The Writing Life

Writing creative non-fiction with Sonia Faleiro

Author and journalist Sonia Faleiro joins us to discuss The Good Girls: An Ordinary Killing, her new narrative non-fiction book which examines the killing of two teenage girls in India in 2014. Sonia talks to Steph about her route into journalism and how she researches complex topics and then translates them into engaging narratives. It's a conversation packed full of practical advice for non-fiction writers and is also a fascinating discussion of the core themes of The Good Girls.

Content warning: Please do note that this podcast includes discussion of sexual violence throughout which listeners may find distressing.

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna.

Some useful links

Join our free Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW 

Dragon Hall Debates events: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/dragon-hall-debates/ 

Our mentoring programme: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/mentoring/ 

Podcast episode featuring mentor Katri Scala: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/article/how-mentoring-can-help-your-writing/ 

Browse the Creative Writing Online catalogue: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/creative-writing-online/ 

Music by Bennet Maples.

Photo by Jonathan Ring.

Horatio Clare's journey through madness, mania & healing

Writer and broadcaster Horatio Clare is on the pod this week to talk to Peggy about his latest book, Heavy Light: A Journey Through Madness, Mania and Healing. It is the story of Horatio's own breakdown: a journey through mania, psychosis and treatment in a psychiatric hospital, and onwards to release, recovery and healing. On the podcast he discusses the writing of the book and how he approached translating his real experiences into book form.

Content note: This podcast discusses mental health and attitudes towards treatments. If you are affected by anything discussed on the podcast or want to know more we recommend seeking professional advice. These websites include good resources:

Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/

Rethink: https://www.rethink.org/

And for lots of international links: https://checkpointorg.com/global/ 

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna. Peggy Hughes asking the questions.

Join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW

Book for our Editor Insights event: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/editor-insights-with-ella-micheler/ 

Music by Bennet Maples

Photo (c) Caroline Flinders

Theatre in translation with William Gregory & Sue Healy

Translator William Gregory joins us on the pod to discuss translating for the stage, how he started his professional career and the challenges of working on translated material in the UK. William was a (virtual) translator in residence at BCLT from October 2020 to January 2021, and ran the theatre translation workshop during 2020’s BCLT Summer School. On the other side of the conversation is special guest interviewer Sue Healy, Literary Manager at the Finborough Theatre in London. It's a wide-ranging conversation full of practical tips for early career translators and fascinating insights for anyone who enjoys a diverse mix of entertainment.

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna, who tease upcoming episodes, talk about their current reads and reminisce about people bringing cakes into the office.

Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/

BCLT: http://www.bclt.org.uk/ 

Join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW 

Music by Bennet Maples.

Thumbnail photo by Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash

To Olivia - film adaptation with Stephen Michael Shearer & John Hay

We talk to author Stephen Michael Shearer and director John Hay about To Olivia, the film adaptation of Stephen's book An Unquiet Life. Focusing on the lives of Patricia Neal and Roald Dahl, the film stars Hugh Bonneville and Keeley Hawes and is available on Sky Cinema and Now TV from 19 February 2021. Stephen and John talk about the process of adapting the book and how the collaborative nature of filmmaking influences and changes the source material. Peggy Hughes is asking the questions.

Meanwhile Steph and Simon take another look at the new Early Career Writer's Resource Pack, 'Dialogue' and, inevitably, complain about the weather.

Join our Discord: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW

Find out more about what we do: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/

Check out the free Dialogue pack: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/pack-6-dialogue/

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna.

Produced and edited by Simon Jones.

Music by Bennet Maples.

To Olivia, a Sky Original film, available on Sky Cinema and Now TV from 19th February.

Styles of dialogue with Chris Beckett

Author Chris Beckett joins us this week to explore styles of dialogue in literature and how Chris uses it in his novel Two Tribes. Covering topics as wide-ranging as conversation-as-animal-grooming to Brexit, Chris shares his tips and insight into how humans interact and different ways of capturing that on the page. Asking the questions is Sam Ruddock of Gatehouse Press and Story Machines Productions.

