While writing is a craft often undertaken in solitude, you don't have to feel like you're alone while embarking on your creative journey. There are so many steps to the writing process, from strengthening your writing skills to forming story ideas, from drafting and revisions to pursuing publication. Luckily, there is a podcast out there for nearly every phase of this path. These podcasts offer a range of information, gentle inspiration, community encouragement, facts and strategies for navigating the publishing industry, and insight and wisdom from authors who have built successful careers on bestselling books.
Hosted by Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, internet personality and bestselling author, this award-winning podcast offers fast, accessible tips and tricks to improve your writing and communication. Along the way, it also dives into some of the mysteries of the English language, why we say and write the things we do, and the origins of some of the most interesting phrases, words, and grammatical constructions. If you're a voracious reader who may not have extensive experience or formal education in writing, Grammar Girl will help you sharpen your technical skills while keeping you engaged.
Kelton Reid is fascinated by writers—their habits, processes. and brains. On each episode of this podcast, he interviews a different writer about their creative life, how they stay productive, and their secrets for overcoming writer’s block. Guests include bestselling authors spanning a variety of genres and styles—John Scalzi, Emma Donoghue, Dennis Lehane, Jay McInerney, and Andy Weir among them—as well as TV and film writers. Occasionally, Reid turns over the mic to guest hosts like journalist Adam Skolnick, short story writer Robert Bruce, and neuroscientist Michael Grybko. Follow The Writer Files to hear from a wide range of writers, or simply peruse the archives to find your favorite author.
Since "tough," "through," and "dough" all end in O-U-G-H, why don't they rhyme? Why do we say "That's bananas!" to describe something wacky instead of "That's pineapples!"? If you're a word nerd, this podcast is for you! Cohosted by journalist Martha Barnette and linguist Grant Barrett, A Way with Words ponders and probes all sorts of interesting phrases, grammatical structures, and slang from all over the world. Weekly episodes also welcome callers to share their questions, insights, and stories about language, meaning that you'll learn a lot about not only words but also about different regional vernacular and cultural understandings.
Struggling to find the right healthy and fulfilling balance of work, life, and writing? On Write Now, award-winning podcaster and writer Sarah Werner and an assortment of creative guests offer encouragement, candid advice, and practical tips and techniques to help you let go of excuses, self-doubt, and guilt in order to make time and mental space for writing—every day. While warm and inviting, playful and uplifting, this podcast is serious about placing a priority on writing in your life.
If your writing goals and dreams tend to focus on film and television projects, then The Writers Panel is essential listening. Hosted by Ben Blacker, this podcast offers a mix of panel discussions and intimate interviews with the writers, producers, and showrunners behind some of the best known, most acclaimed movies and shows. Writing for film and TV is a collaborative and unique process, and insiders from Jordan Peele (Get Out) to Amy Sherman-Palladino (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), from Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) to Natalie Chaidez (The Flight Attendant) talk about the business, the craft, the challenges, and what keeps them inspired and motivated.
If you're an aspiring author, publishing may seem like big, overwhelming, mysterious world. On Deadline City, hosts Dhonielle Clayton and Zoraida Córdova, New York City-based authors with 40 books published or under contract between them, pull back the curtain and simply talk about all things publishing—defining your genre, the editing process, reading reviews, the pros and cons of pen names, and industry trends and news, including the unsettling surge in book banning. They also let listeners in on lots of insightful, funny, and honest conversations about their own publishing journey.
Sara Zarr is the author of 10 books, including both works of fiction and nonfiction. Her debut novel, Story of a Girl was a National Book Award finalist. On her podcast This Creative Life, Zarr talks with writers of all kinds about writing and what it means to be a writer juggling a full-time job, relationships, kids, and other obligations. Their wide-ranging conversations touch on everything from the creative process and the psychology of writing to the business side, alternatives to traditional publishing, finding and connecting with an audience, and taking advantage of social media. Guests include authors such as Faith Gardner, Laurel Snyder, Mike Jung, and Preeti Chhibber.
Hosted by Brooke Warner of She Writes, the world's largest online community for women writers, and Grant Faulkner of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), this weekly podcast offers a helpful blend of writing and craft-focused advice as well as industry insight. Each episode features an interview with a writer or publishing industry professional, followed by mini feature exploring a trend in the publishing world. Whether you're an aspiring author or a working writer, Write-minded offers a great mix of creative inspiration and business insight. Recent guests include Stephanie Foo on the challenges of writing about trauma and A.M. Homes on the craft of characterization.
Looking for inspiration both practical and creative from real working writers? Writer's Routine is a podcast specifically designed to glean perspective from the lives and habits of successful writers. In each episode, host Dan Simpson interviews a writer about their daily routines, their writing process, and the lifestyle choices that support their literary lives. Everyone from novelists to journalists to poets have been interviewed, and past guests include Dervla McTiernan, Sara Blaedel, Ken Follett, and Zen Cho. With more than 200 episodes to explore, there's no shortage of thoughtful advice housed in this podcast.
With more than 500 episodes, Helping Writers Become Authors is one of the most comprehensive writing podcasts out there. Host K.M. Weiland is passionate about giving writers the tools they need to take their career from aspiring to published author. Each episode looks at a micro-element of the craft, from opening a story to creating cohesive structure to developing believable characters. This podcast tends to focus on a topic for three to six episodes, allowing Weiland to break it down in depth and then talk about how to leverage those elements to market your novel. This is the perfect listen for writers looking to sharpen their skills to craft a story that an agent will buy and the right audience will love.
Honing your craft skills as a writer is important—but so is understanding the wider literary market and your place in it. Joanna Penn is the bestselling author of fantasy, thriller, and nonfiction books, and in this long-running podcast, she dives into the nuances of the publishing industry. The Creative Penn covers everything from how to find your niche in the book world to how to build and sustain a long-term career, along with looking at publishing trends and hot-button topics, including auto-narration of audiobooks. With insights from special guests like physician turned internationally bestselling medical thriller author Tess Gerritsen, this podcast is critical listening for anyone determined to make a comfortable living off their creative writing.
Created and hosted by author and writing coach Mary Adkins, The First Draft Club aims to help you overcome whatever creative blocks you might be facing and write with more clarity, more confidence, and less stress. It's meant for anyone working on a novel or memoir, even if your last written work was an essay for English class. Filled with pep talks, helpful hacks, mini workshops, and writing assignments, this weekly podcast gives you the tools and know-how you need to complete your first draft and troubleshoot any problems that might come up along the way—because, as Adkins believes, writing should be a source of joy, not agony.
Eager to dive into the wide world of self-publishing? Hosted by Mark Dawson, a successful self-published author, and James Blatch, a former reporter who recently self-published his debut thriller, this podcast is not only an invaluable resource for emerging authors but also a fun exploration of the exciting innovations and opportunities in the self-publishing sphere. With more than 300 episodes to explore, you can pick and choose which topics will be most helpful to you or immerse yourself in the knowledge found in the archives. Episodes range from 40 to 60 minutes and oftentimes feature guest authors, both self- and traditionally published. The Self Publishing Show also offers some great craft resources, plus brand- and wealth-building pointers.
From Kobo, one of the world's biggest Ebook platforms, this podcast offers invaluable insights into self-publishing and the Ebook market. The Kobo team has curated a collection of resources, from the latest information about how to create a Kobo best seller, based on Kobo's sales metrics and platform affordances, to interviews with successful bestselling indie authors about everything from writing your way across mediums to word-of-mouth marketing. Kobo Writing Life has an archive of 300-plus episodes, ranging in length from 45 to 60 minutes, and many conversations are adapted from Kobo's Facebook community, which listeners are welcome to participate in.
Hosted by David Naimon of Tin House Books, a prominent independent publisher, Between the Covers offers probing long-form conversations with writers on the craft of writing. Along with plenty of nuts and bolts craft talk to satisfy any writer looking to build their toolbox, the conversations often turn philosophical as the writers dig into the whys of writing. With more than 200 episodes featuring bestselling authors such as William Alexander and Becky Chambers, there's so much here for writers of all experience levels and styles to explore. As a bonus, this podcast has a recurring feature of special interest to science fiction and fantasy writers called Crafting with Ursula, exploring the influence of the great Ursula K. LeGuin on the genre and its particular craft elements.
88 Cups of Tea is more than a writing podcast. Rather, it aims to be a community for writers looking for connections and encouragement. While episodes offer craft and publishing advice, the main focus is on the emotional life of the writer—how to find ideas, cultivate a creative life, and stay motivated to keep writing and publishing in the face of rejection. Host Yin Chang often interviews prominent figures in the children's and YA literary sectors, from authors like Stacey Lee, Kelly Yang, and Sara Zarr to industry professionals like agents and editors.
In one of the year’s most anticipated new podcasts, Michelle Obama brings listeners deeper into the world of her bestselling memoir, The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times. Where the audiobook initiated a dialogue with listeners on some of life’s biggest challenges—from building lasting relationships and meaningful success to overcoming obstacles and navigating identity—the podcast will explore these themes and more with an esteemed selection of friends and luminaries. In intimate recordings from her star-studded book tour, the former First Lady draws on her trademark humor, warmth, and compassion to elicit moments of startling insight and vulnerability from guests including Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Tyler Perry, and Conan O’Brien. The result is a series of searching conversations that will leave you feeling smarter, inspired, and, yes, lighter.
