Writer's Routine

Ericka Waller's published debut is 'Dog Days', which tells the story of George, Dan, Lizzie and the dogs that bind their lives and emotions together. The word-play in the title gets to the heart of the book. It's a joyous and uplifting story about the heartbreak of mental illness, and it's about the small changing moments that occur when we let the light in.We talk about the times of tragedy that prompted Ericka to write the book, and how her favourite band helped her with the initial idea. You can hear how she balances a full family life with her writing, and how she pushed on through early letters of rejection letters. We discuss the guilt of when the words won't come out, the beat-sheet she uses to help her with the plot, how she's utterly confident in her characters, and why she's writing just for fun at the moment.You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/333EXU0Please do support us on patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave a review and follow us on Apple Podcasts... if that's how you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abigail Mann has just released her second novel, very quickly after publishing her first. 'The Sister Surprise' tells us the story of Ava who discovers she has an unknown sister, and decides to pay her a secret visit.We talk about how she remembers how to write a book, when she between projects. We chat about public accountability with work, and how she's managed that through lockdown. Also, you can hear why she switches between writing softwares and word processors between drafts to keep on her toes.Abigail was shortlisted for the 2019 Comedy Women in Print Prize, and since sense of humour is so subjective, we discuss how she writes funny to an award standard.You can get a copy of 'The Sister Surprise' here - https://amzn.to/3gAUVgvSupport the show over on Patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chloe James debut novel is so perfectly timed it must have been expertly planned. It was. Chloe James is also Fiona Woodifield, author of 'The Jane Austen Dating Agency' which received critical acclaim recently. Due to the success of that, she was asked by a publisher to write a book based on an idea they'd heard on the radio... what if two neighbours found love in lockdown?Chloe talks about the pressure of getting this done quickly, and being the first to get such an idea out. We chat about how she came up with the characters, writing in aspects of her own life to make them real, and how much she knew about the story before she sat down to write it. Also, Chloe has a busy home life, and we talk about why she's discovered the real secret is creating time for your work, and treating writing time as sacred.You can get a copy of 'Love in Lockdown' here - https://amzn.to/3dgMjK7Also, support the show over at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Naomi Ishiguro's debut novel is something quite special. 'Common Ground' tells the story of Stan and Charlie, unlikely friends who meet during a turbulent time and change each others lives. Naomi had the idea during 2016, after the Brexit referendum changed how she saw the world, and the people in it.We discuss how she moved the idea along, how she gets through the difficult final third of the book, and why she likes her writing space to be completely neutral and lack any personality.Writing is in the blood, Naomi is Sir Kazuo Ishiguro's daughter, and she brings many nuggets of joyful writing advice to the podcast, and gives us a thorough run through of her working day.You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/31RaOH6If you can, please support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Petrie has just released the 6th Peter Ash novel, 'The Breaker'. It's all about the war vet with PTSD, trying to live a quiet life on the run, who cannot stand by when he sees an armed man walk into a crowd of people, and no-one knows what might happen next.His debut, 'The Drifter', won many thriller awards, he's award-winning for his short stories too, having gained MFA in fiction from the University of Washington and won a Hopwood Award while he was there.We talk about perfecting the writing space, getting the day just right, using a big bulletin board and thick marker pen to figure out what's next.Nick and I were tight on time in this chat, so didn't get around to much book chat. However, it's a fast-paced, gripping thriller, and you can grab a copy here - https://amzn.to/3rGlQJPPlease support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sarah Leipciger's second novel features a strange, poetic mystery than spans 3 time-frames across different parts of the world. Her critically-acclaimed debut 'The Mountain Can Wait' came out in 2015, and she has been short-listed for many awards for her short stories. Sarah also teaches creative writing to prisoners.We discuss how lockdown has affected creativity, also how she gets things done early to be there for her family, and how she doesn't understand the word-count fascination. You can hear all about her working space and day, how she researched 3 different time zones and places, and how she tried to write some of the most described parts of the world in a unique way.You can get a copy of 'Coming Up For Air' here - https://amzn.to/2NPmKWmThis week's episode is supported by Faber Academy. To get 10% off any online course or manuscript assessment, use the code WRITERSROUTINE21 at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucy Clarke is the bestselling author of six psychological thrillers, which have been sold in over 20 territories. Her new novel is 'The Castaways', which tells the story of two sisters on holiday who have a fight at the airport right before boarding. One gets on the plane, the other doesn't, and when the airplane seemingly crashes, the sister left behind determines to get to the bottom of the mystery. We talk about mulling over the idea, and how she researched the story, facts and events of plane crashes.Also, we talk about the joyous side of her research, which involves a lot of wanderlust, and how she divides her time between 2 writing spaces as sometimes she needs to escape. Lucy is married to a professional windsurfer (?!) and we discuss how they divide their time fantastically, to both spend moments with the children, and for getting their work done.Grab a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3lSA74LThis episode is supported by Faber Academy, the fantastic writing school from the publishing house Faber. To save 10% on any online writing course or manuscript assessment, use the code WRITERSROUTINE21 when checking out at [email protected]/writersroutine Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's guest is the inspirational memoir and crime writer Shane Dunphy. Shane worked as a child protection worker for 15 years, the things he experienced gave him the ideas to begin life as an author, something he'd always wanted. His first nine titles dealt with his time on the frontline of social care work, and include the number one bestseller 'Wednesday’s Child'. Under the name SA Dunphy, he's published a series of crime novels about the