Podcasts by The Bestseller Experiment

EP378: Tim Sullivan — Character is more Important than the Crime from 2022-04-17T23:12

Tim Sullivan is a critically-acclaimed screenwriter who turned his back on Hollywood to self-publish thrillers. 250,000 downloads later Tim became a self-publishing phenomenon whose new DS Cross...

EP377: FMA Dixon — Finding Your Voice from 2022-04-10T23:12

FMA Dixon’s debut novel The Little House on Everywhere Street was awarded the inaugural Acheven Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction and is charming readers the world over. He tells us how he deve...

EP376: Martin Latham — A Bookseller’s Tale from 2022-04-03T23:12

Martin Latham has been a bookseller for over thirty-five years and is proud to be responsible for the biggest petty-cash claim in Waterstones’ history. He’s also an author and his latest book Th...

EP375: Deep Dive — Creating Thrutopia with Manda Scott from 2022-04-02T23:12

Bestselling author Manda Scott tells us about Thrutopia, an extraordinary project designed to challenge writers to rethink how they write in order to rebuild the future. It begins with the Thrut...

EP374: Nina De Gramont — Searching for Agatha Christie from 2022-03-27T23:12

Nina De Gramont takes on her most ambitious book yet with The Christie Affair, which explores what might have happened to Agatha Christie when she disappeared for 11 days in 1926. Nina takes us ...

EP373: Erica James — What happens next? from 2022-03-21T00:12

The amazing Erica James returns to the podcast with her latest bestseller Mothers and Daughters. She tells us the key question she asks of her characters, why she wants a dark cloud on the cover...

EP372: Veronica Henry — It’s not supposed to be easy from 2022-03-14T00:12

Veronica Henry returns to the podcast with her latest bestseller The Impulse Purchase, where a mother, daughter and grandmother run a pub together. Veronica talks about writing across the genera...

EP371: Cathy Bramley — Launch in a Phone Box from 2022-03-07T00:12

Cathy Bramley is a bestselling author of romantic comedies and her new novel The Summer That Changed Us is delighting readers all over the world. Cathy started by self-publishing her first novel...

EP370: Lizzie Pook — A Long Old Slog to Publication from 2022-02-28T00:12

Lizzie Pook is a long-time listener ofthe podcast and Patreon supporter whose debut novel Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter was inspired by her time in north-western Australia researching the...

EP369: Deep Dive — Making an Independent Horror Movie with Bethany Clift and Peter Handford from 2022-02-21T00:30

Bethany Clift and Peter Handford take us through the making of their 2012 independent horror movie HERETIC, from the first spark of the idea, to financing, pre-production, filming, post-producti...

EP368: Bethany Clift — Feeling Fine at the End of the World from 2022-02-21T00:12

Bethany Clift’s debut novel The Last One at the Party is hilarious, moving, cathartic and set in an utterly terrifying pandemic. She tells us how writing and reading horror is great for mental h...

EP367: Jeevani Charika — The “Aah” Factor from 2022-02-14T00:12

Jeevani Charika (aka Rhoda Baxter) is an award-nominated author of women’s fiction with heroines of colour. Her latest novel, Playing for Love, is set in the world of online gaming, giving the c...

EP366: Beth Miller — The Spine of the Story from 2022-02-07T00:12

Beth Miller is the bestselling author of six novels, one of which took 12 years to write, another just 8 months. Beth tells us why the most important part of the process of her is finding the sp...

EP365: Samantha King — Enjoy the View from 2022-01-31T00:12

Samantha King returns to the podcast to reveal how her latest novel The Secret Keepers’ Daughter was inspired by a “worry box” and how our darkest and most terrifying fears are found in our own ...

EP364: Shona Kinsella — We All Help Each Other If We Can from 2022-01-24T00:30

British Fantasy Award nominee Shona Kinsella tells us about her new book Outlander and the real Jacobites, which digs into the real history behind Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. Shona’s care...

EP363: Lori Ann Stephens — Ignore the Fear from 2022-01-17T00:12

Have you ever wanted to tell a story, but been too scared to write it? Lori Ann Stephens’ near-future thriller Blue Running covers a whole range of contentious topics, but Lori tells us how she ...

EP362: Simon Beckett — All Change from 2022-01-10T00:12

International bestselling author Simon Beckett returns to the podcast to tell us about his new novel The Lost, in which he starts a whole new series. He offers tips on character, tension, and ho...

EP361: Daniel Rigby — Just Start Doing It from 2022-01-03T00:12

BAFTA-award winning actor Daniel Rigby tells us about his Audible original debut Isaac Steele and the Forever Man and how his background in comedy and improvisation helped create his protagonist...

EP360: A Christmas Special with the Two Marks from 2021-12-27T00:12

Join the Two Marks in a Christmas special where they invited their listeners to share their favourite Christmas books and gifts. They dive into the most-loved books, annuals, games, bikes, cuddl...

EP359: Mia Kuzniar — Make Something Happen from 2021-12-20T00:12

Sunday Times bestselling author Mia Kuzniar brings some light to the bleak midwinter with her wonderful new novel Midnight in Everwood. She discusses how ballet and the Nutcracker Suite influenc...

EP358: Deep Dive — Surviving NanoWriMo with GB Ralph from 2021-12-17T00:12

GB Ralph, author of the Rise and Shine series, talks about his last-minute decision to try NanoWriMo this year. He  takes us from the first idea for his new series — The Milverton Mysteries — to...

EP357: Ian W Sainsbury — Limitations Make You Creative from 2021-12-13T00:12

Kindle Storyteller Award Winner Ian W Sainsbury returns the podcast to tell us what’s happened since we last spoke, not least how he started a new series and then decided to completely reinvent ...

EP356: Lisa Hall — A Dagger in my Heart from 2021-12-06T00:12

Bestselling author Lisa Hall tells us about her new novel The Woman in the Woods, which adds a dash of the supernatural to her page-turning thriller style. Lisa talks about setting a book in a r...

EP355: JK Ellem — Think of the Long Game from 2021-11-29T00:12

JK Ellem writes cutting edge thrillers including the Ravenwood series, which was never supposed to be a series, but his readers wanted more. JK takes us through his career, how his writing proce...

EP354: Deep Dive — Beta Readers with StoryOrigin’s Evan Gow from 2021-11-25T05:36:43

We welcome Evan Gow back to the podcast to discuss StoryOrigin’s new feature to help manage feedback from your Beta Readers.   You can discover more about StoryOrigin here: https://storyoriginap...

EP353: Michael Connelly — A Pretty Strange Trip from 2021-11-22T00:12

We are delighted to welcome worldwide bestseller Michael Connelly back to the podcast to discuss his new novel The Dark Hours, which explores an LA scarred by fear and social unrest. Michael ref...

EP352: Sasha Greene — Trust and the Writer from 2021-11-15T00:12

Sasha Greene returns to the podcast with her new novel Trust, which explore ideas such as PTSD, sexual assault and coercive control. Sasha takes us through her process of research, how she write...

EP351: Christine Pride&Jo Piazza — Communication is the Key from 2021-11-08T00:12

Christine Pride is an editor with 15 years experience with the likes of Doubleday and Simon&Schuster, and Jo Piazza is the award-winning author of nine novels. Together they have written an extr...

EP350: Deep Dive — Writer Burnout with Paul Bulos from 2021-11-04T00:12

We welcome Paul Bulos back to the podcast to discuss what burnout is and how it affects writers. Paul also offers ten strategies to help you overcome burnout.   You can discover more about Paul’...

EP349: Katie Khan — X meets Y Equals Bestseller from 2021-11-01T00:12

Katie Khan is the author of the bestsellers Hold Back the Stars and The Light Between Us, and now she’s a tutor at the Novelry, bringing her experience from both the film world and the book worl...

Deep Dive — Writing Horror with Adam Nevill from 2021-10-30T13:25:39

Award-winning horror author Adam Nevill answers our listener questions on setting the mood, balancing gore and terror to find the right tone, research into the supernormal, getting into the mind...

Academy All Stars - Mark Hood from 2021-10-26T23:12

Welcome to the latest of our occasional Academy All-Stars mini episodes, where we talk to writers who have joined our academy and have done something extraordinary. How long would it take you to...

EP347: Alan Gillespie&Emma Grae — Vernacular Voices from 2021-10-24T23:12

Alan Gillespie&Emma Grae are writers from Scotland who both have unique and distinct voices. Alan wrote The Mash House dialogue without punctuation, and Emma wrote Be Guid Tae Yer Mammy in Scott...

EP346: Fifth Anniversary Live Show! from 2021-10-17T23:12

The Two Marks celebrate five years of the Bestseller Experiment and answer listener questions on favourite moments, best writing advice, how their writing has changed and how much of Mr D’s woo-...

EP345: Felix Francis — Writing as a Family Business from 2021-10-10T23:15

Felix Francis has continued the legacy of his father Dick Francis’s literary success, selling over 80 million novels in 40 languages. Felix tells us how the books were always a family business, ...

EP344: Elise Valmorbida — How to be a Happy Writer from 2021-10-04T04:02:05

Elise Valmorbida’s new book The Happy Writing Book is a unique guide for writers at all levels with 100 prompts to help you develop your writing and wellbeing. We discuss show not tell, success,...

EP343: Deep Dive — Non-Fiction and Memoir with Jenn T Grace from 2021-09-30T23:15

Jenn T. Grace is the founder of Publish Your Purpose, a hybrid publishing company that helps first-time authors get their books written and finds them an eager audience. Jenn takes us through th...

EP342: Awais Khan — Do Your Bit, Let The Universe Do The Rest from 2021-09-26T23:31

Awais Khan returns to the podcast after the publication of his second novel No Honour, which has been getting the most extraordinary acclaim. Awais tells us about the lessons he’s learned since ...

EP341: Deep Dive — Book Launches with Patrick Walsh from 2021-09-21T23:15

PublishingPush.com help publishers and authors publish and promote their books, and Patrick runs us through the ten most common mistakes made by authors when launching their books, and he answer...

EP340: Abi Silver — Why We Write from 2021-09-19T23:15

Abi Silver is a lawyer and the author of Burton&Lamb courtroom thrillers, including the latest The Midas Game, which dives into the world of online gaming and Youtubers. Abi also wrote an articl...

EP339: Deep Dive — Jennie Nash, Blueprint for a Book from 2021-09-15T23:15

Bestselling book coach Jennie Nash has inspired hundreds of novelists, and in her new book Blueprint for a Book she makes the case for writers defining the foundational elements of their story b...

EP338: Sarah Denzil — If I Surprise Myself, I Surprise the Reader from 2021-09-12T23:15

Sarah Denzil is the million-copy bestselling author of Silent Child, and its sequel Stolen Girl is premiering on audio first. We discuss writing at work, writing in notebooks, how feedback boost...

EP337: Joe Abercrombie — The Magic Happens When You Work It from 2021-09-05T23:15

We celebrate international bestselling fantasy writer Joe Abercrombie’s return to the podcast with The Wisdom of Crowds, which brings his Age of Madness trilogy to a thrilling climax. As always,...

EP336: Steve Cavanagh — Engage the Reader Straight Away from 2021-08-29T23:05

Sunday Times bestselling thriller writer Steve Cavanagh returns triumphant to the podcast. When we last spoke to him he was on the verge of a great breakthrough. Today he’s an award-winner and i...

EP335: Deep Dive — Copy Editing with Lisa Rogers from 2021-08-26T23:15

Lisa Rogers has been copy editor to some amazing authors including Joe Abercrombie, Terry Pratchett, Iain Banks, Tad Williams and some bloke called Mark Stay. She answers listener questions on t...

EP334: Piers Torday — What Matters is the Book from 2021-08-22T23:14

Piers Torday is the award-winning author of the extraordinary The Last Wild trilogy for children, and he’s back with an amazing prequel The Wild Before. Piers’ writing comes from a lifelong pass...

EP333: Deep Dive — Diversity&Inclusion with Dr Jen O'Ryan from 2021-08-20T11:15

Dr Jen O’Ryan the author of “Inclusive AF: A Field Guide for ‘Accidental’ Diversity Experts”. Designed for anyone thinking about Inclusion and Diversity. She answers our listener questions on wr...

EP332: Kia Abdullah — Don’t Shy Away from 2021-08-16T00:00

Kia Abdullah’s latest novel Next of Kin is not just a page-turning thriller, but Kia is using its publication to support the Trussell Trust charity. Kia talks about writing difficult subjects, c...

EP331: Mick Finlay — Psychology, Murder&The Writer from 2021-08-08T23:15

Mick Finlay is the author of the Arrowood series of crime novels set in 1890s London, and in his latest book Arrowood and the Meeting House Murders, he explores the dark side of human psychology...

EP330: Matthew Ralph — Celebrating Diversity from 2021-08-01T23:15

Matthew Ralph is best-selling children’s author whose books celebrate diversity and inclusivity. Matthew takes us through his extraordinary career that started with an idea in an airport to his ...

EP329: Nicola May — You Have To Be Persistent from 2021-07-25T23:15

Nicola May is the bestselling author of a dozen romantic comedies, all of which have topped the UK Kindle charts, and now she’s back with her new book Welcome To Ferry Lake Market. In a jam-pack...

EP328: RJ MCBRIEN — Let The Subconscious Take Control from 2021-07-18T23:15

RJ McBrien’s career as a screenwriter saw him writing for Spooks, Wallander and The Bill, and now he’s delivered his debut novel Reckless, a page-turning thriller of marriage and betrayal. He ta...

EP327: Adam Simcox — A Leisurely Stroll, Barefoot Over Broken Glass from 2021-07-11T23:15

Adam Simcox is a filmmaker whose debut novel The Dying Squad is published by Gollancz. Adam takes us through his journey to publication — “A leisurely stroll barefoot over broken glass for twent...

EP326: Deep Dive — Book Launches with Sara Cox from 2021-07-06T23:15

Mark Stay is joined by Sara Cox — who helped him launch his novel The Crow Folk earlier this year — to answer listener questions on Book Launches, including… how far should you plan ahead, the d...

EP325: Sue Teddern — A Story Is A Story, However You Tell it from 2021-07-04T23:01

Sue Teddern has written for TV and radio and now she’s written her debut novel, Anne Stanley All At Sea. Sue takes us through her extraordinary career, with great insight into writing for TV and...

EP324: Deep Dive — Writing Horror with Adam Nevill from 2021-06-29T23:01

Award-winning horror author Adam Nevill answers our listener questions on setting the mood, balancing gore and terror to find the right tone, research into the supernormal, getting into the mind...

EP323: Nicole Kennedy — Perfection Takes Time from 2021-06-27T23:01

We always love it when one of our listeners is published, but Nicole Kennedy’s debut novel Everything’s Perfect had a rocky road to publication. Nicole takes us through a tumultuous time in her ...

EP322: Joe Thomas — Balancing Exposition and Realism from 2021-06-21T02:20:15

With his new novel Brazilian Psycho, author Joe Thomas completes the São Paulo Quartet, a series that evolved from his ten years living in the city. Joe tells us how living in the setting of his...

EP321: Damien Lewis — History Isn't Static from 2021-06-14T02:31:34

A narrative non-fiction treat this week as bestselling historian Damien Lewis tell us about the extraordinary heroes of his new book SAS Great Escapes. We also discuss research methods, using pr...

EP320: Nadine Matheson — A Little Bit of Dismemberment from 2021-06-06T23:01

Nadine Matheson’s debut thriller The Jigsaw Man has been hailed as one of the event debuts of the year. But this was far from an overnight success. Nadine’s writing journey is one from competiti...

EP319: Sarah Moorhead and Stuart Turton — Teacher, Student&Metempsychosis from 2021-05-31T04:43:15

Do you have a favourite teacher? One who encouraged you to write, maybe? This special episode is for all the teachers and students out there who have inspired one another over the years, and we ...

EP318: Deep Dive — Writing Sex Scenes with Caedis Knight from 2021-05-27T05:32:52

Sex scenes in fiction can be difficult to get right, so much so that there’s even an award for writers who get it horribly wrong. We speak to Jacqueline Silvester and NJ Simmonds, who write toge...

EP317: Dean Wesley Smith — Plug in to your Creative Voice and Play from 2021-05-23T23:01

Dean Wesley Smith is one of the most prolific writers working today, with over 200 novels, and countless short stories published. He reveals how he has learned how to stop listening to his criti...

EP316: Josie Lloyd — Make ‘em laugh, Make ‘em cry from 2021-05-16T23:01

Josie Lloyd tells us why The Cancer Ladies Running Club is the most important and personal book she’s written, and how she balanced a story that is brutally honest about cancer and is still brim...

EP315: Andrew Hunter Murray — Terror Leads to Productivity from 2021-05-09T23:01

When Andrew Hunter Murray decided to end the world with his novel The Last Day he had no idea how hard it would be. His research involved astrophysics, climate migration, geopolitics, sleep cycl...

EP314: Eric Maikranz — Infinite Reward from 2021-05-02T23:01

The dream for many authors is to see their novel made into a big-budget Hollywood movie. Debut author D. Eric Maikranz decided that he would make his dream a reality. His novel, The Reincarnatio...

EP313: Ellie Barker — Dreams Come True… Eventually from 2021-04-25T23:01

Ellie Barker had always dreamed of becoming an author, and her debut novel The Pink Coffee Shop was ten years in the making. Ellie talks honestly about rejection, dusting herself off, finding th...

EP038: Archive Rerun - From The Heart|Erica James from 2021-04-19T14:38:17

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… How do you touch the heart of your readers? We get emotional over tea and cake with bestselling author Erica James. Erica has sold over 5 million co...

EP312: Adele Geras — Be Whoever You Want from 2021-04-12T04:54:49

Adele Geras is one of Britain’s most acclaimed writers, and has written over 100 books for both children and adults. With her latest novel Dangerous Women she’s written her first historical thri...

EP035: Archive Rerun - The Incredible Tenacity Of Mark Edwards from 2021-04-05T05:34:47

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Mark Edwards is a bestselling author, having sold over two million psychological thrillers including The Magpies. Having been self-published and tra...

EP311: Catriona Ward — Nerve Shredder from 2021-03-29T02:55:08

Catriona Ward’s first two novels Rawblood and Little Eve won awards and critical acclaim, but her new novel The Last House on Needless Street got the kind of pre-publication buzz that comes alon...

EP310: Deep Dive — Blog Tour Q&A with Anne Cater from 2021-03-26T19:16:11

Anne Cater is the founder of Random Things Tours and has been organising book blog tours for over four years. She answers our listener questions on everything you need to know about blog tours, ...

EP309: Sarah Pinborough — Behind Her Eyes Spoiler Special from 2021-03-22T00:01

We welcome Sarah Pinborough back to the podcast to celebrate the release of the Netflix adaptation of Sarah’s bestselling novel Behind Her Eyes. We first discussed the book with Sarah way back i...

EP308: Mitch Benn — Helvetica Breakdown from 2021-03-15T00:01

Mitch Benn is a comedian, songwriter, musician, actor and author of the Terra Trilogy, a science fiction adventure series that Neil Gaiman called “Wise, funny and human”. Mitch takes us through ...

EP034: Archive Rerun - Into The Woods With John Yorke from 2021-03-08T06:15:48

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… John Yorke is one of the world’s leading lights in the art of storytelling. As former head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production...

EP307: Deep Dive — Networking in Publishing with Justine Solomons from 2021-03-08T05:55:22

Justine Solomons is founder of Byte the Book, an organisation dedicated to getting authors published, traditionally or self-published. Justine answers our listener questions on networking in pub...

EP306: Linwood Barclay “Chapter Breaks Are Commercial Breaks” from 2021-03-01T06:41:59

Linwood Barclay is the international bestselling author of over twenty novels, and his latest thriller Find You First is a fast-paced, high-concept, page-turner. In this jam-packed chat we discu...

EP032: Legal Eagles|Keith Mathieson and Paul Joseph from 2021-02-22T02:07:51

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… We get lawyered-up in this fascinating episode where we talk to a pair of top entertainment lawyers: Keith Mathieson is an expert in defamation and ...

EP305: Deep Dive — Maria Dismondy - The Business of Inspiring Children from 2021-02-20T00:55:12

Maria Dismondy is the author of inspirational and award-winning children’s books such as Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun, she is also the CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, a publisher dedicated to diversit...

EP304: DV Bishop “History Is Really Badly Structured” from 2021-02-15T00:01

DV Bishop’s historical thriller debut City of Vengeance vividly takes the reader to 1530s Renaissance Florence. Writing historical fiction creates all kinds of challenges and DV Bishop tells us ...

EP031: Archive Rerun - Fear of Failure|Julie Cohen from 2021-02-08T05:47:41

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Julie Cohen is the author of over twenty novels, including the Richard&Judy bestseller Dear Thing. She also teaches creative writing workshops and i...

EP303: Mark Stay and The Crow Folk from 2021-02-01T04:47:33

Some chancer called Mark Stay hijacks the podcast to shamelessly plug his new novel The Crow Folk. He gets all evasive about listener questions, refuses to discuss his murky past and almost stor...

EP302: Deep Dive — Literary Agent Q&A with John Jarrold from 2021-01-27T07:31:50

John Jarrold is a literary agent and editor who has worked with the likes of Michael Moorcock, Guy Gavriel Kay and John Courtney Grimwood. He answers our Patreon and Academates’ questions on pit...

EP301: Caimh McDonnell — Stranger Fiction from 2021-01-25T00:01

Bestselling indie author Caimh McDonnell makes a triumphant return to the podcast as Transworld author CK McDonnell with his new novel Stranger Times. Caimh tells us how he took everything he le...

EP300: Rich Leder — Write Anyway from 2021-01-18T00:01

Rich Leder is a screenwriter and novelist who tells us why our brains are always lying to us, why he writes with the door open (even with young kids running around), why finishing is so importan...

Academy All Stars - JW Atkinson from 2021-01-16T20:23:24

Welcome to the first of our occasional Academy All-Stars mini episodes, where we talk to writers who have joined our academy and have done something extraordinary. JW Atkinson is a writer and te...

EP299: Michele Campbell — Making Writing A Priority from 2021-01-11T04:49:46

International bestselling author Michele Campbell’s new novel The Wife Who Knew Too Much combines thrills and glamour. Michele talks to us about the balance between plot and character, the impor...

EP029: Archive Rerun - Kate Harrison|Bestselling Insights from 2021-01-04T00:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Kate Harrison is a rare breed. A fictionand non-fiction award-winning author who used her insight experience with the BBC to produce a huge bestsell...

EP298: Mark Victor Hansen — Pick A Target, Set Goals! from 2020-12-28T18:32:56

Mark Victor Hansen is co-writer of Chicken Soup For The Soul, the mega-selling phenomenon that has sold over half a billion copies worldwide. He takes us through his extraordinary story to publi...

