Write Club Podcast

Welcome back to the Write Club Podcast, where we take you behind the pages and into the fascinating world of writing!

In this episode, hosts Beth and Mary from the Writing Magazine and Writers Online team sit down with Julia Bell, Professor of New Writing at Birkbeck, University of London, and the author of Radical Attention and the acclaimed new book, Between the Lines – Life Lessons from the Creative Writing Workshop.

Together, we chat about why studying the craft of writing is inherently a study of human nature, and how the modern workshop serves as a vital antidote to a fractured, fast-paced world.

Plus, stay tuned until the very end to hear Julia’s top book recommendation for your reading list!

Welcome back to the Write Club Podcast with Mary and Beth from the Writing Magazine and Writers Online team!

This week, we are taking you behind the pages with the brilliant Matthew Sullivan, the award-winning, New York Times-featured author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. We dive deep into his gripping new release, Midnight in Soap Lake - a book so addictive we’ve been sneaking chapters all week!

Matthew shares his incredible story from growing up in a family of eight kids and working as an indie bookseller to teaching creative writing for 20 years.

Midnight in Soap Lake is out now. Grab a cup of tea, get comfortable, and join the club!

This week on The Write Club, Mary and Beth chat with Simon Mason, a writer whose career has spanned every corner of the book world - from Managing Director at David Fickling Books to Fellow of Creative Writing at Oxford Brookes University.

We explore his latest Ryan and Ray Wilkins thriller, The Dangerous Stranger, and discover how a ‘trailer park boy’ and a privately educated detective became one of crime fiction’s most effective, friction-filled duos. Simon shares how the personal conflict between his protagonists mirrors the stark social contrasts of Oxford itself.

In this episode, we discuss:

* The Wilkins friction: Why Ray and Ryan shouldn’t work on paper, and why that makes them so compelling on the page.

* Messy play vs. composition: Simon’s unique take on the creative process and how to balance raw imagination with structured storytelling.

* The rhythm of crime: How a lifelong obsession with the poetry of Dylan Thomas influences the dialogue and linguistic energy of Simon’s prose.

* Fixing boring drafts: Simon shares his go-to tricks for injecting life back into a scene when the energy starts to lag.

* The publisher’s perspective: Whether a career working with other authors in major publishing houses actually improves your own writing.

Get a copy of Simon Mason’s latest mystery, The Dangerous Stranger, now.

“Blunt wasn’t the least of the Cambridge spies - he was the most dangerous of them all.”

This week on The Write Club, Mary and Beth go behind the curtain of the ‘Great Game’ with literary agent and author Piers Blofeld.

Piers is a staple of the publishing industry and a beloved columnist for Writing Magazine, but his latest venture has taken him into the dark, dusty archives of MI5. His debut book, Master of Lies, shatters the official narrative of Anthony Blunt, revealing a triple-cross reality where intelligence reached the desks of Hitler, Stalin, and Churchill simultaneously.

In this episode, we discuss:

* How to write rigorous non-fiction that reads like a high-stakes thriller.

* The specific files that proved the official history of the Cambridge Spies was a fabrication.

* Piers switches hats to tell us exactly what agents are looking for in the 2026 market.

* How to approach an agent, what defines a perfect author-client relationship, and the common mistakes to avoid in your query letter.

Give the episode a listen, and check out Piers’ new non-fiction book here.

Can writing a poem make you a better novelist? According to Cathi Rae, the answer is a resounding yes.

In this episode, Cathi joins Beth and Mary to discuss her Writing Magazine series, ‘An Introduction to Writing Poetry.’ We chat about the ‘old question’ of whether to rhyme, the benefits of spoken word events, and how to find your specific starting point when the page is blank.

In this episode, we explore:

* The accessibility gap: How to change the narrative around ‘difficult’ poetry.

* The prose connection: How poetry helps you master rhythm and tension in any form.

* The power of voice: Cathi’s work as a sustainable stylist and campaigner for the visibility of older women.

* Publishing & performance: Practical tips for getting your books out there and finding an audience.

Get yourself a copy of Writing Elegies For Dead Men I Didn’t Meet by Cathi Eae

In this episode of The Write Club, Beth and Mary sit down with award-winning author Alice Jolly to discuss her latest novel, The Matchbox Girl. Set against the backdrop of Nazi-occupied Vienna, the story explores the complex legacy of Dr. Asperger through the eyes of a neurodivergent ghost narrator.

Alice takes us behind the scenes of her extensive research process, explains why she chose such a unique narrative voice, and shares her philosophy on why writers should never shy away from the ‘grey areas’ of history. We also chat about her prolific career across plays, memoirs, and short stories, discussing how to choose the right ‘shape’ for your next big idea.

Buy Alice Jolly’s latest novel, The Matchbox Girl, here.

How do you transition from writing someone else’s life story to becoming a bestselling thriller author? In this episode of The Write Club, Beth and Mary are joined by the brilliant Ruth Kelly, author of the gripping new psychological thriller, The Afterparty.

A Richard & Judy Book Club favourite, Ruth shares the secrets behind her ‘just one more chapter’ pacing and how her background as an award-winning journalist and ghostwriter shaped her approach to fiction. We dive into the dark themes of power and secrets, the essential mindset for successful ghostwriting, and Ruth’s top advice for turning a strong idea into a finished manuscript. If you want to know how to balance factual realism with heart-pounding drama, this episode is for you.

Buy The Afterparty: The Most Heart-Pounding Thriller For Winter 2025 From The Bestselling, Richard & Judy Book Club Pick Author

How do you maintain a 30-year career that includes over 2,000 published short stories and 35 novels? In this episode of The Write Club, Mary and Beth sit down with our newest columnist, bestselling author and tutor Della Galton.

Della pulls back the curtain on her incredibly prolific process, sharing the “secret sauce” behind relatable humour in rom-coms and her top tips for writers struggling to find their audience. She talks to us about the importance of in-person workshops, why being ‘naturally organised’ is a writer’s greatest superpower, and what you can expect from her upcoming appearance at our Leeds Creative Writing Weekend.

Check out One in a Million: A BRAND NEW poignant and heartwarming story from Della Galton

Bestselling author Kandi Steiner joins us to talk about her iconic novel, A Love Letter to Whiskey. Kandi tells us about her recent Writing Magazine article, "Turning your life into fiction," exploring where her diverse story ideas come from and how she keeps her characters so beautifully flawed.

We discuss the catharsis of writing, Kandi’s typical writing day in Tennessee, and her unique path to publication. Kandi shares how she protects the real people in her life while staying authentic to her story, and why she believes the "magic" of writing happens when we share our most vulnerable moments.

Plus, Kandi shares her current book recommendations and what’s next for her readers.

Check out A Love Letter to Whiskey or preorder Kandi’s new hockey romance novel, Stand your Ground, which is out on 9th April 2026.

How do you move from the ‘low-stakes’ comfort of a magical tea shop to a claustrophobic, dark submersible filled with a deadly virus? In this episode, USA Today and Sunday Times bestseller Rebecca Thorne joins Mary and Beth to discuss her latest release, This Gilded Abyss.

We dive into the mechanics of world-building, how to maintain romantic tension in high-stakes settings, and Rebecca’s top advice for writers struggling to tackle the blank first page.

Purchase This Gilded Abyss now.