Finding the Next Write Thing

Ted is joined by Dave Cohen, a writer, comedian, founding member of the Comedy Store Players, and one of the most respected teachers of comedy writing in the UK. A former standup comedian, he has written for radio and TV shows and is an eight-time BAFTA winner for his songs for the BBC hit Horrible Histories.

Dave is also the author of the Barry Goldman novels, a series set in the world of the 1970s and ’80s British alternative comedy scene. The third and final book comes out in January, which means that the writing challenges of finishing the series are fresh in his mind even as he thinks about what he’d like to do next.

That’s an interesting time to talk with any writer. Yet for Dave, who’s spent 40 years in comedy but always had an interest in being a novelist, it represents a particularly notable inflection point.

He talks with Ted about the evolution of his fiction over the course of the three Barry Goldman books, the difference between writing comedy and pretty much everything else, and not knowing whether he wants to write more novels. That leads to a frank conversation between the two of them about navigating self-doubt and staying open to the new things that might fulfill us creatively.

Episode Links:

• Stand Up, Barry Goldman (Book 1)
• Barry Goldman: The Wilderness Years (Book 2)
• Dave’s Website

Working Drafts episodes and info for requesting transcripts as well as more details about Ted and his books are available on his website, thetedfox.com.