, to help bring them home.We discuss how she researches novels set hundreds of years ago. Also, why she started writing again after putting her pen down, suffering from burnout. You can hear why she wants to be a plotter, but always ends up pantsing, and we chat about why she had to bin 80,000 words.You can get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routine.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we're joined by JP Rieger, whose brand new novel, 'Clonk!' is out now.Paul worked as an attorney, and now spends his time as an amateur musician, and writing novels. We talk about how his work as an attorney has affected how much he plans out novels, and why he's quite casual about where and when he writes.'Clonk!' is about the Baltimore City Police Detective Kev Dixit, seeking the murder of a local artist, and the unique characters that he meets along the way. We run through how he managed to write a detective novel mixed in with his love of absurd, dark humour. Also you can hear why it started as a novel about a London cop, before he took it back to basics and decided to write what he knows.Paul discusses why he doesn't write in order, why he's happy for anyone to read his books, and how to differentiate protagonists in a world of grisly coppers.You can get 10% off the software Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebecca McKanna has published short stories in anthologies and quarterlies. Something about one idea made her want to write a full novel. 'Don't Forget the Girl' is about Bree and Chelsea, trying to discover what really happened to their best friend Abby Hartmann. Her presumed murderer, the serial killer Jon Allan Blue, is about to be executed when a flurry of interest in the case makes them turn to a true-crime podcaster to tell Abby's story before it's too late.We discuss the balance of why people glamourise evil, and what serial killers are really like. Also, why she started writing short stories, what she's learned from being published, and how she researched enough to write fictional true-crime.You can hear how she managed to tell a good story while making a point about how we view serial killers, also why she starts writing calm and slow before feeling the story pull her in, and how she balances a day job teaching with writing on the side.Get 10% off the software Plottr, at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over Tim Lott's 10 novels, he's won the Whitbread First Novel Award, been shortlisted for The Guardian Kids Book Award and the Costa Award. He's been published in 16 countries, works as a screenwriter, and has taught creative writing for over 10 years. He's got a brilliant Substack page, filled with tips and advice at timlott.substack.com.His new book is a writing guide, 'Yes! No! But Wait! - The One Thing You Need to Know to Write a Novel'. It takes you through much of the process in getting a book from your head towards publication.We talk about why it took him 10 years of coaching to actually write the book. Even with that, you can hear why he thinks much of writing is unteachable. Tim explains why plot is everything, the difference between screenwriters and novelists and why where he works bores him.It's almost your last chance to get 10% off Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineYou can support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Corie Adjmi's debut novel, 'Life and Other Shortcomings' won a whole bunch of prizes, and has steamrollered her towards the new novel, 'The Marriage Box'.It's all about Casey Cohen, a 16 year old in New Orleans, and in the 70s, her parents decide to return to their roots and move to the orthodox Syrian jewish community in Brooklyn. In time, Casey meets Michael and marries him at 18 thinking she can adjust to his Syrian ways, but starts to question things when Michael says he doesn’t want her to go to college… but have a baby instead. The novel is based on a lot of Corie's own experience in that community. She started writing in her 30s, and had 5 children by the time she was 35. We talk about why she started writing short stories in the small snatches of time she could make her own. You can hear why she starts her day early amongst the bustle of Manhattan, also why she begins by writing by hand, and why she's designing her writing space towards creativity.Get 10% off the software Plottr, over at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Wray is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Whiting Award, he was named as one of the Best Young American Novelists in 2007. He's just published his 6th novel, 'Gone to the Wolves'. It’s the story of high school outcasts, making their pilgrimage from their small town in Florida, to the famed Hollywood Strip, and off to Norway (enter blackened death metal). Along their vision quest, these teens experience mystery, loss and love, all in the name of music, littered with feelings that feel anything but fiction.We talk about why themes of punk run through his work, and why he's always keen to switch up the genre. You can hear why he writes to hide, how his view of his work changes through the drafts, and why his writing routine has changed since he was working almost homeless in a friends basement.For 10% off Plottr, head to go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

