Michael Rosen

In this final episode of the season, recorded in February 2023, I'm joined by the beloved poet and author Michael Rosen. Known equally for humorous children's verse and his poetry and prose for adults, Michael's books for kids include We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake, Michael Rosen's Sad Book and Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots. He's also written a number of more grown-up books, including Many Different Kinds of Love and the memoir Getting Better, about healing and recovery. In recent years he's written and spoken about his experience of spending seven weeks in intensive care with Covid-19, at the peak of the pandemic. In this conversation, we talk about how writing can help us after trauma; how performing poetry for children shaped his work; and how plain, understated language can express great emotion.  Browse Michael's books in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Visit his YouTube channel for kids: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7D-mXO4kk-XWvH6lBXdrPw  Watch the short film Many Different Kinds of Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsrSN-OCk8w  Listen to Word of Mouth, hosted by Michael, on BBC Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qtnz  Subscribe to the In Writing newsletter and leave your questions about the podcast in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them: https://inwriting.substack.com/  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

In this final episode of the season, recorded in February 2023, I'm joined by the beloved poet and author Michael Rosen. Known equally for humorous children's verse and his poetry and prose for adults, Michael's books for kids include We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake, Michael Rosen's Sad Book and Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots. He's also written a number of more grown-up books, including Many Different Kinds of Love and the memoir Getting Better, about healing and recovery. In recent years he's written and spoken about his experience of spending seven weeks in intensive care with Covid-19, at the peak of the pandemic. In this conversation, we talk about how writing can help us after trauma; how performing poetry for children shaped his work; and how plain, understated language can express great emotion. Browse Michael's books in the In Writing bookshop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Visit his YouTube channel for kids: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7D-mXO4kk-XWvH6lBXdrPw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7D-mXO4kk-XWvH6lBXdrPw</a> Watch the short film Many Different Kinds of Love: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsrSN-OCk8w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsrSN-OCk8w</a> Listen to Word of Mouth, hosted by Michael, on BBC Radio 4: <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qtnz" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qtnz</a> Subscribe to the In Writing newsletter and leave your questions about the podcast in the comments, and I'll do my best to answer them: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com/</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep52: Michael Rosen, poet and author

Barbara Trapido

This week's guest is the beloved novelist Barbara Trapido, who I met at her home in Oxford in March 2023. Barbara's first novel was 1982's Brother of the More Famous Jack, which was published when she was 41; she followed it with Noah's Ark (1984), Temples of Delight (1990), Juggling (1994), The Travelling Hornplayer (1998), Frankie &amp; Stankie (2003) and Sex &amp; Stravinsky (2010). She's now in her early eighties, and talked to me about finding the energy to write in later life; her playful philosophy of writing; and her memories of introducing a young, then-aspiring novelist Maggie O'Farrell to her first agent.  You can find Barbara's novels here in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Please do subscribe to my newsletter on the writing process, and join me for writing hours on Google Meet, here: https://inwriting.substack.com  Here's the episode of In Writing with novelist Maggie O'Farrell, who talks about Barbara: https://audioboom.com/posts/7835707-maggie-o-farrell-novelist  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

This week's guest is the beloved novelist Barbara Trapido, who I met at her home in Oxford in March 2023. Barbara's first novel was 1982's Brother of the More Famous Jack, which was published when she was 41; she followed it with Noah's Ark (1984), Temples of Delight (1990), Juggling (1994), The Travelling Hornplayer (1998), Frankie &amp; Stankie (2003) and Sex &amp; Stravinsky (2010). She's now in her early eighties, and talked to me about finding the energy to write in later life; her playful philosophy of writing; and her memories of introducing a young, then-aspiring novelist Maggie O'Farrell to her first agent. You can find Barbara's novels here in the In Writing bookshop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Please do subscribe to my newsletter on the writing process, and join me for writing hours on Google Meet, here: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com</a> Here's the episode of In Writing with novelist Maggie O'Farrell, who talks about Barbara: <a href="https://audioboom.com/posts/7835707-maggie-o-farrell-novelist" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://audioboom.com/posts/7835707-maggie-o-farrell-novelist</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep51: Barbara Trapido, novelist

Nigel Williamson

A little detour into death this week – or life, depending on how you look at it. Nigel Williamson, obituary writer for The Times newspaper, joins me to talk about the art of summing up a person one final time, over 1600 words or so, for the permanent record. I met Nigel in March at the News Building in London to talk about researching a biography, interviewing the bereaved, and trying to get the essence of a whole human life into a couple of pages.   You can buy the latest Times anthology of obituaries, Lives Less Ordinary, here, including Nigel's pieces on Ken Dodd, Greg Lake, Rod Temperton, Anita Pallenberg, April Ashley, Magic Alex, Christina Smith, Richard Cole, Jan Morris and many more: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780008537913  And here are some more of Nigel's obituaries:  Lisa Marie Presley: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lisa-marie-presley-dies-elvis-priscilla-aged-54-r5jt9v6ls  Jeff Beck: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/guitarist-jeff-beck-dies-aged-78-djff57bw9  Hilary Alexander: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hilary-alexander-obituary-fxc02swrk  and my 2013 piece on Hilary Alexander, which I loved writing: https://www.thecut.com/2013/01/hilary-alexander-will-stop-working-someday.html  Join me on 18 April 2023 in London for this live event with the London Writers' Salon: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-build-a-self-directed-writing-career-w-london-writers-salon-tickets-609412698787 For a 50% discount and a drink at the bar, use the code HATTIEFRIEND when you purchase your ticket.  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

A little detour into death this week – or life, depending on how you look at it. Nigel Williamson, obituary writer for The Times newspaper, joins me to talk about the art of summing up a person one final time, over 1600 words or so, for the permanent record. I met Nigel in March at the News Building in London to talk about researching a biography, interviewing the bereaved, and trying to get the essence of a whole human life into a couple of pages. You can buy the latest Times anthology of obituaries, Lives Less Ordinary, here, including Nigel's pieces on Ken Dodd, Greg Lake, Rod Temperton, Anita Pallenberg, April Ashley, Magic Alex, Christina Smith, Richard Cole, Jan Morris and many more: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780008537913" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780008537913</a> And here are some more of Nigel's obituaries: Lisa Marie Presley: <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lisa-marie-presley-dies-elvis-priscilla-aged-54-r5jt9v6ls" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/lisa-marie-presley-dies-elvis-priscilla-aged-54-r5jt9v6ls</a> Jeff Beck: <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/guitarist-jeff-beck-dies-aged-78-djff57bw9" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/guitarist-jeff-beck-dies-aged-78-djff57bw9</a> Hilary Alexander: <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hilary-alexander-obituary-fxc02swrk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hilary-alexander-obituary-fxc02swrk</a> and my 2013 piece on Hilary Alexander, which I loved writing: <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2013/01/hilary-alexander-will-stop-working-someday.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thecut.com/2013/01/hilary-alexander-will-stop-working-someday.html</a> Join me on 18 April 2023 in London for this live event with the London Writers' Salon: <a href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-build-a-self-directed-writing-career-w-london-writers-salon-tickets-609412698787" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-to-build-a-self-directed-writing-career-w-london-writers-salon-tickets-609412698787</a> For a 50% discount and a drink at the bar, use the code HATTIEFRIEND when you purchase your ticket. This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="http://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep50: Nigel Williamson, obituarist

Tor Freeman

This week's guest is my friend Tor Freeman, who writes and illustrates comics and children's picture books. Tor is a hugely imaginative person, a smart observer of human nature, and a very funny writer. Her comics include Sister Clawdetta: Murder at the Monastery and Welcome to Oddleigh, while her children's books include The Toucan Brothers and Olive and the Bad Mood. In November 2017 she was the winner of the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize (you can read her entry here).   We sat down at her home in Shepherd's Bush, London, in October 2022 to talk about the mysteries of creative inspiration, how she brings together images and words, and the perils of working alone at home (including a profound question all freelancers will recognise: are you distressed or do you just need a banana?).  One of my favourites of Tor's personal comics, Dad's Improvement Schemes: https://www.instagram.com/p/CglvcldIiuO/  Her newsletter, The ReposiTORy: https://torfreeman.substack.com/  Wrapping paper and prints for sale, illustrated by Tor: https://torfreeman.bigcartel.com/  The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade, with very funny illustrations by Tor: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781529500301   Browse some of Tor's books and others by guests of the podcast in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

This week's guest is my friend Tor Freeman, who writes and illustrates comics and children's picture books. Tor is a hugely imaginative person, a smart observer of human nature, and a very funny writer. Her comics include <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781916311817" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sister Clawdetta: Murder at the Monastery</a> and <a href="https://bog-eyed-books.com/books/welcome-to-oddleigh/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Welcome to Oddleigh</a>, while her children's books include <a href="https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30917403812&amp;ref_=ps_ggl_2039220669&amp;cm_mmc=ggl-_-UK_Shopp_Tradestandard-_-product_id=UK9781447218630USED-_-keyword=&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwla-hBhD7ARIsAM9tQKsQbkgjE2vENslLhgW4e4H8vM3LMEzIYEJ4oX6cGmZpA6CGoTMFhRkaAkXtEALw_wcB" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Toucan Brothers</a> and <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781848773509" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Olive and the Bad Mood</a>. In November 2017 she was the winner of the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize (you can <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/ng-interactive/2017/nov/05/graphic-short-story-if-youre-so-wise-how-come-youre-dead" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read her entry here</a>). We sat down at her home in Shepherd's Bush, London, in October 2022 to talk about the mysteries of creative inspiration, how she brings together images and words, and the perils of working alone at home (including a profound question all freelancers will recognise: are you distressed or do you just need a banana?). One of my favourites of Tor's personal comics, Dad's Improvement Schemes: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CglvcldIiuO/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/p/CglvcldIiuO/</a> Her newsletter, The ReposiTORy: <a href="https://torfreeman.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://torfreeman.substack.com/</a> Wrapping paper and prints for sale, illustrated by Tor: <a href="https://torfreeman.bigcartel.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://torfreeman.bigcartel.com/</a> The Book that No One Wanted to Read by Richard Ayoade, with very funny illustrations by Tor: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781529500301" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781529500301</a> Browse some of Tor's books and others by guests of the podcast in the In Writing bookshop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="http://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep49: Tor Freeman, comic book writer and illustrator

Geoff Dyer

Geoff 'genre-defying' Dyer, whose career moves between fiction, non-fiction and a grey area in between, joins me this week from California. Geoff published his first book in 1986 and is highly prolific. Some of his best-known works include Out of Sheer Rage; Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi; and Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It. Last year he published his most recent book, The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings – a meditation on getting older and how a career can be brought to an elegant close. In this conversation, recorded in January, he tells me how he developed his highly distinctive authorial voice; what he believes to be the perfect writing acoustic; why he's disgusted by Moleskine notebooks, and lots, lots more.  Browse Geoff's books in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

Geoff 'genre-defying' Dyer, whose career moves between fiction, non-fiction and a grey area in between, joins me this week from California. Geoff published his first book in 1986 and is highly prolific. Some of his best-known works include <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781782115137" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Out of Sheer Rage</a>; <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781782115144" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi</a>; and <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780857864062" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Yoga for People Who Can't Be Bothered to Do It</a>. Last year he published his most recent book, <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781838855741" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Last Days of Roger Federer: And Other Endings</a> – a meditation on getting older and how a career can be brought to an elegant close. In this conversation, recorded in January, he tells me how he developed his highly distinctive authorial voice; what he believes to be the perfect writing acoustic; why he's disgusted by Moleskine notebooks, and lots, lots more. Browse Geoff's books in the In Writing bookshop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="http://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep48: Geoff Dyer, non-fiction writer and novelist

Zoe Williams

This week, the Guardian journalist Zoe Williams joins me on In Writing. I recorded with Zoe at her home in London just before Christmas. She's well-known in the UK as a prolific writer of features, confessional columns and political opinion, and she was as outspoken and entertaining in person as she is in print. She talked me through her ability to write 1000 words in 20 minutes, but then take six months to file one feature; the pros and cons of writing about her personal life; and the most useful tips she's picked up from newspaper editors.  You can read Zoe in the Guardian here: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/zoewilliams  Here's her piece on Marie Kondo (complete with pictures of Zoe's study, where we recorded this conversation): https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/nov/17/she-dropped-three-cheese-and-onion-crisps-and-a-tooth-into-my-hand-what-happened-when-marie-kondo-tidied-my-home  Here's her piece on time-management guru Julie Morgenstern: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/nov/14/time-management-productivity-julie-morgenstern  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.  Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: https://inwriting.substack.com

This week, the Guardian journalist Zoe Williams joins me on In Writing. I recorded with Zoe at her home in London just before Christmas. She's well-known in the UK as a prolific writer of features, confessional columns and political opinion, and she was as outspoken and entertaining in person as she is in print. She talked me through her ability to write 1000 words in 20 minutes, but then take six months to file one feature; the pros and cons of writing about her personal life; and the most useful tips she's picked up from newspaper editors. You can read Zoe in the Guardian here: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/zoewilliams" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/profile/zoewilliams</a> Here's her piece on Marie Kondo (complete with pictures of Zoe's study, where we recorded this conversation): <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/nov/17/she-dropped-three-cheese-and-onion-crisps-and-a-tooth-into-my-hand-what-happened-when-marie-kondo-tidied-my-home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/nov/17/she-dropped-three-cheese-and-onion-crisps-and-a-tooth-into-my-hand-what-happened-when-marie-kondo-tidied-my-home</a> Here's her piece on time-management guru Julie Morgenstern: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/nov/14/time-management-productivity-julie-morgenstern" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/nov/14/time-management-productivity-julie-morgenstern</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more. Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com</a>

S5 Ep47: Zoe Williams, columnist and opinion writer

Hallå! My guest this week is Swedish screenwriter and director Ruben Östlund, who I met in London in December. Ruben's feature films include 2014's Force Majeure, 2017's The Square, and 2022's Triangle of Sadness, which is nominated for three Oscars including Best Original Screenplay. He has a unique way of writing, doing a lot of talking before he even gets close to typing out the script; he tells me about that, plus how making ski movies influenced his sense of dramatic excitement, and why it's a good thing that filmmaking never gets easier.   He makes reference to Stanley Milgram's famous electric shock experiment, which you can read about here: https://simplypsychology.org/milgram.html  Watch the trailer for Triangle of Sadness here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWrS7f_nS9w    Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: https://inwriting.substack.com/   This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative (http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk). Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses.   Or, visit https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writing-an-original-tv-drama-serial-0423 to read about their 18-week, in-person course in Writing an Original TV Drama Serial.

Hallå! My guest this week is Swedish screenwriter and director Ruben Östlund, who I met in London in December. Ruben's feature films include 2014's Force Majeure, 2017's The Square, and 2022's Triangle of Sadness, which is nominated for three Oscars including Best Original Screenplay. He has a unique way of writing, doing a lot of talking before he even gets close to typing out the script; he tells me about that, plus how making ski movies influenced his sense of dramatic excitement, and why it's a good thing that filmmaking never gets easier. He makes reference to Stanley Milgram's famous electric shock experiment, which you can read about here: <a href="https://simplypsychology.org/milgram.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://simplypsychology.org/milgram.html</a> Watch the trailer for Triangle of Sadness here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWrS7f_nS9w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWrS7f_nS9w</a> Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com/</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative (<a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a>). Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses.  Or, visit <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writing-an-original-tv-drama-serial-0423" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/course/writing-an-original-tv-drama-serial-0423</a> to read about their 18-week, in-person course in Writing an Original TV Drama Serial.

