On this episode of The Writing Life, we speak to news journalist turned non-fiction writer and biographer Richard Balls about interviewing difficult subjects.
Richard is the author of three books: A Furious Devotion: The Life of Shane MacGowan; Be Stiff: The Stiff Records Story, and Sex & Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll: The Life of Ian Dury. In this conversation with Steph McKenna, he talks about using the experience and techniques acquired through a 20-year journalism career to inform the way he approaches, interviews, and writes about high-profile figures such as Shane MacGowan, whose life story is as much fiction as fact!
How do you secure an interview with a reluctant subject? What do you do when an interview isn’t going to plan? And what ethics or responsibilities are involved when writing about someone’s complex, contradictory, or unacceptable behaviour? Richard covers all this and more on the podcast.
Jeremy Tiang, Writer And Translator
Henry Sutton On Noirwich 2019
Writing for children with Debby Lukito Goeyardi & Mitch Johnson
Fantasy world building with Neon Yang
Writing non-linear narratives with Outer Wilds' Kelsey Beachum
#50 Chris Gribble on year one of the National Centre for Writing
#49 Sarah Perry gives the Harriet Martineau Lecture
#48 Ivanka Mogilska on finding time to write as a new parent
#47 Writing about grief and hope with Carl Gorham
#46 Reda Gaudiamo In Conversation
#45 The 10 year road to publication with Kelleigh Greenberg Jephcott
#44 Walking Norwich and Kathleen Vereecken
#43 Literature at the Norfolk & Norwich Festival
#42 Developing a new project with Hannah Jane Walker
#41 Life of a Bookseller: Joe Hedinger
#40 Elif Shafak, Patience Agbabi, Charlotte Higgins & Evie Wyld
#39 Charlotte Higgins In Conversation
#38 Celebrating Granta At 40 with Ros Porter
#37 Elif Shafak talks to Bernardine Evaristo, Lucy Caldwell & Sara Maitland
#36 What it's like to be shortlisted for an award with Caroline Goldsworthy
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