EP297: Deep Dive — Book Marketing Q&A with Leslie O'Connor from 2020-12-28T18:11:10

Leslie O’Connor has worked extensively in corporate marketing, and she put those skills to use when relaunching Mitch Benn’s Terra trilogy of books. Leslie tells us how she took Mitch’s books fr...

EP027: Archive Rerun - From Script, To Screen, To Book|Jo Ho from 2020-12-21T00:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Jo Ho is an award-winning screenwriter and director, best known for creating the BBC TV series Spirit Warriors, but she has recently turned her hand...

EP296: You Are Not Alone from 2020-12-14T04:07:26

The Two Marks talks about isolation, loneliness, the voices in our head and all the other stuff that can make a writer feel like they are alone. We discuss what we can do to build a healthy comm...

EP026: Archive Rerun - Author&Editor In A Hot Mess|Lucy Vine&Katie Seaman from 2020-12-07T01:35:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Lucy Vine is a freelance journalist who has written for pretty much every magazine going. Inspired by one of Lucy’s articles, editor Katie Seaman co...

EP294: B.J. Fogg — Tiny Habits from 2020-11-30T00:01

BJ Fogg, PhD, founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University and created the TinyHabits Academy to help people around the world. He tells us how the smallest changes can make a huge diff...

EP025: Archive Rerun - Liz Fenwick from 2020-11-23T00:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… We welcome back Shannon Mayer for the third and final part of our epic interview with her and we finally tackle something that can put the fear of d...

EP293: Getting Published is Just the Beginning. A Deep Dive with Rhoda Baxter from 2020-11-20T20:40:22

Rhoda Baxter returns to the podcast with an amazing book that covers everything authors need to know about all the scary stuff: contracts, intellectual property, rights, and income. In this Deep...

EP292: Rowan Coleman — Writing is Well Hard from 2020-11-16T00:01

We welcome bestselling author Rowan Coleman back to the podcast, but this time she’s wearing a Brontë bonnet. Writing as Bella Ellis she is two books into the Brontë Mysteries, which imagines th...

EP024: Archive Rerun - Liz Fenwick from 2020-11-09T00:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Is there such a thing as a positive rejection? This week we chat with award-winning author, Liz Fenwick about the importance of persistency on the j...

EP291: Sally Gardner - Writing in Colour from 2020-11-02T00:01

Sally Gardner is an award-winning novelist who has sold more than 2.5 million books worldwide. The Snow Song is her third adult novel is about a woman who loses her voice as the snow falls. With...

EP022: Archive Rerun - Ben Aaronovitch from 2020-10-26T03:03:11

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Ben Aaronovitch started writing for Doctor Who and became the author of the bestselling Peter Grant series that started with Rivers Of London in 201...

EP290: Deep Dive — Crate Digging with David Pennington from 2020-10-23T19:15:37

David Pennington is an author, writing coach and copywriter who is on a mission to improve how we tell stories. In this Deep Dive we discuss the importance of drafting, tapping into your “mental...

EP289: Four More Years! Live Show from 2020-10-18T23:01

We celebrate four years of the podcast with a live show where our Patrons and Academy members ask us anything and everything. The Two Marks reveal how the podcast started, who they would cast in...

EP019: Archive Rerun - Joe Hill from 2020-10-12T14:46:51

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Joe is the bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, NOS4A2, Locke&Key and most recently the New York Times #1 epic blockbuster The Fireman. Jo...

EP288: Deep Dive - YouTube for Authors with Jeremy Mason from 2020-10-06T23:01

How can authors use YouTube to engage with readers and drive sales? We talk to Jeremy Mason a TV Producer, Director of Photography and Lighting Cameraman with over 20 years UK broadcast experien...

EP287: Charles Stross — Don’t Wait. Write! from 2020-10-05T03:53:01

Charles Stross is the multi-award winning author of bestselling series of space opera, alt-history and more. With his new novel Dead Lies Dreaming he jumps back into his Laundry Files universe, ...

EP018: Archive Rerun - Behind Sarah Pinborough’s Eyes! from 2020-09-27T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Sarah Pinborough has had over twenty novels published and written for TV and film. Sarah’s new thriller Behind Her Eyes is getting incredible buzz a...

EP286: Carole Matthews — Write with your Heart from 2020-09-20T23:01

Carole Matthews has sold over 6 million books in 31 countries. She’s written two books a year for the last ten years and was inducted into the Festival of Romance Hall of Fame. She tells us how ...

EP017: Archive Rerun - Million-Selling Indie Secrets|Shannon Mayer Returns from 2020-09-13T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… The second part of our interview with bestselling Indie author Shannon Mayer who recently hit #2 in the main Amazon.com charts outselling Stephen Ki...

EP285: Philip C. Quaintrell — The Bestseller Breaking All The Rules from 2020-09-06T23:01

Philip C. Quaintrell is in Amazon’s top 1.8% of self-published authors. He does this with no marketing spend, no newsletter, and epic fantasy novels so massively epic that even Brandon Sanderson...

EP016: Archive Rerun - How Do I Get An Agent?|Federica Leonardis&Sonya Lalli from 2020-08-30T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… ‘How do I get a literary agent?’ is one of the most common questions asked by new writers, so we asked Federica Leonardis, founder of Martin Leonard...

EP284: Deep Dive - Indie Publishing with Caffeine Nights from 2020-08-29T20:06:03

What can an indie publisher offer to authors that the big houses cannot? MD of Caffeine Nights Darren Laws and author Timothy Adler show us how the bespoke service that an indie publisher provid...

EP283: Caro Ramsay — Everything Happens for a Reason from 2020-08-23T23:01

Caro Ramsay is the author of the critically acclaimed Anderson and Costello series, the first of which, Absolution, was shortlisted for the CWA’s New Blood Dagger for best debut of the year. In ...

EP015: Archive Rerun - Mark Huckerby&Nick Ostler|Peter Rabbit vs Werewolves from 2020-08-17T17:39:50

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Emmy winners and BAFTA-nominated, Huckerby& Ostler are one of the most successful TV writing partnerships around, and with their new novel, Defender...

EP282: Rachel Winters — Would Like to Meet a Bestseller from 2020-08-09T23:01

Rachel Winters’ debut novel Would Like to Meet is an Amazon bestseller with rights sold in 14 territories and there was a big Hollywood auction for the film rights. Rachel tells us how her backg...

EP281: Deep Dive - Bookbub Promo Tips with Paul Ardoin from 2020-08-05T14:36:52

Paul Ardoin is the author of the Fenway Stevenson Mysteries, and when he reached five books in the series (with a sixth on the way) he decided the time was right for a Bookbub newsletter promoti...

EP013: Archive Rerun - Michelle Paver|Research To The Extreme from 2020-08-03T01:36:24

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… How do you research your books? Michelle Paver has written eighteen novels, including the bestselling Chronicles Of Ancient Darkness. She’s encounte...

EP280: Six Accountability Tips for Writers from 2020-07-26T23:01

Writing can be a solitary occupation, but it doesn’t have to be that way. The Two Marks discuss how accountability has helped them in their writing and offer six tips to help you focus on your w...

EP012: Archive Rerun - Maria Semple|How To Find Your Voice As A Writer from 2020-07-19T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Have you every wondered how important your “Voice” is as a writer? This week on The Bestseller Experiment podcast, New York Times success Maria Semp...

EP279: Sadie Jones — Writing is a Marathon from 2020-07-12T23:01

Sadie’s Jones’ debut novel The Outcast was a smash hit, selling over half a million copies, but Sophie’s road to publication was a long one with over 15 years of rejection. Sadie tells us what s...

EP011: Archive Rerun - Writing a Bestseller|The Story So Far from 2020-07-05T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… The two Marks bring you up to date on the trials and tribulations their nascent bestseller, the processes that they’re going through, and how two wr...

EP278: James Swallow — Fuelled by Rage from 2020-06-28T22:00

James Swallow is the internationally bestselling author of the Marc Dane thrillers, and he takes us through his remarkable career, which takes in Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who and a BAFTA nom...

EP010: Archive Rerun - Robin Stevens|NaNoWriMo Success Story from 2020-06-21T20:57:29

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Robin is the author of the Murder Most Unladylike Mysteries books, a middle grade series following schoolgirl detectives Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong ...

EP277: Perseverance Pays Off — Live Show Highlights from 2020-06-15T03:40:56

It’s all too easy to give up when your writing has been rejected, so how do you find the energy and the will to keep going? The Two Marks discuss strategies for perseverance, dealing with fear, ...

EP009: Archive Rerun - Joe Abercrombie|Dancing Naked in the Rain from 2020-06-08T03:32:17

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Joe burst onto the fantasy scene in 2003 with his debut The Blade Itself. His books have climbed high up the Sunday Times and New York Times bestsel...

EP275: Deep Dive - Great Newsletter Content with Caimh McDonnell from 2020-06-04T00:15:09

Caimh McDonnell is the bestselling author of the Dublin Trilogy and has one of the most entertaining and engaging newsletters out there with 10,000 subscribers and an astonishing open rate. Caim...

EP274: Adele Parks — Choose to be Positive from 2020-06-01T04:48:55

Adele Parks has published 20 novels in 20 years and every one has been a Sunday Times bestseller. With over three and a half million copies sold in the UK, she is a phenomenon, and her latest no...

EP008: Archive Rerun - Michael Connelly|60 Million Thriller Books from 2020-05-25T01:20:20

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… We are delighted to welcome NaNoWriMo’s Grant Faulkner back to the podcast in mid-November, where we discuss strategies for coping with the ‘muddy m...

EP273: Liz Moore — Bestsellers Worth Waiting For from 2020-05-17T23:01

Liz Moore is the NY Times bestselling author of Long Bright River, a novel ten years in the making that started with short stories, non-fiction sketches and community work in the neighbourhood w...

EP007: Archive Rerun - Bryan Cranston|On Breaking Bad, Characters, Writing&Life from 2020-05-10T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Michael Connelly is one of the most successful crime authors in the world with over 60m book sales. Having just released his new Harry Bosch thrille...

EP272: Deep Dive - An Editorial Q&A with Rachel Winterbottom from 2020-05-08T00:26:10

Rachel Winterbottom is Senior Commissioning Editor at Gollancz and she also writes fiction as Rachel Winters. Rachel answers our listener questions on the editorial process, what editors are loo...

EP271: Ayisha Malik — Just Get Through It from 2020-05-04T14:33:32

Ayisha Malik, author of This Green and Pleasant Land, gives us amazing tips on first drafts, sequels, publicity, social media and why writing commercial, comedic fiction doesn’t mean you can’t t...

EP006: Archive Rerun - Bryan Cranston|On Breaking Bad, Characters, Writing&Life from 2020-04-26T23:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Breaking Bad’s Bryan Cranston tells us about his life and new bestselling memoir, A Life In Parts. Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe, Tony and Emmy awar...

EP270: Mel Sherratt — Pressing That Button Changed My Life from 2020-04-19T23:01

Bestselling author Mel Sherratt tells us why she never gave up after twelve years of rejection. Since then, Mel has been self-published, traditionally published and digital-first published… she’...

EP269: Deep Dive - Blog tours with Heather Fitt from 2020-04-17T21:39:18

Heather Fitt is the founder of Overview Media and organised our recent blog tour for the audiobook of Back to Reality. Heather takes us through the benefits of a blog tour and how they are organ...

EP005: Archive Rerun - NaNoWriMo|How to Write 50,000 Words in Month|Grant Faulkner from 2020-04-13T15:47:13

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Every November hundreds of thousands of writers start their annual challenge of writing 50,000 words in one month. It’s called NaNoWriMomo (National...

