Explore every episode of the podcast Not Too Busy To Write
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| S9 E2. Kerri ni Dochartaigh on finding home in the Irish landscape | 04 Sep 2024 | 01:08:49 | |
Kerri ni Dochartaigh is the award winning author of Thin Places and Cacophany of Bone. Kerri's work delves deep into home and belonging, from her childhood in Derry during the troubles, where her family were forced to leave their home, to an adulthood of wrestlessness, unable to find a feeling of home, until she returned to the Irish landscape of her early years. We talk about intergenerational trauma, what it means to our sense of safety and belonging to have a home forcibly removed, as so many are facing in the world today, and finding home in the Irish landscape, in community, in our bodies and ritual. We also talk about creativity and caregiving, and the joys of teaching and mentoring other writers. Links Thin Places - Kerri ni Dochartaigh Cacophony of Bone - Kerri ni Dochartaigh In The Garden: Essays on Nature and Growing (Daunt Books) The Garden Against Time - Olivia Laing Kerri on Substack kerrindochartaigh.substack.com Penny on Substack pennywincer.substack.com | |||
| S9. E1. Penny Wincer on why Home Matters | 28 Aug 2024 | 00:51:29 | |
The tables are turned for the first episode of series 9 - host Penny Wincer is being interviewed by author Caro Giles about her new book Home Matters. We talk about what draws Penny to write about home, digging beneath the surface of homes to find meaning behind the choices we make and how objects become portraits and tell stories about our lives and identities. We also talk about weaving memoir and non-fiction together, making choices about the personal and political aspects of the book and the challenges of writing and publishing a book that doesn't fit neatly into categories. Links All The Houses I've Ever Lived In - Kieran Yates The Lonely City - Olivia Laing Penny on Substack pennywincer.substack.com Caro on Substack carogiles.substack.com | |||
| Marisa Bate on writing the political and personal | 22 Nov 2023 | 01:06:56 | |
Marisa Bate is a freelance journalist, women's rights advocate and author of Wild Hope. Part memoir, part reportage and part social history, Wild Hope tells the story of expanding and contracting women's rights in America through two bus journey's across the mid west - one by Marisa's mother in the 70s and the other, by Marisa in 2021. In this episode Marisa talks about finding hope in dark times, keeping faith in action and writing your own story when it so intertwined with the stories of others. Links Writing About Women - Marisa Bate's substack Not Too Busy To Write on Substack Non-fiction writing coaching with Penny - pennywincerwrites.com Penny on instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Laura Bates on the power of storytelling in activism | 15 Nov 2023 | 00:41:04 | |
Laura Bates is a Sunday Times Bestselling author, an activist and speaker. Laura founded the Everyday Sexism Project in 2012 and has gone on to write multiple best selling non-fiction books about gender equality. She has spoken in the United Nations, the Houses of Parliament, is regularly called on to provide evidence for parliamentary reports and has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her work on gender equality. Laura also writes Young Adult fiction and today we are discussing her latest novel Sisters of Sword and Shadow and why she's so passionate about writing for young people, the incredible power of storytelling and why activism needs fiction as well as non-fiction. Links Sisters of Sword and Shadow - Laura Bates Fix the System, Not the Women - Laura Bates Men Who Hate Women - Laura Bates Glitch Charity - Promoting Online Safety for women and girls
Not Too Busy To Write on Substack Penny on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Huma Qureshi on fiction and borrowing from life | 08 Nov 2023 | 01:12:17 | |
Award winning writer Huma Qureshi returns to the podcast to discuss her debut novel Playing Games, a story about two sisters, their very different ways of processing grief and the question over whether it's ok for a writer to take from real life. We talk about the challenges of moving from short to long form fiction, the pluses (and minuses) of having a two book deal and the pleasures of writing about a writer. Huma is also a brilliant creative writing teacher and we discuss her style as a teacher and some of her favourite book recommendations for writers. Playing Games is out Nov 9th Links Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love - Huma Qureshi Huma's creative writing classes Sign Up to Dear Huma newsletter Huma Qureshi on Not Too Busy To Write in 2021 Recommended Books American Wife - Curtis Sittenfeld Help Yourself - Curtis Sittenfeld Writers and Lovers - Lily King Unaccustomed Earth - Jhumpa Lahiri | |||
| Karen Haller on publishing non-fiction as an expert | 01 Nov 2023 | 00:49:59 | |
What's it like to publish a book as an expert in your field? Karen Haller is a behavioural colour and design psychology expert and is the author of The Little Book of Colour. Karen and I talk about some of the highs and lows of traditional publishing, some of the particular challenges she faced, as well as the many opportunities it opened up for her when her book became a huge success and was published in 14 languages. We also dive into what colour psychology is and how the book fits into Karen's aim to help people be less afraid of using colour. Links The Little Book of Colour - Karen Haller Karen Haller's website and newsletter Download a free ebook on Colour Myths Karen Haller on Instagram @karen_haller_colour Penny's Cornish Writing Retreat Feb 2024 - pennywincerwrites.com/retreat You can sign up to Penny's Substack Not Too Busy To Write | |||
| Kate Sawyer on second novels and career changes | 25 Oct 2023 | 00:43:42 | |
Kate Sawyer is novelist and podcaster with a background in theatre producing and acting. Her first novel The Stranding was shortlisted for the Costa first novel award in 2021 and today we are talking about her second novel This Family. We talk about how her career in theatre has fed into her work as a novelist, genre expectations and how being a solo mother by choice made her rethink how she was going to earn a living and flex her creative muscles. Kate is the host of the wonderful podcast Novel Experience - if you are a fan of Not Too Busy To Write, then this is right up your street. Available on all your favourite podcast feeds. links Novel Experience podcast with Kate Sawyer Follow Kate on Instagram - @mskatesawyer Follow Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| Marchelle Farrell on memoir and belonging | 18 Oct 2023 | 00:48:12 | |
Marchelle Farrell's debut memoir Uprooting is about a year of tremendous upheaval and Marchelle's attempt to find home in a garden. In this conversation, we talk about vulnerability in the garden and on the page, identity in medicine and as a writer and how Marchelle's garden gave her a new perspective on colonialism. Uprooting is out now. Links Marchelle on Instagram @afroliage Marchelle on Substack - Afroliage Penny on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| REPLAY: Beth Kempton on being a fearless writer | 16 Aug 2023 | 01:04:14 | |
Summer REPLAY series Beth Kempton is a Japanologist, a best selling author and a writing mentor whose books have been translated into 24 languages. Her Latest book The Way of the Fearless Writer challenges the assumption that writing must be a struggle and filled with suffering. We talk about why it's important to know why we write, learning to let go in our writing, when to share our work (and when not to) and learning to trust in writing as a practice. Links The Way of the Fearless Writer - Beth Kempton Do What You Love For Life - Writing classes with Beth Kempton Instagram @bethkempton You can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter about all things writing and finding time to write here Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| REPLAY: Evie Wyld on writing about male violence | 09 Aug 2023 | 00:38:07 | |
You can sign up to the waitlist for Penny's next Non-Fiction Book Proposal Group at pennywincerwrites.com Summer REPLAY series Evie Wyld is an award winning author of three novels, the latest of which, The Bass Rock, won the Stella Prize 2021. We discuss writing a novel about male violence against a backdrop of #MeToo, and speaking about the subjects in the book in a year of highly publicised violence against women. We also talk about how motherhood, and the nature of writing with young children, led to some of the structural elements of The Bass Rock and how an award like the Stella Prize can create change in a writing career. Links The Interestings - Meg Wolitzer You can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter at pennywincerwrites.com Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| REPLAY: Abigail Bergstrom - literary agent and novelist | 02 Aug 2023 | 00:43:11 | |
To sign up to the waitlist for Penny's next Non-Fiction Book Proposal Group Program visit pennywincerwrites.com Summer REPLAY series Abigail Bergstrom is a literary agent and consultant, former editor, and now debut novelist. What A Shame is a darkly funny novel about grief, friendship and dabbling in the occult. Abigail talks about the challenges of having a lot of knowledge of the industry whilst writing and having to take her agent hat off in order to write, removing the constraints that made writing feel like 'work' and being conscious of the exchange that happens when we give up other things in order to write on the side of a demanding full time job. Bergstrom Studio is a 360 degree literary consultancy, offering editorial consultancy and representation. As an agent Abigail represents multiple best selling authors and has some excellent advice for those who are going out on submission. Links What A Shame - Abigail Bergstrom Beautiful Country - Xian Julie Wang You can find Abigail on Instagram @abigailbergstrom and @bergstrom.studio You can sign up to Penny's newsletter at pennywincerwrites.com instagram @pennywincer | |||
| REPLAY: Chloe Ashby on writing art in fiction | 26 Jul 2023 | 00:41:34 | |
Summer Replay Series Chloe Ashby is an arts journalist and author based in London. Her debut novel Wet Paint is about a young woman struggling to move forward after the traumatic death of her best friend, who finds solace in a painting and a life of routine, until a sudden change of circumstances has her undressing for strangers as a life model. We talk about ways of finding your way in to a story as a writer, writing about visual art and exploring ideas of control in characters. We also talk about having an 'affair' with novel writing on the side of other paid writing work and Chloe's life as a freelance arts writer working on non-fiction art books and reviewing exhibitions. links Look at this if you love great art - Chloe Ashby Colours of Art: The story of art in 80 palletes - Chloe Ashby You can find Chloe Ashby at chloeashby.com Instagram - @chloeashby Twitter - @chloeashby You can find sign up to Penny's Newsletter at pennywincerwrites.com Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Stacey Heale on writing about death and life | 27 Mar 2024 | 00:47:30 | |
Stacey Heale is a fashion academic and writer whose husband Greg was diagnosed with terminal cancer when their youngest daughter was just a baby. Greg died 5 years later. In her memoir Now Is Not The Time For Flowers, Stacey writes about the big conversations that arise from imminent death. In this epsiode Stacey and I talk about writing about the dead, abandoning the typical memoir structure and the very funny side of a very dark experience. Now Is Not The Time For Flowers is out March 28th Links Now Is Not The Time For Flowers - Stacey Heale Stacey Heale on Instagram @stacey_heale Not Too Busy To Write on Substack - pennywincer.substack.com | |||
