The Failing Writers Podcast

S6 Ep0: Season 6 trailer!

Not long until we get this show back on the road!! Join us for season 6 when we interview some amazing writers, get stuck into some proper writing craft bits and bobs, and loads and loads and loads and loads and loads and loads more beside!!Season 6 of the award-winning Failing Writers Podcast... coming sooooooon!!!!!(Oh, and while you're here, check out our new merch store right here... https://the-failing-writers-podcast.teemill.com/) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep24: Doug Johnstone

How do you give your readers everything they're looking for?And your agent? You have to feed the beast don't you? (Is calling agents 'The Beast' too offensive?)It's your job as a writer to offer up precisely what your readership is looking for. Anything else and you risk losing your commercial edge.And we can't have that can we?Oh we can?Oh... OK.We met up with the wonderful Doug Johnstone, to hear how he refuses to be pigeoned-holed, writes what he likes, and just so happens to say what he like too - and yes, by that, I mean he swears quite a lot.Some great advice in this chat about the importance of loving what you write and worrying about it later. Plus lots of other entertaining advice too. Get it into your ear'oles now!And a big THANKS to Scrivener for sponsoring this season of the podcast!THANK YOU SCRIVENER!If you haven't tried Scrivener, you can sample their lovely wares for free for 30 days.OR you could just blummin well take our advice and buy a copy! and using our special code you can get 20% off!I know. Mental.You're welcome.Just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ and use the code failing.Right. That's the Christmas presents sorted. Have a great festive celebration, happy new year and see you on the other side for Season 6!Buy Doug's bookshttps://orendabooks.co.uk/authors/doug-johnstoneMore Doug:https://dougjohnstone.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep23: The Scottish Literary Legends

The second stop on our literary whistle stop tour of Edinburgh is The Writers Museum in Makars Court.Focussing on the three writers generally considered to be the great Titans of Scottish Literature: Robbie Burns, Sir Walter Scott & Robert Louis Stevenson.We have a wander round, read some poetry and look into why these fellas are so revered.We also go on a literary pub tour and have a chat with actor Mike Daviot, who just so happened to be an absolute font of knowledge about poetry and the Scots language.Turns out literary pub tours are one of our favourite kinds of tour! Now who could have guessed that?!So hop on board the Failing Writers Tour Bus and join us for a fascinating, if admittedly wholly inadequate look at three of the greatest writers, not just of Scotland, but the world.The Writer's Museum:https://cultureedinburgh.com/our-venues/writers-museumThe Literary Pub Tour we enjoyed:https://www.edinburghliterarypubtour.co.uk/Tam o' Shanter:http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/tamoshanter.htmHopefully that's inspired you to take a closer look at the poems and novels of these absolute titans. More than that, maybe it's encouraged you to have a go yourself. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep22: Michael Pederson

Ahoy there, you weary word-wanderer. You found us. Finally! Thank goodness.Welcome to the Failing Writers Podcast. Think of us as your writing harbour.Your safe haven.Your Lighthouse.Come and moor here for a while and have your brain de-barnacled by the glorious mind of poet Michael Pederson.Writer, linguaphile, Edinburgh Makar and all-round inspirational wordsmitherizer.And once you’ve been inspired… time to get involved and write something wonderful yourself.But hang on… before you do… you might want to consider the fantastic writing software Scrivener? An app that makes writing novels, plays, screenplays, poetry and all the other stuff soooo much easier.Plus we’ve got a special code you can use at https://www.literatureandlatte.com/store/scrivener to get yourself a majestic 20% off. Our little gift to you for being awesome.FAILING(That’s the code btw, I’m not just shouting FAILING! at you. That would be mean)And now you’ve listened to Michael, I’ll bet you want all his essential info?...Yep. Thought so.Insta: @michaelpedersonoysterGo see Michael live:https://www.michaelpedersen.co.uk/eventsBuy Muckle Flugga:https://linktr.ee/mucklefluggaBuy Boy Friends:https://linktr.ee/boyfriendsbookOther stuff:https://www.michaelpedersen.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

S5 Ep21: Flash Fiction Contest Runners Up 2025

Hello writers. Just when you thought the competition was all wrapped up… this week we look at the almost-winners of our big annual comp.Yep, these are the brilliant writers who made the shortlist, but didn’t quite manage to snaffle a place on Sarah’s podium.And here are those five wondrously wizard-like word weavers:Kieran AhernJonathon DaviesSteven StilbechStuart James TaylorJasmine SearsWell done to them all, and keep an eye out for them in future!All we need do now I think, is thank our beaaauuutiful sponsor Scrivener, without whom there would be no competition frankly. Or there would, but the prize would be a bag of chips, a pack of Dairylea Triangles and some post-it notes. So… you know…Thank you very much Scrivener!Who, aside from being a bunch of lovely people, also happens to be a really fantastic bit of writing software which you can secure for 20% less than the usual price, simply by using the code FAILING at checkoutJust go to https://www.literatureandlatte.comFinally a massive well done to all of you who wrote one or more stories.You’re all winners in our book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.