Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky has dedicated his life to studying happiness. In this episide we talk to him about ‘mattering’ and how we can use his research findings to write more, worry less about our status and embrace a lightness in our creative work. * ABOUT DR. ISAAC Dr. Isaac Prilleltensky holds the inaugural Erwin and Barbara Mautner Chair in Comm…

Penny Wincer, an author, writer and non-fiction book coach on how writers can think deeply about their living spaces, what makes a house a home and we dive into her expertise around creating engaging non-fiction and creating a non-fiction book proposal to send to agents. * ABOUT PENNY WINCER Penny Wincer is an author, freelance writer and non-ficti…

Literary Agent (RCW Agency) and children’s author Sam Copeland on what he’s looking for in his submissions pile, how to write a compelling pitch letter, what he thinks about submitting to agents internationally and how he constructs funny middle-grade fiction. * ABOUT SAM COPELAND Sam Copeland was shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year at the 2…

Award-winning cookbook writer, blogger and novelist Kate Young on creating a viral cooking blog, how she turned her blog into a series of cookbooks, and what goes into a pitch for a cookbook. Plus her approach to plotting rom com, adding depth to rom-com characters, her approach to writing sex scenes and what she thinks every rom com should have. *…

Practical advice from Irish poet Pádraig Ó Tuama on writing and editing poetry and expanding your world with poetry. Highlights from a previous episode. For the full episode, listen to interview episode #103 * ABOUT PÁDRAIG Ó TUAMA ​Pádraig Ó Tuama is a theologian, writer, and conflict transformation practitioner. His books include In the Shelter: …

For decades, Rachel Blackmore dreamed of becoming an author. In 2020, she joined Writers’ Hour and began her first novel. Now, her debut, COSTANZA, is being published by Dialogue Books (Hachette) and is hailed as an addictive tale of desire and betrayal. In this special interview, we're joined by Rachel and her literary agent, Juliet Pickering. We …

A curation of our favourite questions and poems from our interview with poet David Whyte. We ask him: What we can do when we can’t access our writing? How do we live through fallow periods of writing and what rituals he uses for writing. He shares the poems: A Seeming Stillness, A Song for the Salmon and Start Close In. * ABOUT DAVID WHYTE David Wh…

Lyn Slater on going viral with her blog, Accidental Icon in her 60s, writing memoir How to Be Old and starting a Substack in her 70s and why getting older can be the most invigorating phase of life—full of rebellion, reinvention, connection, and creativity. * ABOUT LYN SLATER Lyn Slater is a cultural influencer, model, writer, content creator and f…

Olivia Petter, award-winning journalist & author on breaking into journalism, vulnerability, writing about consent and celebrity (Gold Rush), finding her niche in journalism and landing a book deal. * ABOUT OLIVIA PETTER Olivia Petter is an award-winning journalist, author, and broadcaster based in London. As a journalist, she specialises in violen…

Marketing strategist, editor and author Charlie Hoehn on the key things bestselling authors do to create a successful and shareable books. We talk about: Helping Ramit Sethi and Tim Ferriss launch their books How to test and launch a nonfiction idea Creating a brand around your book, Effective marketing strategies The merits of self-publishing and …

Sunday Times Bestseller Beth Morrey (Saving Missey, Lucky Day) on her journey as a writer and TV producer and writing humorous upmarket books while exploring darker themes. We talk about her latest book Lucky Day and what it means to stop saying ‘yes’ and start living for yourself. * ABOUT BETH MORREY Previously Creative Director at RDF Television,…

Nora Neus, Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and freelance journalist (CNN, Vice News, The Washington Post) and creator of the Long Form Lab on finding a story from the seed of an idea, how writers can discover and use their strengths and how to choose which media to use for a potential story. * ABOUT NORA NEUS Nora Neus is an Emmy-nominated journal…

SHOW SUMMARY Spoken word artist and writer Oisín McKenna on Oscar Wilde as inspiration, finding his footing in the spoken word world, turning his hand to writing a book, how he wrote his book in fragments and later added structure, and why you should be kind to yourself and how to trust that your writing will improve and get to where it needs to be…

Short story and literary novelist and former Hachette Editor, Niamh Mulvey on how to create memorable characters, finding her voice as a writer after years of failing, overcoming rejection and what she’s learned from her years in the publishing industry. * ABOUT NIAMH MULVEY Niamh Mulvey is from Kilkenny, Ireland. Her short fiction has been publish…

David Heinemeier Hansson, serial entrepreneur and bestselling author on his 14-year journey to selling millions of copies of his books, why you should view your books as valuable products, and how he has co-written and marketed his books—all while running multiple successful businesses, including Basecamp, Ruby on Rails, and Hey.com. Plus how he us…

Young Adult Bestselling author Krystal Sutherland on the reality of hitting the New York Times Bestseller list, how she constructs compelling hooks and endings for each chapter, moving across genres, and her advice for getting your book done and creating a page-turner. * ABOUT KRYSTAL SUTHERLAND Krystal Sutherland is the New York Times and indie be…

