

Page One - The Writer's Podcast
STET Podcasts
New episodes every Friday!On Page One - The Writer's Podcast, we talk to writers of all descriptions (authors, screenwriters, comic writers and more) about their writing process and how they craft their next great works. We also explore their career, including how their first big break happened, and discuss the ups and downs along the way. We learn something new every episode, and we hope you do as well.Page One is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/shop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 21, 2022 • 53min
Ep. 115 - Victoria Selman talks changing agents, why she is a planner rather than a pantser, and hitting the bestseller lists with her fourth novel
Victoria Selman is the bestselling author of four crime novels and co-host of the crime writers’ podcast, CrimeTime.fm. Her latest book, Truly Darkly Deeply, has only been out for a couple of weeks and is already a bestseller and has had the film rights optioned.We had a great time chatting with Victoria, hearing about how she rediscovered writing after a near 30-year hiatus, chatting about changing agents (and why that can sometimes be what an author needs) and hearing all about her planning process. We also talk about why she thinks Truly Darkly Deeply has hit so well with so many readers, and talk about the opportunities that some crime-writing festivals can give to new and aspiring authors.*Victoria had a problem with her mic during the recording and near the end she switched to just using her laptop microphone, just in case you wondered why the audio changes!Links:Buy Truly Darkly Deeply and Victoria's other books now!Follow Victoria on TwitterVisit Victoria's websiteListen to Victoria on CrimeTime.FMPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 15, 2022 • 52min
Ep. 114 - Janice Hallett talks about moving from screenwriting to novel writing with the smash-hit novel, The Appeal
A former magazine editor and award-winning journalist, Janice Hallett has written screenplays and novels. Janice's first feature film Retreat was released by Sony Pictures (co-written and directed by Carl Tibbetts) which starred Cillian Murphy, Thandiwe Newton and Jamie Bell, and was selected for the Triforce Creative Network year-long mentoring scheme and featured on the BBC New Talent Hotlist. She won Best New Screenplay in the 2014 British Independent Film Festival. Her debut novel, The Appeal, was a smash-hit and won the CWA Debut Dagger award. We had a great chat with Janice, hearing about how she made the move from screenwriting to novel writing, and hearing about the unusual style of her novels (The Appeal is written in the form of emails and text messages, while her latest book, The Twyford Code, is told via a series of audio transcripts). We also find out if she is a planner or a pantser, and hear about how she deals with notes in the two different writing disciplines.Links:Buy Janice's books now!Follow Janice on TwitterPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 8, 2022 • 1h 1min
Ep. 113 - Chris Whitaker talks about writing We Begin At The End, how he took a very unusual route into writing and why he starts his books in the middle
Chris Whitaker is a bestselling crime writer whose debut, Tall Oaks, won the CWA debut dagger award. His latest crime novel, We Begin At The End, has been an international bestseller and has been optioned to Disney. Most recently, he wrote the brilliant YA novel, The Forevers.We had great fun chatting with Chris, hearing about how he found writing after a very traumatic period in his life and how it helped him deal with that trauma. We also talked about planning, why he starts in the middle of his novels, how he gets such authentic US settings even though he is based in the UK and more! Plus, we hear the latest on the upcoming TV adaptation of We Begin At The End and get some info on his next book!Links:Buy Chris's books now!Visit Chris's websiteFollow Chris on TwitterPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jul 1, 2022 • 56min
Ep. 112 - Martha Wells talks about writing The Murderbot Diaries, how they saved her writing career, and more!
Martha Wells has been an SF/F writer since her first fantasy novel was published in 1993, and her work includes The Books of the Raksura series, The Death of the Necromancer, the Fall of Ile-Rien trilogy, The Murderbot Diaries series, media tie-in fiction for Star Wars, Stargate: Atlantis, and Magic: the Gathering, as well as short fiction, YA novels, and non-fiction. She has won Nebula Awards, Hugo Awards, and Locus Awards, and her work has appeared on the Philip K. Dick Award ballot, the BSFA Award ballot, the USA Today Bestseller List, and the New York Times Bestseller List. Her books have been published in twenty-two languages.We loved chatting with Martha about her writing career, hearing how she first broke in, and how she coped when she suddenly found it difficult to get published. We hear how The Murderbot Diaries helped her come back from that, chat to her about writing novellas, hear how she wrote for Magic: The Gathering, Star Wars, Stargate and more! Plus - we get an update on the Murderbot TV series!Links:Buy Martha's books now!Visit Martha's websiteFollow Martha on TwitterPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 24, 2022 • 1h 10min
Ep. 111 - Ed McDonald talks writing dark fantasy, why writers need to deal with rejection and more!
Ed McDonald’s debut novel BLACKWING began the The Raven’s Mark trilogy, which continues with RAVENCRY and concludes with CROWFALL. Ed has been writing stories since he was a child, and studied history for his BA and MA degrees. He is a practitioner of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), and his love of history has helped to inspire the books that he writes. His latest book, Daughter of Redwinter, is out next week (30 June 2022).We had a great chat with Ed about how he broke into writing (including rewriting a whole chunk of his debut over a weekend before his agent sent it to publishers), talking about planning vs pantsing, and hearing about his brilliant new novel, Daughter of Redwinter. We also talk about the advice he regularly gives writers on social media, and whether social media is a help or a hinderance to writers.Links:Buy Daughter of Redwinter and Ed's other booksFollow Ed on TwitterVisit Ed's websitePage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 17, 2022 • 54min
Ep. 110 - Jane Shemilt chats about swapping medicine for writing, whether writing courses help and more!