emotionally damaged criminologist David Dunnigan, and is back with a new true crime series with Audible, 'Stories from the Margins', again recalling experiences from life in social care work.We talk about where he works every day, how he created his perfect writing space, why his short walk to work gets him in the perfect frame of mind to tell stories, and why walking with a dictaphone really helps him out too. You can hear how his writing started as a childhood challenge from his mum, and what he thinks of the responsibility he feels when telling other peoples stories. We also chat about how he feels people view the inspirational memoir genre, and whether he cares at all.Listen to 'Stories from the Margins' on Audible here - https://amzn.to/3rEvX2nThis episode is supported by Faber Academy, to get 10% off any online course or manuscript assessment until September 2021, use the code WRITERSROUTINE21 when checking out at [email protected]/writersroutinewritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Abigail Dean's 'Girl A' is the talk of the book world at the moment. It's been one of the biggest releases of 2021, and shot her straight onto the Sunday Times Bestseller list. It tells the story of Lex and her sister Evie, trying to fix their lives and future after growing up in a house of horrors.You can hear how she plans her day to get the words down, how she figured out writing as a passion around full-time work, and how that might all have to change after its instant success. We also talk about how working on the second book is different to getting the debut down, and how she makes sure she's ready to write when she gets a chance. We also deep dive into her writer's routine, and where she worksYou can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/2OlbTn4This episode of the show is sponsored by Faber Academy. To get money off industry-level tuition and advice on your manuscript, use the code WRITERSROUTINE21 when buying any online course or manuscript assessment at [email protected]/writersroutinewritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cherie Jones is a busy lady. She is a full time lawyer, a single mother of 4 children, is currently finishing a PhD, and has found the time to publish her first novel, 'How the One-Armed Sister Sweeps Her House'.It's about four people the legacy of violence in the Bahamas, a place so many look on as paradise.Here's the blurb: In Baxter Beach, Barbados, moneyed ex-pats clash with the locals who often end up serving them: braiding their hair, minding their children, and selling them drugs. Lala lives on the beach with her husband, Adan, a petty criminal with endless charisma whose thwarted burglary of one of the Baxter Beach mansions sets off a chain of events with terrible consequences. A gunshot no one was meant to witness. A new mother whose baby is found lifeless on the beach. A woman torn between two worlds and incapacitated by grief. And two men driven by desperation and greed who attempt a crime that will risk thier freedom.We discuss how she fit everything in whilst being so busy, why she wanted to write the novel to reflect on a side of Barbados many don't know, and why she asks her characters questions.You can hear how the story came to her on a sodden London commute, rather than a sunny Barbadian beach, and what she needs around her to help her write.We chat about where, when and why she writes, and what she has learned from working on her debut.You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3qVsPiqPlease do support the show on Patreon.com/writersroutine, give us a follow on Twitter, and take a second to leave a review on your podcast [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susie Donkin has been a writer on the award-winning show, 'Horrible Histories', since it debuted on TV in 2009. She has now used that experience of hilariously retelling history for her new book, 'Zeus is a Dick'. It uses influences from Comedy Central's 'Drunk History' and Stephen Fry's 'Mythos' to reimagine ancient myths in a modern, edgy and fantastic way.Susie has also written on Channel 4's award-winning, 'Smack the Donkey', and plenty of radio. As Artistic Director of Spitz & Co she has created three successful rural touring comedy shows all of which have toured extensively throughout the UK.We discuss what she's learned from writing comedy which helped her work on the book, why she's keen to be lean, and how she worked on this with her daughter during lockdown.You can also hear what it's like to work with a commission, writing to someone else's tone, narrative and even chapter titles. We chat about why pace was so important to her, and about the radio producer that taught her what she knows about comedy writing.You can get a copy of Susie's brilliant book here - https://amzn.to/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will Dean appears to have a glorious writing life. Hidden away in the Swedish wilderness, in a house that he built, he dreams up stories and thrashes them out in a few weeks. In reality, it's the product of years of sitting on ideas, mulling them over, and a zombie-like fuge state when he finally knows enough to tell it.After the success of his Tuva Moodyson series, he's released a tense standalone thriller called 'The Last Thing to Burn'. It focuses on 'Jane', a mystery woman locked up in the UK, and her desperate bids for freedom. We talk about how he got the idea suddenly one night and immediately made as many notes as possible, you can hear about the time he blocks out for himself to get the words down as quickly as possible, as why he thinks it's most vital he does justice to the characters.'The Last Thing to Burn' is one of the most anticipated releases of 2021 - here's the blurb...'she lives in a small farm cottage, surrounded by vast, open fields. Everywhere she looks, there is space. But she is trapped. No one knows how she got to the UK: no one knows she is there. Visitors rarely come to the farm; if they do, she is never seen. Her husband records her every movement during the day. If he doesn't like what he sees, she is punished. For a long time, escape seemed impossible. But now, something has changed. She has a reason to live and a reason to fight. Now, she is watching him, and waiting'You can get a copy here - https://amzn.to/3d2f2CxIf you'd like to help the show, please support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Caimh McDonnell used to be a stand-up comedian, gigging all over the country and writing for television. Now, he's a full-time storyteller working out of his own office in his garden. His new novel, 'The Stranger Times', investigates life in a newspaper which reports on the weirdest stories... which sometimes turn out to be true. It's the start of a brand new comic supernatural thriller series from C.K.We talk about the post-it notes all over the office that let him know when he's taken a wrong turn, how jokes sometimes get in the way of the plot and why he watches out for that constantly. You can hear about a writing year for Caimh, and why he's been so productive since stopping stand-up, and also about the difference between craft and inspiration.You