Learning to Cut and Trust the Reader

Yomi Adegoke, bestselling author of The List and co-author of Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible, spoke to me in August for this episode. We discussed the stellar career she's established in her twenties and early thirties – from launching a self-made magazine, to producing an acclaimed book on the experience of black British women, to writing a novel that has sold more than 150,000 copies in little over a year. Yomi spilled the beans on the steep learning curve of moving from non-fiction to fiction; her love of a good edit; and why she thinks literary critics are underappreciated. 

You can buy Yomi's books here in the In Writing bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/in-writing

Order my book In Writing: Conversations on Inspiration, Perspiration and Creative Desperation: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/5954/9781803510637

London: I'm in conversation with BBC Radio 4's Sheila Dillon at Ink@84 on 7 November: https://www.ink84bookshop.co.uk/product-page/in-writing-hattie-crisell-in-conversation-with-sheila-dillon

Edinburgh: I'm in conversation with novelist Maggie O'Farrell organised by Rare Birds Books on 10 November: https://rarebirdsbooks.com/products/hattie-crisell-in-conversation-with-maggie-ofarrell

Glasgow: I'm reading from my book and being interviewed at Glasgow University on 11 November: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/hattie-crisell-reading-and-in-conversation-tickets-1058328712669

Durham: I'm being interviewed by writer Kathryn Tann at Collected Books on 12 November: https://collectedbooks.co.uk/products/hattie-crisell-in-writing-conservations-on-inspiration-perspiration-and-creative-desperation-tuesday-12-november-6-30pm

This season of In Writing is sponsored by Curtis Brown Creative – the renowned writing school run by the literary and talent agency. Use code INWRITING20 for £20 off your first online writing course, eligible courses can be found here. Visit https://curtisbrowncreative.co.uk to find out more.