The Failing Writers Podcast

S6 Ep2: Gareth Rubin - books about books about books

Oh, you've listened to this episode already and you'd like to cross our palm with gold? Well, you're in luck.... Simply click HERE [https://ko-fi.com/A0A7JQ3UW]to show your appreciation in a pecuniary fashion And speaking of fashion - take a look at our merch HERE [https://open.acast.com/networks/66202c54d611550012d82d7f/shows/the-failing-writers-podcast.teemill.com] and THANK YOU! Now... onto the less grubby business of writing... and this week we're lucky enough to be joined by the excellent Gareth Rubin, a writer whose career caught our eye recently from, of all things, an article about pensions! What do writers do about pensions when your income is so unpredictable? Well... that introduced us to Gareth... who it turns out isn't just interesting about pensions! No, seriously. I know that seems crazy, but it's true. He's written some books that are right up our street. Books within books within books within books, tête-bêches, an officially estate-sanctioned Sherlock Holmes book, a choose your own adventure-type murder mystery! OK... now you can see why we had to talk to him. Check out Gareth's website: https://www.garethrubin.com/ [https://www.garethrubin.com/] Buy Gareth's books here: https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Gareth-Rubin/188678671 [https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Gareth-Rubin/188678671] But that's not bloody all. Of course not! Because our HYPEWRITER feature is BACK. and this week we're celebrating the rather splendid Simon John Parkin. Support a fellow writer by buying his excellent book of short stories (all 999 words!) HERE’S [https://linktr.ee/simonjohnparkin?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnSJZbo9W6Hww4qBGclgkPWYa4uhNp_l7u7u7PraXopH4rXh59JPutjstP82c_aem_pNiEGUk_8fGB4UB7YX7z6Q] Simon’s info - and he’s @sparkin.lit [https://www.instagram.com/sparkin.lit/] on instagram - That's a follow! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S6 Ep1: Setting Targets (or 'Own Goals' as Jon likes to call them)

Heeeey! You’re back. Well, that’s bloody joyful isn’t it? Nice of you to join us again. Now, let me ask you an impertinent question. How seriously are you taking your writing this year? The reason I ask is we’re looking at writing goals.  Last year’s first of all… see how we got on… and then… we’re all making new ones.  Yeah. You too. Come join us in stating your targets and let’s keep each other accountable. Send your writing goals to failingwriterspodcast@gmail.com [failingwriterspodcast@gmail.com] and we’ll send you a little reminder of what they were at the end of the year, (plus an email of encouragement about halfway to keep you on track!) Also don’t forget, if you’ve written something you’re proud of, share it with us! Send roughly 1000 words to us, (either in a doc, or as a sound file) and we’ll celebrate your beautiful wordage on our regular feature HYPEWRITER. Could be the start of your latest brilliant novel. Could be some flash you smashed. Could be a poem you wrote. Maybe some lyrics for the greatest song noone’s ever heard of, or could be a letter you wrote your ex-partner explaining why they need to stop calling you when they get drunk. And a big shout out to www.paragraphplanet.com [https://www.paragraphplanet.com/] - you really should think about send them your finest 75 word flash fiction musings!! Right. That’s the important stuff dealt with.  Now sit back and as Tom and Jon reveal how they got on with their targets last year!... ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S6 Ep0: Season 6 trailer!

Not long until we get this show back on the road!! Join us for season 6 when we interview some amazing writers, get stuck into some proper writing craft bits and bobs, and loads and loads and loads and loads and loads and loads more beside!! Season 6 of the award-winning Failing Writers Podcast... coming sooooooon!!!!! (Oh, and while you're here, check out our new merch store right here... https://the-failing-writers-podcast.teemill.com/) ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S5 Ep24: Doug Johnstone

How do you give your readers everything they're looking for? And your agent? You have to feed the beast don't you? (Is calling agents 'The Beast' too offensive?) It's your job as a writer to offer up precisely what your readership is looking for. Anything else and you risk losing your commercial edge. And we can't have that can we? Oh we can? Oh... OK. We met up with the wonderful Doug Johnstone, to hear how he refuses to be pigeoned-holed, writes what he likes, and just so happens to say what he like too - and yes, by that, I mean he swears quite a lot. Some great advice in this chat about the importance of loving what you write and worrying about it later. Plus lots of other entertaining advice too. Get it into your ear'oles now! And a big THANKS to Scrivener for sponsoring this season of the podcast! THANK YOU SCRIVENER! If you haven't tried Scrivener, you can sample their lovely wares for free for 30 days. OR you could just blummin well take our advice and buy a copy! and using our special code you can get 20% off! I know. Mental. You're welcome. Just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ [https://www.literatureandlatte.com/] and use the code failing. Right. That's the Christmas presents sorted. Have a great festive celebration, happy new year and see you on the other side for Season 6! Buy Doug's books https://orendabooks.co.uk/authors/doug-johnstone [https://orendabooks.co.uk/authors/doug-johnstone] More Doug: https://dougjohnstone.com/ [https://dougjohnstone.com/] ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

S5 Ep23: The Scottish Literary Legends

The second stop on our literary whistle stop tour of Edinburgh is The Writers Museum in Makars Court. Focussing on the three writers generally considered to be the great Titans of Scottish Literature: Robbie Burns, Sir Walter Scott & Robert Louis Stevenson. We have a wander round, read some poetry and look into why these fellas are so revered. We also go on a literary pub tour and have a chat with actor Mike Daviot, who just so happened to be an absolute font of knowledge about poetry and the Scots language. Turns out literary pub tours are one of our favourite kinds of tour! Now who could have guessed that?! So hop on board the Failing Writers Tour Bus and join us for a fascinating, if admittedly wholly inadequate look at three of the greatest writers, not just of Scotland, but the world. The Writer's Museum: https://cultureedinburgh.com/our-venues/writers-museum [https://cultureedinburgh.com/our-venues/writers-museum] The Literary Pub Tour we enjoyed: https://www.edinburghliterarypubtour.co.uk/ [https://www.edinburghliterarypubtour.co.uk/] Tam o' Shanter: http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/tamoshanter.htm [http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/tamoshanter.htm] Hopefully that's inspired you to take a closer look at the poems and novels of these absolute titans. More than that, maybe it's encouraged you to have a go yourself. ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.