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All Episodes

The Writing Life — 211 episodes

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Title
1

The anthropology of storytelling: Archaeology, liminality & the body with Ruthy Mason

2

From mentorship to literary translation: Polly Barton & Charlotte Goff on translating Nao-Cola Yamazaki’s works

3

The spirit of place: Laurence Mitchell on Flint Country

4

Back to basics: Sarah L. Kaufman on Verb Your Enthusiasm

5

The world of self-publishing: Pip Landers-Letts on Pyg

6

Writing relationships: Jem Calder on I Want You to Be Happy

7

Finding balance in writing: Sithuraj Ponraj on working across languages, jobs, and genres

8

From draft to debut: Anna Goldreich on The Leveret

9

Madness and Magic: Hannah Murray on her memoir The Make Believe

10

Experimenting with narrative form: Ashley Hickson-Lovence on About to Fall Apart

11

Writing the self in memoir: Camilla Balshaw on Named

12

Storytelling in graphic novels: Anna Trench on Florrie

13

Stories of humanity & connection: Jenni Fagan on The Delusions

14

The path to publication: Grace Murray on Blank Canvas

15

Wonder and Loss: Writing Grief and Memoir with Sam Meekings

16

Family and Caribbean folklore: Celeste Mohammed on Ever Since We Small

17

Writing dystopian fiction: Matt Greene on The Definitions

18

Writing speculative fiction: Choo Yi Feng on ecology, world building, and creating mysterious characters

19

Poets in conversation: John Osborne & Lewis Buxton on performance, humour, and place

20

New year, new writing goals: Julia Crouch on getting started, finding inspiration, and writing what excites

21

Writing festive thrillers: Nicola Upson on The Christmas Clue

22

What is ‘experimental fiction’?: Clara Chow on travelling, writing about taboo subjects, and having fun

23

Writing grief and the body: Lisabelle Tay & Heather Parry in conversation with Yan Ge

24

Writing flawed characters: Sarah Moss on Ripeness

25

The poetry of motherhood: Erica Hesketh and Jenny Pagdin on language, recovery, and balance

26

A writer’s journey: Vanessa Bell on book tours, friendship, and revisiting old projects

27

Representation in children’s literature: Hayley Wells on The Spectacular Suit

28

Reimagining classics: Pat Barker on the Regeneration Trilogy

29

Writing contemporary crime fiction: Val McDermid on Past Lying

30

Becoming a published author: Wen-Yi Lee on representation, writing residencies, and building a readership

31

Writing between genres: Michael Pedersen on Muckle Flugga

32

World building in horror fiction: Julia Armfield on Private Rites

33

The world of Substack: Eleanor Anstruther & Simon K Jones on serial fiction

34

Writing love stories: André Aciman on Room on the Sea

35

The power of language: Eimear McBride on The City Changes Its Face

36

Writing strong female characters: Joanna Miller on The Eights

37

The rise of romantasy with Sangu Mandanna

38

Writing about sports and masculinity with George Harrison, Alex Allison, and Ashley Hickson-Lovence

39

Developing your creative practice with Julia Bird

40

Writing about nature with Chloe Dalton

41

Writing a festive bestseller with Abiola Bello

42

Writing about music with Aniefiok Ekpoudom

43

Researching for crime novels with Peter James

44

Routes into writing with S G Bell

45

Writing dialect in fiction with Ferdia Lennon

46

Writing through place: Heidi Williamson & Rebecca Goss on poetry, memory and healing

47

Structuring non-fiction with Nick Acheson

48

Writing collaboratively with Maarja Pärtna & Penny Boxall

49

Advice for emerging writers with Benjamin Johncock & Megan Bradbury

50

Writing the 'difficult second novel' with Melissa Fu

51

Writing romantic comedies with PJ Ellis

52

Researching for fiction with Jon McGregor

53

Writing soaps with James McDermott & Stephen Keyworth

54

Writing narrative non-fiction with Dan Richards & Edward Parnell

55

How to be a craftivist with Sarah P Corbett

56

Writing for performance with HighTide

57

Writing poetry with Martin Figura

58

Reintroducing Harriet Martineau with Stuart Hobday & Gaby Weiner

59

Crafting identity in fiction with Michael Donkor

60

Writing subversive women with Naomi Wood

61

Virtual residencies with Nur-El-Hudaa Jaffar, Sim Wai-chew and Tse Hao Guang

62

Writing the grotesque body with Heather Parry

63

Writing and chronic illness with Polly Atkin

64

Writing for younger audiences with Chip Colquhoun

65

Writing modern noir with Margot Douaihy

66

Writing unreliable narrators with Hannah Vincent

67

Into the contemporary poetry archive

68

How to Write a Script with Molly Naylor

69

In conversation with bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin

70

The craft of life writing with Fiona Mason

71

Writing Short Stories with Yan Ge

72

Music and translation with Kalaf Epalanga & Daniel Hahn

73

Priscilla Morris on writing resistance and community in Black Butterflies

74

Working Class Noir with Tom Benn

75

Writing Real People in Memoir with Katy Massey

76

How to Write Suspense Fiction with Claire McGowan

77

Writing a Biography with Patrick Barkham

78

Life as a Poet - with Raymond Antrobus

79

Writing About Historical Figures with Victoria Mackenzie

80

Working with a Translator - with Caroline Lamarche and Katherine Gregor

81

In conversation with Max Porter at the Book Hive

82

Interviewing difficult subjects with Richard Balls

83

In Conversation with British-Nepali Writer and Translator Rabi Thapa

84

The Martineau Lecture with Kit De Waal

85

How to Develop Compelling Characters in Your Fiction - with Okechukwu Nzelu

86

Writer Insights with James Kinsley

87

Common ground: writing, culture and community in Singapore

88

How to write humour - with Caimh McDonnell

89

From writing craft to witchcraft with Kirsty Logan

90

Literary Translation and Neurodivergence - with Clare Richards

91

How To Build Your Writing Routine - with Megan Bradbury

92

New voices: 10 emerging writers read their work

93

How To Grip Your Readers - with Julia Crouch

94

Writing Using The Senses

95

What makes a great short story? With Jenn Ashworth

96

Writing About Love - A Conversation With Maddie Mortimer

97

Partners in crime: Yelena Moskovich in conversation with Julia Crouch

98

Revision: rewriting and redrafting with Lynne Bryan

99

Mohsin Hamid discusses The Last White Man

100

How To Balance Story And Plot

101

How To Structure A Novel

102

SPECIAL: Wandering Words poems and soundscapes

103

We Are Always Translating

104

Research for writing with Megan Bradbury and Sam Ruddock

105

The poetry process with Khairani Barokka

106

From Taekwondo to literary translation with Mattho Mandersloot

107

Translation as activism with Anam Zafar & Meena Kandasamy

108

Lucy van Smit’s Writer’s Journal Workbook

109

Sawad Hussain & Archana Madhavan on translating webtoons & Korean literature

110

Andy Hamilton on writing in Longhand

111

How to be self-published AND traditionally published with Nicola May

112

Jarred McGinnis on blending fact and fiction in The Coward

113

Derek Barretto‘s path to literary translation

114

Jennifer Anne Champion on poetry and embroidery

115

Adam Z Robinson on theatre, Patreon and adapting to Covid-19

116

Editing & translating for young readers with Ella Micheler

117

Writing fantasy with Nuraliah Norasid

118

Going from self-publishing to traditional publishing with AE Warren

119

Jenn Ashworth on writing fiction & non-fiction

120

Nazry Bahrawi & Vineet Lal in conversation

121

Carole Angier on writing the first biography of W.G. Sebald

122

Megan Abbott on crime writing‘s power to change society

123

Structuring a novel: Rebecca Watson talks to Chitra Ramaswamy about Little Scratch

124

Kate Mosse on the Women‘s Prize, Discoveries and research

125

Finding hope in an age of crisis - with Tom Whyman

126

Lewis Buxton on boyhood, sexuality, sport and publishing his first poetry collection

127

Shash Trevett & Geetha Sukumaran on translating Tamil poetry

128

Olivia Hellwell on translating from Slovene (+ the cultural importance of crisps)

129

Substack, the creator economy & serialised storytelling with Elle Griffin

130

Tommy Sissons on writing a prose polemic

131

How to become a literary translator: deep dive

132

Tsitsi Dangarembga on representation, feminism and Zimbabwean literature

133

William Ryan's Guide to How to Write

134

Jen Campbell on building your writer platform

135

We pick our top episodes from lockdown

136

J. Michael Straczynski on Becoming A Writer, Staying A Writer

137

Jessie Greengrass on The High House

138

Lynn Buckle on positive climate writing with Flo Reynolds

139

Abir Mukherjee: Weather With You #3

140

Derek Owusu: Weather With You #2

141

Kerri ní Dochartaigh: Weather With You #1

142

Valur Gunnarsson & Sarah Bower on writing alternate histories

143

Liz Breslin & Tiffany Atkinson on discovering yourself through writing

144

Polish writer Marcin Wilk talks to Joe Hedinger from The Book Hive

145

Julian of Norwich & biscuits with Vahni Capildeo and Jeremy Noel-Tod

146

Writing a short story collection with Jo Lloyd + Norfolk & Norwich Festival!

