The Bestseller Experiment

Evan Gow started StoryOrigin as a community of writers who promote one another through group promotions and newsletters. Evan takes us through the basics, tells us how it all works, what genres benefit the most from these promotions, and how it differs from other group promotion sites such as Bookfunnel. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out no...

Kit Cox is an author, illustrator and actor and has just launched a Flash Fiction Youtube page where he tells stories in drabbles (a hundred words) and dribbles (fifty words or fewer). He also takes us through his unconventional route to publication working with small presses and self-publishing to great success. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality...

Sarah's writing has been described as "downright dangerous" by Mick Herron, and with her new novel Never Be Broken she tackles some very difficult and dangerous issues indeed. She tells us how she approaches polarising subjects and the kind of research and due diligence she takes before her first draft. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now...

We discuss one of the most important topics we've ever covered: writers and their mental health. With questions from our live studio audience we share our experiences of loneliness, anxiety, self-doubt and support. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In a companion episode to this week's interview with Gray Williams, we speak to his agent Juliet Mushens about the role of an agent and the best way to select and approach them and what they can do for your career as a writer. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Gray Williams had a dream to be published, but he wasn't about to desperately rush in and accept the first offer. He took a patient and methodical approach to finding an agent and publisher that paid off in spades and now his debut novel, The End of the Line, is a stunning magical thriller. Grab a pen and get ready to take notes. This episode is choc full of the most amazing advice, and it has a s...

Victoria Falconer has been running the highly successful WhitLit Festival since 2014 and she takes us through what's involved in organising a festival and how authors can get involved. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

REPLAY: Joe is the bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box, Horns, NOS4A2, Locke & Key and the most recently the New York Times #1 bestseller epic blockbuster The Fireman. Joe is a powerhouse storyteller, and an endless well of writing advice. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Alison May is an award-winning author, an adult education tutor, a member of the Society of Authors and she has worked with authors that have gone on to be published by Harpercollins, Bookouture and Head of Zeus. She gives us advice on picking the right creative writing courses, what to look for in a tutor, and how the process works for writers of all levels.   To support the show go to bestseller...

REPLAY: From farrier to multi-million copy bestselling indie author, USA Today bestseller, and writing machine, Shannon bestows wisdom, inspiration, and a quote that we want on t-shirts and bumper stickers.

Georgina May is the founder of Toppsta.com a children's book review site that helps readers find the best book for children. She has also worked for Apple Books and Penguin and is here to answer out listeners' questions on children's marketing. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Catherine Kirwan's debut novel The Darkest Truth is one of the most critically acclaimed debuts of the year. Catherine tells us how she went from feeling foolish about even trying to write, to being snapped up by one of the biggest agents in the business. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Listener of the show, Mike Shackle was on the verge of giving up on his writing when he heard one of our early episodes with Joe Abercrombie. Inspired by Joe's wise words, Mike has not only created a successful career as an indie author, but he's about to launch We Are The Dead, the first book in a new trilogy to be published by Gollancz. Mike takes us through the ups and downs of his career and w...

Following on from our episode with Mike Shackle, we talk about his indie pen name Mike Morris in this fascinating and entertaining Deep Dive into how to start out as an indie author and the key differences between the traditional world and self-publishing. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

The Alt. History genre — also known as Counter-Factual History — takes a key moment in history and use a "What if?" question to create enthralling stories. JDK Wyneken's forthcoming novel Krelle's Inferno asks what would have happened if the D-Day landings had failed. We met at Duxford Airbase during the preparations for the D-Day anniversary events to discuss how to write in this extraordinary ge...

At the end of 2018, the Two Marks set themselves a challenge: to sell ten thousand copies of their novel Back To Reality by Glastonbury weekend. They went wide, they published in paperback, and dabbled in advertising. But did they make it? Join us in the highlights of a live show where they reveal all... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out no...

Kim Nash, award-winning novelist, book blogger and PR manager at Bookouture answers our listener questions on blog tours, social media, newsletters, cover reveals, publicity, attending festivals, writing groups, book clubs, tips for blogging, blurbs, working with schools, and what authors can do to promote their books. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Re...

That's the feedback that Caimh got for his first novel. Over a hundred thousand book sales later, he's writing in a tone and genre that defies all conventional publishing wisdom. Caimh talks to us about his career, from stand-up comedy to studying writing and moving from rejection to self-publishing success. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is ou...

To celebrate Independent Bookshop Week we recorded our first ever LIVE episode of the podcast at Harbour Books in Whitstable! We were joined by authors Julie Wassmer, Katherine May, John McGhie and bookseller Olivia Rosenthall to discuss our love of books To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In the latest of our One Page Punch-Up specials we asked our Patreon Chart Topper supporters to send in one page from their work-in-progress and we gave them Gollancz's Gillian Redfearn and Marcus Gipps to review and critique. Between them Gillian and Marcus have worked with some legendary authors, including Joe Hill, Joanne Harris, Joe Abercrombie, and other authors NOT called Jo/Joe, including N...

Sasha Greene is the author of Something Like Happy, a thought-provoking novel about day-to-day struggles with mental health. Sasha tells us what inspired the book and the importance of inclusion and diversity in your writing. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Tim Clare is a poet, author and musician who has wanted to write since childhood. Despite his commitment and determination, his route to publication has been a rocky one. Tim talks about his career with honesty, wit and passion, and every writer will come away inspired by his story. We also cover such writing essentials such Super Mario fan fiction, Soviet Ballerinas and giant mutant bats. To supp...

John Robert Marlow has spoken to the Hollywood screenwriters, producers and directors responsible for some of the biggest hits of all time (combined total of $50bn at the box office!) and distilled their experiences into his book Make Your Story A Movie To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

The Two Marks celebrate two hundred episodes of the podcast by answering some of the strangest questions they have ever been asked. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Bec Evans is a writer, speaker, innovation coach and startup founder and her new book How To Have A Happy Hustle in which she shares the secrets of start-up founders to make your publishing dreams a reality. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality