Writer's Routine

Dan Simpson

Writing Process

Character Development

Creative Writing

Writing

Faber Academy

Fiction Writing

Publishing Industry

Historical Fiction

Journalism

Screenwriting

Storytelling

Writing Routine

Fantasy Literature

The Fathers

Editing

World-Building

Writing Routines

Caroline Dunford

How Not To Murder Your Ex

Knife Skills For Beginners

How do the best writers get to work?

In every episode, we'll chat to an author about their writing day. Where do they work? What time do they start? How do they plan their time and maximise their creativity, in order to plot and publish a bestseller?

Some are frantic night-owls, others roll out of bed into their desks, and a few lock themselves away in the woods - but none have a regular 9 to 5, a... more

1.1k ratings

Publishes	Weekly	Episodes	424	Founded	9 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	BooksArtsHobbiesLeisure

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Guests Host Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

Daisy Stephens, author of 'The Island of the Lost' - Horror writer discusses making sentences chilling, editing to add more words, and creating a good query letter

Daisy Stephens is a journalist who has written stories forever. When she was young she filled notebooks with them, now living in a house-share with 3 friends and a grumpy cat, she fills notebooks with ideas and plots. During lockdown, she tried to tu... more

22 Oct 2026 • 55 min

Laurell K. Hamilton, author of 'A Glimmer of Death' - Romantasy writer discusses splitting an entire book in half, finishing a series, and her late ADHD diagnosis

Laurell K. Hamilton is a pioneer of romantasy and urban fantasy. One of the biggest names in the genre, Sarah J. Mass has cited Laurell as an enormous inspiration. She's published more than 40 novels and has sold over 20 million of them. She's a Numb... more

15 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 6 min • Most popular

Elif Shafak, author of 'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' - Bestselling writer discusses why writing is at the core of humanity, how it damages your health, and why you need to ask childish questions

Elif Shafak is an incredibly successful and influential author. Born in France to Turkish parents, Elif was raised by her single mother and traditional grandmother. She spent her childhood moving across the world, living in Madrid, Cologne, Amman and... more

8 Oct 2026 • 1 hr 4 min

Jenna Helwig, author of 'The Foreign Correspondent's Wife' - Cookbook writer discusses turning to mysteries, being focused with research, and the recipe for a perfect thriller

Jenna Helwig is a food editor, a cookbook evangelist, and now novel writer. She's a culinary school graduate, and in 2025 launched, the Cookbookery Collective, a very successful Substack for cookbook lovers. Jenna has published 5 cookbooks herself fo... more

1 Oct 2026 • 42 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Accepts Sponsors

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

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Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing AdviceSavannah Gilbo

The Shit No One Tells You About WritingBianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

Helping Writers Become AuthorsK.M. Weiland

Recent Guests

Daisy Stephens

Journalist and author of the ghost story The Island of the Lost

Episode: Daisy Stephens, author of 'The Island of the Lost' - Horror writer discusses making sentences chilling, editing to add more words, and creating a good query letter

Laurell K. Hamilton

Bestselling author of the Anita Blake and Merry Gentry series

Episode: Laurell K. Hamilton, author of 'A Glimmer of Death' - Romantasy writer discusses splitting an entire book in half, finishing a series, and her late ADHD diagnosis

Elif Shafak

Award-winning British-Turkish novelist, president of the Royal Society of Literature

Author

Episode: Elif Shafak, author of 'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' - Bestselling writer discusses why writing is at the core of humanity, how it damages your health, and why you need to ask childish questions

Jenna Helwig

Cookbook author, Cookery Collective Substack writer, and mystery novelist

Episode: Jenna Helwig, author of 'The Foreign Correspondent's Wife' - Cookbook writer discusses turning to mysteries, being focused with research, and the recipe for a perfect thriller

Benjamin Abravenel

Debut author of The Past, Again

Author, The Past, Again

Episode: Benjamin Abravenel, author of 'The Past, Again' - Debut author discusses learning from history, hybrid-publishing, and keeping busy in retirement

Claire McGowan

Million-copy bestselling author of The Other Couple; writer across genres including women's fiction, radio, and screenplays

Episode: Claire McGowan, author of 'The Other Couple' - Million-Copy Bestseller discusses what's changed in 5 years, spreading the net wide, and challening yourself to make things better

Scott Mariani

Author of the Ben Hope series and Will Bowman novels

Author, Ben Hope Series

Episode: Scott Mariani, author of the 'Ben Hope series' - Bestselling thriller writer discusses keeping the discipline, finding new mysteries, and learning what readers want

Simon Wroe

Author of Ghost Month, BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick

Author, Ghost Month

Episode: Simon Wroe, author of 'Ghost Month' - BBC Radio 2 Book Club pick discusses listening to your instinct, getting into your characters' heads, and writing a novel for London

Kevin Wade

Screenwriter and showrunner for Blue Bloods, author of One Good Eye

Filmmaking/Television; author

Episode: Kevin Wade, author of 'One Good Eye' - 'Blue Bloods' showrunner talks learning the rules of crime shows, writing 20 individual mysteries, and switching to novels