S5 Ep46: Ruben Östlund, filmmaker

Sophie Mackintosh

This week's guest is Sophie Mackintosh, author of books including the Booker Prize-longlisted The Water Cure, and new novel Cursed Bread. Sophie talks to me about the optimum balance of social life and writing life; how playlists help her get into the worlds of her novels; and how she powers her work with 'little treats'.   Browse Sophie's books in the In Writing bookshop to support this podcast and independent booksellers: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.  Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: https://inwriting.substack.com/

This week's guest is Sophie Mackintosh, author of books including the Booker Prize-longlisted The Water Cure, and new novel Cursed Bread. Sophie talks to me about the optimum balance of social life and writing life; how playlists help her get into the worlds of her novels; and how she powers her work with 'little treats'. Browse Sophie's books in the In Writing bookshop to support this podcast and independent booksellers: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more. Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com/</a>

S5 Ep45: Sophie Mackintosh, novelist

Raven Smith

The fifth season of In Writing continues with Vogue columnist Raven Smith, who's known for his witty takes on pop culture, modern life and masculinity. Raven is the author of two collections of personal essays: Raven Smith's Trivial Pursuits and Raven Smith's Men, which has just come out in paperback (buy it here https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing).  He talks to me about how gaining confidence as a writer helped him gravitate towards more honesty; life as a columnist and Instagram wit; and what he learned from working with newspaper editors.  This season of In Writing in sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.  Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: https://inwriting.substack.com/ 

The fifth season of In Writing continues with Vogue columnist Raven Smith, who's known for his witty takes on pop culture, modern life and masculinity. Raven is the author of two collections of personal essays: Raven Smith's Trivial Pursuits and Raven Smith's Men, which has just come out in paperback (buy it here <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a>). He talks to me about how gaining confidence as a writer helped him gravitate towards more honesty; life as a columnist and Instagram wit; and what he learned from working with newspaper editors. This season of In Writing in sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more. Sign up for the In Writing newsletter and join my writers' community on Substack: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com/</a>

S5 Ep44: Raven Smith, columnist and memoirist

Ayobami Adebayo

I'm back! And very happy about it. This week, Nigerian novelist Ayobami Adebayo speaks to me from her home in Lagos. Ayobami is the author of 2017's Stay With Me, and A Spell of Good Things, which was published in the UK last week. Stay With Me was a hugely successful debut; it won the 9mobile Prize for Literature, and was shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Wellcome Book Prize. It’s now been translated into 20 languages, and the French translation won the Prix Les Afriques.  Ayobami talks to me through her painstaking editing process, draft by draft; explains how residencies helped her progress; and shares her patient, stoical view of the writing life (with all its ups and downs).   Buy her novels at the In Writing bookshop, where 10% of your money will support the making of this podcast: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Check out the In Writing newsletter and community on Substack: https://inwriting.substack.com/    This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit https://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

I'm back! And very happy about it. This week, Nigerian novelist Ayobami Adebayo speaks to me from her home in Lagos. Ayobami is the author of 2017's Stay With Me, and A Spell of Good Things, which was published in the UK last week. Stay With Me was a hugely successful debut; it won the 9mobile Prize for Literature, and was shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction and the Wellcome Book Prize. It’s now been translated into 20 languages, and the French translation won the Prix Les Afriques. Ayobami talks to me through her painstaking editing process, draft by draft; explains how residencies helped her progress; and shares her patient, stoical view of the writing life (with all its ups and downs). Buy her novels at the In Writing bookshop, where 10% of your money will support the making of this podcast: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Check out the In Writing newsletter and community on Substack: <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com/</a> This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, five, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Visit <a href="https://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S5 Ep43: Ayobami Adebayo, novelist

Journalist Hattie Crisell visits the studies of writers of all kinds – novelists, screenwriters, poets, journalists and more – to find out how they write, why they write, and what they can teach us about doing it better.

Introducing the In Writing newsletter, a life raft for writers at sea.  Sign up at https://inwriting.substack.com

Introducing the In Writing newsletter, a life raft for writers at sea. Sign up at <a href="https://inwriting.substack.com/%20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://inwriting.substack.com</a>

A quick update

Rumaan Alam

For the last episode of the fourth series of In Writing, Rumaan Alam joins me remotely from his house in Brooklyn, New York. Rumaan is the author of Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, and most recently Leave the World Behind – a literary thriller about a family holiday that takes a sinister twist. (Leave the World Behind is set to become a Netflix movie, with Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali reportedly in lead roles.)  Rumaan talks to me about the lengthy preparation that allows him to write a first draft fast; how his omniscient third-person narrator helped him to manage the mystery at the heart of his book; and why he thinks most modern novels are too long.  Buy Leave the World Behind and browse other books by guests of this series at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Thank you to The Novelry for sponsoring this episode: https://www.thenovelry.com/

For the last episode of the fourth series of In Writing, Rumaan Alam joins me remotely from his house in Brooklyn, New York. Rumaan is the author of Rich and Pretty, That Kind of Mother, and most recently Leave the World Behind – a literary thriller about a family holiday that takes a sinister twist. (Leave the World Behind is set to become a Netflix movie, with Julia Roberts and Mahershala Ali reportedly in lead roles.) Rumaan talks to me about the lengthy preparation that allows him to write a first draft fast; how his omniscient third-person narrator helped him to manage the mystery at the heart of his book; and why he thinks most modern novels are too long. Buy Leave the World Behind and browse other books by guests of this series at <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Thank you to The Novelry for sponsoring this episode: <a href="https://www.thenovelry.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thenovelry.com/</a>

