Behind The Spine

The relationship between slave and master. If we go by what we see on screen and in literature, it would appear that’s the only narrative that exists around slavery. But the slave trade was a global phenomenon, connecting countries and continents around the world. The history books are rarely written on a global scale, so inconvenient truths from our past are often unintentionally, and intentionally left out. Professor Vincent Brown is Charles Warren Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. In his latest book ‘Tacky’s Revolt’, an account of the largest slave revolt in the eighteenth-century, he unleashes the true scale of the slave war. In this episode he explores our need to dramatise slavery better, the importance of educating students on the global implications of major historical events, and how broadening our knowledge of the past can help us better understand the issues of today.

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Whether it’s the racial divides highlighted by #OscarsSoWhite or the unhelpful stereotypes portrayed in films like ‘The Help’, the stories of people of colour remain under-represented and are often ill informed. And with the #BlackLivesMatter movement gaining worldwide recognition, it’s clear we need to step up. Many of the issues stem from the fact that publishers are simply failing to put out enough work written by people of colour. That’s where our guest Professor Sunny Singh comes in. She and Nikesh Shukla set up the Jhalak Prize to celebrate books by British BAME writers. In this episode she discusses the importance of including diversity in your writing, how reading the work of people from unique backgrounds enhances your craft, and explains why the balance of power needs to shift.

The long life of shows like Casualty, which has been running since 1986, highlight our obsession with the drama of the hospital. But how many times have you felt the scripting drift too far from reality? Aoife Abbey is the writer of ‘Seven Signs of Life: Stories from an Intensive Care Doctor’ and brings a captivating insight into the actual experiences of those on the front line of medicine. This episode reminds us of a writer’s responsibility to tell the story accurately, it explores how art can, and should be used to highlight issues that have been left in the dark, and it examines the need for a holistic approach in life and fiction alike.

From Central Perk cafe in Friends, to Corrie’s Rovers Return, building up a memorable environment is essential in storytelling. Our own lives and emotions are heavily influenced by the places we visit, so it stands to reason that location affects our characters’ lives too. This episode delves into the often unseen art of Wayfinding. Alison Richings from Endpoint explains the impact a poorly laid out building or space can have on our mood, the benefits and risks of familiar locations, and proves that wayfinding is about a lot more than just signs!

Would you have the skills to survive in the immediate aftermath of an apocalypse? Popular culture often focuses on the lead up to the devastating event, or life as it unfolds sometime after. Professor Lewis Dartnell, however, focuses on the days, weeks and months after the fallout, and in his book “The Knowledge”, details the tools humanity would need to survive. This episode will help you re-think the apocalypse genre and think about how we need to feed our souls, not just our stomachs.

Whether it’s the Vietnamese Buddhist monk set ablaze on a busy street in Saigon, or a pair of squabbling mice in a tube station, photographs are able to evoke the most intense, emotional responses. Dr Michael Pritchard is director of education and public affairs at the Royal Photographic Society, and in this episode he explores the depth of thought that goes into capturing the perfect image. As the entire world now holds the power to take a photo, what does it take to be a cut above the rest?

Religion is a force that guides many through what’s right and wrong, it’s that sense of meaning, that feeling of community… it’s the story of mankind, resonating through the ages. In this episode, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, explores his role in the story of the liturgy, and where that fits within many people’s unique and deeply personal understandings of faith. In a conversation garnished with thought-provoking reflections, the Archbishop discusses the prevalence of divisive storytelling and fake news, dispels the myth of individualism, and shares the lessons he’s learnt over the years.

Creating content for a sophisticated audience of ultra-rich, entrepreneurial minds, requires a unique set of skills. When your readers are all game-changers in their fields, how do you give them something new to muse over? Well, Worth magazine puts the pen in the hands of the experts themselves. In this episode, editor-at-large of Worth Media, Richard Bradley, explores the marriage of expertise and journalism, discusses the magazine industry’s struggles amid the coronavirus, and offers advice that might help you land your next pitch!

There is so much more to music than sound. There's the emotion you feel when you hear your favourite song, the intensity of watching a live performance, and the vibrations of the beat that thump through your chest. As our guest Dame Evelyn Glennie puts it, our bodies are resonating chambers. Dame Evelyn is an award-winning, deaf, multi percussionist. Though she might not hear sound in the typical sense, she can hear the rhythm, the beat and the emotion through other parts of her body. For a fascinating new perspective on the power of music, and plenty of tips for your writing, this episode has you covered.

Movie-like stories, life-like graphics and sprawling environments. Video games are now creating some of the most immersive narrative experiences imaginable, so there’s plenty that writers can learn in this episode of the podcast. Sam Loveridge, global editor-in-chief at Games Radar, discusses the power of choice and autonomy in storytelling, the changing perceptions of the video game industry, and excitedly looks to the future.