All Episodes

Santa Montefiore, author of 'The Deverill Chronicles' - World-renowned bestseller discusses finally finding success at home, getting it written before getting it right, and why she needs spirituality

Alan Rhode, author of 'The Eagle and the Cockerel' - Journalist, Lawyer and Author discusses political thrillers, writing in a second language and why concentration is subjective

Catherine Steadman, author of 'Look in the Mirror' - Actor turned bestselling thriller writer discusses career pivots, character nuances, and why word count doesn't matter

Milly Johnson, author of 'The Happiest Ever After' - Bestselling Romance Writer discusses keeping the concentration up, why greeting cards help novels, and how to keep the plates spinning

B.P. Walter, author of 'The Garden Party' - Crime writer discusses escaping and being distracted, publishing horror, and making characters nuanced

Amy Neff, author of 'The Days I Loved You Most' - Debut writer discusses spending 10 years with characters, getting over rejection, and why editing needs help

Julietta Henderson, author of 'How to Get a Life' - Richard and Judy Book Club pick talks scattered scenes, finding the story thread, and why writing doesn't get any easier

Shaun Bythell, author of 'The Diary of a Bookseller' - Scotland's most famous bookseller discusses editing diaries, why everyone loves a bookshop, and style guides

Jonny Sweet, author of 'The Kellerby Code' - Screenwriter and Author discusses jokes influencing novels, why guilt is useless, and dealing with praise

Kate Storey, author of 'The Memory Library' - Book Club author discusses why a change of genre means a change of name, whether outlining curbs creativity, and why she watches for jokes

Alina Khawaja, author of 'Maya's Laws of Love' - How to avoid tangents which block your ideas, dealing with rejections, and trying to get better

Samuel Burr, author of 'The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers' - Mystery writer talks about learning from making TV, spying for inspiration, and how the business actually works

Caz Frear, author of 'Five Bad Deeds' - Thriller writer discusses the pressures of doing everything, getting into the right mindset, and making your day better

Chioma Okereke, author of 'Water Baby' - Poet and Author discusses writing without genre, changing how you plot, and performing poetry

Paul Carlucci, author of 'The Voyageur' - Acclaimed author discusses moving from short stories to novels, by inspired by fact, and learning grammar

Kerry Andrew, author of 'We Are Together Because' - Award winning composer and writer discusses the search for the perfect word, imagining the worst, and finding what you really want

Daisy Goodwin, author of 'Diva' - TV producer and screenwriter discusses thorough research, historical fiction, and creating legendary TV shows

Max Moyer, author of 'Zodak - The Last Shielder' - Fantasy author talks world-building, stopping for 18 years, and why you don't need to be completely original

Mari Hannah, author of 'The Longest Goodbye' - Crime award-winner discusses planning across a series, her Murder Wall, and the book she never wanted to write

Triona Campbell, author of 'The Traitor in the Game' - Young Adult writer talks moving countries to write, moving from TV to novels, and moving obstacles

Yangsze Choo, author of 'The Fox Wife' - New York Times bestseller talks about streaming pressure, debut success, and how we think differently

Mandy Robotham, author of 'The Hidden Storyteller' - Historical Fiction writer discusses the rules of genre, needing a deadline, and stopping when it gets good

Caroline Dunford, author of 'The Augmentors' - Prolific writer discusses plotting over a series, switching genres, and reaching for the perfect novel

Orlando Murrin, author of 'Knife Skills for Beginners' - Chef, writer and all-round doer discusses the perfect keyboard, going on tangents, and why kitchens make the perfect place for murder

Maura Cheeks, author of 'Acts of Forgiveness' - Debut writer discusses free-writing, how journalism affects novel-writing, and important stories

Sarah Marsh, author of 'A Sign of Her Own' - Debut writer discusses finding the truth in history, taking 12 years to write a debut, and thorough research

Rebecca Thorne, author of 'The Grief House' - Writing without a genre, how pseudonyms help switch between tasks, and a strictly-planned day

Helen Fisher, author of 'Joe Nuthin's Guide to Life' - Writer discusses the rocky road to publication, writing when you're not writing, and the plot road map

Professor Emma Smith, author of 'Portable Magic: A History of Books and Their Readers' - Academic discusses commercial non-fiction, who Shakespeare really was, and why we can't throw books away

D.V. Bishop, author of 'Ritual of Fire' - Historical fiction author talks his rules of writing, planning in the past, and tie-in novels

Jane L. Rosen, author of 'On Fire Island' - Turning screenplays into novels, the balance of writing and promoting, and how to capture a sense of place

Amanda Prowse, author of 'All Good Things' - Prolific bestseller discusses creating a universe of characters, completely pantsing and why creativity helps trauma

