London Writers' Salon
By Parul Bavishi, Matthew Trinetti
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Episodes: 60
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#060: Natalie Lue & Hattie Crisell — Forging A Portfolio Career: From Journalism To Starting A Substack Newsletter, Launching A Podcast, Self Publishing and Landing A Publishing Deal
01:02:39
Natalie Lue (@natlue) and Hattie Crisell (@hattiehattie) are writers who have forged successful portfolio careers. We explore their adventures in journalism, blogging, podcasting and publishing. We dive into the reality of forging a portfolio career and they give us advice for how they might start today. * ABOUT NATALIE LUE Natalie Lue is behind the incredibly popular Baggage Reclaim Blog. Nat’s self-published books, including Mr Unavailable and the Fallback Girl, The No Contact Rule and Love, Care, Trust & Respect, have sold 150K+ copies, and her podcast, The Baggage Reclaim Sessions, has over 3 million downloads. Earlier in 2023, her book The Joy of Saying No was published by Harper Horizon. * RESOURCES Follow Natalie Lue:
* ABOUT HATTIE CRISELL Hattie Crisell is a freelance writer and journalist. In her popular podcast In Writing with Hattie Crisell, Hattie interviews writers of all kinds in their studies, and she's a contributing editor of Grazia magazine. She has written for publications including The New York Times, Style Magazine, The Cut, The Telegraph and Vogue. In 2022 she launched her Substack newsletter, In Writing and in March 2023, she announced her book deal with Granta, to be based on her podcast. * Follow Hattie Crisell:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
May 27, 2023 |
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#059: Madeleine Dore — Rethinking Writing Ruts & Routines, Imperfect Creative Processes, Substack, Blogging, Creative Cycles
01:01:03
Madeleine Dore, author of ‘I Didn’t Do The Thing Today’ on rethinking writing routines and ruts, how to rid ourselves of the pressure to do more, embracing imperfection in the creative process, and her unique approach to her Substack newsletter. * ABOUT MADELEINE DORE Madeleine Dore is a writer, interviewer and author of I Didn’t Do The Thing Today'. As a labour of love, Madeleine spent over five years exploring how we can broaden the definition of a day well spent in her popular blog Extraordinary Routines and podcast Routines & Ruts. She continues to write, speak and explore themes of creativity and connection—but mostly tries to hold things lightly. * Follow Madeleine:
Links & Resources Discussed:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
May 20, 2023 |
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#058: Steven Pressfield — The War of Art, Battling Resistance, Having A Creative Calling, Writing Memoir
01:00:04
Steven Pressfield on what it means to have a creative calling, overcoming rejection and resistance, how faith in something bigger than ourselves can play a role in our creative lives, his experience writing across multiple genres, and his latest memoir, Govt Cheese. * ABOUT STEVEN PRESSFIELD Steven Pressfield (@SPressfield) is the author of The War of Art which has sold over a millions copies globally and been translated into multiple languages. He is a master of historical fiction with Gates of Fire being on the required reading list at West Point and the the recommended reading list of the Joint Chiefs. His other books include A Man at Arms, Turning Pro, Do the Work, The Artist's Journey, Tides of War, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Last of the Amazons, Virtues of War, The Afghan Campaign, Killing Rommel, The Profession, The Lion's Gate, The Warrior Ethos, The Authentic Swing, An American Jew, Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t, and The Knowledge. * RESOURCES Follow Steven Pressfield:
Other links mentioned:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
May 13, 2023 |
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#057: Abigail Bergstrom — On Becoming A Literary Agent, Tips For Building An Author Brand, Inside the Publishing Industry, Recovering From Burnout
00:59:56
Literary Agent and writer Abigail Bergstrom on her publishing career (Simon & Schuster, Gleam Titles, Bergstrom Studios) choosing to leave editing for agenting, facing and recovering from burnout and her advice for authors developing their brand. Also, her advice for finding an agent, and tips for how to ask the right questions to your marketing and publicity team. We also dive into her journey of writing and pitching her debut novel: What a Shame. * ABOUT ABIGAIL BERGSTROM Abigail Bergstrom is a Welsh writer who has worked in publishing for over a decade. She's edited some of Britain's most prominent feminist voices, was nominated for Literary Agent of the Year 2020, and was listed in 'The Bookseller 150.’ She is the founder of Gleam Titles and Bergstrom Studio, a publishing consultancy. She is the author of What a Shame. * QUOTES [On Author Brand] “I don't think it needs to be gimmicky. I think it could be nuanced and complex. Consider what three things you’re interested in talking about - think of them as your core pillars. * RESOURCES Follow Abigail Bergstrom:
Other links and authors mentioned:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
May 06, 2023 |
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#056: Jonathan Escoffery — Writing Award-Winning Short Stories, World Building, Managing Reader Anticipation, Dynamic Storytelling
01:01:21
Short story writer Jonathan Escoffery on his process for writing his linked short story collection, If I Survive You, how he thinks about world building, managing reader anticipation, how questions of identity influence his work, and tips for writing dynamic, moving short stories. * ABOUT JONATHAN ESCOFFERY Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You, a New York Times and Booklist Editor's Choice, an IndieNext Pick, and a National Bestseller. His stories have appeared in The Paris Review, Oprah Daily, Electric Literature, Zyzzyva, AGNI, Pleiades, American Short Fiction, Prairie Schooner, Passages North, and elsewhere. * RESOURCES Follow Jonathan Escoffery: Other links mentioned:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Apr 29, 2023 |
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#055: Dr Gloria Mark — Finding Focus For Creativity, 4 Different Attention States, Practicing Forethought, “Flow" vs “Focused Attention”
01:01:01
Dr. Gloria Mark on her 30+ year writing and academic career, the different attention states, how we can get into an artistic flow and why empty space is our days is important. Plus, we dive into her process of writing Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. * QUOTE: When you think about a Japanese garden you think of the beautiful rocks that are placed there. But it's the space around those rocks that are just as important and are as carefully considered as the rocks themselves. Consider empty space in your day to be as important as the work you're actually doing because it helps prepare you and enables you to really do this kind of deep work. * ABOUT DR GLORIA MARK Gloria Mark is Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people's lives. She takes a deep dive into examining multitasking, interruptions, and mood using digital devices. She has published over 200 articles and in 2017 was inducted into the ACM SIGCHI Academy, which recognizes leaders in the field of human-computer interaction. She has presented her work at SXSW and the Aspen Ideas Festival, and her research has appeared in the popular media, e.g. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, CNN, The Guardian, the Dax Shepard show, the Dave Asprey show, and many others. She's the author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. * RESOURCES Follow Dr Gloria:
Other links mentioned:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Apr 16, 2023 |
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#054: Anna Jordan — Developing as a Playwright, TV Writing (Killing Eve/ Succession), Shitty First Drafts, Overcoming Self Doubt.
00:59:49
Anna Jordan, playwright (Yen/ Bruntwood Prize) and screenwriter (Killing Eve, Succession) on her early years of writing, how she got commissioned and developed as a playwright. Plus, a behind the scenes look at her writing process and how she deals with self-doubt and the reality of making money as a writer. * ABOUT ANNA JORDAN Anna is a playwright, theatre director, and writer for television. Anna is best known for her play Yen, which won the 2013 Bruntwood Prize, going from a successful run in the UK to be performed off-Broadway. Anna's TV credits include Succession (Season 1, HBO), Killing Eve (Season 3, Sid Gentle) and currently Becoming Elizabeth (The Forge / Starz). She originally trained as an actor at LAMDA and runs her own training company for actors and writers: Without a Paddle Theatre. * RESOURCES: Follow Anna: Other links mentioned:
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Apr 08, 2023 |
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#053: Stephen Markley — Writing Epic Novels, Creating Sprawling Narratives, Inside TV Writers Rooms, Persisting as a Writer, Having Stephen King As A Fan, Making Money As A Writer, Staying Away from Feedback
00:56:07
Novelist and screenwriter Stephen Markley on writing his 900-page epic novel The Deluge, writing sprawling narratives and what it’s like to count Stephen King as a fan. We talk about writing for the TV show Only Murders in the Building, making money as a writer, and what it takes to succeed and persist. * QUOTES “You can't guarantee your book will be a success...it comes down to loving the work, loving what you're doing, loving the story you're telling, and being ready..." * ABOUT STEPHEN MARKLEY Stephen Markley is the author of The Deluge: A Novel. His previous books include the critically acclaimed bestseller Ohio: A Novel, Publish This Book, and Tales of Iceland. He has also written for the Hulu comedy Only Murderers in the Building. He is a graduate of the Iowa Writers Workshop. * RESOURCES
* FOLLOW STEPHEN MARKLEY
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Apr 01, 2023 |
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#052: Orna Ross — How to Succeed as Indie Author, Marketing Essentials, Paying Yourself First
01:07:54
Poet, novelist and founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Orna Ross, on her career from traditional to indie publishing and what it takes to succeed as an indie author. We talk about the benefits of self-publishing, marketing tips, reaching income goals, the '20 Books to 50k' goal, and why pushing past the 1st book is critical. She also tells us why paying yourself first is so important, even in the early days. * ABOUT ORNA ROSS Orna Ross is a bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction and inspirational poetry. She is also a creativity facilitator and the founder-director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). She has been named one of The Bookseller's Top 100 people in publishing and advocates for self-publishing as an artistic expression and viable business option for authors. * RESOURCES
FOLLOW ORNA ROSS
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Mar 25, 2023 |
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#051: Cecile Pin — Writing Literary Fiction, Telling Your Family’s Story, Starting Your Career as an Author, Reality of Working In Publishing, Advice For First-Time Authors
00:53:46
Debut novelist Cecile Pin author of Wandering Souls (nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction, 2023), on her choice of using a fragmented structure, having multiple narrators and why she chose to fictionalise a story that was inspired by her mother’s past. Plus, lessons from working in publishing and what all first-time authors should know. * ABOUT CECILE PIN: Cecile Pin grew up in Paris and New York City. She moved to London at eighteen to study philosophy at University College London and received an MA at King's College London. She writes for Bad Form Review, was long-listed for their Young Writers' Prize, and is a 2021 London Writers Award winner. Wandering Souls is her first novel and was longlisted for the Women's Prize For Fiction, 2023. She previously worked as an Editorial Assistant at Jonathan Cape, PRH. * RESOURCES:
* FOLLOW CECILE PINN
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!