| Marina Benjamin and Caro Giles on writing and caring | 09 Jun 2023 | 00:43:50 | |
It's Carers Week in the UK so I have recorded a bonus episode of teh podcast with two fellow writer carers. Marina Benjamin is the author of many books, the latest of which is A little Give: the unsung, unseen, undone work of women. She also cares for her elderly mother. Caro Giles is the author of Twelve Moons; A year under a share sky and is a single parent to four daughters, two of whom have complex needs. This is a slightly different format to usual, with the three of us discussing our caring roles, the challenges of writing about the topic and the time we 'steal' away from our caring responsibilities to write. This was such a wonderful and honest conversation and I'm so grateful for Marina and Caro for taking the time and being so open about the challenges. Links | |||
| Daisy Buchanan: from journalist to novelist | 15 Mar 2023 | 01:13:49 | |
Daisy Buchanan is an award winning journalist, author and broadcaster who has had a varied writing career beginning in teen magazines, and now as a novelist. She's also the host of the chart topping podcast You're Booked - one of my favourite podcasts of all time. We talk about Daisy's move from journalist and non-fiction author to fiction, and how terrifying that was, the joys and challenges of writing about sex and the importance of reading for pleasure when you're a writer. Daisy is also very open about the highs and lows of her publishing career and how not everything has been smooth sailing. Links Limelight - Daisy Buchanan (pre-order) Peter Hujar's Day - Linda Rosenkrantz Kick The Latch - Kathryn Scanlan Daisy Buchanan on Instagram @thedaisybee Penny Wincer on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Nicola Washington on social media for writers | 08 Mar 2023 | 01:05:32 | |
Are you tearing your hair out about social media? Do you want to use it to grow your profile as a writer or shout about your book but it makes you uncomfortable? Nicola Washington is a social media marketer and she is passionate about helping writers get their work out into the world. As she says in this episode, after the immense hard work of writing a book, what a huge waste if nobody hears about it! This is a hugely practical episode looking at strategy, building genuine relationships and creating community to help you spread your ideas, share your work and create meaningful change through the power of social media. Links Nicola on instagram @toomuch_social Nicola's personal account on instagram @toomuchmotheringinformation Instagram with Impact Workshop Instagram accounts mentioned Penny on Instagram @pennywincer Penny's weekly writing newsletter pennywincerwrites.com Non-fiction Retreat with Penny Wincer - easeretreats.com | |||
| Suzy Reading on rest | 01 Mar 2023 | 00:46:14 | |
Suzy Reading is a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher and coach whose work all centres around giving people the skills to nourish themselves. Her latest book is Rest to Reset: The busy persons guide to pausing with purpose. As well as talking about Suzy's journey from expert to author of 8 books, we talk about what rest actually looks like, the problem with the current conversations around burnout and moving towards the idea of rest as rebalancing, and that is going to look different for everyone. We also talk about relationship building in publishing, saying yes to opportunities and growing your authority as an expert in your field. Links: Self-care Revolution - Suzy Reading This Book Will (Help) Make You Happy - Suzy Reading You can find Suzy on Instagram @suzyreading You can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincer Sign up to penny's newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com | |||
| Joanna Wolfarth on non-fiction and writing intimate cultural history | 22 Feb 2023 | 00:46:00 | |
Joanna Wolfarth is a cultural historian with a PhD in Southeast Asian art history. Her first book Milk: An intimate history of breastfeeding is a fascinating look at the social, historical and cultural contexts for this very personal of experiences, through art, philosophy, folk wisdom and interviews. Joanna talks about how needing to make sense of the experience of new motherhood, led to a furious dive into the research between feeds and in tiny snatches of time when her baby slept, how motherhood made her fearless when it came to writing and non-fiction that seeks to ask questions, rather than provide all of the answers. Links Milk: An intimate history of breastfeeding Joanna Wolfarth on Instagram @joanna_wolfarth Penny on Instagram @pennywincer Sign up for Penny's weekly writing newsletter here pennywincerwrites.com | |||
| Lucy Werner on how to promote your book | 08 Feb 2023 | 01:00:52 | |
Lucy Werner is a PR expert and founder of The Wern, an agency specialising in PR and branding for creative small businesses. Lucy is not only an expert at book PR but also a published author herself and in this episode Lucy shares what she has learned about book PR and marketing from both sides. From building your authority and your brand before you publish, to promoting a book that already exists in the world, Lucy is a goldmine of information on how best to spread the word and get people buying your books. Her infectious enthusiasm and fun approach to an area that many writers find daunting, will have you dipping your toes in the PR waters. Links Hype Yourself: A no-nonsense PR toolkit for small businesses - Lucy Werner Lucy Werner on Instagram @lucywernerpr Penny on instagram @pennywincer Penny's weekly writing newsletter - pennywincerwrites.com | |||
| Catherine Newman on laughter, death and embracing your voice | 01 Feb 2023 | 00:49:18 | |
Catherine Newman is a writer with a varied career including two parenting memoirs and a middle grade novel. She had written for the New York Times, O Magazine, The Boston Globe and was a columnist for Real Simple Magazine. Her debut novel We All Want Impossible Things is the story of Ash, whose best friend Edi is dying of cancer. Set over a few weeks in a hospice, this book is filled with laughter and heartbreak. Catherine and I talk about the relief of laughing in the face of death, learning to embrace your natural writing voice and the how years of having to make a living from writing has had a positive impact on Catherine's daily writing habit. We All Want Impossible Things is out now. Ease Retreat - Non-fiction with Penny Wincer, Wales, April 20-23 2023 We All Want Impossible Things - Catherine Newman Catherine Newman on instagram - @catherinenewman Catherine's website - catherinenewmanwriter.com Penny on instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| Caro Giles on memoir, nature and putting yourself in the foreground | 25 Jan 2023 | 00:40:39 | |
Caro Giles is a writer based in the north east of England, whose first book Twelve Moons tells the story, across a year, of raising her 4 daughters alone in a wild and isolated part of the country. It's an incredible memoir about caring, isolation, and joy found in tiny pockets of time. We talk about how the pandemic totally changed how she the structure of the book, the challenges of writing and caring and this beautiful idea of writing as a way to put yourself in the foreground, when you have been in the background for so long. Links An Evening with Caro Giles - Waterstones Newcastle 26th January Alnwick Story Festival 25th February Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng This Time Tomorrow - Emma Straub Caro Giles on instagram @carogileswrites Penny on instagram @pennywincer You can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter about writing and making time for creativity here pennywincerwrites.com | |||
| Janice Hallett on turning crime fiction on it's head | 18 Jan 2023 | 00:47:19 | |
After a varied writing career including speech writing, journalism and screen writing, Janice Hallett turned to crime fiction and became a best-selling author that completely turned the genre on its head. Using transcripts, messages, emails, letters and articles, Janice's novels weave intricate, humourous and clever tales of murder and mystery. It was such a delight to take a deep dive with her into her writing process and how her varied experience as a writer informs how she approaches novels. The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is out January 19th Links The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - Janice Hallett The Twyford Code - Janice Hallett You can find Janice Hallett on Twitter @JaniceHallett You can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincer You can sign up to Penny's weekly writing newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com | |||
| Not Too Busy To Write - Series 6 coming soon | 04 Jan 2023 | 00:01:44 | |
Not Too Busy To Write will be back for a new series on January 18th. Guests for series 6 include memoirists, debut novelists, non-fiction authors and much more. The series kicks off with best selling crime author Janice Hallett and oh my goodness is it a great episode about writing outside of the box. See you in two weeks for series 6! Want to write a non-fiction book proposal this year? Penny's first online workshop of the year is on January 11th at 7.30pm. Tickets are just £39 Write Your Book Proposal - eventbrite www.pennywincerwrites.com/workshops Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| Jesse Sutanto on writing a best selling series | 20 Mar 2024 | 00:33:52 | |
Jesse Sutanto is the best selling author of Dial A for Aunties and Vera Wang's Unsolicited Advise for Murders and the winner of the Comic Writer in Print Award 2021. Jesse and I chat about her latest book in her very funny Aunties crime series The Good, The Bad and The Auntie, about her journey from Oxford MFA in Creative Writing, to leaning into her irreverent funny side and the success it led to. We also talk about writing drafts in 5 weeks (yes 5 weeks!!), the joy of sharing her Indo-Chinese culture with the rest fo the world and her favourite funny authors. Links The Good, The Bad and The Aunties - Jesse Sutanto Dial A For Aunties - Jesse Sutanto Vera Wang's Unsolicited Advice for Murders - Jesse Sutanto Jesse Sutanto on Instagram @jesseqsutanto Not Too Busy To Write on Substack pennywincer.substack.com Write Your Non-Fiction Book Proposal with Penny Wincer is at 7pm March 27th Book you place here - pennywincerwrites.com/workshops Podcast listeners can use the code TOOBUSY at checkout to receive £5 off | |||
| Lindsey Kelk on writing Romantic Comedies | 14 Dec 2022 | 01:00:50 | |
Lindsey Kelk is a Sunday Times bestselling author of over 20 novels. Her latest The Christmas Wish is a hilarious and delightful time loop story set during a family Christmas. Lindsey and I chat about subverting Hallmark movie tropes, being a full time novelist in a much maligned genre and the realities of being working class in the publishing industry. The Christmas Wish is a joy and is out now in hardback. Links The Christmas Wish - Lindsey Kelk Her Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno Dawson This Time Tomorrow - Emma Straub Book Proposal Group January 2023 - pennywincerwrites.com/bookproposalgroup You can find Lindsey on instagram - @lindseykelk and on Twitter @LindseyKelk Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| Novelist and Discoveries Prize Judge Chibundu Onuzo | 30 Nov 2022 | 00:37:51 | |
