What if the key to great writing isn’t avoiding the pain, but leaning into the procrastination and silence that fuels it?

In this debut episode of The Tortured Writers Podcast, I kick off with confessions from fellow authors on their writing woes, answers listener questions on immediate scenes versus narrative summary and handling flashbacks, plus crime novelist Will Dean joins me to talk about his Tuva Moodyson series, his forest-dwelling routine, and why he writes in total silence. Plus, award-winning blogger Bookaholic Bex shares her top recommendations.

What You’ll Learn

- Craft Essentials: The difference between showing immediate scenes and telling narrative summaries, plus tips for seamless flashbacks without derailing your story. This episode is immediate scene and narrative summary, plus tips on stage directions to enhance your story without overdoing it.

- Silence and Structure: How writing without distractions connects you deeper to emotions, and why outlining every chapter keeps the momentum going.

- Reader-First Mindset: Prioritising the story over publication dreams, embracing revisions, and letting go of ego for authentic, gripping prose.

This episode is a heartfelt nudge that every writer’s torture - from endless tea breaks to social media scrolls is part of the path to crafting books that resonate.

The Tortured Writers Podcast is sponsored by Cheshire Novel Prize, an international writing competition for debut writers where every entry gets feedback. Go to cheshirenovelprize.com for more details or follow on Instagram @cheshirenovelprize.

The Tortured Writers Podcast is produced by Urban Podcasts.