London Writers' Salon

Parul Bavishi, Matthew Trinetti

Creativity

Writing

Poetry

Creative Writing

Writing Process

Publishing

Publishing Industry

Self-Publishing

Artificial Intelligence

Literary Fiction

Substack

Indie Publishing

Art

Grief

Writing Community

Essay Writing

Storytelling

Rumi

Literary Agents

Historical Fiction

A deep dive into the habits, mindsets, tools, craft secrets and creative practices bestselling writers use to write novels, plays, poetry, and articles. Hosted by the co-founders of the London Writers' Salon, Matt & Parul.

238 ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	219	Founded	5 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	BooksArtsVisual Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Hosts Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

#218: Behind the Scenes With the UK’s Top Literary Agents — Abigail Bergstrom, Madeleine Milburn, Juliet Mushens on Playing the Long Game, Turning Ideas Into Author Brands, and Bouncing Back From Rejection | Compilation

Three of the UK’s leading literary agents — Abigail Bergstrom, Madeleine Milburn, and Juliet Mushens — on what happens after an agent says yes: building a writing career that lasts, turning an idea into a distinct author brand, and moving forward aft... more

31 Oct 2026 • 46 min

#217: Dawn O'Porter — Finding Your Voice, Writing as a Loyal Companion, Writing Memoir Without Exposing Others, and Success Beyond the Bank Balance

Novelist, memoirist and broadcaster Dawn O'Porter on trusting her own voice, writing the book she had to get out of her system, drafting without a plan, protecting the people in her food memoir Hungry Eyes, and measuring success by what you create ra... more

24 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 1 min • Most popular

#216: Sarah Gilbert — PR for Indie Authors, Thinking Like a Publicist, and Starting Small to Build Momentum

Lulu PR Manager Sarah Gilbert on building a reader-first publicity plan, pitching the media as an indie author, and turning small grassroots wins into lasting momentum.

You'll learn

• Why earned media carries more weight with readers than anything ... more

18 Oct 2026 • 50 min

#215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Indie authors Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, and Eleanor Anstruther on going direct to readers and protecting your rights, the business and money side of self-publishing, and building an audience by serialising on Substack.

You'll learn

• Why curiosity an... more

10 Oct 2026 • 58 min

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Recent Guests

Dawn O'Porter

Bestselling novelist, memoirist, journalist and broadcaster

Episode: #217: Dawn O'Porter — Finding Your Voice, Writing as a Loyal Companion, Writing Memoir Without Exposing Others, and Success Beyond the Bank Balance

Sarah Gilbert

PR expert with over 16 years in publishing, author publicity campaigns

Lulu (publicity expert)

Episode: #216: Sarah Gilbert — PR for Indie Authors, Thinking Like a Publicist, and Starting Small to Build Momentum

Joanna Penn

Indie author and host of Creative Penn Podcast

The Creative Penn

Episode: #215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Orna Ross

Founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors

Alliance of Independent Authors

Episode: #215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Eleanor Anstruther

Acclaimed novelist and creator of The Literary Obsessive

The Literary Obsessive

Episode: #215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Emma Gannon

Sunday Times bestselling author; creator of The Hyphen Substack

Author; The Hyphen (Substack)

Episode: #214: Emma Gannon — Find Your Creative Compass, Let Go of People-Pleasing, Redefining Success, and Owning Your Work Through Self-Publishing (With Discoveries Prize)

Anthony Anaxagorou

Poet, essayist, and publisher introduced as the guest

Poet, founder of Out Spoken Live / Out Spoken Press

Episode: #213: Anthony Anaxagorou — Thinking Like a Poet, Pushing Past Self-Doubt, and Treating Rejection as Part of the Job (From The Vault)

Marti Leimbach

Best-selling author of eight novels; writing educator

Author

Episode: #212: Marti Leimbach — The Art of Writing a Novel, Why Self-Doubt Is a Good Sign, Revising Without Losing Heart, and Surviving the Highs and Lows of Publishing (From The Vault)

Laura Palmer

Founder, Pellerin Books

Pellerin Books

Episode: #211: Laura Palmer & Jessie Sullivan — How to Market Your Book, from the Founders of Digital-First Publisher Pellerin Books, Finding the Readers Who Will Love Your Book, and Why the Best Book Still Wins

Hosts

Parul Bhavishi

Co-founder of the London Writers' Salon; host focusing on craft, publishing, and community

