Not Too Busy To Write

Ali and Penny come together to discuss life writing this week. They have both used different approaches to life writing and they discuss why they made the choices they did and how they might do it differently in the future. It's also an episode in which Ali reveals she doesn't really like memoirs (even though she just wrote one) and Penny that she hopes her life is going to be boring enough in the future that she never feels compelled to write one (although she's very partial to the essay).LinksSwimming In Hampstead ladies pond - Daunt BooksUpon This Rock - Essay by John Jeramiah SullivanConstellations - Sinead GleesonI am I am I am - Maggie O'FarrellThe English Heretic Collection: Ritual Histories, Magickal Geography - Andy SharpMy Year of Rest and Relaxation - Ottessa MoshfeghYou can find all the books mentioned on the podcast at Bookshop.org

Julia Silk is a an agent with Charlie Campbell Literary Agents. Julia spent many years as an editor before becoming an agent who represents a wide range of fiction and non-fiction authors. We talk about what exactly an agent does, how agents find and nurture authors as well as how agents deal with rejection (yes they get rejected too!). She also talks about the common problems that she sees in manuscripts, including really figuring out what the point of your book is and the importance story and how to write a captivating cover letter. It is a packed epsiode full of gold for submitting writers.Julia Silk is currently open for submissions You can find Julia on twitter @juliasreadingLinksSisters - Daisy JohnsonNine Perfect Strangers - Liane MoriatyIf This Is a Man - Primo LeviEat Up - Ruby Tandoh You can find all the books recommended on the podcast at our Bookshop.org shop - Not Too Busy To Write Recommends - buying through our bookshop supports independent booksellers as well as supporting the podcast

Huma Qureshi is a former Guardian and Observer journalist and is the author of the memoir How We Met and her latest book Things We Do Not Tell The People We Love, is a short story collection about the distance between people - between mothers and daughters and between lovers. It includes the "The Jam Maker" which won the Harper's Bazaar Short Story Prize 2020. We talk about what drove Huma to set herself the challenge of writing 10 short stories in a fairly short period of time, the importance of short story prizes as a way of setting yourself deadlines and challenges, and how motherhood both affected her confidence as a writer but also gave her an urgency to get the words on to the page.LinksThings We Do Not Tell The People We Love - Huma QureshiHow We Met - Huma QureshiSense and Sensibility - Jane Austen A Ghost in the Throat - Doireann Ni GhriofaYou can find Huma Qureshi on instagram @humaqureshiwriterYou can check out all the book recommendations from the podcast at our bookshop on bookshop.org which helps support independent booksellers

Claire Lynch is an author and academic whose first book Small: On Motherhoods is a memoir about her experience of becoming a parent and the tiny things that are really the biggest things in life. We talk about finding a structure that reflect what the book is about, perspectives in both life and the page and the joy of capturing those early childhood in writing. Claire also discusses the winding publishing process and the previous iterations that the memoir had before it took on this final form. LinksSmall: On Motherhoods - Claire LynchBeautiful World, Where Are You? - Sally RooneyLost Cat - Mary GaitskillMonument Maker - David KeenanYou can follow Claire Lynch on twitter @DrClaireLynchDon't forget to check out our Bookshop.org page where you can purchase any of the books mentioned on the podcast. Buying through bookshop.org helps support independent bookshops and the podcast

Evie Wyld is an award winning author of three novels, the latest of which, The Bass Rock, won the Stella Prize 2021. We discuss writing a novel about male violence against a backdrop of #MeToo, and speaking about the subjects in the book in a year of highly publicised violence against women. We also talk about how motherhood, and the nature of writing with young children, led to some of the structural elements of The Bass Rock and how an award like the Stella Prize can create change in a writing career.LinksThe Bass Rock - Evie WyldReview Book Shop PeckhamDevotion - Hannah KentThe Interestings - Meg WolitzerYou can find all the books recommended on Not Too Busy To Write at our bookshop.org shop - making it a great way to support both the podcast and independent bookshops

Ali and Penny discuss the pros and cons (yes there are sometimes cons!) of being in a writers group. What are they best for? How do you find one? Or better yet, how do you put one together. A packed episode and we suspect, a topic we will come back to again. LinksSweet Home - Wendy Erskine Intimacies - Lucy Caldwell

Penny Batchelor is a thriller writer whose first novel My Perfect Sister was nominated for the Guardian "Not The Booker Prize" 2020. We discuss her latest novel Her New Best Friend, about an isolated mother of two young children whose new friend may not be all she seems. We talk about including disabled people in fiction, taking the plunge to write that first novel after turning 40, exploring female friendships on the page and jumping around genres. Penny is also the co-founder of Thriller Women with EC Scullion, where they share interviews with female thriller writers. LinksThriller Women Her New Best Fried - Penny Batchelor My Perfect Sister - Penny BatchelorHer Perfect Twin - Sarah Bonner The Thing Around Your Neck - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichi You can find Penny Batchelor via her website https://www.pennybatchelor.co.uk/And on Twitter @penny_author

Ali and Penny are back together for a final episode before their summer break. This week they discuss why there are many positives of professional writing being a second or third career for most people. This week is all about mining your previous work for skills that really come in handy for both writing and publishing. From being able to treat your book as a product, to being able to work ahead in "seasons" - whatever your background, there are skills that you will be bringing to the table. LinksWe Need To Talk About Money - Otegha UwagbaHow Much Of These Hills Is Gold? - C. Pam ZhangThings Are Against Us - Lucy Ellmann Don't forget you can check out Not Too Busy To Write on Bookshop.Org to see a full list (and purchase!) all books mentioned in the current series.We'll be back in the Autumn but in the mean time you can find Ali on Instagram @ali_millar_writes and Penny @pennywincer

Claire Fuller is the author of four novels, the latest of which Unsettled Ground is shortlisted for the Women's Prize. Claire started her career as a sculptor with a day job in marketing and we talk about her decision to start writing fiction, which began with short stories, how she uses music to short cut her way into writing mode, leaving the day job behind and novels as an object of creation. Unsettled Ground is the story of 51 yr old twins Jeanie and Julius living in poverty in rural Wiltshire. When their mother suddenly dies, the outside world starts to force it's way in to their isolated existence. It's a stunning portrait of love, resilience and survival.LinksPolly Vaughn performed by Tia BlakeUnsettled Ground - Claire FullerBitter Orange - Claire FullerFugitive Pieces - Anne MichaelsMalibu Rising - Taylor Jenkins ReidYou can find Claire Fuller on Instagram - @writerclairefullerFor a list of Claire's events and workshops visit www.clairefuller.co.uk

Clemmie Telford is a former creative director, a content creator and podcast host of "But Why?" and her first book also called But Why? is about the big tricky questions and having honest conversations with yourself. We dive into structuring a book with a lot of big topics, writing honestly and vulnerably and embracing dyslexia. Clemmie started a blog many years ago called the "Mother of All Lists" which has grown into a platform for others to share their stories in list form - a way of writing which is accessible to so many, even those who never thought of themselves as 'able to write'. *Apologies we had some technical issues while recording and there are a few dodgy sound moments - but please stick with it - it's such a great episode!*LinksBut Why? - Clemmie TelfordMother of All ListsConversations on Love - Natasha LunnThe Joy Luck Club - Amy TanYou can find Clemmie on Instagram @clemmie_telfordAll the book spoken about on Not Too Busy To Write can be found at our bookshop.org shop - https://uk.bookshop.org/lists/not-too-busy-to-write-recommends