Death Of 1000 Cuts

In this episode I chat with social psychologist James W Pennebaker about his research into expressive writing, and the tiny words we use each day but don't notice. We talk about a specific way of writing that can improve your mood, sleep, immune system function and even help your body heal faster. We discuss computer analyses of language, from old diaries to emails to poems, and how a particular category of words that accounts for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of your vocabulary makes up almost 60 percent of the words you use. And we find out how your output of these almost subliminal words can predict everything from status, age and gender to the likelihood the writer will take their own life. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - can writing make me feel better, and if so, how? - what are some different categories of language? - how is language processed in the brain? - how can I make my characters' dialogue more genuine, and representative of their backgrounds? - what does my wri

In this episode I chat to novelist and film-maker Guy Gunaratne. We chat about how he got into telling stories, the movie that changed his life, and the challenge of listening to the voices of the five very different characters in his debut novel, IN OUR MAD AND FURIOUS CITY. We also chat about saunas, road talk, finding the stories that obsess you, freestyle rap battles, and the performative nature of talking about being an author. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I find a character's voice? - what are the best techniques for writing in the first-person? - what are some ways to keep going to the end of my novel? - how can I discover the stories behind the issues I care about? - how can I bring a theme or topic to life? Please support the authors we have on the podcast. You'll be helping them have careers and write more stories, and also you'll find yourself reading great novels you didn't expect to. I urge you to treat yourself to Guy Gunaratne's brilliant IN OUR MAD AND

This episode I report from deep in the middle of teaching a writing retreat at Arvon's Totleigh Barton. Many issues about creative writing, developing your practice, and growing as a writer are on my mind, so I try to get down to some fundamental principles as they occur to me. This is an unscripted episode, where I have a go at getting to the bottom of a problem or topic and puzzle out what I think about it. At the time of recording, I was rereading Osip Mandelstam's JOURNEY TO ARMENIA, and also Dorothea Brande's BECOMING A WRITER, the first truly iconic creative writing manual, originally published in 1934. I felt pretty amazed and inspired by both, so I talk about - and read from - both texts. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - the best way to build a sustainable writing practice - how to cultivate your imagination - how to silence your inner critic - a classic exercise to get through writers' block and stimulate ideas - how a writing retreat works Here's Dorothea Brande's bestse

In this episode I chat to SF author Gareth L Powell about his pistol-toting flying ace monkey, ACK-ACK MACAQUE, writing sentient spaceships, winning awards and being nice on the internet. We get into his new novel, EMBERS OF WAR, and he shares his best writing tips for novice authors. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how much should I plan my story? - how do I get to know my characters? - how do I write from the perspective of unusual / non-human characters? - what's the difference between a story being absurd and funny? - what's it like winning a major award? - how can I write compelling dialogue that flows well? You can find Gareth's website here: https://www.garethlpowell.com/ Here's his Patreon page where you can support him and get all sorts of goodies depending on your supporter level, including feedback on your work: https://www.patreon.com/GarethLPowell Here's his Twitter: https://twitter.com/garethlpowell?lang=en What's that? You want to read his excellent novels? Why

On this episode, author Tim Clare (that's me) shares 7 easy ways to help your writing that aren't actually writing. That's right! I've gone all lifestyle guru. Except not really. These are 7 small tweaks you can make to your daily routine or lack thereof, that have helped me write quite a bit. What are they? Well... - Get In The Shower - Get A Wall Calendar - Make A Could-Do List - Read Stuff You Hate - Tidy Up - Move - Tempt Yourself I don't think I've ever sounded more like a curmudgeonly dad than reading those titles back to myself. But of course if you'd like to know the advice appended to each of those tasty lil lexical meathooks you'll have to listen to the episode. They're all pretty simple to roadtest, cheap or free, and chosen to yield disproportionately great results. If you can do something that only takes 5 minutes, and makes your day 5% better, that's worth it, right? In this episode I quote from Natalie Goldberg's classic creative writing manual, WRITING DOWN THE BONES, and you can grab yours

In this episode I chat to novelist Claire North (aka Catherine Webb) about her amazing career spanning 20 (!) novels so far, starting when she was just 14. We chat about genre, growing up geeky, dystopias, craft, and changing the world - and her latest novel, 84K, set in a frighteningly familiar corporate near-future where everything - including murder - has a price and ad support. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - does genre matter? - who decides what genre my book is? - can stories change the world? - what are some ways in to writing about big themes or social issues? - how can I write consistently? You can grab a copy of 84K by Claire North here: https://wordery.com/84k-claire-north-9780316316804#oid=1908_1 Here's THE FIRST FIFTEEN LIVES OF HARRY AUGUST, which we chat about: https://wordery.com/the-first-fifteen-lives-of-harry-august-claire-north-9780356502588#oid=1908_1 You can follow Cat on Twitter: @ClaireNorth42 Please support me and the show by buying my cool book, THE H

This episode I chat to Peter Newman, author of Fantasy trilogy THE VAGRANT, THE MALICE and THE SEVEN, and - released in the UK *this week* (!) - his latest, THE DEATHLESS. I grill him for precious, precious info on how he builds worlds, his philosophy on creating characters, and what makes Fantasy so compelling. We end up chatting about everything from roleplaying on school buses, to why goats make the perfect jesters to critique humankind. Whatever genre you write in, there are bucketloads of down-to-earth advice from an experienced author on how to keep writing and find the good stuff. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - what makes a good protagonist? - how do I write stories set in a dystopia? - how do I make my readers care about my characters? - what's Grimdark Fantasy and should I write it? - what are good ways to think about world-building? - how can I convey my world while keeping the story going? - what things do readers need to know, and when? Peter Newman's latest novel (o

To mark the 100th episode of Death Of 1000 Cuts, my writing advice podcast, I thought I'd record a Q&A, answering listeners' questions. Here are the questions I answer, in the order I answer them. Thanks very much to everyone who submitted questions! - How do you know when you’re being original? - When can you quit the day job? Should you quit the day job? - How do you balance writing and family life? - I'd love more tips about writing characters that are consistent and iconic but also growing and complex. 'How do word people better?' - What's the last literary novel you read that you rated highly? - Do you ever have trouble concentrating on your writing, and if so, what do you do to stay focused and productive? - What inspired you to write The Honours? - How do you decide when something is done? A piece of work might never reach the ideal image of it we have in our minds, so at what point then do we stop and send it off? - How do you know when you should give up on a particular piece of work? - What boardga

In this episode author Tim Clare takes a look at a listener's first page and suggests ways to make it better. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I be a better self-editor? - how can I make my world-building great? - what sort of things should I think about when designing a planet? - what are good ways to introduce a character in a novel? - how should I think about the 'flow' of a sentence? If you enjoy this episode then for gawd's sake buy me book, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 And help me keep the podcast going by laying a few hot pence down on me via this handy-dandy site: https://ko-fi.com/timclare Thank you!

In this episode I chat to tabletop game designer Grant Howitt about creating stories out of thin air. We talk about the magic of gathering together to make stories with friends, how characters flow out of the simplest backstories, and ways in which you can use the techniques of roleplaying and improv to get over your creative fears and be happy, prolific and daring in your writing. Grant also talks about his new book, SPIRE, co-written with Christopher Taylor, a roleplaying game and world where you play terrorists trying to overthrow the oppressive high elves of a gigantic and deeply weird city-tower. This episode is great to listen to if you want to know: - what makes a good character? - what drives a brilliant plot? - how can I use roleplaying techniques to write better and more? - how can I learn to think like my character? - what is a tabletop roleplaying game? - how can I overcome perfectionism? - can I use creative/roleplaying techniques to feel a bit better? You can find some of Grant's brilliant gam