147

Neill Cameron on writing for young comics readers, representation, The Phoenix & MEGA ROBO BROS

148

Ambiguity & metaphor in The Last Good Man with Thomas McMullan

149

Writing HADES with Greg Kasavin of Supergiant Games

150

Crowdfunded publishing with Tom Cox

151

Writing about the slave who became Queen Victoria's goddaughter - with Anni Domingo

152

Writing creative non-fiction with Sonia Faleiro

153

Horatio Clare's journey through madness, mania & healing

154

Theatre in translation with William Gregory & Sue Healy

155

To Olivia - film adaptation with Stephen Michael Shearer & John Hay

156

Styles of dialogue with Chris Beckett

157

Writing a novel on a phone - with Jon Ransom

158

Kate Worsley on the value of mentoring & the challenges of Covid-19

159

Nicola Upson on why books are more vital than ever

160

Owen Nicholls on his first novel & the Escalator scheme

161

World building using narrative voice - with Abi Daré

162

Characters in translation - with Thomas Heerma van Voss

163

The Black Writers on Democracy Project

164

Form & feeling with poet Will Harris

165

The Artful Dickens, literary conjuror - with John Mullan

166

Research, editing & planning novels with Stuart Turton

167

Publishing with a small press - with Sally-Anne Lomas & Sam Ruddock

168

Oyinkan Braithwaite on My Sister, The Serial Killer - Noirwich 2020

169

What happens when Covid-19 cancels your book launch? - Richard Lambert returns!

170

Writing narrative non-fiction with Kate Summerscale

171

Agents, representation, childcare & moving out of London - with Emma Shercliff

172

How to be an organised writer with Antony Johnston

173

Kieron Gillen on world building in Eternals, Wicked+Divine, Star Wars

174

Attica Locke on Power, Property And Prejudice

175

Book Club:: RENDANG by Will Harris

176

Noirwich 2020: Poirot Special with Sophie Hannah & Mark Aldridge

177

Noirwich 2020: Anita Terpstra, virtual writer in residence

178

Noirwich 2020: Paddy Richardson, virtual writer in residence

179

How to get your poetry published - with Flo Reynolds

180

Okechukwu Nzelu's 10 year writing journey

181

Debut author Eliza Clark on Boy Parts, being published during Covid-19 & lazy comparisons

182

How Arts Council National Lottery Grants Work

183

Elvira Dones on identity and translation in Sworn Virgin

184

The Writing Life Trailer

185

Sarah Perry on crafting characters

186

Designing Your Plot - Nicola Upson returns!

187

Earning a writer's trust - with translator Sarah Ardizzone

188

Eva Meijer and Animal Languages

189

Book Club: Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

190

Simon & Steph Celebrate 100 Episodes

191

Eimear McBride's Method

192

Poetry In Lockdown - with Lewis Buxton of TOAST

193

Announcing the Desmond Elliott Prize Shortlist

194

Searching For Answers with Bregje Hofstede

195

Owen Sheers' International Literature Showcase Reveal

196

A Portrait Of An Artist And A Writer

197

A Delicate Sight: Max Porter & Sam Winston

198

Creating Characters With Michael Donkor

199

Join our Book Club!

200

Becoming A Translator with Motoyuki Shibata

201

The responsibilities of writers - with Kendel Hippolyte

202

Researching True Crime with Stephanie Scott

203

Writing In Interesting Times - with Vahur Afanasjev

204

Finding Your New Normal - Mark Stay returns!

205

Method And Digital Tools - Bregje Hofstede & Moto Shibata

206

Jenny Offill: Catastrophising, coronavirus & Weather

207

Exploring Themes Through Characters: Ayobami Adebayo

208

BookTube & Your Online Platform - with Leena Norms

209

The Writing Life podcast trailer

210

From Teacher To Writer: Ashley Hickson-Lovence

211

Taking Yourself Seriously - with Cat Woodward