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)
Literary agent Claire Roberts with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett
New York City literary agent Claire Roberts talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about books, publishing, trends, self-published books, and more, on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM, broadcast from the University of California, Irvine campus.
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(Broadcast date: May 15, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: May 15, 2019)
Sigrid Nunez and Amanda Marbais on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Sigrid Nunez, author of the 2018 National Book Award winning novel The Friend, joins Marrie Stone to talk about enduring themes across her work, her trepidation about writing about a writer, and her general wisdom about the writing process, learning the craft, the role of talent, teaching, and the importance of reading wide and deep.
In the second half, Amanda Marbais discusses her debut short story collection, Claiming a Body. She shares her arduous revision process (confessing that stories often undergo between 25 and 40 revisions), and assembling a collection versus publishing individual stories. Amanda dissects one of her pieces—from original kernel of inspiration to the final revision. She discusses dialogue, the importance of reading your work aloud, and her propensity towards gallows humor.
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(Broadcast date: May 8, 2019)
In the second half, Amanda Marbais discusses her debut short story collection, Claiming a Body. She shares her arduous revision process (confessing that stories often undergo between 25 and 40 revisions), and assembling a collection versus publishing individual stories. Amanda dissects one of her pieces—from original kernel of inspiration to the final revision. She discusses dialogue, the importance of reading your work aloud, and her propensity towards gallows humor.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: May 8, 2019)
Amy Hempel and Katya Apekina on KUCI-FM
Katya Apekina, author of The Deeper the Water the Uglier the Fish, and Amy Hempel, author of Sing to It talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing.
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(Broadcast date: May 1, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: May 1, 2019)
Lydia Fitzpatrick & Kim Magowan on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Novelist Lydia Fitzpatrick joins Marrie Stone to talk about her debut novel, Lights All Night Long. Lydia shares her connection to Russia, how she approached the ominous task of research, the importance of photographs and Google Maps in her work, and her thoughts about structure and narrative tension. She also shares her writing advice about "the wall of shame" and how deconstructing other people's novels helped her own work.
In the second half, Kim Magowan joins to talk about her short story collection, Undoing. Kim discusses the usefulness of putting constraints around her work, her thoughts about linked stories, and the elegant way she assembled her collection. She also talks about overcoming her fears to send work out, the role of contests for flash and short story writers, and the importance of independent presses.
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(Broadcast date: April 24, 2019)
In the second half, Kim Magowan joins to talk about her short story collection, Undoing. Kim discusses the usefulness of putting constraints around her work, her thoughts about linked stories, and the elegant way she assembled her collection. She also talks about overcoming her fears to send work out, the role of contests for flash and short story writers, and the importance of independent presses.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: April 24, 2019)
Benjamin Dreyer, Dreyer's English, on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Benjamin Dreyer, author of Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style, talks with host Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about exclamation points, comma splices, and an assortment of matters concerning grammar and punctuation.
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(Broadcast date: April 17, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: April 17, 2019)
Melissa Duclos and Kim Dower on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Debut novelist Melissa Duclos joins Marrie Stone to talk about her novel, Besotted. Melissa shares her nearly 15 year journey with her novel, her decision to break up with it, and her discovery of small, independent presses. She also talks about the novel's unique point of view, first person omniscient. You can learn more about Melissa and her newsletter at her website.
In the second half, Kim Dower joins to discuss her fourth collection, Sunbathing on Tyrone Power's Grave. In honor of National Poetry Month, Kim reads a few poems about her late father, talks about their origin, recurring themes throughout her collections, the accessibility of her work, and the subconscious influences at play. She also shares helpful advice for aspiring poets.
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(Broadcast date: April 10, 2019)
In the second half, Kim Dower joins to discuss her fourth collection, Sunbathing on Tyrone Power's Grave. In honor of National Poetry Month, Kim reads a few poems about her late father, talks about their origin, recurring themes throughout her collections, the accessibility of her work, and the subconscious influences at play. She also shares helpful advice for aspiring poets.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: April 10, 2019)
Memoirist Meredith May, The Honey Bus, on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Memoirist Meredith May, author of The Honey Bus: A memoir of Loss, Courage, and a Girl Saved by Bees (Park Row Books/Harper Collins) talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing.
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(Broadcast date: April 3, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: April 3, 2019)
Lisa Gornick and Julie Clark on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Lisa Gornick, author of The Peacock Feast,
joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest sweeping novel. She talks
about the braiding together of three story-lines; researching historical
figures while ensuring the research never feels didactic to the reader;
managing vast amounts of time and complex story-lines, etc.
In the second half, debut novelist Julie Clark joins to talk about The Ones We Choose. She talks about writing a novel while working full-time as a teacher and raising two children on her own. She shares the contest that led her to her agent, and her path to publication. And she discusses how the explosion of reproductive technologies have led to some unintended ethical consequences.
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(Broadcast date: March 27, 2019)
In the second half, debut novelist Julie Clark joins to talk about The Ones We Choose. She talks about writing a novel while working full-time as a teacher and raising two children on her own. She shares the contest that led her to her agent, and her path to publication. And she discusses how the explosion of reproductive technologies have led to some unintended ethical consequences.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: March 27, 2019)
Alex Michaelides & Amy Meyerson on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Alex Michaelides, author of the debut literary thriller The Silent Patient, joins Marrie Stone to talk about his journey from screenwriting to novels and how the two feed each other. He discusses taking walks in the park—like his character—as a form of method writing. He discusses how Agatha Christie influenced his work, discovering his characters, keeping a diary as a way of giving his silent character a voice, and more.
In the second half, Amy Meyerson joins to talk about her novel, The Bookshop of Yesterdays. She shares the origin story behind the book, learning the intimate and amazing things people tuck inside of books to later be found. She talks about weaving together clues based on significant novels, and more.
