Best Writingcommunity Podcasts (2025)

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April Bonus Episode 49:01

2h ago49:01

49:01

In the first part of this bonus episode, Bianca interviews Lauren Ling Brown, author of 'Society of Lies.' They discuss Lauren’s journey to publication, the intricacies of writing dual perspectives and timelines, and the importance of social commentary in her work. Lauren shares insights into her writing process, the challenges of character develop…

1
Episode 464: John Glionna is a Clown Who Makes Balloons That Kids Don't Like 58:09

3d ago58:09

58:09

"We're sadistic motherf*ckers," says John Glionna, @johnglionna on the Instagrams. John is a longtime journalist and author of No Friday Night Lights (Bison Books). He made a name for himself at the Los Angeles Times pursuing what would be called "Glionna stories," stories about invisible people who have rich lives all their own. In this episode we…

1
An Ingenious Query Hack 30:57

4d ago30:57

30:57

In this informative author interview, Bianca connects with debut novelist Sarah Damoff to discuss her novel, ‘The Bright Years’ which explores the complexities of family dynamics and addiction. Sarah shares her journey through the publishing landscape, the challenges of finding the right agent, the ingenious query hack she used, and the evolution o…

1
Episode 463: Leah Sottile on Building Scenes, Sagging Middles, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age 1:03:19

10d ago1:03:19

1:03:19

"It's kind of a mix of reporting to the very last minute to put off writing, and then when I have to write, having a panic attack, and then, like, booking a hotel room for a week and not leaving that room. This is the thing I have done until I figure it out," says Leah Sottile, in a live event at Gratitude Brewing. She is the author of Blazing Eye …

1
Why Plot and Specificity are a Query Letter's Best Friends 49:35

11d ago49:35

49:35

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra welcome querying author Debbie Whittall to discuss her query letter for her debut novel, 'Linda/Linda.' Carly and CeCe address the challenges of representing a quiet novel in a query format. The discussion transitions to the pages of the manuscript, highlighting t…

1
Episode 462: On Podcasting and Gardens with Debbie Millman 57:27

17d ago57:27

57:27

"I'm much more interested in how a person achieves something than in what they specifically achieved," says Debbie Millman, the "Pod Mother" and OG podcaster, twenty years in for Design Matters. She's also the author of the new book Love Letter to a Garden (Timber Press). In this episode, we talk about: The 20 year arc of Design Matters What people…

1
Ann Napolitano on Overcoming Rejection and Despair as Part of the Writing Life & Kirthana Ramisetti on The Art of Foreshadowing 1:05:46

18d ago1:05:46

1:05:46

In the first part of this episode, Bianca interviews Ann Napolitano, inspiring Oprah Book Club pick author of Hello Beautiful. During the multi-layered interview, Ann shares her journey as a writer, discussing the long path to publication, the importance of perseverance, and the role of gratitude in her success. She reflects on her experiences with…

1
Episode 461: For Nick Davidson, Stories Hunt the Storyteller 1:19:38

24d ago1:19:38

1:19:38

Nick Davidson, @nickgdavidson on IG, says, "We usually think of hunting stories and looking for ideas, but I feel like it's the other way around: stories hunt the storyteller, and I'm just prey." Nick's latest piece is for The Atavist Magazine titled "The Balloon That Fell From the Sky." His work has appeared in Outside, VICE Sports, Garden & Gun, …

1
Stage Directions, Opening and How to Avoid Them 35:28

25d ago35:28

35:28

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe discuss the importance of clarity in storytelling, character development, and the need for emotional depth in writing. The conversation emphasizes the significance of engaging openings and the necessity of establishing strong connections between plot points. They also offer great ti…

1
March Bonus Episode 1:47:34

28d ago1:47:34

1:47:34

In the first part of this month’s bonus episode, Carly Watters interviews Bailey Hannah, a Canadian romance author known for her ‘Wells Ranch’ series. They talk about Bailey’s experience with going from self-publishing to traditional publishing, the importance of quality editing, and the impact of social media platforms like BookTok on author succe…

1
Episode 460:Pulitzer Prize-Winning Biographer Megan Marshall Takes on Personal Essays in 'After Lives' 1:03:47

1M ago1:03:47

1:03:47

Megan Marshall is the author of After Lives: On Biography and the Mysteries of the Human Heart (Mariner Books), a new collection of essays. Megan won the Pulitzer Prize in 2014 for Margaret Fuller: A New American Life. Podcast Specific Substack at creativenonfictionpodcast.substrack.com. Pre-order The Front Runner Promotional Sponsor: The Power of …

1
The Evolution of a Novel: Learning to Let Go 34:31

1M ago34:31

34:31

In this inspiring author interview, Bianca interviews Kath Jonathan, whose debut novel, 'The Resistance Painter', intertwines historical and contemporary narratives. They discuss Kath’s journey as a writer, and the personal challenges she faced, including health issues, over the twelve years she spent writing her novel. The authors chat about the e…

1
Episode 459: Cassidy Randall Talks Forgotten Histories, Sticky Notes, and the Power of Listening 51:31

1M ago51:31

51:31

“I could suddenly see — and this is how I know when I'm supposed to start writing — is that words start putting themselves together in my head, and I just have to get them out, right? Which doesn't happen all the time, but it did for this," says Cassidy Randall, author of Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All Women's Ascent …

1
It's a Vibe: Plot Points & Emotional Vibes in Storytelling 41:36

1M ago41:36

41:36

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly and CeCe welcome special guest, literary agent, Lauren Spieller to discuss query letters in romance and fantasy genres. The hosts discuss the distinctions between Young Adult and Adult Fantasy, and the dynamics of character relationships. Lauren provides insightful critiques on a submitted qu…

1
Episode 458: Jaydra Johnson Had to Get Weird 58:09

1M ago58:09

58:09

"And then this person said, 'Hey, you know, this needs to be, like, more weird or less weird, but it's in this kind of odd place that isn't working.' And I was like, she's so, right," says Jaydra Johnson, @jaydranicole, and author of Low: Notes on Art & Trash (Fonograf). Lots of good stuff in this episode. We talk about: Luck Growing up poor Dialin…

1
Episode 457: Poynter's Neil Brown Says Editing Isn't Discussed Enough 1:00:53

1M ago1:00:53

1:00:53

"What I was fortunate enough to get exposed to very early in my career, and I really believe is now the way to go, which is the nature of editing as thinking," says Poynter Institute president Neil Brown. Neil has spent more than forty years as a reporter and editor, and he just wrapped up his tenure on the Pulitzer Prize Board. He's one of the mor…

1
Knowing the Shape of Your Story 31:40

2M ago31:40

31:40

Warning: mature content. In this insightful segment that will make you laugh out loud, Bianca interviews New York Times best-selling writer, Lamda Literary Award finalist and Shearling Fellowship recipient, Kristen Arnett, the author of 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One.' They discuss the unique aspects of Kristen's writing process, including her e…

1
Episode 456: Neko Case Wrote her Memoir in Bed 41:56

2M ago41:56

41:56

Neko Case is best known for her career as a musical performing artist and as a founding member of The New Pornographers, but her debut memoir The Harder I Fight the More I Love You (Grand Central) is all the evidence we need to see that she's got the chops for narrative. Podcast Specific Substack Pre-order The Front Runner Promotional Sponsor: The …

1
Episode 455: Will McGrath's Season on the Sidelines for The Believer 57:32

2M ago57:32

57:32

Will McGrath often thinks he's a phony, a fake writer, a fake journalist. But he isn't. He's very much real, and his piece for The Believer, "American Boys," chronicles the season and the lives of a group of young basketball players. It harkens back to Darcy Frey's brilliant book The Last Shot. Podcast Specific Substack: https://substack.com/@creat…

1
Using the 'Micro to Macro' Hack 34:41

2M ago34:41

34:41

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into the intricacies of middle grade fantasy submissions. They discuss a query about a fantasy novel featuring a cat protagonist, exploring themes of family, sacrifice, and the stakes involved in the narrative. The conversation shifts to critiques of character development, emot…

1
Episode 454: Allegra Rosenberg's Tale of Love on Ice for The Atavist 58:39

2M ago58:39

58:39

Allegra Rosenberg became obsessed with polar exploration narratives during the pandemic. She soon came across the journals of Harry Pennell and learned of his love for Edward Atkinson. Set amongst the backdrop of the South Pole and the looming possibility of WWI, Allegra weaves a brilliant and tragic story. Pre-order The Front Runner Promotional Sp…

1
Episode 453: Chandlor Henderson, Live at Gratitude Brewing, Says 'Focus on the Skill' 45:23

2M ago45:23

45:23

Chandlor Henderson is the very definition of a multi-hypenate: a writer, editor, comic book writer, filmmaker, and podcaster. This conversation was recorded live at Gratitude Brewing as part of a quarterly series between the Oregon Writers Colony and The Creative Nonfiction Podcast. In this conversation we talk about his journey to Oregon from the …

1
Those Aha Moments That Arrive at the 80 000-Word Mark 28:21

2M ago28:21

28:21

In this engaging conversation, Bianca, interviews New York Times bestselling author Gillian McAllister. The author’s explore Gillian’s writing process, narrative techniques, and character development. Bianca and Gillian chat about the challenges of writing multi-POV novels, the organic twists that emerge during the writing process, and the importan…

1
February Bonus Episode 1:35:39

2M ago1:35:39

1:35:39

In the first engaging conversation of this bonus episode, Bianca interviews Booker Prize-nominated Charlotte Wood, the acclaimed author of Stone Yard Devotional. They delve into the challenges of writing quiet stories, the significance of visitations in the narrative, and the intentional choices behind the unnamed narrator. Wood discusses her uniqu…

1
Episode 452: lamb of god's Randy Blythe's Search for Perspective in 'Just Beyond the Light' 57:35

2M ago57:35

57:35

If Randy Blythe's first book, Dark Days, was about accountability, his second book, Just Beyond the Light, is about perspective. In essays ranging from the premature death of a young fan to surfing waves to revering his beloved grandmother, Randy talks about art and music and the messiness of being a creative person. Visit randyblythe.com to learn …

1
Delving Deeply Into Your Antagonist's Psyche 44:37

2M ago44:37

44:37

In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and CeCe discuss a gothic horror novel submission as well as a psychological thriller. They highlight the importance of starting a story in the right place, the challenges of multi-POV narratives, and the need for clarity in character perspectives. The critique emphasizes the balance between emotio…

1
Episode 451: When Beach Read Meets a System with Lindsay Jill Roth 59:08

2M ago59:08

59:08

Lindsay Jill Roth was told by a tutor at a young age that she'd become a writer one day. At the time she laughed, but it came to be. Lindsay is the author of the novel What Pretty Girls Are Made Of and her latest is Romances & Practicalities: A Love Story (Maybe Yours) in 250 Questions. Lindsay talks about the writing of the book, structuring it, a…

1
The Stories We Tell Ourselves to Make Them More Palatable 33:06

2M ago33:06

33:06

In today’s author interview, Bianca chats with Sarah Chihaya about her memoir, Bibliophobia. During the conversation, they explore the profound impact of literature on identity and mental health. Sarah also reflects on her journey as a reader and writer, the complexities of navigating personal narratives, and the challenges of writing about trauma.…

1
Episode 450: Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, John Eisenberg Chronicles the Long Journey of the Black Quarterback 1:06:26

3M ago1:06:26

1:06:26

John Eisenberg grew up surrounded by books. It was no surprise then that he wanted to write them one day. He has written eleven, his latest being Rocket Men: The Black Quarterbacks Who Revolutionized Pro Football. Pre-order The Front Runner Sponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount. Newsletter: Rage Agains…

1
What is Literary Burlesque and Can You Perform It? 48:08

3M ago48:08

48:08

In this segment of Books with Hooks, Bianca, Carly and Cece discuss a memoir submission as well as a speculative thriller submission. They highlight the importance of balancing plot points with emotional depth; the significance of character development through interior monologue; how character arcs are crucial in memoir writing; the importance of b…

1
Episode 449: Drew Philp Wants to Make Spanakopita Out of Spinach News 1:14:12

3M ago1:14:12

1:14:12

Drew Philp went to Ethiopia to report on the front lines of what was likely a genocide that largely went ignored. His story, "There Will Be No Mercy," is for The Atavist Magazine. Pre-order The Front Runner Sponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount. Newsletter: Rage Against the Algorithm Show notes: brenda…

1
Capturing Your Character’s Voice by Deeply Immersing Yourself in Their Perspective 32:28

3M ago32:28

32:28

In this engaging conversation, Bianca interviews Allegra Goodman about her latest novel, Isola, exploring themes of storytelling, character development, and the writing process. Goodman discusses her journey as a writer, the importance of writing what interests you, and the challenges of crafting a historical narrative. The discussion delves into t…

1
January Bonus Episode Comp Titles Segment 48:53

3M ago48:53

48:53

In January’s bonus episode, Bianca and Emilie Sommer from East City Book Bookshop tackle a variety of book recommendations based on listener comp requests. If you’re looking for our usual Q&A segment, that now gets published as part of our end of the month Substack newsletter. Subscribe to get access to that, and so much more: https://theshitaboutw…

1
Episode 448: Evan Ratliff Returns … Or Did He? 1:03:24

3M ago1:03:24

1:03:24

Evan Ratliff's work often overlaps with the tech industry whether he's disappearing himself as he did for Wired Magazine, or exploring the murky world of AI voice agents as he did with his blockbuster, smashing, DIY podcast Shell Game. Pre-order The Front Runner Sponsor: The Power of Narrative Conference. Use CNF15 at checkout for a 15% discount. N…

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