EP268: Emergency Good News Special from 2020-04-05T23:01

We scrambled to put this episode together in which we try and put some positive vibes out into the world. We celebrate some of our listeners’ recent triumphs, we answer listener questions, discu...

EP267: Deep Dive - Indie Children’s Publishing with Karen Inglis from 2020-04-04T21:21:29

Karen Inglis is a bestselling indie children’s author based in the UK. Her books have sold over 100,000 copies and in this Deep Dive episode she answers our listener questions on finding illustr...

EP266: One Page Punch-Ups with Emad Akhtar from 2020-03-29T23:01

We’re delighted to welcome back Orion Publisher (and Editor of the Year nominee!) Emad Akhtar to critique our latest round of One Page Punch-Ups. These are pages sent in by our Chart Topper Patr...

EP004: Archive Rerun - Joanne Harris|Chocolat&Sheds from 2020-03-23T15:43:04

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… Best known for her novel Chocolat, which sold well over a million copies and was made into a movie starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche, Joanne...

EP265: BA Paris — Dilemmas and Digging Deep from 2020-03-16T04:05:01

BA Paris is the bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, and with her new novel The Dilemma she takes a simple idea and digs deep with gripping effect. It’s this writing style that has sold ov...

EP264: RNA Awards 2020 from 2020-03-09T00:01

The Romantic Novelists’ Association celebrated their diamond anniversary last week with a glitzy award ceremony where four — FOUR! — of our listeners were nominated for awards. We spoke to them ...

EP263: Steff Green–Heavy Metal Bestseller from 2020-03-02T01:03:36

Steff Green has written over 30 books since 2015. Her career started with a near-miss with a major publisher, but she struck out on her own and now she’s an award-winner, a USA Today bestseller,...

EP003: Archive Rerun - Million-Selling Indie Author|Shannon Mayer from 2020-02-24T02:22:43

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… From farrier to million-selling indie author, USA Today bestseller, and writing machine, Shannon bestows wisdom, inspiration, and a quote that we wa...

EP261: Productivity Tips for Writers with Bec Evans from 2020-02-17T06:29:14

Bec Evans was previously a guest on a Deep Dive (ep199, discussing her book How to Have a Happy Hustle), but since then she has surveyed over 3,500 authors about their writing habits and discove...

EP260: Barbara Poelle–The Hook, The Book&The Cook from 2020-02-13T19:17:47

In this exclusive Deep Dive episode for our Patreons: Barbara Poelle is a New York literary agent and author of Funny You Should Ask: Mostly Serious Answers to Mostly Serious Questions About the...

EP002: Archive Rerun - Bestselling Editors|Sam Eades&Juliet Ewers - Orion Books from 2020-02-10T00:01

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… In this episode you will discover… What does a commission editor do? It’s not just correcting your spelling! What’s changed in publishing? And how y...

EP259: Science Fiction - A Deep Dive with Hannu Rajaniemi from 2020-02-07T01:00:10

In the first of an occasional series where we dive into specific genres, we look at science fiction with Hannu Rajaniemi, award-winning author of The Quantum Thief, The Fractal Prince, The Causa...

EP258: LJ Ross - Rebel with Four Million Sold from 2020-02-03T05:31:18

LJ Ross has long refused to play by other people’s rules and when she didn’t like the look of a publishing contract she struck out on her own. Over four million copies of her books have been sol...

EP001: Who Buys Bestsellers?|Vics Tranter - Hachette from 2020-01-27T22:38:05

In this week’s episode from the BXP Archives… As we begin our epic quest to write and chart a book in one year, we need to discover what kind of person buys bestselling books. We turn to Hachett...

EP257: Making a Star Wars Documentary with David Whiteley from 2020-01-24T00:01

In this special episode, we speak to writer and producer David Whiteley about his Star Wars documentary The Galaxy Britain Built. David takes us through the journey of building a documentary ide...

EP256: Caroline Mitchell and the Law of Attraction from 2020-01-20T00:01

Number one bestselling author Caroline Mitchell recently Tweeted that she had sold a million copies of her books since first getting published in 2013. Writing on her commute, Caroline started o...

EP255: The Itty Bitty Indie Experiment - A Deep Dive from 2020-01-15T20:19:32

When Robyn Sarty set up her own publisher, Belwood Publishing, she approached Sage Gordon-Davis about writing a series of sweet romance novels. In the first of a series we’ll be following Robyn ...

EP254: The BXP2020 Challenge Has Lift-Off from 2020-01-13T00:01

It’s 2020 and the BXP2020 challenge is off to an amazing start with over 118.5 million words pledged already! We’ve been overwhelmed by messages from listeners telling us it’s transformed the wa...

EP253: Kickstarter Tips with A.Y. Chao from 2020-01-08T23:10:26

Author A.Y. Chao tells us how she funded her debut novel Soul Affinity on Kickstarter in just 4 days! If you’ve never tried Kickstarter before, but always wanted to give it a try, this is a grea...

EP252: Scott Pack - Tips from a Publisher from 2020-01-06T00:01

Scott Pack celebrates 20 years in publishing in 2020, having worked as head of buying for Waterstones, and as a publisher at HarperCollins, Unbound, Eye and Lightning Books and more. His new boo...

EP251: The 2019 Christmas Special from 2019-12-23T00:01

We take stock of the year so far and read out some of the messages we’ve had from our amazing listeners. And we look forward to 2020 and the BXP2020 Challenge. And yes, it’s that time of year wh...

EP250: Live Show BXP 2020 Challenge FAQs from 2019-12-16T00:01

As we approach the end of the year, we contemplate hibernating after NanoWriMo before gearing up for the BXP2020 challenge in the New Year. We answer our listener FAQs about the 2020 Challenge a...

EP249: One Page Punch-Ups with Emad Akhtar from 2019-12-09T01:01:33

We are delighted to welcome back Orion Publisher Emad Akhtar to critique our latest round of One Page Punch-Ups. These are pages sent in by our Chart Topper Patreons. We read them and critique t...

EP248: Comedy Women in Print with Helen Lederer, Kirsty Eyre&Martha Ashby from 2019-12-04T06:14:10

Another one of our listeners is an award winner! Kirsty Eyre won the inaugural Comedy Women in Print “Unpublished” award for her novel Cow Girl this year. We speak to Kirsty, Harper Fiction edit...

EP247: Pitch Power with Kate Harrison from 2019-12-02T00:01

We welcome Kate back to the podcast to celebrate the release of her new book for writers Pitch Power- discover what makes your book irresistible&how to sell it. Most authors hate writing pitches...

EP246: A ProWritingAid Masterclass with Chris Banks from 2019-11-28T18:47:12

We took a chapter from Mr Stay’s new work-in-progress and ran it through ProWritingAid. PWA founder Chris Banks was on hand to give us greater insight into how to use PWA’s reports on readibilit...

EP245: Swearing Is Good For You with Dr Emma Byrne from 2019-11-25T00:01

“Bad language” is a divisive issue for writers. Some revel in it, others work hard to keep it clean. Dr Emma Byrne is the author of Swearing Is Good For You, which takes a look a scientific at t...

EP244: Join the BXP2020 Challenge from 2019-11-18T03:51:56

The highlights from our latest live show in which we swap productivity tips and launch our biggest ever challenge yet – the BXP2020 challenge. If you want to make 2020 your best writing year, yo...

EP243: Networking for Writers - With Dana Kaye from 2019-11-13T05:11:35

Dana Kaye is the author of Your Book, Your Brand and is the founder of Kaye Publicity, specialising in publishing and entertainment. She gives us great insight into how you can network while ove...

EP242: ProWritingAid with Chris Banks from 2019-11-11T05:01:53

Chris Banks, founder of ProWritingAid, tells us how a skiing accident led to him developing ProWritingAid, which has become the leading analytical tool for writers all over the world. He gives u...

EP241: A Blurbs Masterclass with Kate Harrison from 2019-11-06T22:13:30

Kate Harrison returns to the podcast with a Deep Dive special where she takes a look at blurbs from our listeners’ books and gives tips on how to make them stand out and convert browsers to read...

EP240: Garth Nix - The Next Book Can Change Everything from 2019-11-04T00:01:06

Garth Nix is a global bestselling author with over 5 million copies sold. He takes us through his extraordinary career from working in publishing, to being told he was a “one book wonder”, and h...

EP239: From the Faber Academy to Publication with Awais Khan from 2019-10-31T22:45:11

Awais Khan is the author In The Company of Strangers. After studying at the University of Western Ontario and Durham University he returned to Lahore to write his debut novel and enrolled in the...

EP238: Ian W Sainsbury - Kindle Storyteller Award Winner from 2019-10-28T02:22:08

A special episode where we catch up with the winner of this year’s Kindle Storyteller Award, Ian W Sainsbury. Ian reveals how he took on a completely new genre to become an award-winner. We also...

EP237: How Book Deals Work with Phoebe Morgan` from 2019-10-24T02:01:54

In the fourth of a series of Deep Dives into the business side of dealing with publishers and agents we speak to Phoebe Morgan, author and publisher. Phoebe takes us through the essentials of ho...

EP236: RJ Barker Returns from 2019-10-21T02:24:37

We welcome RJ Barker back to the podcast who triumphantly returns with his new book The Bone Ships. Starting a new series is never easy and RJ talks honestly about the self-doubt that all writer...

EP235: A Deep Dive with Contracts Director Paul Bulos from 2019-10-16T02:39:41

In the third of a series of Deep Dives into the business side of dealing with publishers and agents we speak to Paul Bulos, Contracts Director at the Orion Publishing Group and Hachette Children...

EP234: LIVE SHOW Highlights - Writers and Mental Health pt2 from 2019-10-14T00:32:19

We celebrate three years of the podcast with a packed live episode in which we continue our conversation with our listeners about writers and mental health. This is a very special episode where ...

EP233: Contract Negotiations with Literary Agent Ed Wilson from 2019-10-08T23:01:48

In the second of a series of Deep Dives into the business side of dealing with publishers and agents we welcome Ed Wilson back to the podcast and we talk about contracts, negotiations, rights an...

EP232: Keith A Pearson - Do The Opposite&Sell 100k from 2019-10-06T23:01:23

Keith published his first book as part of a drunken bet. There was no big plan and, by his own admission, he knew nothing of publishing and broke all the rules and made every mistake. And yet, j...

EP231: One Page Punch-Ups with Juliet Ewers from 2019-09-30T01:04:58

We are delighted to welcome back Orion Publishing’s Associate Editor Juliet Ewers to critique our latest round of One Page Punch-Ups. These are pages sent in by our Chart Topper Patreons. We rea...

EP230: The Business of Being An Author with Rhoda Baxter from 2019-09-30T00:31:54

In the first of a series of Deep Dives into the business side of dealing with publishers and agents we welcome Rhoda Baxter back to the podcast and we talk about how to deal with publishers, age...

EP229: David Koepp - Everything You Write Moves You Forward from 2019-09-23T02:45:13

David Koepp is one of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood history. With a collective box office somewhere in the region of $250b he’s written Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Death Becomes ...

EP228: Hera Books - Everyone is A-List from 2019-09-23T01:24:44

Just over a year ago Keshini Naidoo and Lindsey Mooney left their jobs and took a huge risk to create Hera Books. A year on they tell us the biggest lessons they’ve learned, how some of their fi...

EP227: Phoebe Locke – Using Therapy To Create Characters from 2019-09-15T22:52:50

Phoebe Locke is the pseudonym of Nicci Cloke. Phoebe’s book The July Girls takes the life of a character from age ten to twenty-five, and in a fascinating interview Phoebe tells us how she had t...

