Best Amwriting Podcasts (2025)

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463: Find Your Voice, Write Your Genius 58:27

Play Pause

4d ago58:27

58:27

This week’s episode explores how to tap into your unique creative genius and align it with your values to become the writer you were meant to be. Jennie Nash and Dr. Diana Hill, a clinical psychologist, dive into the Wise Effort Method. Hear about Diana's journey of overcoming her book writing challenges and how Jennie guided her through unleashing…

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Find Your Voice, Write Your Genius 58:27

5d ago58:27

58:27

This week’s episode explores how to tap into your unique creative genius and align it with your values to become the writer you were meant to be. Jennie Nash and Dr. Diana Hill, a clinical psychologist, dive into the Wise Effort Method. Hear about Diana's journey of overcoming her book writing challenges and how Jennie guided her through unleashing…

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240 Laura Heathfield | Literary Agent 39:51

1d ago39:51

39:51

Literary agent and co-founder of Greenstone Literary Agency, Laura Heathfield joins us to chat about moving from aviation to publishing, how she tackles the challenges of being an agent and starting a literary agency with Tanera Simons. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏 For audio …

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Shooting The Shit: Shooting The Shit about what agents really think about writer’s conferences, how agents get good at their jobs, and what actually sells books right now 46:51

2d ago46:51

46:51

In this episode of Shooting The Shit, Carly and CeCe unpack the state of today’s publishing industry—from their latest projects to upcoming conferences and the realities of writer–agent dynamics. They dig into what writers can expect from conferences, how agents sharpen their manuscript-analysis skills, and whether podcast appearances really move t…

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Episode 486: Cartooning is the Children's Table of Art, says Roz Chast 1:04:57

4d ago1:04:57

1:04:57

"I really love this medium. I think cartooning is an incredible medium. There aren't a lot of rules. You can, if you can, really make it up. You can make it suit you," says Roz Chast a cartoonist and artist whose work routinely appears in The New Yorker. So today we have Roz Chast. You know Roz Chast, and if you don’t, quite frankly I hope we never…

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Writing a Voicey Novel 56:06

5d ago56:06

56:06

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca sits down with bestselling author Annie Hartnett to dive into her poignant new novel, ‘The Road to Tender Hearts.’ Together, they unpack the novel’s rich themes of loss, redemption, and the beautifully messy nature of human connection. Annie shares her behind-the-scenes writing process, why voice matters m…

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The Ultimate Asset For Writers - WN 169 27:51

7d ago27:51

27:51

What is a writer's most important asset? A good teacher? A quiet room? An infinite book budget? An expensive pen? While all of these are nice, today I'm focusing on the one asset that everyone can access, freely and easily: their sense of curiosity. Even if you believe your curiosity has been stomped out long ago, we'll talk about how to rekindle a…

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239 Gráinne O'Brien | Children's Author and Bookseller 35:57

8d ago35:57

35:57

Children's/YA author and award winning bookseller, Gráinne O'Brien joins us to chat about writing a verse novel, the role of a bookseller and the literary scene in Ireland. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏 For audio listeners: Spotify Apple Amazon Listen to The Chosen Ones and Ot…

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August Bonus Episode 57:17

8d ago57:17

57:17

In part one of August’s Bonus Episode, Bianca connects with debut author Jo Morey. In this vibrant conversation,Jo opens up about her novel ‘Lime Juice Money’, sharing the winding road to publication and the intricacies of the editing process. Jo dives into the unique challenge—and opportunity—of writing from the perspective of a protagonist with a…

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Episode 485: Tensions and Textures with Poet Patrycja Humienik 1:07:41

11d ago1:07:41

1:07:41

"God, I feel like I'm still enduring that, like it's this sort of ongoing thing where I'm not sure I ever if I'll ever get to a place where I feel like my work and ambitions for the work and daydreams about writing and art-making ever meet my taste," says Patrycja Humienik. For Ep. 485 we've got Patrycja Humienik. She’s a poet and her debut collect…

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462: Writing Thrilling People & Places: Jess and Sarina talk with Tess Gerritsen 44:30

