The Creative Writer's Toolbelt

Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe?

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 01:47:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to one of my occasional episodes of the Creative Writers Toolbelt, this is episode 181, and I want to ask you a question - Do you know your dead salmon from your downpipe?

If you know what these phrases mean, well done! But whether you do or don't, please do keep listening. In any event, I hope you found that title amusing, and that would be entirely appropriate as the subject of this episode is comedic writing, the subtle art of writing something funny.

And to join me to explore this is my good friend the blogger, speak and author Ruth Leigh. Ruth is the author of the Issy Smugge series, the third installment of which is titled “The Continued Times of Isabella M Smugge.” Has just been released as of September 2022. If you’ve ever thought about comedic writing , or you’ve discovered just how difficult it is to do well, then this episode is for you – enjoy!

Getting the marketing basics right with Written Word Media's Clayton Noblit

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 01:01:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Written Word Media's Senior Marketing Manager, Clayton Noblit. In this episode we talk about what basics an author needs to focus on, using our own email lists, Facebook pages, and social media, and web pages, we also talk about how Written Word Media can take away some of the pain that authors at every level of success will feel.

Episode 179: Escaping the submissions treadmill: could a service like Submitit be the way forward?

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 06:45:00 +0000

Erik Harper Klass is the founder of Submitit, a company that directly addresses the stress and uncertainty of the submissions treadmill. Submitting your work, again and again, can be time-consuming and exhaustive, especially if you get more than enough rejection slips to cover the walls of your bathroom.

Submitit is a company that takes on the job of reviewing the journals to which writers might submit their work and decides on the best places to make a submission. Submitit will select the journals to submit to, craft the submission, and even make some of the editorial improvements that might be required.

Submitit takes the bad dating app reality of trying to find a journal for your work and replaces it with the wise and kindly matchmaker, finding the best match for your work, and approaching the right journals.

if you are writing literary fiction or narrative non-fiction this kind of service might be helpful for you. Find out more at www.submititnow.com

Episode 178: Trust the process that gives you joy! With Jessie Kwak

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:42:00 +0000

My guest for this episode is the non-fiction and science fiction writer Jessie Kwak.

In this episode, we talk about the different writing processes that people use, how to choose the right one, and why some writers have found the pandemic such a difficult time.

We discuss the importance of finding a writing process that brings us joy, how essential it is for us to know ourselves as writers, and when and how to hire the right professionals to help you with your writing.

I had a great time talking to Jessie I hope you find the conversation useful to listen to, here it is.

Episode 177: The mind of the warrior. A conversation with Nick Narbutovskih of the US Air Force Special Operations Command

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 03 Jun 2022 01:01:00 +0000

Nick Narbutovskih grew up knowing that he wanted to be a pilot in the military, now Assistant Operations Officer Narbutovskih with Air Force Special Operations Command, and he now trains others who are going to be pilots in the US Air Force.

On the day of our conversation, Nick was supposed to be able to talk to me from the comfort of his own home but the military being what it is he was required at the base that day so we conducted the conversation with Nick stepping out for a few minutes to his car, so I’m afraid the sound quality is a little off what I would normally hope to bring you.

But this is a fascinating conversation, with some great insights for writers into the minds and characters of those in the military, there are some real gems here for anyone who wants to know how a military context would actually work, and how groups of soldiers, sailors, and airforce personnel think and behave with each other, both outside of and in combat situations.

In this conversation, we talk about how the habits and disciplines of the military have helped Nick with his writing, the character traits and behaviors of people in the military, both in and out of combat situations, and why the reason people stay in the military might be different from the reason they joined.

I hope you find this conversation helpful, here it is.

Episode 176: Making peace with the internet. Practical advice for your digital presence, with Jason Smith of Social Shapes

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 13 May 2022 01:01:00 +0000

In this episode, my guest is the Digital Marketing expert Jason Smith. In this conversation, we talk about the essentials of setting up a web and managing social media accounts for your brand as a writer. We talk about the best platform to use to design a first website, the importance of design aesthetics, and what the author needs to use their website for. We also talk about social media, how to make it not scary, what the functions of social media engagement are, how to choose the right platforms, and what kind of content to put on it.

This was a fascinating conversation, full of the kind of smart insights you need to get to grips with a website and social media as an author, I hope you enjoy it, here it is.

If you are listening to this before September 2022 and you are a Christian author please join us for the British Christian Writers Conference, where you can hear Jason speaking and talk to him about your digital needs. We will be at Ridley Hall in Cambridge on Saturday 3^rd September, join us for marketing tips, craft insights, and encouragement for you and your writing, just search for The British Christian Writing Conference online, or go to: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/storycraftpress/636912

Episode 175: A guest at the reader's table, with veteran publisher and literary agent Tony Collins

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 01:01:00 +0000

My guest for this episode is someone who has spent nearly 50 years in publishing. Tony Collins has worked for a number of publishing houses, owned three magazines, published an astonishing 1,400 books, and is now a literary agent. In this conversation, we talk about the lessons he’s learned in his career. We talk about the most common error that writers make when with their work, how the author must remember they are a guest at the reader's table, and there are many other things for readers to do. We talk about the essential power of narrative, why we can’t write in the way Dickens did, the place for anecdote in non-fiction, finding the right publisher, engaging well with them, and why it's essential for your book to get the title and your hook right.

Tony speaks with decades of experience and there are some wonderful, fundamental insights here, I hope you find the conversation useful, here it is.

Episode 174: Writing your novel is part of your heart - with Lynn Hightower

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 03 Apr 2022 07:45:00 +0000

Welcome to Ep 174, my guest for this episode is the writer and writing coach Lynn Hightower. Lynn writers thriller with a darkly paranormal twist.

In this conversation, we discuss why we do need to tell as well as show, especially in terms of plot, why we need to hear the character’s voice in our head rather than try to pick and mix their traits and characteristics. We also talk about why clarity in your prose is so important, what do you do to keep the reader hooked, and why every writer needs to try to limit the number of desks they own!

I had a wide-ranging conversation with Lynn, full of humour, insight, and craft advice – I hope you enjoy listening to it.

Episode 173: Make your reader feel smart, with Jessica Brody

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 26 Mar 2022 09:25:00 +0000

Suppose you discovered that nearly all of the great stories written conform to a particular structure, a structure that would help to guide you in your writing and that, subconsciously at least, your readers are expecting to see in your work.

This is the contention of my guest today, the writer and creative writing tutor, Jessica Brody. Jessica took the classic screenwriting text “Save the cat” and applied it to the process of writing a novel, producing the appropriately titled “Save the cat writes a novel”.

In our conversation, Jessica and I explored the key beats in the 15 beat structure, why pacing is so important, how you create a problem, a want, and a need for your protagonist, and why it’s important to make your reader feel smart.

This was a fun and informative conversation I hope you enjoy listening to it, here it is.

Episode 172: Immersed in the sensorium: how we can enjoy, and learn from poetry, with Aaron Poochigian.

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 01:01:00 +0000

I have always believed that there are important lessons for prose writers to learn from poetry, and I also think we can always gain something from the joy and discipline of listening to good poetry. To test and prove this belief, in this episode, I am talking to the teacher, poet, and translator Aaron Poochigian.

Aaron has a Ph.D. in Classics from the University of Minnesota and an MFA in Poetry from Columbia University.

In this episode, we talk about the rise of the prose form over poetry, why anyone might write poetry, why poetry is like music and should be heard as music, how we can push out into the world with our work. We talk about good and bad ambiguity, what novelists can learn from poetry, including the use of rhythm, compression or the economy of language, and using the full range of senses in description and setting.

This is an episode of those who love poetry or at least see its potential to teach us something for our craft, I hope you enjoy it, here it is.

Episode 171: The layers of character with H. Claire Taylor

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 01:01:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 171 of the Creative Writers Toolbelt.

My guest today is the author, writing consultant, and presenter Claire Taylor. Claire will be known to many of you as one-half of the team at the Sell More Books Show with her co-presenter, Bryan Cohen.

In this episode we talk about what narrative cohesion is and why it matters, the way in which characters operate on a physical, emotional, and philosophical level, and how to use, (and how not to use) tropes, this was a really fun conversation I enjoyed talking to Claire, I hope you enjoy listening to it, here it is.

Episode 170: Be the hero of your own story, with Donna Lichaw

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 01:01:00 +0000

Those of you who have read the book that accompanies this podcast will know that, in my opinion, one of the best explanations and representations of the way story works comes from the executive coach, speaker, and author Donna Lichaw.

Donna is not a creative writing professor, nor is she a best-selling fiction author. She comes from the world of tech, she knows about leadership development, product development, user experience, and how companies can create excellent products for their customers, and she knows how story is bound up with all of this.

I’ve been meaning to talk to Donna for years now. I wish we’d had three hours to really unpack this stuff, but we had 40 minutes and so we made the most of that, and so in this episode, Donna talks to us about how classic story structure is still a powerful tool for understanding how humans communicate with each other and have done since the dawn of civilisation; we discuss how this concept applies to the art of showing and telling, and how the most important story for us to work out as writers is our own story, the most important story for each of us is the one in which we are the hero, and if we can understand that story, we can better unlock the power of all the other stories we want to tell.

I had a great time talking to Donna, I hope you enjoy listening to our conversation, here it is.

Episode 169: Creating stories that work: content and structure

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 01:01:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 169 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt. In the next few episodes, I am going to be exploring the fundamentals of story structure. We’re going to look at different perspectives on story and story structure with the help of a number of guests and I am looking forward to hearing what they have to say and sharing those insights with you.

By way of an introduction, in this episode I want to ask a deceptively simple question, and it’s this: what does a really good story look like? And I am going to try to answer this question by first exploring what I mean by the word “story” and then looking at what the content of a good story should be, and what structures we could use to present that story in the best possible way.

Episode 168. Passion Focus and Discipline with Dave Chesson

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 09:22:00 +0000

Welcome to Ep 168 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is Dave Chesson. Dave is an author, entrepreneur and something of a famous name in the self-publishing scene.

For many years he has been creating free courses and articles as well as applications that help writers to publish and promote their work, applications like publisher rocket and the newly arrived Atticus, which combines editing, sharing, and formatting functionality.

I have been using Dave’s publishing tools for a number of years and I was particularly interested in finding out how Atticus might work and how it can help authors, and while we did talk about this Dave also had some wisdom for the attitude, disciplines, and focus that we need to succeed as writers, here’s our conversation.

Episode 167. Building your authority as a writer, with Bryan Collins

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 14:15:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 167 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the writer, journalist and blogger Bryan Collins. Bryan has written for Forbes, the Huffington Post, and Fast Company. He has published 16 books on creativity, non-fiction, and being a productive writer. Bryan loves stories and is especially interested in how the power of story can be applied to non-fiction.