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Mar 18, 2023 |
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#050: Jasmine Richards — Creating Bestselling Children’s Book Series, Ideating, Secrets Of A Great Pitch & The Business Of Children’s Publishing
01:02:03
Jasmine Richards, editor, writer, and award-winning founder of StoryMix Studio talks to us about the business of children’s publishing and how she generates and sells her ideas to publishers and works with writers to create commercial fiction for children. * ABOUT JASMINE RICHARDS Jasmine Richards is the author of over a dozen children's books ranging from picture books to teen fiction. Her most recent novel, Keeper of Myths, was published by Harper Collins. She has over 15 years of experience as an editor, including roles at Hamish Hamilton, Puffin, and Dutton Books in New York. Jasmine is the founder of Storymix, an award-winning children's fiction studio, where she uses her unique experiences to develop new voices and inclusive stories. * RESOURCES & LINKS MENTIONED:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Mar 11, 2023 |
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#049: Huma Qureshi — Writing the Memoir You're Not Sure You Can Write, Writing About Grief, Importance Of Role Models
00:51:55
Writer Huma Qureshi on how you know you’re ready to write a memoir. Plus, the importance of role models, writing about grief, loss and love and how she wrote and edited her memoir: How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures. This episode was recorded during the global lockdown in 2021. * ABOUT HUMA QURESHI Huma started her career at The Observer and The Guardian, working as a reporter and features writer before going freelance to write her first book, In Spite of Oceans, Migrant Voices, in 2015. Her short story The Jam Maker won Harper’s Bazaar Short Story Competition in 2020. Huma’s memoir, How We Met: A Memoir of Love and Other Misadventures, is about how she rebelled against tradition and fell in love on her own terms. She is also the author of a short story collection, Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love. * RESOURCES
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Mar 04, 2023 |
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#048: Oliver Burkeman — Writing Impactful Articles, Making the Most of Our Finite Lives, Reevaluate Your Relationship With Time, Being Happier
00:59:50
Bestselling author Oliver Burkeman @oliverburkeman on his process for writing impactful articles plus how he wrote his popular book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. We chat about reevaluating our relationship with time, the truth about perfectionism, why it’s liberating to know that we are insignificant in the cosmos, and how we might use this reality to lead happier and more creative lives. * ABOUT OLIVER BURKEMAN Oliver Burkeman is a feature writer for The Guardian. He won the Foreign Press Association's Young Journalist of the Year Award and has been short-listed for the Orwell Prize. He wrote a popular weekly column on psychology, "This Column Will Change Your Life". His books include Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals and The Antidote: Happiness for People who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. * RESOURCES
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Feb 28, 2023 |
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#047: Rebecca Stott — Balancing Writing & Researching Historical Fiction, Chasing Your Curiosity, Accuracy In Historical Fiction, The 'History Of Emotions'
00:58:39
Award-winning writer and historian Rebecca Stott @rebeccastott64 on how she immersed herself in 6th-century history for five years for her latest book Dark Earth, a historical story set in Londinium. We talk about how she balances researching and writing, accuracy in historical fiction and the importance of the 'history of emotions'. * ABOUT REBECCA STOTT Rebecca Stott is the author of fifteen books, including works of literary criticism, fiction, and nonfiction. Her nonfiction books include Darwin and the Barnacle (Faber, 2003), Darwin’s Ghosts: In Search of the First Evolutionists (Bloomsbury, 2012), and Oyster in Reaktion’s Animal series (2003). Her first novel, the historical thriller Ghostwalk (2007), was a New York Times bestseller, translated into fourteen languages and shortlisted for several prizes, including the Society of Authors First Novel Award. Her second novel, the historical novel The Coral Thief (2012), was a BBC Book at Bedtime. Her memoir, In the Days of Rain (2017), won the Costa Biography Prize. Her third novel, Dark Earth, set in the sixth century, is published in the UK by Fourth Estate and in the US by Penguin Random House. * QUOTES “We can’t assume that people in the 17th Century grieved the same way that we grieve.” RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!
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Feb 20, 2023 |
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#046: Bec Evans & Chris Smith — How To Overcome Creative Blocks & Get It Written. Plus Banish Procrastination, Dealing With Imperfect Environments, The Power Of Noticing
01:08:00
Authors and writing coaches Bec Evans (@eva_bec) and Chris Smith (@beprolifiko) on techniques that have helped thousands of writers get unblocked and write. We talk about banishing procrastination, dealing with imperfect environments and why it’s so important to be present in your writing and not compare yourself to a past version of yourself. We also talk about their process of writing, editing and pitching their new book Written: How to Keep Writing and Build a Habit That Lasts. * ABOUT BEC EVANS & CHRIS SMITH Bec Evans and Chris Smith are writers and the co-founders of Prolifiko, a coaching business that helps people build productive writing habits. Their latest book is Written: How to Keep Writing and Build a Habit That Lasts. * RESOURCES:
FOLLOW THE AUTHORS: * For show notes, and transcripts and to attend our live podcasts, visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Feb 11, 2023 |
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#045: Jay Clouse — Find Your Niche, Become a Professional Creator & Build Your Creative Platform. Learn To Experiment, Charge Without Guilt
01:07:49
Jay Clouse (@Jay Clouse), entrepreneur, writer and host of The Creative Elements Podcast, on how to find your niche, become a professional creator and build your creative platform. We discuss the role of a creative platform and how to charge for your services without guilt. Plus, the importance of experimentation, finding and succeeding in your creative niche and leveraging platforms like Linkedin, Twitter, and Newsletters platforms. * ABOUT JAY CLOUSE Jay Clouse hosts the Creative Elements podcast and the Creator Science newsletter. He is behind several courses including Podcast Like The Pros, Freelancing School, Marketing for Freelancers and Selling for Freelancers. His creative community, The Lab helps digital creators experiment and grow. He was the founder of the community Unreal Collective which was acquired by Pat Flynn and Smart Passive Income (SPI). * RESOURCES & LINKS
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Feb 04, 2023 |
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#044: Eimear Ryan — Learning to Write a Novel, Creative Resilience & Behind The Scenes of a Literary Press
00:59:25
Author and co-founder of Banshee Press, Eimear Ryan (@eimear_ryan) on her 13-year journey to writing her award-nominated debut book, the importance of creative resilience and a behind-the-scenes look at Banshee Press & Banshee Literary Journal. * ABOUT EIMEAR RYAN Eimear Ryan is a co-founder of the literary journal Banshee and its publishing imprint, Banshee Press. She was shortlisted for the Newcomer of the Year Award at the Irish Book Awards for her first novel, Holding Her Breath and she was nominated for the Bookseller's Rising Star Award 2021 for her work with Banshee Press. * RESOURCES:
* QUOTES “In terms of common mistakes, throat clearing is my number one thing — a sense that the story hasn’t been redrafted enough by the writer. It is talking themselves into a story…A lot of these stories are really well written. They just haven’t been honed. When you’re a writer, you don’t realize that an editor is reading dozens and dozens of stories, so something really has to grab you from the first page for them to remember it and to fight for it.” * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Jan 29, 2023 |
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#043: Tom Rob Smith - Writing Thrillers, Screenplays & High-Stakes Stories
01:06:04
Award winning novelist and screenwriter Tom Rob Smith (Child 44 Trilogy & American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace) on his writing journey from Cambodian soap operas to screenplays and novels, why creating a treatment is integral to his planning process and how he thinks about writing quick-paced high-stakes stories,. We dive into his latest novel Cold People, a sci-fi thriller set in Antarctica and why he eagerly experiments with genres like sci-fi and romance. * ABOUT TOM ROB SMITH Tom Rob Smith is the author of the acclaimed Child 44 trilogy, a global publishing sensation, selling over two million copies. His most recent novel, The Farm, was a Number One international bestseller. Tom also writes for television and won a Writer's Guild Award for best adapted series and an Emmy and Golden Globe for best limited series with American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. * RESOURCES & LINKS Tom’s Work:
Follow Tom:
* QUOTES “Be open, and be open to opportunities that might not be on your dream scenario. There is lots of stumbling but you know when you come across something that you have a strong reaction to and if you trust that, that is powerful” “Passion and love for the material always shines through” * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Jan 21, 2023 |
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#042: Laura Kay — Writing Romantic Comedy, Creating Relatable Characters and Queer Visibility in Fiction
00:58:01
Novelist Laura Kay (@lauraelizakay) on her writing journey from journalism to novels, how her writing career was launched from Penguin WriteNow programme, queer visibility in fiction, writing sex scenes and how Laura writes and edits her romantic comedies. Laura also talks about tackling writer’s block with an ‘ideas walk’, the reality of forging a career as a full-time writer and her approach to dealing with critics and feedback. * ABOUT LAURA KAY Laura Kay is an author and journalist whose work has appeared in Diva Magazine, The Guardian, Stylist, The Metro, and more. Laura was one of ten writers selected for Penguin’s 2018 WriteNow programme, during which she developed her debut novel, The Split, published by Quercus in 2021. Her second novel, Tell Me Everything is out in paperback now. * RESOURCES: Laura’s books: The Split: Amazon UK/ Amazon USA Tell Me Everything: Amazon UK/ Amazon USA Wild Things (coming in May 2023) * Follow Laura on socials: Twitter: lauraelizakay Instagram: lauraekay Website: laurakayauthor.co.uk * Books and links mentioned in the interview:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Jan 14, 2023 |
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#041: Christy Lefteri - Using Real Stories to Inspire Powerful Fiction
00:57:11
Christy Lefteri, the international-best selling author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo and Songbirds on finding inspiration from real life, how she brings her characters to life, and what it means to her to tell other people’s stories with compassion. We also chat about Christy’s writing, research, and plotting process. * ABOUT CHRISTY LEFTERI Brought up in London, Christy Lefteri is the child of Cypriot refugees. She is a lecturer in creative writing at Brunel University. Her debut novel A Watermelon, a Fish and a Bible is set during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and was which was longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Her second novel The Beekeeper of Aleppo was born out of her time working as a volunteer at a Unicef supported refugee centre in Athens and deals with the flight of refugees from Aleppo in Syria to Europe during the Syrian Civil War. It was selected as a Richard and Judy Book Club Choice and has sold over 1 million copies. Her latest novel, Songbirds follows the disappearance of a Sri Lankan nanny from her new life in Nicosia. * RESOURCES: For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Jan 07, 2023 |
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#040: Jean Kwok — Overcoming Fear & Rejection & Writing Novels That Move Readers
01:06:43
