From debut authors to Pulitzer Prize winners, Writers on Writing tackles a little of everything — novels, short stories, memoir, poetry, and more, as well as interviews with agents and publishers.
Unlike other shows dedicated to discussing books, we focus on the art, craft, and business of writing. Writers appreciate the opportunity to talk about the artistic elements of their job — the thousands of decisions that must be made to produce a manuscript. There’s no aspect of craft, creativity, and publishing we don’t explore.
We’ve hosted well over 1,500 authors on the show including Elizabeth Strout, S.A. Cosby, Ann Patchett, Amor Towles, and George Saunders. Expert advice from some of the industry’s top writers allows us to offer a show that’s been called “your own personal MFA program” (with no financial strain).
Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Host: Marrie Stone
Music and sound editing by Travis Barrett
Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, Stitcher, Google, or your favorite podcast app.
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EPISODES
(2001 - present)
Jade Chang and Janice Y. K. Lee with Co-Host Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Jade Chang, author of The Wangs vs. the World, talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about playing with point of view, her experience putting an earlier novel in a drawer, and how she found her agent.
In the second half, novelist Janice Y. K. Lee, author of The Expatriates, talks about balancing three different POV characters, not taking the easy way out, and the importance of trusting yourself and your voice when you struggle to write through to the end.
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(Broadcast date: October 5, 2016)
Novelists Swan Huntley and Affinity Konar with Co-Host Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Swan Huntley, author of We Could Be Beautiful talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about how writing in the first person allows her to explore the space between what a character is telling us and what we know to be true, how she came to the realization that her original ending wasn't right for the story, and how she discovered her process as an outliner.
In the second half, novelist Affinity Konar, author of Mischling, talks about how her story grew from hearing dialogue in her head between twins, about going "sound-first" into words, and thus being drawn to the word "Mischling" in spite of its ugly meaning and history, and her writing advice to honor your obsessions.
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[Note: Swan Huntley's reading selection was cut down due to audio issues; therefore, her reading starts in the middle of her first chapter, not the beginning.]
(Broadcast date: September 14, 2016)
In the second half, novelist Affinity Konar, author of Mischling, talks about how her story grew from hearing dialogue in her head between twins, about going "sound-first" into words, and thus being drawn to the word "Mischling" in spite of its ugly meaning and history, and her writing advice to honor your obsessions.
Download audio.
[Note: Swan Huntley's reading selection was cut down due to audio issues; therefore, her reading starts in the middle of her first chapter, not the beginning.]
(Broadcast date: September 14, 2016)
Authors Natashia Deón and Judith D. Schwartz with Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Natashia Deón, author of Grace, talks to co-host Nicole Nelson about writing complex characters, letting readers laugh in tense situations, taking her story from a screenplay to a novel, and getting to a place of honesty.
In the second half, environmental journalist Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World talks about how highlighting hope is important when writing about climate change, how her career in journalism evolved, how technology has affected her reading life, and more.
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(Broadcast date: August 17, 2016)
In the second half, environmental journalist Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World talks about how highlighting hope is important when writing about climate change, how her career in journalism evolved, how technology has affected her reading life, and more.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: August 17, 2016)
Asali Solomon and Tracy Barone with Nicole Nelson
Asali Solomon, author of Disgruntled, talks to co-host Nicole Nelson about writing a young protagonist, developing characters from plot, taking an episodic approach to novel writing, and more.
In the second half, debut novelist Tracy Barone, author of Happy Family, talks about pacing the novel, drawing from her experience as a screenwriter and playwright, and writing toward an end that she envisioned early on.
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(Broadcast date: June 8, 2016)
In the second half, debut novelist Tracy Barone, author of Happy Family, talks about pacing the novel, drawing from her experience as a screenwriter and playwright, and writing toward an end that she envisioned early on.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: June 8, 2016)
Maya Lang and Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney with co-host Nicole Nelson
Maya Lang, author of The Sixteenth of June, talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about the challenges of writing a story that takes place all in one day, her experience searching for an agent, and basing her novel on Ulysses.
In the second half, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, author of The Nest, talks about how the story came to her beginning with a scene that captured her imagination, how voice for the book came naturally (but structure presented a challenge), and how time pressures can work to one's advantage.
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(Broadcast date: March 23, 2016)
In the second half, Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, author of The Nest, talks about how the story came to her beginning with a scene that captured her imagination, how voice for the book came naturally (but structure presented a challenge), and how time pressures can work to one's advantage.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: March 23, 2016)
Bruce Bauman and Sanderia Faye with Nicole Nelson
Novelist Bruce Bauman, author of Broken Sleep joins Nicole Nelson to talk about writing dialogue, balancing tragedy with humor, and the good that can come of letting your characters take control.
In the second half, debut novelist Sanderia Faye, author of Mourner's Bench talks about finding the voice for her story in the form of eight-year-old Sarah, the surprises she found when researching the Civil Rights era history of her home town in Arkansas, and the importance of having confidence and especially to, as her teachers advised her along the way, "keep writing."
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(Broadcast date: December 16, 2015)
In the second half, debut novelist Sanderia Faye, author of Mourner's Bench talks about finding the voice for her story in the form of eight-year-old Sarah, the surprises she found when researching the Civil Rights era history of her home town in Arkansas, and the importance of having confidence and especially to, as her teachers advised her along the way, "keep writing."
Download audio
(Broadcast date: December 16, 2015)
Lauren Groff and Garth Risk Hallberg on Writers on Writing
Lauren Groff, author of the National Book Award-nominated novel, Fates and Furies, talks to Nicole Nelson about how she came to realize she was writing one book, and not two, about the tale of a marriage. She also discusses her approach to tackling plot, and the importance of staying with your work. In the second half, debut novelist Garth Risk Hallberg, author of City on Fire, talks about being drawn to the Victorian novel, the art of bringing chapters to a close, and how when something isn't working it means that either you shouldn't do it, or you should do more of it.
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(Broadcast date: November 4, 2015)
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(Broadcast date: November 4, 2015)
Jacob Rubin and Angela Flournoy
Jacob Rubin , author of the novel The Poser, talks to Nicole Nelson about the value of re-reading, how his protagonist Giovanni emerged from his work on a short story, and the comfort of rituals when writing (and in life). Then Angela Flournoy, author of The Turner House, discusses finding the right first chapter, how studying The Brothers Karamazov helped her map the story of her novel, and the importance of submitting to--and not resisting--the revision process.
Angela and Barbara DeMarci-Barrett will be at the LA Times Festival of Books.
Angela's panel is Sunday, April 19 at 3:30 (Fiction: The Past in Our Present Hoffman Hall )
Barbara DeMarco-Barrett will moderate Fiction: Perfectly Flawed Sunday, 12:30 p.m., Annenberg Auditorium.
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(Broadcast date: April 15, 2015)