In this episode, we talk about how telling a story is much more powerful than talking about features when it comes to persuading people to buy a product or a concept, we also talk about how you can build your authority as a writer, and the power of owning your own work and your own space online.

We also talk about some of the tools that we writers can use to improve their productivity and help us present our work to the world.

Bryan and I had a good chat that helped me to think about how and where I can use stories in my work, and what tools and services I can use to help me do this, I hope it’s useful for you, here it is.

Episode 166 From Aristotle to Hollywood with Susan Isaacs

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 14:45:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 166 of the creative writer’s toolbelt podcast. My guest for this episode is the actor and writer and Lutheran Susan Isaacs.

Susan has worked in TV, and got a Masters degree in screen writing. She moved to New York, and worked in comedy there before moving back to California to be close to her mother, who had dementia. She turned some of the most difficult times of her life into a one-woman stage show and that led to a publishing deal. She is now Professor of Screenwriting at Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.

In our conversation we talk about the fact that successful stories need a compelling character, who is relatable but also wounded, and who has a desire or goal. We discuss how story structure goes back to Aristotle, and has been worked out by great storytellers have worked with and worked out this structure since then, from Shakespeare to Tolkien, from St Augustine to Margaret Mitchell.

We discuss the fact that great stories have an internal and an external journey for the main characters and how this works within the three-act structure, and how stories live in specificity.

We talk about how script writing is the same as the novel but also different in terms of structure, we discuss active verbs, and reflect on how our stories are never going to be as horrible, or wonderful, as we think they are.

I learnt a lot from my conversation with Susan, I hope you find it an enjoyable and informative listen.

Episode 165. Flightpath to publication with James Blatch

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 06:14:00 +0000

Welcome to episode 165 of the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt

My guest for this episode is the author, James Blatch. Some of you will know James as one half of the team who present the hugely popular Self Publishing Show with Mark Dawson.

James is a former radio and television journalist, he has worked for the BBFC, the British Board of Film Classification, so the organisation here in the UK the UK that decides what certificate a film gets.

James’ family has a long relationship with the Royal Air Force, his father was a test pilot with the RAF and James has a passion for the planes, which he has carried over into the subject of his first novel, called The Final Flight, which is set on an RAF base in the 1960’s.

In this episode we talk about respecting the material you are working with in your novel, the challenge of marketing your first book, and the importance of building an email list.

I would also say, I am aware that not all of you listening to this want to self-publish your work, you want to get a traditional publishing contract and that’s a good aim to have, but I would suggest that all of the writing advice and a good part of the marketing advice you here in this episode and on the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt Podcast generally is useful and applicable to you. Even if you do get a traditional publishing contract, and congratulations if you do, you should still be thinking about how you can market your books and your brand, and in particular as it applies to this episode, how important it is for you to build your own email list, however you are published.

I had a great conversation with James, I hope you enjoy it and find it useful, here it is

Episode 164. A citizen of two worlds. Juggling writing and life with Sam Mills and Michael J. Harvey

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 15:37:00 +0000

The American writers Joyce Carol Oates famously said:

“The biggest obstacle for writers is distraction from other people."

And it’s substantially true. But those who say we should exclude these distracting people are offering a solution that is both naïve and selfish, and doesn’t really allow for the reality of our lives.

In truth, it’s usually the people that we love who are the most distracting, and we choose to continue to love them and engage with them rather than cut ourselves off from them; our partner, our children, family members, close friends, maybe even vulnerable people to whom we have made some kind of commitment.

We have to find a way of acknowledging our responsibilities to those who we have a commitment to, whilst still finding the time and energy to write, and to achieve this balance is an essential skill for the writers life. To help us explore this issue, and to offer practical steps to help us all with this tight rope act, I am joined by two writers, Sam Mills and Michael J Harvey.

Sam Mills studied English Language and Literature at Oxford University, and worked as a journalist and publicist before giving it all up to write full time. She has published seven books, the latest of which is “The Fragments of My Father” which explores her personal story of becoming a carer to her father, who has schizophrenia.

Michael J. Harvey is a fantasy novelist with degrees in History from the Universities of Leicester and Cambridge. He is a blogger, writer and traveller, and also a husband and father to two young children.

Both of my guests have had to learn to create and manage time for their writing, this is their story.

Episode 163. Getting in touch with our own inner champion - with Cami Ostman

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 01:01:00 +0000

So much of how we engage with our writing is bound up with the disciplines, good and bad, we apply to ourselves, and how we feel about ourselves as writers. In this episode I tackle these issues, together with the thorny subject of dealing with our own inner critic, with speaker writer and marathon runner, Cami Ostman.

Episode 162. Keep the faith! With Sarah Moorhead

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 01:01:00 +0000

Yes! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is back after a hiatus of about 18 months and it’s a delight to talking to you again. If you haven't subscribed you can do so at:

https://the-creative-writers-toolbelt.castos.com/

My guest for this first episode of the relaunched podcast is the author and teacher Sarah Moorhead. Sarah is every inch the the scouser that she sounds, she's funny and honest and determined, all qualities that I think we need to have in big quantities as writers.

In our conversation we talk about keeping the faith in our stories and our voice, asking ourselves the question: who are you as a writer? And nurturing the determination to see a writing project through to the end.

I had a great time talking to Sarah, I hope you will enjoy listening to our conversation, here it is.

Announcement: The Creative Writer's Toolbelt will return on Friday 3rd September 2021

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 06:52:00 +0000

Hi and welcome to this brief message about the Creative Writer’s Toolbelt podcast. I have news! The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt is relaunching on Friday 3^rd September. To catch all the new episodes you can subscribe to the podcast here:

https://the-creative-writers-toolbelt.castos.com/

After a hiatus of about 18 months I am restarting the podcast. The core mission of the podcast wont be changing. Like you, I love writing and The Creative Writer’s Toolbelt will continue in its purpose of helping you and me to become better writers and produce great work.

Episode 161 Writing your memoir

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 07:59:00 +0000

Has the Covid-19 virus forced you into being at home with time on your hands? Could now be the time to start that memoir project you've been meaning to get around to for so long? If so, this is the episode for you. My guest for this episode is the journalist, editor, commissioning editor and speaker Ali Hull. Ali is the Deputy Editor of Sorted magazine, and a freelance commissioning editor, who has worked with at least a hundred authors on their books, many of which were memoirs. She has also co-authored a book on grief, and written many press releases, features, interviews and reviews. Since 2003, she has spoken on numerous writing courses, around the UK and in Ireland.

Episode 160 Lockdown for writers

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 23:00:00 +0000

Yes I'm back! I want to do two or three more episodes before I finish, to address the extraordinary times we are living in, and in this episode I am talking to two writer / entrepreneurs, Wendy H Jones and Abidemi Sanusi about how writers can survive and thrive in Lockdown. We discuss motivation, routine, self-care for writers, and just getting started.

Episode 159 Thank you for listening, and goodbye

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 14 Mar 2020 12:20:17 +0000

Sadly, this is the last episode of the podcast, at least for now. From the end of March I am putting The Creative Writer's Toolbelt on hiatus. Listen to this episode for my explanation of why I am finishing (nothing sinister!) and news about a possible writer's event that I'd like to host at some point in the future somewhere in the UK.

Episode 158 Take the advice that works for you. A conversation with freelance editor Ellen Brock

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 08:00:00 +0000

This episode features one of my favourite guests, an editor who manages to combine a formidable expertise with a friendly and accessible manner, you’ll most likely know her from her YouTube channel, but she also featured in a two part episode on the podcast in 2018, it’s the wonderful Ellen Brock. In this conversation Ellen gives us some recommended reading for mastering the structure of story, provides some insights on how to manage point of view in close third person, and also gives us some great advice on what advice we should actually use and what we should discard.

Episode 157 - Keep your eyes on your own paper! Maintaining your balance as an author - with Barbara Poelle

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 15 Feb 2020 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Barbara Poelle, agent with the Irene Goodman Literary Agency. We talk about the importance of having good critique partners, how to approach an agent at a conference, and that old favourite – showing not telling. Enjoy!

Episode 156 - Observing your characters with compassion. A conversation with Abbigail N. Rosewood

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 07 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with the Vietnamese born writer, Abbigail N. Rosewood, about her first novel 'If I had two lives'. In this conversation we talk about withholding judgement to maintain the story, how to use sensory information to introduce a character, how honesty can lead to empathy, and what it means to be understood as a writer.

Episode 155 Dana Kaye saves the day! Branding Marketing and a Crisis Consultation if you need it. With branding and marketing expert Dana Kaye

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 08:00:00 +0000

Writing is hard, branding and marketing can be even harder! So I was delighted to have the chance to talk to branding and marketing expert Dana Kaye. Dana works with authors to develop a coherent authentic brand, and effective and innovating marketing initiatives.

Episode 154 - From perseverance to publication. A conversation with writer and speaker Joan E Histon

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

This episode features a friend of mine who has worked hard to overcome the issues so many of us writers face. Joan Histon is a writer, a speaker, and a spiritual director. She has faced the kinds of challenges and obstacles that you and I have faced with our writing, and yet she overcome these, and has now published a number of books, both fiction and non-fiction, and she has a three-book publishing deal. How did she get there? How did she power through to the success she has now had? I invite you to continue listening to find out.

Episode 153 Kandy Kingdom's Most Wanted! A conversation with Greg Millman

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 20 Dec 2019 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Hollywood script writer, ad exec, and YA author Gregg Millman. Gregg has been on the writing teams for documentaries, films and TV series, and more recently has worked with a number of global brands across a range of media and platforms.In this episode we talk about the process by which TV drama’s get written, how advertising works, and the power of editing. We also talk about the changing nature of YA writing, the importance of the book cover, and how complementary characters can enhance the story.

Episode 152 - From the page to the stage with Tony Award winning Broadway producer Ken Davenport

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 05 Dec 2019 18:00:00 +0000

Have you ever wanted to write for the theatre but haven’t had the incentive or help to get do it? Have you ever wondered what makes a Broadway producer decide to bring a show to the bright lights and the big stage? Well you are about to find out because this episode is a conversation with Tony award winning Broadway producer Ken Davenport. Ken shares his insights for writing and launching your work.

Episode 151 - Do it without having to prove you're good! Encouragement for the writer's life with Cynthia Morris

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 08:00:00 +0000

This episode can be summed up with a single, wonderful word: encouragement! My guest is the author, artist, and coach Cynthia Morris, and in this episode we discuss the fears writer's feel, the need to be kind to ourselves, and how we should sneak up on ourselves to write something great.