Chibundu Onuzo is a novelist whose first book was published when she was just 21 years old. Her third and latest novel Sankofa was short listed for the Women's Prize for Fiction Futures Prize, an Amazon book of the year and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick in 2021. We talk about the inspiration behind Sankofa, how Chibundu's writing process has changed over the past 10 years and her role as a judge of the Women's Prize Trust Discoveries 2023. Links Women's Prize Discoveries Prize 2023 The Spider King's Daughter - Chibundu Onuzo You can sign up for Penny's newsletter here Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| Writing an illustrated interiors book with Emily Henson | 23 Nov 2022 | 00:42:01 | |
Emily Henson is an art director and stylist and the author of five books. Her latest is Create: Inspiring homes that value creativity over consumption. In this episode Emily talks about her journey from stylist and blogger to author and the close collaborative, relationship she has with her publisher. It's a really fun and informative episode for all those who would love to know exactly what goes in to producing and writing gorgeous and thoughtful illustrated books. Links Emily Henson's Styling portfolio Penny Wincer's Newsletter - pennywincerwrites.com Penny of Instagram - @pennywincer | |||
| What is publishing a book really like? | 16 Nov 2022 | 00:40:53 | |
Ali and Penny are back together talking about the experience of publication. It has been three months since Ali's book The Last Days came out and it seemed like a great time to have a debrief and discuss the highs and lows, the hard work and the realities of publishing. We talk about reviews, proofs, blurbs, news events that drown out book publicity and the things outside of our control when publishing. We also take a little look ahead to our next publications. Links Lipstick Traces - Greil Marcus An Angel at My Table - Janet Frame The Hours - Michael Cunningham Sign up to Penny's newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com Ali Millar on Instagram @ali_millar_writes Penny Wincer on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Winnie M Li on complicity and power in fiction | 09 Nov 2022 | 00:36:56 | |
Winnie M Li is a Taiwanese-American author and activist originally from New Jersey. Her second novel Complicit is about a film lecturer in an obscure American college who once was on the cusp of a major film career. When she is approached by an investigative journalist about an alleged incident that occurred 10 years earlier, memories of youthful ambition and guilt arise. Winnie talks in this episode about how the lure of writing about film was what compelled her to write a second (very different) novel about sexual assault. About how using the framework of the protagonist telling her story to someone else from the distance of 10 years, gave her an interesting perspective to play with. We also talk about the arts grants that have allowed her to pursue her writing. Links Arts Council England Grants https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/ProjectGrants https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/dycp Instagram - @winniemli You can sign up to Penny's newsletter here Penny on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Shakaila Forbes-Bell on Big Dress Energy | 02 Nov 2022 | 00:55:30 | |
Shakaila Forbes-Bell is a fashion psychologist and the author of Big Dress Energy: How fashion psychology can transform your wardrobe and your confidence. It's a book that is a pleasure to read, filled with insights and backed up by rigorous research. In this episode Shakaila talks dressing our different identities, the challenges of switching from academic writing to creative non-fiction, making academic research more widely available to the everyday reader and some of the difficult decisions she made around creating time to write this book, including being honest about her chronic pain condition and her role raising her sisters children. Big Dress Energy is out now. Links Big Dress Energy - Shakaila Forbes-Bell | |||
| Margaux Vialleron on writing about friendship and food | 26 Oct 2022 | 00:39:18 | |
Margaux Vialleron is a French born, London based writer. Her debut novel The Yellow Kitchen centres around the friendship of three very different women over the course of a year, with a kitchen and the food prepared within it at its heart. Margaux speaks about why she is drawn to writing about friendship and food, how she uses her sense to dive into the English language and why she has chosen to write in her second language. We also talk a bit about her day job as a translation rights literary agent. Links The Yellow Kitchen - Margaux Vialleron The Salmon Pink Kitchen Podcast The Salmon Pink Kitchen Newsletter Penny's instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Beth Kempton on how to write fearlessly | 19 Oct 2022 | 01:04:44 | |
Beth Kempton is a Japanologist, a best selling author and a writing mentor whose books have been translated into 24 languages. Her Latest book The Way of the Fearless Writer challenges the assumption that writing must be a struggle and filled with suffering. We talk about why it's important to know why we write, learning to let go in our writing, when to share our work (and when not to) and learning to trust in writing as a practice. Links The Way of the Fearless Writer - Beth Kempton Do What You Love For Life - Writing classes with Beth Kempton You can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter about all things writing and finding time to write here | |||
| REPLAY: Huma Qureshi on short stories and taking fiction seriously | 05 Oct 2022 | 00:54:24 | |
