David Bell, author of 'The Finalists' - Author and lecturer discusses whether deadlines help, making locked-room stories engaging, and why he loves a routine

This week, we chat to author and lecturer David Bell. He's just published his 12th book, 'The Finalists'. It looks at a group of prospective college students, and the lengths they might go to gain a prestigious fellowship. Think 'The Breakfast Club' with murder.


His novel, 'Kill All Your Darlings', was nominated for an Edgar Award, and he's written his books whilst lecturing English and writing at University. We talk about how he balances his time teaching writing, and actually writing. You can also hear how he makes a locked room story consistently engaging, when your characters can't really go very far... how do you make it gripping for a reader?


We talk about making stock characters unique, whether deadlines change, how knowing you've done it once can really help you believe you can do it again, and why he absolutely loves a routine.


Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine.


@writerspod

writersroutine.com


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More from Writer's Routine

  1. 57:23Paul Carlucci, author of 'The Voyageur' - Acclaimed author discusses moving from short stories to novels, by inspired by fact, and learning grammarApr 18, 2024
  2. 54:21Kerry Andrew, author of 'We Are Together Because' - Award winning composer and writer discusses the search for the perfect word, imagining the worst, and finding what you really wantApr 11, 2024
  3. 52:10Daisy Goodwin, author of 'Diva' - TV producer and screenwriter discusses thorough research, historical fiction, and creating legendary TV showsApr 04, 2024
  4. 51:24Max Moyer, author of 'Zodak - The Last Shielder' - Fantasy author talks world-building, stopping for 18 years, and why you don't need to be completely originalMar 29, 2024
  5. 43:43Mari Hannah, author of 'The Longest Goodbye' - Crime award-winner discusses planning across a series, her Murder Wall, and the book she never wanted to writeMar 21, 2024
  6. 01:05:16Triona Campbell, author of 'The Traitor in the Game' - Young Adult writer talks moving countries to write, moving from TV to novels, and moving obstaclesMar 15, 2024
  7. 49:32Yangsze Choo, author of 'The Fox Wife' - New York Times bestseller talks about streaming pressure, debut success, and how we think differentlyMar 08, 2024
  8. 51:20Mandy Robotham, author of 'The Hidden Storyteller' - Historical Fiction writer discusses the rules of genre, needing a deadline, and stopping when it gets goodMar 01, 2024
  9. 58:09Caroline Dunford, author of 'The Augmentors' - Prolific writer discusses plotting over a series, switching genres, and reaching for the perfect novel Feb 23, 2024
  10. 52:14Orlando Murrin, author of 'Knife Skills for Beginners' - Chef, writer and all-round doer discusses the perfect keyboard, going on tangents, and why kitchens make the perfect place for murderFeb 16, 2024