EP226: An Audiobooks Masterclass with Kim Bretton from 2019-09-09T00:00:03

Kim is the narrator and producer of the Back to Reality audiobook and we go into detail about the process of preparing, recording and producing an audiobook with countless tips for writers on ho...

EP225: Kim Bretton - Working with ACX Audiobooks Producers from 2019-09-08T23:01:18

Kim Bretton is an actor and has worked in theatre, TV and film, but these days she’s found great success producing and narrating audiobooks in Nashville. We talk to Kim about her career shift in...

EP224: Edward Cox - Amazing Worlds Built From Notebooks from 2019-09-01T23:01:43

Edward Cox is the Gemmell Award-nominated author of the Relic Guild trilogy, and with his new book Song of the Sycamore he builds an incredible world, both magical and believable, and it all sta...

EP223: StoryOrigin promotions with Evan Gow from 2019-08-29T17:00:33

Evan Gow started StoryOrigin as a community of writers who promote one another through group promotions and newsletters. Evan takes us through the basics, tells us how it all works, what genres ...

EP221: Youtube Flash Fiction with Kit Cox from 2019-08-26T00:36:26

Kit Cox is an author, illustrator and actor and has just launched a Flash Fiction Youtube page where he tells stories in drabbles (a hundred words) and dribbles (fifty words or fewer). He also t...

EP222: Sarah Hilary - Crime and Emotional Truth from 2019-08-25T23:01:22

Sarah’s writing has been described as “downright dangerous” by Mick Herron, and with her new novel Never Be Broken she tackles some very difficult and dangerous issues indeed. She tells us how s...

EP220: Writers&Mental Health - Live Show Highlights from 2019-08-18T23:01:14

We discuss one of the most important topics we’ve ever covered: writers and their mental health. With questions from our live studio audience we share our experiences of loneliness, anxiety, sel...

EP219: Getting an Agent with Juliet Mushens from 2019-08-14T16:08:31

In a companion episode to this week’s interview with Gray Williams, we speak to his agent Juliet Mushens about the role of an agent and the best way to select and approach them and what they can...

EP218: Gray Williams - Getting Published With An Amazing Agent from 2019-08-11T23:01:54

Gray Williams had a dream to be published, but he wasn’t about to desperately rush in and accept the first offer. He took a patient and methodical approach to finding an agent and publisher that...

EP217: Literary Festivals with Victoria Falconer from 2019-08-08T19:10:32

Victoria Falconer has been running the highly successful WhitLit Festival since 2014 and she takes us through what’s involved in organising a festival and how authors can get involved. PODCAST H...

EP216: REPLAY EP019: Joe Hill from 2019-08-04T23:01:25

Joe is the bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, NOS4A2, Locke&Key and most recently the New York Times #1 epic blockbuster The Fireman. Joe, son of Stephen King, is powerhouse storytel...

EP215: Tutoring and Mentoring with Alison May from 2019-08-01T17:33:19

Alison May is an award-winning author, an adult education tutor, a member of the Society of Authors and she has worked with authors that have gone on to be published by Harpercollins, Bookouture...

EP214: REPLAY EP003: Million-Selling Indie Author|Shannon Mayer from 2019-07-29T03:29:05

From farrier to million-selling indie author, USA Today bestseller, and writing machine, Shannon bestows wisdom, inspiration, and a quote that we want on t-shirts and bumper stickers. PODCAST Cl...

EP213: Children’s Marketing with Georgina Atwell from 2019-07-29T03:03:25

Georgina Atwell is the founder of Toppsta.com a children’s book review site that helps readers find the best book for children. She has also worked for Apple Books and Penguin and is here to ans...

EP212: Catherine Kirwan - Darkest Debut from 2019-07-22T01:15:57

Catherine Kirwan’s debut novel The Darkest Truth is one of the most critically acclaimed debuts of the year. Catherine tells us how she went from feeling foolish about even trying to write, to b...

EP211: An Indie Author Journey With Mike Morris from 2019-07-15T23:40:49

Following on from our episode with Mike Shackle, we talk about his indie pen name Mike Morris in this fascinating and entertaining Deep Dive into how to start out as an indie author and the key ...

EP210: Mike Shackle - Never Give Up, Never Surrender from 2019-07-14T23:53:23

Mike Shackle was on the verge of giving up on his writing when he heard one of our early episodes with Joe Abercrombie. Inspired by Joe’s wise words, Mike has not only created a successful caree...

EP209: Writing Alt. History with JDK Wyneken from 2019-07-14T23:04:22

The Alt. History genre — also known as Counter-Factual History — takes a key moment in history and use a “What if?” question to create enthralling stories. JDK Wyneken’s forthcoming novel Krelle...

EP208: Glastonbury Or Bust - Did We Make It? from 2019-07-07T23:01:27

At the end of 2018, the Two Marks set themselves a challenge: to sell ten thousand copies of their novel Back To Reality by Glastonbury weekend. They went wide, they published in paperback, and ...

EP207: PR and Social Media Deep Dive with Kim Nash from 2019-07-05T23:45:24

Kim Nash, award-winning novelist, book blogger and PR manager at Bookouture answers our listener questions on blog tours, social media, newsletters, cover reveals, publicity, attending festivals...

EP206: Caimh McDonnell - Too Funny, Too Irish from 2019-07-01T01:14:08

That’s the feedback that Caimh got for his first novel. Over a hundred thousand book sales later, he’s writing in a tone and genre that defies all conventional publishing wisdom. Caimh talks to ...

EP205: Live from Harbour Books from 2019-06-25T23:01:17

To celebrate Independent Bookshop Week we recorded our first ever LIVE episode of the podcast at Harbour Books in Whitstable! We were joined by authors Julie Wassmer, Katherine May, John McGhie ...

EP204: One Page Punch-Ups SF&F special from 2019-06-23T23:01:34

In the latest of our One Page Punch-Up specials we asked our Patreon Chart Topper supporters to send in one page from their work-in-progress and we gave them Gollancz’s Gillian Redfearn and Marc...

EP203 Teaser: Everyday Bravery - Writing Diversity and Mental Health with Sasha Greene from 2019-06-20T05:57:19

Sasha Greene is the author of Something Like Happy, a thought-provoking novel about day-to-day struggles with mental health. Sasha tells us what inspired the book and the importance of inclusion...

EP202: Tim Clare - Giant Mutant Batman from 2019-06-16T23:01:52

Tim Clare is a poet, author and musician who has wanted to write since childhood. Despite his commitment and determination, his route to publication has been a rocky one. Tim talks about his car...

EP201 Teaser: Fifty Billion Dollar Movie Advice with John Robert Marlowe from 2019-06-14T20:55:40

Many of us all dream of seeing our books turned into movies or TV shows. Award-winning screenwriter John Robert Marlow has spoken to the Hollywood screenwriters, producers and directors responsi...

EP200: The Two Marks Celebrate Two Hundred Episodes from 2019-06-09T23:01:29

The Two Marks celebrate two hundred episodes of the podcast by answering some of the strangest questions they have ever been asked. https://www.patreon.com/bestsellerexperiment Our novel Back To...

EP199 Teaser: A Happy Hustle with Bec Evans from 2019-06-07T22:22:35

Being an author is a classic side-hustle: that thing you do between your day job and family and friends. Bec Evans is a writer, speaker, innovation coach and startup founder and her new book How...

EP198: Lorna Cook - A Bestseller Dream Come True from 2019-06-02T23:01:43

Lorna Cook is yet another listener who used what she had learned on the podcast to launch her career and in special episode we speak to her before her novel The Forgotten Village was published, ...

EP197 Teaser: Creative Writing Courses with David Bishop from 2019-06-02T17:28:19

David Bishop is programme leader for Creative Writing at Edinburgh Napier University. He tells us about the variety of creative writing courses available worldwide, answers our listeners’ questi...

EP196: Kiley Dunbar - Another Listener Who Got A Deal! from 2019-05-26T23:01:16

These are our favourite episodes where we speak to one of our listeners who got a book deal! Kiley Dunbar is the author of One Summer’s Night, the first of a three book deal with Hera Books. Kil...

EP195 Teaser: How To get Your Book Into An Indie Bookshop from 2019-05-25T23:18:07

Liz Hurley runs Hurley Books in Cornwall and is a writer herself. Here she gives us some frank and immensely useful dos and don’ts on how to get your book on the shelves of your local bookshop, ...

EP194: Tade Thompson - Master Storyteller And Worldbuilder from 2019-05-20T00:07:09

Tade Thompson’s Rosewater has been nominated for pretty much every award going this year, and Tade’s skill in combining complex worldbuidling and compelling storytelling is second-to-none. He ta...

EP193 Teaser: Audiobooks Masterclass with Tina Dietz from 2019-05-18T04:19:46

Tina Dietz is an award-winning audiobook publisher and marketing expert and she was kind enough to answer our listeners’ questions on producing audiobooks, casting narrators and more. Audiobooks...

EP192: One Page Punch-Ups With Juliet Ewers from 2019-05-12T23:01:14

The postEP192: One Page Punch-Ups With Juliet Ewersappeared first on Listen

EP191 Teaser: Writing Romantic Comedy with Rhoda Baxter and Jane Lovering from 2019-05-12T16:58:34

We welcome back romantic fiction novelist Rhoda Baxter and this time she’s joined by Jane Lovering, winner of Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year. They are about to launch their book “How To Write...

EP190: Simon Beckett - One Moment That Changed Everything from 2019-05-06T00:00:52

Simon Beckett has sold over ten million copies of his books worldwide, but he came close to giving up fiction for good until a trip to a body farm changed his career forever. Our novel Back To R...

EP189 Teaser: A Masterclass on Writing Comics with David Bishop from 2019-05-05T23:56:20

In the 1990s David Bishop ran Judge Dredd magazine and 2000 AD comic and since then has become a prolific author and screenwriter. David is also a lecturer in creative writing at Edinburgh Napie...

EP188: Taylor Jenkins-Reid - Breaking The Rules = Bestseller from 2019-04-28T23:01:56

Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s latest novel Daisy Jones and the Six has been a global smash, but what makes it all the more extraordinary is that she has written fiction in a non-fiction format. Taylor d...

EP187 Teaser: Author Website Q&A with Simon Appleby from 2019-04-28T20:22:15

Simon Appleby is the founder of Bookswarm, a specialist service dedicated to developing websites for authors. We had so many listener questions and Simon gave us all the answers! Hear more at ht...

EP186: Claire Handscombe - Myers-Briggs, Enneagrams and The West Wing from 2019-04-22T02:19:34

Claire Handscombe is a British writer whose obsession with The West Wing took her to Washington DC. Her debut novel, Unscripted, is out now and she tells us about how she used some remarkable ps...

EP185 Teaser: Self Publishing Paperbacks with Craig Anderson from 2019-04-22T02:04:52

Author Craig Anderson recently sold over ten thousand copies of his books on Amazon and much of this was down to his painstaking work with Amazon and Facebook ads. In the third of three special ...

EP184: David Gaughran - How Amazon Works from 2019-04-14T23:01

David Gaughran is bestselling novelist and the author of a series of amazing guides on how to market books online. He has helped thousands of authors self-publish their books and we were delight...

EP183 Teaser: Deep Dive - A Facebook Ads Masterclass with Craig Anderson from 2019-04-11T22:19:55

We speak to two authors about how they use dictation software for write their books and they answer our listeners’ questions.

The postListen

EP182: Angela Marsons - 3 million sold in 3 years from 2019-04-07T23:01:32

Angela Marsons’ first novel Silent Scream was rejected by every major UK publisher, but she never gave up and now she’s sold an incredible three million copies and counting. Her story is incredi...