Episode 150 - 'Trust the truth; trust your writing.' A conversation with the Pope's Astronomer Brother Guy Consolmagno

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 08:00:00 +0000

Do you trust your work? Do you trust yourself enough to let your work go wherever it wants to go, to be authentic? That’s one of the questions, and challenges I explore with my guest in this episode of the podcast. His name is Brother Guy Consolmagno, and he is a Jesuit Brother and also an MIT trained research astronomer and he is currently the Director of the Vatican Observatory, making him in colloquial terms, the Pope’s Astronomer.

Episode 149 Cops and Writers! Tips for authoring your police procedural with Wendy H Jones and Sergeant Patrick O'Donnell

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 07:00:00 +0000

One of the most popular genres for fiction writers is the murder mystery or police procedural. But this is also a genre where writers can easily get things wrong. In this episode I'm joined by crime writer Wendy H Jones and we speak to Patrick O’Donnell, a serving officer with 25 years of experience in a large city police department in the US. In this conversation we cover: responding to a homicide, the arrest and court process, hostage situations, and what writers usually get wrong with police work.

Episode 148 - More than Pandas! The renaissance in Chinese Science Fiction and what it means for readers and writers in the West

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 07:00:01 +0000

This is a special episode examining the rise in the popularity and influence of Chinese Science Fiction. In the last twenty years, Chinese Sci Fi has flourished across a range of media, spurred by successes like Liu Cixin's Hugo Award-winning novel The Three-Body Problem, and this year's Chinese funded and created movie The Wandering Earth. In this episode I talk to two writers: Chen Qiufan and Peng Simeng, and an editor, Gabrielle Wei of Science Fiction World, all based in China, to discuss the issues that are important to Chinese writers and to find out what opportunities writers from the West might have in this newly emerging market.

Episode 147 - Perseverance branding and podcasting for writers with Sarah Werner

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 28 Sep 2019 07:00:00 +0000

My guest for this episode is my friend Sarah Werner. Sarah is a creator, producer, and encourager of fellow creatives. She is also the host of the 'Write Now' and 'Girl In Space' podcasts. Sarah always manages to combine warmth and wisdom in what she says, and in this conversation she shares insights and practical tips for developing perseverance and resilience as a creative, developing a brand for ourselves and our work, and the why and how of creating your own podcast as a writer.

Episode 146 - A request to hear about YOUR writing challenges and it's time for a story!

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 18 Sep 2019 06:44:06 +0000

This episode starts with a request. Tell me your writing challenges! What are the technical craft problems you're facing? Give me the challenge of research and presenting a solution for you and all of us here on the podcast. Also, it's story time. Sit back and listen to the original, unpublished opening chapter to 'The Centauri Survivors' my recently published novel.

Episode 145: Own it! How to take charge of your own destiny as a writer with Abidemi Sanusi

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 18:57:44 +0000

My guest for this episode is Abidemi Sanusi. Abidemi is a Nigerian born former human rights worker turned author, and has been writing and publishing books across multiple genres for fifteen years. Her novel, Eyo, about a 10 year old girl trafficked to the UK with promises of a better life, was nominated for the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. She's also the founder of abidemi.tv, the website for ambitious writers', and she provides business success templates for freelance writers. A self-confessed tech geek, she is also the founder of writethemes.com - gorgeous Wordpress themes for writers that turn their Wordpress website visitors into paying fans.

Episode 144 What writers can learn from 'Emeralds of Oz'. A conversation with Peter Guzzardi

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 23:00:00 +0000

My guest for this episode has spent over 40 years in the publishing business, editing everyone from Professor Stephen Hawking to Douglas Adams. And now it's his turn to write a book rather than edit one, and so Peter has written "Emeralds of Oz: Life Lessons from Over the Rainbow" a look at the wisdom we can glean from one of the greatest films ever made, which went out on general release on this date 25th August, exactly 80 years ago.

Episode 143 Disrupted! How self-publishing became the most significant thing to happen to the publishing business for centuries - with Orna Ross

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 16 Aug 2019 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is the second part of my conversation with Orna Ross: poet, author and founder and Director of the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). Here Orna and I discuss the amazing impact of self-publishing, the rise of the indie author, the priorities for indie authors, the challenges that they face, and how they can benefit from being part of ALLi, the largest global non-profit organisation for independent authors.

Episode 142 The renaissance in poetry: new opportunities in poetic expression with Orna Ross

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 13 Aug 2019 05:52:36 +0000

The combination of new social media platforms and the rise of opportunities for self publishing has led to an amazing renaissance in poetry and poetic expression, both digitally and on the page. This is truly an exciting time for poets, and there are lots of new opportunities for poetic expression opening up. In this episode I talk to award winning author, poet, and founder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors, Orna Ross about her work and the ways in which new and established poets can take advantage of the resources that are available.

Episode 141 So why did it take you 10 years to write this book? And other awkward questions for writers

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 01 Aug 2019 00:00:00 +0000

This episode features a conversation with me about my book "The Centauri Survivors" which is published today, and explores some of the lessons any author can learn as publication day approaches. I'm the guest for this one and the questions are being asked by my friend Wendy H. Jones. In this episode we explore issues like: the biggest mistakes I made along the way, the difficult decisions I had to make in editing, and why every author, however experienced they are, gets nervous just before publication.

Episode 140 How to work with your development editor. With Amanda Rutter and examples from The Centauri Survivors

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 11:22:25 +0000

Writers are becoming more convinced of the need to use professionals to help them with their work, and one of the essential members of the team is the Development Editor. But what do Development Editors do and how can they add value? In this episode I talk to my development editor Amanda Rutter who worked with me on my book The Centauri Survivors. We explore how writers should approach this stage of the edit, and how to get the best out of the relationship with your Development Editor.

Episode 139 When characters go rogue.

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a response to an issue I’ve been discussing with a listener. We talked about characters who seem to take over the story, who depart from the script and, as the title of this podcast suggests, go rogue. In this episode we look at what a rogue character is, why characters go rogue and what you can do about it.

Episode 138 "The smell of saffron; the shadow of war". Writing and publishing out of a non-Western background with Dr Pamela Fernandes

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 16:10:46 +0000

Pamela Fernandes is a writer and doctor. She escaped the first Gulf War with her family, fleeing to India. Since then she has lived in Asia, the US, and the Middle East and writes both fiction and non-fiction, drawing on her personal and professional experience. In this episode we discuss the challenges of writing in less popular genres, how to capture and keep your reader, and never giving up on a project.

Episode 137 Tools and markets for the Indie Author. With Ricardo Fayet of Reedsy.com

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 23 May 2019 18:26:41 +0000

As I prepare for the launch this summer of "The Centauri Survivors" my YA SciFi novel, I have been using the services of Reedsy.com, and so I caught up with co-founder Ricardo Fayet to talk about Reedsy Discovery: https://reedsy.com/discovery a service that allows you to showcase your new publication, the free Reedsy Book Editor: https://reedsy.com/write-a-book, and Reedsy's marketplace for writers. We also talk about why now really is the very best time to be publishing your own book.

Episode 136 Your guide for the journey. The work of the sensitivity reader with Patrice Williams Marks

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 23:00:00 +0000

We all want to introduce diverse characters into our work and not be afraid to tackle difficult social and cultural themes, but can we be sure we're getting the tricky issues right? Sensitivity readers like my guest Patrice Williams Marks can help us navigate and master the challenge of avoiding naivete and offence in the way we present our characters.

Episode 135 'You are valuable just as you are. And so is your writing.' A conversation with Jen Louden.

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 19:32:27 +0000

In this episode, I have a great conversation with the writer and international speaker Jen Louden. I talk about my own personal philosophy for being a writer and we get into the hard questions: why do you want to write? What's your story REALLY about? And do you know who you are, and what you are writing for? This episode looks at the need for proper self-regard, self-care, resilience, self-awareness, and how to focus on the task at hand.

Episode 134 "All successful books have this one thing in common..." A conversation with Dr Ginger Moran

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 10 Feb 2019 11:20:18 +0000

This episode is a conversation with the author, writing coach and academic Dr Ginger Moran. We talk about the right mindset for writing, the different disciplines that we need to bring to the first draft and editing, learning from great writers, and why we writers are such tender souls. And yes, Ginger tells us what that one thing successful books have in common is, enjoy!

Episode 133 - Why it's so important for writers to feel proud of their work

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 17 Jan 2019 21:48:46 +0000

Can we talk about our work without hesitation, and without feeling like there's some aspect to it that could have been better? Have we done your best with our book project? In this episode, I look at what it means for us writers to be proud of our work, how we achieve that, and what the benefits are.

Episode 132 "Challenge Accepted!" A conversation with full time independent writer Steff Green

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 19 Dec 2018 21:32:34 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Steff Green. Steff is a blogger, author, optimist, metal-head, and full-time author. She also suffers from a rare genetic condition which means she is now legally registered as blind. In our conversation, we discuss the challenges that writers who have a disability face, and also how should any writer present a character who has a disability.

Episode 131 - Get them off their smartphone and make them care about your work. A conversation with Tade Thompson

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 18 Nov 2018 17:06:39 +0000

This episode is a conversation with award-winning writer and NHS doctor Tade Thompson. We discuss everything from the Wombles to the Fantastic Four, and from the fact that no one gives a **** about your writing unless you make them, to the tropes of English horror.

Episode 130 - Energising each scene in your novel with polarity shifts and scene turns

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

What must a scene have to really make it work? It's not action, it's not dialogue, it's not sparkling description, wonderful those these things can be. For a scene to work something that matters needs to change. In this episode, we explore these changes or polarity shifts to show this principle, with an example story that contains some scenes with these shifts and some that do not to show what a difference that make.

Episode 129 "Walking up a mountain in the mist" A conversation with writer and scientist C. John Arthur

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 08:00:00 +0000

My guest for this episode is the scientist and independent author C. John Arthur. Chris has a Ph.D. in biochemistry and now works in medical research. He has been a reviewer for the British Science Fiction Association’s critical journal, Vector, and has more recently contributed to Focus, the BSFA’s writers’ magazine. He returned to writing short fiction a few years ago and has had stories published in small press anthologies, the latest being 'The Masque Maker of Venezia'. He is now based in Sweden, and his thoughts on science fiction and science are chronicled occasionally at www.blog.cjohnarthur.com.

Episode 128 - Plotting your journey to traditional publishing success with Derek Künsken

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with the author and international speaker Derek Künsken. Derek is a Canadian writer who learned the trade with short stories. For a number of years now his work has been accepted by some of the premier magazines in SciFi including Asimov. Derek now has an agent, has signed a two-book deal and is negotiating a further deal and is published in multiple territories and languages. In this conversation, we talk about the transition to novel writing, how to introduce compelling themes and characters, and the perils of hitting the Strunk and White 'Kool-aid'!

Episode 127 - A conversation with Ellen Brock: professional novel editor and writing coach Part 2 of 2:

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 18:22:41 +0000

This episode is the second half of my conversation with Ellen. We talk about a range of issues including making the right choice for the Point of View of your work, how to create the ideal query letter, and how to utilise the resources that Ellen has made available.

Episode 126 A conversation with Ellen Brock: professional novel editor and writing coach (Part 1 of 2)

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 30 Sep 2018 10:01:35 +0000

This episode is a conversation with the novel editor and writing coach, Ellen Brock. You may know Ellen from her annual Novel Boot Camp event and her series of videos on YouTube. Ellen has a real heart for helping people who want to develop their skills in the craft of writing, and in this first half of our conversation, we talk about the biggest problems writers have with both structuring their work and refining narrative quality.

Episode 125 A conversation with Book Coach and Literary Agent Sandra O'Donnell (Part 2 of 2)

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 23:00:00 +0000

This episode is the second part of a conversation I had with Dr Sandra O'Donnell, founding partner of RO Literary. Sandra is a book coach and literary agent, and author of "Your first fifteen pages" an agent's guide to writing a novel that editors will publish and readers will buy. In this episode, we look at how the 'why' of your novel has to hook the reader, how character and place work with the inciting incident and Sandra gives us her advice on mastering 3rd person Point of View in the ensemble story. We also discuss three of the most useful tools a writer can use: Airtable, Grammarly, and Story Grid.

Episode 124 A conversation with Book Coach and Literary Agent Sandra O'Donnell (Part 1 of 2)

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 29 Jul 2018 17:03:21 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Dr Sandra O'Donnell, founding partner of RO Literary. Sandra is a book coach and literary agent, and author of "Your first fifteen pages" an agent's guide to writing a novel that editors will publish and readers will buy. This is the first of two episodes featuring my conversation with Sandra; in this episode, we look at where submissions go wrong, the essential ingredients for the first fifteen pages of your novel, and what readers really want.

Episode 123 Face the fear and finish the job. A conversation with creative professional Sarah Rhea Werner

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 09 Jul 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Sarah Rhea Werner, a creative professional who combines a portfolio of work including writing, web design, mentoring, podcasting and audio drama production. You might be one of the tens of thousands of people who listen to Sarah’s new audio drama, ‘Girl in Space’ which started to critical acclaim back in September 2017. In this conversation Sarah and I talk about marketing, monetization for writers and creatives, and effective time management as well as facing the fear of creating, and getting the job done

Episode 122 - You’re not reading you're performing! A conversation with audiobook narrator Sean Pratt

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 18:57:52 +0000

"It's a performance, not a reading", so says audio narration expert Sean Pratt. Sean has 30 years experience as an actor and voice-over artist, and in 22 years as an audiobook narrator, he has worked on close to 1,000 projects. In this episode, he lifts the lid on the audiobook business and gives us writers some expert tips on speaking well at public events, including book readings. He also tells us what an author needs to know if they decide to narrate their own book.

Episode 121 Another tour of duty - surviving and thriving in the world of book marketing

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 28 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

This episode looks at the emotional and psychological cost of marketing and promotion for writers. There are plenty of opportunities but it's hostile territory, so we look at the need to create an excellent product, what to do when you're feeling addicted to the numbers, and how to be sociable on social media.

Episode 120 - A conversation with award winning travel writer and entrepreneur Tim Leffel

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 18 May 2018 07:00:00 +0000

Tim is an award-winning travel writer, the author of a number of books including The World’s Cheapest Destinations, Travel Writing 2.0, and Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune: The Contrarian Traveler’s Guide to Getting More for Less. He is also an established blogger, speaker and ghostwriter and in this episode, we talk about Tim’s experiences as a writer of non-fiction, how to get started and thrive as a blogger, and Tim gives us his hints and tips on making your writing time more efficient. I hope you enjoy this conversation, here it is.

Episode 119 - The responsibilities of being a god: omniscient PoV - Point of View part 2

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 07 May 2018 12:31:43 +0000

In this second part of a two-part series on point of view, we look at the challenge of using omniscient third person point of view. Often seen as old-fashioned, and definitely a challenge to use successfully, this PoV option is making something of a comeback and is the right choice for some work.

Episode 118 Getting to grips with PoV - Point of View part 1

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 06 May 2018 19:11:52 +0000

Getting Point of View (PoV) right is one of the fundamental challenges for any writer. In the first of a two-part series on the subject, we look at what point of view is, and how to make a success of third person limited point of view in your work.

Episode 117 "Who are you and why are you good to tell it?" A Conversation with Brendan O'Meara of the Creative Non-fiction Podcast

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 12:28:58 +0000

I recently spoke with fellow podcaster, essayist and award-winning journalist Brendan O'Meara. We talked about the challenges that writers of both fiction and non-fiction face, the issue of finding time to write, the value of having momentum, and the goal of building up a body of work to close the creative gap

Episode 116 - Climbing the North Face. Why completing the first draft of your writing project is so hard and how to achieve it

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 11:18:19 +0000

Writing the first draft of a novel, like scaling the north face of the Eiger, presents particular difficulties. In this episode, we look at what those challenges are, and how we can overcome them to get the first draft done.

Episode 115 Keeping the god in the machine. Why 'Deus Ex Machina' endings suck and how to avoid them

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 13 Mar 2018 20:34:00 +0000

Deus Ex Machina or 'god out of the machine' endings have a rich heritage going back to the Ancient Greek Theatre. But they are a terrible model for endings in creative writing. In this episode, we explore what Deus Ex Machina endings are, why they are so bad for creative writers, and how we can create a much better ending that will give credibility to our work and satisfy our readers.

Episode 114 "You've got to know what you want to say!" A conversation with Story Grid Certified Developmental Editor Lori Puma

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with story grid developmental editor Lori Puma. In our conversation we talk about why stories matter, and what we as writers should do about that. We discuss the way in which Story Grid, and a developmental editor can actually help authors, and we reflect on the way in which personal tragedy can inform both our lives and our stories. You can find out more about the Story Grid process here: www.storygrid.com and about non-violent communication here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX4N0VryiC4 And you can find out more about Lori at her website: www.loripuma.com

Episode 113 - You have the most important job in the world and here's why

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 24 Feb 2018 21:41:56 +0000

Writer's have the most important job in the world. Does that sound like hubris? Well I would suggest that it isn't. Stories are of profound importance, and as storytellers, we are the custodians of these precious artefacts, as such it behoves us to be as authentic as possible, to practice our craft, and to be as brave and persistent as we can be.

Episode 112 Of Monkeys and Manuscripts: a conversation with writer and BSFA Award winner Gareth L. Powell

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with award winning science fiction and alternative reality author Gareth L Powell. We talk about how maturing as a writer and a person can inform our work, Gareth’s advice for developing authentic and rich characters, and the inspiration behind his new book Embers of War. Gareth can be reached at his website www.garethlpowell.com and on twitter at @garethlpowell

Episode 111 - Do you know what your book is really about? Cutting through the noise with book coach Jennie Nash

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 14 Feb 2018 19:38:28 +0000

This episode is a conversation with book coach Jennie Nash. We learn about the difference between wishing you had written a book and actually writing one, the three essential pillars of effective book coaching, and how to work out what your story is really about. Don't just have a good idea, write the book! Jennie can be reached at jennienash.com and authoraccelerator.com/blueprintworkshop

Episode 110 - Why writing is hard work and how to keep doing it anyway

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode we explore the unavoidable truth that writing is really hard work. We look at why that is the case and think about ways to acknowledge this truth, and keep writing anyway. We learn the one fundamental truth about writing that everyone from the most obscure writer to the likes of Stephen King will tell you, and we identify three 'tools' for the toolbelt to help us keep going with our writing even when it's tough going.

Episode 109 Conversation with Juliet Mushens of CaskieMushens Literary Agency

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Want to know how to query an agent? I do, so I decided to talk to talk to one of the best agents in the business right now; someone with international clients, and experience of selling book, TV, and film rights. This episode is a wide-ranging conversation with Juliet Mushens of CaskieMushens literary agency in which we talk about how to approach an agent, what to put in the query letter, and what in a single sentence, the agent is really looking for.

Episode 108 "If it wasn't for the money everyone would be doing it" A conversation with Jon Wallace and Antonia Honeywell

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 18 Dec 2017 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a spirited and warm conversation with two authors, Jon Wallace and Antonia Honeywell. In this conversation my guests talk about strategies for approaching an agent, decoding responses to submitted work, and what makes a writer, enjoy!

Episode 107 Why fake news is toxic for writers - and how to avoid it

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

Fake news, and false information generally, are hot topics in the media at the moment. Fake news might offend us personally, but there's also a very good reason for us as writers to identify and avoid it. In this episode we look at fake news and some of its associated phenomena, like click bait, with insights from the International Federation of Library Associations and institutions. Their publication that I reference can be found here: https://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174

Episode 106 - What we can learn from literary fiction

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 08:00:00 +0000

What can genre writers learn from literary fiction? In this episode we tiptoe across the (false) divide between literary and genre fiction and look at how the best literary fiction can inspire us to create characters with subtle and complex emotions, and settings that are evocative of detail, mood, and emotion. We look at description from the general to the specific and see how an aspect of setting can be used as a metaphor for theme and moral.

Episode 105 - "Creativity is not a luxury item." Interview with Jeff Leisawitz

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with Jeff Leisawitz (jeffleisawitz.com). Jeff is an award-winning musician/ producer, a critically acclaimed author and internationally distributed filmmaker. In this interview we talk about the healing power of creating something, why creativity is not a luxury item, and Jeff's online creativity workshops where he goes deep with the creative process. You can find out more about these workshops at http://jeffleisawitz.com/nfa-for-screenwrtiers-and-storytellers/

Episode 104 - Interview with Jeff Goins

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 05 Oct 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This episode's guest will need no introduction for many of you. Jeff Goins is a writer, speaker, and entrepreneur, and the host and organiser of the annual Tribe conference. In this conversation Jeff gives honest, sometimes poignant answers to my hard questions. Also in this episode - The Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook is out! Find it at Amazon and www.andrewjchamberlain.com

Episode 103 - A look inside the Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 20 Sep 2017 07:00:01 +0000

This episode focuses on the just published Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook. Condensing all of the best advice and insight from three and a half years of podcasting over 100 episodes, and with over twenty different writers editors and artists as guests, the Handbook gives you the practical advice you need to be a better writer and produce great work. Also in this episode we feature The Writer's Jump-start conference from Equipped to Write (www.equippedtowrite.co.uk) where I will be speaking with the writer and coach Wendy H Jones. CWT listeners get a 10% discount on the cost of the conference - use the code E2WTEN in the coupon section of the box office page.

