S02 E10 Mandy Wiener

Mandy Wiener is a superstar of South African journalism. Currently the presenter of the Midday Report on 702, Mandy is the award-winning author of Killing Kebble, Behind the Door: The Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp Story, Ministry of Crime, The Whistleblowers, and more. Mandy joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how the first idea she ever pitched to a publisher was rejected, but the second was enthusiastically accepted. She describes how she wrote that book in three months, and regularly produces ten thousand words a week when she is writing. Mandy traces her early enthusiasm for the written word back to her Polokwane High School and the incredible English teachers she encountered there. She tells us what it was like to be accused of being a 'brand journalist' when her name first became known, and how it is the actual journalism that still attracts her. Gail asks Mandy whether she ever feels afraid while investigating the South African underworld, and Fiona asks how she manages to keep a distance from her sources while still getting them to trust her. For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up for our weekly newsletter. Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you! Please join the conversation on our socials. Follow us on Instagram · Chat with us on Twitter · Join our Facebook group · Subscribe to us on YouTube · Join our newsletter · Ask your writing-related questions here