I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to listening to
podcasts but since discovering them, around 18 months ago, I’ve become a firm
fan. Family and friends have grown used to me pressing home the joys of
stumbling over a great new show.
But why do I love podcasts so much?
Because whatever my mood or writing problem, there’s a
podcast which can help. Whether I’m searching for practical writing advice or
marketing tips, interesting features, some much needed encouragement or simply
wish to learn what’s ‘happening’ in the literary world right now, there’s a
podcast that fits.
Don’t have time to listen to podcasts? Think again…
- Why not enjoy a new podcast when preparing dinner? It turns cooking into a pleasure rather than a chore - learning about the publishing industry whilst throwing together a bolognaise sauce.
- A podcast of a decent length helps quash the tedium of ironing. The Bestseller Experiment is one my favourites. I’ve popped more details and a link below.
- When heading off on a long journey, whether
driving or going by train or plane, why not stock up on some interesting shows?
- Exercising – walking in the mountains, running in the park, hitting the treadmill in the gym, all are made easier when listening to a podcast.
I hope that as well as being informative, the podcasts I’ve
chosen to share are also entertaining and fun. So here goes…
PODCASTS ON BOOKS AND
WRITING
The Bestseller Experiment
– length approximately 1 hour
In this weekly podcast, writer
Mark Stay and trainee author Mark Desvaux, challenge themselves to write, edit,
publish and market a self-published, bestselling eBook in just a year - and
these guys are having a blast along the way.
Through interviews
with publishing experts and bestselling authors, they discover the secrets of
writing a bestselling novel.
Each one of the Bestseller
Experiment podcasts offers gems of writing wisdom. If you’d like to sample a
flavour of the show then I recommend episode 29 - Kate Harrison discussing
writing both fiction and non-fiction, episode 24 - Liz Fenwick and the Crows of
Doubt, along with episodes 03, 17 & 25 by the amazing multi-million selling
indie author Shannon Mayer, and the latest instalment (at time of blogging),
which features David Shelley, CEO of Little, Brown and Orion Books, who
provides an insight into the future of publishing.
Also, if you sign
up to receive a free weekly dose of the Bestseller Experiment, and I highly
recommend you do, you’ll receive a free how to write a bestseller e-book, The
Vault of Gold, which contains all the best hints and tips from the
show. And did I mention it’s FREE!
The Creative Penn
is the show that first got me hooked on podcasts. A definite must
listen weekly treat for me! Shows are posted on Mondays by author and
professional speaker, Joanna Penn, who is a positive powerhouse of creativity, describing
herself as an author entrepreneur. The
Creative Penn is an uplifting mix of author/publishing insider interviews,
book marketing news, inspiration and information on writing and creativity, as
well as reporting on new technologies in the fast-moving publishing world.
With a back catalogue of over 300 episodes to enjoy, I
recommend you dive in and sample what The
Creative Penn has to offer.
Also, when signing up to The Creative Penn podcast, be sure
to download your FREE copy of the Author
2.0 Blueprint, which provides tips on how to write, publish and market
your book.
The Worried Writer
is produced by best selling novelist, Sarah Painter, whose blurb for the show
includes the tag line - Creative Writing
for the Timid. Painter unearths useful tips and strategies for coping with
fear, self-doubt and procrastination, through informative interviews with
experienced authors, including Rachael Lucas, Catherine Ryan Howard, Miranda
Dickinson, Annie Lyons and more. Painter’s focus is very much on how to get the
job of writing done. She begins each podcast by answering a listener’s writing
query, before moving on to interview her guest.
As well as producing the Worried
Writer podcast, Painter has also recently published her self- help book for
writers - Stop Worrying; Start Writing
– one I already have on my TBR pile!
Grammar Girl is my
go-to podcast when driving to the supermarket, or collecting teens from school.
At 10-15 minutes, each episode is the perfect length for grabbing a grammarly
(is that even a word?) workout.
If your memories of grammar lessons are dry and boring then
never fear, Grammar Girl - otherwise known as Mignon Fogarty, who creates and
hosts the show - specialises in providing quick
and dirty grammar tips in a quirky and memorable way.
I already loved Grammar Girl’s posts on Facebook and
Twitter, but listening to her podcast makes learning even easier. Grammar Girl
provides tips for American English but I haven’t found this to be a problem as
she also points out when British English might differ. A short and helpful
podcast definitely worth a try.
BBC Radio4’s Books and
Authors podcast contains episodes of both Open Book and A Good Read. In Open
Book, the journalist, Mariella Frostrup talks to authors about their work and
in A Good Read, writer and broadcaster, Harriett Gilbert invites guests to
discuss their favourite books. The Books
and Authors podcast is my literary fix. It helps keep me up-to-date with
what’s interesting in the publishing industry and stretches my reading as my
TBR pile always grows after listening to one of these podcasts!
Please share your
favourite podcasts too
I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick round up and if you’ve yet
to discover the delight of listening to podcasts, then I hope this post might
inspire you to try one or two. And if you are already an
enthusiastic podcast follower, please join in by sharing your favourites below.
Happy podcast listening,
Rae