Episode 102 - Interview with Monica Leonelle

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 06:57:04 +0000

This is a guest episode with the independent author and blogger Monica Leonelle. Monica has written across several genres and series, most notably her young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance series, 'Waters Dark and Deep'. She also writes about indie publishing at ProseOnFire.com. Before becoming an independent author, Monica led digital marketing efforts at Inc. 100 companies like Hansen’s Natural and Braintree. She’s been an avid blogger of marketing and business trends since 2007. To find out what she’s up to and get access to her latest fiction updates, exclusive giveaways, advanced review copies, and more, sign up at MonicaLeonelle.com

Episode 101: Dare to write - dare to submit - dare to publish

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 07:00:00 +0000

The professional writers and editors I speak to tell me that one of the biggest challenges for the writers they come across is that they don't get down to the writing! Or if they do they don't then submit or publish the material. So in this episode we examine the barriers to writing, submitting, and publishing, and we look at ways to overcome these barriers and get our work written and out there

Episode 100: Reflecting on the best advice and insight from one hundred episodes of the Creative Writer's Toolbelt with writer editor and fellow podcaster Sarah Werner

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 20 May 2017 07:00:00 +0000

After just over three years the Creative Writer's Toolbelt reaches 100 episodes! To mark the occasion I'm reflecting on some of the best advice and insight I've received over that time, and to do that I am joined by writer, editor, speaker and fellow podcaster Sarah Werner. In our conversation I ask Sarah some great questions(!) and we reflect on story structure, character, setting, genre, research and the writers life. I'll also give you an update on the Handbook, which is due out in October, and there's news about the "Writer's Jumpstart" conference which is in London on November 11th, where I will be speaking with Scottish Crime writer Wendy H Jones.

Episode 99 - Six simple principles for living well as a writer.

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

Continuing the theme of "the writer's life" this episode offers some evidence based advice and practical steps for looking after ourselves so that we can live well and write well. From getting enough water and sleep, to eating well, exercising, socializing, and being mindful of our spiritual well-being. These tips will help us all to look after the totality of who we are, so that we can look after ourselves and our writing.

Episode 98 - How to look after yourself and not be a jerk - living the writer's life well with Marie Bilodeau and Derek Künsken

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 09 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Ottawa based speculative writers Marie Bilodeau and Derek Künsken. In the conversation we explore how to live the writer's life well, and what it means to follow the navy maxim that we need to be able to float, sail and shoot. We explore Marie's experiences with retreats, and Derek's experiences with sabbaticals, and we reflect on Derek's best advice for writers: Don't be a jerk.

Episode 97 - If you only get one thing right in your writing make it this

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 07:00:00 +0000

As of this month (April 2017) I’m working hard on the Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook. As I look back on nearly 100 episodes I’ve realized that there's one fundamental thing we writers have to do to create great work, and it's this: be authentic! In this episode we explore what it is to be authentic, and we look at some practical tools to achieve that authenticity.

Episode 96 - Different routes into publishing: Interview with Wendy H Jones and Ryan Dalton

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with two authors who have come to publication by different routes. Wendy H Jones has self published crime fiction with the DI Shona McKenzie series, and a book on marketing for authors, she has also traditionally published a YA novel. Ryan Dalton is the author of the Time Shift Trilogy, and the first book in that series, his debut novel, The Year of Lightening was published in January 2016, Book 2 in the series The Black Tempest is published in April of this year.

Episode 95 Into the crucible - empowering your work with symbol dilemma and innovation

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 27 Feb 2017 08:00:01 +0000

In episodes 92 and 94 we explored the landscape of genre and trope, theme and moral, and in this episode we continue that exploration with a look at symbol and motif. We step back to look at how all of these aspects of creative writing are connected and how we can use the power of symbols, the fascination with dilemma, and the potential to subvert tropes as tools to empower our work.

Episode 94 Jesse Pinkman meets Lady Macbeth. Themes ethics and morality in your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode we explore the right and wrong way to handle themes in our work. We say 'no' to preaching and lecturing the reader, and 'yes' to weaving the themes we want to present into the story, and giving the engagement of the characters with those themes real consequences. We explore some great examples of how themes can be explored in story, from Elizabeth and Darcy to Harry Potter, and Jesse Pinkman to Lady Macbeth

Episode 93 - Interview with Adrian Tchaikovsky

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with award winning author Adrian Tchaikovsky. Adrian and I talk about the long road to producing publishable quality material, how to work with genres and their tropes, the writer's life, and why it's always helpful to have a contact at the Natural History Museum.

Episode 92 - A home and a market for your story. Navigating your way around trope and genre

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 06 Feb 2017 08:00:00 +0000

What genre does your story fit into? And how can you use the tropes of that genre to make your story fresh, original, and compelling? In this episode we explore the challenge of identifying the genre or genres of your story, and looking at way to embrace the tropes of that genre by re-imagining them and subverting them to keep your work interesting and cliche free.

Episode 91 - Stay on target! How to write a great action scene.

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 08:00:00 +0000

For this episode I am again joined by Jessi Rita Hoffman (jessiritahoffman.com). Jessi is a former publishing house editor-in-chief and award-winning magazine editor now offers professional book editing services and author coaching. In this episode Jessi and I discuss the key elements of the action scene. From the need to keep the prose tight, to managing the rising tension, from dumping those 'hedge' words, to not telling us how much your protagonist is bleeding. Remember - keep the girl, or guy, fighting!

Episode 90 - Let the romance do the talking! Writing a great love scene

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 08:00:00 +0000

I'm joined for this episode by Jessi Rita Hoffman (jessiritahoffman.com). Jessi is a former publishing house editor-in-chief and award-winning magazine editor now offers professional book editing services and author coaching. Jessi and I talk about the essential elements of writing the romance scene. Creating a compelling romance scene is essential for any genre, and Jessi and I discuss how to keep the scene real, why the Victorians were so good at romance, keeping the lovers together and apart, and finally the merits of getting cosmic.

Episode 89 - Power up your prose! Making sentences paragraphs and scenes work for you

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 07 Jan 2017 08:00:00 +0000

In this episode we look at the way in which the building blocks of prose: the sentence, the paragraph, and the scene, work. We explore the fundamental principle that drives all of them, and how you can use these structural tools to enhance your work and captivate your reader

Episode 88 - My favourite reads of 2016 and the CWT Survey

Andrew Chamberlain — Tue, 27 Dec 2016 08:00:00 +0000

This rather Christmassy episode is a review of my favourite reads of 2016. It's a subjective review, just stuff I've read that I liked, and a bit about why I liked it. Also news about the CWT 2017 listener and subscriber survey.Take part to be entered into the prize draw and get a copy of the Overview of the forthcoming Handbook.

Episode 87 - Inside the publishing house - conversations with the team at Gollancz

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 08:00:00 +0000

This very special episode takes us inside one of the most iconic publishing houses in the world. The episode comprises four conversations with press, marketing and commissioning staff at Gollancz; the fantasy, horror, and science fiction imprint. The episode includes a conversation with Gollancz's Publishing Director, Gillian Redfearn. Many of you will know Gollancz as the publisher of prominent authors like Brandon Sanderson, Ben Aaronovitch, Stephen Baxter and Al Reynolds as well classic books from the likes of Arthur C Clarke, Philip K Dick, and Terry Pratchett. These conversations cover issues that apply to writers from all genres; from tips on submissions to what a publisher wants from their authors, and from the the importance of voice through to the mistakes aspiring authors make in their manuscripts, and how to avoid them. And for those interested in submitting material directly to Gollancz there’ll be news on what their submission plans are for 2017.

Episode 86 - Handle with care! Writing and placing the flashback scene

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 08:00:00 +0000

Loved and hated in equal measures, the flashback remains a firm favourite with authors. When it's done well it can enthrall readers, give them a poignant and dramatic experience, and drive the engine of your story. Done badly, and it will leave your reader confused and frustrated. In this episode we look at the good and bad of the flashback scene, and identify the guiding principles for using this type of scene appropriately.

Episode 85 - An interview with Anne Perry editor at Hodder and Stoughton

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 27 Nov 2016 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is a wide ranging interview with commissioning editor Anne Perry from Hodder and Stoughton. Anne draws on her experience to talk about how the commissioning process works, what an author should be prepared to do to help with the process, and what she wants to see in a manuscript. Anne also gives us some advice on writing action and romance scenes, and how to tackle the presentation of characters from diverse backgrounds. Enjoy!

Episode 84 - Finishing well. Principles for writing a great closing scene

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 23 Nov 2016 08:00:00 +0000

Writing the closing scene of a story is more than just tying up the loose ends and sending our characters off into the sunset. We want to leave our readers with the best possible impression of our work, so that they have fond memories of reading what we have written but also to ensure they come back for more, and tell others why they should read our work as well. In this episode we look at the principles for finishing well, as they apply to the stand alone story, and one of a series.

Episode 83 - Curtain Up! Essential Principles for the Opening Scene

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000

We all know the opening scene in any book is the critical moment to make your mark on the reader, to grab their interest, to set out your stall, and to keep them hooked. This episode explores the four principles that make an opening scene work and give your whole story a great start

Episode 82 - Interview with children's author Bob Hartman

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode first appeared (briefly!) back in 2014 but mysteriously disappeared, making it a missing episode. It's a conversation with the writer Bob Hartman. Bob is a children’s writer and storyteller, he draws inspiration from the Bible and classical sources like Aesop’s fables for his work. In this interview he talks about the essentials of writing for children as well as storytelling and how to approach a publisher.

Episode 81 - You have a deal with your readers - here's how to deliver your side of it

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we use the development of a scene to illustrate a critical element of the author:reader relationship, that’s the implied deal that you, the author, have with your readers. We are going to look at what that deal is, and how you can make good on the reader's expectations that you are going to be competent and honest. We’ll explore some techniques that you can apply, scene by scene, and to help us we’re going to borrow a practice from the world of the theatre known as ‘blocking’.

Episode 80 - The absolute essentials of writing a scene

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 24 Sep 2016 07:00:00 +0000

The scene is a key building block of a story, so how can we make sure that the scenes in our writing work? In this episode we explore the three key questions that every writer needs to ask about each scene they write:what is the objective of the scene? How does the scene begin and end? And what gives the scene energy and direction?

Episode 79 - The sound of your writing is critical to your success - here's how you can improve it

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a round up of everything we've been talking about concerning the sound of writing over the last few episodes. We look at tone, style, and voice, the importance of clarity, brevity, and precision and then go on to think about the problems and solutions related to sentence structure.

