How To Write A Book

Latest Episodes:

12. PUBLISHING (Part 2) Oct 07, 2024

Well, you’ve made it! Thank you so much for joining us on this podclass - 12 weeks to take you right through from developing ideas to creating compelling characters and now, how to get your book into the hands of the reading public.

This week, our hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their chat about how to get published and how to navigate the publishing industry.

Publishing is a daunting experience for a seasoned writer, let alone a debut author. But - don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. From what our literary agent, author and publishing expert wish they knew about the publishing process before they started, to managing expectations, and what makes it all worthwhile in the end. We hope you find this discussion a heartening listen that emboldens you to take the enormously brave step into the world of publishing.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. And, as ever, Elizabeth is on hand at the end to offer her final reflections.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback, submissions and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

11. PUBLISHING (Part 1) Sep 30, 2024

In these final two episodes of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss navigating the world of publishing!

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. Next week, stay tuned for Part 2 on PUBLISHING which is…sob!…our finale.

Books discussed in this episode include:

• Bird by bird by Annie Lamott

We also discuss: Octavia Butler, Cool Runnings

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10. AN INTERVIEW WITH ELIZABETH DAY Sep 23, 2024

In this tenth, rather special episode, of the How to Write a Book podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew turn the microphone around to quiz their friend, executive producer and bestselling author Elizabeth Day, on her life’s work and writing journey.

Of course, Elizabeth knows more than most about the trials and tribulations of writing a book - having penned nine of them herself, writing her first novel at 29 and since then working in every form - non-fiction, children’s and screenplays. She has come up against all of the questions we ask throughout this series and, like every writer, she’s travelled a long and winding road along the way. Throughout her journey, she’s received gentle help and guidance from people who saw something in her.

This is particularly true of Sara, Nelle and Sharmaine, who have all offered Elizabeth wise literary guidance and are exceptionally qualified to do so. Together, Sara, Sharmaine, Nelle and Elizabeth are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

We hope you enjoy our tenth episode. Stay tuned next week for our final two-part discussion on…PUBLISHING. You won’t want to miss it.

Books discussed in this episode include:

• The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard

• Slipstream, a memoir by Elizabeth Jane Howard

• Paradise City by Elizabeth Day

• Paper, Scissors, Stone by Elizabeth Day

• Magpie by Elizabeth Day

We also talk about: Margaret Forster, Sathnam Sanghera, Rose Tremain

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

9. GENRE Sep 16, 2024

In this ninth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss genre. From literary fiction to romance and even the occasional fantasy novel, no genre is left un-discussed.

What has genre-blending got to do with braiding a Senegalese Twist? Should writers stick to one genre or experiment across multiple? And why should genre be thought of as an identity for your book?

Our three experts are here to help you answer these questions. Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. And as ever, Elizabeth ends the episode with her own final reflections.

We hope you enjoy our ninth episode. Stay tuned for next week’s episode on… GENRE.

Books discussed in this episode include:

• World War Z by Max Brooks

• Lord of the Rings by John Tolkein

• A Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

• Friendaholic by Elizabeth Day

• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

• This Is Not A Pity Memoir by Abbi Morgan

• Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

• How the Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk

We also talk about: Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Gilbert, Josie Silver, Benjamin Black, Lisa Jewel, Emily Henry, Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

8. PLOT (Part 2) Sep 09, 2024

In the eighth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew take a slightly more structured approach to their discussion, having plotted out how best to talk about plot.

After wise advice on plot mastery from Nelle in part 1, we continue our discussion on structuring ideas, how plots vary across commercial and literary strands? And why novels with an interior focus, or stream of consciousness writing, still need to be plotted. As ever, Elizabeth joins us at the end for her final reflections.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. Join us next week for a very special interview with Elizabeth Day herself.

Books discussed in PLOT (part 1 and part 2) include:

• Secret History by Donna Tart

• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

• August Blue by Deborah Levy

We also talk about: Jonathan Coe, Cormac McCarthy, Sara Collins’ new novel, Ghost Story, Succession, Thomas Hardy, Deborah Levy, Rachel Cusk, Toni Morrison, Will Storr, Elizabeth Strout, classical music and hip-hop.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

7. PLOT (Part 1) Sep 02, 2024

In the seventh episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew take a slightly more structured approach to their discussion, having plotted out how best to talk about plot.

We open up with wise advice on plot mastery from Nelle, who as a literary agent, has taught hundreds of writers about this tricky discipline. Where should you begin when it comes to structuring your ideas? How do plots vary across commercial and literary strands? Where does the snobbishness around “the plottiest of plots” come from? And why novels with an interior focus, or stream of consciousness writing, still need to be plotted.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. And because every great plot should have a cliffhanger, we’re doing part 2 of PLOT next week!

Books discussed in PLOT (part 1 and part 2) include:

• Secret History by Donna Tart

• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

• August Blue by Deborah Levy

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6. DIALOGUE Aug 26, 2024

In the sixth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss crafting excellent dialogue.

This week’s dialogue between these three experts covers the best exchanges they’ve come across; how to make dialogue work - from setting the subtext on fire, to distinguishing between characters through the words they utter; and the interplay between internal and external dialogue. One of the hardest things to master, dialogue can often fall flat - and part of the secret to making it come alive lies in getting to know your characters. Nelle, Sara and Sharmaine show you how. And, at the end, Elizabeth pops into the studio to offer her own final reflections.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

We hope you enjoy our fourth episode. Stay tuned for the next week’s chat on… PLOT.

