
Farah Naz Rishi, author of 'The Flightless Birds of New Hope' - Bestselling writer discusses being genre-less, getting into character through voice, and calming anxiety
From Writer's Routine by Dan Simpson
March 6, 2026 · 50 min · Season 1 · Episode 395
About this episode
Bestselling author Farah Naz Rishi discusses her latest book and her creative journey.
Farah Naz Rishi is a busy do-er with fingers in many creative pies. She's worked as a lawyer, a video-game journalist, a voice actor and is a bestselling author. Farah has written memoir, 'Sorry for the Inconvenience', which details her experience as a Pakistan-American Muslim Woman, also has published many Young Adult books, including 'If You're Not The One', and 'It All Comes Back to You'. Now, Farah has published, 'The Flightless Birds of New Hope'. Here's the blurb... We follow Aden Shah—who has made a career of running away when things get hard— as he reunites with his estranged siblings in the wake of their parents’ death. Tensions flare. And in a single moment of resentment, Aden sets free their parents’ favorite “child”: their prize-winning Major Mitchell’s cockatoo, Coco Chanel. What follows is a reluctant, chaotic road trip in a beat-up RV as the three Shah siblings chase Coco across the country. Along the way, they crash headlong into the eccentric world of birders, and into the unfamiliar people they’ve become. We discuss exploring connections, nature and sibling relationships. Also, you can hear how her work as a voice-actor influences her ability to get into…
People in this episode
Host: Dan Simpson
Guest: Farah Naz Rishi
Topics covered
- writing process
- character development
- anxiety management
- sibling relationships
- creative careers
Keywords
- Farah Naz Rishi
- The Flightless Birds of New Hope
- writing
- anxiety
- character voice
- sibling dynamics
- creative process
Sponsors
Minding Toby
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Flightless Birds of New Hope, Sorry for the Inconvenience, If You're Not The One, It All Comes Back to You
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