The award-winning novelist Jean Kwok talks about her writing journey from poverty to becoming a bestselling author, how she drafts and plans her novels, why she uses Writers’ Hour to write her novels, and the importance of conflict in her writing. Also how she has overcome continual rejection throughout her life. * ABOUT JEAN KWOK Jean Kwok is the award-winning, New York Times and international bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee, Girl in Translation and Mambo in Chinatown. An instant New York Times bestseller, Searching for Sylvie Lee was selected for the Today Show Book Club and featured in The New York Times, Time, Newsweek, CNN, The New York Post, The Washington Post and more. Jean has been chosen for numerous honors including the American Library Association Alex Award, and the Sunday Times Short Story Award shortlist. * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Dec 31, 2022 |
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#039: Nikesh Shukla: Breaking Into Publishing, Lessons From Running A Literary Agency & Writing A Memoir
00:51:55
Award-winning writer and the founder of The Good Agency, Nikesh Shukla (@nikeshshukla), on the journey to becoming a writer, running a Literary Agency, crowdfunding The Good Immigrant and the process for writing his memoir. ABOUT NIKESH SHUKLA Nikesh Shukla is a novelist and screenwriter. He is the author of Coconut Unlimited (shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award), Meatspace, and the critically acclaimed The One Who Wrote Destiny. Nikesh is the editor of the bestselling essay collection, The Good Immigrant, which won the reader's choice at the Books Are My Bag Awards. He co-edited The Good Immigrant USA with Chimene Suleyman. He is also the author of two YA novels, Run, Riot (shortlisted for a National Book Award) and The Boxer (longlisted for the Carnegie Medal). Nikesh was one of Time Magazine’s cultural leaders, Foreign Policy magazine's 100 Global Thinkers and The Bookseller's 100 most influential people in publishing in 2016 and in 2017. He is the co-founder of the literary journal, The Good Journal and The Good Literary Agency. Nikesh is a fellow of the Royal Society Of Literature and a member of the Folio Academy. Nikesh’s new book, Brown Baby: A Memoir Of Race, Family And Home was released on Bluebird in February 2021. He is also the host of the Brown Baby Podcast. * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Dec 17, 2022 |
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#038: Derek Sivers - Focus, Ambition, Writing Clearly & How to Live
01:18:43
Entrepreneur, publisher and writer Derek Sivers (@sivers) on giving away $22 million, breaking rules, why “If it’s not a hell yeah, it’s a no.” Plus how to stay focused, why he sells directly to his readers and what it means to live a good life. * ABOUT DEREK SIVERS Originally a professional musician, Derek created CD Baby in 1998. It became the largest seller of independent music online with $100 million in sales for 150,000-plus musicians. Derek Sivers is the author of four non-fiction books, as well as a musician, entrepreneur, and publisher. His latest book is How to Live: 27 conflicting answers and one weird conclusion * RESOURCES:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Dec 10, 2022 |
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#037: Daniel Paisner - Secrets from the 'World's Most Prolific Ghostwriter', Working With Serena Williams, How To Unearth The True Story
01:04:54
New York Times Bestselling author and ghostwriter Daniel Paisner on how he landed his first ghostwriting job, how the ghostwriting process works, working with celebrities like Serena Williams and Whoopi Goldberg and what it takes to unearth the real story of a person’s life. Also, how his ghostwriting work helps him with his own creative work including his latest book Balloon Dog. * ABOUT DANIEL PAISNER Daniel Paisner is a journalist, author, and podcaster. He is the winner of two NAACP Image Awards for his work with Shark Tank panellist and serial entrepreneur Daymond John. His novel A Single Happened Thing was named an Indies Finalist for Best Book of the Year by the editors of Foreword Reviews. Paisner hosts As Told To, a podcast that features interviews with fellow authors about their ghostwriting experiences. His most recent novel is Balloon Dog, published by Koehler Books. * LINKS: Twitter: @DanielPasiner. Website: danielpaisner.com * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free silent writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Dec 04, 2022 |
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#036: Pragya Agarwal — From Academic Writing to Big Idea Nonfiction & Tackling Complex Ideas
00:50:18
In this episode we talk with Professor Prayga Agarwal about her writing journey from academia to commercial non-fiction, how to tackle difficult and complex subjects, and what it takes to research, write and publish 'big idea' non-fiction books. We also discuss overcoming procrastination, writing within small pockets of time, her writing and research process and how she brings together the hard research alongside the personal narrative. * ABOUT PRAGYA AGARWAL Pragya Agarwal is a behaviour and data scientist and Visiting Professor of Social Inequities and Injustice at Loughborough University in the UK. She is the founder of a research think-tank The 50 Percent Project investigating women’s status and rights around the world. Pragya is the award-winning author of (M)otherhood: On the choices of being a woman, SWAY: Unravelling Unconscious Bias and Wish we knew what to say: Talking with children about race, and a book for children Standing up to Racism. RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Nov 26, 2022 |
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#035: Soman Chainani — Writing Dark Tales For Children, Navigating Hollywood & Balancing Creative Work With Discipline
00:55:19
In this episode we speak to bestselling children’s author Soman Chainani about working in the film industry, overcoming failure and rejection, working as a tutor to make ends meet and how he wrote and pitched his first book series 'The School For Good And Evil' that sold 3 million copies and is now a Netflix film. Plus how he balances deep creative work with life and the power of myth and fairytale. Plus why you should never believe anything anyone tells you in Hollywood. * ABOUT SOMAN CHAINANI Soman Chainani’s debut series, The School for Good and Evil, has sold more than 3 million copies, been translated into 30 languages across 6 continents, and is a Netflix film starring Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington. He has made films that have played all over the world, and his writing awards include honors from Big Bear Lake, the CAPE Foundation, and the Sun Valley Writers’ Fellowship. His latest book, Beasts & Beauty: Dangerous Tales, Soman reimagines old stories into fresh fairy tales for a new era. * RESOURCES: * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Nov 19, 2022 |
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#034: Bonnie MacBird — Sherlock Holmes, Crime Fiction, Lessons from Hollywood & NaNoWriMo
01:06:15
In this interview we speak with Bonnie MacBird, a screenwriter and author (@macbird), about writing Sherlock Holmes mystery novels, lessons from Hollywood and screenwriting, how Bonnie’s Sherlock Holmes novels came from a personal NaNoWriMo, and why Sherlock Holmes has stood test of time. * ABOUT BONNIE MACBIRD Bonnie MacBird is an American writer, actress, and producer. She is the writer of the original screenplay for the film Tron. Her Sherlock Holmes series (HarperCollins) written in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle and featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, has been released in 17 languages worldwide to critical acclaim. Her latest Holmes Adventure is a Christmas novella, What Child is This? with illustrations by Marvel Artist FRANK CHO. * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Nov 12, 2022 |
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#033: Joanna Penn — The Indie Writer Path, Web 3.0 & AI-Assisted Creativity
01:07:13
In this interview we speak with bestselling independent author Joanna Penn (@thecreativepenn) about what it means to be an indie writer today, the mindset needed to live a creative life, and what writers need to know about Web 3.0 and the bleeding edge of publishing. We discuss contracts and what all authors should look out for, and how we can utilise AI tools to help us with our creative projects. * ABOUT JOANNA PENN Joanna Penn is an award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling thriller author as J.F. Penn, as well as writing non-fiction for authors. She has sold nearly a million books across 169 countries and 5 languages. Her podcast, The Creative Penn, has been downloaded over 5.6 million times in 220 countries. * RESOURCES: Tools mentioned
Links to Joanna's work:
Other books mentioned
Communities Jo recommends: Other Links
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Nov 05, 2022 |
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#032: David Whyte — Poetic Imagination & The Way of the Poet
01:05:57
Internationally renowned poet David Whyte (@whytedw) on his life and craft as a poet, writer, and speaker. We explore poetic imagination, how we might use poetry as a tool to engage more deeply with the world and balancing soul vs survival work. David reads his poems: Blessing of the Morning Light, Song for the Salmon, Your Prayer and Start Close in. * ABOUT DAVID WHYTE David Whyte is an internationally renowned poet, author, and speaker. His books include The Heart Aroused: Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America, Consolations: The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words, and The Bell and the Blackbird. His latest collections are David Whyte: Essentials and Still Possible. * RESOURCES: David on Instagram: @davidjwhyte David on Twitter: @whytedw All of David's books including Consolations, Three Marriages and Still Possible David's Online Sunday Series David's Walking Tours * QUOTES: “One of the reasons poetry is so difficult is because we’re under the delusion that we’re going to find the part of us that’s going to know what to say. But actually, you’re going to find the part of you that doesn’t know what to say. That’s the part of you that will write the poetry, because you’re paying attention in a deeper way through not speaking and not knowing.” "We write because we want to be deeper friends with the world." * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Oct 29, 2022 |
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#031: Beth Kempton — Becoming a Fearless Writer & Writing Bestselling Non-Fiction
01:16:25
In this episode we speak to Bestselling author Beth Kempton (@bethkempton) about her journey into writing, from her first published book Freedom Seeker to her latest The Way of the Fearless Writer, her process for writing and pitching her bestselling non-fiction books, and her philosophy for leading a fearless and authentic writing life. Beth shares with us why we can't think our way into writing a good book, how she learned to let go and let her writing flow and why she balances her work seasonally. * ABOUT BETH KEMPTON Beth Kempton is a bestselling author whose books include The Way of the Fearless Writer The Way of the Fearless Writer, Wabi Sabi / Freedom Seeker. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages. Beth has a Master’s degree in Japanese and teaches and writes about doing what you love and living well. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Devon, England. * RESOURCES: Beth on Instagram: @bethkempton Beth's The Fearless Writer Podcast: bethkempton.com/podcast Beth's Books: The Way of the Fearless Writer / We Are in This Together / Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year / Wabi Sabi / Freedom Seeker The River sung by Danni Nicholls (co-written by Danni Nicholls and Beth Kempton) iTunes / Spotify / Youtube Make Art That Sells: https://makeartthatsells.com/ Make It In Design: https://makeitindesign.com/ How to Land a Non-Fiction Book Deal w/ Beth Kempton Beth's Courses: dowhatyouloveforlife.com * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Oct 22, 2022 |
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#030: Harriet Minter — Manage Your Time & Regain Control Of Your Creative Career
00:57:12
How can we escape the trap of overworking and spend more time on our creative work? In this interview with Harriet Minter – journalist, coach, and author of WFH (Working From Home): How to build a career you love when you’re not in the office – we chat about the practicalities of setting daily and monthly goals, structuring your day while working from home, navigating our writing careers and our creative ambitions, pricing our work and balancing soul work with survival work. * ABOUT HARRIET MINTER Harriet Minter is a journalist, author and flexible work specialist. She writes the only weekly newsletter guaranteed to get you promoted and is the author of WFH (Working From Home): How to build a career you love when you’re not in the office. * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show!