Host

Dan Simpson

Host of Writer's Routine; lead interviewer focused on authors' daily writing habits, routines, and craft.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings

Ads Ads Ads
Used to be such a good podcast (5*) but the barrage of ads and sponsors are making it almost unlistenable
Apple Podcasts
3
DBC Thomas
United Kingdoma month ago
Excellent podcast!
Just discovered your podcast and find it entertaining, helpful and inspiring. Thanks for the interesting podcast!
Apple Podcasts
5
Wendybx
United States4 months ago
Amazing
This podcast is the best I’ve found on this topic by far. Dan’s interviews are well structured and there’s always nuggets of inspiration from the writers and often really helpful tips. Highly recommend!
Apple Podcasts
5
css2493
United Kingdom5 months ago
Stokes the fire for writing!
Dan’s podcast provides a wealth of inspiration and encouragement. To paraphrase David Goodman from a recent episode: ‘Just get started typing ten words. Almost any ten words, as they will impel you forward and very soon it will be one hundred, and so on.’ Dan’s podcast provides a comforting insight into the isolative existence of a writer’ routine in a most helpful and reassuring way. Hearing all the different but similar accounts of authors going about their process opens the way for me to feel... more
Apple Podcasts
5
Poparhino
United States8 months ago
Bad host
Dan has a habit of being condescending and judgy with his questions to authors. It’s pretty obvious when he starts each question with “now I’m not trying to judge…” for someone who doesn’t have any books he has a lot of opinions about real author’s work ethics
Apple Podcasts
2
auddupl
United Statesa year ago

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Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the actionable craft tips and authentic, varied writing routines.

The host keeps interviews focused and guests open up about their processes.

Some listeners note occasional concerns about host style, but overall the show is praised for depth and practicality.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#161	United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#38	United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#89	United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts	#101	Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts	#218	Canada/Arts
Apple Podcasts	#97	Australia/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Daisy Stephens, author of 'The Island of the Lost' - Horror writer discusses making sentences chilling, editing to add more words, and creating a good query letter

Q: How were you trying to make this quite maybe chilling whilst writing the story? What were you using?

Stephens focused on the island's isolation, unsettling history, decaying buildings, and physical discomforts such as cold, hunger, and unpleasant smells. She also recommends layering small details of the surroundings throughout a scene to keep the atmosphere oppressive.

Daisy Stephens, author of 'The Island of the Lost' - Horror writer discusses making sentences chilling, editing to add more words, and creating a good query letter

Q: Why do you think perhaps people don't try and start with horror?

Stephens says horror is often about more than scares, including themes such as grief or the environment, and that readers may associate the genre too closely with gore and jump scares. She sees horror as a broad category with more approachable forms.

Laurell K. Hamilton, author of 'A Glimmer of Death' - Romantasy writer discusses splitting an entire book in half, finishing a series, and her late ADHD diagnosis

Q: At what point in the series of Merry Gentry, did you first have the idea of how it might end?

Hamilton says she did not understand the series as a traditional fantasy quest until writing its later books. By the eighth and ninth books, she realized Merry's story required her to defeat her enemies and rule.

Laurell K. Hamilton, author of 'A Glimmer of Death' - Romantasy writer discusses splitting an entire book in half, finishing a series, and her late ADHD diagnosis

Q: At what point, Laurell, when you were starting to write, more recently within these last three years, did you start to feel that was a problem?

Hamilton says she initially attributed her reduced focus to stress, the upheaval of 2020 and long COVID. She gradually recognized the role of ADHD and adjusted her routine, work environment and writing goals.

Elif Shafak, author of 'In One Brief Moment All Eternity' - Bestselling writer discusses why writing is at the core of humanity, how it damages your health, and why you need to ask childish questions

Q: How do you manage the stress and self-doubt that accompanies writing a long novel?

I acknowledge that valleys of anxiety are part of the process for any author, but staying connected to the longing and love for storytelling helps me endure the difficult periods.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Writer's Routine

What is Writer's Routine about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on the daily practices and routines of writers, exploring where and when they work, how they plan their time, and what keeps them productive from project to publication. Across episodes, guests range from speculative fiction to thrillers and historical fiction, with common threads around disciplined drafting, editing methods, handling research, and balancing day jobs or family life with creative work. A standout feature is how different writers tailor environments and rituals to sustain momentum, with occasional discussions on technology, AI in research, and the emotional dimensions of pursuing a writing career. For potential listeners, it's a practical, craft-forward look at the realities of writing and finishing books, o... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Writer's Routine?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Writer's Routine:

1. Writers on Writing
2. Essential Guide to Writing a Novel
3. Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice
4. The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
5. Helping Writers Become Authors

How many episodes of Writer's Routine are there?

Writer's Routine launched 9 years ago and published 424 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Writer's Routine?

Recent guests on Writer's Routine include:

1. Daisy Stephens
2. Laurell K. Hamilton
3. Elif Shafak
4. Jenna Helwig
5. Benjamin Abravenel
6. Claire McGowan
7. Scott Mariani
8. Simon Wroe

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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