Page One - The Writer's Podcast

STET Podcasts
  • 5.0 (20)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

New episodes every Friday! On Page One - The Writer's Podcast, we talk to writers of all descriptions (authors, screenwriters, comic writers and more) about their writing process and how they craft their next great works. We also explore their career, including how their first big break happened, and discuss the ups and downs along the way. We learn something new every episode, and we hope you do as well. Page One is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/shop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Drafting Notes - Stop writing boring dialogue

    20H AGO

    Drafting Notes - Stop writing boring dialogue

    On this week's Drafting Notes, we are talking about... talking! Writing dialogue convincingly is something a lot of writers find tricky, and we discuss things to watch out for, what makes dialogue sound convincing (not necessarily realistic), and talk about some examples of what to do and what not to do. Drafting Notes is a series in which one award-winning writer (Tariq) and one hopefully soon-to-be-published writer (Marco) discuss various writing issues as they occur to them! Support us on Patreon and get access to Drafting Notes episodes early, along with other great benefits! Drafting Notes and Page One - The Writer's Podcast are brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Drafting Notes is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    20 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Adventures in Publishing-land: Nobel AI Scandal, Silicon Serpents & The Children's Literacy Crisis

    Watch as a full video episode on YouTube This week, we're expanding on our discussion from the last episode about the depressing HarperCollins report on children's reading habits. Author and teacher Cailean Steed joins us to break down the underlying data and explain exactly how hyper-fixating on rigid literacy metrics is actively destroying the sheer joy of reading for kids. Plus, we talk about - of course - AI, as we talk about the Commonwealth Short Story Prize winner scandal, and discuss Nobel Laureate Olga Tokarczuk response to the talk of AI involvement in her work. And we find time to talk about the Guardian's "Best books of all time" list - and make Tariq talk about football again. 00:00 Intro 01:08 Literacy vs Joy: Let Kids Enjoy Reading: Cailean Steed Interview 22:15 Snake Oil Award - Prize-winning Pile On 37:50 Tokarczuk Prize - An Ignoble Use of AI? 44:02 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory 52.26 The Final Chapter - Who are books lists for? Links: Literacy focus ‘actively undermining’ reading for pleasure, HarperCollins finds ‘Obvious markers of AI’: doubts raised over winner of short story prize Read The Serpent in the Grove and decide for yourself Olga Tokarczuk has responded to the controversy over her reputed use of AI The Guardian 100 Best Books of All Time Adventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 2m

  3. 6D AGO

    Ep. 268 - Andrea Mara on The "What If" Method: Building Domestic Noir

    Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Andrea Mara is a Number One Sunday Times, Irish Times, and Kindle bestselling author whose books have sold over one million copies across all formats. She has been shortlisted for six An Post Book Awards and won Irish Crime Novel of the Year for It Should Have Been You in 2025. Her 2021 novel, All Her Fault, was adapted into a critically acclaimed TV series starring Sarah Snook, which premiered on Peacock and Sky in late 2025. Andrea’s work—including hits like No One Saw A Thing and Someone In The Attic—has consistently topped bestseller lists across the UK and Ireland. Her latest gripping thriller, Such a Nice Girl, is out now. We had a great time chatting with Andrea, hearing about her transition from a 17-year career in financial services to becoming a domestic noir sensation. We also talk about her unique "plot-first" writing process and the importance of detailed outlines, and we get some interesting anecdotes about what it was like to eat cake on a Melbourne film set with Michael Peña!  Links: Buy Such a Nice Girl now Follow Andrea on Instagram Visit Andrea's website Vote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Old Peculier Harrogate Crime Novel of the Year Award Vote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Capital Crime Overall Crime Book of the Year Award Support us on Patreon and get the podcast early and ad-free, along with other great benefits, including a bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageone Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Page One - The Writer's Podcast is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    59 min
  4. Page One Extra - RJ Barker On Subverting Epic Fantasy Tropes

    MAY 20

    Page One Extra - RJ Barker On Subverting Epic Fantasy Tropes

    Watch as a full video episode on YouTube RJ Barker is an award-winning fantasy author from Leeds, West Yorkshire. He is best known for his critically acclaimed trilogies, The Wounded Kingdom and The Tide Child, the latter of which won the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel. His work often subverts traditional fantasy tropes by blending elements of epic world-building, ecological science fiction, and gritty noir elements. His latest release, Mortedant's Peril, is out now. We had a great time chatting with RJ, hearing about the massive twist wrapping up his Wounded Kingdom (Major spoilers discussed!) and his subversion of the conventional lone-hero trope. We also talk about writing his brand-new novel, Mortedant's Peril, in just seven weeks while battling chronic illness, and we get some interesting anecdotes about the socio-economics of a tiered fantasy city and a very peculiar magical power involving corpse memories! Plus, as with all returning guests, RJ tells us about 5 books that influenced him as an author! Links: Buy Mortedant's Peril now! Visit RJ's website Follow RJ on Bluesky Come see us at Cymera Festival! Support us on Patreon and get great benefits!: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageone Page One Extra and Page One - The Writer's Podcast are brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Page One Extra is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min

  5. MAY 15

    Ep. 267 - Leigh Radford on How Personal Grief Transformed into a Debut Horror Novel