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Oct 15, 2022 |
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#029: Stacey Halls — Writing Historical Fiction & Building A Life Around Your Writing
00:52:06
In this episode we talk with Sunday Time bestselling author Stacey Halls (@stacey_halls) - author of Mrs England, The Foundling and The Familiars on how she approaches her first draft, how she tricks herself to write 2000 words a day, her planning, plotting, and researching process, and what it takes to build a life around your writing. * ABOUT STACEY HALLS Stacey has worked as a journalist at The Bookseller and Fabulous magazine, and has written for publications including Stylist, Psychologies and The Independent. Her debut novel The Familiars, immediately charted on The Sunday Times bestseller list and remained there for eleven weeks. Her second novel, The Foundling, was also a Sunday Times Bestseller. Mrs England is her third book. She’s been called 'next Hilary Mantel'. * QUOTES BY STACEY HALLS: “Persistence and regrouping after a failure is just as necessary as it is after a success. If you want to be a writer, you have to continually pursue ideas and in most cases write whole manuscripts with no idea of how it's gonna be perceived. You still have to find a new idea and write a new book. So it's in your interest to, I think, move on from every book that you finish writing, whether that has been a failure or a success.” * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon If you’re enjoying this show, please rate and review this show! |
Oct 08, 2022 |
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#028: Nir Eyal — How to Build An 'Indistractible' Writing Life
01:05:36
In this episode we talk with bestselling author and behavioral design expert, Nir Eyal @nirandfar on what it means to be ‘Indistractible’, and how we as writers can master our internal and external triggers, make time for our writing, and build more productive, successful, and creative writing lives. Nir also shares how he built his audience and his email list, why he crowd-edited his book with over 500 readers, and how he stays engaged with his readership. * ABOUT NIR EYAL Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. * QUOTES BY NIR EYAL: “All human behaviors are prompted by a desire to escape discomfort, which means that time management is pain management…Money management is pain management. Weight management is pain management. Fundamentally, if you don't figure out what are those internal triggers that spur you to escape? If you don't figure out what those are and learn to deal with it, if you don't master them, they will become your masters” * RESOURCES:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Oct 01, 2022 |
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#027: Hamish McKenzie — The Future of Newsletters, Writing About Elon Musk & How to Make It on Substack
00:40:10
In this episode we go behind the scenes with writer and Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie (@hamishmckenzie) to explore his journey from journalism to working at Tesla, writing a book about Elon Musk, and his motivation for creating Substack, a newsletter platform that allows independent writers to publish directly to their audience and if they choose to, monetize their writing. We discuss what commonalities he sees with the more successful writers on the platform, why he's excited about new writers that will emerge in the coming years and his take on the future of publishing and newsletters. * ABOUT HAMISH MCKENZIE Hamish McKenzie is the co-founder of subscription publishing start-up Substack and author of Insane Mode: How Elon Musk’s Tesla Sparked an Electric Revolution to End the Age of Oil. In recent years, he has been the lead writer for Tesla, an advisor to Kik, a tech reporter, and a freelance journalist covering everything from the World Beard and Moustache Championships to the world’s most comprehensive face transplant. Hamish is a New Zealander who lives in San Francisco. * RESOURCES: Connect with Hamish: Twitter:@hamishmckenzie Website: Hamish's Substack Other resources mentioned in the interview:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Sep 27, 2022 |
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#026: Julia Cameron — Writing With Intuition, Overcoming Perfectionism & Pursuing The Artist’s Way
00:51:22
In this episode we talk with Julia Cameron (@j_cameronlive), creative teacher and the author of over forty books including The Artist’s Way and The Listening Path. We explore Julia’s early career as a journalist, her relationship with sobriety and spirituality, and how she still uses morning pages and artist dates each week to decide what to write next. She explains the importance of Believing Mirrors - people who mirror us back to ourselves as powerful, strong, and in our most positive light. We also talk about essential tools to help you listen to your intuition, learn how to play again and overcome perfectionism. Julia’s Memoir Floor Sample, has been released in the UK. * ABOUT JULIA CAMERON Julia Cameron is the author of forty books, including her bestselling works on the creative process: The Artist’s Way, Seeking Wisdom, The Listening Path, Walking In This World and Finding Water. Her work has been translated into more than forty languages. Also a novelist, playwright, songwriter, and poet, she has multiple credits in theatre, film, and television. Her memoir Floor Sample takes behind the scenes of her extraordinary life and career as a writer and teacher. * QUOTES BY JULIA: “I believe in something called Believing Mirrors. And Believing Mirrors are people who reflect back to us, our possibility, our probability, our strength, our recovery, and I have in my intimate circle, many people who are for me, Believing Mirrors. And so by committing to write a poem week with Nick, I keep my poet alive and I write music on a little teeny keyboard and play it for Emma and Emma writes harmony, and that keeps my musician alive. And I think it's very important that you are committing to your own art and finding people who reinforce that. You're an artist and not just a teacher. And one of the things that I would I teach is that I sometimes sing or I'll read a poem and it's a chance to sort of duck out from behind the teacher and say, actually, I'm an artist.” * RESOURCES: Connect with Julia: Twitter:@j_cameronlive Website: juliacameronlive.com Julia’s Books:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Sep 21, 2022 |
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#025: Will Storr — The Science of Storytelling, Moving Past Rejection & Writing Impactful Non-Fiction
00:54:07
In this episode we speak to the award-winning author, Will Storr (@wstorr) about The Science of Storytelling, from his research process to planning and writing his first draft, why he thinks “writing is mostly about rejection” and why ultimately critics' feedback doesn’t matter to him. We also delve into his signature “Sacred Flaw” technique, which will help you truly understand your character (if fiction), or yourself if you’re writing a memoir. * ABOUT WILL STORR Will Storr is an award-winning writer. He’s the author of five critically acclaimed books: The Status Game (Sept 2021), The Science of Storytelling, The Selfie, The Heretics and The Hunger and The Howling of Killian Lone. His journalism has appeared in titles such as The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Yorker and The New York Times. His prizes include a National Press Club award for excellence and the AFM award for Best Investigative Journalism. He’s an in-demand ghostwriter whose books have spent months at the top of The Sunday Times bestseller chart. * QUOTES BY WILL: "There was a study in the 1950s of a small island in Micronesia which ran this status game of yams and whoever brought the biggest yam to the feast was declared number one. The yam growers would grow in secret plots on the island and cover them with overgrow. I always think about the yams because this book is it's a yam is what it is and all the things that we're trying to do, it's just a big, bloody yam. That's all it is. And it can feel really important. And if I get a shitty review this week from The Guardian, it's just somebody mocking a yam. It sounds contradictory because on the one hand saying status is really important and it is really important. We need it. But I do think it's really useful to remind ourselves that it's just symbols that we're chasing. And we are kind of drugged into thinking that it is of immense importance that this critic likes my book, but it isn't. No one else really cares. It's just a yam."
RESOURCES: Connect with Will Twitter:@wstorr Website: willstorr.com Will’s Books: * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Sep 13, 2022 |
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#24: Steph Smith - Beyond Blogging: Self-Publishing, Creating Content & Selling with Heart
01:05:49
Steph has used her blog (stephsmith.io) to explore everything she's interested in – from learning to write with confidence to Antifragility at work to her favourite destinations as a digital nomad. She also publicly tracks the books she's reading, her personal goals and monthly income. It's also where she launches side projects like Make Yourself Great Again and Eunoia (words that don't translate). We talk to Steph about launching side projects quickly, how she evolved her blog (400k readers) into a book, self-publishing her book on Gumroad and making $40k in the first week and why she’s experimenting with pricing and how she sells with heart. * ABOUT STEPH SMITH Steph Smith is a growth marketer, writer, and indie maker. Steph left consulting and a 2+ hour commute to redesign her life. Since then she's set up a blog read by 400k+ readers, wrote a book, Doing Content Right, that sold $40k and over 1500 copies within a few weeks of launch. She learned to code with a $20 course, and created products like Make Yourself Great Again that hit #1 on Product Hunt, and led to a nomination for Maker of the Year. She also works for the Hustle (you may know them for running one of the largest newsletters in the world), leading Trends. * RESOURCES AND LINKS: For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * Follow Steph online: Twitter: @stephsmithio Steph’s Book: Doing Content Right, Steph’s Side Projects: Make Yourself Great Again , Eunoia, Make Yourself Great Again * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Sep 03, 2022 |
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#023: Rebecca Schiller — The Art Of Writing A Memoir, Writing Truthfully and Dealing With Neurodivergence
00:57:45
In this episode we speak to journalist, author and writing coach Rebecca Schiller. In 2017, Rebecca moved her family to a countryside smallholding for a life of sowing and growing. But the reality of managing a smallholding led to a mental health crisis and it was her work on the land that helped to save her. She writes about this in her memoir, Earthed. We talk to Rebecca about the craft of writing, the art of writing a memoir, writing truthfully about family and mental health, her ADHD diagnosis and writing practices that have helped her deal with her neurodivergence. * ABOUT REBECCA SCHILLER Rebecca Schiller is the author of several books including Earthed, Your No-Guilt Pregnancy Plan and Why Human Rights in Childbirth Matter. Rebecca is also writing coach, and is the founder of the Mothers Who Write community and retreats: restorative, supportive and creative writing retreats for writers-who-happen-to-be-mothers. * QUOTES BY REBECCA: “There's a beauty in being vulnerable and not covering the things that we are taught to cover.” * RESOURCES: Connect with Rebecca Twitter: @schillerrrrr Instagram: @rebecca.schiller Website: rebeccaschiller.co.uk For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS MIxed by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Aug 27, 2022 |
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#022: Kat Falls: How to Brainstorm Like a Screenwriter, Writing YA and Creating Complex Fantasy Worlds
00:56:31
Award-winning Young Adult writer and screenwriting tutor Kat Falls on how to brainstorm your story using techniques from screenwriters, why it’s important to make your character feel uncomfortable, how to easily generate an outline for your story and what it takes to create complex complex fantasy and sci-fi worlds. * ABOUT KAT FALLS Award-winning novelist Kat Falls writes fast-paced science fiction for middle schoolers and young adults. Her Dark Life series has been translated into 18 languages and is in development for a film at Disney. In addition to her work as an author, Fall is an adjunct professor at Northwestern University in the Writing for the Screen and Stage MFA program. * RESOURCES AND LINKS: For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW KAT ONLINE Kat’s Website Kat’s YA Books: Dark Life Series * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Mixed by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Aug 20, 2022 |
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#021: Yancey Strickler — Overcoming Creative Anxiety, The Importance Of Sharing Your Ideas With Others, and How To Create A Better Future with Bentoism
00:56:29
In this episode we speak with writer and co-founder of Kickstarter, Yancey Stricker, about his origins as a writer, tools he’s used to overcome creative anxiety, why it's important to share your ideas early and how he wrote his book: This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World. He explains why the Bento model - rethinking short-term interest - can create a better future for us all. * SHOWNOTES
* ABOUT YANCEY Yancey Strickler is the founder of The Bento Society, the cofounder of Kickstarter, and the cofounder of the artist resource The Creative Independent. His book This Could Be Our Future: A Manifesto for a More Generous World, explores a vision for building a society that looks beyond money and toward maximizing the values that make life worth living. * QUOTES FROM YANCEY: “Holding ideas is bad. You have got to, you know, even if it's just a close friend, you gotta let ideas feel the oxygen. You have got to try to talk them through” * RESOURCES Connect with Yancey: Twitter: @ystrickler Instagram: @ystrickler Other links:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon |
Aug 14, 2022 |
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#020: Katherine May — Writing Memoirs, Wintering, and Embracing Every Season of a Creative Life
00:48:01
Every journey in life, creative or other, has seasons of Winter – difficult periods where the world can seem overwhelming, when our next step is unclear, and where doors close before our eyes. How can we face such fallow periods, learn to rest, and be kinder to ourselves? In this episode, we chat with Katherine May, New York Times bestselling author of Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times’ about writing memoirs, writing through fallow periods, finding our natural rhythm, and how the key to happiness might be found in incremental progress over grand ambitions. * ABOUT KATHERINE MAY Katherine May is a New York Times bestselling author, whose titles include Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times and The Electricity of Every Living Thing, her memoir of being autistic. Her fiction includes The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club. She is also the editor of The Best, Most Awful Job, an anthology of essays about motherhood. * QUOTES FROM KATHERINE: “Suffering is actually quite functional to us as human beings, I think. And in the fullness of time, we look back on the periods we've wintered and see them as sites of transformation. And often you hear people say it was a terrible time, but I wouldn't change it now. And so that's what winter is all about” “I wasn't writing about what I thought I was going to write about. Actually... there was a different story that was trying to creep out from between the lines. And as writers, we have a choice with that kind of thing. Either we resist the story that's trying to come, or we surrender to it in a radical way and let that story out.” * RESOURCES Connect with Katherine: Twitter: @_katherine_may_ Instagram: @katherinemay_ Katherine May’s books:
Other links:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Aug 06, 2022 |
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#019: Emma Reed Turrell — Turn Your Expertise Into A Book, Learn To Set Boundaries & Stop "People Pleasing" In Your Writing
00:52:29
In this episode we talk with Psychotherapist and podcaster Emma Reed Turrell on developing her writing practice alongside her day job, launching a book around her expertise, and how she wrote without expectation - in fact it was more important that she meant what she said than it was to get published. Emma also talks about how we can stop "people pleasing" in our writing. * ABOUT EMMA REED TURRELL Emma Reed Turrell is a Clinical Supervisor, therapist and podcaster (Best Friend Therapist which she hosts with Elizabeth Day). In her practice she works with people pleasers every day. Her book Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live, Emma offers insights and techniques that will help you understand yourself more fully and live more authentically. * QUOTES FROM EMMA: “If your reader was already on your side and already bought into everything you had to say, what would you say next?” “People cannot respect your boundaries if you don't set any. And resentment is a fantastic symptom for you to spot because resentment is the felt symptom of unfelt anger. So if you start to notice that you're resenting people, you might want to reinstate a boundary with the person you resent. So the first thing to do is be really honest with yourself. Have you set any boundaries before you wonder whether anyone's crossed them?” RESOURCES Connect with Emma: Twitter: @etcounselling Instagram: @emmareedturrell Emma's Website: emmareedturrell.com Emma’s book: Please Yourself: How to Stop People-Pleasing and Transform the Way You Live. * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jul 30, 2022 |
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#018: Ruta Septys — How to Write Gripping Historical Fiction, The Importance of Melody And Rhythm & Giving Voice to Underrepresented History.
