All Episodes

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

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

From draft to debut: Anna Goldreich on The Leveret

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

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

Writing the self in memoir: Camilla Balshaw on Named

Storytelling in graphic novels: Anna Trench on Florrie

Stories of humanity & connection: Jenni Fagan on The Delusions

The path to publication: Grace Murray on Blank Canvas

Wonder and Loss: Writing Grief and Memoir with Sam Meekings

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

Writing dystopian fiction: Matt Greene on The Definitions

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

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

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

Writing festive thrillers: Nicola Upson on The Christmas Clue

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

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

Writing flawed characters: Sarah Moss on Ripeness

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

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

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

Reimagining classics: Pat Barker on the Regeneration Trilogy

Writing contemporary crime fiction: Val McDermid on Past Lying

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

Writing between genres: Michael Pedersen on Muckle Flugga

World building in horror fiction: Julia Armfield on Private Rites

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

Writing love stories: André Aciman on Room on the Sea

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

Writing strong female characters: Joanna Miller on The Eights

The rise of romantasy with Sangu Mandanna

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

Developing your creative practice with Julia Bird

Writing about nature with Chloe Dalton

Writing a festive bestseller with Abiola Bello

Writing about music with Aniefiok Ekpoudom

Researching for crime novels with Peter James

Routes into writing with S G Bell

Writing dialect in fiction with Ferdia Lennon

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

Structuring non-fiction with Nick Acheson

Writing collaboratively with Maarja Pärtna & Penny Boxall

Advice for emerging writers with Benjamin Johncock & Megan Bradbury

Writing the 'difficult second novel' with Melissa Fu

Writing romantic comedies with PJ Ellis

Researching for fiction with Jon McGregor

Writing soaps with James McDermott & Stephen Keyworth

Writing narrative non-fiction with Dan Richards & Edward Parnell

How to be a craftivist with Sarah P Corbett

Writing for performance with HighTide

Writing poetry with Martin Figura

Reintroducing Harriet Martineau with Stuart Hobday & Gaby Weiner

Crafting identity in fiction with Michael Donkor

Writing subversive women with Naomi Wood

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

Writing the grotesque body with Heather Parry

Writing and chronic illness with Polly Atkin

Writing for younger audiences with Chip Colquhoun

Writing modern noir with Margot Douaihy

Writing unreliable narrators with Hannah Vincent

Into the contemporary poetry archive

How to Write a Script with Molly Naylor

In conversation with bestselling crime writer Ian Rankin

The craft of life writing with Fiona Mason

Writing Short Stories with Yan Ge

Music and translation with Kalaf Epalanga & Daniel Hahn

Priscilla Morris on writing resistance and community in Black Butterflies

Working Class Noir with Tom Benn

Writing Real People in Memoir with Katy Massey

How to Write Suspense Fiction with Claire McGowan

Writing a Biography with Patrick Barkham

Life as a Poet - with Raymond Antrobus

Writing About Historical Figures with Victoria Mackenzie

Working with a Translator - with Caroline Lamarche and Katherine Gregor

In conversation with Max Porter at the Book Hive

Interviewing difficult subjects with Richard Balls

In Conversation with British-Nepali Writer and Translator Rabi Thapa

The Martineau Lecture with Kit De Waal

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

Writer Insights with James Kinsley

Common ground: writing, culture and community in Singapore

How to write humour - with Caimh McDonnell

From writing craft to witchcraft with Kirsty Logan

Literary Translation and Neurodivergence - with Clare Richards

How To Build Your Writing Routine - with Megan Bradbury

New voices: 10 emerging writers read their work

How To Grip Your Readers - with Julia Crouch

Writing Using The Senses

What makes a great short story? With Jenn Ashworth

Writing About Love - A Conversation With Maddie Mortimer

Partners in crime: Yelena Moskovich in conversation with Julia Crouch

Revision: rewriting and redrafting with Lynne Bryan

Mohsin Hamid discusses The Last White Man

How To Balance Story And Plot

How To Structure A Novel

SPECIAL: Wandering Words poems and soundscapes

We Are Always Translating

Research for writing with Megan Bradbury and Sam Ruddock

The poetry process with Khairani Barokka

From Taekwondo to literary translation with Mattho Mandersloot

Translation as activism with Anam Zafar & Meena Kandasamy

