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- Yesterday50 min
Experimenting with narrative form: Ashley Hickson-Lovence on About to Fall Apart
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, Norwich-based writer Ashley Hickson-Lovence discusses experimenting with narrative, form, and structure in his latest novel, About to Fall Apart – a thrilling kaleidoscope of thoughts, failures, disappointments and hope. Ashley Hickson-Lovence earned his PhD in Creative and Critical Writing at the University of East Anglia. He has lectured English and Creative Writing at Brunel University, Arts University Bournemouth, University of East Anglia and the University of Suffolk. He is the author of the poetry collection Why I Am Not a Bus Driver, the acclaimed novels The 392 and Your Show, and the 2024 prize-winning YA novel in verse Wild East. Set across one weekend, About to Fall Apart is the exhilarating story of a man of mixed heritage – living on the Irish border – as he tries to stay positive, reconnect with his children and maybe, even, find his own birth mother. He sat down with fellow writer Sophie Yan Yee Lau, who he mentors through the Escalator New Writing Fellowships, for a candid conversation about the freedoms and constraints of setting a novel within a tight timeline. They also explore writing from personal experience, using poetic techniques in prose writing, and creating characters inspired by real-life people.
- 2 weeks ago45 min
Writing the self in memoir: Camilla Balshaw on Named
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, Norfolk-based writer Camilla Balshaw shares insights into exploring themes of identity and belonging in her memoir, Named – an engaging and intimate investigation of what makes us who we are. Camilla Balshaw has written for the Guardian and the Observer. She holds an MA in Creative & Life Writing from Goldsmiths (Distinction) and is an Honorary Research Fellow in Name Studies at the University of Nottingham. Her memoir Named won the Biography & Memoir category winner in the East Anglian Book Awards 2025. She sat down with NCW’s Holly Ainley for a candid conversation about the origins of her memoir, which intertwines an exploration of names, global naming conventions and identity politics within a moving, personal narrative about the finding of family and self. They also touch on her approach to writing about real people, the impact of names on our sense of self, and the vulnerability involved in sharing personal stories with readers.
- 4 weeks ago42 min
Storytelling in graphic novels: Anna Trench on Florrie
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, illustrator and writer Anna Trench shares the process of writing and illustrating her debut graphic novel, Florrie – a warm-hearted story about football, friendship and falling in love. Anna Trench is an illustrator, cartoonist, writer and teacher based in London. Florrie is her first book. It won the 2025 East Anglian Book of the Year Award and was previously shortlisted for the First Graphic Novel Award and the LDComics Award. She sat down with NCW’s Peggy Hughes to reflect on the inspiration and research behind the graphic novel, which explores self-discovery and queer love, alongside huge (and little known) historical moments for women’s football. They also touch on her analogue approach to graphic storytelling, her relationship with Norfolk, and her love for the women’s game.
- Apr 6, 202642 min
Stories of humanity & connection: Jenni Fagan on The Delusions
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, award-winning writer Jenni Fagan shares the process of writing her latest novel, The Delusions – a story of profound human connection, on an unprecedented scale. Jenni Fagan won the Gordon Burn Prize for her memoir, Ootlin, which was also longlisted for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. Her debut novel, The Panopticon, saw her selected as a Granta Best Young British Novelist, and her second novel, The Sunlight Pilgrims, gained her Scottish Author of the Year. Jenni has been listed for the Encore Award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prizes, the Desmond Elliott Prize, the Sunday Times Short Story Award, and the Pushcart Prize. She is a Doctor of Philosophy, a member of Liberty, and a Royal Society of Literature Fellow. She sat down with NCW’s Peggy Hughes to reflect on the novel’s complex themes, including death and the afterlife, delusion and self-confrontation, and the enduring importance of connection, love, and humanity. They also touch on the ‘absolute freedom’ of writing fiction, experimenting with different styles and genres, and how an initial idea can evolve into a vivid, fully realised story.