J.D. Kirk is a prolific writer. He's written comics and screenplays, under the name Barry Hutchison he's published over 170 children's books, and is back with a new crime novel, 'The One That Got Away'.It's the first in the DI Heather Filson series, about a 15 year old girl who doesn’t make it home so is suspected as another teenage runaway. However, when her grandfather, a notorious Glasgow gangster, disagrees, it takes Heather Filson into a battle of underworld enemies, and her own past.We talk about J.D's decision to self-publish. It certainly comes with more control and freedom, but what about the additional pressure of being responsible for everything when you need to make money for your family? We also run through his relentless writing schedule - he published over 100 books in about 5 years, and you can hear about the peculiar condition he suffers from, and why it makes some aspects of writing easier for him.Not long left to make the most of our Plottr deal. Get 10% off the fantastic software at go.plottr.com/routine.You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Senta Rich is busy. She has the energy to keep up with everything. She has worked in philosophy, psychology, written radio plays, has a film and TV series in the works, and her new novel, 'Hotel 21' is out now.It tells the story of Noelle, a kleptomaniac hotel cleaner, and the stories she uncovers. We talk about why, when she had the idea on holiday, she had to drop everything and get it down immediately.You can hear why she still writes in notebooks, how she spreads energy and time between paid and unpaid projects, and about creative atmosphere she's fostered at home.We chat through how much her initial, strong character arc changed as she worked through the story, what questions she asks to unravel more of her tale, and there's a brilliant bonus Margaret Atwood tip in there too.Get 10% off Plottr with the link go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jude Yawson edits '14 Magazine', writes film and music reviews, and has co-authored 'Rise Up - The #Merky Story So Far' with Stormzy. It looks behind the scenes at Stormzy's life, the story of his team, and details everything that led to the release of 'Gang Signs and Prayer', Stormzy's debut album that sold millions of copies and won many awards.We talk about inspiration that comes from working with a team, how important it was to capture the truth of where they grew up and why it's vital to support creatives around you. You can hear why Dragonball Z taught Jude how to structure and plan stories, also why he's aiming to be the best black British writer ever, and about the strange places he likes to write in.This was recorded at the #Merky Literature Festival in The Roundhouse, Camden on 23rd April 2023.Get 10% off the software Plottr at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Becky Hunter's debut novel is 'One Moment'. It looks at best friends Scarlet and Evie, incredibly close until a tragic accident changes everything. It talks about why just one moment makes a huge difference. It's already been sold across the world, and we talk about how this has finally happened. It took Becky a while to get published, and it was only when she stopped thinking about what was on trend and what might sell, that she found the space to write something personal that got her published.Becky works in the publishing industry, helping others sell their own book, we chat about how she feels now the shoe is on the other book. You can hear why lockdown gave her a very idyllic place to write, why a simple colour change really helps her day, how she dealt with rejection, and why a mix-up let to her plot.You can get 10% off the writing software Plottr, at go.plottr.com/writersroutine.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Weaver is a Sunday Times million copy bestseller, he's been nominated for a National Book Award, is a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick, and has been shortlisted for a CWA Dagger Award.He's just published his 12th David Raker book, 'The Blackbird'. It follows the story of Cate and Aidan Gascoigne, whose car plunges into a ravine, but the couple vanish. We talk about the challenges writing disappearing persons thrillers, how do you have new ideas about what's happening, and who might be next. We talk about why this is a whydunnit, rather than a whodunnit. His 13th Raker book, 'The Last Goodbye' is out later this year, and he's currently half way through another one. You can hear how he copes having so many plotlines in his head at the same time, and given he's right in the middle of writing... how he deals with the baggy middle.You can hear how much he knows about the plot, why he doesn't like to plot too much, and what happens when it all comes together. We get some details about book contracts too, the low-level anxiety he's currently feeling, and why every author always gives the worse advice possible.Get 10% off writing software Plottr, over at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we chat to Danya Kukafka. Her first debut, 'Girl in the Snow', was released in 2017 and was extremely successful. It was a national bestseller, translated in many languages, and then the pressure came. The pressure of that difficult second book... how do you follow up on success?Danya started to write furiously, and along came 'Notes on an Execution'. It tells the story of Ansel Packer, who is scheduled to die in twelve hours. He knows what he's done, and now awaits execution, the same chilling fate he forced on those girls, years ago. But Ansel doesn't want to die; he wants to be celebrated, understood. Through a kaleidoscope of women--a mother, a sister, a homicide detective--we learn the story of Ansel's life.We talk about why her writing routine has changed since that book, how she's hopefully made it calmer and healthier. You can hear about her first idea for the story and how it was mostly the feeling of the plot rather than all the details that became clear. We chat through her process journal, how working in publishing helps her write, and why what she thinks will happen in the book rarely comes true.Get 10% of Plottr, at go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

