Planning on doing NaNoWriMo? Don't. It's a bad idea, and in this episode, I explain why. I also chat about ways you can get yourself writing more, while loving it. This is a writing ramble episode, which is one of my completely unscripted talks with just me, you and the mic. A few people said they'd like to hear my thoughts on NaNoWriMo, so here they are. I hope it stimulates some useful thoughts for you. My novel is THE HONOURS - it's weird historical Fantasy with secret tunnels in 1935 England. Please treat yourself to a copy with free worldwide shipping: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 If you'd like to try the first day of my (completely and forever) free 8-week writing course, the Couch to 80k Writing Boot Camp, you can download all the episodes here: http://www.timclarepoet.co.uk/couchto80kwritingbootcamp/ And if you like the show and would like me to make more, you can help me cover my overheads by dropping me a buck or two here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you!

This episode I speak to bestselling author Jonathan Stroud about finding stories, developing characters, and channelling demons. Jonathan Stroud is the author of the 4-book BARTIMAEUS series - about an alternate London run by magicians, and the demons who serve them - which is published in 35 languages and has sold over 6 million copies. He also wrote the LOCKWOOD & CO series, about a plague of ghosts haunting Great Britain and the child agents sent to tackle them. We talk about his start in publishing, how he writes and how the challenges differ from book to book. We also talk about the value of walks for the creative process. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I find the voice of a character? - how can I raise my chances of being struck by a flash of inspiration? - what are good ways of thinking about conflict in a story? - how can I make sure my plot is progressing? Here are the first 3 books in Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus series. I urge you, mortal, DO NOT BE SILLY, buy these books immediately. They are so great and you will have a wonderful time! THE AMULET OF SAMARKAND: https://wordery.com/the-amulet-of-samarkand-jonathan-stroud-9780786852550#oid=1908_1 THE GOLEM'S EYE: https://wordery.com/the-bartimaeus-trilogy-golems-eye-bk-2-jonathan-stroud-9780786836543#oid=1908_1 PTOLEMY'S GATE: https://wordery.com/the-golems-eye-jonathan-stroud-9780552562812#oid=1908_1 And here's the first in the Lockwood & Co sequence, LOCKWOOD & CO: THE SCREAMING STAIRCASE: https://wordery.com/lockwood-co-the-screaming-staircase-jonathan-stroud-9780552566780#oid=1908_1 Oh? You fancy reading something... by *me*? Well then, friend, try THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 And ah yes, if you'd like to chuck me something towards the podcast's running costs, I have a page here where you can do that in a couple of clicks: ko-fi.com/timclare

In this episode I chat to author Tade Thompson about creating worlds, unsympathetic protagonists and the 'killable other'. Tade Thompson is the author of ROSEWATER, a near-future SF novel set in Nigeria. We have a great conversation about the roots of his writing in the visual medium of comics, why we're driven to create for ourselves, the uncomfortable truths that lie within us and the art of making the deeply weird feel real. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I make my science fiction feel plausible? - should my narrator or protagonist be likeable? - where is science fiction headed? Here's Tade Thompson's novel, ROSEWATER: https://wordery.com/rosewater-tade-thompson-9780356511368#oid=1908_1 And here's SAGA Vol 1, which he recommends: https://wordery.com/saga-volume-1-brian-k-vaughan-9781607066019#oid=1908_1 Here's my novel, THE HONOURS, that I'd love you to buy: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 If you like the show, please consider supporting me via my Ko-fi page: www.ko-fi.com/timclare

This episode I chat to author Kirsty Logan about fairy tales, the subconscious, and stories outside the mainstream. Kirsty Logan is the author of Fantasy novel THE GRACEKEEPERS, about an ocean-filled world where land is scarce, a travelling circus boat, a bear, and a girl charged with tending the souls of the dead. We talk about her fascination with fairy tales while growing up, her short stories, writing retreats, perceptions of mainstream versus niche books, and why weird is good. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - what if my ideas aren't like most other books? - how can I write about weird things? - how can I use fairy tales in my work? - what's it like going on writing retreat? - how can I bounce back from criticism or rejection? If you'd like to read Kirsty's work for yourself click here to get THE GRACEKEEPERS delivered to your door with free shipping worldwide: https://wordery.com/the-gracekeepers-kirsty-logan-9781784700133#oid=1908_1 And if you're interested in what I can do, click here and treat yourself to my novel, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 If you'd like to support the podcast, you can click here and very easily drop me a few beans: www.ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you.