Episode 78 - Conversation with Becky Chambers and Nisi Shawl + Indiegogo launch for the Handbook

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 18:55:05 +0000

In this episode I'm excited to announce the launch of the Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook, a project to gather the very best advice and insight from all of the podcasts into book form. Development of the book is being crowdfunded through Indiegogo, please check out 'The Creative Writer's Toolbelt Handbook' at indiegogo.com. The main part of the podcast is a wonderful conversation I had with the authors Becky Chambers and Nisi Shawl. We talk about physicality and writing, the difference between a romance scene and a sex scene, the nature of joy and compassion in their work, and then each of them reads a passage from their respective new novels.

Episode 77 - Listen to the voices! What we can learn about voice from great writing

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we are going to look at a number of very different examples of writing that excel in the area of how the writing sounds. They are deliberately different in terms of style, and authorial voice, but each of them can teach us something. And because they are very different the benefits that they bring to their respective stories is very different.

Episode 76 - It's not just what you say it's the way that you say it. Why the sound of your writing matters.

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 07:00:00 +0000

There's a lot of truth in the old adage: "it's not what you say, it's the way that you say it". We all want to tell a great story, but part of that is how we tell our story. Some authors seem to have a captivating and beguiling sound to their work. How do they do it? What are the problems that can occur with the sound of writing, and how can we avoid them? In this episode we look at some of the problems that can make your work sound stuttering or clunky or dull - and then we go on to discuss the key to making your writing sound good: it's all in the editing.

Episode 75 - Unlocking the secrets of excellent writing style

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 07:00:00 +0000

What is excellent writing style? And how can we develop that style without simply mimicking the writers we admire? In this episode we apply some of the ideas presented in episode 73 by looking at the way in which clarity, brevity, and precision can help us to develop our writing style. These, together with knowing who you are writing for, and working with the story, are the keys that unlock the secrets of great writing style.

Episode 74 - Thirty Years of the Arthur C Clarke Award. A conversation with Award Director Tom Hunter

Andrew Chamberlain — Mon, 01 Aug 2016 07:36:21 +0000

The UK’s most prestigious Science Fiction literature prize, the Arthur C Clarke award, is 30 this year. In this episode I talk to Award Director Tom Hunter about the history of the award, plans for its future, and the state of contemporary Science Fiction writing. Tom gives us some tips for using social media effectively, and we find out what’s most likely to excite a literary agent.

Episode 73 - Unlocking the secrets of tone style and voice

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 24 Jul 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode marks the start of a new series for the Creative Writer's Toolbelt, looking at the sound of our writing. We're going to cover a whole range of confusing, and sometimes overlapping terms; establishing what they mean, and working out how to use them to improve our work. In this introductory episode we are going to look at tone, style, and voice.

Episode 72 - Six principles for the perfect setting

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode wraps up our review of the dimension setting of creative writing, and building on the practical examples of episode 70 we take a whistle-stop tour of the six principles of setting, from research to credibility, from genre to sensory description, here are the principles that will help you to create a credible, immersive and compelling setting for your work

Episode 71 - Interview with Ian McDonald

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with Northern Ireland based author Ian McDonald. Ian has been a professional writer for over twenty five years, and in this episode he takes us on from the solid foundational work that we usually focus on in the Creative Writer's Toolbelt to some of the more advanced concepts. Ian has won numerous awards including the Locus, Philip K Dick, Hugo, Theodore Sturgeon and John Campbell Memorial awards, and the BSFA best novel award three times.

Episode 70 - Three stories - three genres -three settings

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 03 Jul 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Over the past ten episodes of the podcast we've looked at a range of strategies and techniques to make story setting as compelling and attractive as possible for readers. Looking at research and description as well as the relationship between setting and character, and setting and voice. We've explored the creative tension between being "credible" and "immersive" in setting. This episode illustrates these principles with a quick sketch of the settings from three very different stories in very different genres, giving practical applications of the insights.

Episode 69 - Seasoning the story: how to seed information about character and setting into your work

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 07:00:00 +0000

So you've identified the key information about your settings and characters, and now you have to seed it into your work. If you do it right, you can carry your readers into a rich and immersive world with characters they will want to care about; if you do it wrong you may lose your readers altogether. The stakes are that high, and in this episode we explore the techniques and strategies for avoiding the mistakes and making the best of the information you need to give your readers.

Episode 68 - Building characters from the foundations up: how to develop compelling characters & backstory

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode will guide you though the process of taking the raw material of your character research and ideas, and putting them through the prism of the character components to create believable characters together with their backstory.

Episode 67 - From Research to Reality: using the raw material of research to create compelling setting and backstory

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 07:00:00 +0000

You might have a lot of research for your story, but how do you apply it effectively to create a rich and compelling setting, not just for the story itself but for the foundational backstory you need to give your work depth and credibility? In this episode we examine the steps you can take to do this, by laying out the framework and the environment of your work, and then bring your research to bear so that you can create individual scenes that are authentic and vibrant, drawing the reader into the story. We'll explore the way in which settings can be broken down into specific scenes throughout the story so that each scene can be transformed by your research.

Episode 66 - Conversation with Becky Chambers

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 14 May 2016 09:50:07 +0000

My guest this week is the author Becky Chambers, author of the critically acclaimed novel 'The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet'. Becky’s novel was shortlisted for the Kitschies in the debut category in 2014, longlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2016, and it has just been shortlisted for the Arthur C Clarke prize. Becky knows what it is to self-publish and she also knows what it is to be commercially published, since her self-published novel was picked up in 2015 by Hodder and Stoughton. In the interview she shares her experiences and advice on the craft and the publishing process. Many of you will know Becky’s work, but if you don’t just check the search engine of your choice and you’ll see what I mean when I say that Becky is the talk of the town in publishing at the moment.

Episode 65 - The Magpie and the Compost Heap: Curiosity and Curation for your future projects

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 12 May 2016 07:00:00 +0000

In episode 64 we looked at what we can do to build and enhance setting in a current project, and in this episode we look at some of the practices and habits we can adopt to help us invest as writers in future projects. We look at how, like the magpie, we need to be on the lookout for the 'shiny things' around us, the unusual the intriguing, the noteworthy. We also look at why it's good to put our research into the writer's equivalent of a compost heap where it can settle and mature into something truly useful for our writing.

Episode 64 - Research Respect and Reasoning: building the foundations of your story setting

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 05 May 2016 07:00:00 +0000

Great stories require a lot of research, but there's more to it than just surfing the net for a few interesting details. In this episode we look at how to use our sources wisely and with due courtesy to those who help us. We know there's a lot of great stuff on the internet, but how do we use it wisely? And what about other forms of research, like the reference library? What about talking to people as individuals, and respecting the value they can give our work? And we shouldn't forget the thinking we need to do. What happens to our story when we reason out what might happen, do things still stack up? This episode examines all of these issues, and offer some practical ideas for making the best of the research you do for your work.

Episode 63 - Interview with Peter F Hamilton

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a conversation with bestselling author Peter F Hamilton. In a career spanning nearly thirty years Peter has published seventeen books as well as numerous short stories. He is known for his epic science fiction trilogies including the Void series from his Commonwealth Universe, and the Night's Dawn series from the Confederation Universe. In this conversation Peter talks about the formative literary influences on his life as he was growing up, the preparation he does before writing a million word epic, and why creating the bad guy is such fun. He also talks about the importance of consistency in creating setting, and the enduring power of space and space travel to generate a sense of wonder.

Episode 62 - In at the deep end. How to immerse readers in your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 16 Apr 2016 10:55:52 +0000

In the previous episode we explored the two essential qualities of setting through describing the need for setting to be credible and immersive. In this episode we focus on one of those qualities, the immersive setting, and we explore how to make the setting an immersive and compelling place for readers by taking the time to research and plan the backstory, creating a mood and style for the setting, and by presenting the setting with sparse, specific, and sensory language.

Episode 61 - Are you sitting comfortably? Why your setting must be Credible and Immersive

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This podcast starts a new series on the subject of setting, and we begin by exploring why there are only two essential qualities needed for a setting to be effective; these are that a setting needs to be credible, and immersive. If you imagine your setting as a chair, it needs to be strong enough to support the reader, and comfortable enough to hold them for the whole story. This episode provides the practical techniques required to deliver both of these requirements.

Episode 60 'Writing the Other' with Nisi Shawl and Daniel José Older

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 07:00:00 +0000

How should we present characters from a range of different backgrounds in our work? How can we portray these characters with integrity and respect, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation and ability? And how can we navigate this issue with confidence, especially if we come from a group that is perceived to be privileged? Most us will need to present characters in our work who are not like us in some which is socially determined as important. So for example differences in race, and gender, and sexual orientation are currently determined by society as important. Dealing with these differences is the critical cultural issue for writers today, and to help us tackle it, I've invited the writer and journalist Nisi Shawl (www.nisishawl.com), and the writer, composer and musician Daniel José Older (www.danieljoseolder.net), to join me on the Creative Writer's Toolbelt. This conversation is essential listening for anyone who is serious about dealing successfully with the challenge of 'writing the other'.

Episode 59 - Character and characterisation: series wrapup

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is a summary of the issues we have covered in the last dozen or so installments of The Creative Writer's Toolbelt, from the critical components of character: developing the character essence, and goal, motivation, and passion - through the secondary components: defining the character arc, defining the interior life of the character, using character interaction to best effect, and defining a complementary set of characteristics and voice.

Episode 58 - Deep and narrow or broad and shallow? The essentials of Point of View

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:00:00 +0000

Point of view (PoV) is critical to your story. The authorial decision you make about PoV will set the tone and voice of your work, and influence the reader's perception of your protagonist. It's a decision that you need to make up front, and once you've made it you need to stick to it. It's essential that you know what the options are, what the benefits and disadvantages of each PoV are, and you understand which option is going to work best with your story.

Episode 57 - Outstanding performance in a supporting role - making your supporting characters excellent

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 08:00:00 +0000

It's no surprise that many of the principles that we use to develop our lead characters also apply to our supporting cast. The critical objectives with our supporting characters are the same, we need to create characters with a strong, believable essence, and clear goals and motivation, and then we need to deploy them effectively to support both the main characters and the story. We can do this by ensuring these characters have a strong backstory, even if they have just a walk on part, and we can draw on a range of sources including our imagination, caricature, and people we know in real life to build the composite character for our story.

Episode 56 - Toolbelt EXTRA: Interview with Al Robertson

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 11 Feb 2016 08:00:00 +0000

Toolbelt EXTRA is an additional episode outside of the usual fortnightly regular podcasts. In these longer episodes we take a deep dive into the life and work of a guest author or editor. We explore what's happening in the genre they write in, what inspires them, and their tips for aspiring writers. This episode is an in-depth conversation with the author Al Robertson. We cover: planning vs improvisation and how to draw on both ends of that spectrum, the importance of concision and clarity in writing, the place of cyberpunk within the genre, the state of British Science Fiction and Fantasy, and Al's recommendations for books on the craft of creative writing.

