In the fifth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss the art of creating characters.

Just what makes a compelling character - need they be likeable? And just how much should we come to know them, before writing them into existence? Or could it be that they might surprise us one day, right there on the page?

In this kaleidoscopic and…ahem…characterful conversation, Sara, Nelle and Sharmaine share their expertise with their trademark wit and wisdom…and they almost come to blows over the concept of ‘English Love ’(you have to listen to find out why). At the end, Elizabeth offers her own reflections on the conversation.

Together, Sara, Sharmaine and Nelle are your on-hand writing community giving you the push you need to get started on that novel, memoir, or piece of non fiction you've always dreamed of writing.

We hope you enjoy our fifth episode. Stay tuned for the next week’s chat on… DIALOGUE. If you don’t want to wait for next week’s episode, you can subscribe now and binge them all at once by tapping ‘subscribe’. You’ll get to listen to all episodes ad-free and get exclusive subscriber access to How To Fail and Failing With Friends.

Books and authors discussed in this episode include:

•The Confessions of Frannie Langton by Sara Collins

•Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

•The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

•Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

•The Talented Mr Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

•Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

•The Art of Storytelling by Will Storr

•The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

•The Party by Elizabeth Day

•Judy Blume

We also talk about:

•Peaky Blinders

Executive produced by Elizabeth Day for Daylight Productions and Carly Maile for Sony Music Entertainment.

Produced by Imogen Serwotka.

Please do get in touch with us, your writing community, with thoughts, feedback and more at: [email protected]

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