Lucy van Smit’s Writer’s Journal Workbook

Sawad Hussain & Archana Madhavan on translating webtoons & Korean literature

Andy Hamilton on writing in Longhand

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

Jarred McGinnis on blending fact and fiction in The Coward

Derek Barretto‘s path to literary translation

Jennifer Anne Champion on poetry and embroidery

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

Editing & translating for young readers with Ella Micheler

Writing fantasy with Nuraliah Norasid

Going from self-publishing to traditional publishing with AE Warren

Jenn Ashworth on writing fiction & non-fiction

Nazry Bahrawi & Vineet Lal in conversation

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

Megan Abbott on crime writing‘s power to change society

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

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

Finding hope in an age of crisis - with Tom Whyman

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

Shash Trevett & Geetha Sukumaran on translating Tamil poetry

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

Substack, the creator economy & serialised storytelling with Elle Griffin

Tommy Sissons on writing a prose polemic

How to become a literary translator: deep dive

Tsitsi Dangarembga on representation, feminism and Zimbabwean literature

William Ryan's Guide to How to Write

Jen Campbell on building your writer platform

We pick our top episodes from lockdown

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

Jessie Greengrass on The High House

Lynn Buckle on positive climate writing with Flo Reynolds

Abir Mukherjee: Weather With You #3

Derek Owusu: Weather With You #2

Kerri ní Dochartaigh: Weather With You #1

Valur Gunnarsson & Sarah Bower on writing alternate histories

Liz Breslin & Tiffany Atkinson on discovering yourself through writing

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

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

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

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

Ambiguity & metaphor in The Last Good Man with Thomas McMullan

Writing HADES with Greg Kasavin of Supergiant Games

Crowdfunded publishing with Tom Cox

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

Writing creative non-fiction with Sonia Faleiro

Horatio Clare's journey through madness, mania & healing

Theatre in translation with William Gregory & Sue Healy

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

Styles of dialogue with Chris Beckett

Writing a novel on a phone - with Jon Ransom

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

Nicola Upson on why books are more vital than ever

Owen Nicholls on his first novel & the Escalator scheme

World building using narrative voice - with Abi Daré

Characters in translation - with Thomas Heerma van Voss

The Black Writers on Democracy Project

Form & feeling with poet Will Harris

The Artful Dickens, literary conjuror - with John Mullan

Research, editing & planning novels with Stuart Turton

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

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

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

Writing narrative non-fiction with Kate Summerscale

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

How to be an organised writer with Antony Johnston

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

Attica Locke on Power, Property And Prejudice

Book Club:: RENDANG by Will Harris

Noirwich 2020: Poirot Special with Sophie Hannah & Mark Aldridge

Noirwich 2020: Anita Terpstra, virtual writer in residence

Noirwich 2020: Paddy Richardson, virtual writer in residence

How to get your poetry published - with Flo Reynolds

Okechukwu Nzelu's 10 year writing journey

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

How Arts Council National Lottery Grants Work

Elvira Dones on identity and translation in Sworn Virgin

The Writing Life Trailer

Sarah Perry on crafting characters

Designing Your Plot - Nicola Upson returns!

Earning a writer's trust - with translator Sarah Ardizzone

Eva Meijer and Animal Languages

Book Club: Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke

Simon & Steph Celebrate 100 Episodes

Eimear McBride's Method

Poetry In Lockdown - with Lewis Buxton of TOAST

Announcing the Desmond Elliott Prize Shortlist

Searching For Answers with Bregje Hofstede

Owen Sheers' International Literature Showcase Reveal

A Portrait Of An Artist And A Writer

A Delicate Sight: Max Porter & Sam Winston

Creating Characters With Michael Donkor

Join our Book Club!

Becoming A Translator with Motoyuki Shibata

The responsibilities of writers - with Kendel Hippolyte

Researching True Crime with Stephanie Scott

Writing In Interesting Times - with Vahur Afanasjev

Finding Your New Normal - Mark Stay returns!

Method And Digital Tools - Bregje Hofstede & Moto Shibata

Jenny Offill: Catastrophising, coronavirus & Weather

Exploring Themes Through Characters: Ayobami Adebayo

BookTube & Your Online Platform - with Leena Norms

The Writing Life podcast trailer

From Teacher To Writer: Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Taking Yourself Seriously - with Cat Woodward