The Failing Writers Podcast

The second stop on our literary whistle stop tour of Edinburgh is The Writers Museum in Makars Court.

Focussing on the three writers generally considered to be the great Titans of Scottish Literature: Robbie Burns, Sir Walter Scott & Robert Louis Stevenson.

We have a wander round, read some poetry and look into why these fellas are so revered.

We also go on a literary pub tour and have a chat with actor Mike Daviot, who just ...

Ahoy there, you weary word-wanderer. You found us. Finally!  Thank goodness.

Welcome to the Failing Writers Podcast. Think of us as your writing harbour.

Your safe haven.

Your Lighthouse.

Come and moor here for a while and have your brain de-barnacled by the glorious mind of poet Michael Pederson.

Writer, linguaphile, Edinburgh Makar and all-round inspirational wordsmitherizer.

And once you’ve been inspired… time to get inv...

Hello writers. Just when you thought the competition was all wrapped up… this week we look at the almost-winners of our big annual comp.

Yep, these are the brilliant writers who made the shortlist, but didn’t quite manage to snaffle a place on Sarah’s podium.

And here are those five wondrously wizard-like word weavers:

Kieran Ahern

Jonathon Davies

Steven Stilbech

Stuart James Taylor

Jasmine Sears

Well done to them all, and keep...

Lovers of flash fiction… prepare to have your ears blown into absolute blummin smithereens, because this episode is the big reveal of the winners of our annual writing competition, and there’s FIVE HUNDRED SQUIDS up for grabs. Which, as I’m sure you’ll agree, is a serious amount of squids.

Think of all the ink you could buy.

So, come on in, and hear the traditional ‘YOU’RE ALL WINNERS SONG’, listen to Sarah Lewis from Writers HQ ...

So, here we are again for the actually now offically award winning Failing Writers Podcast.

You were perhaps hoping this was the competition reveal episode weren’t you?

Well, look, it’s not that one… not yet, however, we’ve got a little treat for you today. ’Specially for long time fans of the podcast.

Someone we’ve had on before and was a delight from start to finish.

Someone who's just self published a book, and has come to talk to u...

Maps? What's that got to do with writing?

Men? How are they relevant in 2025? Oh no… wait … Er.

OK... let me explain what’s going on today... by introducing you

to (another) 2 handsome and charismatic young men.

Jay Foreman – comedian, singer songwriter (bloody great songs-look em up!) & Map-enthusiast.

And Mark Cooper-Jones – Ex-geography teacher, producer & comedian. Both… now… primarily You-Tubers.  (Ha! because tha...

You know those writers who seem to have managed effortlessly to harness the awesome power of social media to hook increasing numbers of readers into their gravitational pull?

Well good for them!

No but seriously, wouldn’t it be fascinating to talk to someone who’s become an actual viral sensation themselves and find out what their strategy was?

(That’s your cue to stop reading and crack on with listening to this episode btw.)

BUT WAIT,...

Finally.

I know, I know.

It's that time of year we all look forward to.

The leaves begin to loosen their grip. The sky is pregnant with it's autumnal offerings.

Jon gets poetic.

But aside from all that - it's the bloody Failing Writers Five Hundred Pound Flash Fiction Competition, in association with Scrivener!

That's the bit we're really all excited about.

That's when Tommy and I hunker down, curl up and bask in your beautiful little sto...

Aaaaand PART 2:

This week we're looking at the extremes of the indie publishing industry.

From the fantastic BlueMoose Books...

https://bluemoosebooks.com

Where we speak to founder, Kevin Duffy about the highs and... well... mostly highs to be honest... of being a very successful indie publisher.

Right over to the very opposite end of the spectrum, where our second

guest, Janeen, tells us about the very ugly experience she had when a...

PART 1… it’s double-bill time!

It suddenly occurred to us that we didn’t know much about independent publishers. And that doesn’t sit well with us - Not knowing stuff about the world of writing. So we reached out to our lovely online writer friends, and found a few people happy to talk about their experience of being published by a small press.

And what we found out was very eye opening!

About the pros and cons… How different publishe...

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Bbbrrbuummmbbbb....Lift off...fffwwoooooooooshhhhhhh.

This week we launch into a good ole' natter with the brilliant Doug Naylor, co-creator & writer of Red Dwarf.

We talk about his excellent new children's book, and its space-ship based iterations.

We talk more generally about writing children's stories.

We talk about how Doug learned the craft of writing comedy.

We talk about how many times he an...

We've got Ben Aaronovitch on the pod this week.

I mean, what else do you need to know?

That's the important bit.

Just that.

Ben Aaronovitch.

On this podcast.

Oh, apart from to say THANK YOU to our amazing sponsor Scrivener.

Which you can get right now.. with 20% off - as long as you use our special code FAILING.

Just pop along to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/

Oh... and one other thing!

Check out our HYPE-WRI...

For many, the idea of having their book published is an actual dream. A beautiful, glorious, waking dream. But for others, perhaps even most writers, the dream isn't quite as dreamy as people might imagine.

So let's draw back the curtain and have a little peek at the actual, unfiltered, no-bull realities of giving birth to a beautiful baby book, with the supremely talented (and honest) journalist and author, Hamilton Nolan.

And i...

Well oh my gosh, haven’t we got a right proper banger for you today?

I know. We spoil you.

But it’s only cos you’ve been so good recently.

Yeah. Don’t be coy. You have.

So we thought. Oh heck, why not…

Let’s do an episode with the lovely Jessica Knappett. She of Inbetweeners / Drifters / Avoidance / Ghosts / Travel Man / Taskmaster and countless other stuff on telly- fame. BUT… also… you may not be aware... a very ex...

OK, first things first, before you read any more of this, go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com and get yaself 20% off Scrivener right now with the code: FAILING

Done that?

Brilliant. First step towards becoming a proper writer - DONE.

Perfect.

Now... it’s time to settle the score, turn the tables, slip the shoe onto the other foot. Tom sets up a chat with Samia Rida, who’s taking her one woman play to Edinburgh. &nbs...

Hello Children, welcome to another lovely wuvvly episode of The Failing Writers Podcast in association with Scrivener, a podcast for people who love to write and want to move ever closer to the elusive realm of success.

In this episode we’re looking at writing done especially for you.  Yes you, my Kiddiewinklepops. All the younger humans upon this little space rock we call Earth.

Why?

Because we are turning the spotlight on ...

Poetry, as Percy Bysshe Shelley once said, lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.

And so, off we go, to try and defamiliarise the things which stare us in the face every blummin’ day. Relationships. Words. Coffee. Social Media. Prejudice. Siblings. Aging. Home. Industrial Estates. Nature. Sex. Love. Yep. We’re off to a poetry night, aren’t we? To find out what ...

Right.

This week you're in for a treat. Cos, this week on the Failing Writers Podcast in association with Scrivener.... we've got a fantastic guest....

Pardon? Scrivener? You know! The brilliant writing app? Yeah. What's that? you've been thinking about buying a copy for a while?

Well... you're in luck! Just use our code "FAILING" and you can get 20% off right now! just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com and make writing easier ...

Welcome back to the Failing Writers Podcast - Sponsored by the brilliant and indispensable writing software: Scrivener.

Get 20% off Scrivener right now, by using the code FAILING at https://www.literatureandlatte.com/

OK. Now, People…  buckle up.

You’re about to enter the Murverse.

Cos our guest this week is the lovely Mur Lafferty. A scifi / fantasy writer and podcaster whose refreshingly candid insights into writing and...