London Writers' Salon

Writer and editor Mason Currey on what artists’ routines can teach us about focus, discipline, procrastination, and building a sustainable creative life. You'll learn: What led Mason to writing, and the early pressures that shaped his relationship with the work. Why he started Daily Routines as a side project, and what he was trying to solve with it. The moment the blog went viral, and what change...

Debut novelist and 2023 Reese’s Book Club LitUp fellow Allison King on blending history with magical realism, and what it takes to build a writing life while navigating the modern publishing landscape. We discuss: Allison’s early relationship with stories and the role her grandmother played in shaping it. The path from fan fiction and short stories to publishing a debut novel. The dual timeline an...

Neuroaesthetics researcher Susan Magsamen and Google design leader Ivy Ross on creativity as a biological necessity, intuition, and the aesthetic mindset for a good life.    You'll learn: Habits that Susan and Ivy turn to when they need to re-centre. What Susan and Ivy are trying to change in the world with their day jobs.  The beginning of Susan and Ivy working together. Clear evidence that prove...

Poets Mary Jean Chan, David Whyte, and Anthony Anaxagorou read their work and unpack emotional truth, craft choices, and poems built from lived detail.   You'll learn: How early “bad” poems can still be soothing and give you a way through angst.  Why simplicity of voice can beat complexity when a poem needs clarity.  How form and layout can carry a poem’s physicality, including a modern sonnet’s c...

What does it mean to turn a life of art, love, and loss into story? How do we write honestly about the people who shaped us? And what can theater teach us about the art of memoir? In her debut memoir No Stars in Jefferson Park (Northwestern University Press), writer and professor Maggie Andersen tells a Chicago coming-of-age story that alternates between the exhilaration of founding a theater comp...

The Diary of a CEO’s Director of Trailers, Anthony Smith , on capturing attention in the first few seconds, building cliffhangers and emotional momentum that keep audiences watching (or reading), and testing hooks and packaging without losing trust or story. You'll learn: Why you only have 3–5 seconds to earn attention, and what that changes about your opening lines and first scenes. How to take t...

Poet, novelist, and broadcaster Salena Godden on turning love, grief, and fury into books and poems, surviving years in the wilderness before publication, and sustaining a boundaryless creative life through performance, early-morning writing, and community. You'll learn: Why you don’t have to be a “starving artist” and how to make powerful work while loving yourself and looking after your health....

Award-winning poet Mary Jean Chan on emotional truth in contemporary poetry, the imagery and juxtaposition that hold big feelings on the page, writing queerness, family and grief with care, and what submissions and prize judging reveal about poems that endure. You'll learn: Why emotional truth sits at the centre of Mary Jean’s work and how you can use it as a compass in your own poems. How to move...

Bestselling novelist Adele Parks on her writing life, routines and techniques, character work, and creative strategies that have kept her stories fresh and her readership devoted for over two decades. You'll learn: How Adele moved from imitating other writers to trusting her own voice and background. How loss and adversity can shape resilience and urgency in writing. Why Adele treats discipline as...

Self-published authors Anne Ditmeyer and Martin Lake share what it really takes to go indie, from choosing platforms and budgeting for editing, design, and ISBNs to redefining success, avoiding scams, and playing the long game of finding readers and building a sustainable writing life.   You'll learn: Why Anne and Martin chose self-publishing over traditional routes and how they framed readers as...

Anna Davis , novelist, agent, and founder of Curtis Brown Creative, shares how to turn a messy first draft into a strong, market-ready novel through diagnostic editing, practical rewriting tools, and a clear understanding of what agents actually look for. You'll learn: Why every writer’s process is different (and why messy drafts are fine). How to diagnose problems mid-novel and bring a manuscript...

Literary agent and author Kate McKean shares how to pitch like a human, read rejection letters usefully, and protect your joy so you can build a durable writing life.  You'll learn: How to build a clear 1–2 line pitch others can repeat and sell. How to read rejection letters, spot strong notes, and decide when to revise. Query etiquette and timelines: when to follow up and how resubmissions work....

Debut novelist Carys Shannon on how to stay true to your voice through submissions and agent feedback, why an editorially led indie press was the right home for her book, and the craft that brought it to life. We discuss: How to decide what your book wants to be and center its emotional life. Submission strategy after competitions: reading agent feedback without losing your vision. Indie presses 1...