Episode 55 - Don't just talk the talk! Squeezing everything out of your characters interactions

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 04 Feb 2016 08:00:00 +0000

I'm responding to a listener question in this episode by looking at the issue of character interaction. How can we use it to best effect, and what are some of the factors to bear in mind? Most interaction will be through the medium of dialogue, but there's so much more we can do with a bit of imagination, to help us achieve our objectives across dimensions like character development, story, and voice. So don't just talk the talk, bring all the senses in to play and capture the reader in your noisy, vibrant, pungent, and intense world!

Episode 54 - Interview with crime writer Wendy H Jones

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 21 Jan 2016 08:00:00 +0000

Wendy H Jones is a self-published crime writer and part of the controversial "Tartan Noire" movement of Scottish Crime Fiction. Wendy has published three novels in her "Killer's" series, featuring her protagonist Detective Inspector Shona McKenzie. Wendy is now building a fan-base around the world and in our conversation she reveals the publication date and title for a fourth installment of her series. In a varied career Wendy has worked in academia and as a nurse. She served in the British Armed forces for over twenty years, first in the Navy and then the British Army. After traveling around the world with her job, Wendy has returned to her native Dundee to pursue a career in writing, and is now in demand as a speaker across the UK. In this episode Wendy talks about her tips for character development, planning and plotting over a series rather than just one book, promotion techniques for the self-publishing, and why social media, as the name suggests, has to be SOCIAL, rather than just marketing.

Episode 53 - Perfecting the devil. How to create a deliciously wicked antagonist

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:00:00 +0000

This episode is all about the protagonist's nemesis, the antagonist. Traditionally seen as 'the bad guy' the antagonist's real function in a story is to contend with, and oppose, the protagonist at every step. In this episode we look at ways in which the antagonist can have their own character arc, with some characters switching into or out of the antagonist's role. We'll also look at the five strategies you can use to create the delicious antagonist, from a painful but convincing backstory to a personal connection with the protagonist, and from a firm belief in their own cause to good behaviour and an excellent dress sense. Welcome to the dark side of your story!

Episode 52 - Superfood for the writer's brain

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 25 Dec 2015 00:00:00 +0000

In this episode, released on Christmas Day 2015, we take time out from the usual teaching and interviews for a few minutes to reflect on the relentless nature of the writer's life. Maybe the best way to keep up the pace with our writing is to take a break and give something back to that creative part of our brain that we've worked so hard. The festive season is a particularly good time to indulge in some "Superfood" for our minds, and reawaken the wonder and curiosity again.

Episode 51 - True to the End. The keys to developing your protagonist's character arc

Andrew Chamberlain — Wed, 09 Dec 2015 08:10:49 +0000

Nothing holds the reader in your story like a compelling, authentic character, and an essential element of developing a character is developing their character arc. In this episode we explore the essentials of developing the arc for your protagonist and principle characters. I'll explain why the character arc is so important, why it has to develop in harmony with the story arc, and why we need to pay attention to the inner and outer journey of our lead characters.

Episode 50 - Interview with Nancy Kress

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 08:00:00 +0000

For the fiftieth episode I'm delighted to present an interview with Nebula and Hugo award winning author Nancy Kress. Nancy is the author of twenty-seven novels, three books on writing, four short story collections, and over a hundred works of short fiction. Her fiction has won six Nebulas (for “Out of All Them Bright Stars,” “Beggars in Spain,” “The Flowers of Aulit Prison,” “Fountain of Age,” “After the Fall, Before the Fall, and During the Fall,” and “Yesterday’s Kin”), two Hugos (for “Beggars in Spain” and “The Erdmann Nexus”), a Sturgeon (for “The Flowers of Aulit Prison”), and a John W. Campbell Memorial Award (for PROBABILITY SPACE). Her work has been translated into Swedish, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Danish, Polish, Croatian, Korean, Lithuanian, Chinese, Romanian, Japanese, Russian, and Klingon, none of which she can read. In 1998, Nancy married fellow SF writer Charles Sheffield, who died in 2002 of brain cancer. In 2011 she married writer Jack Skillingstead. They live in Seattle with Cosette, the world’s most spoiled toy poodle.

Episode 49 - Tailored for a perfect fit. Find the right characteristics for your cast of characters

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 08:00:00 +0000

Sometimes it's just one or two well placed,well fitting characteristics that make a character. In this episode we are going to look at what kind of characteristics we can give our characters, how to present those characteristics in a convincing and persuasive way, and we'll look at some examples of how writers have used characteristics of all kinds to complement and enhance the essence or core of their characters.

Episode 48 - The blade in the mind. Exploiting the interior life of your characters

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 07:00:00 +0000

What is the interior life of the character, and what sort of interior life should we be showing in our work? This episode looks at the thoughts and feelings of our characters, and gives practical advice on what sorts of interior life should be shown in a story, and how it should be done. Cut the banal day dreams and focus on the blade in the mind, the thoughts that have a sharp edge to them. Dark or angry, comedic or sexual, there's a truthful and cutting thought lurking in every character that will help to set a scene, drive a plot and develop a character. Don't be afraid to reveal the interior life of your character, just make sure it's grabbing the reader and driving the story when you do it.

Episode 47 - Get 'em off the couch! Goals motivation and passion as the driving forces for your characters

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Jeanne Cavelos, the Director of the Odyssey Writing Workshop says that the number one piece of advice she gives to writers is this: give your character a goal. It's so easy for us to create pet characters who just sit on the couch, docile and useless in our story. We may love these creations but they slow the narrative, and bore the reader. So how do we get our characters engaged, and working with our story not against it? Simple, we follow Jeanne's advice and give them a goal (or goals), as well as some strong motivation, and a driving passion as part of who they are.

Episode 46 - The Essence of character

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 07:00:00 +0000

What is the essence of a character? Why is the creation and presentation of that essence the most important challenge for character development in creative writing? In this episode I am starting a series looking at developing characters in fiction, memoir, biography, in fact any kind of story telling. I'll be explaining why I think developing the core, or essence of your character is the most critical task in the character development dimension, we'll look at a couple of examples from great story tellers, and I'll tell you how I think you can present the essence of your characters effectively to your readers.

Episode 45 - Interview with editor and agent Julie Crisp

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with the freelance editor, script doctor, and literary agent Julie Crisp. Julie has over fifteen years’ experience working for three major houses across a broad spectrum of commercial titles within fiction, non-fiction and children’s. Most recently she headed up the UK arm of one of the largest global brands of science fiction and fantasy, Tor. She has worked with bestselling and award-winning authors such as Ann Cleeves, Peter F. Hamilton, China Miéville, Neal Asher, Amanda Hocking, and Naomi Novik. This is another 'must listen' interview for anyone who wants advice from an experienced professional about what catches the editor's eye, what sells, and how to give yourself the best chance of getting your work noticed.

Episode 44 - Finish with Style! The Resolution stage of your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Finishing your story takes as much skill and wisdom as telling it, and there's more to a good finish that clearing up the battle field and writing THE END at the bottom of your manuscript. The final, resolution stage of the six stage story process requires that you tie up the loose ends, resolve your subplots, and show your readers the consequences of the climax stage of the story.

Episode 43 - Judgement Day! How to get the best out of the climax stage of your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we look at stage five of the six stage story process - the climax stage. We are going to answer the question "what is the climax?" and also look at how, as writers, we can make the most of this stage of the story. The most important lesson to take away from this episode is that the climax is not about blood and explosions - it's about characters and ideas, it's about the beliefs that characters hold dear, and will live, and die for.

Episode 42 - Exploiting the Crisis stage of your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we look at stage four of the six stage story process, the Crisis. There is no better time in your story to showcase the strengths, weaknesses, and motivations of your characters. This is also a moment to use all of your creative writing skills to create a poignant moment, to enrich the setting and mood of your work, to add colour and depth to the context for your story. The crisis is the decisive moment, the calm before the storm, the point where all of the choices have been made and the climax must now be faced. How will your characters react? Will they be heroes or cowards, or maybe a more subtle combination of both? Here is your window of opportunity to show all of these things, use it well!

Episode 41 - Conversation with historian writer and speaker Nick Page

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with the author and historian, Nick Page. Nick, who describes himself as a 'writer for hire', has been a freelance writer for nearly twenty years, publishing over seventy books including biblical histories. We discuss the disciplines required to write history, including historical fiction, tips for placing the reader firmly in the scene you are writing, and advice for the new writer. Nick has a wealth of experience which he brings to this conversation. I have been looking forward to interviewing Nick for a long time, he is witty, honest, and knowledgeable, and it was a joy to speak with him, I hope you find our conversation entertaining and enlightening.

Episode 40 - Show them the magic. Making your story excellent through the Momentum stage

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 07:00:00 +0000

This is the second of two podcasts focusing on stage three of the six stage story process. What can you achieve during the broad expanse of your story from the inciting incident through to the climax? This episode will show you how to make your story sparkle as you use the 'momentum' stage of the story process to develop complex and intriguing characters, enrich the setting of your story, present your themes to the reader, and beguile them (and the commissioning editor) with a distinctive voice.

Episode 39 - Harnessing the power of human psychology for your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we start to explore the third of the six stages of story, and answer the question: how can we make this tricky middle section of our work as compelling and excellent as possible? The answer comes from knowing one of the fundamental truths of human psychology: we all love a challenge, and we all love to see others challenged. This episode explores how to harness this truth in the third stage of story, and capture readers and keep them all the way through to the end.

Episode 38 - We have lift off! Getting the best out of the inciting incident

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 07:00:00 +0000

How do you get the most out of the inciting incident in your story? Here are three challenges that you should set your inciting incident, and it should be equal to them all. First it should answer the need for action you created at the start of your story, second it needs to transform the story, and grip the reader as it does so, and finally it needs to be the springboard into the next stage, providing the necessary momentum to draw the reader in as the main part of your story.

Episode 37 - Grab them by the eyeballs!

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 29 May 2015 07:00:00 +0000

What are the three key objectives you need to achieve at the start of your story? In this episode we will be exploring in more detail stage one of the six stages of story I outlined in episode 36. And in this opening stage there are three things you must achieve as your story gets started: first grab your reader and keep them, second, set out your stall in terms of setting character and voice, and third, create the need for change and action.