can grab a copy of 'The Stranger Times' here - https://amzn.to/3pRMZczAlso, please have a look at the wonderful book 'The Pink Coffee Shop' by podcast fan Ellie Barker. She's acknowledged this show in it, so it'd be nice if you checked it out - https://amzn.to/2MV692wAND, support us on Patreon.com/writersroutine, if you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kate Mosse is the author of nine novels & short story collections, including the No 1 multimillion selling 'Languedoc Trilogy'. Her historical thriller 'Labyrinth' was one of the biggest selling novel of the 2000s and propelled her to success, she followed it with 'Sepulchre' and 'Citadel'. She's written bestselling Gothic fiction, non-fiction, plays, plus contributed essays and introductions to classic novels and collections. Her books have been translated into 38 languages and published in more than 40 countries.Her newest book is 'The City of Tears', it's the second in 'The Burning Chambers' series set in France in the 1500s. It focuses on a vital wedding that might finally reunited divided France, only for a terrible moment to threaten everything.We talk about much she researches her stories and how she even starts with that, also how much she knows about the entire series before she starts, and why she likes a solid base of plot before she sprints off with the adventure. You can hear how factual history affects her fictional characters, why she can't really be in full charge of her writing routine, and why you need to learn to write anywhere possible.You can buy a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3apwXjEIf you enjoy, why not support us on patreon.com/writersroutine [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jeff Lindsay's new book is 'Fool Me Twice', the second 'Riley Wolfe' thriller about the master thief that targets the world's wealthiest. Jeff is best known for his 8 'Dexter Morgan' novels, which became the hit Showtime series 'Dexter', about everyone's favourite neighbourhood serial killer.We discuss the pressure on his new series after the success of 'Dexter', and how he found starting all over again. Also, you can hear why his 'Riley Wolfe' thrillers are so much harder to plot and research, and how he begins that part of the process. Jeff talks about his writing day hidden away in the American wilderness, why he likes to get up early to trick his subconscious, and how signs and talismans energise his creativity.Get a copy of 'Fool Me Twice' here - https://amzn.to/2XZS6esThis episode of the show is sponsored by 'Promptly Written: Vol 2'. It's a book of stories written in the 'Promptly Written' podcast, during which the author Matt Sugerik and Ian Lewis write a story a month based on a listener prompt.Listen to the show here - https://pod.link/1437554933Buy a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emily Schultz new novel, 'Little Threats', follows twin sisters in the 1990s, in an age of rebellion, when a night of partying goes very wrong, and one of them ends up under suspicion for murder... and she can't remember whether she did it or not.We talk about how she got into the 90s mindset with music, how she tackles the first draft, and whether she's fine with being it sloppy at the start. Initially, the book started as a work of literary fiction, but when Emily figured if she brought the mystery to the fore it would become a thriller, she didn't look back. We chat about that decision, how much she thinks about genre, and to what extent she keeps the reader in her mind when she's writing.In this episode we also chat to the founder of 'Script Sirens', Scarlett Kefford. They're a female and non-binary script-writing group from the West Midlands, UK, and have just released a brand new six-part horror audio series called, 'Siren Screams'. Scarlett tells us more about the project, and why she set up the group. You can listen to the series in most good podcast places, and if you'd like to join the group, head here - https://scriptsirens.wordpress.com/.You can grab a copy of Emily's new book, 'Little Threats' here - https://amzn.to/2XF34WDPlease do support us at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple if you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie Nixon is busy. She is the Editor-in-Chief of HELLO! Magazine, she's worked as a journalist for many years, she's a mum of two, and has just published her third novel, 'Just Between Friends'. We discuss how she splits up her time wearing many different work hats, and why she loves to escape to tell stories.You can hear what editing a national media brand has taught her about novel-writing, and how working as a journalist has made her determined to beat the deadlines.'Just Between Friends' is about Aisha and Lucy, expectant mothers who meet at a baby group, and shared secrets cause chaos. We talk about how she got the idea, why she wanted to mix things up a bit for her third book, and how she got to know the characters so well.You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3ns1gL0This episode is supported by Script Sirens, a female and non-binary writing group from West Midlands, UK. There new audio series 'Siren Screams' is out now, listen to it where you get your podcasts, and find out more here - https://scriptsirens.wordpress.com/@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ross Sutherland is a jack of all writing trades. He is a poet, a playwright, has written for radio, TV and film, and is now an award-winning podcaster. His experimental storytelling podcast 'Imaginary Advice' won gold at the British Podcast Awards in 2018, and his new series is 'The Golden House'. It's a 6 part puzzle of a podcast, presented as a corporate show for a fictional tech company, in which the presenter is trying to reveal some of the firm's darkest secrets without them realising.We chat about why he wanted the podcast to promote collaboration across the internet, how much he knew about the show before he started, and how he layered up clues and puzzles within the episodes. You can hear how he controls his rampant creativity, and why he believes rules can change the game.Ross talks about why his working style differs depending on what he's writing, why podcasting intrigues him so much, and why he loves editing.You can listen to the show here - https://www.the-golden-house-podcast.com/Support us on Patreon here - patreon.com/writersroutine.MERRY CHRISTMAS, I'LL SEE YOU IN [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sibéal Pounder's debut 'Witch Wars' was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. She then wrote 'The Bad Mermaids' series which was a World Book Day 2019 title and a Sunday Times Bestseller and has been optioned by Sony Animation.Her newest novel is 'Tinsel: The Girls Who Invented Christmas', which figures out if Santa might be a bit different to the person everyone thinks they are. We talk about writing for kids and capturing the magic of Christmas with words. You can hear why she had the idea for this book for a while, before finally being allowed to write it. We also discuss how she feels publishing a book with a limited selling life every year, but why even with