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, Google, or your favorite podcast app.
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EPISODES
(2001 - present)
Fannie Flagg & Odie Lindsey
Bestselling novelist Fannie Flagg joins Marrie Stone to chat about her latest, The Whole Town's Talking.
Lovers of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe will fall in
love all over again with Fannie's characters, her world, and her ability
to render southern charm onto the page and infuse her characters with
life. She talks about writing with dyslexia, how acting helps writing,
and what she's learned about writing and life over the years.
In the second half, short story writer Odie Lindsey discusses his debut collection, We Come to Our Senses. He talks about his experiences in Iraq, the need to include women in the narrative of war, and the importance of the advice "revise, revise, revise." Plus, lots of other wonderful wisdom.
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(Broadcast date: December 21, 2016)
In the second half, short story writer Odie Lindsey discusses his debut collection, We Come to Our Senses. He talks about his experiences in Iraq, the need to include women in the narrative of war, and the importance of the advice "revise, revise, revise." Plus, lots of other wonderful wisdom.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: December 21, 2016)
Wally Lamb & Mary Troy
New York Times bestselling author Wally Lamb joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest novel, I'll Take You There. He discusses feminism, recurring characters, magical realism, how his interests have shifted over time, and his nostalgic love affair with an age now past.
In the second half, Mary Troy shares her novel Swimming on Hwy N. Mary discusses her love for Missouri and bringing that place to life on the page, quirky characters, and how she approached the novel after her work in short fiction.
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(Broadcast date: December 14, 2016)
In the second half, Mary Troy shares her novel Swimming on Hwy N. Mary discusses her love for Missouri and bringing that place to life on the page, quirky characters, and how she approached the novel after her work in short fiction.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: December 14, 2016)
Norman Ollestad with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Norman Ollestad, author of French Girl with Mother, is Barbara's featured guest for the entire hour. Norman talks about writing fiction from life, the best training for a writer, writing tight, and more.
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(Broadcast date: Dec. 7, 2016)
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(Broadcast date: Dec. 7, 2016)
Authors Teddy Wayne and Shawn Wong with Nicole Nelson
In the first half hour, novelist Teddy Wayne, author of Loner, talks with Nicole Nelson about leveraging spare use of the second person to add menace, building dread gradually through multiple drafts, and managing his writing time to balance work on fiction as well as being a regular contributions to The New Yorker and The New York Times.
In the second half, novelist Shawn Wong, author of American Knees, talks about his pioneering work in the field of Asian American Studies, how watching and listening closely to women helps him write rounded female characters, and how working with returning soldiers through the Red Badge Project taught him to think on his feet.
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(Broadcast date: November 30, 2016)
In the second half, novelist Shawn Wong, author of American Knees, talks about his pioneering work in the field of Asian American Studies, how watching and listening closely to women helps him write rounded female characters, and how working with returning soldiers through the Red Badge Project taught him to think on his feet.
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(Broadcast date: November 30, 2016)
Novelist Caroline Leavitt and memoirist Molly Brodak talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Caroline Leavitt, author of Cruel Beautiful World, and Molly Brodak, author of Bandit talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about their books, and the art and business of writing.
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(Broadcast date: 11/23/2016)
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(Broadcast date: 11/23/2016)
Shawn Shiflett and Jim Fusilli
In the first half, Shawn Shiflett, author of Hey, Liberal! talks to co-host Nicole Nelson about the challenges of humanizing evil characters, writing realistic dialogue, and how being a natural mimic helps him create authentic-sounding voices.
In the second half, Barbara DeMarco-Barrett talks to Jim Fusilli, editor of, and contributor to Crime Plus Music about how being a music critic influenced him as a fiction writer, how he finds short stories more challenging to craft than novels, and why noir seems to work better in short fiction and movies as opposed to longer formats.
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(Broadcast date: November 9, 2016)
Clarence Major and Kelly Luce on Writers on Writing
In this post-election show, Clarence Major (novelist, poet, painter, short story writer and essayist) joins Marrie Stone to talk about his latest story collection, Chicago Heat and Other Stories. What's been on his mind? How do we love? How do we connect? Where do we find hope? He shares this and more.
In the second half, Kelly Luce talks about her debut novel, Pull Me Under. She discusses her time in Japan, and how a phenomena unique to Japanese youth influenced her novel. Kelly also discusses working with psychologically difficult characters, what a move to present tense did for the book, and how she became a serious writer after leaving her MFA program.
