February 18, 2021

050 - How To Write 2 Books A Year With Thomas Emson

48 minutes

What's in this episode:

Thomas started his writing life as a journalist, editing, writing headlines, trimming and tightening other people's work, which was key in improving his own writing.

What journalism taught him was how not to waffle!

"Know the chase and cut to it."

Whilst working as a journalist, Thomas was also writing plays, short stories and novels and it was at that time he landed his first book deal.

I ask Thomas Emson how he balanced his day job and writing on the side. This was how he learnt to be productive and make the time to do it.

As the author of werewolf novel Maneater, we talk about what it is he loves about horror. He references his love of Clive Barker and Stephen King. There was a thrill that came from being scared in the safety of his own home!

It's also a kind of therapy, a way of expunging a person's darker moments.

When under contract to write two books a year, Emson needed to devise a method by which he could deliver by his deadline.

In our conversation Thomas takes me through his method, from first draft to end product. He says that goal setting is the engine that drives his productivity.

I ask him about plotting, revision and how he writes his chapters.

We talk to that it's important to be self-critical if you want to produce the best work you can, and it comes back to 'kill your darlings' which might be painful but is worth it in the long run.

Links mentioned in the episode: