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.

Hosts Barbara DeMarco-Barrett and Marrie Stone have interviewed 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).

Music and sound editing are provided by Travis Barrett.

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

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EPISODES

(2001 - present)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/5/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 12/5/13

Jodi Picoult and Dani Shapiro guest on Writers on Writing

Novelist Jodi Picoult, author of The Storyteller, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about her new book, and Dani Shapiro, author of Still Writing, talks with Marrie Stone about her new memoir/writing book.

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(Broadcast date: November 20, 2013.)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/22/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 11/22/13

Robert Olen Butler & Russell Banks, on Writers on Writing

Fiction writers Robert Olen Butler and Russell Banks talk with guest host Marrie Stone about writing fiction, what becomes short stories and what becomes novels, and where it all comes from.

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(Broadcast date: Nov 6, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 10/17/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 10/17/13

Rebecca Lee and Andre Dubus III on Writers on Writing

Rebecca Lee, author of the short story collection, Bobcat, and Andre Dubus III, author of Dirty Love, came on the show to talk with guest host Marrie Stone about their writing.

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(Broadcast date: Oct. 9, 2013)

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

An Evening with Memoirists Claire Bidwell Smith, Dinah Lenney and James Brown at the Pen on Fire Speaker Series.

This podcast was recorded in May 2012 at the Pen on Fire Speaker Series in Corona del Mar, CA. The panel is comprised of Claire Bidwell Smith, Dinah Lenney, and James Brown, moderated by Barbara DeMarco-Barrett. If you'd like news about upcoming speaker series event, visit penonfire.com/speakerseries.

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(Broadcast date: May 12, 2012)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/27/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/27/13

Memoirist Beverly Donofrio visits Writers on Writing

Memoirist Beverly Donofrio, author of Astonished, Riding in Cars with Boys, and Looking for Mary came on the show to primarily discuss her latest, Astonished. One highlight: When an editor bought Riding in Cars with Boys, she visited him in his office. He started talking to her about her memoir, but she said no, no, she had written a novel. "I can't sell a novel," he said. "I can sell a memoir." Donofrio hemmed and hawed a lil bit, then said, Well, okay, I didn't make anything up.

Donofrio is a memoirist through and through. Very entertaining, especially difficult to do when telling a story about being raped after 50 and the journey it led her on.

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(Broadcast date: Sept. 18, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/10/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/10/13

Suspense novelist Gregg Hurwitz on Writers on Writing

Gregg Hurwitz, author of Tell No Lies, is Barbara's guest for the entire show. He talks about writing suspense fiction, and his latest novel, Tell No Lies.

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(Broadcast date: Sept. 4, 2013)

Marrie 9/4/13 Marrie 9/4/13

Said Sayrafiezadeh and C.E. Poverman on Writers on Writing

Marrie Stone talks with short story writer Said Sayrafiezadeh about his latest collection, Brief Encounters with the Enemy. In the second half hour, C.E. Poverman discusses his novel, Love by Drowning. (There is a brief delay in the second half, as the interview starts a little late. Stay tuned.)

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(Broadcast date: August 28, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/2/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 9/2/13

Jenny Milchman, author of the novel, Cover of Snow, came on the show to talk about her book, perseverance, and suspense writing.

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(Broadcast date: August 14, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 8/26/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 8/26/13

Fevered author Linda Marsa talks about her new book

Good friend and colleague, Linda Marsa, author of Fevered, came on the show to talk about her new narrative nonfiction book and about freelancing. Download audio. (Broadcast date: August 7, 2013)

Marrie 7/15/13 Marrie 7/15/13

Literary Agent Vicky Bijur

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Vicky Bijur, New York City literary agent.

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(Broadcast date: February 11, 2009)

Marrie 7/15/13 Marrie 7/15/13

Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black, on Writers on Writing

Here's one from the archives... Barbara DeMarco-Barrett interviews Piper Kerman, author of Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison.

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(Broadcast Date: December 8, 2010)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/15/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/15/13

Literary agent Vicky Bijur & Robert Olen Butler, Part II

Literary agent Vicky Bijur and Robert Olen Butler, for Part II of the interview with him. Part I took place on 8/2/11. He's author of A Small Hotel.

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(Broadcast date: August 10, 2011.)

Marrie 7/11/13 Marrie 7/11/13

Caroline Leavitt & Howard Norman

Marrie Stone chats with Caroline Leavitt, author of Is This Tomorrow, about being an outsider, how writing can't escape personal experience, and what perseverance really looks like. In the second half hour, Howard Norman discusses his memoir, I Hate To Leave This Beautiful Place, his love of ornithology, and the power of place.

Download audio.

(Broadcast date: July 10, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/9/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/9/13

Literary agent Ted Weinstein talks about the state of publishing on Writers on Writing

San Francisco-based agent Ted Weinstein talks about the current state of publishing, and offers advice to writers: Let agents find you (he talks about how), become a multimedia empire (he talks about how), new publishing models (he talks about these), and more.

(Note: There's a bit of technical trouble toward the beginning of the interview and at the end, about 50 minutes in. It's not you, it's me.)

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Broadcast date: June 26, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/2/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/2/13

Lauren Weisburger and Barbara DeMarco-Barrett talk about Revenge Wears Prada

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing Lauren Weisburger at the Newport Beach Library last Tuesday, June 25. We talk about her new novel as well as her writing process. Listen by clicking here.

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/2/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 7/2/13

Foodie novelist Erica Bauermeister talks about writing

Erica Bauermeister, author of The Lost Art of Mixing, talks with Barbara about her work, interconnected short stories, mind-mapping, and more on this June 2013 episode of Writers on Writing.

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(Broadcast date: June 5, 2013)

Marrie 6/12/13 Marrie 6/12/13

Colum McCann & Joan Silber

Marrie Stone interviews Colum McCann, author of TransAtlantic, who chats about why the Irish are literary geniuses, how structuring a novel is like conducting an orchestra, and his disregard of the terms "fiction" versus "non-fiction" in favor of story. In the second half hour, Joan Silber talks about her collection of interlinked short stories, Fools.

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(Broadcast date: June 12, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 5/10/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 5/10/13

Judith Schwartz talks about her new book, Cows Save the Planet

Judith Schwartz, author of Cows Save the Plant (Chelsea Green) came on the show to talk about how cows are not only cute--they are useful in countless ways. They've also been much maligned for their methane gassy ways. It's not so! Listen to find out why. Judy also talked about how her articles about soil and the environment segued to a book length manuscript.

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(Broadcast date: May 8, 2013)

Marrie 5/10/13 Marrie 5/10/13

Anna Quindlen & Meg Wolitzer

Guest host Marrie Stone chats with Anna Quindlen about her new memoir, Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake and Meg Wolitzer, author of The Interestings.

Please note that Anna's interview finishes abruptly and Meg's interview begins mid-stream due to studio recording issues. We apologize for the technical snafu, but the majority of both interviews were captured. Thanks for your patience.

Download audio of Anna Quindlen.

Download audio of Meg Wolitzer.

(Broadcast date: April 24, 2013)

Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 4/19/13 Barbara DeMarco-Barrett 4/19/13

Hilary Davidson on Writers on Writing with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett

Hilary Davidson, author of Evil in All its Disguises (Forge), talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about her latest mystery.

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(Broadcast date: April 9, 2013)