Podcast Episodes

Writing 'Rules'

So-called writing rules have been a touchy subject in the writing world of late. It all exploded after a list of rules by Jonathan Franzen re-surfaced, provoking a wave of ire not just against Franze…

Published on 5 years, 6 months ago

A Conversation with Cover Artists

JM goes solo in this episode, which is a continuation of our previous topic: book covers. JM interviews a couple of artists to ask them why they think covers are important, and how to develop a good …

Published on 5 years, 7 months ago

A Guide to Book Covers

In this instalment we're tackling book covers. We delve into everything you need to know, from the science behind typography and imagery to artist fees and designing them for free!

Links to some of th…

Published on 5 years, 8 months ago

Flash and Nano Fiction with Charles Remington

Writer and editor Charles Remington joins Richie in the Writers' Toolshed to talk about nano fiction, a niche of flash fiction.

How do you write nano fiction? Where do you find ideas? Why should you …

Published on 5 years, 8 months ago

Making the Most of Self-Isolation

Coronavirus craziness has gripped the globe. How can writers make the most of all this free time?

In this episode, Richie discusses a few ways writers can help people in this time of great need, as we…

Published on 5 years, 8 months ago

How to Write Short Stories and Get Them Published

In this episode, Richie struggles to say hello, JM’s cats make a few guest appearances, and somewhere in between, we talk about short stories—why you should write them, how to write them, and how to …

Published on 5 years, 9 months ago

Historical Fiction with Paul Cunningham

In this episode, JM interviews historical fiction author Paul Cunningham. Paul is the author of the book "Contention," which details "the most chaotic year in Roman history" following the death of Ne…

Published on 5 years, 10 months ago

Overwhelmed by Worldbuilding? Discover How To Create Immersive Worlds Without Overloading Your Reader

Struggling to build a believable fantasy world without drowning your reader in detail? Learn the secrets of natural worldbuilding from writers who’ve been there.

In this episode of The Fantasy Writers…

Published on 5 years, 10 months ago

Is The Novel Dead?

A few weeks back, Richie carried out a bit of research inspired by the comments of a professional book reviewer named Damien Walter. Walter argued that the novel is dead, that the decline in quality …

Published on 5 years, 11 months ago

Bored Of The Same Old Fantasy Tropes? Discover How to Twist Genre Conventions and Create Something Truly Original

Feeling like every fantasy idea’s been done before? In this episode, learn how to twist classic tropes to create original, unforgettable stories.

Richie Billing and J.M. Williams explore how to take f…

Published on 6 years ago