Matt Trinetti

Co-founder and host emphasizing craft, world-building, and publishing dynamics

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 238 ratings

Thank you!
Great podcast. Interesting guests. Meaningful conversations.
Apple Podcasts
5
Oreille attentive
Francea year ago
Really valuable information
As a writer who is currently in the process of reaching out to agents this is really helpful, thank you!
Apple Podcasts
5
Blowing The Lid - Cleris
United Statesa year ago
Inspiring and helpful
I’m a fledging blogger/writer. This is a super helpful, inspiring and entertaining podcast. Thanks very much team!
Apple Podcasts
5
Sturks
United Kingdom3 years ago
Amazing!
Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to find this wonderful podcast. A must for any writer, these interviews are full of inspiration, tips and insight.
Apple Podcasts
5
Robboqqqqq
United Kingdom3 years ago
Inspiring & practical
The hosts do a very good job of getting diverse writers to let their hair down and reflect on their personal experiences of finding their way into writing careers. Thank you, LWS!
Apple Podcasts
5
Sara aka Meg
United States3 years ago

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Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Episodes are described as inspiring and actionable for writers.

The hosts' interview style is seen as insightful and encouraging, with a strong sense of community.

Listeners praise high-quality guest lineups and practical craft takeaways.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#52	United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#146	United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts	#92	Denmark/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#120	Netherlands/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#189	Taiwan/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#197	Denmark/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#217: Dawn O'Porter — Finding Your Voice, Writing as a Loyal Companion, Writing Memoir Without Exposing Others, and Success Beyond the Bank Balance

Q: Was there anything difficult about having to dive so deep while writing your memoir?

O'Porter found it difficult to write honestly while protecting family members who did not want to appear in the book. She advises keeping the memoir centered on the writer's own feelings and using a recurring theme, such as food, to bring the narrative back to their experience.

#217: Dawn O'Porter — Finding Your Voice, Writing as a Loyal Companion, Writing Memoir Without Exposing Others, and Success Beyond the Bank Balance

Q: What does the early stage of writing a book look like for you?

O'Porter typically starts with a character, a location and a climax, then discovers the rest as she writes. Planning too much makes her feel trapped, so she prefers to let the story develop freely.

#215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Q: How did you approach rejection and move toward an indie path?

Rejection was a catalyst; it taught humility and pushed the author to explore alternative routes, including self-publishing and later serialising on Substack, which opened up direct reader relationships and new revenue streams.

#215: How to Go Indie — Joanna Penn, Orna Ross, Eleanor Anstruther on Owning Your Rights, Paying Yourself First, and Serialising Your Novel on Substack | Compilation

Q: What does it mean to be an independent author in practical terms today?

Being independent means using professional services, owning distribution, connecting directly with readers, and balancing maker, manager, and marketer roles to build sustainable income while maintaining control of creative work.

#216: Sarah Gilbert — PR for Indie Authors, Thinking Like a Publicist, and Starting Small to Build Momentum

Q: What should be included in a press release, and is it necessary to send it to traditional outlets?

Writing a press release helps crystallize the core message and talking points, but sending it broadly is not always necessary; the process helps you clarify your book's value and potential angles for outreach.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About London Writers' Salon

What is London Writers' Salon about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This deeply focused writer-audience show centers on craft, publishing, and the practicalities of building a long writing life. Conversations frequently cover daily writing routines, revision discipline, and navigating the industry—from agent submissions to marketing and reader discovery—while weaving in personal storytelling and resilience. Guests span poets, novelists, middle-grade authors, editors, and agents, offering actionable tips on voice, structure, and career strategy, often with behind-the-scenes looks at publishing decisions and community-building efforts that sustain authors over years. A standout feature is the emphasis on writing communities, rituals, and practical frameworks (loglines, pacing, five-part structures) that liste... more

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How many listeners does London Writers' Salon get?

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What are the audience demographics for London Writers' Salon?

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How many subscribers and views does London Writers' Salon have?

To see how many followers or subscribers London Writers' Salon has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to London Writers' Salon?

These podcasts share a similar audience with London Writers' Salon:

1. Writer's Routine
2. The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers
3. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
4. Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice
5. Writers on Writing

How many episodes of London Writers' Salon are there?

London Writers' Salon launched 5 years ago and published 219 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact London Writers' Salon?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for London Writers' Salon?

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What guests have appeared on London Writers' Salon?

Recent guests on London Writers' Salon include:

1. Dawn O'Porter
2. Sarah Gilbert
3. Joanna Penn
4. Orna Ross
5. Eleanor Anstruther
6. Emma Gannon
7. Anthony Anaxagorou
8. Marti Leimbach

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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