this, the character of Blanche made her need to tell the story.Before writing novels, she worked as a journalist, writing for publications including The Guardian and Vogue online and was a philanthropy columnist for the Financial Times. We chat about the difference in writing journalism and novels, and why she took a writing course before getting started on books.You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3gB0oljPlease do support us on Patreon.com/writersroutine, and subscribe on your pod [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CJ Cooke is a poet, a successful horror and suspense author, and a senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Glasgow. She's been published in 23 countries, and her new novel is 'The Nesting'.It's set in the fjords and forests of Norway, where down on her luck Lexi becomes a nanny in a strange, high-concept house, and peculiar things start happening. We talk about why it's set there, and how CJ worked on getting the chilling atmosphere right.You can hear how the tone and pacing of gothic sets it apart from horror and psychological suspense, and how to try and plan a day to be as creative as possible.As a poet, CJ’s prizes for writing include a Northern Writers Award, an Eric Gregory Award, a Tyrone Guthrie prize, and she has twice received a K Blundell award from the Society of Authors.You can get a copy of 'The Nesting' here - https://amzn.to/3lA5bVePlease do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sareeta Domingo has an incredibly busy working. She works as an editor for Mills and Boon, helping other writers construct and improve their work. In order to do that and tell her own stories, she wakes up early and goes to bed late, sandwiching writing-time around work and family life.She has published 5 books, a story-story collection, a series of erotic short stories, and her novel, 'If I Don't Have You', is now an audio-book from Audible.Through 3 acts it tells the story of Ren and Kayla who are thrown together in the strange world of showbiz.We talk about how she stops herself procrastinating, why sexy music helps her write, and how she balances full-time work and her passion for writing.To get a copy of 'If I Don't Have You' as a book, click here - https://amzn.to/3q4LmIYTo get a copy of 'If I Don't Have You' as an audiobook, click here - https://amzn.to/2KHttjoThis show is sponsored by the brilliant new book from Caroline Lawrence, 'How to Write a Great Story'. To get a copy, click here - https://amzn.to/2VaUbTfPlease do support us on patreon.com/writersroutine, and you can leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Watson is a hugely successful comedian, known for his marathon shows in which he'll perform for over 24 hours at a time. He's just published his 6th novel, 'Contacts', all about how technology and social media could perhaps save a life. It's almost in direct contrast to a lot of the tech narrative you hear the moment, the story is about the joys and wonder of the possibilities of the internet.We talk about why Mark loves getting fully absorbed in writing, taking time anywhere to get to his story. You can hear why he needs hustle and bustle when he's writing, and doesn't do well locked away in a quiet place to tell stories. We discuss the difference between joke and story writing, and how one can affect the other.You can hear about his staunch font opinions, why he likes to give the story a 'good going over' before he begins writing, and how 'Contacts' came to him pretty much fully formed.You can grab a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/2IWiH8dPlease support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, and you can leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally Gardner has sold over 2 MILLION books. She is a Costa Kids Book Award winner, a Carnegie Medal winner, and she's back with her 3rd adult novel, 'The Snow Song'.We talk about why stories are the most important thing to everyone's life, and how she keeps that at the front of her mind always. You can hear about why her visual imagination lets her know when she's off-track with her plotting, and why she's the patron saint of reluctant readers.'The Snow Song' is about Edith, who lives alone with her alcoholic father who is forcing her to marry the village butcher. But she is in love with a shepherd who promised to return to her. As the village becomes isolated in a sea of snow, Edith loses her power of speech. And it is this enchantment that will have far-reaching consequences, not only for Edith but for the whole village.It's about women being silenced, magic and adventure. We chat about why the idea was given to her, and why she wrote this one for adults and not kids... but how ultimately, Sally believes any idea can be figured out for any audience.You can get a copy of 'The Snow Song' here - https://amzn.to/2UnlTfsThis episode is sponsored by 'The Last Human' by Robin Foale. If you want to read about Alice and her adventure through a strange, unknown world filled with robots and anthropomorphic animals, click here - https://amzn.to/36uYa2n. (It's under £3! What a steal!)Please do support us on patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gillian McAllister is a Sunday Times Top 10 bestselling author, who has just published her 5th novel, 'How to Disappear'. It's a romantic psychological thriller set in witness protection. It's about Lauren whose daughter Zara sees a terrible crime, and together they must disappear and leave everything behind... including the man Lauren loves.It comes off the back of phenomenal success for her other novels, 'Everything But The Truth', 'Anything You Do Say', 'No Further Questions' and 'The Evidence Against You'.We chat about how you research the witness protection scheme, which quite rightly by its very nature is hard to find out about. You can hear why she likes to get the first draft done quickly, how she mixes plotting and pantsing, and how her background as a lawyer really helps out from time to time.You can grab a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3l3VKOuPlease do leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alastair Humphreys is one of the country's greatest adventurers. As well as expeditions like cycling around the world, walking across India and rowing the Atlantic, Alastair was named as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year for his pioneering work on the concept of 'microadventures', encouraging people to get outside and out of their comfort-zone.He has written ten books about his adventures. During this episode, we talk about 'My Midsummer Morning', his journey busking across Spain with a violin, little musical talent, and inspiration from Laurie Lee.We chat about his strange methods of editing, why he's quite routined and regimented, and why deep down... he hates writing.You can grab a copy of 'My Midsummer Morning', here - https://amzn.to/35Ewec0Also, listen to Alastair's fantastic podcasts, here - https://alastairhumphreys.com/living-adventurously-podcast-an-introduction/Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, if you can, and support us on Patreon - patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennie Fields' 5th novel is 'Atomic Love', it's a twisting spy drama with a side of romance set in 1950's Chicago. It tells the story of Rosalind, a worker on the Manhattan Project, who is recruited to the CIA. We chat about how she brought such an evocative era to life, bending the rules of the spy genre. You can hear how the idea came from her family history, and things she discovered about her mum and the Manhattan Project.We talk about the luxurious writing room she has, why she gets started late in the day, and how much she knows about a novel before she gets to work on it.To grab a copy of 'Atomic Love', click here - https://amzn.to/3knnIUKThis episode is supported by the new book from Steven Butler and Steven Lenton. To get the 4th novel in the 'Nothing to See Here Hotel' Series, 'The Fiend of the Seven Sewers', click here - https://amzn.to/3oiBlXWPlease do support us on Patreon - patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Isabelle Broom has just published her seventh novel. 