In this episode I talk about creative ways of getting unstuck when you're working on a project, and showcase John August's Writer Emergency Pack - a deck of cards designed to help storymakers out of jams. I also review what I've learned from speaking to the various authors I've had as guests on the show so far, and talk about some key takeaways you can apply to your writing practice right now. NOT ONLY THAT but I drill down into the idea of 'success' and 'failure' as an author, and what they might actually look like for different people. My position is that the most common standard of writing success is responsible for a great deal of suffering and neither conducive to happiness nor creativity. Finally I announce the big Death Of 1000 Cuts listener survey. Please please please let me know your thoughts! What do you like about the show? What would you like to hear more of? What could you do with less of? Tell me! Gimme feedback! This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - what are a range of

In this episode I chat to author Jeannette Ng about her Gothic Fantasy novel UNDER THE PENDULUM SUN. We discuss how she came upon her tale of a gothic heroine travelling to the mysterious and threatening continent of Arcadia, in search of her missionary brother who has been trying to convert the Fair Folk. We chat about Chinese vampires, world-building, colonialism, the creative freedom of youth, borrowing from established story structures, dreaded second novel syndrome, and writing in the long shadow of the Brontës. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I create compelling Fantasy worlds? - how can I breathe new life into familiar monsters? - where can I look for inspiration? - what does Fantasy allow me to do that other genres don't? - what strategies can I use to overcome excessive self-criticism? - what are some pitfalls to avoid when creating Fantasy cultures? If you got value out of this episode please support Jeannette Ng by ordering her novel, UNDER THE PENDULUM SUN: ht

I chat to Hayley Webster, author of JAR BABY and MEET THE TWITCHES. We talk about the origins of her love of reading, the ways a story engages your senses, and her approach to writing across genres, from mystery to literary fiction to memoir to children's adventures. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how do I write a book for children? - what's it like working with an illustrator? - is it okay to work on multiple projects? - do I need to stick to one genre? - how can I make my writing vivid? - how can I develop my confidence as a writer? - what's it like working with an agent? - what are different ways I can get a book deal? Here are links to a couple of Hayley's books she mentions. Please support her career and this podcast by clicking the links below and treating yourself to some of her work. JAR BABY: https://wordery.com/jar-baby-hayley-webster-9781903660102#oid=1908_1 MEET THE TWITCHES (TEACUP HOUSE #1): https://wordery.com/meet-the-twitches-hayley-scott-9781474928120#oid=190

In this episode I chat to author Emma Healey, about her bestselling Costa-winning debut ELIZABETH IS MISSING, and her new novel WHISTLE IN THE DARK. We have a wide-ranging, frank and occasionally funny chat about finding the voice of your protagonist, transmuting research into living characters and stories, and how to start again from scratch when you begin your second book. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how do I know which idea is the right one to write about? - where can I find ideas in the first place? - what sort of characters am I allowed to write about? - how can I research my book? - how can I use my life experiences in my fiction? I really enjoyed recording this one and I hope you get a lot out of it. Hey, you should buy Emma's books because they are great, and also because I am grateful for authors taking the time to come on the show so you'd be doing me a big favour if you show them some love. WHISTLE IN THE DARK: https://wordery.com/whistle-in-the-dark-emma-healey-9

In this episode I chat to author V C Lancaster about her work and the world of self-publishing. If you've ever considered publishing your own work, or you're interested in how it all works, this is the episode for you. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: - how can I get started as a self-published author? - how does Kindle work for self-published authors? - how much do I have to do myself? - what do I need to know about cover design? - how can I write an effective blurb? - how do I get reviews? - what are readers looking for? - what should I put in my sample? - how long should my book be? - what should I price my book? - do special offers and sales work? - what's the lifespan of a book? - how much can I expect to earn? Fancy reading some of her work? Here's V C Lancaster's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/V.C.-Lancaster/e/B0121K0OXY/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1524147411&sr=8-1 Her website: https://vclancasterblog.wordpress.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VCLancaster/ Twitter:

Writing a novel? Finding it too easy? This episode isn't for you. In this episode, author Tim Clare (that's me) packs your 10-piece first draft survival kit. It has everything you need to get you through the first draft of your novel - the tools, the mindset, and proven strategies. The 10 Tools in your First Draft Survival Kit are: 1. You’re Allowed To Give Up. 2. Challenges, Not Obligations 3. Short-Term Goals, Not Long-Term Visions 4. Aim Low 5. Start 6. Be Curious 7. Keep Notes 8. Go Public 9. Time Travel 10. Let Go Of The Past If you want to find out what they are and how to apply them now, take a listen! This is a great episode to listen to if: - you're working on a novel - you find yourself losing heart when you start writing - you struggle with procrastination - you want to finish a first draft Support my writing career and the podcast by clicking here and buying my novel, THE HONOURS: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 Please consider casting your vote for DEATH

In this episode, I had a chat with author Nikesh Shukla. You may have heard him in Season 1 where the two of us looked at a listener’s first page. If you’re not familiar with his work he’s written three novels so far: Coconut Unlimited which was nominated for the Costa, Meatspace and his latest, The One Who Wrote Destiny. He’s got a fourth, a YA title, called Run, Riot coming out in June of this year. He also edited a collection of essays called The Good Immigrant which, after a successful Unbound funding campaign, went on to huge critical acclaim, sold a bunch of copies and won a Readers’ Choice Award. As Nikesh mentions at the beginning, we’re both sleep-deprived dads so, it takes us a little while to get to the punch but I think you’re going to get a lot out of this talk. He’s modest and self-deprecating but we talk about craft and finding what a story’s really about and the story of his latest book is a journey that’s taken nearly 20 years. Really inspiring. This is a great episode to listen to if you

In today's episode I answer a listener's question about character motivation and stakes. How do you know whether the stakes in your story are enough to carry a whole novel? How do you stress test your protagonist's motivation before writing the entire book? Why do some character goals seem to matter more than others? This is a great episode to listen to if: - you're at the planning stage of your novel - you have a big idea but you're not sure if it has legs - you've got a short way into a novel but it seems to have run out of steam - you're editing your novel and looking for ways to make it more compelling As I always I would *love* your thoughts on this. Please do drop me a line at my website, timclarepoet.co.uk - just click the 'Contact Me' link on the right and send me any comments, questions for future episodes, or just say hello. Please like and subscribe to this podcast on Soundcloud and iTunes, and if you have the time please rate Death Of 1000 Cuts on iTunes and leave a review for other writers. It

In this episode, author Tim Clare (that's me) talks about what's been going on in fiction writing this week. I discuss the dangers of writers' semi-jokey fixation on productivity and 'laziness', and why I think it makes us sad while creating the very problem it claims to tackle. Then I dive into a topic I've been avoiding for a while - who has the right to tell what stories? After reading an interview with author Lionel Shriver this week, where she said that she fears the novel is doomed unless authors are allowed to cause offence, and that white authors are filled with anxiety about writing about cultures that aren't their own, I decided to have a go at broaching this subject. If you would like to hear a white middle class cis male author give his opinions, then finally you have the chance, if you can hear me over all the hand-wringing. This is a good episode to listen to if you're wondering: what stories am I allowed to write? What questions should I be asking myself about diversity, cultural appropriation

This episode teaches you everything you need to know about structuring your novel. No need to fear formula! Learn to tame it and bend it to your will. Following on from our episode on the 7 Pillars of Line-Editing Your Novel, this time we look at how to sculpt your novel into a pleasing shape, how to think about where to start and where to end, and how to make sure you make promises that you payoff on. This is a great episode to listen to if you want to know: how should I structure my novel? How does plot work? When should I work on an outline? How does structure work in literary fiction? How do I make my story compelling? How can I make the middle of my story gripping? If you'd like to support me as I make the podcast, please buy my book or one of the books I mention via the links below: THE HONOURS by Tim Clare: https://wordery.com/the-honours-tim-clare-9781782114765#oid=1908_1 STORY by Robert McKee: https://wordery.com/story-robert-mckee-9780413715609#oid=1908_1 THE 7 BASIC PLOTS by Christopher Brooke