Rupal Patel, an ex-CIA agent and author of From CIA to CEO on applying CIA tools to your personal and creative life. Plus she gives us tips for how to create more time and how to pitch a non-fiction book. * RESOURCES & LINKS 📄 Interview Transcript (unedited) From CIA to CEO Rupal’s TED Talk, My Unexpected Discovery About Working at the CIA Rupal’s …

The poet and theologian Pádraig Ó Tuama tells us about his journey into poetry, how he knows a poem is complete and how poets might practice noticing. He also reads from his collection and deconstructs his poetry. We also discuss what it means to make a living as a poet. * ABOUT PÁDRAIG Ó TUAMA ​Pádraig Ó Tuama is a theologian, writer, and conflict…

TV writer Michael Jamin (‘Just Shoot Me!’ and ‘King of the Hill.’) on his experience as a writer and showrunner, growing his platform and how he created, promoted and self-published his book A Paper Orchestra, * ABOUT MICHAEL JAMIN Michael Jamin has been writing for television since 1996. His many credits include Just Shoot Me, King of the Hill, Be…

The First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid on her writing habits, her creative life and why the Iceland Writers’ Retreat is a perfect place for writers. We also discuss her fiction and nonfiction, navigating self-doubt, being tenacious with time and how she balances her responsibilities as a writer with her role in public service. * ABOUT ELIZA REID Eliz…

Clara Vulliamy, a children’s author of over 30 books talks about how she approaches collaboration, and what she’s learned from decades in the world of children's publishing as an author and illustrator. * ABOUT CLARA VULLIAMY Clara Vulliamy is the daughter of author-illustrator Shirley Hughes and architect John Vulliamy. Her first experience of mak…

Before Sunrise co-writer, Kim Krizan on plotting for the screen, creating memorable characters for Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy and advice on how to start writing a screenplay. * ABOUT KIM KRIZAN Kim Krizan is the Academy Award-nominated writer of the films “Before Sunrise” and “Before Sunset.” Her book Original Sins: Trade Secrets of the Femme Fata…

New York Times bestselling author Learning to Love Midlife on why life gets better with age, midlife as a chrysalis & awakening and how we can create the ideal condition for a Creative Life. * ABOUT CHIP CONLEY Chip Conley is on a mission. After disrupting the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second…

Leo Vardiashvili on disciplined writing, completing his literary novel and writing about home. * ABOUT LEO VARDIASHVILI Leo Vardiashvili moved to London with his family as a refugee from Georgia when he was twelve years old. He studied English literature at Queen Mary University of London. * RESOURCES & LINKS Hard by a Great Forest by Leo Vardiashv…

New York Literary Agent Lucinda Halpern on positioning your book, finding the big idea for your pitch and finding and getting signed with a literary agent. Also, query letter essentials and how to get feedback from beta readers. * ABOUT LUCINDA HALPERN Lucinda Halpern is a New York literary agent with over 15 years' experience securing book deals w…

Hester Musson (The Beholders) on her writing and querying process for her gothic historical thriller. She also talks to us about how she overcame rejection and got published. * ABOUT HESTER MUSSON Hester Musson studied at Bristol University and the RCS in Glasgow. She worked as an actress and autocue operator in London before writing full time, and…

Farrah Storr, former Editor-In-Chief (ELLE/ Cosmopolitan) and Head of Writer Partnerships for Substack on what it takes to grab the attention of a reader, overcoming the fear of publishing work and leaning into discomfort. We also discuss how we might think like an editor with our own writing, and how we might use feedback constructively. We also c…

The New York Times bestselling author Jami Attenberg talks about her latest non-fiction book 1000 Words: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Creative, Focused, and Productive All Year Round, her journey from being a broke writer to creating a successful creative career, creating the #1000wordsofsummer movement and how she fights for a life of writing. We a…

Filmmaker, author, presenter Alex Bescoby (The Last Overland) takes us behind the scenes of his Channel 4 documentary. We discuss brand partnerships, finding the right team, dealing with setbacks and the editorial process. * ABOUT ALEX BESCOBY Alex Bescoby is an award-winning filmmaker, best-selling author, and an experienced broadcaster. His films…

Accelerator Physicist and author Dr. Suzie Sheehy (The Matter OF Everything: Twelve Experiments That Changed Our World) on simple storytelling techniques to make science and other complex subjects engaging. Plus, Suzie's early impressions as a first-time author, her process for writing and researching The Matter of Everything, and overcoming her 'v…

New York Times bestselling author David Arnold on his journey from professional musician to writer, choosing POV, using vignettes and writing characters that YA readers can’t resist in his latest book, 'I Loved You In Another Life.' * ABOUT DAVID ARNOLD David Arnold is the New York Times bestselling author of Mosquitoland, I Loved You in Another Li…

Emma Ganon on The Success Myth, our obsession with achievement and how to let go of the idea of having it all. We dive into her creative journey as an entrepreneur and writer of both nonfiction and fiction and the world of Substack. We also talk about Emma’s different income streams, reflections on her Self-Publishing Era, and we look at how she di…

Seth Godin is one of the most influential writers and thinkers of our time. He is the author of twenty-one international bestsellers, and his work has been translated into over thirty-nine languages. In this conversation with Seth, we discuss his latest books, The Song of Significance and The Practice, and how we might find the courage to make and …