'Hello, Again' follows mosaic artist Pepper, who accompanies her elderly friend Josephine on the trail of a long-lost love affair through Europe. It has been described as “a dreamy, romantic, irresistible treat”, and promises whisk you off overseas for a fabulous adventure. We talk about how she delivers on that promise with words on a page, how she uses them to make idealistic adventure filled with emotion come to life.She writes escapist romance novels set all over the world. Isabelle has taken readers to Prague, Italy, Spain, Sri Lanka, New Zealand amongst many more places - the best part is, she has to travel there to research it herself!We chat about what getting the first draft done really helps with, how to make your characters the most authentic they can be, how to pick the perfect word, and how to make lockdown creativity work for you.Buy a copy here - https://amzn.to/2SZA6hLIf you can, please support the show at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week our guest is the phenomenally successful Matt Haig. Since huge bestseller 'Reasons to Stay Alive', Matt has shot to the nation's consciousness. He's written kids books, christmas books, a follow up called, 'Notes on a Nervous Planet', and six highly acclaimed novels for adults. Three of his books are currently being made into films, he has sold more than a million books in the UK and his work has been translated into over forty languages.His new novel is 'The Midnight Library'. It's about Nora Seed, who feels she has let everyone down, her life has been full of regret... but then she finds herself in the midnight library. It's a place between life and death, where she has the chance to make things life, and see how her life could have been different.The book is a parallel life story, in the mould of 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'Sliding Doors'. We talk about why his search for the root of humanity led him to write it, and why his exploration of what it means to live kept him going. You can hear how his lead character Nora changed many times through writing, and why he really only ever thinks about the first draft.It's a brilliant chat at unpicking how he gets stuff done, where he writes, how he plans his day, and even what font he works best in.You can buy a copy of the brilliant book here - https://amzn.to/3iH1KdJThis episode is sponsored by the brilliant 'How to Write a Great Story' by Caroline Lawrence. It's a fantastic guidebook to every aspect of planning, plotting, and getting your ideas and characters down on paper. You can grab a copy here - https://amzn.to/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Trevor Wood's debut novel 'The Man on the Street' tells the story of Jimmy, a homeless veteran with PTSD who sees a murder, but no-one believes him. We talk about writing crime, about getting into the voice of Jimmy, and trying to stop the demonisation of the homeless.Trevor has been a busy man, working as a former naval officer, a journalist, becoming a successful playwright, and then choosing his time to write his debut crime novel. To do it, he went to study at University, where he got fantastic advice from all sorts of authors, including Lee Child. You can hear about the pact he made with his partner to take a year out to get the book done.We talk about planning and plotting the novel, how writing plays massively helped him with the dialogue, and how he brought Newcastle to life with words on a page.You can get a copy of the novel here - https://amzn.to/3ioAOiSIf you can, please support us on Patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jane Fallon's 10th novel, 'Queen Bee', is out now. It's all about Stella who is the ruler of a posh, snobbish street, and how her life is thrown upside down when a new girl moves into the neighbourhood. We talk about her research for the novel, and why she didn't have to look to far away to be inspired. You can hear how she finds it tough to inhabit the heads and find the voices for her characters at first, and how she works around that. Plus, we talk about what she's learned from writing 10 novels, and how working in television helped her understand storytelling more than anything else.Jane is a multi-award-winning television producer behind shows such as This Life, Teachers and 20 Things to Do before You're 30. Her debut novel "Getting Rid of Matthew' was published in 2007 and became a Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller as have her subsequent books 'Got You Back', 'Foursome', 'The Ugly Sister', 'Skeletons', 'Strictly Between Us','My Sweet Revenge', 'Faking Friends' and 'Tell Me a Secret'.You can buy a copy of 'Queen Bee' using this link - https://amzn.to/3iaSv5xYou can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, and follow us on Twitter @writerspod. ALSO, if you have a spare moment, please do leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mara Timon's new novel is 'City of Spies', it's set in Lisbon during World War Two. It's a part and place of the war that warrants a story being told, as it's endlessly fascinating, but not many people know of it. We follow agent Elizabeth, whose cover is blown while discovering a huge wartime secret, and she must evade capture by the Gestapo while discovering more of the truth.Raised in New York, Mara moved to the UK almost 20 years ago; and fell in love with London and the way it melds the old and the new. Growing up with one parent fascinated with literature and the other with history, she started writing from an early age, although it wasn't until a programme on the BBC caught her interest, and one 'what if' led to another, that her first book began to take shape.We discuss finding the time to write when you have a day job, how she reveals things to her character along the way, and places the reader in the characters shoes to bring wartime Lisbon alive.If you'd like to buy the book, please think about using this link so we get a little kickback too - https://amzn.to/3c4ZM5sThis episode is sponsored by 'The House of Paris Le Grand' by Nicholas Robinson, a tale of love, life, drag queens and bucket lists. Find out more and get a copy