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(Broadcast date: November 16, 2016)
In the second half, Kelly Luce talks about her debut novel, Pull Me Under. She discusses her time in Japan, and how a phenomena unique to Japanese youth influenced her novel. Kelly also discusses working with psychologically difficult characters, what a move to present tense did for the book, and how she became a serious writer after leaving her MFA program.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: November 16, 2016)
Gina Frangello and Francine Prose
Gina Frangello, author of Every Kind of Wanting, joins Marrie Stone to talk about writing through difficult life circumstances, how literature can save us, the inspiration for her characters, and more.
In the second half, Francine Prose shares her novel Mister Monkey. Everything is fodder for her writing. She talks about embracing various points of view, how books have a life of their own, life coincidences, and how she tackled the "monkey problem."
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(Broadcast date: November 2, 2016)
In the second half, Francine Prose shares her novel Mister Monkey. Everything is fodder for her writing. She talks about embracing various points of view, how books have a life of their own, life coincidences, and how she tackled the "monkey problem."
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: November 2, 2016)
Dennis Palumbo chats with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the challenges that plague writers
Author, former screenwriter, and Los Angeles therapist to creatives, Dennis Palumbo, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about writers block, writing fiction, writing for the large and small screen, and much more.
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(Broadcast date: Oct. 26, 2016)
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(Broadcast date: Oct. 26, 2016)
Jade Chang and Janice Y. K. Lee with Co-Host Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Jade Chang, author of The Wangs vs. the World, talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about playing with point of view, her experience putting an earlier novel in a drawer, and how she found her agent.
In the second half, novelist Janice Y. K. Lee, author of The Expatriates, talks about balancing three different POV characters, not taking the easy way out, and the importance of trusting yourself and your voice when you struggle to write through to the end.
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(Broadcast date: October 5, 2016)
Patrick Phillips and Whitney Terrell on Writers on Writing with Marrie Stone
Poet and non-fiction author Patrick Phillips joins co-host Marrie Stone to talk about his book, Blood at the Root: A Racial Cleansing in America. Phillips shares his experiences in hometown Forsyth County, Georgia, a township that remained essentially 100 percent white throughout most of the 20th century. He also talks about the responsibility of white writers to talk about race, his research process, the factors that existed in Forsyth that made this possible, and the complicated characters that emerged from history to bring this shadowy story to light.
In the second half, novelist Whitney Terrell discusses his latest novel, The Good Lieutenant. As an embedded reporter in Iraq, Terrell tells the story of one female lieutenant and the forces and decisions that shaped the woman she became. He tackles several points of view, a complicated structure, and shares his experiences of how it all happened.
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(Broadcast date: October 19, 2016)
In the second half, novelist Whitney Terrell discusses his latest novel, The Good Lieutenant. As an embedded reporter in Iraq, Terrell tells the story of one female lieutenant and the forces and decisions that shaped the woman she became. He tackles several points of view, a complicated structure, and shares his experiences of how it all happened.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: October 19, 2016)
Martin J. Smith and Aris Janigian talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing
Martin J. Smith, author of Combustion, and Aris Janigian, author of Waiting for Lipchitz at Chateau Marmont talk with Barbara about plotting (or not), creating suspense, publishing with a small press, and more.
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(Broadcast date: October 12, 2016)
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: October 12, 2016)
Ann Hood & Margot Livesey
Novelists Ann Hood and Margot Livesey join Marrie Stone to talk about their latest novels, The Book That Matters Most and Mercury.
Ann Hood talks about book clubs, the books that have mattered most to her at various points in her life, and her mother and daughter coming-of-age story. She shares what she's learned over the years, the progress women have made over the past decades, and lots of wonderful writing advice.
Margot Livesey joins in the second half to talk about tackling a different and more complex kind of infidelity in marriage, how an article on gun control sparked this novel, what concerns have haunted and intrigued her over the years, and much more. (Please note the last few moments of our interview were lost, so it ends a bit abruptly, but you can find out more about Margot and her book tour at her website, www.margotlivesey.com).
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Broadcast Date: September 28, 2016
Ann Hood talks about book clubs, the books that have mattered most to her at various points in her life, and her mother and daughter coming-of-age story. She shares what she's learned over the years, the progress women have made over the past decades, and lots of wonderful writing advice.
Margot Livesey joins in the second half to talk about tackling a different and more complex kind of infidelity in marriage, how an article on gun control sparked this novel, what concerns have haunted and intrigued her over the years, and much more. (Please note the last few moments of our interview were lost, so it ends a bit abruptly, but you can find out more about Margot and her book tour at her website, www.margotlivesey.com).
Download audio.
Broadcast Date: September 28, 2016
Novelists Swan Huntley and Affinity Konar with Co-Host Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Swan Huntley, author of We Could Be Beautiful talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about how writing in the first person allows her to explore the space between what a character is telling us and what we know to be true, how she came to the realization that her original ending wasn't right for the story, and how she discovered her process as an outliner.