In this episode I chat with author and creative writing teacher Andrew Cowan about writing fiction, finding details, perfectionism and helping bring others' stories to life. Andrew talks switching from pottery to fiction, finding his own voice, ways round perfectionism and self-doubt, and his career in teaching creative writing on residential courses and at the University of East Anglia. He shares some of his favourite creative writing exercises, including ones that helped him break through serious blocks and get the words flowing again. We also talk about the novels he's written so far, how he's researched topics from pig-rearing to eugenics, and the authors and mentors who inspired him. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I get myself going again after my writing grinds to a halt? - what are the best ways to research my novel? - how can I get over perfectionism in my writing? - what is the best creative writing exercise? - can creative writing be taught? - what's it like going on a creative writing course? - what's the most common mistake writers make? Get Andrew Cowan's comprehensive course on how to write fiction, THE ART OF WRITING FICTION: https://wordery.com/the-art-of-writing-fiction-andrew-cowan-9781408248348#oid=1908_1 And I really recommend trying one of his novels. PIG: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pig-Andrew-Cowan/dp/0340824123 COMMON GROUND: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Common-Ground-Andrew-Cowan/dp/1444760734 CRUSTACEANS: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Crustaceans-Andrew-Cowan/dp/0312312172 WHAT I KNOW: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-I-Know-Andrew-Cowan/dp/0340713070 WORTHLESS MEN: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Worthless-Men-Andrew-Cowan/dp/1444759426 And of course if you'd care to support me and my career, please treat yourself or a friend to my novel THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 If you enjoy the podcast and you'd like to help me cover the costs of running it, hosting the audio and the website, you can chuck a few beans into my upturned hat in a couple of clicks here: ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you!

In this episode I chat to Dr Tim Pychyl, psychologist and head of the Procrastination Research Group at Carleton University, Canada. Tim has devoted over 20 years to the 'breakdown in volitional action' we call procrastination. Since I get more letters about struggling with procrastination than all other creative writing topics combined so I thought it was worth approaching one of the world's leading experts on procrastination for advice. We talk neuroscience, specifically the roles of the amygdala and prefrontal cortex in procrastination, and what recent MRI scans of the brains of procrastinators and non-procrastinators have revealed. We talk psychology - what's going on with procrastinators, what we're trying to achieve when we procrastinate, and why procrastination fails on its own terms, let alone frustrating us in other ways. We talk statistics - the latest data from various studies all over the world, showing what, verifiably, works and what doesn't work when we're trying to reduce procrastination. And to kick it all off we talk semantics - what procrastination is and what it is not, and why being able to distinguish between the two is so essential. This is, for me, one of the most important episodes out of the 100+ so far that I've recorded. I've started applying the knowledge Tim gives me in this chat and it's had such a positive impact on my writing practice and my life. I'm writing much more, I'm having more fun and I find it easier to spot myself procrastinating and step out of it into action. If you suffer from procrastination, I really, really hope you listen and apply the science-based, data-driven advice so you can start giving yourself the rich rewards of diving in and achieving things large and small. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I stop procrastinating? - what is procrastination? - why are some people more prone to procrastination than others? - why do writers procrastinate? If you want to read more by Tim, check out the website of the Procrastination Research Group where he shares blog posts, podcasts, and all sorts of powerful knowledge on what procrastination is and how we can help free each other from it: http://www.procrastination.ca/ Of course if you want to practise translating dynamic decision-making into immediate action, a great opportunity would be to click this link and buy my weird historical adventure novel set in England in the 1930s, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 I don't get any money for making the show. There are no premium episodes for subscribers - it's all available to everyone for free. If you'd like to help me cover my running costs, such as Soundcloud hosting, website hosting and suchlike, you can drop a few beans into my digital guitar case at: ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you.

This episode features me chatting to writer, performer, poet, podcast presenter, film-maker, playwright and educator Ross Sutherland about his work experimenting on words to make them do cool stuff. His podcast Imaginary Advice recently won Best Fiction Podcast at the British Podcasting Awards, he's produced work for radio and TV, he's a legend of the UK poetry scene and his critically-acclaimed solo show Standby For Tape Backup stormed the Edinburgh Fringe and has toured the world. His work is funny, dark, emotive and brain-melting. He's really cool, you guys. He's also my mate. We talk about how he got into writing, his early experiences learning from his grandma and punk poet John Cooper Clarke, how he uses repetition to induce trance states in audiences and get past his own internal censor, and his advice as an experienced creative writing teacher for finding the 'game' of a piece of writing. He explains how the work of French experimental literature group the Oulipo inspired him to rip Little Red Riding Hood apart noun by noun, and how he helps teach writers to hack language to create weird, vivid effects. We also talk about what it's like when you or your work don't quite fit anywhere, and how to make a virtue out of writing work that's 'hard to explain'. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how do I find ideas? - what should I write about? - what if my work doesn't fit into an existing genre? - what are some warm-up exercises I can do to kickstart my imagination? You would be foolish indeed not to sample an episode of Ross's award-winning podcast Imaginary Advice. Here's the episode he talks about writing towards the end of our chat: https://soundcloud.com/ross-sutherland/52-the-man-who-saw-tomorrow-4th-birthday-episode If you like it, please do Ross a big favour and subscribe to it on Soundcloud or iTunes, leave a little review so other folk can find it, share it on your Twitter or Facebook. All that stuff helps so much, and you're helping someone else stumble across it and have some of the same happiness you did. If you haven't read my novel, THE HONOURS, and you like secret tunnels, conspiracies and a 13-year-old girl in the 1930s trying to piece it all together, give your life a massive shot of the good stuff and treat yourself to a glorious copy: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 And if you'd like to support the podcast, I appreciate any contributions towards hosting costs. You can drop me something in two clicks here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare

In this episode I chat to writer Melissa Harrison about becoming a writer, the pressures of writing, and the process of bringing the past and the natural world to life. We chat about her new novel ALL AMONG THE BARLEY, how she struggled to admit to herself that she wanted to write, research, farming, fascism, and why we write when, at times, it can be difficult and painful. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how should I research my novel? - should I keep writing if I'm not enjoying myself? - how can I find the story amongst the scenes in my head? If you enjoyed this chat and want more, please support Melissa Harrison by grabbing a copy of her latest novel, ALL AMONG THE BARLEY: https://wordery.com/all-among-the-barley-melissa-harrison-9781408897997#oid=1908_1 Here's her Costa-shortlisted novel AT HAWTHORN TIME: https://wordery.com/at-hawthorn-time-melissa-harrison-9781408859070#oid=1908_1 And her first, CLAY: https://wordery.com/clay-melissa-harrison-9781408842553#oid=1908_1 I really appreciate it when you support authors who give their time to come on the show. Thank you. If you're interested in something historical set in the 1930s in England, you might also like my novel THE HONOURS: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/ And, if you like, you can help me cover the cost of running and recording the podcast by dropping me something here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare

This episode I chat to debut Fantasy novelist Micah Yongo about his novel of warring assassins and clashing ideologies, LOST GODS. We get into everything, from working with an editor to researching crossbow physics, to how you go from big ideas and sprawling, complex imaginary worlds down to a story, and the character who's going to propel you through it. Micah also talks about what it's like to be published for the first time, building a writing routine, and representation in SFF and beyond. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I turn my ideas for a setting into a story? - what's the best sort of character for a Fantasy story? - how can I research my Fantasy world when it doesn't exist? - what it like working with an editor? - who has the right to write what stories? I know you are awesome and I can rely on you to treat yourself and support Micah Yongo by ordering LOST GODS right now - do it, it's ace! https://wordery.com/lost-gods-micah-yongo-9780857667373#oid=1908_1 If you'd like to read my work, please order my novel THE HONOURS - you can get it here (shipped anywhere in the world) via awesome indie bookshop Mr B's Emporium: https://mrbsemporium.com/shop/books/the-honours/ And if you want to support the podcast and help me pay for hosting costs and website fees, you can click here and drop me a little something in a couple o' clicks. Thanks: www.ko-fi.com/timclare

This episode I chat to debut author Temi Oh about her upcoming novel DO YOU DREAM OF TERRA-TWO? We talk research, handling big casts, giving characters motivation, & novels of ideas. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I research my story if some aspects (like space travel) aren't accessible to me? - how can I make sure my characters are well-differentiated? - how can I handle a big cast in my novel? - how does Science Fiction deal with big themes? - how does Science Fiction deal with autobiographical elements? If you like today's episode and want to read Temi's upcoming novel, DO YOU DREAM OF TERRA-TWO? you can pre-order it here. Pre-ordering makes a huge difference to authors, so I encourage, beseech and coax you towards doing so in this instance, right now: https://wordery.com/do-you-dream-of-terra-two-temi-oh-9781471171246#oid=1908_1 You can also support me by ordering my novel, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 And if you'd like to toss a few quid into the podcast's coffers to help me pay for hosting costs and overheads, you can do so here: www.ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you very much. Your patronage is not just appreciated but essential, and I doff my cloth cap to you.