here - https://amzn.to/3c4ZM5sYou can sponsor the show too by supporting us on Patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're chatting to YouTuber, radio presenter, film maker and now writer, Calum McSwiggan. His debut is a memoir, 'Eat, Gay, Love', which tells the story of his journey around the world, meeting different members of the LGBTQ+ community.He hosted a popular radio show for FUBAR Radio and has also created several short films, including the award-winning Love Happens Here, which was named 'Best LGBT+ Short Film' at the Buffer Festival in Toronto. In 2019 he started a book club to encourage young people to read more LGBT+ literature.We talk about how you distill a life of experiences into a 300-odd page book, how you make sure you're giving the reader the authentic story, and the decision to write memoir in the first place.If you'd like to buy a copy, please click this link to help us at the same time - https://amzn.to/2DSGOSYYou can also help us by pledging here - patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Erin Kinsley's second book 'Innocent' tells of a close-knit community devastated when a local celebrity is found dead. It follows on from her immensely successful debut 'Found, published last year to great acclaim. You can hear why that book was a story she needed to tell, and to get it down she completely changed her writing routine and process.We talk about the diagrams and charts she works through to write, why she switches between a fountain pen and laptop depending, and how he writing differs in the morning and evening.Also, we chat to Ed Needham, the editor of the fantastic 'Strong Words' magazine all about this month's issue, and why it's such a labour of love for [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Menna van Praag is the author of 6 magical realism novels, her new one is 'The Sisters Grimm'. It's a story of four girls born on the same day with their fate twisted together, they must find each other to save their lives, but one is destined to die. It's a twist on classic fairytales, and we discuss the first moment the idea for the story came into her mind.We talk about the deal that she made with her husband to become a writer before she was 30, why she self-published and how she managed to convince bookshops to take a chance on her story. You can hear how much she plots and plans, how long it took her to find her voice, and she shares the best writing-tip she's ever been told...I think it best be the best you've ever heard too.If you'd like to buy a copy, have a think about using this link - https://amzn.to/32rbJOn - that way we get a little kick-back from Bezos.This week's episode is sponsored by the 'Garnet and Petunia' series by Captain William Gilbert. They're about the bitter, twisted ex-merchant seaman who runs a private detective agency in Bangkok. Find out more at captainwilliamgilbert.com. Grab a copy of the series here - https://amzn.to/34zaBLfCaptain William sponsored the show on patreon.com/writersroutine, feel free to do that [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amanda Jennings has just published her 5th novel, 'The Storm', which is set in a lonely, isolated Cornish fishing village. It's about Hannah who seems to have the perfect marriage, but is desperately controlled by her husband, Nathan, behind closed doors, and how its linked to a tragic storm of years before.Since her debut, 'Sworn Secret', she regularly tops the Kindle bestselling chart. Her novels all focus on a haunting aspect of loneliness, of being withdrawn, and of secrets which affect families. We talk about why she keeps coming back to these themes, how she works through ideas, and her lack of thorough planning. She's a proper pantser.She has been involved in the WoMentoring Project, which offers mentoring support for talented female writers with women who work in the literary world, and run writers' workshops.If you fancy reading the book, please use this link - https://amzn.to/31h9AW5Also, have a think about supporting us at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Thomas has carved out a fantastic niche in fiction. She writes escapist romance set in idyllic locations across the world. To accurately tell these stories, she takes amazing research trips all over the globe, diving straight into it, getting a feel of the food and drink, before dreaming up a love story that fits everything.She's told stories about Galway, Puglia, Sicily, and her new book is set in Provence. 'Escape to the French Farmhouse' is about Del starting a new life in France, happy and alone, after her husband moves back to England.Jo worked for many years as a reporter and producer, first for BBC Radio 5, before moving on to Radio 4's Woman's Hour and Radio 2's The Steve Wright Show. In 2013 Jo won the RNA Katie Fforde Bursary. Her debut novel 'The Oyster Catcher' was a runaway bestseller in ebook. It was awarded the 2014 RNA Joan Hessayon Award and the 2014 Festival of Romance Best Ebook AwardWe talk about being a morning person, her hectic writing routine of a year, the detailed synopsis she writes before she starts, and how she's managed to wangle one of the best writing lives ever.If you enjoy the episode, please do support the show on patreon.com/writersroutine.@writerspodwritersroutine Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christopher Fowler writes everything - novels, screenplays, video games, graphic novels, and he's back with his 19th 'Bryant and May' book. It's called 'Oranges and Lemons' and sees the Peculiar Crimes Unit investigate a bizarre accident involving the Speaker of the House of Commons, and a truck full of citrus fruit. We talk about how he got the idea from a strangely gruesome nursery rhyme.He is the author of more than forty novels and many short story collections. A multiple award-winner, including the coveted CWA ‘Dagger in the Library’, Chris has also written screenplays, video games, graphic novels, audio plays and two acclaimed memoirs, Paperboy and Film Freak. His most recent non-fiction book is The Book of Forgotten Authors.You can also hear about the art of the perfect crime novel, and how Christopher thinks that has been lost recently. Also, we discuss his chaotic, unplanned plots, how he keeps himself engaged to write a series of 19 stories, and how he knows what he'll write at the start of every day.If you are going to buy the book, please think about using this link - https://amzn.to/30BCbVLPlease do think about supporting the show over at patreon.com/writersroutine, follow us on Twitter and leave a review on Apple Podcasts, if you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sophia Money-Coutts is a journalist and author who writes for 'The Sunday Telegraph' and the 'Evening Standard'. Her 3rd novel is 'The Wish List', about Florence who writes down her ideal man, and is then shocked when he wanders into her bookshop.You can hear how she got the idea at an...adult party, and how her family then influenced how she wrote the story. We talk about genre, about the conventions of rom-com and whether she's bothered about sticking to them, and when ideas tend to pop into her head. Sophia, like