S4 Ep42: Rumaan Alam, novelist

Georgia Pritchett is my very funny guest this week. She's been writing for TV since the early Nineties and has worked on Smack the Pony, The Thick of It, Veep, Succession and, importantly, Spice World. She's also the creator of the new Apple TV series The Shrink Next Door, starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn – and she has recently published a wonderful memoir about anxiety, My Mess Is a Bit of a Life.  Georgia spoke to me in early November about the grain of honesty in every good joke, why Armando Iannucci says that team writing is like making a gravy, and what she's learnt about rich people from working on Succession.  Buy My Mess Is a Bit of a Life here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780571365883  This episode is sponsored by Scribe Lounge: https://scribelounge.com/

Georgia Pritchett is my very funny guest this week. She's been writing for TV since the early Nineties and has worked on Smack the Pony, The Thick of It, Veep, Succession and, importantly, Spice World. She's also the creator of the new Apple TV series The Shrink Next Door, starring Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Kathryn Hahn – and she has recently published a wonderful memoir about anxiety, My Mess Is a Bit of a Life. Georgia spoke to me in early November about the grain of honesty in every good joke, why Armando Iannucci says that team writing is like making a gravy, and what she's learnt about rich people from working on Succession. Buy My Mess Is a Bit of a Life here: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780571365883" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9780571365883</a> This episode is sponsored by Scribe Lounge: <a href="https://scribelounge.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://scribelounge.com/</a>

S4 Ep41: Georgia Pritchett, comedy and drama writer

Shaun Usher

The 40th episode of In Writing focuses on the art of letter-writing. Shaun Usher, who spoke to me last week from his home in Manchester, is the founder of Letters of Note, a blog that led to several very successful books and a star-studded live event (Letters Live). He has dedicated his career to finding the most brilliant, funny, insightful or poignant letters from all over the world and bringing them to a wider audience – whether that's a young Tom Hanks trying to charm the director George Roy Hill, or Albert Einstein's letter to a Sunday school class.  Shaun speaks to me about falling in love with his wife and the letter-writing tradition at the same time; the massive research involved in his job; and the very finest letters he's read.  Shop the Letters of Note series in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Follow Letters of Note on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lettersofnote and make sure you have a look at Letterheady, Shaun's collection of wonderful letter heads: https://www.letterheady.com/

The 40th episode of In Writing focuses on the art of letter-writing. Shaun Usher, who spoke to me last week from his home in Manchester, is the founder of Letters of Note, a blog that led to several very successful books and a star-studded live event (Letters Live). He has dedicated his career to finding the most brilliant, funny, insightful or poignant letters from all over the world and bringing them to a wider audience – whether that's a young Tom Hanks trying to charm the director George Roy Hill, or Albert Einstein's letter to a Sunday school class. Shaun speaks to me about falling in love with his wife and the letter-writing tradition at the same time; the massive research involved in his job; and the very finest letters he's read. Shop the Letters of Note series in the In Writing bookshop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Follow Letters of Note on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/lettersofnote" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/lettersofnote</a> and make sure you have a look at Letterheady, Shaun's collection of wonderful letter heads: <a href="https://www.letterheady.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.letterheady.com/</a>

S4 Ep40: Shaun Usher, curator of correspondence

Liane Moriarty

Australian writer Liane Moriarty joins me this week from her family home in Sydney. Liane has written nine novels, including her latest mystery Apples Never Fall, and has sold over 20 million books worldwide. She is perhaps best known as the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, which were adapted into glossy TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Melissa McCarthy.    Liane talks to me about the dark turn that took her fiction from successful to stratospherically successful, her no-planning approach to plot, and how she and her writer sisters help each other navigate reviews.  Browse Liane's books and buy Apples Never Fall at the In Writing bookshop, where 10% of your money goes towards the making of the podcast: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing

Australian writer Liane Moriarty joins me this week from her family home in Sydney. Liane has written nine novels, including her latest mystery Apples Never Fall, and has sold over 20 million books worldwide. She is perhaps best known as the author of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, which were adapted into glossy TV series starring Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon and Melissa McCarthy.  Liane talks to me about the dark turn that took her fiction from successful to stratospherically successful, her no-planning approach to plot, and how she and her writer sisters help each other navigate reviews. Browse Liane's books and buy Apples Never Fall at the In Writing bookshop, where 10% of your money goes towards the making of the podcast: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a>

S4 Ep39: Liane Moriarty, novelist

Craig Taylor

Today's interview is with the writer and editor Craig Taylor, who dials in from an island shack off the coast of western Canada. Once a Guardian contributor, with his column One Million Tiny Plays About Britain (which became a book and a play), Craig has since become known for oral histories including 2006's Return to Akenfield and 2011's Londoners. For his latest book New Yorkers, he collected and edited over a million words of interviews with residents of the Big Apple; this week it won a Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize.   We spoke in May, when he told me all about his quiet island life, the routines he uses to keep himself productive, and how he pulled together his ambitious portraits of London and New York.  Buy New Yorkers here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781848549708  Craig is also the editor of the literary magazine Five Dials: https://fivedials.com/  And read the Guardian piece on handwriting vs typing here: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/16/cognitive-benefits-handwriting-decline-typing

