
The Bestseller Experiment
Join author and screenwriter Mark Stay with coach and entrepreneur Mark Desvaux, as they discover the secrets to writing a bestseller and challenge themselves and you to write, market and self-published a bestselling book in just one year. Each week, they are guided by and interview million-selling, chart-topping authors, publishers on the inside, editors, agents, social media specialists, and many more big names who play a part in the bestseller process. From the writing to marketing, plotting to publishing, learn the secrets to help you write your way to the top of the charts.
Latest episodes

Sep 22, 2021 • 6min
EP341: Deep Dive — Book Launches with Patrick Walsh
PublishingPush.com help publishers and authors publish and promote their books, and Patrick runs us through the ten most common mistakes made by authors when launching their books, and he answers our listener questions on book launches. You can discover more about Publishing Push here: https://publishingpush.com

Sep 20, 2021 • 1h 5min
EP340: Abi Silver — Why We Write
Abi Silver is a lawyer and the author of Burton & Lamb courtroom thrillers, including the latest The Midas Game, which dives into the world of online gaming and Youtubers. Abi also wrote an article on why writers write and she tells us why your writing matters. And the two Marks get nostalgic for early computer games.

Sep 17, 2021 • 4min
EP339: Deep Dive — Jennie Nash, Blueprint for a Book
Bestselling book coach Jennie Nash has inspired hundreds of novelists, and in her new book Blueprint for a Book she makes the case for writers defining the foundational elements of their story before writing. She also answers listener questions on self-editing, first drafts, second drafts, getting an agent, writing stand-alones and series, and how to decide which idea is the one to turn into a novel.

Sep 14, 2021 • 4min
EP339: Deep Dive — Jennie Nash, Blueprint for a Book
Bestselling book coach Jennie Nash has inspired hundreds of novelists, and in her new book Blueprint for a Book she makes the case for writers defining the foundational elements of their story before writing. She also answers listener questions on self-ed

Sep 13, 2021 • 1h 3min
EP338: Sarah Denzil — If I Surprise Myself, I Surprise the Reader
Sarah Denzil is the million-copy bestselling author of Silent Child, and its sequel Stolen Girl is premiering on audio first. We discuss writing at work, writing in notebooks, how feedback boosted her confidence, and recording and releasing audiobooks in various formats, including multi-voice recordings and dramatisations.

Sep 6, 2021 • 1h 3min
EP337: Joe Abercrombie — The Magic Happens When You Work It
We celebrate international bestselling fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie's return to the podcast with The Wisdom of Crowds, which brings his Age of Madness trilogy to a thrilling climax. As always, Joe is a treasure trove of amazing advice for writers and he answers our listener questions on outlining, symmetry, POV and much more. We also ask him if he still dances naked in the rain… and his answer might surprise you.

Aug 30, 2021 • 56min
EP336: Steve Cavanagh — Engage the Reader Straight Away
Sunday Times bestselling thriller writer Steve Cavanagh returns triumphant to the podcast. When we last spoke to him he was on the verge of a great breakthrough. Today he’s an award-winner and international bestseller and with his new thriller The Devil’s Advocate he’s done it again. Steve reveals how he works hard to engage the reader straight away.

Aug 27, 2021 • 6min
EP335: Deep Dive — Copy Editing with Lisa Rogers
Lisa Rogers has been copy editor to some amazing authors including Joe Abercrombie, Terry Pratchett, Iain Banks, Tad Williams and some bloke called Mark Stay. She answers listener questions on the role of a copy editor, common mistakes made by authors, style guides, timelines, differences in style between UK and US publishers, Oxford commas, point-of-view, head-hopping, and why hyphens keep her up at night.

Aug 23, 2021 • 57min
EP334: Piers Torday — What Matters is the Book
Piers Torday is the award-winning author of the extraordinary The Last Wild trilogy for children, and he’s back with an amazing prequel The Wild Before. Piers’ writing comes from a lifelong passion for wildlife and for giving voice to characters that might not otherwise be heard. He also tells us about the Paul Torday prize for debut novelists over 60 and why it’s not age that matters when writing.

Aug 20, 2021 • 5min
EP333: Deep Dive — Diversity & Inclusion with Dr Jen O'Ryan
Dr Jen O’Ryan the author of “Inclusive AF: A Field Guide for ‘Accidental’ Diversity Experts”. Designed for anyone thinking about Inclusion and Diversity. She answers our listener questions on writing diverse characters, the kinds of research and due diligence to explore when writing outside of your own experience, the changes needed in publishing for diversity to work and much more.