In the second half, novelist Affinity Konar, author of Mischling, talks about how her story grew from hearing dialogue in her head between twins, about going "sound-first" into words, and thus being drawn to the word "Mischling" in spite of its ugly meaning and history, and her writing advice to honor your obsessions.
Download audio.
[Note: Swan Huntley's reading selection was cut down due to audio issues; therefore, her reading starts in the middle of her first chapter, not the beginning.]
(Broadcast date: September 14, 2016)
In the second half, novelist Affinity Konar, author of Mischling, talks about how her story grew from hearing dialogue in her head between twins, about going "sound-first" into words, and thus being drawn to the word "Mischling" in spite of its ugly meaning and history, and her writing advice to honor your obsessions.
Download audio.
[Note: Swan Huntley's reading selection was cut down due to audio issues; therefore, her reading starts in the middle of her first chapter, not the beginning.]
(Broadcast date: September 14, 2016)
Nora Raleigh Baskin and Alexander Weinstein
Young adult author Nora Raleigh Baskin joins Marrie Stone to discuss her new middle-grade novel, Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story. She discusses survivor's guilt, unprocessed emotion and how books for young readers can be the best way to explore difficult subject-matter, rules for middle grade writers, and more.
In the second half, Alexander Weinstein joins to talk about his debut short story collection, Children of the New World. He talks about experimental fiction, inventive structures for a story, point of view choices, knowing when things aren't working, as well as a host of practical advice for writers. Here's a review of the book in the New York Times Book Review.
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(Broadcast date: September 7, 2016)
In the second half, Alexander Weinstein joins to talk about his debut short story collection, Children of the New World. He talks about experimental fiction, inventive structures for a story, point of view choices, knowing when things aren't working, as well as a host of practical advice for writers. Here's a review of the book in the New York Times Book Review.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: September 7, 2016)
Tin House editor and memoirist Rob Spillman and Lit agent Leigh Eisenman
Rob Spillman, author of All Tomorrow's Parties and NYC literary agent Leigh Eisenman talks with Barbara about the art and craft of writing memoir, Berlin, how being an editor helps or hinders being an author, what agents are looking for, and more.
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(Broadcast date: Sept. 21, 2016)
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(Broadcast date: Sept. 21, 2016)
Dana Johnson and Anna Solomon with co-host Nicole Nelson
Dana Johnson, author of the short story collection In the Not Quite Dark talks with co-host Nicole Nelson about how her journalism background informs her documentarian approach to writing about place, the value of reversal in constructing tension, and her affection for the short story form.
In the second half, novelist Anna Solomon, author of Leaving Lucy Pear, talks about her process of having a good idea of the story but not overthinking it in the first draft, the various kinds of research that went into writing a story that takes place in the Prohibition Era, the art of motivating coincidence in a story when a lot is at stake, and how a Post-it note that says, "You will fail," is her key to writing freely.
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(Broadcast date: August 31, 2016)
In the second half, novelist Anna Solomon, author of Leaving Lucy Pear, talks about her process of having a good idea of the story but not overthinking it in the first draft, the various kinds of research that went into writing a story that takes place in the Prohibition Era, the art of motivating coincidence in a story when a lot is at stake, and how a Post-it note that says, "You will fail," is her key to writing freely.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: August 31, 2016)
Kaui Hart Hemmings
Marrie Stone talks with bestselling author of The Descendants, Kaui Hart Hemmings about her latest novel, How to Party with an Infant. Kaui talks about writing from real life, writing humor, navigating voice, and more.
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(Record date: August, 2016)
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(Record date: August, 2016)
Jennifer Armstrong and Lev AC Rosen Talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
Jennifer Armstrong, author of Seinfeldia, and Lev AC Rosen, author of Depth and The Memory Wall, talk with show host Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about their books and the art and craft--and business--of writing.
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(Broadcast date: August 24, 2016) More on the show at www.penonfire.com
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(Broadcast date: August 24, 2016) More on the show at www.penonfire.com
Authors Natashia Deón and Judith D. Schwartz with Nicole Nelson
Debut novelist Natashia Deón, author of Grace, talks to co-host Nicole Nelson about writing complex characters, letting readers laugh in tense situations, taking her story from a screenplay to a novel, and getting to a place of honesty.
In the second half, environmental journalist Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World talks about how highlighting hope is important when writing about climate change, how her career in journalism evolved, how technology has affected her reading life, and more.
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(Broadcast date: August 17, 2016)
In the second half, environmental journalist Judith D. Schwartz, author of Water in Plain Sight: Hope for a Thirsty World talks about how highlighting hope is important when writing about climate change, how her career in journalism evolved, how technology has affected her reading life, and more.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: August 17, 2016)