Huma Qureshi is a former Guardian and Observer journalist and is the author of the memoir How We Met and her latest book Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love, is a short story collection about the distance between people - between mothers and daughters and between lovers. It includes the "The Jam Maker" which won the Harper's Bazaar Short Story Prize 2020. We talk about what drove Huma to set herself the challenge of writing 10 short stories in a fairly short period of time, the importance of short story prizes as a way of setting yourself deadlines and challenges, and how motherhood both affected her confidence as a writer but also gave her an urgency to get the words on to the page. Links Miniature Worlds: Writing short stories with Huma Qureshi Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love - Huma Qureshi Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen A Ghost in the Throat - Doireann Ni Ghriofa You can find Huma Qureshi on instagram @humaqureshiwriter Sign up for Penny's newsletter here You can check out all the book recommendations from the podcast at our bookshop on bookshop.org which helps support independent booksellers | |||
| REPLAY: Cathy Rentzenbrink on life writing | 28 Sep 2022 | 00:41:02 | |
Cathy Rentzenbrink is a Sunday Times best selling author of The Last Act of Love, A Manual for Heartache, Dear Reader and Everyone is Still Alive. Her latest book, Write It All Down, is all about writing from life. Cathy talks about how her first memoir started because she need to write it out of her, how she's learned to trust the process of writing, even though she's still filled with self doubt and learning that external validation of our writing doesn't magically fix that doubt. Links Write It All Down - Cathy Rentzenbrink The Last Act of Love - Cathy Rentzenbrink Everyone Is Still Alive - Cathy Rentzenbrink The Virgin Suicides - Jeffery Eugenides Without Warning And Only Sometimes - Kit De Waal You can follow Cathy on Instagram @catrentzenbrink and twitter @catrentzenbrink You can follow Penny on Instagram @pennywincer and sign up for her newsletter here. | |||
| Charlotte Wood on writing craft and Australian fiction | 13 Mar 2024 | 00:42:27 | |
Charlotte Wood is an award winning Australian author of 10 books including the 2016 Stella Prize winner The Natural Way of Things and the 2020 international bestseller The Weekend. Her latest novel Stone Yard Devotional is about a woman who abandons her life, her marriage, her career and retreats to a religious community in a remote area of Australia, where she grew up. Charlotte and I talk about the themes that come up in her work, how her craft has changed over the course of her career, why it's so important to her to not over explain to the reader and of course, her favourite Australian fiction writers. Links Stone Yard Devotional - Charlotte Wood The Natural Way of Things - Charlotte Wood The Writers Room - Charlotte Wood The Good Parents - Joan London The Conversion - Amanda Lohrey Charlotte Wood's Substack - charlottewood.substack.com Not Too Busy To Write on Substack - pennywincer.substack.com | |||
| REPLAY: Julia Silk - Literary Agent | 21 Sep 2022 | 01:03:07 | |
Julia Silk is a an agent with Greyhound Literary. Julia spent many years as an editor before becoming an agent who represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction authors. We talk about what exactly an agent does, how agents find and nurture authors as well as how agents deal with rejection (yes they get rejected too!). She also talks about the common problems that she sees in manuscripts, including really figuring out what the point of your book is and the importance story and how to write a captivating cover letter. It is a packed epsiode full of gold for submitting writers. Julia Silk is currently open for submissions You can find Julia on twitter @juliasreading Book Proposal Group Program with Penny Wincer Links Nine Perfect Strangers - Liane Moriaty You can find all the books recommended on the podcast at our Bookshop.org shop - Not Too Busy To Write Recommends - buying through our bookshop supports independent booksellers as well as supporting the podcast | |||
| REPLAY: Sophie Howarth on the joy of being an amateur | 14 Sep 2022 | 00:42:05 | |
REPLAY: This episode was originally released in April 2022 Sophie Howarth has a varied and unique career spanning art, entrepreneurship, teaching, activism and writing. She has been Curator of Public Programs at Tate Modern, co-founded The School Of Life and Department Store for The Mind, has written several books on photography. Her latest book The Mindful Photographer is about slowing down and paying attention to what we see. Sophie is a big believer in the joy of being an amateur and the book is for anyone, regardless of equipment or expertise, to find a fresh way of paying attention in the world. We talk about 'beginning in the middle' - how in middle age, with our awareness of impermanence, we are somehow freed from constraints by being more aware of death. We also talk about the process of writing a photography book, of approaching the artists she wanted to use to illustrate the ideas in the book and the range of work including diversity of gender, race and genre. Our conversation spans so many areas - inspiration (and too much inspiration/input), work freedom, following joy and the idea of practise as a way of living. Links Book Proposal Group Program with Penny Wincer The Mindful Photographer - Sophie Howarth Street Photography Now - Sophie Howarth Family Photography Now - Sophie Howarth You can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincer and you can sign up for her newsletter here | |||
| Lulah Ellender on the personal and the universal in life writing | 03 Aug 2022 | 00:38:31 | |