Jane Shemilt is an internationally-acclaimed, best-selling author of psychological suspense novels. Her debut novel Daughter was a Richard and Judy pick, shortlisted for the Lucy Cavendish award and nominated for an Edgar award. It became the fastest selling debut of 2014. Her third novel, How Far We Fall, has been optioned for production as a TV drama by Twelve Town. Jane’s stories are inspired by her background in psychology and medicine. She studied Psychology at London University before qualifying with honours from the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. She began writing while working as a GP, undertaking a diploma in Creative Writing then an M.A. also in Creative Writing, at Bath Spa University, gaining both with distinction.We had a really interesting chat with Jane about how and why she made the move from medicine to writing, talking about the difficulties and opportunities with such a move. We also talked about how writing courses can assist aspiring authors and discuss whether everyone should try them. Plus we chat about her latest book, The Patient.Links:Buy The Patient and Jane's other books nowFollow Jane on TwitterVisit Jane's websitePage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 10, 2022 • 1h 31min
Ep. 109 - Nicholas Meyer talks about writing for Star Trek, the influence of Sherlock Holmes on his work, and how to deal with notes from producers and editors
Nicholas Meyer is an American writer and director, known for his best-selling Sherlock Holmes novel The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, and for directing the films Time After Time, two of the Star Trek feature films, including Wrath of Khan, and the 1983 television film The Day After. Meyer was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film The Seven-Per-Cent Solution (1976), where he adapted his own novel into a screenplay. He has also been nominated for a Satellite Award, three Emmy Awards, and has won four Saturn Awards. It was an honour to speak with a true Hollywood legend such as Nick (Tariq in particular was very excited!) and we had great fun talking to him about how he broke into the industry, hearing about his lifelong obsession with Sherlock Holmes, and talking all things Star Trek with him. We also spoke about how to handle notes from producers and editors and talked about how it is very hard for a writer to describe his own process accurately. Plus, there is even an exclusive about a Trek-related project that Nick is currently working on...Links:Buy The Return of the PharaohFollow Nick on TwitterStream Wrath of KhanPage One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 3, 2022 • 53min
Ep. 108 - Rob Hart talks about using spec fiction to write about real world issues, editing in reverse and more!
Rob Hart is the author of six novels, including The Paradox Hotel and The Warehouse, as well as the short story collection Take-Out, Scott Free with James Patterson, and a Star Wars short story. The Warehouse sold in more than 20 countries and was optioned for film by Ron Howard.We really enjoyed talking to Rob about his move from journalism to writing novels, finding out why he shifted from crime to sci fi, and hearing why he wanted to write an "issues" novel with The Warehouse. We also chat about his editing process and the importance of diversity in popular fiction.Links:Buy The Warehouse now!Buy The Paradox Hotel in the USFollow Rob on TwitterVisit Rob's websiteWe're recording a live show with the brilliant Adrian Tchiakovsky at Cymera Festival on 4 June 2022! It's free but you need a ticket, which you can grab here: https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/cymera2022-events/2022/5/16/page-one.Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 27, 2022 • 60min
Ep. 107 - Sam Holland talks about writing serial killers, tells us how she plans her novels, and chats about her debut novel, The Echo Man
A self-confessed serial killer nerd, Sam Holland studied psychology at university then spent the next few years working in HR, before quitting for a full-time career in writing. Her debut novel, The Echo Man, is out now.We had great fun chatting with Sam, hearing about how she crafted her debut novel while working in HR, and talking about coming up with one of those ideas that seems so brilliant, you're sure someone must have done it before. We talk about her research into serial killers, how she uses image boards for getting into her characters' heads and much more!Links:Buy The Echo Man nowFollow Sam on TwitterWe're recording a live show with the brilliant Adrian Tchiakovsky at Cymera Festival on 4 June 2022! It's free but you need a ticket, which you can grab here: https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/cymera2022-events/2022/5/16/page-one.Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 20, 2022 • 1h 1min
Ep. 106 - Mary Kenney tells us about writing video games and playing the sandbox worlds of The Walking Dead and Spider-Man
Mary Kenney is a brilliant writer of video games and comic books from The Walking Dead to the recent smash hit PS5 game, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. She is currently working on a new Wolverine game for Marvel and Sony. She also has Gamer Girls, a YA non-fiction novel about the women who built the video games industry, coming out in July 2022.We loved chatting with Mary, hearing how she broke into writing for video games, talking about the unique opportunities and challenges that writing in that field covers, hearing about what it’s like writing such iconic characters - and also getting some fun and interesting insight into the steps needed for all that voice-acting you hear in your favourite games!Links:Pre-order Gamer Girls now!Buy Spider-Man: Miles MoralesVisit Mary's websiteFollow Mary on TwitterWe're recording a live show with the brilliant Adrian Tchiakovsky at Cymera Festival on 4 June 2022! It's free but you need a ticket, which you can grab here: https://www.cymerafestival.co.uk/cymera2022-events/2022/5/16/page-one.Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-oneFollow us on Twitter: @ukPageOneFollow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ukPageOneFollow us on Instagram: @ukPageOne Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


