Writer's Routine Dan Simpson

Kerry Andrew is an all-round creative. As a composer, they've won 4 British Composer Awards, as a writer they've been nominated twice for the BBC National Short Story Award. Kerry has published 2 novels, 'Swansong', 'Skin', and is back with a third, 'We Are Together Because'.
It's all about siblings Luke, Connor, Thea and Violet, spending their first summer in their estranged father's house. Truth is, they don't even know each other too well, and when the worst happens, they discover if they can rely only rely on each other.
We talk about what life is like on a writing retreat and whether being around creatives gives you a different kind of energy. Also why writing in the past might change you write in the present, you can hear about the search for the perfect word, and why a recent health diagnosis has made Kerry evaluate what they really want to do.
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Daisy Goodwin has created some legendary television shows. She's the brains behind 'Grand Designs', 'Escape to the Country', and the historical drama, 'Victoria', based on Queen Victoria, which was sold in 146 countries.
She's published poetry, had 3 bestselling novels, 'My Last Duchess', 'The Fortune Hunter', and 'Victoria, which together have been translated into 17 countries.
Her newest novel is 'Diva'. It tells the story of Maria Callas, one of the world's greatest opera singers, who falls in love with rich magnate Aristotle Onassis, right before he marries First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. We discuss the thorough research, which included having singing lessons. Also you can hear about the balance of fact and fiction in historical novels, how she has adjusted to having ideas for novels rather than TV, and why she took 5 years away from novel-writing.
You can hear about the differences between international editors, why she's careful about what she reads when writing, and we ask whether you're an architect or a gardener.
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One of the most frequent requests to writersroutine.com is for fantasy authors. World builders. Authors with the ability to take you on an adventure across times, dimensions and brand new maps.
This week's guest, Max Moyer, has figured a way to do that. His new book 'Zodak - The Last Shielder', is the first in a new series, 'Tempest Rising'. There is a prequel novella already out, 'Throne Born', and this properly sets up a new world that's been in Max's head for 30 years. It started as an idea for a board-game and fantasy series with his brother, yet when life got in the way, Max left it untouched for 18 years. Now, alongside his sibling, he's created a brand new world with new lands, strange magic, and unusual creatures.
We get right into the detail of world-building - how to get the specifics right, how to create lands, magic, even accents. You can hear whether the plot comes before the world and how organic the world is created. We discuss whether it provides an easy get-out for a character in danger, and why he went back to his idea after 18 years away.
Max runs a law-firm and has helped raise a big family, you can hear how he's created time to do this, and what big plans he has for the series.
This week's episode is sponsored by 'Who is the Cheese Wire Killer?', a brand new podcast series you can binge now.
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Mari Hannah is a prolific writer. Over the last 12 years she's won the Northern Writer's Award, the Polari First Book Prize, the CWA Dagger in the Library Award, and Capital Crime's Crime Book of the Year. She's a series authors, publishing books in the 'Stone and Oliver' series, the 'Ryan and O'Neil' novels, and the 'Kate Daniels' thrillers.
Her newest novel is 'The Longest Goodbye', and it sees Kate Daniels involved in a case incredibly close to her. It's the story Mari never wanted to write. Inspired by a moment she thought her partner, a police officer, had been killed in the line of duty.
We talk about series writing and how she plans characters and arcs over a long time. Also, about the precision across details that is needed when writing crime, her murder wall, and the tool-box that moves with her through the series.
You can hear how closely she works with her partner, to uncover the unknowns of police life, also how working in a prison has helped Mari deal with some of the tougher parts of writing crime, and the rules of genre.
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Triona Campbell worked as a TV producer and writer, creating many dramas and comedies for teens, and picking up 3 Emmy nominations. Through Lockdown (capital L?) she started writing a novel for teens... thus, a whole career change.
Her debut, 'A Game of Life and Death' went down very well, and she's followed it up with 'The Traitor in the Game'. It's about Asha, who enters an eSports tournament in New York, when it becomes harder to keep the game under control.
Triona has written radio plays too, and we discuss moving between mediums... what you gain, what you lose, what you learn and what you miss. She has recently moved with her whole family to Portugal, simply to write a novel - we discuss how this has helped and what life is like for her now.
You can hear about moving from TV to novels, why writing is all about the obstacles, and why it's hard to get the voice and tone right when writing for teens.
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Yangsze Choo's debut novel 'The Ghost Bride', was released 10 years ago, and has been adapted by Netflix. Her follow-up 'The Night Tiger', was a BBC 2 'Between the Covers' pick, a Reese Witherspoon Book Pick, and was selected for the UK's Big Jubilee Read. She's a New York Times bestseller.
Her 3rd novel in the last 10 years is 'The Fox Wife'. Set in 1908 Manchuria, it weaves in folklore and myth, it's a quest for love, and a murder mystery.
We discuss changes in her routine over the last 10 years, and why she takes her time, brooding over a low word-count. You can also hear how much impact the weather has., and how much debut success can affect what you follow up with. We chat about the tantalising prospect of streaming and film rights, how that changes how you plan future novels, and why we all think differently.
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