From debut authors to Pulitzer Prize winners, Writers on Writing tackles a little of everything — novels, short stories, memoir, poetry, and more, as well as interviews with agents and publishers.

Unlike other shows dedicated to discussing books, we focus on the art, craft, and business of writing. Writers appreciate the opportunity to talk about the artistic elements of their job — the thousands of decisions that must be made to produce a manuscript. There’s no aspect of craft, creativity, and publishing we don’t explore.

We’ve hosted well over 1,500 authors on the show including Elizabeth Strout, S.A. Cosby, Ann Patchett, Amor Towles, and George Saunders. Expert advice from some of the industry’s top writers allows us to offer a show that’s been called “your own personal MFA program” (with no financial strain).

Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Host: Marrie Stone

Music and sound editing by Travis Barrett

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app.

EPISODES

(2001 - present)

Marrie 3/14/13 Marrie 3/14/13

George Saunders

My guest host Marrie Stone talks with New York Times bestselling author Tenth of December: Stories about his latest short story collection Tenth of December.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: March 13, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 3/10/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 3/10/13

Novelist Ann Hood on Writers on Writing

Novelist Ann Hood, author of The Obituary Writer: A Novel came on the show to talk about her new novel and the art and craft of novel writing.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Jan. 25. 2013

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 3/6/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 3/6/13

Poet Stephen Dunn on Writers on Writing

Pulitzer prize winning poet Stephen Dunn, author of Here and Now: Poems, discusses poetry, writing, and reads from his newest book. He's been a favorite of mine since one fateful day around 1981 on a bus in San Francisco. Holding to the strap as the bus lumbered up a hill, I looked up and saw a placard with a Stephen Dunn poem. SF had some sort of transit poetry project going on, and I was forever hooked on Dunn's poems.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Feb. 27, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 2/17/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 2/17/13

Jess Walter on Writers on Writing with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Jess Walter, author of We Live in Water, talks about this new collection of short stories and about other books--Beautiful Ruins, Citizen Vince--and writing, with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Feb. 13, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 2/16/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 2/16/13

John McNally on Writers on Writing

Author John McNally returns to Writers on Writing to talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about Vivid and Continuous: Essays and Exercises for Writing Fiction.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Jan. 20, 2013)

Marrie 2/12/13 Marrie 2/12/13

Short Story Writers Sarah Hall & Jennifer Haigh

Marrie Stone talks with Sarah Hall, author of the short story collection The Beautiful Indifference, and Jennifer Haigh, author of the interlinked collection News From Heaven: The Bakerton Stories.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: February 6, 2013)

Marrie 1/26/13 Marrie 1/26/13

Geraldine Brooks and Laura Furman

Marrie Stone interviews Geraldine Brooks, author of Caleb's Crossing, and Laura Furman, author of The Mother Who Stayed.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: May 18, 2011)

Marrie 1/22/13 Marrie 1/22/13

Stephen Elliott

Marrie Stone interviews Stephen Elliott, author of The Adderall Diaries: A Memoir of Moods, Masochism, and Murder.

Download Audio.

(Broadcast Date: December 30, 2009)

Marrie 1/18/13 Marrie 1/18/13

John McNally and Ted Weinstein

Marrie Stone interviews John McNally, author of The Creative Writer's Survival Guide: Advice from an Unrepentant Novelist and literary agent Ted Weinstein.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: September 1, 2010)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/11/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/11/13

Robert "Snorkel Bob" Wintner on Writers on Writing

Author and activist Robert "Snorkel Bob" Wintner, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about his books, and about endangered tropical fish in Hawaii.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Dec. 5, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/9/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/9/13

Novelist Margaret Atwood

Novelist, short story writer, essayist, poet and environmental activist Margaret Atwood talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about an assortment of writing related things including her new Positron serial on Byliner.com.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Jan. 9, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/8/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/8/13

Authors Sonia Marsh, Mary Castillo, Nancy Klann-Moren & Charles Leister talk about self-publishing on Writers on Writing

Authors Sonia Marsh, Mary Castillo, Nancy Klann-Moren, and Charles Leister talk about their books, and the process of self publishing. (Recording starts a few minutes into the broadcast.)

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: Jan. 2, 2013

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/5/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 1/5/13

Novelist Hector Tobar on Writers on Writing

Hector Tobar, author of The Barbarian Nurseries, talks about novel writing with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on her weekly radio show, Writers on Writing.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 7, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/28/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/28/12

Novelist Diana Wagman on Writers on Writing

Novelist Diana Wagman, author of The Care and Feeding of Exotic Pets, spent the entire hour with me talking about her new novel, publishing, writing, and more.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: December 12, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/27/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/27/12

Dublin-based novelist (journalist, screenwriter, book reviewer) John Banville for an hour to about his latest novel, Ancient Light, his mystery series, writing, writers, and more, and as the show goes on, it gets downright jolly.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: 12.19.2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/3/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/3/12

Hector Tobar, author of the Barbarian Nurseries, with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing

Hector Tobar, author of The Barbarian Nurseries, recently spent the hour with me discussing his book and writing.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 7, 2012)

Marrie 11/29/12 Marrie 11/29/12

Janna Malamud Smith & Lisa Genova

Guest host Marrie Stone talks with Janna Malamud Smith, author of An Absorbing Errand: How Artists and Craftsmen Make Their Way to Mastery, about the obstacles, risks, and rewards of the creative endeavor. Lisa Genova joins in the second half to discuss her latest novel, Love Anthony, about autism and unconditional love.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 28, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/29/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/29/12

Literary Agent Regina Brooks on Writers on Writing

Regina Brooks, founder of Serendipity Literary in NYC talks about publishing and about her books. An engaging and generous guest.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: November 14, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/27/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/27/12

Poet Billy Collins on Writers on Writing with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Poet and former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins was my guest on the show for the second half of the hour. This show is from a few years back, but wonderful nonetheless.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: 10.22.08)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/26/12 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/26/12

Melissa Bank & Leah Hager Cohen on Writers on Writing

Melissa Bank, author of the reissued Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing and Leah Hager Cohen, author of The Grief of Others.

Download audio.

Broadcast date: October 12, 2011