The Joy of Writing
A podcast that ran from April 2020 to July 2021 featuring:
1) In-depth conversations with fellow writers about their work (mostly their novels, which I read cover to cover!)
2) Discussions of the nitty-gritty of writing - is it really a joy?
3) Advice for new and aspiring writers - as in how to write a novel
4) Maybe one day the podcast will make a comeback...
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 33
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2021
Episode 33: Sally O'Reilly, creative writing lecturer, on how to write a book
Excellent advice, from a senior lecturer in creative writing at the Open University, on all stages of writing a novel. How to start, keep going, and produce a draft ready for submission to an agent.
…
Episode 32: Sally O'Reilly on the natural history of a writing career
What can a writer expect from a "writing career"? Ups and downs, highs and lows, of course! With experience comes wisdom. Learning about writing, books, readers, and the publishing industry never s…
Episode 31: Dark Aemilia by Sally O'Reilly
My guest is Sally O'Reilly, author of Dark Aemilia, published by Myriad in 2014. Aemilia Lanyer meets William Shakespeare in the time of the plague, witchcraft, and a dying Queen Elizabeth, in this…
Episode 30: Fiona Melrose on how to write a book
We discuss several topics in this episode. How the act and art of writing books is central to Fiona's life. How her intuitive approach to writing translates into advice for her creative writing stu…
Episode 29: Fiona Melrose on Midwinter
My guest is Fiona Melrose, author of Midwinter, published by Corsair in 2016. We discuss the book, its themes of coming to terms with grief and a fractured family, and how living in Suffolk informed…
Episode 28: All about NaNoWriMo and why you should give it a go, with Elizabeth Haynes
Elizabeth Haynes is a best selling crime author - seven of her published novels started life in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a community-supported writing event where writers try and wri…
Episode 27: Online book launches and the impact of Covid-19 on the creative spark, with Tyler Keevil
Covid-19 has forced book launches, readings and festivals online to give a different experience for authors interacting with an audience. The current situation, however, has not always been so kind …
Episode 26: Tyler Keevil on how to write a book
We discuss the creative writing courses Tyler teaches on, and how visiting authors are generous with their time and advice to students. Tyler's inspirational book is The Collector of Hearts: New Tale…
Episode 25: Your Still Beating Heart, by Tyler Keevil
My guest is Tyler Keevil, author of Your Still Beating Heart, to be published on 10 September, 2020. We discuss the book, its themes, and its compelling narrative voice.
Publisher: https://myriadedit…
Episode 24: Lizzie Enfield on success, and an influential book and author (Charles Dickens' Great Expectations)
What is success to writers? Getting published? Making money? Fame? Lizzie and I discuss what counts as success and what writers might like to realistically aim for.
Episode 23: Publicising and marketing Finish Your Book, and writing the next one, with Lizzie Enfield
All writers need at least some skills as publicist and marketeer of their own work. We learn from Lizzie what it means to take on these roles in support of her book. We also hear how she is getting…
Episode 22: Lizzie Enfield on how to write a book
My guest is Lizzie Enfield, author of Finish Your Book: Complete Your Half-Written Novel. Published (Amazon) in July 2019. We discuss the book, and talk about advice to writers who would like to be…
Episode 21: Advice to aspiring authors from Tom Benjamin, and a book that inspired him
Tom explains how he is wary of writing advice - one size does not fit all. It is one of the pleasures of this podcast that we get to hear such a range of advice and opinions on how to write! Tom tal…
Episode 20: Reaction to publication of A Quiet Death in Italy, and the next book
Tom talks about how he marked publication of his debut novel online, when a physical, social book launch was not possible. Tom's next book, The Hunting Season, is out soon. He discusses writing book …
Episode 19: A Quiet Death in Italy by Tom Benjamin
My guest is Tom Benjamin, author of A Quiet Death in Italy, published by Constable/Hachette in 2019. We discuss the book, and how the city of Bologna and its history is a major theme.
SPOILER ALERT! …
Episode 18: Ed Parnell on how to write a book
Listen to excellent advice from Ed, creative writing teacher, on how to write narrative non-fiction.
Episode 17: Ghostland with Ed Parnell, post-publication reaction and writing the next book
Ghostland is out now in hardback and audiobook, and out on 15 October 2020 in paperback.
Episode 16: Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country, with Ed Parnell.
My guest is Edward Parnell, author of Ghostland: In Search of a Haunted Country, published by William Collins in 2019. We discuss the book, and Ed's research into the writers and settings of some cl…
Episode 15: Andy McDonnell on how to write a book
Wonderful advice, and notes on an inspirational poetry collection, from Andy that will boost your creativity!
Episode 14: Reaction to publication of a debut poetry collection - Andy McDonnell on The Somnambulist Cookbook
Publication of any work of art is a very personal experience, as you will hear!