susan earlam ~ horror author

Listening to podcasts is something I really love to do.

Sometime when I’m out walking, or sitting in the garden but more often than not I’ll be emptying the dishwasher or making packed lunches whilst I listen. I wanted to share with you some podcasts I enjoy. They have themes of creativity, writing and being online, I hope you find something you like.

Some of the shows I’m been listening to for a while, others are fairly new to me and I’ve really been enjoying them. I love finding podcasts on recommendation so I’m paying it forward. Let me know what you favorites are below, I’m always interested in new voices.

note- some of these are “writers” podcasts but I think anyone creative would get something out of these.

Writers Routine

Personally, I thrive on routine, a flexible one, but nevertheless a routine. I’m fascinated by where writers and creatives work, and their routines during their writing days. How long they work for and what time of the day, even what snacks they have to hand. This podcast interviews one writer each episode and the listener gets an insight into the different types of routine that work for writers and authors. Find it here or through your usual podcast app.

Hashtag Authentic

This podcast is commonplace on these “my favourite podcasts” type posts and this one is no different. Sara from Me&Orla interviews all types of creatives about their work and how they stay true to themselves. She asks all the questions we want to know the answer to. I’ve found some brilliant, inspiring people via listening to this show. Listen in here.

Style Your Mind

This is a fairly new one for me so I haven’t listened to much, but what I have heard is uplifting. It’s about changing mindsets and creating a life you really want, it’s inspiring self-help. Something to listen to if you need motivating or feel like you want to change your life for the better. Get inspired here.

Story Grid Podcast (and sister podcast Editor Roundtable)

This is mainly for storytellers (and the curious) be that filmmakers, novelists and similar. Long form stories are broken down into elements that make up the Story Grid a method of structuring stories. There’s a book that goes with this and a whole website dedicated to the Story Grid. It’s rather in-depth but fascinating to listen to. Link both here.

The Bestseller Experiment

Another bookish podcast here. Interviews with authors and they’ve had some brilliant writers on, including Joanne Harris and Bryan Cranston. The discussion depends on the guest but often includes tips on writing and trying to answer the question, what makes a bestseller? Link here.

The Robcast- Specifically The Undernet Episodes

I’m recommending the Undernet episodes here as I haven’t listened to any others. These are fascinating, it is about the underbelly of the internet and how it works. I was nodding all the way through, during the first episode especially. Rob is extremely quotable, my favourite being, “There is no correlation whatsoever between number of views and quality of content”, can I get an Amen?! Episode 192 here.

The Secret Library Podcast

This is a podcast I found last year but really want to dig into the archives as it’s been around since 2016. Pitched as “the secret of writing books”, again I believe this could be applied to any creative process. The host, Caroline Donahue wants to get to the bottom of what it takes to create a book and she interviews authors, editors and agents to help her, and us, in that quest. Find it here.

The Riff Raff Podcast

I found this podcast one day on a train journey back from London to Manchester. I love that it is British and the hosts, Amy and Rosy, ask all the questions I would ask. And it’s funny. It has a slight focus on debut authors and it is fascinating listening to the path to publication stories from each interviewee. Riff Raff also put on author/writer events in London. Listen here.

Blogtacular

I’ve been listening to this podcast since the very first episode and I love Kat’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the blogging world. She invites a wide variety of creatives on the show to interview them all about their processes and how their creative journey has brought them to where they are now. I have a few to catch up on but this is a really uplifting podcast, and I always end up googling to find out more about the guests. Check out the episode guide here.

Teenage Scream

This one is a bit of a wildcard. I have an inkling that many of you, my lovely readers, are around the same age as me and you might have been as obsessed with the Point Horror books in the 1990s as I was. I could be wrong, but I couldn’t resist including this brand new podcast, I’ve listened to the first episode and it brought back memories of me reading The Lifeguard in my parents back garden one summer in the mid-nineties. Find it here or in your regular podcast app.

Photos by Alexander Ward in my back garden