00:55:51
In this episode we talk with the Carnegie winner and #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction, Ruta Sepetys, about the joy of writing historical fiction, building believable characters, the research process, how she finds objects from history to have by her side as she’s writing and why she writes her first draft like the world’s on fire. Plus, the importance of melody and rhythm in writing, the power of collaboration and dealing with critics. * ABOUT RUTA SEPETYS Ruta Sepetys (Rūta Šepetys) is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical fiction published in over sixty countries and forty languages. Sepetys is considered a “crossover” novelist as her books are read by both students and adults worldwide. Winner of the Carnegie Medal, Ruta is renowned for giving voice to underrepresented history and those who experienced it. Her books have won or been shortlisted for over forty book prizes, are included on over thirty state reading lists, and are currently in development for film and television. * QUOTES FROM RUTA: “Tonight you might hear a song that you haven't heard in five years and you can sing every word to that song, every word. And that's because melody and rhythm make things memorable and powerful. Melody and rhythm are often overlooked and writers I want you to read your work aloud, listening for rhythm and flow” RESOURCES Connect with Ruta: Twitter: @RutaSepetys Instagram: @rutasepetysauthor Ruta's Website - Ruta’s Website * LINKS FROM THE SHOW Books by Ruta Sepetys: * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jul 23, 2022 |
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#017: Natalie Lue — Reclaim Control of Your Emotional & Creative Life & Choose Your Own Publishing Path
01:01:11
How can you reclaim your creative and emotional life? How can you create content that impacts your audience deeply? We talk to the influential blogger, Natalie Lue, about how she launched and grew her blog, Baggage Reclaim, and how she created a profitable business around her writing. We dive into her success in both self-publishing and traditional publishing, and what it feels like to be an outsider in the publishing industry. We also talk about how to deal with the inner critic, reclaim our emotional lives and learn to say ‘no’. * ABOUT NATALIE LUE Natalie is the author of the hugely popular relationship and self-esteem blog, Baggage Reclaim where for over a decade, she’s shared the journey of her transition from toxic relationships to love, care, trust and respect. Her podcast The Baggage Reclaim Sessions have been downloaded over 2 million times. Natalie has sold hundreds of thousands of copies of her books including including Mr Unavailable & The Fallback Girl, and How to Self-Sooth Quick Guide. * SHOW NOTES: [02:03] Finding inspiration and setting boundaries with social media. [04:05] How her mother's advice that she should learn to love herself, led to the start of her blog. [07:03] The story behind Baggage Reclaim and what her early posts looked like [12:35] What's kept her writing consistently over the years [17:42] How she approaches her blogging today versus 18 years ago [19:10] Coming up with new ideas and topics for her blog [20:20] Natalie explains what “future faking” is [21:43] How she decides what to focus on and how Seth Godin’s advice: ‘what is the change you're seeking to make?” helped [23:11] Dealing with imposter syndrome and self-doubt [28:56] Trusting our intuition and how to be more intuitive with creative work [35:04] Allocating time across different projects and mediums [36:44] How her income is distributed [38:17] Why she ventured into self-publishing [41:18] Managing her publishing team, and why she recommends hiring help [43:06] Tips on how to promote and market your own book [46:06] Why Natalie’s upcoming book will be published traditionally [51:04] A difficult experience with an agent and how she bounced back [54:56] The importance of saying no * QUOTES FROM NATALIE: “If you can quiet the negative voices down, what do you hear? Because I think that your creativity will show itself. Your intuition, your ideas will show what's out there.” “So I've realized that no, no is just the inverse of yes. So when you say no to certain things, then you're gonna be saying yes to something else. No can release you from stuff that you don't even know that you need to be released from. I've realized that no can actually be the, really the greatest gifts of your life, that those nos, that kind of wounded you in the past.” * RESOURCES Connect with Natalie Lue: Twitter: @baggagereclaim Instagram: @natlue Baggage Reclaim - Natalie’s blog Baggage Reclaim Sessions - Natalie’s podcast Books by Natalie Lue:
Other books mentioned:
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jul 16, 2022 |
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#016: Marti Leimbach — The Art of Writing a Novel
00:49:47
NY Times Bestselling Author and Oxford University Creative Writing Tutor, Marti Leimbach, on the art and craft of writing and plotting a novel. She shares her journey across two decades within publishing from being on a film set with Julia Roberts to dealing with family loss, and writing about difficult subjects. Also lessons learned including how writing a draft is like being in a ‘sandbox’, what it takes to finish and move beyond the first draft, and why some of the best works of art are great because of their imperfection. * ABOUT MARTI LEIMBACH Marti Leimbach is known for her bestsellers Dying Young which was made into a film starring Julia Roberts, and Daniel Isn’t Talking. Her interest in science influenced her eighth novel, a YA thriller, Dragonfly Girl. She teaches on the Masters Programme in Creative Writing at the University of Oxford. * QUOTES FROM MARTI: “Novels are never perfect. And some of the best work of art works of art, whether it's novels or screenplay or paintings or whatever else are very imperfect, actually, if you analyze them, that's what made them a great work of art. And Picasso has something to say about that. In fact, he said that the really original work, the important work never looks as good as its imitators. And the reason is that there's something in that first thrust of creativity that is ugly and raw, and the people who imitate you come after you.” * RESOURCES Connect with Marti: Twitter: @MartiLeimbach Instagram: @Marti Leimbach Marti’s website * Books mentioned in the show: Daniel Isn’t Talking by Marti Leimbach Dragonfly Girl by Marti Leimbach Save the Cat by Blake Snyder The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne Bird by Bird by Ann Lamott People mentioned in the show: Connor O’Brien - Comedian Julia Roberts - Actress Joel Schumacher - Director Leonard Cohen - Songwriter * For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jul 09, 2022 |
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#015: Nish Panchal — How to Build a Writing Career in TV & Film
00:50:28
How can a writer start and grow their career in TV? What does it take to work your way into a Writer’s Room for a hit TV series? What happens behind the scenes of deals between producers and media giants like Netflix, BBC, and Amazon Prime? In this interview, held during lockdown, we talk with TV and film agent Nish Panchal (Curtis Brown) about his role as an agent, the main players in the TV industry and how budding writers can make connections and forge a career as a screenwriter. * ABOUT NISH PANCHAL Nish Panchal is an agent at Curtis Brown, working closely with Sam Greenwood. Their mission is to find unique filmmaking talent that they’re passionate about and enable them to build careers in the UK film and television industry, and beyond. They work with book agents from Conville & Walsh. * SHOW NOTES: [02:35] Desert Island Disks - the TV show Nish would take on a desert island [5:29] The influences and people that led Nish to pursue a career in film and TV [08:01] Nish’s journey to getting a job in Curtis Brown [15:18] His role as an agent and how he helps writers [19:06] Understanding the market and what production companies are looking for [20:21] An overview of the main players in the TV industry [24:10] How he helps a writer move from an idea to a commercial project [27:27] How might writers get representation? What emails have caught his eye recently? [31:10] The importance of a good spec script [33:06] Recent trends in the industry [36:47] How books get turned into TV deals [38:36] How TV writers get paid from treatment to script fees [42:32] The process of getting a deal with the BBC versus Netflix [44:36] Can writers make a full-time living from writing for TV? [47:04] What motivates Nish as an agent? * QUOTES FROM NISH: “People ask - what do I send through? I think just one good spec script is, is really what we need…If you're an aspiring television writer, um, you know, having a strong spec, pilot that can demonstrate that you can tell a story in 60 pages, set up a character and throw something interesting at them and set up a world. And then also at the end of it, ask enough questions for us to make us to make me think, oh, this is a great world. I'd love to know what happens next. Those things are quite really hard to do.” * RESOURCES Connect with Nish Panchal: Twitter: @Nish_Panchal * Links from the show: TV shows:
Books:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jul 02, 2022 |
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#014: Cathy Newman — Juggling Creative Projects, Writing News Stories and The Power of Creative Collaboration
00:49:13
Why are creative partnerships so powerful? How can we work on multiple creative projects at one time? In this interview, we talk to the award-winning investigative journalist and Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman, we discuss her non-fiction book It Takes Two: A History of the Couples Who Dared to Be Different which is all about the power of collaboration. We deconstruct how she writes news stories, books, and her research process. We also explore the idea of creative partnerships from Beyonce and JayZ to Clement Attlee and Winston Churchill, how these partnerships are like a ‘dance’ and how we might spot our own creative collaborator. * ABOUT CATHY NEWMAN Cathy Newman is an award-winning investigative journalist and Channel 4 News’ first female main presenter. Cathy is also the author of Bloody Brilliant Women: Pioneers, Revolutionaries & Geniuses Your History Teacher Forgot to Mention, and her latest book, It Takes Two: A History of the Couples Who Dared to Be Different. * SHOW NOTES: [03:41] Cathy’s love for music, and why she shifted from music to writing [05:15] Playing in The Commons, and about her music group, The Statutory Instruments [07:40] Transitioning from writing journalistic articles to writing for TV [10:10] Some examples of what Cathy’s writing process for TV looks like [14:19] How she stays on top of things, including the tools she uses [16:18] The inspiration behind her book It Takes Two [19:19] The themes that unify the power collaborators, including competitiveness, muses, and the idea of the power couple [22:34] The pas de deux and the concept of balance in relationships [26:20] The partnerships and collaborations that have helped Cathy with her career [30:18] How to find and form creative partnerships [33:39] The writing and research process for her book [43:24] Self-doubt and responding to positive and negative reception [45:40] The power of reading and how it’s helped Cathy in difficult times * QUOTES FROM CATHY: “I was fascinated by the idea that a coupledom is a dance and whether that's a work relationship, a romantic relationship, and as part of the research, I read, um, a German sociologist called Georg Simmel, who talked about this concept of dyads and why this relationship of two is so crucial. And here's what I felt was quite revolutionary, was that he was talking about the need for balance and a horizontal type approach to any relationship…you've got to be finely tuned and balanced for the dance to work.” * RESOURCES Connect with Cathy Newman: Twitter: @cathynewman Instagram: @cathynewmanc4 Links from the show: A dilemma for Nick Clegg as Lord Rennard apologises Manhunt: Closing in on a British Paedophile Ukraine conflict: Military actions unfortunately connected to human loss, says Sergei Lavrov ‘You’re being emotional’: What happened when I asked Sergei Lavrov about the blood on his hands It Takes Two: A History of the Couples Who Dared to Be Different by Cathy Newman The Statutory Instruments - UK Parliamentary String Quartet Georg Simmel - A German sociologist, philosopher, and critic. Serial podcast For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon CREDITS: Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jun 25, 2022 |
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#013: Selina Lim — Writing Authentic Dialogue for TV, Writing about Sex, Love & Drama, and A Peek Into a Writers’ Room
00:39:51
In this episode, Selina Lim, BAFTA-nominated screenwriter (Sex Education, Hanna) shares her screenwriting journey from her first BBC script to earning a BAFTA nomination, and how she broke into the industry as an outsider. Selina also gives us a peek at the inner workings of a writers’ room on hit TV shows - including the roles, exercises they use, and how writers collaborate inside it. We deconstruct what it takes to write a great scene, including sex scenes, what it means to write authentic dialogue and the importance of knowing our characters. * ABOUT SELINA LIM Selina is a BAFTA and BIFA nominated screenwriter currently writing on series 3 of Sex Education (Eleven/Netflix) and season 3 of Hanna (Amazon/NBC) and has previously written for Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures/Channel 4) and was in the writers’ room for The Night Manager Series 2 (The Ink Factory/AMC). * SHOW NOTES [02:42] Selina talks about how she became one of the Sex Education writers and her experience of being in an online writers' room [07:22] How she started as a screenwriter [13:24] The dynamics in a writers' room [17:01] How to understand a character's role in your story and why it’s important to know your characters really well [19:45] How a writers’ room function, how writers ideate and collaborate [22:14] Writing a scene and knowing the bigger picture [27:08] Creating a scene's structure, why she believes you should "write drunk, edit sober", and showing instead of telling [29:32] On writing sex scenes [32:14] What makes good and authentic dialogue? [33:34] Selina shares what helps her understand her character more [36:04] Dealing with self-doubt * QUOTES FROM SELINA LIM “What is the work that the scene is doing? Why is it there? You have to ask so you know what emotional beat you are hitting.” * RESOURCES: Connect with Selina Lim: Website: selinalim.co.uk Twitter: https://twitter.com/muppet0013 Instagram: instagram.com/selinalim888 Links from the show: Instagram picture we mention at the start of the show TV Shows mentioned: Others
* For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com
FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon* Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon |
Jun 18, 2022 |
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#011: The One With Matt & Parul — Why We Created This Podcast
00:20:59
We have published 10 episodes and we realised that we had never really introduced ourselves… So, we’re going to talk a little about where we’ve come from and why the London Writers’ Salon exists and what this podcast means to us. We’re going to do this by interviewing each other! * ABOUT MATT AND PARUL Matt Trinetti and Parul Bavishi are the co-founders of the London Writers' Salon (@WritersSalon) and the creators of the Webby-nominated Writers' Hour where they write with hundreds of writers every week day. The Salon began as an in-person monthly interview series in central London and has since evolved to become a global community. In addition to the daily Writers' Hours, they host weekly interviews with writers and run workshops to help writers get published. They have partnered with organisations like Soho House, Allbright and Women's Prize for Fiction. Matt Trinetti is a writer, publisher, TEDx speaker, and facilitator. In addition to running LWS, Matt designs programs to help unfulfilled professionals pursue creative work, start businesses, and reinvent their careers. Matt's work has appeared in Quartz, Observer, Creative Mornings, and on his blog GiveLiveExplore. Parul Bavishi has been an editor for over a decade. In addition to running LWS she helps thriller, YA and non-fiction writers level up their craft and get published. She previously worked as an editor and literary scout at Quercus and Random House. * RESOURCES AND LINKS: For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jun 11, 2022 |
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#012: Anthony Anaxagorou — Push Past Self-Doubt and Think Like a Poet
01:02:23
How does a poet see the world? How can we move past self doubt and keep writing after rejection? In this episode we talk to Anthony Anaxagorou about how his journaling practice helps him generate ideas for his work, what his editing process looks like, and why he might spend eight or nine hours working on a single poem. Anthony is candid about his experience of failure and rejection, shares why we should be wary of the temptations of ‘prize culture’ (always seeking validation through the next prize), and why it’s crucial to develop our own internal value system to sustain ourselves and our writing. He even reads us some of his poetry! * ABOUT ANTHONY ANAXAGOROU Anthony Anaxagorou is a British-born Cypriot poet, fiction writer, essayist, publisher and poetry educator. His second collection After the Formalities was shortlisted for the 2019 T.S Eliot Prize. He was awarded the 2019 H-100 Award for writing and publishing, and the 2015 Groucho Maverick Award for his poetry and fiction. He’s the founder of one of London's leading poetry nights, Out-Spoken, and the independent publisher Out-Spoken Press. * SHOW NOTES [03:22] The experience of writing a book during the pandemic [04:41] Anthony talks about his uncle and how he influenced him as a writer [08:07] On failures and why it's important to ask yourself searching questions and see rejection as part of your job [11:48] What is prize culture and why does Anthony think it's dangerous? [14:06] Measuring success and creating your own value system [15:04] Anthony reads his poem, "Uber" [18:31] On being dissatisfied with his own work [21:53] On why he carrys a notebook with him all the time, and a writing habit he got from Lydia Davis [22:34] Anthony’s morning writing exercise [24:15] Anthony talks about his writing process, including 7-8 hours of focusing on one poem [27:43] How do you stop feeling intimidated by the academic side of poetry? [31:32] Anthony reflects on what "pushing your writing as far as it can go" means to him [34:32] Anthony shares the exercises he gives to his students to help them in writing a poem [36:38] What is the loaf of bread analogy, and why is playing with timelines when you write essential? [37:40] Resolving the poem and the idea of leaving the reader with questions [39:15] How do you know when a poem is done? [43:33] On being in conversation with the reader and why the writer is only half the conversation [46:13] Anthony shares how he started his London-based Out-Spoken open mic nights [49:44] Anthony reads his poem, "After the Formalities" * QUOTES BY ANTHONY: “The more you read, the more you get a sense for how poems work. And it's literally just from reading and you get a sense of where things end and where is an interesting place to end. If you think along the lines of—if you think the word interesting as opposed to kind of definitive. Then it kind of—it swaps. I just want to be interesting on the page. I don't want to be correct. I don't want to be certain. I want to be interesting.” * RESOURCES: Connect with Anthony: Twitter: @Anthony1983 Facebook: anthonyanax Website: anthonyanaxagorou.com * Links from the show: After the Formalities by Anthony Anaxagorou How To Write It by Anthony Anaxagorou Suppose a Sentence by Brian Dillon Uber by Anthony Anaxagorou After the Formalities by Anthony Anaxagorou * Authors/Poets mentioned:
For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Jun 11, 2022 |
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#010: Casper ter Kuile — Writing Rituals, Digital Sabbaths & Finding Meaning in Everyday Moments
00:47:38
During times of enormous change, how can you harness the power of ritual to create stability and creativity? How can ordinary practices, such as writing, help us find meaning and cultivate deeper spiritual lives? We talk to author Casper Ter Kuile (The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities Into Soulful Practices) about the difference between habit and ritual and how to turn habits into meaningful rituals. We explore Casper’s journey in publishing, how he moved past the first draft and his practices for overcoming the pitfalls of comparison. * Casper ter Kuile is the author of The Power of Ritual: Turning Everyday Activities into Soulful Practices, co-host of the award-winning podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, and co-founder of startup Sacred Design Lab - a research and design consultancy working to create a culture of belonging and becoming. * SHOW NOTES [03:18] Casper talks about his 24-hour tech sabbatical and why rest isn't just about preparing us for the workweek [07:45] Why Casper, an atheist, was drawn to Harvard Divinity School to study and the surprising pull of community, ritual and tradition in the religious community [11:18] How his observation of the growing disaffiliation from religion and the fraying of our connections with each other led him to explore the power of ritual [13:11] The difference between habit and ritual and how to turn habits into meaningful rituals [15:51] Why we should develop our ability to be choiceful [17:23] An observation of connection practices during the pandemic, including the absence of ritual [19:57] Applying the triptych: intention, attention, and repetition to his writing [22:23] Casper talks about moving past a terrible first draft of his book, The Power of Ritual, and how he landed his book deal [27:14] How Casper deals with self-doubt and imposter syndrome, including going on long walks [29:25] Casper shares how he balanced researching and studying while he was writing his first book, also how he deals with the pitfalls of comparison [31:13] Casper shares advice from Seth Godin for when you're having self-doubt [32:43] On how to move away from introspection, and writing not just as something to make you great, but as a gift [35:08] Casper shares how accountability is important in creating practices in new communities [36:14] How to both hold on and let go of a growing community [38:23] Casper shares the origin of his podcast with friends, Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, and the community it built [41:50] What are the things that started and changed as the podcast community grew, and how did it even bring the community closer? [44:44] A parting note - understanding the sufficiency of the gift that you have to give * QUOTES: “Think of writing, not as something that is going to make you great, but as a gift to someone who might need it." * RESOURCES
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
May 28, 2022 |
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#009: Polina Marinova Pompliano — Growing Your Newsletter, Dealing With Self-Doubt and Criticism & the Future of Media
00:46:53
How might we launch our newsletter and build a loyal following for our writing? How can we monetize our newsletter to six figures and beyond? In this episode, we interview Polina Marinova Pompliano who quit her job at Fortune in 2020 to focus on building her weekly Substack newsletter The Profile, where she profiles interesting figures like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York. We talk about tactics for growing a loyal and paying readership, how she develops ideas for her newsletter and the importance of feedback to improve our writing. * Polina Marinova is a former Fortune Magazine editor and writer, and founder of newsletter The Profile where she studies the world's most successful people & companies. She’s written for CNN, CNN Travel, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, Boston Herald, Food & Wine Magazine, Odyssey, The Hustle and more. Polina is part of an emerging trend of writers who are looking ahead to the future of media and content and considering what it might take to start a media company on their own terms. * SHOW NOTES [02:39] Polina shares what gave her the courage to quit her job at The Fortune and dedicate her time to The Profile despite the pandemic and why you only need 100 true fans [06:42] Polina shares how she's become good at time management over the years, and how she stays productive [09:06] The importance of sharing your work with the public and opening yourself up to criticism and feedback as a writer [11:56] How Polina deals with feedback today versus how she dealt with it in the past [13:00] What Polina learned from writing articles and getting feedback, and how she used them to get more readers [15:33] Polina talks about her relationship dynamic with her husband who's also a writer, and how their differences help her get a business perspective for her newsletter [21:07] Polina shares the tools and systems that have helped her to be better at writing [27:42] The challenges Polina encounters in writing newsletters and what keeps her writing [29:15] Polina shares some newsletters that inspired her, including James Clear's blog [30:51] The business side of The Profile: how Polina grew her newsletter, and how she focused on quality content [31:58] Monetizing The Profile, and what made Polina’s readers convert to a paid subscription [34:09] Polina shares some of the ways she earns from The Profile [37:07] Why you don't need a massive following to monetize your work [37:33] Polina talks about her future goal of building a human interest company [38:32] The future of newsletters and why it's the perfect time to be a writer right now [41:30] On dealing with self-doubt and criticisms, and why patience and consistency is important if you want to start a newsletter * QUOTES: “So I think a lot of times people think they need this massive, massive following to monetize anything. It's not true. As long as you can prove that the audience is really high quality and really engaged and they actually click and they actually open, and they actually read it.” “The best piece of advice I heard was from Kat Cole, who's the president of Focus Brands. She said that every time you get a piece of feedback, the first thing you should do before you reject it—before you think it’s stupid is accept it and try and be like, okay, if this is true, then what can I do about it?...Accept it as truth before you outright dismiss it. Because after a while, that was not the only email I got like that. I got a number of them that were very critical, but it made me have thicker skin. It made me evolve in my writing. And by the end of my time there, I'd like to think that my voice, my tone, how I wrote, [the] people really liked because it was me and I wasn't trying to be somebody else.” * RESOURCES
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
May 21, 2022 |
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#008: Diana Evans — Turning Raw Feelings and Observations into Compelling Fiction, Keeping a Writing Schedule & Overcoming Writer’s Block
00:41:25