Bestselling historical fiction novelist Victoria Hislop (The Island, The Figurines) on how she started writing, how she weaves her love of travel and history into her books, the realities of research, and her process for writing books that engineer conversation. We talk about how she evokes a sense of place, how she absorbs a new environment to wri…

Crime mystery author Gwyn Bennett about how she built a successful indie publishing business sold thousands of her own books, and why she accepted a publishing book deal with Indie Publisher Storm. We touch on why it's important to produce a professional indie published book, Gwyn's approach to writing sales copy for her books, hitting the Amazon b…

Award-winning poet and writer on her process of crafting a poem, how she brought lyric sensibility to her memoir, and how we can observe and distill our experience of the world. We also talk about how she constructed her memoir, chose what to include, and navigated the intensity of publication as a memoirist. * ABOUT MAGGIE SMITH Maggie Smith is an…

Jean Kwok (New York Times bestselling author) on the process of creating compelling characters and structuring a psychological family drama thriller. Plus we talk about narrative tension, handling criticism and dealing with pressure and failure as a writer. * ABOUT JEAN KWOK Jean Kwok is the award-winning, New York Times and international bestselli…

Nonfiction writer and financial advisor Peter Komolafe, on pulling himself out of homelessness, struggles with debt through to becoming a financial expert. We explore how we might rewrite our relationship with money, his 5 "BASIC" principles of financial security, how visualisation helped him achieve his goals, and his experience writing The Money …

Natalie Doherty, Children’s Publishing Director at HarperCollins, on what she looks for when acquiring books, the case against writing toward market trends, different categories of children’s books, and what makes a magical children’s book. * ABOUT NATALIE DOHERTY Natalie Doherty is Fiction Publishing Director at HarperCollins Children’s Books, whe…

Youtuber and author Ellie Middleton on how she started sharing her work publicly, her viral posts, how she’s built an audience of 300k and rules she follows for content creation. Plus her experience of writing and publishing her nonfiction book Unmasked: The Ultimate Guide to ADHD, Autism and Neurodivergence. * ABOUT ELLIE MIDDLETON Ellie Middleton…

Prize-winning essayist, literary critic, and professor of European literature Ben Hutchinson, author of On Purpose: Ten Lessons on the Meaning of Life, on how reading and meaningfully engaging with literature can help us live more fully—and more purposefully. Plus, lessons on living well from the literary greats, tips for becoming better readers an…

Professor Herminia Ibarra on her hugely influential books Act Like a Leader, Think Like a Leader, and Working Identity: Unconventional Strategies for Reinventing Your Career. In this conversation with Herminia, we discuss reinventing your career, how to gain confidence as a writer, why thinking first and then acting doesn’t always work, navigating …

New York Times-bestselling author Chris Guillebeau (Side Hustle School podcast) on the new rules of money, how people are making money in the new economy and his philosophy for how we as creators can experiment with new technology and platforms and turn creativity into income. * ABOUT CHRIS GUILLEBEAU Chris is an entrepreneur, explorer, and New Yor…

Actress and writer Guinevere Turner on her unconventional journey from screenwriting to memoir. We explore her process of writing the cult queer film "Go Fish," produced on a modest $15,000 budget, co-writing the screenplay for Bret Ellis's book American Psycho. We also discuss her recently released memoir, When the World Didn’t End, about her chil…

Writer and barrister Harriet Johnson on her process for writing, researching, planning and pitching her nonfiction book: "Enough: The Violence Against Women and How to End It”. We talk about using storytelling to advocate for change, combining statistics with personal narratives to provide a holistic understanding of the issues and how she deals wi…

Documentary filmmaking Natasha Lance Rogoff on bringing Sesame Street to Russia, the mechanics of a television global series, what makes Sesame Street so successful, the driving force behind creating art in dangerous circumstances and how she learned to write a memoir. * ABOUT NATASHA LANCE ROGOFF Natasha Lance Rogoff is an award-winning American t…

Poet and community builder Joy Sullivan @joysullivanpoet on the craft of poetry, tips for reading and writing poetry, how writers can avoid cliches and why she thinks writing from the heart is terrible advice. We talk about the business of writing, how she's grown an online following and how she balances her creative work with her business. * ABOUT…

Nicola May, a bestselling rom-com author, on publishing 16 books, making money through self-publishing what authors need to know about marketing, and how persistence has been a key part of her writing journey. Note from Parul & Matt: We had some mic issues when recording this episode, and our sound is a little scratchy; thank you for bearing with u…

Author Cyndie Spiegel (Microjoys: Finding Hope) on how she approaches moments of major transition and building a habit of recognizing joy even in the darkest times. We also talk about the craft of writing nonfiction and how her concept of microjoys grew from an idea to a book. * SHOW SUMMARY Cyndie Spiegel, author of Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especi…

London-based Literary Agent Ed Wilson (Johnson & Alcock) @literarywhore on the relationship between agents and authors, finding the right agent for you, what agents are looking for and how long to wait before following up on a submission. Plus, an insight into Ed’s career, examples of submissions he’s taken on and shifts in the publishing industry.…