Femi Kayode, author of 'Gaslight' - CWA nominated writer discusses writing through a Nigerian lens, chapter titles giving control, and being in the perfect place

Katie Marsh, author of 'How Not To Murder Your Ex' - Crime writer talks about switching from romance, trying to clear distractions, and taking 2 months before starting

Terry Hayes, author of 'The Year of the Locust' - Acclaimed bestseller talks about using song lyrics, cutting hundreds of thousands of words, and the pressure of the second novel

Freya Berry, author of 'The Birdcage Library' - Bestseller discusses writing hard and often, leaving space in the story, and giving yourself a year to write

Denzil Meyrick, author of 'Murder at Holly House' - Bestselling writer discusses the baggy middle, avoiding distractions, and not being limited by genre

Dann McDorman, author of 'West Heart Kill' - Novelist and Emmy-nominated News Producer discusses twisting the genre, putting the reader in the mystery, and how news affects stories

D.L. Douglas, author of 'Dr. Spilsbury and the Camden Town Killer' - Historical crime writer discusses switching genres and names, structuring challenges, and a busy year

Claire Daverley, author of 'Talking at Night' - Debut writer discusses forgetting genre, dealing with rejection, and preparing the mood

Sarah Moorhead, author of 'The Treatment' - Speculative fiction writer discusses keeping busy, thinking of genre, and the classic What If?

Nick Hunt, author of 'Red Smoking Mirror' - Travel writer discusses blending experience into fiction, debut novels, and how to travel and write for a living

Diana Janney, author of 'A Man of Understanding' - How poetry influences novels, exploring trauma, and whether your story needs a skeleton

Alex Hay, author of 'The Housekeepers' - Historical fiction author discusses shifting gears through the day, a work-space battle, and changing your routine

Susan Wiggs, author of 'Welcome to Beach Town' - Multi-million bestseller discusses the joys of research, how to find your voice, and the sweet-spot that makes a classic

Sara Ochs, author of 'The Dive' - Thriller author discusses the path to publication, how impatience affects drafting, and making characters authentic

Robert Thorogood, author of 'Death Comes to Marlow' - Mystery writer talks about making stories fun, cosy crime, and stopping the excuses

Jack Jordan, author of 'Conviction' - Thriller writer discusses getting lost in the work, the business side of it, and making the most of success

Fiona Valpy, author of 'The Cypress Maze' - Historical fiction author chats mixing fact with fiction, challenging yourself, and looking through the compost bin

Nick Bradley, author of 'Four Seasons in Japan' - Writer discusses going easy on himself, living in Japan, and intricate plot structure

Jenna Clake, author of 'Disturbance' - Poet and novelist discusses writing spaces, keeping it tight, and how poetry helps novels

Kerry Chaput, author of 'Chasing Eleanor' - Historical fiction writer discusses dealing with anxiety, returning to writing, and ditching 80,000 words

JP Rieger, author of 'Clonk!' - How to make detective fiction funny, mixing creativity, and writing out of order

Rebecca McKanna, author of 'Don't Forget the Girl' - Debut writer discusses fictional true-crime, getting sucked into the story, and what being published feels like

Tim Lott, author of 'Yes! No! But Wait! - The One Thing You Need to Know to Write a Novel' - Award-winner discusses why spaces don't matter, why plot is everything and dealing with guilt

Corie Adjmi, author of 'The Marriage Box' - Award-winning writer discusses writing by hand, short stories, and should you always write what you know?

John Wray, author of 'Gone to the Wolves' - Award-winning writer talks about working to hide, switching genre, and taking your time

J.D. Kirk, author of 'The One That Got Away' - Prolific writer discusses self-publishing, staying healthy, and his very busy year

Senta Rich, author of 'Hotel 21' - Screenwriter and author discusses creative collaboration, character arcs, and how to keep believing

Jude Yawson, author of 'Rise Up - The #Merky Story So Far' - First LIVE Podcast with Stormzy's co-author about inspiration, commitment and creative spaces

Becky Hunter, author of 'One Moment' - A look inside the world of publishing, why thinking about what sells doesn't always work, and dealing with rejection

Tim Weaver, author of 'The Blackbird' - Thriller writer talks about learning from your second book, welcoming the worry, and making people disappear

Danya Kukafka, author of 'Notes on an Execution' - Writer talks about the pressure of the second book, the process journal and how to feel the plot

LC North, author of 'The Ugly Truth' - Psychological thriller writer talks about the calmer part of the process, commercial hooks, and celebrity fascination

Abdulrazak Gurnah, author of 'Afterlives' - 2021 Nobel Prize winner discusses distractions, why reading is as important as writing, and needing blank walls

