Rachel Abbott is one of the best-selling Kindle novelists in history. Her debut 'Only the Innocent' became a number 1 bestseller on Kindle, since then she's published 11 books, sold over 4 million copies and been translated into 21 languages.We talk about what changed when she got 'properly' published after that, and how an editor made her see her work in a different way. We chat about why she focuses mainly on writing psychological thrillers, and how her storytelling process has changed through 11 novels. You can hear about the business plan that she made to make sure her first books were noticed, sold and read.Her new novel is 'The Murder Game', all about a group of friends who meet in Cornwall, where a murder mystery game becomes a bit too realistic. We chat about the colour-coded cards and images that she relies on to write books too.ALSO, this episode is sponsored by 'Agatha', by Anne Cathrine Bomann, which tells the story of a psychiatrist in 1940's France who is on the verge of retirement, when one of his final clients changes his life forever. It's a joyous tale of loneliness, making huge noise across the world, and has been called a 'literary phenomenon'. You can find out more about it - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agatha-Anne-Cathrine-Bomann/dp/1529361370If you'd like your book to sponsor the show, get involved here - patreon.com/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anthony McGowan is a highly acclaimed, multi-award winning author of novels and children's stories. He's written across almost everything, adult thrillers, YA books, children's fiction, even philosophy books for dogs.His new novel is 'Lark', it's part of 'The Truth of Things' series, which is a trilogy that has ended up being four books. They're all short novellas, written for reluctant readers, telling the story of hardship and love growing up in a forgotten town in northern England. We talk about why he wanted to write the book, and how for him this was a slight change of style - writing about place over plot.We hear about the first book he tried to get published, why it didn't quite work, and how he changed it to finally get it out there. You can also hear about his cluttered desk, how he gives himself space to come up with ideas, and why he gets to the British Library nice and early.ALSO, there's a brand new idea in there if you want YOUR book to SPONSOR this PODCAST! Find out more at patreon.com/writersroutineAnd leave us an Apple review if you fancy x@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Baldacci has storytelling in his bones. He's published books across all types of genre, thriller, mystery, fantasy, crime, even kids books too. He's written well over 40 novels, and plans his year of writing fairly thoroughly in order to publish 2 new books a year. He has a huge array of characters to choose between, and we learn about how he decides which one he'll write about next.His new one is 'Walk the Wire', about Amos Decker, 'The Memory Man', who is sent to the North Dakotan badlands, where he covers a religious sect based around a strange, unused military base. We chat about how he got the idea from a process of constantly consuming new media, and being on the lookout for new ideas and information every day.We also talk about how much he knows about the story before he sits down to write, and what happens when it all goes wrong, his ideas are coming up short, but he has a book he has to deliver. David used to work as a lawyer, and we delve into how much that affected the way he started work as a writer, and how his career has moved on from there.Please do support as at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave a review for the show on Apple Podcasts.@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Swallow is one of those writers who has stories burning inside him, itching to get out. He has written anything and everything. James writes sci-fi, fantasy, TV tie-ins, video games, audio dramas, and his new one is a spy thriller, 'Rogue'. It's about Marc Dane, an MI6 worker who usually spends time behind a desk and screen, but is thrown out into the field. We talk about how it's a pay-off for many readers who have stuck by the series from the start. Also we chat about how he first had the idea, and what it's like to switch between genre so frequently.We talk about the perfect writing day, against the practical one that normally occurs. You can also hear how he acclimatised to writing full-time after finally making the leap to leave his job and tell stories for a living. We chat about what it's like to write for yourself after so many years telling others stories, and how he knew he would be a writer from a very early age.Please do support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts!@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adele Parks has just published her 20th book in 20 years! 