The podcast is back!
Plus, is there anything you want to ask me?
Paying subscribers can hear me read this newsletter aloud here.
Well, I’m very excited. If you’re not aware of it, this In Writing thing started with a podcast, and tomorrow I’m releasing the first episode of the fifth season, after a long break of 14 months.
My guest is the wonderful novelist Ayobami Adebayo, and I loved our conversation. Ayobami took seven or eight years from conceiving of her first novel, Stay With Me, to finishing it; I don’t think this is an unusual timeframe, but what struck me is her patience and good humour about how long this writing business takes, and how winding the path can be.
I think that with writing, everything helps. I feel that the things that have made me the writer that I am are not necessarily the things that anybody has read or seen, you know – that showing up and just working on anything, whether it ends up in a novel or not, is part of how I grow my sensibility as a writer. So I'm not necessarily too bothered when it's clear to me that something is not going anywhere at the moment – because I think that that time is always valuable, in terms of my own apprenticeship as a writer.
I think it’s a very good episode for anyone who is losing faith in the process.
I hope you’ll listen and enjoy it – it will arrive on all good podcast apps in less than 24 hours. Search ‘In Writing with Hattie Crisell’ to subscribe, or try one of the links on the left-hand side of this page.
To celebrate the arrival of the new season, I’m going to do an ‘ask me anything’ for paying subscribers in next week’s newsletter. In fact, I’m going to do two ‘ask me anythings’: at the end of the season (some time in April), I’ll do one specifically about the podcast. Next week though, I’ll answer questions about anything (ish) other than the podcast.
Want to ask me about writing? About running this newsletter? About journalism? About growing up in Newcastle, England? About my weakness for reality TV? About my favourite cocktail? Leave your question in the comments below, and I’ll address as many as I can next week.
Thanks to all who joined for the In Writing Creative Hour last Sunday – it was wonderful, and very productive for me. I’m going to hold the next one on Sunday 26 February at 5pm GMT (that’s 9am PST). Hope to see you then.
Meanwhile, let me know what you think of my conversation with Ayobami Adebayo! And good luck with your writing this week.
Beyond excited, Hattie! Thank you for bringing the podcast back :) I have not had a chance to listen to the new episode yet but tomorrow is the day.
In terms of your kind offer to answer questions on anything (ish) other than the podcast, here are my sneaky tw-hree:
1. Is a degree in Journalism (or anything writing-related) a prerequisite to, say, becoming a feature writer in a newspaper or magazine? Does any writing experience count or is it fairly specific to having done the same job elsewhere?
2. While I appreciate that you may not have direct experience in this (as far as I am aware you are considering / writing a novel), it would be great if you could give some advice to anyone looking to approach literary magazines and pitch their work, e.g. short stories, non fiction, etc?
Thank you in advance!
I'm so excited for the return of the pod. And also I always find the subject of your newsletter to be spookily relevant to my own life and mind. For example... currently fielding rejections from literary agents and so this little insight into a brilliant writers long journey spoke to my battered and trampled heart x