Today's interview is with the writer and editor Craig Taylor, who dials in from an island shack off the coast of western Canada. Once a Guardian contributor, with his column One Million Tiny Plays About Britain (which became a book and a play), Craig has since become known for oral histories including 2006's Return to Akenfield and 2011's Londoners. For his latest book New Yorkers, he collected and edited over a million words of interviews with residents of the Big Apple; this week it won a Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize. We spoke in May, when he told me all about his quiet island life, the routines he uses to keep himself productive, and how he pulled together his ambitious portraits of London and New York. Buy New Yorkers here: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781848549708" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781848549708</a> Craig is also the editor of the literary magazine Five Dials: <a href="https://fivedials.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://fivedials.com/</a> And read the Guardian piece on handwriting vs typing here: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/16/cognitive-benefits-handwriting-decline-typing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/dec/16/cognitive-benefits-handwriting-decline-typing</a>

S4 Ep38: Craig Taylor, oral historian

It's wonderful to have novelist Meg Mason on the podcast this week. On holiday in June, I got more hooked on her novel Sorrow and Bliss than I have been on perhaps any other book of this year.    Speaking to me from Sydney in August, Meg talked about her complicated feelings about the memoir she published in 2012 and the unpublished novel she completed just before Sorrow and Bliss. She gave some useful advice on characterisation, and shared the daily exercise she used to boost her confidence when writing was a struggle.  Buy Sorrow and Bliss and other books by guests of the podcast here: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Read Meg's very funny Gift Ideas for the Writer in Your Life at The New Yorker here: https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/gift-ideas-for-the-writer-in-your-life  And browse the best of her pinboard here: https://megmason.com/credits  This episode of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Go to http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.

It's wonderful to have novelist Meg Mason on the podcast this week. On holiday in June, I got more hooked on her novel Sorrow and Bliss than I have been on perhaps any other book of this year.  Speaking to me from Sydney in August, Meg talked about her complicated feelings about the memoir she published in 2012 and the unpublished novel she completed just before Sorrow and Bliss. She gave some useful advice on characterisation, and shared the daily exercise she used to boost her confidence when writing was a struggle. Buy Sorrow and Bliss and other books by guests of the podcast here: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Read Meg's very funny Gift Ideas for the Writer in Your Life at The New Yorker here: <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/gift-ideas-for-the-writer-in-your-life" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/gift-ideas-for-the-writer-in-your-life</a> And browse the best of her pinboard here: <a href="https://megmason.com/credits" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://megmason.com/credits</a> This episode of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off one of their four, six, or ten-week online writing courses. Go to <a href="http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.curtisbrowncreative.co.uk</a> to find out more.

S4 Ep37: Meg Mason, novelist

Laura Shavin

Not a normal In Writing episode today, but a wholehearted recommendation for something new. This is a guest episode of the excellent podcast The Offcuts Drawer with Laura Shavin, on which successful writers share the contents of their bottom drawer – the bits of writing they never finished, had rejected or just like to hold on to for nostalgic reasons. Actors perform these pieces and the writer chats to host Laura Shavin about the stories behind them. In this episode, Laura meets Chris Lang, writer of the ITV detective drama Unforgotten (and lots more projects along the way).  Do subscribe to The Offcuts Drawer with Laura Shavin – it can be found here: https://offcutsdrawer.com/ – and follow Laura on Twitter at https://twitter.com/laurashav  I'll be back with a new episode of In Writing with Hattie Crisell on Friday.

Not a normal In Writing episode today, but a wholehearted recommendation for something new. This is a guest episode of the excellent podcast The Offcuts Drawer with Laura Shavin, on which successful writers share the contents of their bottom drawer – the bits of writing they never finished, had rejected or just like to hold on to for nostalgic reasons. Actors perform these pieces and the writer chats to host Laura Shavin about the stories behind them. In this episode, Laura meets Chris Lang, writer of the ITV detective drama Unforgotten (and lots more projects along the way). Do subscribe to The Offcuts Drawer with Laura Shavin – it can be found here: <a href="https://offcutsdrawer.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://offcutsdrawer.com/</a> – and follow Laura on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/laurashav" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/laurashav</a> I'll be back with a new episode of In Writing with Hattie Crisell on Friday.

GUEST EPISODE: The Offcuts Drawer with Laura Shavin

John Crace

This week's guest is The Guardian's John Crace, writer of satirical parliamentary sketches, as well as a personal diary column. For a long time John also wrote the paper's Digested Read, in which each week, he summed up a new book in a few funny paragraphs. He's published several books himself, on topics as varied as football, cricket and Shakespeare, as well as collections of his columns, including the new A Farewell to Calm, which is out on 4 November.  I visit John at his home in south London and nose around his study (which is full of interesting things), and he talks about the inner workings of a politics sketch; what it's like to be a journalist at Westminster, and navigating anxiety and depression alongside a demanding job.  Pre-order A Farewell to Calm and browse other books by John Crace in the In Writing shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing  Read John's politics sketches here: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/johncrace and his piece on recovering from heroin addiction here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/25/how-i-overcame-my-heroin-addiction-and-started-to-live  And listen to his wonderful episode of How to Fail with Elizabeth Day here: https://howtofail.podbean.com/e/how-to-fail-john-crace/

This week's guest is The Guardian's John Crace, writer of satirical parliamentary sketches, as well as a personal diary column. For a long time John also wrote the paper's Digested Read, in which each week, he summed up a new book in a few funny paragraphs. He's published several books himself, on topics as varied as football, cricket and Shakespeare, as well as collections of his columns, including the new A Farewell to Calm, which is out on 4 November. I visit John at his home in south London and nose around his study (which is full of interesting things), and he talks about the inner workings of a politics sketch; what it's like to be a journalist at Westminster, and navigating anxiety and depression alongside a demanding job. Pre-order A Farewell to Calm and browse other books by John Crace in the In Writing shop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> Read John's politics sketches here: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/profile/johncrace" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/profile/johncrace</a> and his piece on recovering from heroin addiction here: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/25/how-i-overcame-my-heroin-addiction-and-started-to-live" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/25/how-i-overcame-my-heroin-addiction-and-started-to-live</a> And listen to his wonderful episode of How to Fail with Elizabeth Day here: <a href="https://howtofail.podbean.com/e/how-to-fail-john-crace/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://howtofail.podbean.com/e/how-to-fail-john-crace/</a>

S4 Ep36: John Crace, journalist

This week I sit down with Christine Rose at her home in London, to find out all about a job that most people aren't aware exists. Christine works behind the scenes in comedy and entertainment, writing jokes for shows including Have I Got News for You and 8 out of 10 Cats; chat-show monologues for the likes of Graham Norton and Alan Carr; and funny host scripts for awards ceremonies like the BAFTAs and the Brits.   Christine won Best TV Comedy Writer at the Funny Women Awards last year, and in this episode she talks me through the making of shows like HIGNFY, what it's like trying to get jokes approved by awards-show organisers and celebrity hosts, and why she had to regretfully let go of a brilliant gag involving Joaquin Phoenix and Boris Johnson.  Browse books by guests of this podcast at the In Writing shop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing

This week I sit down with Christine Rose at her home in London, to find out all about a job that most people aren't aware exists. Christine works behind the scenes in comedy and entertainment, writing jokes for shows including Have I Got News for You and 8 out of 10 Cats; chat-show monologues for the likes of Graham Norton and Alan Carr; and funny host scripts for awards ceremonies like the BAFTAs and the Brits.  Christine won Best TV Comedy Writer at the Funny Women Awards last year, and in this episode she talks me through the making of shows like HIGNFY, what it's like trying to get jokes approved by awards-show organisers and celebrity hosts, and why she had to regretfully let go of a brilliant gag involving Joaquin Phoenix and Boris Johnson. Browse books by guests of this podcast at the In Writing shop: <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a>

S4 Ep35: Christine Rose, joke writer

In Writing with Hattie Crisell

Sathnam Sanghera

I sit down with The Times’ Sathnam Sanghera to talk about the three strands of his work – how a competition run by Michael Jackson propelled him into journalism; how he came to write an acclaimed family memoir in his twenties; the challenges of fiction; and why writers’ block is “something posh people have”. Logo design by Ben Neale

I sit down with The Times’ Sathnam Sanghera to talk about the three strands of his work – how a competition run by Michael Jackson propelled him into journalism; how he came to write an acclaimed family memoir in his twenties; the challenges of fiction; and why writers’ block is “something posh people have”. Logo design by Ben Neale

S1 Ep4: Sathnam Sanghera, journalist, memoirist and novelist

Wendy Cope

Wendy Cope invites me into her book-filled house in Ely, Cambridgeshire. Wendy started her career as a highly successful outsider to the poetry world – seen by some as an interloper – and is now one of its most respected talents. She tells me about the backlash to her first bestseller, Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis; how she pushed through it, and what she’s learnt.  Logo design by Ben Neale

Wendy Cope invites me into her book-filled house in Ely, Cambridgeshire. Wendy started her career as a highly successful outsider to the poetry world – seen by some as an interloper – and is now one of its most respected talents. She tells me about the backlash to her first bestseller, Making Cocoa for Kingsley Amis; how she pushed through it, and what she’s learnt. Logo design by Ben Neale

S1 Ep3: Wendy Cope, poet

Charlie Brooker

In this last episode of the series, Charlie Brooker – the man behind Black Mirror, the BBC’s Wipe shows, Dead Set, Nathan Barley, TV Go Home and more – invites me into his messy, makeshift study. We talk about his unique career trajectory, the process of writing a Netflix show, and the ongoing, necessary pain of taking feedback on your work. Logo by Ben Neale

In this last episode of the series, Charlie Brooker – the man behind Black Mirror, the BBC’s Wipe shows, Dead Set, Nathan Barley, TV Go Home and more – invites me into his messy, makeshift study. We talk about his unique career trajectory, the process of writing a Netflix show, and the ongoing, necessary pain of taking feedback on your work. Logo by Ben Neale

S1 Ep10: Charlie Brooker, screenwriter

This week, in a garden cabin in Sussex, I speak to Anna Hope: the author of two historical novels – Wake and The Ballroom – and Expectation, one of the most talked-about books of 2019. Anna was an actress when, in her early thirties, she started taking creative writing courses; she reflects on that transition, the struggles she went through before being published, and how she found her flow as an author.  Logo by Ben Neale

This week, in a garden cabin in Sussex, I speak to Anna Hope: the author of two historical novels – Wake and The Ballroom – and Expectation, one of the most talked-about books of 2019. Anna was an actress when, in her early thirties, she started taking creative writing courses; she reflects on that transition, the struggles she went through before being published, and how she found her flow as an author. Logo by Ben Neale