'Just My Luck' is about a group of friends who always pool in to buy a lottery ticket with the same numbers every week, only one week after a big fall-out, one couple buys the ticket alone... and wins. How do they cope with the fall out, betrayal and fights that come with that?We talk about how Adele had the idea whilst asking a stranger questions at a dinner party, and in fact... why she gets quite a lot of her story ideas like that.We also chat about why her work day is quite rigidly scheduled, why she reads her work to her husband frequently, and what happens when you have to throw almost 80,000 words in the bin.You can hear about her views on genre, how much she thinks about who reads her books, and how her writing routine has changed over 20 novels.Also, this is the first interview I recorded remotely on lockdown, so sorry if it's a little bit bumpy in places!If you can, please do support us on patreon.com/writersroutine.@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nicola Gill's debut novel is 'The Neighbours'. It tells the story of Ginny and Cassie, two unlikely friends who are thrown together when they both reach rock-bottom. It's a funny story of friendship, love and adventure. We talk about how Nicola got that first idea, how she crafted her day to make sure she got it down properly, and why she got to work incredibly early to make that happen.Also, we chat about what her day-job taught her about writing, in creativity and efficiency. We talk about genre, how much she thinks about the voice she writes in, and whether she could switch genre and keep her passion for story-telling.If you fancy, please do support us at patreon.com/writersroutine, and drop us a review on Apple Podcasts!@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Lancaster has published 2 'Tom Novak' books. His most recent is 'Going Rogue', which sees Tom up against a wave of far-right terrorism.Neil has an advantage in writing crime thrillers - he was in the Army, then worked in the Met Police for 25 years. We talk about how he took all the knowledge from his career, and made them into thrilling, page-turning stories, that are accurate... but also allow for the fantasy of fiction. We also chat about the stuff every book and TV show gets wrong about the police-force, and the hill that he's willing to die on in that respect.We also chat about how he structures his day, why he's fine having to crack out the words but tries not to over-write, and we learn about the advice he got that helped his first novel get published.If you enjoy the show, please do support us on patreon.com/writersroutine, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lorna Cook's new novel is 'The Forbidden Promise'. It's a dual-narrative, set in two timelines. In 1940, Constance finds a crashed Spitfire in the Scottish Highlands and must keep the pilot safe, against her families wishes. In 2020, Kate arrives in a Scottish B&B, and discovers a house with a dark history that has some connection to Constance.We talk about why she writes dual-narrative, and why it's taken her a while to learn the tricks of writing it. Also, we chat about why she loves the edit, and how water-tight her writing day has to be in a house full of chaotic kids.If you can, please do support the show over at patreon.com/writersroutine.@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Russ Thomas has just published his debut, 'Firewatching'. It's a police procedural. It stars DS Adam Tyler, on the hunt for a serial arsonist around Sheffield. It grew from a short-story Russ had been writing over 20 years, changing and turning along the way. We talk about the key moments in that process, what advice he was given from teachers, and how different characters would suddenly snap the story to life, and take it in a different direction.We chat about his time working in a bookshop, learning the secrets about what stories sold better than others, and why they did. We also talk about his love for the city of Sheffield, and why he wanted to give something back to it by writing the story.Remember, you can get 20% off Scrivener, by using the code ROUTINE at literatureandlatte.com.Also, please do support us at patreon.com/writersroutine.@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lucienne Boyce is a jack of all writing trades. She's published non-fiction, historical fiction, and is mid-way through writing a biography. She's just published the 3rd 'Dan Foster Mystery Book', called 'Death Makes No Distinction', a novel set in 18th century London all about the Bow Street Runners. We talk about why she loves writing in the past, how she makes it authentic, and how thoroughly she plots a story before she'll tell it.We also talk about the non-fiction books she writes, mostly on the history of Bristol, the city she loves and lives in, and the suffragette movement. She's in the middle of writing a biography, and we chat about the process, planning and research involved in that - why does she spend so much time investigating someone else's life?She gives us some fantastic book recommendations too - The Artists Way by Julia Cameron, Writing Historical Fiction by Emma Darwin, and Story by Robert McGhee.Remember to make the most of our Scrivener offer, and use the code ROUTINE to get 20% off the brilliant writing software at literatureandlatte.com.@writerspodwritersroutine.compatreon.com/writersroutine Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.