12d ago44:30

44:30

Jess here! A while back, Sarina and KJ talked about how much they enjoyed Tess Gerritsen’s novel, The Spy Coast, and Sarina reassured KJ she’d enjoy book two of the series even more. I had never read a Tess Gerritsen novel, and while I’d heard her name before and vaguely understood she wrote thrillers, I was starting from square one when I download…

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Writing Thrilling People & Places: Jess and Sarina talk with Tess Gerritsen 44:31

12d ago44:31

44:31

Jess here! A while back, Sarina and KJ talked about how much they enjoyed Tess Gerritsen’s novel, The Spy Coast, and Sarina reassured KJ she’d enjoy book two of the series even more. I had never read a Tess Gerritsen novel, and while I’d heard her name before and vaguely understood she wrote thrillers, I was starting from square one when I download…

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Exploring the Critical to Compassionate Spectrum 38:55

12d ago38:55

38:55

In this episode of Books with Hooks, hosts Bianca, Carly, and CeCe dive into a query for the historical mystery ‘A Body at Rest', exploring the impact of its title, the clarity of its plot threads, and how well the characters’ interiority comes through. They also assess the effectiveness of the prologue and discuss how to strengthen character devel…

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238 Rebecca Thorne | Hybrid Cosy Fantasy Author 41:40

16d ago41:40

41:40

Best-selling cosy fantasy author Rebecca Thorne joins us this week for a deep dive into indie publishing! We also chat about how she started out on the traditional publishing route and was later inspired to try indie where she found incredible success and has since become a hybrid author, getting the best of both worlds! Support the show on Patreon…

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Shooting The Shit: CeCe's new job, agent referrals, and what publishers try to get away with when writer's don't have agents 50:11

16d ago50:11

50:11

CeCe drops big news—she’s joining Wendy Sherman Associates! Carly and CeCe dive into what it means for her clients, how agency moves work behind the scenes, and the one question every querying writer should be asking. They also pull back the curtain on what publishers try to sneak into contracts when authors don’t have agents (spoiler: it can stall…

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Episode 484: Rax King is Sloppy 1:06:03

18d ago1:06:03

1:06:03

"I am tyrannical about noise and about quiet. I don't feel that I can control the amount of mess I make. I mean, I know I can, but I kind of can't. And there's just so many things about my character that are really detrimental to having a writing process, which I need, and it's just so opposed to everything that's going on in my disgustoid little s…

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Episode 483: Off the Page and Into the Ears with Julia Barton 1:17:44

18d ago1:17:44

1:17:44

"That is the main difference between storytelling for the ear and writing, is that the cost of revisions is so much higher," says Julia Barton. We have Julia Barton. Julia was the third hire, I think I have that right, with Pushkin Industries, the podcast giant founded by Malcolm Gladwell. She was the executive editor of Pushkin and helped develop …

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461: Karin Slaughter Does it Again 37:55

18d ago37:55

37:55

Hey writers! Sarina here! I have never been quiet about how much I enjoy Karin Slaughter’s work. So when the opportunity arose for me to read her brand new book, We Are All Guilty Here, and then interview her about it, I raised my hand faster than an extra in a deodorant ad. The new book is a series starter with a kickass female heroine, and I coul…

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Karin Slaughter Does it Again 37:55

19d ago37:55

37:55

Hey writers! Sarina here! I have never been quiet about how much I enjoy Karin Slaughter’s work. So when the opportunity arose for me to read her brand new book, We Are All Guilty Here, and then interview her about it, I raised my hand faster than an extra in a deodorant ad. The new book is a series starter with a kickass female heroine, and I coul…

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Karin Slaughter and the Mystery of Character and Rachel Howzell Hall on Switching Genres 53:47

20d ago53:47

53:47

In part one of this week’s episode, Bianca sits down with the legendary bestselling author Karin Slaughter to talk about all things dark, twisty, and utterly gripping in her latest novel, ‘We Are All Guilty Here.’ From building immersive worlds to crafting characters that leap off the page, Karin gives us a behind-the-scenes look at her writing pro…

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Shooting The Shit: "AI Slop" affecting books, what summers in publishing look like and hustle culture in the year 2025 44:35

23d ago44:35

44:35

This week on Shooting the Shit, Carly and CeCe are back with a no-holds-barred convo on everything rocking the publishing world. They dive into how hustle culture is burning us all out, why summer feels like a weird limbo for book launches, and what it really means when authors get assistants. Plus: AI is creeping into publishing (yep, we’re talkin…