Lulah Ellender is an author, creative non-fiction writing teacher and writing coach based in Sussex. Her latest book Grounding: Finding home in a garden is about a single growing year in her garden after her mother died and her family was in danger of losing the home that they had lived in for 10 years. We talk about how Lulah weaves together the stories of many other gardens and the artists who created them into her own personal narrative alongside non-fiction elements of plant and garden history. She sees her role as taking the reader by the hand and leading them through, rather than memoir being particularly about her. Lulah also tells me about her flexible online courses in Life Writing, her favourite books about writing, the importance of close reading your favourite books and reading widely around your topics of interest. Links Elizabeth's Lists - Lulah Ellender The Artists Way - Julia Cameron | |||
| Angela Hui on food and belonging | 27 Jul 2022 | 00:44:29 | |
Angela Hui is an award winning food and lifestyle journalist whose first book Takeway: Stories from a childhood behind the counter is about growing up in a Chinese takeaway in rural Wales. We talk about how the memoir began life as an article she wrote for VICE on how Chinese takeaways are disappearing and the dual identities of her childhood - going from yearning to fit in to coming to love and appreciate both her Chinese and Welsh heritage. We also talk about just how important food is in Chinese culture, what it was like to put her formidable mother down on the page and how food has followed her from a childhood behind the counter, to her career as the food writer for Time Out London. Links | |||
| Michelle Gallen on writing about community trauma with dark humour | 20 Jul 2022 | 00:46:55 | |
Michelle Gallen is an Irish author raised in a border town in the north and now based in Dublin. Her first novel Big Girl, Small Town was short listed for the Costa First Novel Award, The Comedy Women in Print Award and An Irish Book Award. Her second novel Factory Girls, set in the summer of 1994 in a small town in Northern Ireland, as a group of friends await their A level results, wondering if they'll ever escape the deprived community they were born into. It's dark and incredibly funny. We talk about how growing up in a divided community where violence was normal and was dealt with by turning to dark humour and the differences between writing her first and second novel. We also talk about her recovery from a brain injury, the bursaries that allowed her to quit her day job in order to write and the importance of having people to champion and encourage your work. Links Factory Girls - Michell Gallen Big Girl, Small Town - Michelle Gallen Irish Arts Council Literature Project Award | |||
| Ali Millar on The Last Days and writing the truth | 14 Jul 2022 | 00:45:11 | |
Our very own Ali Millar is on the podcast today talking about her debut book The Last Days. We talk about how writing this memoir was a necessity in truth telling, obsessing over structure, talking books into life and redrafting - lots of redrafting. We also talk about some of the challenges of writing a memoir both emotionally and legally and vulnerability of exposure. The Last Days is out now. Links Original Sins - Matt Rowland Hill The Year of Miracles - Ella Risbridger You can find Ali on instagram @ali_millar_writes and Penny @pennywincer | |||
| Chloe Timms on dystopian fiction and writing about outsiders | 06 Jul 2022 | 00:53:38 | |
Chloe Times is an author, podcaster and former teacher based in Kent. Her debut novel The Seawomen, a dystopian tale about a closed community and one young woman who gets a small taste of freedom, is out now. Chloe and I talk about how her disability naturally leads her to write about marginalised characters, building worlds and complex female friendships on the page. Chloe is a graduate of the Faber Academy and talks about how that experience changed her life as a writer. We also chat about the joys of writing podcasts and her wonderful podcast Confessions of a Debut Novelist. Links The Faber Academy - Scholarships Confessions of a Debut Novelist Podcast with Chloe Timms You can find Chloe on twitter @clotimms and instagram @clotimms You can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincer | |||
| Chloe Ashby on writing about art, grief and being seen | 29 Jun 2022 | 00:41:25 | |
Chloe Ashby is an arts journalist and author based in London. Her debut novel Wet Paint is about a young woman struggling to move forward after the traumatic death of her best friend, who finds solace in a painting and a life of routine, until a sudden change of circumstances has her undressing for strangers as a life model. We talk about ways of finding your way in to a story as a writer, writing about visual art and exploring ideas of control in characters. We also talk about having an 'affair' with novel writing on the side of other paid writing work and Chloe's life as a freelance arts writer working on non-fiction art books and reviewing exhibitions. links Look at this if you love great art - Chloe Ashby Colours of Art: The story of art in 80 palletes - Chloe Ashby Instagram - @chloeashby Twitter - @chloeashby You can find us on instagram @pennywincer and @ali_millar_writes | |||
| Ilona Bannister on writing challenging women | 22 Jun 2022 | 00:40:21 | |
Ilona Bannister's second novel Little Prisons, is set in one building, from four perspectives, each one a woman experiencing a kind of imprisonment. Emotional, mental and literal. Ilona is our first return guest on the podcast and we discuss the difference between the experience of writing book one and book two, the complex literary devices she uses in the novel to examine issues around human trafficking and how she challenges the reader and our expectations by writing characters that stretch our compassion and have us question how we see those who are the most invisible in our society. Links | |||
| Sophie Howarth - on writing about art and the joy being an amateur | 20 Apr 2022 | 00:40:28 | |
