The Failing Writers Podcast

Writing competitions. Clearly they’re not all made the same.Some are free, some are costly, some are actually impossible for mere mortals to enter due to their criteria.The prizes vary too. From small cash prizes, to publishing deals.Today, we’re asking the question… on the whole, if you’re serious about being a writer… are they actually worth it? Are they worth the money, the - let’s face it – likely disappointment, the effort and most importantly of all… the time?And the biggest question of all - are there any quantifiable things you can do to help nudge your entry to the top of the pile?We consider such things as:Where’s the best place to send your piece? Maybe a competition isn’t the right destination? Maybe it’s a literary journal instead?We get some top notch insider insight, from Bath Flash Fiction Award past winner and judge - Kathryn Aldridge-Morris to get the skinny on what works and what doesn’t. What will wow the judges, what will make them spit their tea out and what will make them slide you into their shortlist.https://www.kamwords.com Plus we hear from fabulous literary agent Joanna Swainson from Hardman & Swainson, for an agent’s eye-view.https://www.hardmanswainson.com Finally, the winner of a competition who we suspect is quite glad she entered DFB & Arvon Search for a Storyteller prize, because it won her a publishing deal with David Fickling Books – Miranda Moore.I can personally recommend her excellent YA book, A Beautiful Terrible Thing.Yes, devastating & emotional, but also joyful & redemptive.https://www.mirandamooreauthor.com And speaking of competitions… look out next week for our BRAND NEW POETRY COMPETITION! We’re too good to you.  Seriously. We are.Lovely episode art by Katie Rand. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Maps? What's that got to do with writing?Men? How are they relevant in 2025? Oh no… wait … Er.OK... let me explain what’s going on today... by introducing youto (another) 2 handsome and charismatic young men.Jay Foreman – comedian, singer songwriter (bloody great songs-look em up!) & Map-enthusiast.And Mark Cooper-Jones – Ex-geography teacher, producer & comedian. Both… now… primarily You-Tubers.  (Ha! because that’s a real job.)Together, they are… Map Men.  An absolutely genius bit of infotainment, which I’m willing to bet my last rolo, that you will love:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfxy4_sBQdxy3A2lvl-y3qWTeJEbC_QCpTell me I’m wrong! I dare you!But, right… and here’s the important bit….  they’ve written a book! A brilliant book, which like their show is both brain-engorging and extremely funny.Here’s a link to purchase several copies for yourself, your family & friends: https://lnk.to/mapmenAnd while we’re on the subject of books. Have you ever tried writing one?It’s bloody difficult isn’t it?Yeah. Seriously.  Who knew?So may I be so bold as to recommend that you try using Scrivener. It has more features than you’ll ever need! However that does mean that if you do need one, Scrivener has got it!It just makes writing easier.  Not just for books either, but also for plays and screenplays and radio plays and non-fiction and stuff.PLUS – if you go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/store/scrivenerYou can make 20% of the price of Scrivener completely disappear by using the magic word “failing” at checkout. (You could even simultaneously imagine that you’re a flamboyant 80s stage magician with a white tiger and an open collared shirt while you do it, if that’s the kind of thing you enjoy doing.)And then – our HYPEWRITER feature! Where you send us something you’ve written that you’re proud of and then we go and celebrate the living babaganoosh out of it.(If you’d like to join in, just send a bit of writing - roughly 5 – 8 mins-worth - to failingwriterspodcast@gmail.com – explain what it is, why you wrote it and a bit about yourself and you could feature on the pod!)This week we introduce the extraordinarily talented Aaron J Courts, who sent us a lovely piece called Pass & Review.You can find out more about Aaron here:https://aaroncourts.substack.comAnd behold. The shownotes are done for another episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finally.I know, I know.It's that time of year we all look forward to.The leaves begin to loosen their grip. The sky is pregnant with it's autumnal offerings.Jon gets poetic.But aside from all that - it's the bloody Failing Writers Five Hundred Pound Flash Fiction Competition, in association with Scrivener!That's the bit we're really all excited about.That's when Tommy and I hunker down, curl up and bask in your beautiful little stories.(I'm not even joking here, it genuinely is a joyful experience.)So have a listen to the episode - find out everything you need to know in order to enter the competition, including the little phrase you have to include in your story... and be in with a chance of winning that 500 squids!This years judge is the delightful Sarah Lewis from writers HQ.Sign up now for a whole smorgasbord of helpful stuff. Workshops. Advice. Masterclasses. and of course the brilliant (and free!) Flash Face Off. Which we urge you to join in with - After all, it could be the thing that takes your flash piece from great to really blummin' marvellous!https://writershq.co.uk/Finally we wrap things up with an unusual but brilliant bit of poetry from the very talented free-styling-street-poet: Isaiah Frati.check him out here:Insta: @___reaverAnd finally... A GIGANTIC THANK YOU to our wonderful sponsor Scrivener yet again, for sponsoring the podcast, and the competition.If you'd like to get your hands on the writing software that really matters - get yourself to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener/overviewand get 20% off with the code: failingRight.Go on then... crack on! You've got until midday October 24th. We can't wait to read your submissions!Good luck. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PART 1… it’s double-bill time!It suddenly occurred to us that we didn’t know much about independent publishers. And that doesn’t sit well with us - Not knowing stuff about the world of writing. So we reached out to our lovely online writer friends, and found a few people happy to talk about their experience of being published by a small press.And what we found out was very eye opening!About the pros and cons… How different publishers work with their writers… How widely they publish…  What to expect from the relationship and why you might want to consider approaching a small press yourself!Massive thanks to Scrivener for sponsoring the podcast.Don’t forget you can get 20% off this glorious writing software at https://www.literatureandlatte.com by using our sneaky, little secret code: failingHere are the details of the excellent people we waffled with:We talked to Chris W McGuinness:https://chriswmcguinness.wordpress.comhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Hellbound-Bastards-Chris-W-McGuinness/dp/B0F2HY8DRMhttps://alienbuddhapress.wordpress.comhttps://cloakedpress.com/Then we had a natter with flash maven Kathryn Aldridge-Morris:https://www.kamwords.com/about-mehttps://www.dahliapublishing.co.uk/product/cold-toastFollowed by YA writer Luke Palmer:https://lukepalmerwriting.comhttps://fireflypress.co.ukAnd last but undoubtedly not least: Genevieve Marenghi-Dalyhttps://genevievemarenghi.comKeep an eye out for her debut released on October 10th 2025…https://www.burtonmayersbooks.comAnd don’t forget… next week we continue our investigation into indie publication – when we chat with Kevin Duffy of BlueMoose Books.Then…. go digging into the darker side of publishing… Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got Ben Aaronovitch on the pod this week.I mean, what else do you need to know?That's the important bit.Just that.Ben Aaronovitch.On this podcast.Oh, apart from to say THANK YOU to our amazing sponsor Scrivener.Which you can get right now.. with 20% off - as long as you use our special code FAILING.Just pop along to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/Oh... and one other thing!Check out our HYPE-WRITER feature this week - We've got listener Genevieve Marenghi-Daly's brilliant little piece: 'Team Drinks'(INSTA: @genevievemarenghi)OK.Pretty sure that's it.Now here's some Aaronovitch details as promised...Ben's website:https://www.benaaronovitch.com/Buy Stone & Skyhttps://www.orionbooks.co.uk/titles/ben-aaronovitch/stone-and-sky/9781473226715/Buy 'em all!https://www.waterstones.com/author/ben-aaronovitch/27460 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well oh my gosh, haven’t we got a right proper banger for you today?I know. We spoil you.But it’s only cos you’ve been so good recently.Yeah. Don’t be coy. You have.So we thought. Oh heck, why not…Let’s do an episode with the lovely Jessica Knappett. She of Inbetweeners / Drifters / Avoidance / Ghosts / Travel Man / Taskmaster and countless other stuff on telly- fame. BUT… also… you may not be aware... a very experienced and talented writer.So pin back yer lug’oles and get comfy for a really fascinating chattanooga choo choo all the way to Jessicatown.Here’s Jessica Knappett’s delightful podcast, now you've realised you need more Jess in your life:https://podfollow.com/1744320313And then, when you’re done listening to all that, and you’re all jazzed up on a cocktail of oxytocin and inspiration juice… why not make like a proper writer and get yourself a copy of SCRIVENER!You can get 20% off with the code FAILING at https://www.literatureandlatte.comAnd finally finish that pesky novel / screenplay / sitcom / poetry collection / academic book about the sexual proclivities of sea lions.Finally. Please don’t forget to send in some writing you're reaaal proud of to failingwriterspodcast@gmail.comThen we can start our HYPE-WRITER feature, and start spreading love across the globe.Wait, that sounds bad.Spreading glory and huge, well deserved celebrations of YOU... to the world.Clunky, but it’ll do.xPhotograph of Jessica by Jiksaw. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello Children, welcome to another lovely wuvvly episode of The Failing Writers Podcast in association with Scrivener, a podcast for people who love to write and want to move ever closer to the elusive realm of success.In this episode we’re looking at writing done especially for you.  Yes you, my Kiddiewinklepops. All the younger humans upon this little space rock we call Earth.Why?Because we are turning the spotlight on co-host Tommy Turner. He’s been a bit of a naughty boy and not been writing very much recently.  Can you believe that?Oh you can.Well, perhaps with a bit of inspiration from fabulotastimungouscintilliously brilliant middle grade author Thomas Taylor, he of Malamander fame, it might just be our turn to turn Turner into a page turning turn.Let’s see shall we?Righteeho… enough of this bothersome blather…. on with the show…Oh wait… don’t forget that if you want to write like one of those successful, professional writers – get yourself a copy of SCRIVENER!With our super secret magical code, you can get 20% off!Just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com and pop in the code FAILINGAnd for some SUPERB aged 7 – 12-ish books (Although I loved reading it and I’m quite a bit older than 12 – so maybe just ignore the whole age-thing)  check out Thomas Taylor’s Eerie on Sea series:Visit Eerie on Sea here:https://eerie-on-sea.comBuy Malamander here:https://eerie-on-sea.com/about-the-books/malamander/Check out Thomas and his other stuff here:https://www.thomastaylor-author.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.