Making Trouble with Molly Naylor

A treat for the ears! It's Anna Jordan (Yen, Lost Atoms, Succession, Killing Eve)! Anna made her name as a scriptwriter, but has now also published her debut poetry collection DECADE. She co-runs runs Support Playwrights with Morgan Lloyd Malcolm; a group of theatre artists finding ways to support playwrights and create community - which can be found on Substack.Join Anna and Molly for a conversation about CREATIVE FLOW. Find out what the optimum conditions are to find and help us figure out how to maintain it. Hear Anna's theory on 'us' writers versus 'them' writers. We also discuss alcohol, painting, approaches to planning and how to have a hobby over the age of 40. Lovely stuff! Enjoy! Buy Decade this week - it's brilliant. Generous, visceral and darkly comic. I love Anna’s huge-hearted writing — Sara PascoeThese poems of love, of loss, and of longing are at once extraordinarily moving and exhilarating. There is an energy in the language and a richness of feeling that consistently move you forward and lead you inexorably from poem to poem. It’s called Decade for a reason but this collection seems to encompass lifetimes. I found it totally compelling — Timberlake WertenbakerJoin Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Benedict Lombe (Shifters! Lava!) day!Bene is an award-winning Congolese British playwright and screenwriter. Her work includes the hit play Shifters, which transferred to the West End in Summer 2024, marking a ground-breaking moment as Benedict Lombe became the third Black British female playwright to have a play staged in the West End. Shifters went on to have another sell-out run at the Duke of York’s Theatre, earning two Olivier Award nominations in 2025, including an Olivier nomination for Best New Play - making Benedict Lombe the first Black British woman to be nominated in this category.Join Bene and Molly for a chat about isolation. How we balance the time we need to spend alone as makers with not going stir-crazy or alienating ourselves from community. We talk about how to bounce back from rejection, the impact of getting to be in the room where it happens, white chocolate and much more.Molly also reveals her biggest kink.PLEASE RATE THIS PODCAST ON YOUR PODCAST APP, IT MAKES SO MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THIS OVERSATURATED, UNDERPAID FIELD! THANK YOU!Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Jessie Burton! is the multi-million best-selling author of four novels: The Miniaturist, The Muse, The Confession and The House of Fortune – all instant Sunday Times bestsellers. Her novels have been published in 40 languages.The Miniaturist was adapted as a BBC One miniseries, starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Romola Garai. Join us for a chat about PERFECTIONISM. Where it comes from, what it feels like, how it helps and hinders our process and our lives. We also chat about ageing, mortality, Sylvanian Families and how writers are master manipulators (in a good way?).The book Jessie recommended was The Maps We Carry by Rose Cartwright.Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm delighted to welcome Tim Clare, writer of fiction and non-fiction, for a chat about focus. We talk about planning, fractured focus & intense focus, confidence, editing and the theory that attention is the purest form of compassion. Tim opens up about the specific pleasures and pitfalls of deep focus for neurodivergent people. We talk about experimental French literature group The Oulipo, we disappear up our own bumbles but we do come out again. Tim's latest book is The Game Changers is published by Cannongate. He also wrote Coward, in which he explores all possible cures for anxiety. Check out his podcast Death of a 1000 Cuts, it's an amazing resource for writers! Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm talking to poet and novelist Sophie Robinson. Sophie's debut novel Prairie Oyster came out last week. Buy it from your local bookshop, or from Bookshop.org who donate over 80% of their profit margin to independent bookshops. As well as being a writer, Sophie runs Devotion, a radical and inclusive writing workshop for people working at all levels.We talk about the concept of vulnerability, both in writing and in life. We also explore addiction, panic attacks, radical acceptance & surrender, chronic illness, becoming an accidental knitting influencer and ignoring the male gaze (but not the male gays).Read Sophie's poem Art in America here.Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Listen up troublemakers! From January 12th you're invited to join us for a refreshing, rejuvenating CREATIVE COURSE. Six weeks of prompts, activities and ideas designed to kickstart your practice for 2026. Episodes will drop every Monday as usual, but rather than an interview with an esteemed guest (we'll get back to that in season 3), you'll receive a short audio workshop for you to engage with at your own leisure. Light on homework, hopefully heavy on inspiration. THIS COURSE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS. So head over to Patreon anytime before January and join as a paid member (not available to free subscribers). You can sign up for as little as £2.50 a month (you can cancel easily any time). You'll have access to the course for as long as you're a subscriber, and you'll also have access to the Patreon community page if you want to share your experience with other listeners. https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingTroubleCan't wait to see what happens! Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musician Kate Stables (This Is The Kit) joins Molly for a chat about saying no. Why it's hard to do in the moment, how to get better at it, what happens when we don't do it, and why we need to say yes to ourselves. Check out the music video for Bashed Out, which featured on Sex Education and Pretty Little Liars. This Is The Kit's website: https://titk.cargo.site/Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Holly Williams! Holly is a novelist, journalist and theatre critic. This week she joins Molly for a meandering chat about priorities. How do we make time for the things we want to focus on most? What happens when self promotion takes up all of our creative energy? How do we work out what's a good use of our finite time? Plus, why was trying so embarrassing at (state) school? And how do we finally find a way to not assume everyone hates us? Holly's book THE START OF SOMETHING has been described as a sexy relay race. Buy it! Subscribe to Exeunt on Substack.Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly chats with Maria about losing heart. What happens in the weird lull after you've released a major piece of work? How do we keep caring when we're the only ones who do? What happens when we play the character of ourselves on stage? And did Maria really run away to a lighthouse? You'll also learn about the best way to cook baked beans. Buy Maria's book SWELL. The poem referenced is In That Year by Kim Moore.See Molly opening for Grace Petrie on her UK tour now: https://www.gracepetrie.com/gigsJoin Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this conversation with award-winning writer and podcaster Deborah Frances-White, Molly and Deb discuss indecision, ego, the biggest obstacles to creative expression and the importance of collaborating with people who make you feel talented. Deborah introduces Molly to the concept of 'trusting your obvious', and shares lots of useful tips on screenwriting and improvising.Check out Deborah's new book, SIX CONVERSATIONS WE'RE SCARED TO HAVE.Her podcast THE GUILTY FEMINIST must have made it into your ears, but if not, check it out!Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Molly Naylor and Adam Buxton for a conversation about sensitivity, and the way it impedes (and sometimes enhances) our creativity. Also touched on: stage craft, comparisons, Twisters (the lolly, not the weather), and how to relax and accept yourself while not wanging on about relaxing and accepting yourself too much. Listen to Adam's podcast! Buy his new book I LOVE YOU BYEEEEE! Listen to his amazing album BUCKLE UP! Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A lovely, rambling chat with singer and comedian Grace Petrie. Check out Grace on tour this autumn/winter - gracepetrie.com/gigs Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Molly is joined by theatre-maker, performer, writer and director Roann Hassani McCloskey for a chat about REJECTION. Yum!The quote Roann refers to but can't remember properly is from Susan Cain: “...it’s that creativity has the power to look pain in the eye, and to decide to turn it into something better.”Check out Roann's theatre company Bet'n Lev.Read Roann's article about political theatre in The Stage.Join Molly's mailing listFollow Making Trouble on InstagramSupport the podcast on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.