S1 Ep9: Anna Hope, novelist

Andrew Billen

For a while I’ve been looking for a chance to pick Andrew Billen’s brain about how he writes his insightful, revealing profiles of celebrities and politicians for The Times, and in this episode I visit him at his family home in Oxford to do just that. Andrew looks back on 30 years of interviews, talks me through his ‘essay plan’, and reveals some of the most and least successful encounters he’s had in his career. Logo by Ben Neale

For a while I’ve been looking for a chance to pick Andrew Billen’s brain about how he writes his insightful, revealing profiles of celebrities and politicians for The Times, and in this episode I visit him at his family home in Oxford to do just that. Andrew looks back on 30 years of interviews, talks me through his ‘essay plan’, and reveals some of the most and least successful encounters he’s had in his career. Logo by Ben Neale

S1 Ep8: Andrew Billen, feature writer and interviewer

Emma Jane Unsworth

The author of Animals and Adults – and winner of Best Debut Screenwriter at last year’s British Independent Film Awards – Emma Jane Unsworth welcomes me into her twinkly Brighton flat. She talks about how to overcome the moments of self-loathing that come with any creative project; postnatal depression and recovery; and why she never gets the ending right on a first try. Logo by Ben Neale

The author of Animals and Adults – and winner of Best Debut Screenwriter at last year’s British Independent Film Awards – Emma Jane Unsworth welcomes me into her twinkly Brighton flat. She talks about how to overcome the moments of self-loathing that come with any creative project; postnatal depression and recovery; and why she never gets the ending right on a first try. Logo by Ben Neale

S1 Ep7: Emma Jane Unsworth, novelist and screenwriter

Andre Aciman

Author of Call Me By Your Name and its recent sequel Find Me, Andre Aciman tells me what it’s like to see your novel get a second life in film (and the new flock of young fans who followed); why he has no interest in realism, and why it’s valuable to read all your reviews.    Logo by Ben Neale

Author of Call Me By Your Name and its recent sequel Find Me, Andre Aciman tells me what it’s like to see your novel get a second life in film (and the new flock of young fans who followed); why he has no interest in realism, and why it’s valuable to read all your reviews. Logo by Ben Neale

S1 Ep6: Andre Aciman, novelist

Holly Bourne

Holly Bourne invites me into her study/spare room to talk about her prolific career as a YA writer – and her recent novels for adults, including the bestselling How Do You Like Me Now?. She explains why her writing is a kind of activism, and why being honest about life – including all the sex and swearing – is the only way to get through to readers in the most vulnerable moments of their teenage years. Logo design by Ben Neale

Holly Bourne invites me into her study/spare room to talk about her prolific career as a YA writer – and her recent novels for adults, including the bestselling How Do You Like Me Now?. She explains why her writing is a kind of activism, and why being honest about life – including all the sex and swearing – is the only way to get through to readers in the most vulnerable moments of their teenage years. Logo design by Ben Neale

S1 Ep5: Holly Bourne, young-adult fiction writer

Cressida Cowell

The writer and illustrator Cressida Cowell joins me this week, with a backdrop of birdsong from outside her writing shed. Cressida wrote and illustrated the Wizards of Once series, and the How to Train Your Dragon series, which became a highly successful Dreamworks franchise. She also wrote the Emily Brown picture books, and is passionate about getting kids into reading, and showing them that whether they're good at school or not, they're still smart. She talks about her quest as Waterstones Children’s Laureate, and about what it's like to write a book that becomes a global hit on the big screen – plus everything she learnt from her wild childhood on a Viking island.  Buy Cressida’s books and other titles by guests of this podcast by visiting https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing – when you buy from my shop, 10% of your money supports the making of the podcast, and 10% goes to independent bookshops.

The writer and illustrator Cressida Cowell joins me this week, with a backdrop of birdsong from outside her writing shed. Cressida wrote and illustrated the Wizards of Once series, and the How to Train Your Dragon series, which became a highly successful Dreamworks franchise. She also wrote the Emily Brown picture books, and is passionate about getting kids into reading, and showing them that whether they're good at school or not, they're still smart. She talks about her quest as Waterstones Children’s Laureate, and about what it's like to write a book that becomes a global hit on the big screen – plus everything she learnt from her wild childhood on a Viking island. Buy Cressida’s books and other titles by guests of this podcast by visiting <a href="https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing</a> – when you buy from my shop, 10% of your money supports the making of the podcast, and 10% goes to independent bookshops.

S3 Ep27: Cressida Cowell, Children's Laureate

David Nicholls

David Nicholls – bestselling author of five novels including One Day and Sweet Sorrow, and BAFTA-winning screenwriter – has me over for a cup of tea at the surprisingly peaceful inner-city office where he does all his writing. He talks me through his process (and how it’s differed with every book); how he turned Edward St Aubyn’s five Patrick Melrose books into five perfect hours of television; and why it was letter writing that kicked off his career.     Logo design by Ben Neale

David Nicholls – bestselling author of five novels including One Day and Sweet Sorrow, and BAFTA-winning screenwriter – has me over for a cup of tea at the surprisingly peaceful inner-city office where he does all his writing. He talks me through his process (and how it’s differed with every book); how he turned Edward St Aubyn’s five Patrick Melrose books into five perfect hours of television; and why it was letter writing that kicked off his career.  Logo design by Ben Neale

S1 Ep2: David Nicholls, screenwriter and novelist

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