me, is a morning person. We chat about why that is, and if the labelling is useful at all, or pointlessly self-fulfilling.'The Wish List' comes out on August 6th. If you'd like to pre-order/ buy a copy, please have a look here - https://amzn.to/318HjzXAlso, please support us on patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sabine Durrant has just published a brand new psychological thriller, it's called 'Finders, Keepers' and it tells the story of Verity who becomes obsessed with her new neighbour. You can find out how the story was inspired by a mission Sabine and her kids undertook to rescue a lost rabbit.We talk about the convention of genre and how much Sabine plays with it, how much she needs to know before she starts a story, and how her routine has changed over time. As this show is a show about process, there's a lot about that, there's also a lot about the pre-process-process, and what Sabine needs to do before she even starts writing.Sabine is a journalist and the author of the best-selling 'Having It and Eating It' and the 'Connie Pickles' series of children's books.Her four psychological thrillers so far have been sold all around the world, made it to the 'Richard and Judy Book Club' and been translated into many languages. She has also written for the Guardian, Observer, Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph.If you'd like to buy a copy, please do it through this link - https://amzn.to/3eVvAcP - sorry I know it's evil Amazon, but we need money from Bezos.Also, please do support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the second Writer's Routine Roundtable! We're back with 4 of the best uplit/ rom-com authors around to talk us through how they do it.Laura Jane Williams - She took us through her writer's routine last year, ahead of 'Our Stop'. She talks about how writing that book made her a believer, as her second 'The Love Square' has just been published - https://amzn.to/39bd4M6Nicola Gill - Joined us earlier in 2020, to talk us through a day writing her debut, 'The Neighbours'. She's been busy and has a second book, 'We Are Family' - https://amzn.to/30xcgNXHannah Sunderland - New to the show, her debut 'Very Nearly Normal' is out now - https://amzn.to/2ZMBEQBCharlene Allcott - from 'The Moderate Mum' blog, she's just published her new novel, 'More Than a Mum' - https://amzn.to/2ZMBEQBWe talk about the conventions of the genre, how they create brooding heroes, how they flip the stereotype, and how to create a happy ending. You can hear how much they think about their reader, and why they're writing to answer their own questions, and how much lockdown has affected their writing day.Please do support us at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melanie Blake is one of the UK's most successful entrepreneurs, running a global talent agency, she's been a music manager, worked behind the scenes in TV, and has published a new book! 'The Thunder Girls' is the story of an 80s girl group reunion show, mixed with a hint of murder.We talk about what drives her as a creative and in business, and why she feels the need to tell stories in between all her other work. To do this she needs to get away to make sure she can't be bothered, we talk about how that works and how it affects later edits.You can hear how ghostwriting influences how she tells her own stories, and how she plotted this novel around her own experience of getting a classic band back together.If you want to buy the book, please do get it here - https://amzn.to/30fNNMH - so we get a little kickback.Also, please support the show over at patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jasper Fforde is a sublime storyteller, who has the rare gift of using words in a sequence many people would never think of. He's known for the 'Thursday Next' series, 'The Last Dragonslayer' YA books, and many other unique looks at the world. His new novel is 'The Constant Rabbit' which sees a group of anthropomorphised rabbits being kicked out of Britain by the United Kingdom Anti-Rabbit Party. It's a bizarre but brilliant take on the politics of the last 5 years. We talk about how he had the idea, about getting the tone and pace right, and about how he's unsure if he managed it.Also you can hear about the narrative dares he sets himself to tell stories, which led to a crime novel about Humpty Dumpty falling off the wall, and about the creative sandboxes that he first-drafts in.This week's show is sponsored by 'Skin Deep', the new novel by Sung J Woo.Please do pledge to support us at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple if you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Peter James has sold over 20 million books, publishing across 37 languages. Many of them star DS Roy Grace, who is back in the new one 'Find Them Dead'. We talk about how Peter's writing routine and style has changed through the years, and what he now needs to know before he starts work.You can hear how he charts the flow and beats of the story before he starts writing, and how ruthless editing helps him keep things tight, and keep the listener wanting more. 'Find Them Dead' sees Roy Grace on secondment with the Met Police, confronting a wave of drug gang violence and county lines crimes, and Peter tells us about the very first idea he got for the story, and how he expanded it before getting started.Peter has some brilliant tips and advice for writers, and has pulled them together on his website peterjames.com, where he runs a great YouTube channel, so is the perfect guest for this show.If you like what you hear, and want to help us out, please support us over at patreon.com/writersroutine.WARNING - a couple of fruity words in here, so don't listen with [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Whittaker seems like one of the busiest people in the world. He works as a City Trader, volunteers at his local library, is renovating a house, looking after his family, and has had the time to write his 3rd crime thriller. 'We Begin at the End' is Duchess Radley, out for revenge against the murderer who killed her Aunt. It's American Noir. We talk about what that is, and how he does justice to such an evocative genre with words on a page.We also chat about why he devotes such attention to character, how they spawn the plot, and why he needs the help of a good editor. It follows up on the success of 'All the Wicked Girls' and his debut, 'Tall Oaks, which won the 'New Blood Dagger' Award. You can hear how the prize has changed the way he writes, and why he wants to put as much detail into the story as possible.There is a little bit of a tech issue in the recording, please do push on through, Chris has some fantastic tips.YOUR BOOK CAN SPONSOR THE SHOW - find out more at patreon.com/writersroutine.Also, please leave a review on Apple, if you [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here's something brand new! A kind of bonus, hopefully semi-regular thing!This is the first Writer's Routine Roundtable, where we get authors together to chat about how they do what they do. How they plan, plot and then publish.In this episode, we have 3 fantastic crime authors, who all used to