Sophie Howarth has a varied and unique career spanning art, entrepreneurship, teaching, activism and writing. She has been Curator of Public Programs at Tate Modern, co-founded The School Of Life and Department Store for The Mind, has written several books on photography. Her latest book The Mindful Photographer is about slowing down and paying attention to what we see. Sophie is a big believer in the joy of being an amateur and the book is for anyone, regardless of equipment or expertise, to find a fresh way of paying attention in the world. We talk about 'beginning in the middle' - how in middle age, with our awareness of impermanence, we are somehow freed from constraints by being more aware of death. We also talk about the process of writing a photography book, of approaching the artists she wanted to use to illustrate the ideas in the book and the range of work including diversity of gender, race and genre. Our conversation spans so many areas - inspiration (and too much inspiration/input), work freedom, following joy and the idea of practise as a way of living. Links The Mindful Photographer - Sophie Howarth Street Photography Now - Sophie Howarth | |||
| Tamu Thomas on women who work too much | 06 Mar 2024 | 00:50:49 | |
Tamu Thomas is a transformational coach whose debut book Women Who Work Too Much helps over-achieving, over-functioning women set boundaries, find joy and flourish. In this conversation we talk about natural (rather than toxic) productivity, radical rest and why work (not over work) can be a positive thing. This is such an important conversation for those of us who are writers and have blurred boundaries between work, rest and play. Links Women Who Work Too Much - Tamu Thomas Tamu on Instagram @tamu.thomas Tamu on TikTok @tamu_thomas Book your place on the Non-fiction Book Proposal Workshop 27th March 2024 7pm Discount code for podcast listeners - TOOBUSY pennywincerwrites.com/workshops Not Too Busy to Write on Substack - pennywincer.substack.com | |||
| Sian Meades-Williams on freelancing writing, making money and newsletter love | 13 Apr 2022 | 00:58:48 | |
Sian Meades-Williams is the brains (and muscle) behind the hugely popular Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter and co-founder of the award winning lifestyle newsletter Tigers Are Better Looking (formerly Domestic Sluttery). In today's episode we discuss Sian's new book The Pyjama Myth: The Freelance Writer's Survival Guide - an indispensable guide for writers from pitching to getting paid. Sian is full of fantastic advice for earning a living from the craft of writing, including pitching. We also do a deep dive into newsletters and the freedom and joy they bring to her work. A must listen for anyone experiencing the highs and lows of freelance writing life. Links The Pyjama Myth - Sian Meades-Williams Freelance Writing Jobs Newsletter Sign up Tigers Are better looking Newsletter Sign Up The Feminist Quiz Book - Sian Meades-Williams and Laura Brown You can find Sian on Twitter @SianySianySiany and sianmeadeswilliams.com | |||
| Maggie Gee on Empathy, language, and the non-human in fiction. | 06 Apr 2022 | 00:44:02 | |
In this episode Maggie Gee reads extracts from her stunning new novel, The Red Children (Saqi Books). Set in the near future against a backdrop of increased migration pressure, climate change and increasing isolation, The Red Children explores themes of far right extremism and the aftermath of virus. Ali talks to Maggie about the enduring power of fable. How characters with radically different personalities to ours can foster a deeper empathy, and how to write the non-human successfully. | |||
| Lizzie Damilola Blackburn on romantic comedies and writing the character you couldn't find | 16 Mar 2022 | 00:34:05 | |
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn's debut novel Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? tells the story of 31 yr old British-Nigerian Yinka, who is feeling the pressure to settle down. When she finds out her ex-boyfriend is bringing his new fiance to her cousins wedding, she decides to go on a mission to find herself a plus one for the big day. Lizzie and Penny chat about how Yinka started life in a short story and how Lizzie felt characters like Yinka were missing from mainstream women's fiction. After the story won a prize, Lizzie decided to write her into a novel. Lizzie is passionate about representation in fiction and about writing religion in a way that feels true to her. She also discusses the importance of writing about colourism and body image for dark skinned black women and creating nuance and humour these complex issues. Links Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? - Lizzie Damilola Blackburn Hope and Glory - Jendella Benson The Christie Affair - Nina De Gramont You can find Lizzie on twitter @DamilolaLizzie | |||
| Clover Stroud - Death, life and writing memoir in real time | 09 Mar 2022 | 01:06:04 | |
Clover Stroud is a Sunday Times best selling author of a number of books including The Wild Other and My Wild and Sleepless Nights. Her latest book, The Red of My Blood, is the story of her sister Nell's death and the immediate aftermath. Clover talks about how her writing benefits from the immediacy of writing in real time and how it felt natural for her to write about the extremities of grief when she was deep in its throws. We also talk about taking yourself to the edge creatively and how it makes life more vivid and putting a magnifying glass up to human experience as well as some of the positive aspects of social media. Clover also has some excellent reading advice for writers. Links The Red of My Blood - Clover Stroud My Wild and Sleepless Nights - Clover Stroud The Stone Mason - Andrew Zeminski Devil in a Coma - Mark Lanegan Atlas of the Heart - Brene Brown You can find Clover on instagram @clover.stroud | |||