Head of Books at the Madeleine Milburn Agency, Liv Maidmen t, shares how literary agents read, evaluate, and champion submissions (from pitches and comps to strategy, timelines, and today’s AI-driven market), helping writers pitch their work clearly and confidently. You'll learn: How to build a snappy 1–2 line elevator pitch that helps everyone down the chain sell your book (“the art of summing so...

Indyana Schneider —international opera singer and novelist—shares practical ways to write rhythm and desire on the page, craft scene-level tension, and shape compressed-time narratives; plus lessons from drafting her debut on the Tube.    You'll learn: How to build sentence-level cadence: vary lengths and read aloud to tune flow. A simple spine for short-timeframe novels: day-by-day beats, rising...

Natalie Lue, bestselling author and writer (Baggage Reclaim) shares how she shaped her mini-memoirs Let Go (Family & Friction) with The Pound Project, why intention is your best editor, and the inner tools that helped her write through grief, illness, and complicated family ties — without turning her life into content. You’ll learn How to decide if you’re writing from the scar or the wound. Practi...

Sarah Hall—twice Booker Prize–nominated author and the only writer to win the BBC National Short Story Award twice—on crafting fiction that is both lush and uncompromising, and how to captivate readers on the sentence level while staying true to creative freedom. We discuss: Her early reading life in the countryside and the characters who first sparked her imagination Lessons learned from an “unpu...

Nicolas Cole —digital writer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Ship 30 for 30, Premium Ghostwriting Academy, Typeshare, and Write With AI—on building a portfolio of writing businesses, ghostwriting as a path for writers, and how to balance art and commerce.    We discuss: How poetry kept him creatively grounded while building businesses Why every piece of writing answers a question  Career paths to...

Chris Banks—writer, entrepreneur, and founder of ProWritingAid—on how to embrace what makes you unique, use AI as a tool for inspiration, and build resilience and joy into the writing process, from creating faster feedback loops to reframing the creative pit of despair. We discuss: Why “leaning into your weird” can unlock originality and stronger ideas Where you might use AI for inspiration.  How...

Amie McNee —creativity coach and writer  behind the popular account @InspiredToWrite —on how to stay grounded through success and setbacks, forge a creative life on your own terms, and why art is both essential and revolutionary. We discuss: How to deal with rejection Advice for artists starting out on social media Tips and reflections on self-publishing and book deals Why the world needs your art...

Poet, novelist, and teacher Joseph Fasano on how to find the unique language and rhythm in our work, building a meaningful online presence, and why he believes that embracing limits in life (and writing) is key to creative freedom. We discuss: Joseph’s creative evolution, from astrophysics to poetry Why studying craft is essential The value of constraint and rhythm in unlocking creativity How he f...

George Walkley, AI strategist and former publishing executive at Hachette, on what writers need to know about artificial intelligence, how it’s reshaping the creative and publishing industries, and how to use it responsibly in your writing life. We discuss: How George transitioned from traditional publishing to AI consulting The difference between AI probability and human creativity Why everyone s...

Gretchen Rubin—bestselling author of The Happiness Project and The Four Tendencies on how self-awareness shapes her creative process, the habits that sustain her writing life, and how she wrote her latest nonfiction book Secrets of Adulthood . We discuss: How Gretchen found her voice and path as a writer Dealing with naysayers & rejection Building confidence and redefining “success” in the early s...

Francesca Simon is the legendary author of over 60 books for children, including the global bestselling Horrid Henry series, which has been translated into 27 languages. Her books have sold over 25 million copies. She talks to us about early rejection, finding fame, reinventing her voice to write librettos, and her first foray into adult fiction with Salka: The exquisite retelling of the tragic my...

How do you write a great query letter, find the right agent, and stand out in today’s crowded submissions inbox? In this special compilation episode, four top literary agents: Ed Wilson, Lucinda Halpern, Madeleine Milburn & Sam Copeland, share their honest advice on getting signed, writing marketable books, and navigating today's publishing industry. * Timestamps: Ed Wilson - 1:01 Lucinda Halpern...