- Mar 23, 202634 min
The path to publication: Grace Murray on Blank Canvas
In this episode of The Writing Life, literary newcomer Grace Murray shares the process from mentorship to the publication of her debut novel Blank Canvas – a work of literary fiction about grief, reinvention and the ripple effects of telling lies. Grace Murray was born in 2003 and grew up in Norwich. She has recently graduated from Edinburgh University, where she read English Literature and found time to write between her studies and two part-time jobs. Her short fiction has been published in The London Magazine. Blank Canvas was written over the course of a year as part of WriteNow, Penguin Random House’s flagship mentorship scheme for emerging talent. Grace Murray won one of nine places on the scheme on the exceptional strength of her writing, selected from a pool of over 1,300 applicants. She sat down with National Literacy Trust’s Victoria Tynemouth to reflect on her path from early creative mentorships to publishing Blank Canvas. In their conversation, she also discusses writing about the female body, her approach to crafting unreliable and unlikeable narrators, and the process of developing her own voice and identity as a writer. Help us to support more young writers like Grace by donating to our Big Give Arts for Impact campaign. For one week only (17–24 March 2026), every £1 you give becomes £2. Whatever you can donate, big or small, makes a difference. Find out more on our website!
- Mar 9, 20261h 4m
Wonder and Loss: Writing Grief and Memoir with Sam Meekings
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, novelist, poet and Associate Professor of Creative Writing Sam Meekings shares the process behind writing his latest book, Wonder and Loss: A Practical Memoir for Writing about Grief, which interweaves memoir and his personal journey through grief with practical guidance and insight on how to write about it. Sam Meekings is a British novelist and poet. He is the author of Under Fishbone Clouds (called 'a poetic evocation of the country and its people' by the New York Times) and The Afterlives of Doctor Gachet. He currently works as an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Northwestern University in Qatar, and has spent the last few years living and working in China and the Middle East. He balances his time between teaching, research, raising two kids as a single father, and drinking copious cups of tea. Sam sat down with Steph for a candid and insightful discussion about writing as therapy, the importance of intention and of setting boundaries, the role of vulnerability, and of embracing the unknown when undertaking a writing project which draws upon lived, painful experiences. There is also lots of room for wonder, magic and play!
- Feb 23, 202652 min
Family and Caribbean folklore: Celeste Mohammed on Ever Since We Small
In this episode of The Writing Life, Trinidadian writer Celeste Mohammed reflects on the role of family, mythology, and Caribbean folklore in her writing. Celeste has been a lawyer since 2001 but she has been telling stories all her life. A native of Trinidad and Tobago, in 2016, she graduated from Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, with an MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction). Her debut novel Pleasantview won the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. Ahead of its publication in the Caribbean and the UK, a story from her current novel-in-stories Ever Since We Small was shortlisted for the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. She sat down with her friend and fellow Trinidadian writer Ayanna Lloyd Banwo to discuss Ever Since We Small, a powerful novel-in-stories in which survival, resilience and self-discovery are passed down through generations of an Indo-Trinidadian family. Together, they explore her use of the short story form to create an intricately woven tapestry of stories, Caribbean folklore, and the book's themes of belonging, resistance, and legacy.
- Feb 9, 202652 min
Writing dystopian fiction: Matt Greene on The Definitions
In this episode of The Writing Life Podcast, novelist and essayist Matt Greene shares the process of writing his latest novel, The Definitions – a work of dystopian fiction which interrogates and plays with the relationship between language, memory and the self. Matt is a novelist and essayist. His first novel, Ostrich, published in 2013, won a Betty Trask Award and was a Daily Telegraph book of the year. His memoir, Jew(ish) was published in 2020. His latest novel, The Definitions, was published in October 2025. He lives in London with his partner and two sons. The Definitions is an elegant and haunting dystopian novel about a group of individuals gathered to relearn how to navigate the world after a mysterious illness strips them of their memories. He sat down with NCW’s Steph McKenna to discuss the genesis of the novel, which began as a philosophical experiment, and how working within the dystopian genre allowed him to explore how language shapes identity. They also touch on his approach to writing characters who lack memory or a sense of self, and how their gradual understanding of the world was conveyed through a playful, vivid use of simile and metaphor.
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About The Writing Life
We're a weekly podcast for anyone who writes. We talk to writers about their writing journeys and techniques, from early career debuts to self-publishers and narrative designers. We've featured Margaret Atwood, Jackie Kay, Sara Collins, Antti Tuomainen, Val McDermid, Sarah Perry, Elif Shafak and many more!The Writing Life is produced by the National Centre for Writing at Dragon Hall in Norwich.
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