Write Your Novel

Paul Mendez joins Yvonne Battle Felton in conversation to examine his semi-autobiographical novel Rainbow Milk and the significance of the point of view of the main characters with this work. Point of view includes who the narrator is and how (and when) the story will be told. Mendez explains the decisions he felt he had to make when developing the main characters of Norman and Jesse.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

Carmen Marcus joins Yvonne to explore how she used the technique of rhythm and language in her novel How Saints Die. The story is seen through the eyes of ten year old Ellie and Marcus - both a novelist and a poet - explains how the use of particular words, sounds and silences helps to create a relationship between the reader and character.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

David Nicholls joins Yvonne to delve into how he used the device of dialogue throughout his novel Sweet Sorrow. Nicholls reveals his thought processes on deciding what he wanted his characters to say, what he didn’t want them to say and how that can influence character and setting.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

Alex Wheatle MBE joins Yvonne to discuss the device of tension in his book Cane Warriors. Tension can drive a story, develop character and help to grip the reader’s attention - something that Wheatle drew on in telling the story of enslaved boy Noa in the novel. Wheatle explains the decisions he made to guide readers through the narrative and maintain the feeling of suspense and shock.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

Nudibranch is the latest short story collection from Irenosen Okojie and she joins Yvonne to examine her use of description in this work. Irenosen explains how she used description within the different stories and styles in the book to explore character and develop the spaces for the narrative to play out.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

Sarah Moss joins Yvonne to talk about setting within her novel Summerwater. The setting of a novel plays an important role not just in driving the narrative but also in developing the characters. Moss explains how the setting of Summerwater in a Scottish highland holiday park helped to form the basis for the novel.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

Pat Barker CBE is in conversation with Yvonne to explore how she developed the characters in her novel The Silence of the Girls. Complex characters help to engage readers, drive the narrative, and provide moments of empathy for a reader. Barker explains what decisions she made in creating her protagonist Briseis.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.

How to structure a novel is explored by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi with her book The First Woman. She tells Yvonne the decisions she made in creating a foundation for her story and structuring the Ugandan historical background, set across many decades.

Write Your Novel is an innovative write-along podcast series - written and devised by Dr Yvonne Battle-Felton. A writing exercise at the end of each conversation supports the listener to help them proactively work through the techniques in their own work.

A transcript for this episode is available here: https://newwritingnorth.com/projects/write-your-novel/

Presenter: Yvonne Battle-Felton
Producer: Candace Wilson
Music: Joe Gardner
A Sonderbug Production funded by Arts Council England and supported by New Writing North.