The Secret Library Podcast

I cannot think of a more perfect episode to release this week than Manda Scott's.

We recorded this a few months ago, and even then we strayed into a subject that will speak loud and clear to everyone…

Every time Sarah Selecky and I get together to talk about writing, I feel a little high afterward.

This conversation was no exception and, in many ways, this one had me buzzing more than any of the on…

When people speak about revision, it's usually long after the book has come out.

I wanted to make sure that we spoke about revision from the inside this season, so I was delighted that Olivia and Megh…

I have abandoned more than one novel because the historical research terrified me.

When we got the the topic of historical research and revision, I knew I needed an expert to bring on. Luckily for us,…

When Chip Cheek first came on the show, he told me a crazy story about his first draft

When writing his novel Cape May, Chip wasn’t 100% certain what time period it would be set in. So he wrote each c…

Wow am I glad Rachael Herron and J Thorn came on for this season.

In this conversation, we get two author perspectives for the price of one, covering both the underwriter perspective and the overwrite…

Season Two of the podcast begins today with one of my favorite guests from the first half of the show: Jade Chang. Author of The Wangs vs. The World, her novel has so many plates to keep spinning: mu…

For quite a long time, I've wondered if we could pull off a live episode.

So when Elizabeth Duvivier's debut novel was due to come out and my friend Susannah Conway floated the idea of my coming over …

This July, I happened to meet Philippa Gregory at a party.

Let's be clear - I never dreamed I would write a sentence like that, especially after moving away from Los Angeles. Even more surprising, I m…

Three and a half years into hosting The Secret Library, something changed.

I started this show in the spring of 2016, eager to crack the code on writing books. There was plenty of information about cr…

The idea of an emotional outline is one of the greatest discoveries I've had while recording an episode.

Speaking with Meg Wolitzer was fantastic, as she's not only a successful novelist, but also on …

I had read many of Ruth Reichl's books by the time she came on the show.

I adored Tender at the Bone and remembered it from years ago. My husband and I count the recipe for grilled cheese in My Kitche…

Greta Solomon found an amazing writing technique the last place she expected: in training to be a songwriter.

In her new book, Heart Sass and Soul, Greta shares a vast array of incredible journaling t…

When people kept asking me about joining writing groups, I knew who needed to come on the show.

Judy Reeves has been leading writing groups, online and off, for decades. In this episode, we talk about…

Anna Pitoniak has the ultimate inside experience: she was a big five editor before publishing her first novel.

Now that she's back with a second novel, it was so helpful to talk to Anna about how know…

Allison Pataki never planned to write a memoir.

As a successful historical fiction author, Allison was very happy researching the worlds of people from the past and staying far from her personal life …

In the first draft of his novel, Cape May, Chip Cheek made a beautiful mess.

Chip wasn't sure what era he wanted his novel to be set in, so during his first draft, he wrote the book in all of them. Ho…

When I heard the words "encrypted diary" I knew I had to speak to Anne Choma about Anne Lister.

I could not put Anne Choma's book down. So many times, when I've seen a film or show about a historical …

Often, the way you treat sex in a book determines where it is shelved in the shop.

If the sex is too exciting, or strays outside the usual fare your book could be moved to the Erotica section or even …