Writer's Routine - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Zen Cho, author of 'Black Water Sister' - Ghost storyteller talks about switching genre, playing with language, and words spawning ideas Oct 21, 2021

Show notes

Zen Cho is a multi-award nominated and winning author. She's published 3 novels and many short stories, and is back with her first ghost story... although that's not what she thought it'd be at the start.

It's called 'Black Water Sister', and all came from one word she read in the dictionary. It's based on ancient Malaysian folklore, and Zen has taken great joy in playing with old language, and presenting it in a ghostly manner.

We talk about switching genre, and how having a baby helped with that, also about how much she knows what's coming next, and how she divides things up being a full-time lawyer, and part-time writer.

You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/3aRpDOl

If you can, please support us at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Random Routine - Screenwriter Tom MacRae runs through a day in the life of writing a movie Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

Along with Dan Gillespie-Sells, from The Feeling, Tom MacRae wrote the hit musical 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie'. It follows Jamie New who is determined to wear a dress to his school prom night. It's based on a a real story, explored in a BBC documentary. The musical is now a film, also written by Tom, which you can watch on Amazon Prime now.

In this bitesize chunk, you can hear about his writing routine in the sun, how exercise gives him space to think, and why weekends are sacred.

You can listen to the full episode from 2019, by flicking back in your podcast feed.

Please do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Claire Allan, author of 'Ask No Questions' - USA Today Bestseller talks genre-switching, 10k word starts, and planning a year of writing Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

This week, we chat to Claire Allan. Her new book is 'Ask No Questions', a psychological thriller about Ingrid Devlin, on the search to find the truth of her best friend's disappearance 25 years ago.

Claire started her career as a journalist, has written women's fiction under the name Freya Kennedy', and is back with a brand new psych thriller. She's written almost 20 books across different genres.

We talk about how switching genre changes style and method of plotting and planning, also about her routine of the year, and how she feels when time is tight... and the idea isn't there.

You can get a copy of 'Ask No Questions' here - https://amzn.to/3j0yx0o

Support the show on patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Piers Torday, author of 'The Wild Before' - Children's author talks about bookshops, prequels, and being a magpie. Oct 07, 2021

Show notes

It's a BOOKSHOP DAY SPECIAL. Bookshop Day is on Saturday 9th October, and Books Are My Bag are encouraging you to spend time in your local bookshop, be it big or small.

This week, we're chatting to children's author Piers Torday. He's published 7 books, they've been translated into 14 languages, he's won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, and been nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal.

His new book is 'The Wild Before'. It's a prequel to 'The Last Wild' trilogy, and tells the story of Little Hare who must round up all the other animals to help save the world. It's about climate change, standing up for your beliefs and working together.

We talk about the differences in writing for kids and adults, also about copying and being inspired, about planning, plotting and rhythm, and what bookshops mean to him.

You can get a copy of Piers' book here - https://amzn.to/3ApAd9v

Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Bella Obsorne, author of 'The Promise of Summer' - Romantic writer talks about how characters meet genre, about busy years, and NaNoWriMo Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Bella Osborne has had a busy year. In the last 3 months, she's had 2 different books out with 2 different publishers.

'The Promise of Summer' is a romance novel with Avon. 'The Library' is a bookclub read with Aria. We try to talk about both of those, but it's mainly about the former.

All in, Bella has published 9 books. 'The Promise of Summer' is about Ruby and Curtis, trying to reunite a engagement ring with its owner, and find love along the way. We talk about how these two characters wouldn't go away, so she ahd to tell a part of their story, and leave them on a bench waiting for her to come back again.

You can hear why her family hates NaNoWriMo, about her post-it note obsession, why her work day revolves around cats, and about the best types of tea.

You can get a copy of 'The Promise of Summer' here - https://amzn.to/2Yh1dep and 'The Library' here - https://amzn.to/39TN8pI

You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Alex Michaelides, author of 'The Maidens' - Critically acclaimed writer discusses following up on success, pushing through at a low point, and discovering he wasn't a screenwriter. Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

Alex Michaelides is the only ever UK debut writer to go straight in at number 1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. His novel, 'The Silent Patient', was the 2nd bestselling novel on Amazon in 2019, they named it their 'thriller of the year'.

He's followed it up with 'The Maidens', about an exclusive set of students at a University under the influence of a sinister Professor, and a murder he knows more about than he lets on.

We discuss his screenwriting career in Hollywood, why that didn't work, how he moved on with it and discovered he was a novelist, not a dramatist. Also, how mediation helps him write, why he gives up the booze to tell stories, and how he got published when he moved back to the UK.

Please do support us on patreon.com/writersroutine.

@writerspod

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Paul Rudnick, author of 'Playing the Palace' - Screenwriter discusses changing the script on set, writing for your heroes, and the precious writing space. Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

Paul Rudnick is an acclaimed Hollywood scriptwriter. He's worked on 'Addams Family Values', 'The Stepford Wives' and the 'Sister Act' movies. Now, he's just published his 3rd novel, 'Playing the Palace'. It's about a New York event planner who falls in love with England's gay Crown Prince, Edgar. It's a satirical look at romance stories and Royal life.

We talk about writing for movies, working with improvising actors, changing things on set and coming up with at least 10 jokes for every line.

Also, he talks about why life revolves around the writing, and his writing revolves around his life, in a syncopated way. Paul discusses his very private writing space that he is very protective of, and what happened after he had his initial idea for the story.

You can get a copy here - https://amzn.to/3gYsqsF

You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Random Routine - Critically-acclaimed author Bridget Collins runs us through her space and day Sep 01, 2021

Show notes

A few years ago, Bridget Collins came on the show to talk us through her novel, 'The Binding'. It was a huge, genre-defying success, and she's gone on to publish 'The Betrayals' to equal acclaim.

Before then, Bridget published 7 Young Adult books, a few plays, and she's beavering away on her 3rd book right now.

Here's a little snippet from our chat, as Bridget runs us through her writing space and working day. Scan back in your podcast feed to hear the full episode.

You can support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine

@writerspod

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Christina Sweeney-Baird, author of 'The End of Men' - Debut writer talks about speculative fiction, editing pandemics, and writing sprints. Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

Christina Sweeney-Baird works as a lawyer. It's a busy full-on job, working all hours under the sun, and she had barely any time to write. Until a life-changing moment changed everything, and forced to her sit up, to sit down and write.

'The End of Men' is her debut novel. It tells the story of a pandemic that wipes out 90% of the male population. We talk about the idea, how she developed it, planned it, and at one point had to cut 30 characters from it. We also chat what it was like writing and editing a story about a pandemic, during a pandemic, and how she figures out the confusing aspects of genre and gets to the heart of the story.

You can get a copy of the book here - https://amzn.to/2Y047UF

Support the show at Patreon.com/writersroutine.

@writerspod

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Random Routine - Crime and historical thriller author Helen Fields takes us through a day writing around her family Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Helen Fields first came on the show back in 2018.

Starting with 6 DI Callanach thrillers, Helen has written standalones, and her newest novel introduces a new cahracter, Dr Connie Woolwine, an American Psycological Profiler who arrives in Edinburgh to pursue the Shadow Man.

After working in Law with police, social services and Doctors for many years, Helen has a peculiarly accurate insight into the crimes she writes. She's also told stories using every method available to her, running a film production company and even self-publishing two fantasy books before signing up to the big leagues.

You can get a copy of her newest book, 'The Shadow Man', here - https://amzn.to/3gsxvsM

Please do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine.

@writerspod

writersroutine.com

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