Books discussed in this episode include:

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margeret Atwood

• Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert

• Flowers for Algernon, Daniel Keyes

• Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld

• Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

Films discussed in this episode include:

• Marriage Story

• Past Lives

• Amadeus

• Anatomy of a Fall

We also talk about:

• John Berger, Hilary Mantel and Grayson Perry

• Succession

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5. CHARACTER Aug 19, 2024

In the fifth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss the art of creating characters.

Just what makes a compelling character - need they be likeable? And just how much should we come to know them, before writing them into existence? Or could it be that they might surprise us one day, right there on the page?

In this kaleidoscopic and…ahem…characterful conversation, Sara, Nelle and Sharmaine share their expertise with their trademark wit and wisdom…and they almost come to blows over the concept of ‘English Love ’(you have to listen to find out why). At the end, Elizabeth offers her own reflections on the conversation.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

We hope you enjoy our fifth episode. Stay tuned for the next week’s chat on… DIALOGUE. If you don’t want to wait for next week’s episode, you can subscribe now and binge them all at once by tapping ‘subscribe’. You’ll get to listen to all episodes ad-free and get exclusive subscriber access to How To Fail and Failing With Friends.

Books and authors discussed in this episode include:

•The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

•Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

•The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

•Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

•The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

•Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

•The Art of Storytelling by Will Storr

•The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

•The Party by Elizabeth Day

•Judy Blume

We also talk about:

•Peaky Blinders

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4. VOICE (Part 2) Aug 12, 2024

In this fourth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their discussion about finding your voice.

What constitutes an authorial voice? And how does it differ from a narrative voice, or a character’s voice? Do they require vulnerability to cultivate? And how can they come together, like a perfectly pitched symphony? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this, as well as how to make your voice stand out; and even where to find it.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing. And, at the end, Elizabeth provides her final reflections. We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode on voice. Stay tuned for next week’s conversation on…CHARACTER.

Books and authors discussed in these episodes include:

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

• The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe

• Vanity Fair, William Thackeray

• Bronte sisters

• Jane Fallon

We also talk about: Margaret Atwood, James Baldwin, Tony Morrison, Marian Keyes, Jojo Moyes, John le Carré, Emily Henry, Jane Fallon, Dorothy Koomson, Beth O’Leary, Kit de Waal, Grace Paley and the Brontes.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

3. VOICE (Part 1) Aug 05, 2024

In this third episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss finding your voice.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

Books and authors discussed in these episodes include:

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez

• Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

• Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

• The Bonfire of the Vanities, Tom Wolfe

• Vanity Fair, William Thackeray

• Bronte sisters

• Jane Fallon

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2. IDEA (Part 2) Jul 29, 2024

In this episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their discussion of IDEA.

Just where do ideas for books come from? How do you know if they’re any good, or even if they’re right for you to pursue? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this - and even a lesson in how to know when your idea might be ready to send to an agent.

And at the end, you’ll hear Elizabeth provide her own reflections on how the lessons discussed relate to her own writing journey.

We hope you enjoy our part 1 & part 2 on IDEA and stay tuned for next week’s chat on…VOICE.

Books discussed in these episodes include:

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

• Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

• Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker

• Scissors, Paper, Stone by Elizabeth Day

• Paradise City by Elizabeth Day

• Magpie by Elizabeth Day

We also talk about Christopher Booker, Kit de Waal, The Seven Basic Plots and Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. IDEA (Part 1) Jul 22, 2024

In this first episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss coming up with ideas.

And we could not have a more experienced bunch to guide you on this journey. Sara Collins is the bestselling novelist and screenwriter currently serving as a judge for the 2024 Booker Prize. Her debut novel, The Confessions of Frannie Langton, won the Costa book awards in 2019 and she later wrote the TV screenplay. Nelle Andrew is a literary agent and former Agent of the Year at the British Book Awards, and Sharmaine Lovegrove is the co-founder and managing director of Dialogue Books, an inclusive imprint at a major publishing house. Each of them is an expert in one stage of the publishing journey…. and all are literary nerds (in the best possible way).

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

We hope you enjoy our part 1 & part 2 on IDEA. If you don’t want to wait for next week’s episode, you can subscribe now and binge them all at once by tapping ‘subscribe’. You’ll get to listen to all episodes ad-free and get exclusive subscriber access to How To Fail and Failing With Friends.

Books discussed in these episodes include:

• The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

• The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

• Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

• Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth

• The Color Purple by Alice Walker

• Scissors, Paper, Stone by Elizabeth Day

• Paradise City by Elizabeth Day

• Magpie by Elizabeth Day

We also talk about Christopher Booker, Kit de Waal, The Seven Basic Plots and Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK - introducing your new favourite podcast! Jul 12, 2024

From Elizabeth Day, the creator and host of How To Fail, comes a brand new podcast: How To Write A Book. Hosted by bestselling author Sara Collins, powerhouse publisher Sharmaine Lovegrove and superagent Nelle Andrew, WE are your on-hand writing community.

You’ll learn how to develop ideas, experiment with your voice and get your finished manuscript out there. It’s also the place to come if you just love reading and want a glimpse behind the scenes of how great books, films and TV dramas get written. It’s a masterclass in podcast form - a podclass, in fact!

Follow us now to make sure you never miss a single episode. And if you want to binge all 12 episodes at once and listen entirely ad-free, hit subscribe now.

Launching on 22nd July.

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: howtowriteabook.daylight@gmail.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices