The Failing Writers Podcast

Poetry, as Percy Bysshe Shelley once said, lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar. And so, off we go, to try and defamiliarise the things which stare us in the face every blummin’ day. Relationships. Words. Coffee. Social Media. Prejudice. Siblings. Aging. Home. Industrial Estates. Nature. Sex. Love. Yep. We’re off to a poetry night, aren’t we? To find out what they’re all about. Who goes to them. What the poetry is like, and whether it’s something every writer should have a go at. Poetry Jam in Durham to be precise. Wish us luck!   Here’s Kate Fox’s lovely new book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sycamore-Gap-2024-celebration-those/dp/0008735611 [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sycamore-Gap-2024-celebration-those/dp/0008735611]   Here’s organiser Steve Urwin: @urwin_steve on X. http://steveurwintalkingpen.blogspot.com/ [http://steveurwintalkingpen.blogspot.com/]   And here are the guest poets:    Rach Lydon.  Insta & Threads:  @rachwritesreal   Gaeron Southern: https://gaeransouthern.wordpress.com [https://gaeransouthern.wordpress.com/]   Julie Egdell:  https://aliceinwinterland.weebly.com [https://aliceinwinterland.weebly.com/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Right. This week you're in for a treat. Cos, this week on the Failing Writers Podcast in association with Scrivener.... we've got a fantastic guest.... Pardon? Scrivener? You know! The brilliant writing app? Yeah. What's that? you've been thinking about buying a copy for a while? Well... you're in luck! Just use our code "FAILING" and you can get 20% off right now! just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com [https://www.literatureandlatte.com/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20095309818&gbraid=0AAAAABYPNyjYImZchLaDPZCsCjfkUFHXP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxo_CBhDbARIsADWpDH614g1JAVdt2PwbGjq7AB-NriCHmahRDf2NYlZ_yZVqEV_rMyNr1tEaAuK1EALw_wcB] and make writing easier for yourself! OK... where was I? Oh yes.... we've got a fantastic guest... Libbie Hawker. Writer of lots of historical fiction and lit fic... as well as "Take off Your Pants." When it comes to writing guides, Take off Your Pants is a modern classic. It's a method that gives writers a scaffold to outline a great story, without necessarily nailing down all the plot points in your book. So it can work for plotters and even for pantsters! Designed to help you write your book more quickly and efficiently and make sure you end up with a really well considered, satisfying story. So you'll definitely want to listen. In fact, probably stop reading this and crack on if I were you. Actually before you stop reading, you might also like to know, we're revealing our writing goals for the rest of the year, as well as yours too! You can find everything Libbie related here: https://www.hawkerbooks.com/ [https://www.hawkerbooks.com/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Welcome back to the Failing Writers Podcast - Sponsored by the brilliant and indispensable writing software: Scrivener. Get 20% off Scrivener right now, by using the code FAILING at https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ [https://www.literatureandlatte.com/] OK. Now, People…  buckle up. You’re about to enter the Murverse. Cos our guest this week is the lovely Mur Lafferty. A scifi / fantasy writer and podcaster whose refreshingly candid insights into writing and publishing caught our eye a while ago. Being a fan of all things brutally honest, we thought it would be a fascinating exercise to join Mur in drilling down into the dark corners of our psyches by asking those horribly uncomfortable questions about writing. The idea being, that hopefully they might shed some light on the ways we could face down some of our demons. And so… we created… THE WHEEL OF TERROR. A random-spinny-machine designed to pick all the questions we’d rather not answer. There is no escape from the Wheel of Terror. Why not ask yourself the questions?  (See all the questions at the bottom of the show-notes) Find out more and connect with Mur here: as well as finding a list of her books... (‘Six Wakes’ is the book Jon read and enjoyed.) https://murverse.com/ [https://murverse.com/] And check out Mur’s podcast “I Should Be Writing” here: https://podfollow.com/79085800 [https://podfollow.com/79085800]   1          What is holding you back from being one of the most celebrated writers of our time? (Oh… you have a list…) 2          What’s your biggest weakness as a writer? 3          What’s your current criteria for ’success’? 4          Why do you reaaaally write? I mean… the deep, gnawing, psychological need inside you… what actually IS it? 5.         What’s the most common thing that prevents you writing? 6.         Is there a project you regret giving up on?    7.         Are you easily distractable by electronic devices? If so what’s the app you go to most? 8.         What’s the last thing you used as an excuse to not write? 9.         What was your absolute worst moment as a writer? 10.      When the doubt demons come at night, what do they whisper? 11.      What one thing (in relation to writing) would you like to be known for in the future? 12.      What do you usually think when you read back your first draft? 13.      Which writer are you most jealous of? 14.      What is your most embarrassing success daydream?   15.      Who is responsible for making you think you’d be a good writer? 16.      At what point in a project do you tend to get stuck?   AND THEN, DON’T FORGET TO ASK THE QUESTION: IF THIS IS A PROBLEM, WHAT’S YOUR STRATEGY TO OVERCOME IT? ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

First of all, thank you SCRIVENER for sponsoring Season 5! You can try Scrivener free for 30 days. And if you love it, (which you will) you can use the code FAILING and get 20% off, you lucky, lucky duckies. https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ [https://www.literatureandlatte.com/] OK... This week, be prepared to have your beautiful, unsullied little brain absolutely stuffed to the brim with a gigantic, Haribo party-bag of sugary treats. We reveal our new sponsor - Did I mention it's the amazing writing app, SCRIVENER? We welcome the wonderful ADAM BUXTON onto the podcast to talk about memoir writing, journaling, agonising research, and the ups and downs of dredging up old memories. Then, as though you're not already sick and bloated with aural glory.... as promised.... Tom tosses an array of sweet, sweet Clerihews into the crowd. Short, easy to swallow, biographical poems designed to make you chuckle and groan simultaneously. And DO NOT FORGET to buy Adam's book here: It will be bloody excellent, we promise. https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ramble-book-2-adam-buxton/7722311 [https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/ramble-book-2-adam-buxton/7722311] Or for the full Buckles experience... pre-order the audiobook. And if you haven't read the first one yet... here's a link to that: https://www.waterstones.com/book/ramble-book/adam-buxton/9780008293338 [https://www.waterstones.com/book/ramble-book/adam-buxton/9780008293338] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

We nattered and we caterwauled 'bout lyrics, punk and bands, and we shed a little light upon how melody can expand, and we talked of books and words and how they sometimes change a man, and by the end, our mate Paul Armfield had another couple o' fans. Lyrics. Are they different to poems? Are they an art form all of their very own? Is it best to write lyrics and then fit the music around them? How do the words of songs develop? All will be revealed in this episode of The Failing Writers Podcast where we talk to the extremely talented and delightful Singer-Songwriter and bookstore manager Paul Armfield. Whose brilliant new album is all about books! Check out his tour dates and buy his music here: https://paularmfield.com/ [https://paularmfield.com/] We also discuss dream interpretation, an imminent open mic poetry night and Clerihews. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.