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237 Marilia Savvides | Literary Agent 33:45

23d ago33:45

33:45

Literary agent, Marilia Savvides joins us this week to talk about her career and experiences in publishing and starting her own agency, The Plot. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏 For audio listeners: Spotify Apple Amazon Listen to The Chosen Ones and Other Tropes, Jamie's other p…

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Episode 482: Matthew Wolfe and the Grammar of Delight 1:23:20

26d ago1:23:20

1:23:20

"You have to finish it out. You have to report it, even if it's financially a terrible idea," says Matthew Wolfe. OK, it’s that Atavistian time of the month so we’re here to talk about Matthew Wolfe’s “The Talented Mr. Bruseaux: He made his name in Chicago investigating racial violence, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But American’s first …

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How to Deliver Both Feels and Fun 33:12

26d ago33:12

33:12

How dare you? That’s the first question KJ asked Ally Carter, whose name is “synonymous with hilarious action and heart-pounding romance” (TRUE). Is KJ outraged? Hell no. It’s a legit question. Ally’s books are so so much fun, with wild action scenes befitting a Bond movie (or a Jason Bourne, OBVIOUSLY) and plots that trot the globe while dancing b…

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460: How to Deliver Both Feels and Fun 33:12

26d ago33:12

33:12

How dare you? That’s the first question KJ asked Ally Carter, whose name is “synonymous with hilarious action and heart-pounding romance” (TRUE). Is KJ outraged? Hell no. It’s a legit question. Ally’s books are so so much fun, with wild action scenes befitting a Bond movie (or a Jason Bourne, OBVIOUSLY) and plots that trot the globe while dancing b…

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From Audience to Impact: Crafting a Narrative That Connects 46:37

27d ago46:37

46:37

In this special episode of Books with Hooks, Carly and CeCe are joined by debut author Bryce Thomas to dive into his query letter for ‘Barracuda and the Buddha!’ Get ready for a lively discussion filled with craft insights, as they break down what’s working—and what’s not—in Bryce’s pitch. From the sparks flying between Peter and Georgie to the emo…

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Shooting The Shit: About Editors, The "Death" Of The Novel & Authors With The "It" Factor 52:07

30d ago52:07

52:07

In this episode of ‘Shooting the Shit’, Carly and CeCe dive into the juicy, unfiltered side of publishing. From the surge in dark romance to how women are being written—and writing themselves—into new spaces, they explore the evolving landscape of literature with wit and insight. They also get personal about reading slumps, dissect the pressures of…

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236 Autumn Woods | Dark Academia Author 30:24

30d ago30:24

30:24

Author and aerospace engineer, Autumn Woods is with us this week to chat about her debut dark academia novel, explain what cottage core is, finding success on TikTok without putting herself in front of the camera and her obsession with commissioning artists to draw snapshots of her stories. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, …

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Black Cake, Turtle Soup with Gloria Blizzard 21:13

1M ago21:13

21:13

Gloria Blizzard is an award-winning writer and poet, and a Black Canadian woman of multiple heritages. She holds an MFA from the University of King’s College. Her work explores spaces where music, dance, spirit, and culture collide. Her work has won the Malahat Review Creative Nonfiction Prize and has been nominated for the Pushcart prize. Her essa…

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Episode 481: Nieman Storyboard's Mark Armstrong Believes in the Beginners' Mindset 1:06:33

1M ago1:06:33

1:06:33

"Listening to podcasts, it's like, how do I start making them? That's been my approach, essentially try and take that beginner mindset into anything and try to teach myself new skills," says Mark Armstrong. Who do we have today? It’s Mark Armstrong! He is a producer, a writer, a singer, working at the intersection of storytelling and digital media.…

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459: A Deep Dive Into Genre 43:17

1M ago43:17

43:17

Sarina’s second thriller is now out. It’s a twisty thriller with a single-mom protagonist and some deep, dark secrets. It’s called Dying to Meet You and it is creepy in the best possible way. In this episode, Jennie interviews Sarina about the new book, and about the difference between writing romance and writing thrillers. You may think that’s obv…