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(Broadcast date: March 13, 2019)
In the second half, Amy Meyerson joins to talk about her novel, The Bookshop of Yesterdays. She shares the origin story behind the book, learning the intimate and amazing things people tuck inside of books to later be found. She talks about weaving together clues based on significant novels, and more.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: March 13, 2019)
Steven Rowley & Abby Geni on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Steven Rowley, author of The Editor, and Abby Geni, author of The Wildlands, talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about the art, craft, and business of writing.
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(Broadcast date: March 20, 2019)
If you're in Orange County, California, on May 14, come to Lido Village Books where Steven Rowley will talk further with Barbara about his book. More at penonfire.com.
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(Broadcast date: March 20, 2019)
If you're in Orange County, California, on May 14, come to Lido Village Books where Steven Rowley will talk further with Barbara about his book. More at penonfire.com.
Pam Jenoff & Soniah Kamal on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Historical fiction writer Pam Jenoff joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest novel, The Lost Girls of Paris. In an interview full of craft advice for writers, Pam shares her tips for research, structure, voice, inspiration and more.
In the second half, Soniah Kamal joins to talk about her debut novel, Unmarriageable. Soniah shares her origin story as a writer, how her background in acting serves her fiction, transposing a classic novel, cultural appropriation and more.
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(Broadcast date: February 20, 2019)
In the second half, Soniah Kamal joins to talk about her debut novel, Unmarriageable. Soniah shares her origin story as a writer, how her background in acting serves her fiction, transposing a classic novel, cultural appropriation and more.
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(Broadcast date: February 20, 2019)
Vanessa McGrady and Glen Erik Hamilton with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing
Memoirist Vanessa McGrady, author of Rock Needs River, and novelist Glen Erik Hamilton, author of Mercy River talk about the art, craft, and business of writing their new books.
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(Broadcast date: March 6, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: March 6, 2019)
Novelist & Screenwriter Amanda Sthers, KUCI-FM in Irvine, CA
Amanda Sthers, author of Holy Lands (Bloomsbury) talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about her new epistolary novel and why she starts with the ending.
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(Broadcast date: February 27, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: February 27, 2019)
Christopher Castellani and Susan Shapiro on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Novelist Christopher Castellani, author of Leading Men, and Susan Shapiro, author of The Byline Bible, join Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on the show to talk about the art, craft, and business of writing.
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(Broadcast date: Feb. 13, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: Feb. 13, 2019)
Tom Barbash on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Tom Barbash, novelist and short story writer, joins Marrie Stone for the hour to discuss his latest novel, The Dakota Winters. Tom shares his research, his background in journalism, his secret to creating compelling short stories and more. We learn a little about John Lennon, and a lot about Tom, in this informative and fun 58 minutes.
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(Broadcast date: February 6, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: February 6, 2019)
Pam Houston with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Pam Houston, author of Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country, talks with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett about writing on airplanes, setting, balancing life with writing, finding structure, and more.
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(Jan. 30, 2019)
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(Jan. 30, 2019)
Tim O'Brien joins Marrie Stone on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Iconic Vietnam War novelist and short story writer Tim O'Brien (author of The Things They Carried, In the Lake of the Woods, Going After Cacciato,
and more) joins Marrie Stone for the hour to talk about memory, truth,
storytelling, mortality and more. O'Brien shares his philosophy that the
sound of the story—its cadence, rhythm, and music—should be its guiding
principle. He also discusses his revisitation of Hemingway's work and
the powerful persistence of childhood memories.
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(Broadcast date: January 23, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: January 23, 2019)
David R. Gillham and Janet Clare with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
David R. Gillham, author of Annelies, a novel based on Anne Frank and who would she might have been had she lived, and Janet Clare, author of the novel, Time is the Longest Distance, about a woman who learns her father is an Aussie, and goes to find him, talk with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett on this latest episode of Writers on Writing.
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(Broadcast date: January 16, 2019)
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(Broadcast date: January 16, 2019)
Jenn Stroud Rossmann and June Casagrande on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Debut novelist Jenn Stroud Rossmann joins Marrie Stone to talk about her novel, The Place You're Supposed to Laugh. She shares her insights on how she unpacked the novel, writing from a young, black male's point of view, and how her work as a mechanical engineer and professor feeds her fiction.
In the second half, June Casagrande shares her insights and wisdom into grammar and syntax with her latest book, The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know. She discusses common mistakes writers make, how to play with syntax in fiction, good examples of bad writing, and more.
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(Broadcast date: January 9, 2019)
In the second half, June Casagrande shares her insights and wisdom into grammar and syntax with her latest book, The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know. She discusses common mistakes writers make, how to play with syntax in fiction, good examples of bad writing, and more.
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(Broadcast date: January 9, 2019)
Liane Moriarty & Mark Russell Gelade on Writers on Writing, KUCI-FM
Bestselling author Liane Moriarty joins Marrie Stone to talk about her latest novel, Nine Perfect Strangers. She shares her process, her weaknesses, and her affinity for multiple points of view, among many other things.
In the second half, Mark Russell Gelade joins to share his debut collection, Navigating by Stars: 24 Very Short Stories of Love & Longing. He reads a few pieces and talk about their origins, his revision process, his inspirations, arcs across his work and the art of compression.
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(Broadcast date: December 26, 2018).
In the second half, Mark Russell Gelade joins to share his debut collection, Navigating by Stars: 24 Very Short Stories of Love & Longing. He reads a few pieces and talk about their origins, his revision process, his inspirations, arcs across his work and the art of compression.
Download audio.
(Broadcast date: December 26, 2018).