Episode 36 - The DNA of Story. The six stage model of great storylines

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 16 May 2015 07:00:00 +0000

How do stories work? What are the stages in a story, and what are the objectives of those different stages? Understanding the answers to these questions will help you understand the way a great story can be constructed. In this episode we delve a bit deeper into the concept of the six stage story process, and show how this model represents the DNA of great stories, and how you can apply the model to inform and improve your writing

Episode 35 - Interview with Lee Harris Senior Editor at Tor.com

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 02 May 2015 07:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with Lee Harris, Senior Editor at Tor.com. We find out what keeps him reading a manuscript, the MOST important lesson you need to learn before you submit anything anywhere, and why a Batman novella can never be properly be regarded as Epic Fantasy. There are also hints and tips for anyone thinking about going to a convention.

Episode 34 - Story theory: a powerful addition to your writer's toolbelt

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 18 Apr 2015 07:00:00 +0000

Studying story theory might sound like a bit of an academic exercise, but don't be put off! In this episode we explore how story theory can help you understand what stories are, how they work, how they are structured, and how the theory can be applied to make your work excellent.

Episode 33 - Self-publishing for everyone. Advice for all writers from four authors who published their own work

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 03 Apr 2015 23:00:00 +0000

Four different writers, four different approaches to publishing your own work. In the first half of this episode, I talk to bestselling author and professional speaker JOANNA PENN about defining goals, thinking globally, and writing what we love. Then I talk to the local historian Heather Flack, NGO writer-in-residence Glenn Myers, and sixth form student, Holly Phipps – each of whom have used self-publishing for their own, very different projects.

Episode 32 - Interview with Alastair Reynolds

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 07:00:01 +0000

This is a bonus episode, featuring an interview with the British Science Fiction writer Alastair Reynolds. In this interview we discuss Al's advice to aspiring SciFi writers, the state of Science Fiction literature, and why the future doesn't have to end up in the hands of flesh eating zombies.

Episode 31 - From Aristotle to Stephen King. Story theory tips for your writer's toolbelt

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 07:00:00 +0000

In this episode we condense about 2,300 years of story theory into ten minutes(!) and then look at four practical lessons we can apply to our writing, including how to make a great first impression with an opening line, why it's so important that we get our work into the best possible state, and how to tell whether a clever plot element really is as clever as we think it is.

Episode 30 - Hit the ground running: how to write a great opening line

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 08:00:00 +0000

How do you start a story? With a compelling opening line, of course. In this episode we will look at how you can write a great opening line, what the most important objective for an opening lines is, and how the dimensions of story can help you. We'll have a look at some great opening lines from literature, and a couple of bad ones that I've made created just for the episode!

Episode 29 - Interview with Jeanne Cavelos

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 09:33:21 +0000

This episode is a "must listen" for all writers of horror, fantasy, and science fiction. My guest is Jeanne Cavelos the primary instructor and Director of the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust. In her role Jeanne directs the Odyssey Writing Workshop; a six week intensive course - the only workshop of its kind run by an editor. In this interview Jeanne gives us tips on planning versus pantsing, world building and character development and tells me about the single biggest problem she sees in the manuscripts that she reviews.

Episode 28 - Harness the power of foreshadowing

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 08:00:00 +0000

What is foreshadowing? How does it work, and how can you use it to enhance and enrich your writing? In this episode we will look at the different types of foreshadowing, how they can empower your writing, and how to use them to best effect

Episode 27 - What is the guiding principle behind your story?

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 08:00:00 +0000

What's the most important thing in creating a plot and story development? It's knowing your guiding principle, or 'Controlling Idea' as the master of story telling,Robert McKee, calls it. In this episode we identify what that guiding principle is, and why it's critical to your story.

Episode 26 - How to deal with a mid-story crisis

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 08:00:00 +0000

You know that feeling, you are about 20k to 30k words in to the story, and you suddenly begin to wonder where it's all going. Is this story really any good? Is it even worth you finishing it? These are all classic symptoms of the mid-story crisis, and in this episode we explore what that crisis is, and how you can resolve it.

Episode 25 - Interview with Marie Bilodeau

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 08:00:00 +0000

This is a guest episide with Ottawa-based storyteller and science-fiction/fantasy writer, Marie Bilodeau. Marie's writings have been nominated four times for Canada's biggest SF award, the Aurora Awards. Her new dark fantasy series, Nigh, is about to be released. She's told stories across Canada in theatre houses, tea shops, bars and under disco balls. Find out more about Marie, her writings and upcoming shows at www.mariebilodeau.com.

Episode 24 - Planners and Pantsers

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 08:00:00 +0000

One of the more contentious debates in creative writing is the question of whether authors should plan and outline, or simply go with the flow and dive straight in to their writing. In this episode we look at both sides of the argument and try to pick the best from both.

Episode 23 - Story structure - first things first

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 29 Nov 2014 08:00:00 +0000

Continuing our review of the essentials of plot, in this episode we look at the things you need to deal with early in the story, namely setting out the main storyline and setting the core expectations and boundaries for your reader.

Episode 22 - Interview with Claire Keane

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 08:00:00 +0000

This episode is an interview with artist and children’s writer and illustrator, Claire Keane. Until 2013 Claire was based at Disney studios where she worked as a visual development artist. She contributed to two animated feature films, "Frozen" which was released last year, and "Tangled", which she worked on with her father, the animator Glen Keane. I invited Claire on to the show because of her interest in character development and story and sincerity and integrity in art. We had a great conversation, I hope you enjoy it.

Episode 21 The Fundamentals of Plot

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 06:00:00 +0000

We've started on the process of building a story from the ground up, and we're going to kick off with plot. In this episode we look at three aspects of plot: the shape of the story, the engine of the plot, and the danger of cliches

Episode 20 - Building a story from the ground up

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 07:00:00 +0000

It's time to start planning that story, but with so many aspects to creative writing and the creative process being such a subjective and mysterious thing, how do you plan? In this episode we explore the dimensions to a story and how to balance the discipline of structure with the flexibility to harness imagination

Episode 19 - Writing for others-writing for yourself

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 04 Oct 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Back to first principles. We're asking a couple of fundamental questions in this episode as the foundation for going on to look at a whole range of aspects to creative writing over the weeks and months to come. These will include: plot, character, theme, genre,setting, style, and viewpoint.

Episode 18 - The HARVARD Model for developing characters

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 20 Sep 2014 07:00:00 +0000

The HARVARD model is a systematic process for developing the personae of your characters. It's different from other character generators in two ways: first, it encourages you, the writer, to show how the character's personality manifests itself, and how they interact with others; and second it acknowledges the way in which character and plot should work together to produce your story.

Episode 17 -Interview with Derek Kunsken

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 05 Sep 2014 23:00:00 +0000

In one of our occasional interviews on the Writer's Toolbelt, I talk to award winning SciFi and fantasy author Derek Kunsken about showing and telling, outlining, characterisation, and being found out by your writers group.

Episode 16 - Three tests that will tell you how successful your characters really are

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 07:00:00 +0000

So how good are your characters? Can you tell? Here are three tests that you can use to work out how effective your characters are. You can also use these tests to help you develop your characters further.

Episode 15 - Characters with Edge

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 23:00:00 +0000

Great books can have ordinary characters plunged into extraordinary situations - but they can also have extraordinary characters who create their own extraordinary situations! Who are these characters? What are they like, and how can we, as writers create them? These characters have what Harry Bingham in his book "How to Write" calls - characters with edge.

Episode 14 - Deeds not words

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 07:00:00 +0000

It's what your character does, rather than what you say about them, that defines them for the reader. In this episode Andrew talks about how action defines character and gives examples for both heros and villains

Episode 13 - Character Motivation

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 12 Jul 2014 07:00:01 +0000

Continuing our series on characterisation, in this episode we look at character motivation and why the motivation for the characters in our writing must be: evident to the reader, reasonable and understandable, and must drive the plot.

Episode 12 - What three qualities do you need to be a good writer?

Andrew Chamberlain — Thu, 26 Jun 2014 05:35:10 +0000

What are the personal qualities you need, not only keep you writing but to help you improve in your craft? Andrew shares his views on why perseverance, humility, and imagination are the fundamental character traits you need to develop as a writer.

Episode 11 - Creating the individual character

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 21:39:27 +0000

In the last episode we looked at character integrity and how this is founded on 1.Believability/plausibility and 2. The character as an individual. In this episode I'm going to start to look at how a character can become an individual, focusing on descriptive markers and character weaknesses.

Episode 10 - Getting to know you! Believability and consistency as the keys to developing character integrity

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 18:54:49 +0000

This episode introduces the core requirements for good character development: character integrity and individuality. We will look at individuality next time, but in this episode we look at how making a character believable, and keeping them consistent are the keys to successful characterisation.

Episode 9 - Get Active! Using the right verbs and the right voice to energise your story

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 03 May 2014 11:24:19 +0000

In this episode I cover two issues, using precise and powerful verbs, and also using the active rather than passive voice to energise and drive your story

Episode 8 - 'Just in time' storytelling

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 19 Apr 2014 07:00:00 +0000

Grabbing the reader's attention immediately is a vital part of storytelling. Often writers will start a story too early, or fill the first critical paragraphs with backstory and infodump. In this podcast we explore techniques to make sure your writing grabs the reader right from the first sentence.

Episode 7 - What the rejection letter doesn't tell you

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 08:00:00 +0000

In this podcast I explore some of the mistakes that editors look out for. Here are ten things to think about before you submit your work - get them right and make your manuscript shine!

Episode 6 - The serious business of writing something funny

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 23:43:18 +0000

This is the last of the five techniques for showing not telling - and arguably it's the hardest one to do. Humour is a serious business and requires precision and integrity in its execution. Precision in terms of timing and editing, and integrity in terms of keeping the characters and scene believable.

Episode 5 - The power of suggestion

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 08 Mar 2014 22:18:47 +0000

In this episode we look at another dimension of showing not telling, and that's the potential for hinting, suggesting or implying something rather than telling the reader outright. One of the most powerful tools we have as creative writers is derived from the fact that a hint or suggestion, well understood, will always have more power than something said explicitly.

Episode 4 - The zest of the orange the icy tingle of the stream in winter

Andrew Chamberlain — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 21:33:22 +0000

In this episode I will explain how you can use sensory language to show rather than tell your story

Episode 3 - Sparse and Specific Description

Andrew Chamberlain — Sun, 16 Feb 2014 07:51:15 +0000

How to use a small number of very specific descriptive cues to show your reader both scene and character

Episode 2 - Dialogue

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 23:38:31 +0000

Practical, accessible advice on using dialogue in your creative writing to develop character, build tension and progress the plot of your story.

Episode 1 - Showing not telling

Andrew Chamberlain — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 18:09:24 +0000

The Creative Writer's Toolbelt provides practical, accessible advice for Creative Writers