Andy Weir is best known for his novel The Martian, a very clever and funny book about an astronaut stranded on Mars, which was made into a (2015) Ridley Scott film starring Matt Damon.

Andy had two failed novels behind him before he self-published The Martian and even when it became an e-book bestseller didn't think to find an agent because earlier attempts had left him feeling like he wasn't good enough. (An agent an traditional publisher later approached him.) We talk about Andy's struggle with rejection and about his new (third published) book, Project Hail Mary, which is also a very funny and inventive space mission story.

Many thanks to Scott Elliott for his editing advice (and sorry for the tinny audio in this one, Scott!) and thanks also to Robin Stannard for my lovely logo.

You can find and buy books by all my guests at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/francescasteele

Find me on Twitter: @francescasteele #writeoff

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