EP181 Teaser: Dictation Software - A Deep Dive from 2019-04-02T16:28:15

We speak to two authors about how they use dictation software for write their books and they answer our listeners’ questions.

The postListen

EP180: The London Book Fair 2019 from 2019-03-31T23:01:02

A special episode from the 2019 London Book Fair. We spoke to Nicola May about her novel The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay,  which was number one on the UK Kindle store for over two months, we ...

EP179: Chris Humphries - From The Stage To Page from 2019-03-25T01:20:11

Chris Humphries started as an actor but his writing career took off when he took one of his key roles and created an acclaimed series of novels.

The postListen

EP178: The Crafty Craft of Writing Live Show from 2019-03-18T01:00:19

We asked our Patreon supporters for their questions on the crafty craft of writing and with our live audience we discuss comedy, genre, tropes, unique expression, and how to make your supporting...

EP177: One Page Punch-Ups with Jon Wood from 2019-03-10T18:00:21

In the second of our One Page Punch-Up specials we asked our Patreon Chart Topper supporters to send us one page from their work-in-progress and we gave them to agent and editor Jon Wood to crit...

EP176 Teaser: Deep Dive - An Amazon Ads Masterclass with Craig Anderson from 2019-03-09T18:17:04

Author Craig Anderson recently sold over ten thousand copies of his books on Amazon and much of this was down to his painstaking work with Amazon and Facebook ads. In the first of three special ...

EP175: Anna Stephens - From 36 rejections to a 6-figure deal from 2019-03-04T00:01:30

Anna Stephens’ fantasy novel Godblind was one of the most-anticipated debuts of 2017, but it had a very long road to publication. Anna talks honestly about coping with thirteen years of rejectio...

EP174 Teaser: Deep Dive - Dos and Don’ts of a Book Launch from 2019-03-03T21:55:19

We run through the essential elements of a successful book launch, including top tips on venues, public speaking, food and drink, social media, ticketing, publicity, sales and how to keep people...

EP173: Gavin G Smith - Rock N Roll Book Promotion from 2019-02-25T00:01:44

Gavin G Smith is the author of The Veteran and The Bastard Legion science fiction series. When it came to promoting his latest book, he decided that a few Tweets simply wasn’t enough. Instead he...

EP172 Teaser: A Deep Dive Q&A with Dave Chesson The Kindlepreneur from 2019-02-24T18:42:47

We speak to Dave Chesson, the Kindlepreneuer, and ask him listener questions about Kindle pricing, marketing niche titles, marketing YA and middle grade eBooks, KDP Rocket, selling a series and ...

EP171: James Oswald - From Self-Published To Six Figure Deals from 2019-02-18T00:01:22

We haven’t had many authors who have Sheep Shit Sampler on their resumé, but James Oswald is a farmer who has gone from self-publishing fantasy fiction to six-figure deals with Penguin and Wildf...

EP170 Teaser: Deep Dive - Start Your Own Publisher with Michael R Miller from 2019-02-16T00:38:32

Michael R Miller is author of the Dragon Blade trilogy and, with Taran Matharu, is co-founder of Portal Books, a publisher dedicated to LitRPG (Literary Role Playing Games). Michael tells us how...

EP169: Breaking The Rules - Live Show Highlights from 2019-02-11T00:47:37

In our latest live show – exclusive to our Patreon Chart Topper supporters – we asked which writing rules they liked to break and it led to some heated discussions! To support the show, check ou...

EP168 Teaser: A Digital First&Metadata Deep Dive from 2019-02-08T02:08:16

We spoke to Orion Fiction’s Victoria Oundjian about their strategy for digital first publishing and she gives us some amazing tips on how to use metadata to make your books more visible online. ...

EP167: One Page Punch-Ups with Emad Akhtar from 2019-02-04T00:00:11

In the very first of our One Page Punch-Up specials we asked our Patreon Chart Topper supporters to send us one page from their work-in-progress and we gave them to Orion Editorial Director Emad...

EP166 Teaser: The Edit Process step-by-step, a Deep Dive with Melissa Caruso from 2019-02-02T19:15:47

Melissa Caruso is the author of the amazing Swords&Fire trilogy and her recent Twitter thread on the editorial process inspired us to speak to her. She takes us through every stage, and shows ho...

EP165: Peter May - Story In His Blood from 2019-01-28T01:52:21

Peter May is the multi-award-winning and bestselling author of the Lewis series and he takes us through his incredible career, including his years in television and how that influenced his novel...

EP164 Teaser: Deep Dive: Girl Friday Part 3 - Being Authentic in Sales - Plus Bonus David Barnett from 2019-01-28T01:31:51

In the third and final of our three exclusive episodes for our Patreon supporters we speak to Ingrid Emerick, one of the founders of Girl Friday Productions about why you don’t need to be a sell...

EP163: Working With Editors - David M Barnett from 2019-01-21T06:55:22

David M Barnett is the bestselling author of Calling Major Tom, a book that came at a crossroads in his life and came out of a conversation with an editor. How much control do editors have over ...

EP162 Teaser: A Deep Dive: Our Marketing Masterclass with Sam Missingham continues... from 2019-01-16T01:33:05

We continue our masterclass with Sam Missingham, founder of Lounge Marketing, on how exactly we plan to sell ten thousand copies of our book by Glastonbury. We go into even deeper detail on how ...

EP161: A Marketing Masterclass with Sam Missingham from 2019-01-14T03:16:47

Sam Missingham, founder of Lounge Marketing, hijacks the show and grills us on how exactly we plan to sell ten thousand copies of our book by Glastonbury. We go into some serious detail on how y...

EP160 Teaser: Deep Dive: Girl Friday Part 2 - Building Your Brand from 2019-01-09T02:58:39

In the second of three exclusive episodes for our Patreon supporters we speak to Ingrid Emerick, one of the founders of Girl Friday Productions about how they help authors build brands, how it’s...

EP159: January LIVE SHOW highlights - Strategies for selling your books from 2019-01-07T01:01:06

On this month’s live show for our Patreon Chart Topper supporters we talked about the kind of strategies you can use to sell more books, set achievable goals and work more effectively. To suppor...

EP158: Jump Into 2019 With The Crash Test Dummies from 2018-12-31T01:00:25

We talk about our personal goals for 2019 and reveal our new insane challenge for 2019… and once again we’re inviting our listeners to beat us to it. To support the show, check out bestsellerexp...

EP157: A Christmas Special with Ian Rankin from 2018-12-24T01:00:14

A Christmas treat as we speak to bestselling author Ian Rankin who takes us through his incredible career, including tips on plotting, research, and his worst habit when writing, his favourite m...

EP156: Julian Barr - A Small Press, Epic Stories and a Bestseller from 2018-12-17T01:00:38

Julian Barr’s thrilling debut YA novel The Way Home was published by Odyssey Books, a small press. Julian has taken an indie attitude to publishing and marketing the book, and his attention to d...

EP155: Catherine Ryan Howard - Get Your Arse In The Chair from 2018-12-10T01:00:30

Catherine started by self-publishing her travel adventures and has gone on to write USA Today and Irish Times bestselling thrillers. She’s now a founding member of The Inspiration Project, which...

EP154: Mark Billingham - From a shoutline to five million books sold from 2018-12-03T01:00:10

Mark Billingham is renowned for his bestselling crime thrillers, not least the Jack Thorne series. Having now sold over 5 millions copies of his books, Mark takes us through his incredible caree...

EP153: From a Pitch to a Deal, with Alison Belsham from 2018-11-26T01:00:26

Alison Belsham tells us how her debut novel The Tattoo Thief started with a pitch at a crime festival and caught the attention of a major publisher, leading to a book deal, epic international ri...

EP152: Editing Masterclass with Emad Akhtar and Caroline Hulse from 2018-11-19T01:00:27

The highlights from our YouTube Live Show for our Patreon supporters. We talk through the editorial process with author Caroline Hulse and her editor Emad Akhtar, looking at specific pages and e...

EP151: Matthew Reilly - How To Sell 8 Million Books Out of the Back of Your Car from 2018-11-12T01:00:44

Matthew Reilly self-published his first novel when he was 19, selling copies from the back of his car. Now with 8 million books sold he tops the bestseller charts worldwide and continues to thri...

EP150: Joanna Nadin - The Queen of Bloody Everything from 2018-11-05T01:00:09

Joanna Nadin has written over 70 award-winning books for children and adults and recently inspired Mr. Stay to completely re-write his middle-grade children’s book. She shares a flood of amazing...

EP149: Halloween Special with Ramsey Campbell from 2018-10-30T01:00:03

Ramsey Campbell is a legend of horror fiction who has been terrifying readers for over six decades, so who better to headline our Halloween special? He reveals the book that was too grim to publ...

EP148: RJ Barker and Explosions of Joy from 2018-10-29T13:31:50

RJ Barker combines the page-turning thrills of a whodunnit crime thriller and the world-building of fantasy in his Wounded Kingdom series, the first of which was written in just six weeks! RJ te...

EP147: Defying the Odds with Sherrilyn Kenyon from 2018-10-22T00:00:47

Sherrilyn Kenyon’s first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk...

EP146 Teaser: Deep Dive: Essential Guide to Bloggers and Blog Tours from 2018-10-21T23:58:08

An essential guide to bloggers and blog tours with Gollancz’s Publicity Manager Stevie Finegan. You will discover how to find bloggers, how to work with them, how to create a campaign, top tips ...

145: Mr. Stay’s Hot Tub Alpine Retreat with Marcus Sedgwick and Dawn Kurtagich from 2018-10-15T00:00:38

Mr. Stay overcomes his suspicion of writing retreats and joins award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick on his retreat in the Alps and, in a podcast first, interviews him in a hot tub! We listen bac...

EP144 Teaser: Deep Dive with Clare Christian from 2018-10-14T00:54:56

A special episode where we talk to Clare Christian from RedDoor Publishing about their hybrid model of publishing where the authors underwrite the production costs, but also have great control o...

143: Rowan Coleman’s Impossible Summer from 2018-10-08T00:00:52

We speak to bestselling author Rowan Coleman about why she heckled Mr. Stay at the RNA conference, how to make readers cry, how copy editors can save your life, how a chance encounter at a super...

142: YALC special with Dhonielle Clayton from 2018-10-03T22:21:16

Mr. Stay reports from YALC, the Young Adult Literature Convention in London and speaks to author Dhonielle Clayton about her book The Belles and how it all started with a conversation overheard ...

141: The Two Marks - Mark Desvaux (Mr D) Returns from 2018-10-01T02:46:15

In this special episode we welcome back Mark Desvaux (Mr. D) to the show. To support the show, check out bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperimen...

140: The Conventions&Comic Cons Survival Guide from 2018-09-24T05:17:49

  In these highlights from our YouTube Live show with Gollancz’s Marcus Gipps and Stevie Finnegan we look into the world of conventions, comic cons and other bookish events. AND we have some exc...

139: Lisa Cutts - Cop, writer, bestseller from 2018-09-17T00:00:22

Lisa Cutts works for Kent Police as a full-time detective constable, but when she’s not solving murders and other serious crimes she writes bestselling crime fiction. We caught up with Lisa on t...

138: Miranda Dickinson - The Longest Apprenticeship from 2018-09-10T00:00:42

Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times bestselling author, shortlisted twice for the RNA Novel of the Year, and has sold over half a million books. Her story is one of determination, rejection, gri...

EP137 Teaser: Newsletters Deep Dive with Julia Pidduck from 2018-09-07T20:34:53

In this Deep Dive we explore newsletters with digital marketing consultant Julia Pidduck who brings years of experience working with indie authors and bestselling giants like Ian Rankin. We answ...

EP136: John McGhie - Writing Living History from 2018-09-03T05:00:12

John McGhie has been an investigative journalist for the BBC and Channel 4 News and was the Observer’s political correspondent, and his debut novel White Highlands looks at the Mau Mau and a dar...

EP135: The Romantic Novelists’ Association conference with Rhoda Baxter, Nicola Cornick and Sheila Crighton from 2018-08-27T05:00:59

Love is in the air at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference! I was invited to talk about the podcast and was introduced by Julie Cohen, heckled by Rowan Coleman, and I got to speak to R...

EP133: Pernille Hughes - A Star In Sweatpants Is Born from 2018-08-20T05:00:16

Pernille Hughes brings the funny with her debut novel Sweatpants at Tiffanie’s. To add to the joy, Pernille is one of our listeners and we trace her journey from sharing a photocopier with a Tel...

EP132 Teaser: The Hero's Journey Part 2 from 2018-08-19T21:42:41

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell’s Hero’s Journey in the second of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfathe...

EP131: Sam Missingham - A massive boot up the arse for publishing from 2018-08-13T05:00:18

Sam Missingham fell in love with the quirks of the publishing industry when she started working at The Bookseller over a decade ago. Since then she has worked at HarperCollins as head of audienc...

EP130 Teaser: The Hero's Journey Part 1 from 2018-08-11T23:02:40

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell’s Hero’s Journey in the first of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather...

EP129 Teaser: Romcoms from 2018-08-07T04:03:19

Mr. Stay discusses Romcoms with literary agent and romcom devotee Federica Leonardis in this special Deep Dive. We look at the tropes, the characters, the readers’ expectations and we dig deep i...

EP128: Youtube LIVE show with Ed Wilson (Mr. Stay’s agent spills the beans on money and more) from 2018-08-06T05:00:37

This is not the usual ‘How do you get an agent?’ show, instead we talk about money, author’s earnings, shrinking advances, publishers’ profits, and that letter from the Society of Authors to the...

EP127: Cally Taylor aka CL Taylor aka six time Sunday Times Bestseller from 2018-07-30T05:00:54

You may know CL Taylor as the Sunday Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers The Lie, The Accident, The Fear and more… but it wasn’t always that way. As Cally Taylor she wrote romcom...

EP126: Veronica Henry - A Recipe For A Bestseller from 2018-07-23T05:00:38

Veronica Henry is a Sunday Times bestselling novelist who started out as a writer on BBC radio’s The Archers after being kicked out of university, and then went on to win the RNA novel of the ye...

EP125: Steve Cavanagh - Author on the verge of a massive breakthrough from 2018-07-16T05:46:08

Steve Cavanagh is the author of the Eddie Flynn legal thrillers The Defence, The Plea, The Liar and now, with his new book Thirteen, he is on the verge of a bestselling breakthrough. Steve bring...

EP124 Teaser: Beta Readers from 2018-07-14T00:12:55

Feedback from Beta Readers can transform your writing, but how do you find them? How should you work with them? And should you become one yourself? Discover more in this week’s Deep Dive as Mark...

EP123: Warren Adler - The Master of Dysfunction from 2018-07-09T05:00:53

Warren Adler is best known for his classic bestseller The War of the Roses and has had the most incredible career as a writer of novels, stage plays, poems, essays and short stories. He was also...

EP121 Teaser: State of the (publishing nation) with Sam Missingham from 2018-07-03T01:00:05

Hey Patreon supporters, we have over a month’s backlog of recordings on the podcast at the moment, but we wanted you to have this one hot off the press before it goes live to the general public ...

EP122: The kids are all right! Live Show with Amber Caravéo from 2018-07-02T06:13:27

The highlights from our live show with Children’s Literary Agent Amber Caravéo! Amber was formerly a commissioning editor at Random House Children’s Books and Editorial Director at Orion Childre...

EP120: The Quanderhorn Xperimentations with Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall from 2018-06-25T05:00:39

Mr. Stay spoke to a pair of his TV writing heroes at the MCM Comic Con in London recently. Rob Grant is the co-creator of the classic science fiction comedy Red Dwarf, and Andrew Marshall is bes...

EP119: Crowdfunding tips with Jimmy Leach from 2018-06-18T05:00:49

Crowdfunding is an increasingly common and way for authors to make their project come to life. But how to do this if you’re queasy about asking for money? Jimmy is the Head of Crowdfunding at Un...

EP118 Teaser: Rights from 2018-06-16T00:58:06

In one of our Industry Insider Deep Dives we talk to Jessica Purdue from the Orion Publishing Group’s Rights department about TV/Film rights, royalties, licences, renewals, translations, co-edit...

EP117: Gareth L Powell - How to sing a space opera from 2018-06-11T05:05:57

Gareth L Powell is one of the most generous authors on social media and a font of writing wisdom. He’s also the award-winning author of the Ack-Ack Macaque trilogy, his short stories have appear...

EP116 Teaser: Adaptation from 2018-06-11T05:00:21

This week’s topic of adaptation came from one of our Patreon supporters and listeners Julian Barr, who joined me to discuss the various methods for adapting from one medium to another, including...

EP115: Julie Wassmer - The Pearl of Whitstable from 2018-06-04T05:00:24

Julie Wassmer is an EastEnder who has written for EastEnders and she’s now bumping off the locals in her wonderful series of novels The Whitstable Pearl Mysteries. I met Julie by the seaside on ...

EP114 Teaser: Criticism from 2018-06-04T01:04:26

In this Deep Dive we take a look at one of the hardest parts of being a writer: coping with criticism. It can come in many forms: from writing groups, reviews, social media and more. We look at ...

EP113: Sharon Bolton and the Mysteries of Mystery Fiction from 2018-05-28T05:00:40

Sharon Bolton (aka SJ Bolton) is the bestselling and award-winning thriller author of the Lacey Flint series and her writing continues the tradition of gothic mystery, mixed with the pace of pag...

EP112: Deborah Haywood - Pin Cushion from 2018-05-21T05:00

This week we go to the movies with writer/director Deborah Haywood whose debut feature film Pin Cushion will be released in cinemas July 13th 2018. Deborah is BIFA-nominated and was one of Scree...

EP111: Live Show with Ben Willis from 2018-05-14T06:14:19

Another special YouTube Live episode featuring Orion editor Ben Willis with contributions from our wonderful Patreon supporters! Ben worked in book publicity for Transworld and Headline before j...

EP110 Teaser: Introducing Your Characters from 2018-05-14T05:52:40

This week’s Deep Dive focuses on introducing your characters. We’ve already had a Deep Dive on writing compelling characters, but I want to focus on that moment when you first introduce them. Ho...

EP108: Win Kelly Charles - The Curiosity Killed The Cat Kid from 2018-05-07T05:00:36

Win Kelly Charles is a bestselling indie author who has publicly declared that she’s stepping away from Facebook after the Cambridge Analytica scandal. We talked about Win’s decision, how it aff...

EP108 Teaser: Short Stories from 2018-05-05T21:12:15

Writing short stories is hard! Cramming great character and story into just a few thousand words is a skill few writers master, but here are some tips to help you get started… Hear more at http:...

EP107: Isabel Ashdown's Secrets and Lies from 2018-04-30T05:00:30

Isabel Ashdown is the author of bestselling thrillers Little Sister and Beautiful Liars. She walked away from a successful career to focus on her writing and it all stepped up a gear when she en...

EP106 Teaser: Cliches and Tropes from 2018-04-29T21:19:48

CLICHES AND TROPES – how to identify cliches in your writing and tropes in your storytelling, and strategies for making your work stronger. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support P...

EP105: Ed McDonald, Dear Debut Authors from 2018-04-23T05:00:41

Ed McDonald broke onto the fantasy scene with his incredible debut Blackwing in 2017 and has had an amazing year. He’s living the dream! Then a few weeks ago he wrote a very honest blog titled ‘...

EP104 Teaser: Production Part 2 with Paul Hussey from 2018-04-22T16:24:12

In this week’s Deep Dive Mark Stay is joined by Paul Hussey and they take a deep dive into the production of your publication. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support PODCAST BUY Ba...

EP103: Michael J Ward - Choose Your Own Adventure from 2018-04-16T05:00:24

Michael J Ward is a writer and gamer who has taken choose-your-own-adventure books to the next level. With compelling characters and engaging stories his DestinyQuest books are written in a uniq...

EP102 Teaser: Production Part 1 with Andy Bowden from 2018-04-09T05:05:33

In this week’s Deep Dive Mark Stay is joined by Andy Bowden and they take a deep dive into the production of your publication. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support PODCAST BUY Ba...

EP101: Live Show with Emad Akhtar from 2018-04-09T05:00:14

Editor Emad Akhtar has worked with authors like Michael Connelly, Ian Rankin and Justin Cronin and was kind enough to join our live show and answer our listeners’ questions! To support the show,...

EP100 Teaser: Elements of a Chapter from 2018-04-07T03:36:04

This week’s Deep Dive is short n sweet and crammed with tips on making your chapters work as hard as possible. We’ll look at the purpose of the chapter, how it fits into the larger story, and what ...

EP99: Cavan Scott from 2018-04-02T05:00:27

We speak to Cavan Scott, an extraordinary writer who writes on licence, meaning that he is hired to write for licenced intellectual properties such as Star Wars and Doctor Who. If you’ve ever writt...

EP98 Teaser: Deep Dive - Audiobooks from 2018-03-26T05:05:18

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP97: Roz Morris from 2018-03-26T05:00:06

We speak to Roz Morris, a writer whose books have sold over 4 million copies, but until recently you won’t have seen her name on the covers because she is a ghost writer. Roz has written for member...

EP96 Teaser: Deep Dive - Options Part 3 from 2018-03-19T06:05:27

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP95: Richard Morgan from 2018-03-19T06:00:44

We speak to Richard Morgan about his novel Altered Carbon and its long journey through development hell before it went on the become the biggest show on Netflix. And we look back on his incredible ...

EP94 Teaser: Deep Dive - Options Part 2 from 2018-03-12T06:05:40

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP93: Alex T. Smith from 2018-03-12T06:00:18

In the latest of an occasional series of reports from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference, we speak to bestselling children’s author and illustrator Alex T Smith… and...

EP92: The Gingerbread Shortlist from 2018-03-08T00:15:39

A special episode where Mr. Stay catches up with Sam Eades on the Gingerbread writing competition launched in episode 50, and speaks to the shortlisted authors, and we discover what it was about th...

EP91 Teaser: Deep Dive - Options Part 1 from 2018-03-05T06:05:10

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP90: Ask the Two Marks from 2018-03-05T06:00:37

Braving snowmageddon, our monthly live show was recorded in London and Vancouver, with our audience of Patreon supporters. Featured listener questions include the secrets of metadata, author bloggi...

EP89 Teaser: Deep Dive - Five Principles on 2nd Drafts from 2018-02-26T06:01:02

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP88: Unbound and The End of Magic from 2018-02-26T06:00:14

Mr. Stay has a new book coming! And it’s being published by Unbound Books who use a crowdfunding model. We discuss how it all works and how you, dear listener, can get involved at https://unbound.c...

EP87 Teaser: Deep Dive - Five Principles on 2nd Drafts from 2018-02-19T06:01:55

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP86: Catriona Innes from 2018-02-19T06:00:31

We speak to the completely charming Catriona Innes, Senior Editor of Cosmopolitan, the UK’s best selling glossy magazine. Working on the features desk she writes, edits and commissions the long rea...

EP85 Teaser: Deep Dive - Rocket Your Word Count from 2018-02-13T06:00:28

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP84: Cass Green from 2018-02-12T06:00:31

We speak to Cass Green, bestselling author of The Woman Next Door and In a Cottage In a Wood who told us how a quick swim led to a change in direction for her career...



In this...

EP83 Teaser: Deep Dive - Creating Compelling Characters from 2018-02-06T06:00:20

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP82: Jen Williams - "Even Aliens Have Issues." from 2018-02-05T06:00:47

We speak to Jen Williams, writer of charismatic characters and founder of the Super Relaxed Fantasy Club.



In this episode you will discover…

- Top tips for building a...

EP81: Live Show Q&A with the two Marks from 2018-01-29T06:00:17

Behold, the highlights of this month's YouTube Live show for our Patreon supporters.



In this episode you will discover…

- How long your should project be. How to tell...

EP80 Teaser: Deep Dive - Beat Writers Block from 2018-01-23T06:00:27

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP79: Liz Pichon from 2018-01-22T06:00:54

In the first of an occasional series of reports from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference, we speak to bestselling children’s author and illustrator Liz Pichon about t...

EP78: Preview - Deep Dive - Brandon Sanderson from 2018-01-16T06:00:24

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP77: Brandon Sanderson from 2018-01-15T06:00:44

We caught up with fantasy bestselling author and super nice dude Brandon Sanderson and in a jam-packed episode he answered our listeners’ questions and let us in on some of his inspirational top ti...

EP76: This Week on The Bestseller Experiment Deep Dive of episode 075 from 2018-01-09T06:00:21

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP75: Location, location, location and murder with Lara Dearman from 2018-01-08T06:00:43

We talk to novelist Lara Dearman about her debut book The Devil’s Claw and the importance of place, location, myths and folklore in her fiction and much more.



In this episode y...

EP74: This Week on The Bestseller Experiment Deep Dive of episode 073 from 2018-01-01T06:30:31

Here are some clips of what is happening over on the Deep Dive at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

EP73: New Year's Countdown to Your Favourite Episodes from 2018-01-01T06:00:55

A Happy New Year to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we conclude our thrilling countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! Who ...

EP72: Christmas Special from 2017-12-25T06:00:11

Merry Christmas to all our listeners! In today’s special episode we begin our countdown of our top 10 best episodes as voted for by you with our favourite clips from those shows! We start with, er…...

EP71: MR Carey from 2017-12-18T06:00:04

Mike Carey writes comics, novels and screenplays like Hellblazer, Lucifer, X-Men, the Felix Castor novels, and The Girl With All the Gifts. He’s also written novels with his wife Linda and daughter...

EP70: Listeners’ Question Time from 2017-12-11T06:00:41

The Two Marks answer your questions in this recording of our first Patreon subscribers’ live show.



To hear more of this episode in our deep dive, check out https://patreon.com/...

EP69: Tad Williams - Legendary Worldbuilder from 2017-12-04T06:00:51

Tad Williams is a master of the fantasy genre. Not only an incredible world builder, but he populates his books with memorable and beloved characters. He’s returned to the world of Memory, Sorrow &...

EP68: Victoria Aveyard - The Red Queen of YA from 2017-11-27T06:00:03

We hitch a ride with Victoria Aveyard, the bestselling author of the Red Queen series, and we talk unreliable narrators, copy edits and building characters.

To hear more of this episode ...

EP67: Season 2! Publicity Secrets Revealed from 2017-11-20T06:00:18

On the day the Two Marks land a big feature in Publisher's Weekly, we talk with top publicists Elaine Egan, Lauren Woosey and Virginia Woolstencroft about interview tips, creating a buzz around you...

EP66: Back to Reality - Bestseller Launch Day Part 4 from 2017-11-13T06:00:17

Bestselling author and friend of the show Shannon Mayer joins Mark Desvaux in the final part of the launch day event for the two Marks’ novel Back to Reality. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/bac...

EP65: Back to Reality - Bestseller Launch Day Part 3 from 2017-11-06T06:00:38

The sky over London turns red as the two Marks recall the third part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

EP64: Back to Reality - Bestseller Launch Day Part 2 from 2017-10-30T06:00:53

It’s High Noon as the two Marks recall the second part of their launch day event for their novel Back to Reality.

Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

EP63: Back to Reality - Bestseller Launch Day Part 1 from 2017-10-23T15:26:55

Relive the magic of launch day as the Two Marks attempt to hit the bestseller charts with their novel Back to Reality. Will it be a car crash or chart crash? Buy your copy at bestsellerexperiment.c...

EP62: PUBLICATION DAY! Back to Reality is Out Now! from 2017-10-16T05:00:04

?It's Launch Day! After a year of podcasting and writing our book, Back to Reality is finally available to buy on Kindle for a special launch day price.

Buy your copy at bestsellerexperi...

EP61: One Day to Go! Back to Reality Book Reading from 2017-10-15T05:00:38

?In the seventh of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we thought you might like a little taster of an early scene from our novel Back to Reality, out Monday 16th October 2017! Che...

EP60: Two Days to Go! Favourite Pod Moments from 2017-10-14T05:00:35

?In the sixth of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication of Back to Reality, The Two Marks look back at some of their favourite moments over the last year of the podcast.

Ch...

EP59: Three Days to Go! Social Media from 2017-10-13T07:00:12

?How do you harness the power of social media in your book launch? Find out in the fifth mini-episode, as we prepare for the launch of our novel Back to Reality (bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreal...

EP58: Four Days to Go! Reviews & Launch Teams from 2017-10-12T05:00:32

?In the fourth of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we look at the importance of reviews and how you get readers to spread the word. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

EP57: Five days to go! Beta readers and reviews from 2017-10-11T05:00:24

?In the third of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to publication we look at Beta readers and reviews and how to cope with feedback. Check out bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

EP56: Six Days to Go! Getting Quotes for Your Book from 2017-10-10T05:00:21

?How do you get pull quotes from other authors for your book? Find out in the second of our daily mini-episodes in the run-up to the release of Back to Reality - bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

EP55: One Week to Go! Back to Reality & Blurbs from 2017-10-09T05:00:30

?Holy cow! Only seven days until we publish our novel, Back to Reality. This is the first of eight special daily mini-episodes looking at the essential aspects of launching a book. Today: we talk b...

EP54: The Mighty Joanna Penn from 2017-10-02T05:00:53

Only two weeks to go till the publication of our book Back To Reality, and we seek the advice of the amazing Joanna Penn, NY Times bestselling author, public speaker and podcaster…

In thi...

EP53: GollanczFest, Gin and a Special Guest from 2017-09-25T05:00:34

Only three weeks to go till publication, but we somehow found time to talk to the wonderful folk from Gollancz about GollanczFest and we find our show gatecrashed by an old friend.


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EP52: Four Weeks To Go! from 2017-09-18T05:00:20

Holy cow! Only four weeks till publication? Already?? What do we do? How did it come round so soon? Yes, the two Marks discuss their impending deadline and their pre-publication marketing strategy ...

EP51: The Impossible Choices Of Samantha King from 2017-09-11T05:00:25

Samantha King is a bestselling debut novelist, and her book The Choice taps into parental fears. Sam has also worked in publishing and has a unique perspective on the process of writing, editing, p...

EP50: Gingerbread from 2017-09-01T05:00:09

A very special episode with an amazing opportunity for writers. Find out more here: https://gingerbread.org.uk/content/2454/One-in-four-new-writer-competition

 

In this episode ...

EP49: Bookbub Mythbusting from 2017-08-28T05:00:34

As the two Marks gear-up for publication, it’s suddenly dawned on them that they will have to market and sell their novel! Who better to turn to for advice than the folk at Bookbub, whose newslette...

EP48: A Kick In The Ed from 2017-08-21T05:00:56

The two Marks have met with their editor. Sit in on one of their story sessions as they go through their notes, and discover the huge change that they will have to make to improve their chances of ...

EP47: Titles, Covers & Deadlines from 2017-08-14T05:00:26

In the second part of this conversation between the two Marks before their book goes to their editor, they wonder if it will survive the edit, or does the experiment end here?



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EP46: Research and Reconnoitring from 2017-08-07T05:00:02

The two Marks are recording in the same room! Will universes collide? Will they reveal any more about their damn book? They talk about research, reconnoitring locations, and more in the first of a ...

EP45: Katherine May - Creative Writing Cocktails from 2017-07-31T05:00:40

Katherine May is an award-winning writer, blogger and the programme director of creative writing at Canterbury, Christ Church University. She is an extraordinary talent, makes a mean gin cocktail, ...

EP44: Jennifer Niven from 2017-07-24T07:00:03

Jennifer Niven is a phenomenally successful YA novelist. All The Bright Places was a Goodreads Choice Award winner and is now being adapted for film starring Elle Fanning. We spoke to Jennifer not ...

EP43: Martina Cole - Dangerous Lady from 2017-07-17T07:00:49

Martina Cole is the undisputed queen of British crime fiction. She’s sold over 14 million books and her novels regularly top the Sunday Times bestsellers. She’s come a long way from being told ‘Wom...

EP42: The End from 2017-07-10T07:00:57

We’ve done it, we’ve finished our first draft! After months of writing — and that outline — we discuss what it means to reach this milestone, and what we can expect from the next draft, and we reve...

EP41: Deon Meyer Fever from 2017-07-03T07:00:56

Deon is a bestselling thriller writer from South Africa whose books have been translated into 20 languages, but with his latest book Fever. he has written a post-apocalyptic epic with a big heart, ...

EP40: Laura Barnett’s Greatest Hits from 2017-06-26T07:00:42

Laura Barnett’s 2015 debut The Versions Of Us was a smash hit, a number one bestseller, and translated into 23 languages. Now she faces that difficult second album syndrome, but Laura has come up w...

EP39: Million-Selling Children Books | Karen Ball from 2017-06-19T07:00:40

A children’s fiction special. We talk with Karen Ball who has published some of the bestselling children’s series of the last twenty years, including the Beast Quest which has sold over 11m copies....

EP38: From The Heart | Erica James from 2017-06-12T07:00:20

How do you touch the heart of your readers? We get emotional over tea and cake with bestselling author Erica James. Erica has sold over 5 million copies of her twenty books, is winner of the Romant...

EP37: Go For Launch | Susan Kaye Quinn from 2017-06-05T07:00:10

In the second part of our interview with Susan Kaye Quinn, we talk about how to launch your book, pre-orders, fan-service, promoting your books, the dark art of blurbs, the power of tropes and myth...

EP36: For Love Or Money | Susan Kaye Quinn from 2017-05-29T07:00:13

Susan Kaye Quinn is not only a genuine rocket scientist, but she’s also a bestselling indie author in fiction and non-fiction. She runs the incredible For Love Or Money Facebook group, a resource f...

EP35: The Incredible Tenacity Of Mark Edwards from 2017-05-22T07:00:26

Mark Edwards is the bestselling author of over two million psychological thrillers such as The Magpies. Mark is an author who has been self-published, traditionally-published, and is now one of Ama...

EP34: Into The Woods With John Yorke from 2017-05-15T07:00:29

John Yorke is one of the world's leading lights in the art of storytelling. As former head of Channel Four Drama, Controller of BBC Drama Production and head of Company Pictures, he has worked on s...

EP33: A Deep Dive With The Two Marks from 2017-05-07T23:00:48

The two Marks discuss the progress of their novel so far as the deadline rapidly approaches, and Mr. Stay recalls a piece of advice he received from Julie Cohen after he finished recording his inte...