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A Deep Dive Into Genre 43:18

1M ago43:18

43:18

Sarina’s second thriller is now out. It’s a twisty thriller with a single-mom protagonist and some deep, dark secrets. It’s called Dying to Meet You and it is creepy in the best possible way. In this episode, Jennie interviews Sarina about the new book, and about the difference between writing romance and writing thrillers. You may think that’s obv…

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From Books with Hooks to Published Author-How Writing is Rewriting 27:50

1M ago27:50

27:50

In this episode, debut author Melissa O’Connor takes us behind the scenes of her publishing journey with ‘The One and Only Vivian Stone.’ She shares how her query letter evolved, what it was like navigating the submission process, and the pivotal decision to restructure the manuscript with a dual timeline. Melissa opens up about weaving romance and…

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235 Jackson P. Brown | Urban Fantasy Author 26:18

1M ago26:18

26:18

Urban fantasy writer, Jackson P. Brown is here chatting about breaking into the publishing industry, the journey of a debut author and her love of anime and manga. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏 For audio listeners: Spotify Apple Amazon Listen to The Chosen Ones and Other Trope…

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July Bonus Episode 53:05

1M ago53:05

53:05

In part one of July’s bonus episode, Bianca sits down with debut author Jacqueline Faber for a thoughtful and inspiring conversation. With a rich academic background and a diverse writing portfolio, Jacqueline shares her path to publication and the creative decisions that shaped her novel, ‘The Department’. They explore the emotional challenges of …

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Episode 480: Dana Jeri Maier Doesn't Trust Anyone with a Neat Desk 58:42

1M ago58:42

58:42

"Yeah, join the club of people who feel inadequate," says Dana Jeri Maier, a cartoonist and author of the graphic book on creativity Skip to the Fun Parts. This incredible artist is the author of Skip to the Fun Parts: Cartoons and Complaints About the Creative Process. It’s one of the best books on creativity because it deals with doubt, it deals …

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How to Take a Break 40:31

1M ago40:31

40:31

Jess, Sarina, Jennie and Jess are all here to talk about taking a break from various angles: the mechanics angle, the guilt angle, the fear angle, the identity angle and inspiration angle. Mechanics. * Leave yourself notes about the project when you leave off, for example, “The next thing that needs to happen is this…” so when you come back, you kn…

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458: How to Take a Break 40:30

1M ago40:30

40:30

Jess, Sarina, Jennie and Jess are all here to talk about taking a break from various angles: the mechanics angle, the guilt angle, the fear angle, the identity angle and inspiration angle. Mechanics. Leave yourself notes about the project when you leave off, for example, “The next thing that needs to happen is this…” so when you come back, you know…

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Making Context Feel Organic 1:07:19

1M ago1:07:19

1:07:19

In this exciting episode of Books with Hooks, debut author Tali Shammas steps into the spotlight to share her query letter for her genre-blending novel ‘The Color of Blood’—a bold mix of horror, romance, and razor-sharp feminist themes. The hosts dive into an engaging discussion on social justice in fiction, the power of a strong hook, and how to c…

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234 Leigh Radford | Literary Horror Author 30:29

1M ago30:29

30:29

Literary horror author, Leigh Radford tells us all about her darkly funny debut about love and zombies as well as her writing process and learning to navigate the high pressures of publishing and the literary world. Support the show on Patreon! 💖 And get extended episodes, ad-free and a week ahead of everyone else. 🙏 For audio listeners: Spotify Ap…

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Shooting The Shit 31:56

1M ago31:56

31:56

Get ready for a brand-new segment with Carly and CeCe that dives into the juiciest side of publishing! In this fun, freewheeling episode, they spill the tea on industry gossip, break down the latest trends—like the dark rom-com craze—and dish on this year’s bestselling books. Plus, they share smart, no-fluff advice on social media strategies for au…

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Episode 479: Jeff Sharlet and Finding Real Toads in Imaginary Gardens 1:15:59

2M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

"You're an outsider. And as you linger in that space, you start to become an insider ... but you're still an outsider. Don't forget that, even though you know more about it, you're an insider and an outsider," says Jeff Sharlet about when he's reporting on, say, far-right religious groups. OK, we’ve got Jeff Sharlet, which is pretty stunning when y…