    Watch as a full video episode on YouTube Leigh Radford trained as a broadcast journalist. She produced and presented arts and entertainment content for commercial radio, Time Out, The Times and The Sun, along with documentaries for the BBC, including Rilke’s Women for Radio 4. A former book publicist, she is a 2023 graduate of Faber Academy. She is currently developing content for film and television through her production company Kenosha Kickers. Her debut novel, One Yellow Eye, is out now. We had a great time chatting with Leigh, hearing about how a personal tragedy gave her the ultimate "kick up the arse "to finally write her first novel and how her background in journalism helped her survive brutal feedback. We also talk about the specific challenges of writing a "zombie love story," the invaluable structure provided by the Faber Academy, and she gives us some familiar anecdotes about the "sensible plan A" her parents encouraged before she embraced the creative world!  Links: Buy One Yellow Eye now Visit Leigh's website Follow Leigh on Instagram Vote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Old Peculier Harrogate Crime Novel of the Year Award Vote for Tariq's book The Midnight King for the Capital Crime Overall Crime Book of the Year Award Support us on Patreon and get the podcast early and ad-free, along with other great benefits, including a bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageone Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Page One - The Writer's Podcast is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m

  6. MAY 8

    Ep. 266 - Stephen Fishbach on moving from Survivor to Pushcart Prize Winner

    Watch this episode as a full video interview on YouTube Stephen Fishbach is a Pushcart Prize-winning writer and former television executive who served as a Vice President at MTV. A graduate of Yale with an MFA from NYU, he is widely recognised as a two-time contestant and runner-up on the reality show Survivor. His diverse writing background includes serving as a speechwriter for Stevie Wonder and hosting the literary podcast Paraphrase. Stephen lives in Washington, DC, with his wife and two daughters, and his debut novel, Escape!, was inspired by his unique insider perspective on reality television. We had a fantastic time chatting with Stephen about how a harrowing monsoon in the Cambodian jungle finally gave him the focus to pursue serious fiction. We delve into his transition from the "clown music" of reality TV to winning the Pushcart Prize, and how he used his writing to reclaim narrative control in his debut novel. We also talk about his love for the social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower and the meticulous research required to capture the "texture" of life of a professional Marilyn Monroe impersonator. Links: Buy Escape! now Visit Stephen's website Follow Stephen on Instagram Support us on Patreon and get the podcast early and ad-free, along with other great benefits, including a bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageone Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Page One - The Writer's Podcast is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    55 min
  7. Adventures in Publishing-land: Literacy Lows, TikTok Highs, & the £100 Canceled Book

    MAY 4

    Adventures in Publishing-land: Literacy Lows, TikTok Highs, & the £100 Canceled Book

    Watch as a full video episode on YouTube On today's episode of Adventures in Publishing-land, we congratulate Tariq on not one but two new Longlistings, and struggle to understand a story about new research that suggests a heavy focus on literacy skills in schools is actively undermining the motivation to read for fun. Plus, the TikTok books charts have launched! What effect will they have on the industry? And as copies of Shy Girl sell for more than £100 on ebay, Tariq wonders if he should buy up as many copies as he can to fund his retirement (spoiler: he shouldn't!) 00:00 Intro 05:00 The Reading Paradox - Literacy Skills v Joy 16:52 Top of the Toks - TikTok Book Charts Launch 31:31 From Shy Girl to Prom Queen? Cancelled Book Sales Soar 41:49 Stranger Than Fiction - Nadine's Idea Factory Links: Literacy focus 'actively undermining' reading for pleasure, HarperCollins finds TikTok releases first monthly BookTok Bestseller List Copies of Mia Ballard's Shy Girl listed online for over £100 Adventures in Publishing-land is brought to you by STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing podcast needs, featuring Page One - The Writer's Podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson and more! Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    52 min

  8. MAY 1

    Ep. 265 - Alessandra Ranelli on the real-life inspiration behind her debut

    Watch as a full video interview on YouTube Alessandra Ranelli is an American writer living in Vienna, Austria. Murder at the Hotel Orient is her first crime novel. She has the full support of the real Hotel Orient, and has been allowed access to all its rooms, even the secret ones. As part of her extensive book research, she left her career as a pastry chef and became a hotel receptionist. She is currently writing her second novel. We had great fun chatting with Alessandra about how a visit to the Hotel Orient sparked the idea for the novel, and how she moved from idea to fully finished novel (with multiple agent offers along the way). We talk about her having different UK and US agents and how that works, and the nerves as she waited for Murder at the Hotel Orient to come out. Links: Buy Murder at the Hotel Orient now Follow Alessandra on Instagram Visit Alessandra's website Support us on Patreon and get the podcast early and ad-free, along with other great benefits, including a bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/ukpageone Page One - The Writer's Podcast is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Learn more and order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/page-one Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Bluesky Follow us on Threads Page One - The Writer's Podcast is part of STET Podcasts - the one stop shop for all your writing and publishing podcast needs! Follow STET Podcasts on Instagram and Bluesky Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 9m
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5
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

New episodes every Friday! On Page One - The Writer's Podcast, we talk to writers of all descriptions (authors, screenwriters, comic writers and more) about their writing process and how they craft their next great works. We also explore their career, including how their first big break happened, and discuss the ups and downs along the way. We learn something new every episode, and we hope you do as well. Page One is brought to you by Write Gear, creators of Page One - the Writer's Notebook. Order yours now: https://www.writegear.co.uk/shop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    STET Podcasts
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    334
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    ℗ & © 2024 Write Gear Limited
  • Show Website
    Page One - The Writer's Podcast

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