Writer's Routine

Laurell K. Hamilton, author of 'A Glimmer of Death' - Romantasy writer discusses splitting an entire book in half, finishing a series, and her late ADHD diagnosis

Elif Shafak, author of 'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' - Bestselling writer discusses why writing is at the core of humanity, how it damages your health, and why you need to ask childish questions

Jenna Helwig, author of 'The Foreign Correspondent's Wife' - Cookbook writer discusses turning to mysteries, being focused with research, and the recipe for a perfect thriller

Benjamin Abravenel, author of 'The Past, Again' - Debut author discusses learning from history, hybrid-publishing, and keeping busy in retirement

Claire McGowan, author of 'The Other Couple' - Million-Copy Bestseller discusses what's changed in 5 years, spreading the net wide, and challening yourself to make things better

Scott Mariani, author of the 'Ben Hope series' - Bestselling thriller writer discusses keeping the discipline, finding new mysteries, and learning what readers want

Simon Wroe, author of 'Ghost Month' - BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick discusses listening to your instinct, getting into your characters' heads, and writing a novel for London

Kevin Wade, author of 'One Good Eye' - 'Blue Bloods' showrunner talks learning the rules of crime shows, writing 20 individual mysteries, and switching to novels

Matt Hill, author of 'Wrecks' - Speculative fiction author discusses a big editing change, feeling guilty about creating, and keeping the pace up

Vaseem Khan, author of 'Quantum of Menace' - CWA Award Winner discusses bringing to life a caricature, having the energy to keep going, and editing on the go

Ajay Chowdhury, author of 'Eden Falls' - Thriller writer discusses creating with AI, finishing things off, and writing in different genre

Cathy Bramley, author of 'Somewhere Only We Know' - Sunday Times Bestseller discusses inspiration from location, being particular, and embracing being an author

Julie Owen Moylan, author of 'Elizabeth and Marilyn' - Historical fiction writer discusses thorough research, her path to publication, and remembering you've done the hard stuff before

Joseph Eckert, author of 'The Traveller' - Sci-fi writer discusses great hooks, 15 years of planning, and editorial push-back

Foluso Agbaje, author of 'The Talk of the Party' - Thriller writer discusses writing in Dubai, worldwide influences, and her pursuit of perfection

Sara Sheridan, author of 'The Jewel Keepers' - Book of the Year winner discusses treasure hunt thrillers, long lunches, and the role of a writer

Ollie George Clark, author of 'Youngest Faircrest and the Search for a Sorcerer’ - Award-winning writer discusses making reading accessible, why strict word-counts help the pace, and finding the audience

Kate Lord Brown, author of 'The Silver Thread' - Historical fiction bestseller talks about writing out of order, fact or fiction, and thorough research

Lucy Ashe, author of 'The Model Patient' - Historical Thriller writer discusses finding control, why a book deal changes things, and unpacking therapy

Deepa Anappara, author of 'The Last of Earth' - Multi-award-winner discusses dealing with success, writing by hand, and keeping track of characters

Liz Alterman, author of 'A Different Type of Poison' - Thriller writer discusses embracing the meta, always having a listen, and changing how you write depending on how it's read

Mark Frost, co-creator of 'Twin Peaks' - Thriller author and screenwriter discusses working with David Lynch, super-agents, and his new novel, 'The Yankee Sphinx'

Sarah Vaughan, author of 'Based on a True Story' - Bestselling writer discusses streaming success, a chaotic writing room, and realising you're too busy

Annie Elliot, author of 'Mr & Mrs Charles Dickens: Her Story' - Knowing when you need to get words written, mining your own past, and was Charles Dickens a narcissist?

Stig Abell, author of 'A Twist in the River' - Breakfast Show host discusses golden age crime fiction, why planning sets you up for failure, and why AI will kill culture

Elle McNicoll, author of 'Unapologetic Love Story' - Carnegie Award nominated writer discusses making your book stand out, the importance of representation, and being full-time whilst never having time to write

Jane Dougherty, author of 'Pasiphae' - Re-imagining Greek mythology, capturing a moment in poetry, and detaching from technology

Carmel Harrington, author of 'The Nowhere Girls' - Bestselling writer discusses leaving it late, training to improve, and the novel that changed her planning

Kate Dramis, author of 'The Odds of You' - Romance writer discusses switching genre, writing sprints and dirty drafts

Farah Naz Rishi, author of 'The Flightless Birds of New Hope' - Bestselling writer discusses being genre-less, getting into character through voice, and calming anxiety

Fergus Craig, author of 'I’m Not The Only Murderer In My Retirement Home' - Comedian discusses going viral, working on the mystery, and not needing to be funny

Shen Tao, author of 'The Poet Empress' - Debut author discusses magical mystery, changing routines, and 9 failed manuscripts

David Goodman, author of 'A Reluctant Spy' - Thriller writer discusses juggling projects, soft word-counts, and day-notes

Sam Sedgman, author of 'The Galileo Heist' - Children's author discusses finding magic in the real world, being confident with curiosity, and getting it finished

Sally-Anne Martyn, author of 'The Beauty Queen' - Creepy thriller writer discusses 5 am starts, trying to improve, and discovering the plot when the characters do

Georgie Codd, author of 'Never Had a Dad' - Memoir writer discusses making people care, planning an adventure, and finding a father figure

Sam Mills, author of 'The Watermark' - Speculative fiction author discusses playing with genre, switching projects, and teasing burnout

Dan Houser, author of 'A Better Paradise - Volume 1: An Aftermath' - Rockstar Games co-founder discusses writing for 'Grand Theft Auto', different places for different stories, and the weight of expectation

Zoe Apostolides, author of 'The Homecoming' - Horror writer disscusses getting the atmosphere right, traditional tropes, and chats with her Grandmother

Adam Skolnick, author of 'American Tiger' - Podcaster and novelist discusses creative burnout, ghostwriting, and different drafts for different characters

Catherine Mayer, author of 'Time/ Life' - Prolific writer discusses eclectic interests, inspirational poetry, and grief

Lucinda Berry, author of 'This is a Safe Space' - USA Today bestseller discusses finding new audiences online, working on audio thrillers, and dealing with the tough days

Caroline Corcoran, author of 'Tiny Daggers' - Psychological Thriller writer discusses embracing the genre, learning to structure, and changing the mindset

Patrick Syms, author of 'Am I The Asshole?' - Debut author discusses self-promotion, white label releases, and making a point with your prose

Tom Cox, author of 'Everything Will Swallow You' - Uniquely creative award-winner discusses making your own genre, insisting on clarity, and inspirational walks

Hazel Barkworth, author of 'The Drownings' - Writer of dark, suspense discusses taking it seriously, going back to school, and a working balance

A. L Brody/ Jason Pinter, author of 'Dating and Dismemberment' - Monster rom-com award-nominee discusses paths to publication, getting the tone right, and improving the first draft

Antonia Hodgson, author of 'The Raven Scholar' - Fantasy writer discusses shifting the day, switching genre, and researching your own world

Nicholas Binge, author of 'Extremity' - Speculative Fiction writer discusses whether the idea dictates the form, the tricky switch to being full-time, and his path to publication

Kelly Mullen, author of 'This Is Not a Game' - Hollywood Producer and Writer discusses tricking yourself to write, reinventing the wheel, and getting characters to your end