How do we, as writers, turn raw emotions and observations into fiction? In this episode we interview Diana Evans (Ordinary People, 26a) about her creative process, how she discovered her true voice and how she creates characters. We also discuss practices that help Diana with writer's block, why she treats writing as a job and the importance of having other people read your work and being a part of a writing community. * SHOW NOTES [03:32] How music influences Diana's writing and how John Legend's soundtrack influenced her book Ordinary People [07:22] The messy journey Diana went through to discover her voice and what she does and doesn't want to write about, which began in journaling [10:43] Diana shares some of her practises to help her with writer's block, including reading poetry, leaving your work for a while, and forcing her way through writing [12:38] On treating writing as a job, and some of Diana's writing rules and habits like having a schedule and not beating yourself up when you don't meet your target [19:07] Diana shares why she distances herself from the characters and the world she's writing about [20:41] How Diana's peers helped improve her writing and how sometimes, the simplest way to write and tell a story is actually the easiest way [23:05] The importance of having other people read your work, and being a part of a writing community [25:39] Diana’s writing philosophy, the importance of journaling and why it's our responsibility to write about our experiences [28:00] Diana shares her creative process, and how white American authors writing about ordinary life inspired her to do the same for her book, Ordinary People [31:12] How Diana come up with her book characters, including writing down lists and brainstorming [34:40] Why planning everything is important for Diana, and why she prefers that her writing is led by a character and what the character is experiencing [37:44] Our responsibility as readers and writers in documenting the world around us * QUOTES: “I think journalism, journaling rather, it's quite important for just recording things. I think it's, it's our responsibility as writers actually, to comment on the world and to reflect the world around us, whether that's historically or today because we are mouthpieces of society.” “And I feel that there is so much in the world that is real and alive, and that is happening both in my life and around me, in the lives I see around me that is, you know, rich in story and in drama. I'm really not a world builder. I'm a world observer. I investigate the world and try and analyze it, and encapsulate human life. So that's where the writing comes from, but in order to achieve a distance, I have to kind of place myself in a position that is somehow apart from the characters and the world that I'm writing about. So I have to find a way to do that in order to tell the story." * RESOURCES Diana's Books: Book awards mentioned:
Books mentioned:
Authors mentioned: Others:
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
May 14, 2022 |
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#007: Mike Michalowicz — Break Free from the Starving Artist Mindset and Manage Your Money with Confidence
00:55:35
Can creativity and money go hand in hand? How can we guarantee that we pay ourselves a profit no matter how much we earn? In this episode we talk to Mike Michalowicz about his Profit First method that helps creatives manage their money better, pay themselves well, and make a profit. We also talk about guerilla marketing strategies, connecting with your readership and how to build your confidence. * Mike is the author and creator of Profit First, a methodology used by hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe to drive profit. Profit First is a perennial global Top 20 Book, in the category of Personal & Business Finance (Publishers Weekly) and has transformed readers’ lives. Mike is the author of Fix This Next, Clockwork, Surge, The Pumpkin Plan and The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. Simon Sinek calls Mike Michalowicz “the patron saint of entrepreneurs.” SHOW NOTES [05:26] On being considered as the patron saint of entrepreneurs by ‘Start With Why’ author, Simon Sinek, and how Mike built a relationship with him [08:31] Mike shares how he lost everything and how it became his purpose to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty and pursue his dream of becoming an author [11:37] How journaling became an outlet for Mike to address his depression and a source for ideas for his book [14:30] Mike's dream of being an author and how to qualify the naysayers [16:40] Mike shares how he went from having 20,000 copies of his books and zero sales to selling a hundred thousand copies using guerrilla tactics [18:46] Mike shares his ultimate hack for freelancers, writers, creatives to be permanently profitable [24:43] On doing different and why we should overcome our fear of rejection and being an outsider [25:56] What does it mean to pay yourself first? And why it became Mike's ethos for his book Profit First [32:48] Other key tenants of the Profit First system, including what he calls the five foundational accounts [37:52] On why it's our responsibility to share our work and ask people to consume what we have [42:34] Life's mission as the ultimate motivator, and how we can use our pain to help you reach your goals [47:01] Mike shares how he uses pain and pleasure to manage his finances, and the difference between denial and delay [49:34] Mike's battle with self-doubt, why reaching out to your followers—no matter how small—is important, and the recipe for confidence * QUOTES FROM MIKE “So many authors, poets, writers are simply just trying to scratch by, to survive and therefore they can't give their best. There's this constant worry. They're going to sleep, not thinking about their next great creation. They're going to sleep saying, “Holy shit, how am I going to eat tomorrow?” To give our best, we must make sure that we're satisfied that we're served and protected. And that's what profitability does. It allows you to protect yourself. So our clients, our readers thirst for that. So you have to be profitable. The technique to do this is the pay yourself first principle. Apply it to your business. Every time you have income coming in from the work you sell, you subtract a predetermined percentage of that money as profit, hide it from yourself and then run your work off the remainder. And what this does is it starts accumulating profit...” RESOURCES Mentioned books of Mike Michalowicz Books mentioned: Others:
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
May 07, 2022 |
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#006: Tim Grahl — The Secrets Behind Bestsellers, Authentic Marketing and Writing About Devastation
00:56:32
What does it take to launch your book and build a fanbase? What do most writers misunderstand about the craft of writing and launching their book? Tim Grahl has dedicated the last 10 years of his life helping over 100 authors – from bestsellers to first time writers – get their books into the hands of more readers. In this episode we talk about smart and authentic marketing steps every writer can take to find their first 1000 readers and give their book a chance of reaching the bestselling lists. We also dive into Tim's memoir Running Down a Dream and talk about writing about devastation and grief. Tim Grahl has worked with authors like Dan Pink, Ramit Sethi, Shawn Coyne, Pamela Slim, Dan and Chip Heath and has launched dozens of books to the top of the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and other bestseller lists. He also runs The Story Grid podcast, where he had his own book edited live by editor Shawn Coyne. Tim has written books on building an audience: Your First 1000 Copies; on building a business: Running Down a Dream, He has also been the architect behind the hugely successful Story Grid writing community and works with Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne at Black Irish Publishing. * SHOW NOTES [03:46] Tim talks about the vulnerability of being critiqued live on The Story Grid podcast with Editor Shawn Coyne [09:38] How to build the right audience, and the benefits of learning in public for accountability [12:12] How a successful book launch always starts with a good plan [12:23] What went wrong with The Threshing's launch, and the things Tim did right to market The Sand and Sea (280,000-word epic fantasy) [15:38] Why it's harder to get people to read a book than buy one, and what Tim and his team did to sell The Sand and Sea [19:38] Building an email list as the number one marketing tactic sell and promote your book [23:51] The importance of building a habit and why being consistent is better than doing one big push on anything that you do [26:22] Tim's advice for those who are trying to build their email list, and why you should treat the process as an adventure. Plus how to get your first 100 subscribers. [30:56] The value of being consistent in whatever you do [32:25] Tim's definition of marketing [34:07] The story behind Tim's memoir, Running Down a Dream, the dream he was running down and how it's evolved over time * QUOTES FROM TIM GRAHL “If you see any books that are still selling ten years after they came out, it's not because the publishing house did an amazing job marketing the book ten years ago. I think of it as a rocketship. If you turn off the engine when it's halfway out of that atmosphere, it's going to crash down to earth every single time. So if you can just get it out of the atmosphere, now we can see if it's going to live on its own. And that's how I think of marketing a book is the job of the publisher / author is to get that book out of the atmosphere. And the goal is to get 10,000 people to read the book. At that point, you find out if the book's going to fly on its own because, again, I can force 10,000. I can't force a million or five hundred thousand or a hundred thousand.” * RESOURCES
Mentioned authors: Mentioned books of Tim Grahl: Other books mentioned:
Others:
* FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS’ SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Apr 30, 2022 |
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#005: Ben Hardy — Setting Ambitious Writing Goals, Designing Your 'Future Self' & Mastering Articles on Medium.com
00:51:26
Benjamin Hardy’s articles have been read by over 100 million readers. He has also been the #1 writer, in the world, on Medium.com. How does he do it? In this episode, he shares his writing process and how he plans, structures and ships his articles. We also talk about why it’s important to set the right goals to help us reach our most courageous dreams, how our goals shape our identity and personality, and the importance of the environment in achieving our goals. * Dr Benjamin Hardy (@BenjaminPHardy) is an organizational psychologist, bestselling author and the world’s leading expert on the application of the Future Self science. His books include Be Your Future Self Now, The Gap and the Gain, Willpower Doesn’t Work and Personality Isn’t Permanent. His blogs have been read by over 100 million people and are featured on Forbes, Fortune, CNBC and many others. He is a regular contributor to Inc. and Psychology Today and from 2015-2018, he was the #1 writer, in the world, on Medium.com. * SHOW NOTES [02:47] How we underpredict our future selves [04:15] How Ben clarified his goal to become a professional writer and land a six-figure book deal [06:55] How Ben used Medium to grow his email list from 0 to 400k [10:05] Ben’s systems and processes to create consistently popular articles [14:47] Ben's writing process and how he plans, structures and ships his articles [17:30] On using Medium vs LinkedIn. [19:18] On repurposing an article for two different platforms [27:50] What does it mean to orient our lives towards our goals? From LeBron to watching Youtube late at night [31:26] How James Clear’s goal led him to sell 2 million copies of Atomic Habits [33:40] The importance of environment in changing your life and achieving your goals [39:35] Why being useful is important, and how you can get what you want by helping other people [40:51] Resources for crafting good headlines [44:29] Why ‘empathetic witnesses’ can encourage you to write, publish and more * QUOTES FROM BEN HARDY “...most people think that who they are today is who they're gonna be in the future. So their future self actually isn't imagined far different. They think that their future self is going to kind of pretty much be the same person that they are today, which is just not what the research shows. We massively under predict how much we're going to change in the future. And we spend so little time imagining our future and turning that into concrete plans and strategies for courageously becoming the person we wanted to be” * “What is the actual objective of this article? What am I trying to accomplish? Or what am I trying to have the reader accomplish? What is the purpose of this article? Like just answering that question, like, what am I trying to accomplish? What am I trying to solve here?” * RESOURCES: Podcast Offer: To access the Genuis Blogging Course, email ben@benjaminhardy.com and mention the LWS interview offer along with proof of purchase of Ben’s book. Follow Ben Hardy: Website: benjaminhardy.com Twitter @benjaminphardy Instagram @benjamin_hardy_phd Ben’s Books:
Authors mentioned: Other books mentioned:
Courses mentioned: Guest Blogging by Jon Morrow - (summary here) & Genius Blogging * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen. |
Apr 23, 2022 |
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#004: Anna Wilson — Writing About Grief and Bringing Your Whole Self to Your Writing
00:50:48
