S4 E8 - Trapping “Evelyn Clarke” (Cat Clarke + V.E. Schwab)
From No Write Way with V. E. Schwab by V. E. Schwab (Author)
April 1, 2026 · 1h 10m · Season 4 · Episode 8
About this episode
V.E. Schwab and Cat Clarke discuss their collaborative writing journey for their debut novel, 'Evelyn Clarke'.
Some books are a surprise, even to the people who wrote them. For the final episode of the season, Jenna takes the reins and turns the mic on Cat Clarke and me (V.E. Schwab), the two halves of Evelyn Clarke, to talk about our debut novel and the very unexpected path that led us here. We get into the origin story, how a writer who swore she’d never co-write (it me) and another who had stepped away from publishing entirely somehow found themselves building a book together. We talk about the craft of collaboration, what it means to stop writing alone and start writing as a team, and the delicate challenge of learning how to share instinct, voice, and control. There were moments it felt impossible, and others where it felt like the story was writing itself. And because we’re on the other side of it now, we get to laugh. A lot. About the chaos, the growing pains, and the strange, specific problems that only exist when you’re trying to write a single book with two brains. And, fittingly, we never quite figured out how to trap us. We’re a little too unhinged to pin down. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna…
People in this episode
Host: V.E. Schwab
Guest: Cat Clarke
Topics covered
- collaboration
- writing process
- debut novel
- creative partnership
- craft of writing
Keywords
- collaboration
- writing
- Evelyn Clarke
- debut novel
- creative process
- co-writing
- authors
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: Evelyn Clarke
More episodes of No Write Way with V. E. Schwab
- S4 E7 - Trapping Ayana Gray: Cheese, a loaf of bread, and a ticket to a wildlife trust in Kenya. · March 25, 2026 · 54 min
- S4 E6- Trapping Joe Abercrombie: Crusader Kings III and a well-worn copy of Lonesome Dove. · March 18, 2026 · 59 min
- S4 E5 Trapping Ashley Winstead: A bottle of grand cru wine, a baby animal, and the key to a secret door · March 11, 2026 · 52 min
- S4 E4 Trapping T.L. Huchu: Overpriced running shoes, swimming socks, and a ticket to a place he’s never been · March 4, 2026 · 1h 10m
- S4E3- Trapping Mona Awad: Something scented with Tom Ford’s Rose Prick · February 25, 2026 · 49 min
- S4 E2- Trapping Kennedy Ryan: The simple promise of 8 hours of sleep · February 18, 2026 · 1h 1m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the No Write Way with V. E. Schwab podcast page.