Eva Rice, author of 'This Could Be Everything' - Why noise helps work, how characters decide when to appear, and how energy ebbs and flows

Sally Page, author of 'The Keeper of Stories' - Hugely successful debut writer on detailed research, the 'book club' genre, and how old work helps the future

Ava Glass, author of 'The Chase' - Thriller writer discusses unknown London, switching up timelines, and finding character through flashback

Gregg Hurwitz, author of 'The Last Orphan' - New York Times bestseller discusses diving into research, fixing the small things, and advice from James Patterson

Georgina Moore, author of 'The Garnett Girls' - Making characters similar but different, how the plot sorts itself out, and why characters do their own thing

Tom Hindle, author of 'The Murder Game' - Murder mystery writer talks switching between work, learning from the best, and childhood heroes

Alison Stockham, author of 'The Cuckoo Sister' - Thriller writer talks about overcoming doubt, reading aloud and finding the right word

Writer's Routine Revisited: Hugh Montgomery, author of 'Control' - Professor talks making time to write, what makes you creative, and the joy of trying something new.

Eleanor Shearer, author of 'River Sing Me Home' - Why plotting is emotional, parking downhill, and post-memory

Cailean Steed, author of 'Home' - Thriller writer talks about grand teenage ideas, why writing is discovery not creation, and swapping around an entire story

Rosie Andrews, author of 'The Leviathan' - Genre-bending writer talks historical fiction, flexible routines, and how to build your own space

Richard Armitage, author of 'Geneva' - Actor talks writing audiobooks, creative exhaustion and what TV taught him about storytelling

Jonathan Whitelaw, author of 'The Bingo Hall Detectives' - Cosy crime writer talks about getting things done early, being less picky with writing, the 2 page synopsis

Lucy Hooft, author of 'The King's Pawn' - Why writing flash fiction really helps, thinking about your genre, and plotting like a mini-series

Mark Pawlosky, author of 'Hack' - Journalist talks using experience for thrillers, why good writing is re-writing, and keeping a style guide handy

Melvin Burgess, author of 'Loki' - Carnegie Medal winner discusses returning after a break, writing about teenagers, and enjoying yourself

S.K. Tremayne, author of 'The Drowning Hour' - Travel writer and author discusses working anywhere, escaping to write, and why discipline is key

Philip Wilding, author of 'The Death and Life of Red Henley' - Ghostwriting, changing how you write, and different parts of your brain

Cristina Bendek, author of 'Salt Crystals' - Caribbean writer talks about needing the rain, writing to discover identity, and how poetry reminds her of what's important

Felix Francis, author of 'Hands Down' - Bestselling writer talks about learning at the fiction factory, taking over from his dad, and challenging himself

Pascal Engman, author of 'Femicide' - Bestselling Swedish writer discusses planning pressure, the international audience, and the perfect first draft

Marthe Jocelyn, author of 'The Seaside Corpse' - Children's writer discusses getting 50 books done, plotting mystery, and writing exercises

David Bell, author of 'The Finalists' - Author and lecturer discusses whether deadlines help, making locked-room stories engaging, and why he loves a routine

Gordon J. Brown, author of 'Six Wounds' - Crime writer discusses pseudonyms, writing anywhere, and words you know will be cut

Emily Houghton, author of 'Last Time We Met' - Re-drafting, making rom-com unique, and how to write an entire book on your phone

Robert Murphy, author of 'To Hunt a Killer ' - News reporter talks about co-writing, telling stories from real-crime, and hitting deadlines

Lexie Elliott, author of 'How to Kill Your Best Friend' - When the title comes before the plot, how lockdown changes writing spaces, and finding the story's voice

Barnaby Jameson, author of 'Codename: Madeleine' - Counter-terrorist lawyer and writer discusses curated consciousness, political turmoil and telling stories in court

Ruth Ware, author of 'The It Girl' - International bestseller talks about changing characters, going full time and the difficult middle

Sarah Pearse, author of 'The Retreat' - Reese Witherspoon Book Club writer discusses moving to long-form fiction, changing scenes, and moving locations

Andrew White, author of 'The Walker Mysteries' - Finding places for your creativity, doing rather than thinking, and writing what you know

Emma Bamford, author of 'Deep Water' - Writer and memoirist discusses scene breakdowns, moving to full time writing, and switching from real life to fiction

Benjamin Wood, author of 'The Young Accomplice' - Why routines are helpful, separating work and creativity, and learning creative writing

Mary Adkins, author of 'Palm Beach' - Writing coach talks about playing for work, selling rights, and switching to editing mode

Colette Dartford, author of 'The Mortification of Grace Wheeler' - Kindle bestseller talks about quiet spaces, character summaries, and self-publishing