Not Too Busy To Write

Are you tearing your hair out about social media? Do you want to use it to grow your profile as a writer or shout about your book but it makes you uncomfortable? Nicola Washington is a social media marketer and she is passionate about helping writers get their work out into the world. As she says in this episode, after the immense hard work of writing a book, what a huge waste if nobody hears about it!This is a hugely practical episode looking at strategy, building genuine relationships and creating community to help you spread your ideas, share your work and create meaningful change through the power of social media.LinksNicola on instagram @toomuch_socialNicola's personal account on instagram @toomuchmotheringinformationInstagram with Impact WorkshopWork with NicolaInstagram accounts mentioned@joanna_wolfarth@emilyhenrywritesPenny on Instagram @pennywincerPenny's weekly writing newsletter pennywincerwrites.comNon-fiction Retreat with Penny Wincer - easeretreats.com

Suzy Reading is a chartered psychologist, yoga teacher and coach whose work all centres around giving people the skills to nourish themselves. Her latest book is Rest to Reset: The busy persons guide to pausing with purpose. As well as talking about Suzy's journey from expert to author of 8 books, we talk about what rest actually looks like, the problem with the current conversations around burnout and moving towards the idea of rest as rebalancing, and that is going to look different for everyone. We also talk about relationship building in publishing, saying yes to opportunities and growing your authority as an expert in your field.Links:Rest To Reset - Suzy ReadingSelf-care Revolution - Suzy ReadingThis Book Will (Help) Make You Happy - Suzy ReadingYou can find Suzy on Instagram @suzyreadingYou can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincerSign up to penny's newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com

Joanna Wolfarth is a cultural historian with a PhD in Southeast Asian art history. Her first book Milk: An intimate history of breastfeeding is a fascinating look at the social, historical and cultural contexts for this very personal of experiences, through art, philosophy, folk wisdom and interviews.Joanna talks about how needing to make sense of the experience of new motherhood, led to a furious dive into the research between feeds and in tiny snatches of time when her baby slept, how motherhood made her fearless when it came to writing and non-fiction that seeks to ask questions, rather than provide all of the answers.LinksMilk: An intimate history of breastfeedingJoanna Wolfarth on Instagram @joanna_wolfarthPenny on Instagram @pennywincerSign up for Penny's weekly writing newsletter here pennywincerwrites.com

Lucy Werner is a PR expert and founder of The Wern, an agency specialising in PR and branding for creative small businesses. Lucy is not only an expert at book PR but also a published author herself and in this episode Lucy shares what she has learned about book PR and marketing from both sides. From building your authority and your brand before you publish, to promoting a book that already exists in the world, Lucy is a goldmine of information on how best to spread the word and get people buying your books. Her infectious enthusiasm and fun approach to an area that many writers find daunting, will have you dipping your toes in the PR waters.LinksHype Yourself: A no-nonsense PR toolkit for small businesses - Lucy WernerBrand Yourself - A non-nonsense brand toolkit for small businesses - Lucy Werner and Hadrian Chatelet The Wern Agency Lucy Werner on Instagram @lucywernerprPenny on instagram @pennywincerPenny's weekly writing newsletter - pennywincerwrites.com

Catherine Newman is a writer with a varied career including two parenting memoirs and a middle grade novel. She had written for the New York Times, O Magazine, The Boston Globe and was a columnist for Real Simple Magazine. Her debut novel We All Want Impossible Things is the story of Ash, whose best friend Edi is dying of cancer. Set over a few weeks in a hospice, this book is filled with laughter and heartbreak. Catherine and I talk about the relief of laughing in the face of death, learning to embrace your natural writing voice and the how years of having to make a living from writing has had a positive impact on Catherine's daily writing habit. We All Want Impossible Things is out now.Ease Retreat - Non-fiction with Penny Wincer, Wales, April 20-23 2023We All Want Impossible Things - Catherine Newman#AmWriting Podcast Love, Nina - Nina Stibbe Catherine Newman on instagram - @catherinenewmanCatherine's website - catherinenewmanwriter.comPenny on instagram - @pennywincerPenny's newsletter

Caro Giles is a writer based in the north east of England, whose first book Twelve Moons tells the story, across a year, of raising her 4 daughters alone in a wild and isolated part of the country. It's an incredible memoir about caring, isolation, and joy found in tiny pockets of time. We talk about how the pandemic totally changed how she the structure of the book, the challenges of writing and caring and this beautiful idea of writing as a way to put yourself in the foreground, when you have been in the background for so long.LinksTwelve Moons - Caro GilesAn Evening with Caro Giles - Waterstones Newcastle 26th JanuaryAlnwick Story Festival 25th February Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste NgEmpireland - Sathnam SangheraThis Time Tomorrow - Emma StraubCaro Giles on instagram @carogileswritesPenny on instagram @pennywincerYou can sign up to Penny's weekly newsletter about writing and making time for creativity here pennywincerwrites.com

After a varied writing career including speech writing, journalism and screen writing, Janice Hallett turned to crime fiction and became a best-selling author that completely turned the genre on its head. Using transcripts, messages, emails, letters and articles, Janice's novels weave intricate, humourous and clever tales of murder and mystery. It was such a delight to take a deep dive with her into her writing process and how her varied experience as a writer informs how she approaches novels.The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels is out January 19thLinksThe Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels - Janice HallettThe Twyford Code - Janice Hallett The Appeal - Janice HallettYou can find Janice Hallett on Twitter @JaniceHallettYou can find Penny on Instagram @pennywincerYou can sign up to Penny's weekly writing newsletter here - pennywincerwrites.com

Not Too Busy To Write will be back for a new series on January 18th. Guests for series 6 include memoirists, debut novelists, non-fiction authors and much more. The series kicks off with best selling crime author Janice Hallett and oh my goodness is it a great episode about writing outside of the box. See you in two weeks for series 6!Want to write a non-fiction book proposal this year? Penny's first online workshop of the year is on January 11th at 7.30pm. Tickets are just £39Write Your Book Proposal - eventbritewww.pennywincerwrites.com/workshopsPenny on Instagram - @pennywincer

Lindsey Kelk is a Sunday Times bestselling author of over 20 novels. Her latest The Christmas Wish is a hilarious and delightful time loop story set during a family Christmas. Lindsey and I chat about subverting Hallmark movie tropes, being a full time novelist in a much maligned genre and the realities of being working class in the publishing industry.The Christmas Wish is a joy and is out now in hardback.LinksThe Christmas Wish - Lindsey KelkThe Change - Kirsten MillerHer Majesty's Royal Coven - Juno DawsonBook Lovers - Emily HenryThis Time Tomorrow - Emma StraubBook Proposal Group January 2023 - pennywincerwrites.com/bookproposalgroupPenny's weekly newsletter You can find Lindsey on instagram - @lindseykelk and on Twitter @LindseyKelkLindsey on Facebook Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer

Chibundu Onuzo is a novelist whose first book was published when she was just 21 years old. Her third and latest novel Sankofa was short listed for the Women's Prize for Fiction Futures Prize, an Amazon book of the year and a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick in 2021.We talk about the inspiration behind Sankofa, how Chibundu's writing process has changed over the past 10 years and her role as a judge of the Women's Prize Trust Discoveries 2023.LinksSankofa - Chibundu Onuzo Women's Prize Discoveries Prize 2023 The Spider King's Daughter - Chibundu OnuzoYou can sign up for Penny's newsletter here Penny on Instagram - @pennywincer