This episode is part of our Early Career Writer's Resource Pack focusing on dialogue in prose fiction, scriptwriting and comics. Find more from Hannah Berry, Femi Kayode, Carys Davies and Taylor Beidler at https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/pack-6-dialogue/ 

Made possible by support from Arts Council England.

Hosted by Steph McKenna and Simon Jones.

Find out more about what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/

More on our Early Career Awards: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/early-career-awards/

Music by Bennet Maples.

Writing a novel on a phone - with Jon Ransom

Debut author Jon Ransom shares his tips for avoiding writer's block, the importance of deadlines, why he avoids using word counts to judge progress, securing an agent during Covid-19 lockdown and how the Escalator talent development programme helped him complete his first novel The Whale Tattoo, which is due to be published by Muswell Press in 2022. If you'd like to support new voices you can donate to this year's Escalator here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/escalator-donations-2020/ 

MEANWHILE! Simon and Steph are joined by Flo Reynolds to introduce the new Book Club book. Listen to find out what we're reading and then join in the chatter on Discord at https://discord.gg/3G39dRW

Also under discussion are the daily writing prompts we're publishing through February, courtesy of our amazing UNESCO writers in residence. Find out more and get involved here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/imagining-the-city/

Hosted by Steph McKenna and Simon Jones.

Music by Bennet Maples.

Kate Worsley on the value of mentoring & the challenges of Covid-19

We're very pleased to finally have Kate Worsley guest on the pod, author of She Rises, discussing her route to publication, her time on our Escalator talent development scheme, how she has benefited from mentoring and the impact of Covid-19 on her work.

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna.

Donate to the 2021 Escalator scheme: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/escalator-donations-2020/ 

Join our Discord community chat: https://discord.gg/3G39dRW

More about what we do: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ 

Music by Bennet Maples.

Nicola Upson on why books are more vital than ever

"The world of the imagination is being diminished by the day, with theatres dark, cinemas closed, and actors and musicians encouraged to retrain in more ‘viable’ professions, so books are more vital than ever, bringing us together safely at a time when we have never felt more isolated." The wonderful Nicola Upson returns to the podcast to talk about her early career, finding her confidence and how the Escalator talent development scheme helped to demystify the publishing industry.

We're currently fundraising for Escalator so that we can help as many new writers as possible. To find out more and donate head over here: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/escalator-donations-2020/

Find out more about our Start Writing Crime Fiction course and join the waiting list: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/whats-on/introduction-to-crime-fiction/ 

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna.

Music by Bennet Maples.

Owen Nicholls on his first novel & the Escalator scheme

Escalator needs your help! Our talent development scheme has helped 10 writers every year since 2004 but austerity and funding challenges means we can only fund 6 places in 2021. If you'd like to donate to help us help more writers, visit https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/escalator-donations-2020/ 

On the podcast is previous Escalator participant Owen Nicholls, whose debut novel was published in 2019. Owen talks about shifting from screenwriting to novels, how he completed his first book and how Escalator helped him on the road to creating Love, Unscripted. Simon also talks to Owen about surreptitiously enjoying the film Garden State.

Meanwhile, Steph and Simon are joined by the inimitable Vicki Maitland to talk about Chrysalis, a fantastic mini-festival created by the Lit from the Inside group of young arts professionals. Find out more: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/chrysalis/ 

More on what we do: http://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ 

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe!

Music by Bennet Maples.

World building using narrative voice - with Abi Daré

Happy New Year! We begin 2021 with a conversation with Desmond Elliott Prize shortlisted Abi Daré, whose debut The Girl With The Louding Voice caught everyone's attention last year. Abi talks about her approach to world building and how she used the narrative voice in the book to explore its setting. Asking the questions is novelist Sarah Bower.

Hosted by Simon Jones and Steph McKenna, who start the episode by celebrating that it's not 2020 anymore.

If you like this episode don't forget to subscribe!

Get more free resources on world building: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/5-world-building/ 

Find out about our Early Career Awards, including the Desmond Elliott Prize: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/early-career-awards/ 

Check out our online courses: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/creative-writing-online/ 

More on what we do: https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/ 

Made possible with support from Arts Council England.

Music by Bennet Maples.