work for the Police... they say write what you know.Merilyn Davies published her first 'Carla Brown and Nell Jackson' thriller last year, called 'When I Lost You'. The sequel 'If I Fall' is out next year. She used to be a crime analyst, and now works as a Councillor in Oxfordshire as well as writing. Find out more about her here - https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Lost-You-Merilyn-Davies/dp/1787461556Rebecca Bradley has published many books across the 'DI Hannah Robbins' series, and standalone ones too. Her new book is 'A Deeper Song'. She used to work as a Police Detective, and now has writing 'murder down to a tea' - https://www.rebeccabradleycrime.com/Neil Lancaster told us his writing routine earlier on in the year. He's published 2 'Tom Novak' thrillers, there's a third being released soon, and he's got another series in the works too. He worked in the Met Police before moving to the Scottish Highlands to write - https://neillancastercrime.co.uk/We discuss how much editing defines what a story is, and how editors often get it write... but also what hill authors are willing to die on with their story. You can hear about how they have initial ideas and begin to plot them, and how they plan a series of stories around 1 character.Please do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, follow us on Twitter, and leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Abbott is one of the best-selling Kindle novelists in history. Her debut 'Only the Innocent' became a number 1 bestseller on Kindle, since then she's published 11 books, sold over 4 million copies and been translated into 21 languages.We talk about what changed when she got 'properly' published after that, and how an editor made her see her work in a different way. We chat about why she focuses mainly on writing psychological thrillers, and how her storytelling process has changed through 11 novels. You can hear about the business plan that she made to make sure her first books were noticed, sold and read.Her new novel is 'The Murder Game', all about a group of friends who meet in Cornwall, where a murder mystery game becomes a bit too realistic. We chat about the colour-coded cards and images that she relies on to write books too.ALSO, this episode is sponsored by 'Agatha', by Anne Cathrine Bomann, which tells the story of a psychiatrist in 1940's France who is on the verge of retirement, when one of his final clients changes his life forever. It's a joyous tale of loneliness, making huge noise across the world, and has been called a 'literary phenomenon'. You can find out more about it - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Anne-Cathrine-Bomann/dp/1529361370If you'd like your book to sponsor the show, get involved here - patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony McGowan is a highly acclaimed, multi-award winning author of novels and children's stories. He's written across almost everything, adult thrillers, YA books, children's fiction, even philosophy books for dogs.His new novel is 'Lark', it's part of 'The Truth of Things' series, which is a trilogy that has ended up being four books. They're all short novellas, written for reluctant readers, telling the story of hardship and love growing up in a forgotten town in northern England. We talk about why he wanted to write the book, and how for him this was a slight change of style - writing about place over plot.We hear about the first book he tried to get published, why it didn't quite work, and how he changed it to finally get it out there. You can also hear about his cluttered desk, how he gives himself space to come up with ideas, and why he gets to the British Library nice and early.ALSO, there's a brand new idea in there if you want YOUR book to SPONSOR this PODCAST! Find out more at patreon.com/writersroutineAnd leave us an Apple review if you fancy [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Baldacci has storytelling in his bones. He's published books across all types of genre, thriller, mystery, fantasy, crime, even kids books too. He's written well over 40 novels, and plans his year of writing fairly thoroughly in order to publish 2 new books a year. He has a huge array of characters to choose between, and we learn about how he decides which one he'll write about next.His new one is 'Walk the Wire', about Amos Decker, 'The Memory Man', who is sent to the North Dakotan badlands, where he covers a religious sect based around a strange, unused military base. We chat about how he got the idea from a process of constantly consuming new media, and being on the lookout for new ideas and information every day.We also talk about how much he knows about the story before he sits down to write, and what happens when it all goes wrong, his ideas are coming up short, but he has a book he has to deliver. David used to work as a lawyer, and we delve into how much that affected the way he started work as a writer, and how his career has moved on from there.Please do support as at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave a review for the show on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Swallow is one of those writers who has stories burning inside him, itching to get out. He has written anything and everything. James writes sci-fi, fantasy, TV tie-ins, video games, audio dramas, and his new one is a spy thriller, 'Rogue'. It's about Marc Dane, an MI6 worker who usually spends time behind a desk and screen, but is thrown out into the field. We talk about how it's a pay-off for many readers who have stuck by the series from the start. Also we chat about how he first had the idea, and what it's like to switch between genre so frequently.We talk about the perfect writing day, against the practical one that normally occurs. You can also hear how he acclimatised to writing full-time after finally making the leap to leave his job and tell stories for a living. We chat about what it's like to write for yourself after so many years telling others stories, and how he knew he would be a writer from a very early age.Please do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adele Parks has just published her 20th book in 20 years! 'Just My Luck' is about a group of friends who always pool in to buy a lottery ticket with the same numbers every week, only one week after a big fall-out, one couple buys the ticket alone... and wins. How do they cope with the fall out, betrayal and fights that come with that?We talk about how Adele had the idea whilst asking a stranger questions at a dinner party, and in fact... why she gets quite a lot of her story ideas like that.We also chat about why her work day is quite rigidly scheduled, why she reads her work to her husband frequently, and what happens when you have to throw almost 80,000 words in the bin.You can hear about her views on genre, how much she thinks about who reads her books, and how her writing routine has changed over 20 novels.Also, this is the first interview I recorded remotely on lockdown, so sorry if it's a little bit bumpy in places!If you can, please do support us on patreon.com/[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.