Writer's Routine
How do the best writers get to work?
In every episode, we'll chat to an author about what they do through a day. Where do they work? What time do they start? How do they plan their time and maximise their creativity, in order to plot and publish a bestseller?
Some are frantic night-owls, others roll out of bed into their desks, and a few lock themselves away in the woods - but none have a regular 9 to 5, and we'll find out how they've managed it.
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- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 43 minutes
- Episodes
- 371
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Kate McKean, author of 'Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and Creative Life' - Literary agent reveals how to get signed, how they help you get published, and first sentences
Kate McKean is a literary agent who has built a diverse client list of New York Times Bestselling Authors, in genres from fantasy, TA, humour and horror. A few years ago, she started a newsletter wit…
Lucy Roth, author of 'When Sally Killed Harry' - Feminist thriller author discusses arts council funding, going easy on yourself and what readers don't want to know
Lucy Roth's new novel has one of the best names going. 'When Sally Killed Harry', is a feminist serial-killer thriller. When Sally discovers she's not the only one to have been jilted by dreamy con-m…
Alex North, author of 'The Man Made of Smoke' - Crime author discusses books actually becoming movies, making writing fun, and how the year looks
Alex North seems to be one of those rare writers. It looks like his debut, 'The Whisper Man', will actually be made into a film. The novel was a Sunday Times and New York Times Bestseller, and has be…
Hannah Beckerman, author of 'Three Mothers' - Domestic Noir author discusses trying to be a critic, making characters unique, and putting pressure on your own work
This week, we're chatting to Hannah Beckerman. She's been dubbed the 'new Queen of Domestic Noir', and after the success of the bestselling, 'The Forgetting', has published her 5th novel, 'Three Moth…
Faith Hogan, author of 'The Women at Ocean's End' - Uplit author discusses discovering your voice, being a happy pantser and finding the right career
This week, we're chatting to award-winning global bestseller, Faith Hogan.
Faith has published many uplit/ women's fiction novels - the last one 'The Bookshop Ladies' won the An Post Irish Book Award …
John Niven, author of 'Kill Your Friends' - Global bestseller discusses feeling ready to write, switching to screenplays, and choosing projects
This week, we're chatting to global bestseller John Niven. His breakthrough novel was the hit 'Kill Your Friends', a brutal takedown of his career in the 90's music industry. He went on to write the …
Emma Cowell, author of 'Under the Lemon Tree' - Escapist fiction author discusses getting places right, finding joy in the tough times, and how acting affects your character
Emma Cowell wrote her debut novel, 'One Last Letter from Greece', through the pandemic to come to terms with losing her mother. Since then, she's published more novels and been translated into 9 lang…
Claire Douglas, author of 'The New Neighbours' - Thriller writer discusses character USPs, the routine of the year, and knowing your brand
Claire Douglas is a bestselling thriller author. Her work has been published across the world, sold many copies everywhere, and she's been a Richard and Judy Book Club Pick. She's just published her …
Guy Jenkin, author of 'Murder Most Foul' - BAFTA winning writer discusses alluring research, finally writing a novel, and playing with the past
Guy Jenkin is a multi Emmy and Bafta winning writer. Along with Andy Hamilton, he co-wrote the sitcoms 'Drop the Dead Donkey' and 'Outnumbered'. He also worked on the films 'What We Did On Our Holida…
Lucy Foley, author of 'The Midnight Feast' - Mystery bestseller reveals her quick first drafts, keeping in close contact with the story, and how her routine has changed
Lucy Foley is a mystery behemoth. She's sold 5 million copies of her novels which have been translated in over 40 countries. All of them are currently being made for film and TV right now. Following …
Frances Quinn, author of 'The Lost Passenger' - Historical Fiction author discusses advice from ABBA, what other markets want, and the privilege of an editor
Frances Quinn is a journalist, copywriter and bestselling author. Her new novel, 'The Lost Passenger', tells the story of Elinor Coombes, who boards the Titanic trapped in an unhappy marriage to a co…
Mike Gayle, author of 'The One That Got Away' - Romance award-winner discusses starting loose, being pigeon-holed, and novellas
Mike Gayle is a prolific author. He's published 20 novels, many of which land on the Sunday Times Bestseller List, and has been translated in over 30 countries. He was the first male writer, and writ…
Barnaby Martin, author of 'The Quiet' - Writer, composer and YouTuber discusses influences, why it's all in the edit, and being anxious to get things done
Barnaby Martin is a busy man. He works as a teacher, runs a successful YouTube channel with over 10 million views, as a composer he's had pieces performed across the world, and now he's released his …
Caitlin Davies, author of 'Private Inquiries: The Secret History of Female Sleuths' - Narrative Nonfiction author discusses remembering how tough novels are, one book inspiring the next, and strange writing advice
Caitlin Davies has always wanted to be a writer. It took her a long time to admit it to herself, let alone voice it aloud. She started writing as a journalist, covering stories across Europe and Afri…
Heidi Perks, author of 'Someone is Lying' - Thriller Bestseller discusses underwriting drafts, throwing words away and starting over again
Heidi Perks is the bestselling author of 7 novels, 'Now You See Her', 'Come Back for Me', 'Three Perfect Liars', 'The Whispers', 'The Other Guest', 'The Next Girl', and her new one, 'Someone is Lying…
Simon Scarrow, author of 'Eagles of the Empire' - Bestselling Historical Fiction author discusses the rules of genre, thorough research, and why you need to get on with it
This week's guest is the phenomenally bestselling author, Simon Scarrow. He mainly writes historical fiction, best known for his 'Eagles of the Empire' series, and has written about Ancient Rome and …
Chris Bridges, author of 'Sick to Death' - Thriller author discusses getting life experience, the crucial mid-point, steering clear of tropes
Chris Bridges has worked as an NHS Nurse, a theatre reviewer, a columnist and now is a published author. It was his work as a nurse, coupled with his Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis, that gave him the i…
M.G. Leonard, author of 'Hunt for the Golden Scarab' - British Book Award Winner discusses making your work stand out, an ideal working day, and living your research
M.G. Leonard is the author of 16 children's books, which have won heaps of awards. She was awarded Sainsbury's Childen's Book of the Year, and the British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2021…
Hanna Thomas Uose, author of 'Who Wants to Live Forever' - Debut writer discusses getting specific with questions, going back to study, and the pressure of a good ending
This week, we're taking a look inside the writing life of Hanna Thomas Uose, author of 'Who Whats to Live Forever'.
Hanna won the Morley Prize for Unpublished Writers of Colour, was shortlisted for Or…
Robert Whitlow, author of 'Guilty Until Innocent' - Suspense Thriller author discusses keeping characters fresh, being relaxed about getting the words done, and why the secret is consistency
This week, we're chatting to Robert Whitlow, prolific writer of over 20 bestselling novels. His new one is 'Guilty Until Innocent', a legal thriller that looks an an old case being reopened, and the …