As writers, there may be times when we must delve deep into the harder ‘themes’ of life - that of grief and loss. How might we start to write about loss and in what medium - a blog? Or a book? And where do we begin? How can we be vulnerable on the page? Join our conversation with Anna Wilson, as we talk about the craft of writing memoirs, having the confidence to tell the truth, and the mindset that has enabled her to write 50+ books. * Anna Wilson is the author of over 50 books for children and young teens. In 2016 she started her blog Good Grief about mid-life, loss and new beginnings. This eventually led to her memoir A Place for Everything which tells the searing account of a mother’s late-diagnosis of autism – and what it means to care for our parents in their final years. Anna is also an editor and lecturer, a tutor for the London Lit Lab and the Writer's Block in Cornwall and for the Arvon Foundation. * SHOW NOTES: [03:53] Anna's love for swimming and how it helped her deal with grief [06:23] Anna's struggle to write during lockdown [08:16] How Anna chooses the themes for her books [11:23] On pitching ideas [14:42] Anna's blog and how it started [19:42] How to move from draft to a polished piece + Anna's writing practices [23:03] What to include and what not to when writing a memoir [24:56] How Anna decided to write a book about her mom and dad [27:09] Why Anna suggests reading other people's memoirs [30:29] Anna shares what the book A Place for Everything is about [33:39] On being vulnerable in your writing [37:24] Anna's advice for someone who wants to tell the truth [38:29] On how Anna came up with the title for the book [41:21] Why having a good relationship with your editor is important [44:39] Anna’s favourite writing exercises [46:10] Pigheaded attitude and being disciplined as a writer * QUOTES FROM ANNA: “I think it's quite a pigheaded attitude. I think you have to be pretty disciplined. I love Margaret Atwood when she says, “Show up, show up, show up. And the muse will too.” In other words, don't talk to me about, oh, I'm just waiting for the muse to come. I'm just waiting for that moment when I'm going to feel writer-y, and then I'll write something. Now you've got to show up every single day.” * SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Anna Wilson Twitter: @acwilsonwriter Instagram: @acwilsonwriter Website: acwilsonwriter.wordpress.com Vlad the World’s Worst Vampire Paddington2 - The Story of the Movie (Movie Tie-in) For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Apr 16, 2022 |
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#003: Chris Guillebeau — How to Spark a Movement and Build a Readership (and Make Money Doing It)
00:39:19
So you've started a blog, written a book. What next? How can you find your first 100 readers and grow that to 10,000 and beyond? Chris Guillebeau talks about how he grew his audience, one by one, from zero readers to thousands hanging on his every step. He's authored multiple New York Times bestsellers. And today when he launches a new book product or even an event, it sells out instantly. Join us for our conversation with Chris Guillebeau about becoming a disciplined writer, building a global community around your work, and making it as a full-time writer. ABOUT CHRIS Chris Guillebeau is the author of seven books. His first book, The Art of Non-Conformity, was translated into more than thirty languages. His second book, The $100 Startup, was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller, selling more than 700,000 copies worldwide. His newest book, The Money Tree is all about finding fortune in your own backyard. He’s also built Side Hustle School, a wildly popular podcast with more than 2 million monthly downloads, to help people create a new source of income without quitting their job. * SHOW NOTES [03:04] Chris talks about his secret to getting an NYT review [04:28] Chris talks about his relationship with role models and the people that inspire him [07:39] The core components of being a writer, and the importance of serving others [10:36] Discipline as part of being professional and how doing things every day is sometimes easier than doing them less frequently [13:53] The abundance mindset and why this is important [17:16] Chris talks about what it's like transitioning from doing book tours to doing everything online during the pandemic. [20:28] How to allocate time to finish different projects without feeling overwhelmed [22:25] Chris talks about where he generates more income [27:02] Chris shares his thoughts on monetizing his works [29:21] How to build and grow an audience [32:47] Blogging before vs now [34:26] Chris shares his approach when it comes to talking about a difficult subject * QUOTES FROM CHRIS GUILLEABEAU “A guiding value has always been — there's gotta be something I can do today to help somebody … it could be highlighting other people's projects. It could be like doing whatever you can to get someone else to have attention or whatever it is.” “The other secret about the podcast is it would be easier for me, or it's easier for me to do it seven days a week than it would be to do it like three to five days a week. Like if it was like Monday, Wednesday, Friday, it would be harder than every day because every day it has to happen, right. Whereas if it's on like a staggered schedule, it's like, oh, you just kind of get off the rhythm.” “And so the only thing you can do is take more hits or try, you know, like you take more chances. That quote about, like, to be luckier…I'd like to have more luck, take more chances” * “Most of the time I'm not selling anything. Like most of the time, it's like for months or years go by without doing much. The podcast is free. The blog is free. Other stuff is free. I'm not really working on trying to build out that part of the online business. So I guess when the time comes to launch the book, I don't hesitate to push it a little bit because I mean like I said, I know that that's going to help people, and then I know it's going to help me as well.” * “...[A]nybody who joins my email list, that person has chosen to give me like their most valuable asset, which is their time and their attention…As much as possible, I want to build individual relationships with those people… And so for the first 10,000 people that joined over the course of, I don't know, two years, I wrote to each one of those people. Not just like an autoresponder, but I wrote an actual email to those people, and said, “Hey Matt, thanks so much for joining”, you know, “Hope you like it. Let me know what you're up to.” … [I built it] one by one.” * SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Chris Guillebeau Website: https://chrisguillebeau.com Twitter: twitter.com/chrisguillebeau Instagram: instagram.com/193countries Gretchen Rubin & The Happiness Project For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Apr 09, 2022 |
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#002: Holly Bourne — How to Write Stories Readers Will Love
00:42:04
There is something about Holly. If you look through the online reviews you’ll see comments like _‘there were times I felt Holly had climbed into my head’ and ‘I cried so much reading this_’. Her writing has the gift to connect to the reader – we explore this in the interview from her first book written on a 45 min commute, to overcoming imposter syndrome, why she thinks a writer should spend only 33% of their time writing and how writing fiction is the act of destroying the perfect idea you have in your head. Holly also talks us through her ideation process, how she uses psychology to get into her characters’ heads and her approach to marketing her work. * Holly Bourne has written 12 books over 7 years. She started her writing career as a news journalist, but after working with young people, was inspired to write teen fiction and won awards for her best-selling, award-winning ‘Spinster Club’ series. When she turned thirty, Holly wrote her first adult novel, How Do You Like Me Now about the intensified pressures on women once they hit that landmark. Her latest book Pretending has garnered praise from book reviewers, bloggers and authors Marian Keyes, and Dolly Alderton. Four of her books have now been optioned for film and TV. Alongside her writing, Holly has a keen interest in women’s rights and is an advocate for reducing the stigma of mental health problems. She is an ambassador for Women's Aid and their Love Respect campaign, educating young people about healthy relationships. * SHOW NOTES [02:18] Holly talks about her writing process and her coping mechanisms during lockdown [04:23] How to be kind to yourself while writing in lockdown [06:20] Having a hobby and doing other things apart from writing [09:49] Holly’s journey from having a full-time job to becoming an author, and how she wrote her first book while commuting to work. [13:18] How to overcome your imposter syndrome [17:08] Why you should only spend 33% of your time writing [18:37] Why the first draft is just like digging up a fossil [20:02] How psychology helps in Holly’s writing [22:36] How writing fiction is the act of destroying a perfect idea in your head [24:43] Holly’s writing process, the need to have the first line, and doing extensive research before the actual writing [29:56] On being authentic with yourself and asking the hard questions [34:55] Holly talks about marketing her writing and doing promotions * QUOTES BY HOLLY “Writing fiction is the act of destroying a perfect idea in your head…lots of people in this room have had that moment where they have this idea for a story or a character or a poem, screenplay, and they're so excited, and the temptation is to just leave it at that as this perfect unformed... once you start writing, it will never live up to the hype in your head. And then you might get a different idea or you might get bored of it, or you start having plot problems or characters...So it’s accepting the fact that you're going to completely ruin the best idea you ever had. But if you were that excited to begin with—if you were just buzzing when that idea land is, you've got to know that in the translation from head to work, there'll be enough of that. There will. You won't ever be able to get a hundred per cent, there'll be enough, and you cannot mend the blank page.” * SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Holly Bourne Twitter: @holly_bourneYA Instagram: @hollybourneya Facebook: Holly.BourneYA The Science of Storytelling by Will Storr For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Follow London Writers’ Salon: Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Apr 09, 2022 |
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#001: Alastair Humphreys — Make a Living Writing About Your Life & Adventures
00:48:07
Alastair Humphreys has built an impressive career as a creator using a simple formula: Step 1: Go on an adventure. Step 2: Write a story about it. Step 3: Earn money from it. Step 4: Repeat. Sounds Simple. But far from easy. In this episode, we dive into Alastair’s creative process – from planning, adventuring, writing to publishing and eventually, getting paid. We’ll also discuss how Alastair has navigated hard times to persist as a creator for 15+ years, his journey from teaching to writing to filmmaking to children’s books to podcasting, balancing family life with adventuring and creating, and tips for writing stories about your personal experiences that readers will love and publishers will buy. * Alastair Humphreys is a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, podcaster, filmmaker, and author of 13 books. He spent over 4 years cycling around the world, a journey of 46,000 miles through 60 countries and 5 continents. More recently Alastair has walked across southern India, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, run six marathons through the Sahara desert, completed a crossing of Iceland, and participated in an expedition in the Arctic. In 2018, Alastair trekked over 350 miles across Spain in the footsteps of his adventurer-author hero Laurie Lee, feeding himself only with money he earned busking. He turned that story into the enthralling, raw memoir, My Midsummer Morning: Rediscovering a Life of Adventure. * SHOW NOTES [05:07] Alastair's rowing experience across the Atlantic Ocean [07:06] How to push yourself in your path of adventure by starting small [09:48] Big adventures and how to turn them into micro-adventures when life gets in the way [12:10] Alastair’s coping mechanisms during the pandemic including climbing a tree, plus the importance of passive income [15:49] How to find an audience for your writings that's beyond friends and family [18:24] Alastair’s love for travel books and what inspired him to write [19:13] About Alastair’s busking adventure in Spain and how this led to this book, My Midsummer Morning, and balancing adventuring life and home life [28:31] Alastair’s journey from having a publisher to self-publishing his own books [33:22] On trying new things and becoming an expert in your own niche [37:04] How to get paid gigs with brands & and how to approach brands [40:11] On self-doubt and how to get past it [42:53] What would your eighty-year-old self tell you to do today? * QUOTES FROM ALASTAIR “There's a blog post called, The Long Tail, which shows you graphically like, how many times you'll hug your parents again, how many times you'll swim in the ocean again, and if you see it graphically, there are so few. And if he'd been so inclined, he could probably have written on his little bar chart: here are the books you have time to write in your life. And I suspect once you see that, your eighty-year-old self would suggest that you begin.” * “If you're a writer and you compare yourself to Shakespeare, it's pointless. If you're going to play football in the park and you compare yourself to Lionel Messi, it’s pointless. But we spend all our lives measuring ourselves against people like this. It’s ridiculous. So call yourself a working whatever, and then get to work and try and find a thousand people who read your books and then repeat the process and try and get 2000 for the next one. And you'll probably be alright.” * SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE Connect with Alastair Humphreys: Twitter: @Al_Humphreys Instagram: @al_humphreys Facebook: Al Humphreys Facebook Page Website: www.alastairhumphreys.com Wait but Why Blog by Tim Urban - The Long Tail * FOLLOW LONDON WRITERS' SALON For show notes, transcripts and to attend our live podcasts visit: podcast.londonwriterssalon.com For free writing sessions, join free Writers’ Hours: writershour.com Twitter: twitter.com/WritersSalon Instagram: instagram.com/londonwriterssalon Facebook: facebook.com/LondonWritersSalon * CREDITS Production by Victoria Spooner. Artwork by Emma Winterschladen |
Apr 08, 2022 |