LC North's new book is 'The Ugly Truth'. It tells the story of Melanie, trapped and convinced she's kidnapped... meanwhile her father says she is in danger and thinking of her own safety. It's inspired by documentaries about similar real-life cases, featuring members of Royalty and even the most famous of celebrities.We talk about why her writing life is organised, but the other stuff in regular life isn't, also hear why her planning process is like colour by numbers, and how much she analyses the commercial hook of the book... if you want it to sell, you need to think about why people will buy it.You can hear about why her writing is influenced by her lessons in psychology and also her fascination with celebrity and fame. We chat about why she starts and finishes early and how she gets to know characters even when she's writing out of order.You can get 10% off the software Plottr, by heading to go.plottr.com/routine.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abdulrazak Gurnah was forced to flee Zanzibar when he was 18. He draws on that experience to write stories that address colonialism from different angles. His book 'Paradise' was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His book 'By The Sea' was longlisted for the Booker Prize. He's Professor Emeritus of English and Postcolonial Literatures at the University of Kent, and was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize for Literature. He only had 9 minutes warning about that, by the way!The new book tells the story of Ilyas, stolen from his parents by German colonial soldiers, who must now find his way home.We talk about why he needs a blank wall to write, why he's never bothered with a word count, and how teaching full-time affected his ability to write stories.You can hear how much he thinks about plot points, how he gets to know his characters, and all about the Nobel Prize.Get 10% off Plottr, at go.plottr.com/routine.Support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eva Rice has returned with a new novel, 'This Could Be Everything', after a little while away. Her book, 'The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets', was a runner up in the Richard and Judy Book of the Year Prize 2006.The new one is about February, who has lost everyone and is rudderless, but when a small yellow bird flies into her life, it seems to offer a glimmer of hope.We talk about the frustration of writing words you know will be cut. Also, why she doesn't like the first bits of plotting, how the characters decided how long they'd stick around for, and why Adrian Mole picks her out of any creative slump.You can get 10% off the writing software Plottr, by using the link go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Page's debut is 'The Keeper of Stories'. It's been extremely successful, tapping into book clubs across the country. It's about Janice, who is used to hearing other people's stories, until the elusive, mysterious Mrs B wants her to tell her own.Sally has done a lot, worked in a flower shop, started a fountain pen business, and hopes that a successful debut will let her write full-time forever. We talk about how prepared she is to write in this genre for a while, and how old manuscripts have her well prepared for the future. Also, why being signed and published means she's no longer doing it alone.You can hear why she's been surprised by the support of twitter, how she deals with crying while writing on trains, why she becomes obsessive over writing, and why she started research a year before actually writing.This week we are supported by Plottr. Get 10% off the software at go.plottr.com/routine.You can support the show on patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ava Glass has worked with spies and understands the mechanics of their job. She has taken all that experience and written 'The Chase'. It's the first in the 'Alias Emma' series, and tells the story of a brand new spy, tasked with transporting a wanted Russian target across London in less than a day. The book has already been Amazon's Book of the Month, and is optioned for TV.We talk about how the logistics of travelling quickly through a big city without being noticed became much clearer as she wrote. You can hear why a switch in timeframe saved the book for her, and why even though she wanted to treat it like a regular job, she had to mix things up.You can heard how she got to know her character through flashbacks, why she plotted it very tightly for adrenaline, and how the idea all came on a frantic plane-ride.Save 10% on writing software Plottr! Click here - go.plottr.com/routineSupport the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.