The path of an author is a difficult one. Creating a book idea is just the first step. After that, you have to piece together the first draft, edit your work, and rewrite it all while trying to convince yourself that you shouldn’t give up. 

Not to mention, the insurmountable task ahead if you plan to publish your book too. There will be plenty of pitching, and sadly plenty of rejections, if you’re even lucky enough to find a publisher. 

The path is so non-linear and unpredictable that it’s vital to learn from others who have trodden the path before you. At Daily Prompt, we love podcasts as a medium to learn as it lets you take in information while doing other things like chores or travelling. 

There are lots of great podcasts on writing out there, but we chose the following as our favourites for 2022:

1. Helping Writers Become Authors

Not long ago, we K.M. Weiland hosted a writing competition on Daily Prompt. Her podcast is an extension of her incredibly successful blog: Helping Writers Become Authors.

What we love:

Each episode is a bite-sized explanation of specific writing skills. These 15 minute nuggets are easy to squeeze into your schedule, but with over 500 episodes to date, there’s a wealth of knowledge there to help you improve as an author. 

2. Write Now

The Write Now podcast offers a glimpse into the life of a writer. The host, Sarah Rhea Werner, offers a mixture of interviews and “monologues” that explore the experience of being an author. 

What we love:

The Write Now podcast pays particular attention to the mindset of an author. Life as an author can be a lonely path and when things get really tough it’s easy to want to quit entirely. However, Sarah’s Write Now podcast helps you realise that you’re not alone in the struggle. It regularly explores themes such as fear, self doubt, and the work-life balance to help us be kinder to ourselves.

3. The Creative Penn

Joanna puts the focus on the “business of writing” in her podcast (and blog). Her podcast is primarily interview-based and includes a mix of episodes on creative writing skills, publishing (and self-publishing), and conversations about the writing industry at large. 

What we love: 

Joanna’s passion for the writing means she regularly covers some of the latest advancements and technology in the industry. Recently, she had a conversation with Jessica Artemisia Mathieu about NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and some of the business models that might accompany them for writers. 

If you want to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to writing technology, be sure to listen in regularly to this podcast. 

4. Writing Excuses

The Writing Excuses podcast is perhaps one of the biggest writing podcasts out there. Each episode is just 15 minutes and gives a playful, yet informative, analysis of writing theory. Plus, the Writing Excuses team includes some big names from the writer-sphere including Brandon Sanderson and Mary Robinette Kowal. 

What we love:

Having the insights (and banter) come from four different hosts makes the show dynamic and captivating. Each host brings a wealth of knowledge and shares complex writing advice in entertaining ways. The balance of entertaining and educational is difficult to pull of yet they do it perfectly!

5. How Writers Write

How Writers Write is an interview-based podcast where the host, Brian Murphy, interviews some of the world’s leading fiction writers such as Anthony Horowitz and Jeffrey Archer. 

What we love:

Brian’s goal is to dive into the minds of the world’s top writers to decode their tips, routines and motivations, and he does it masterfully. 

How Writers Write is like The Tim Ferriss Show for writers! Brian asks the right probing questions to unlock fascinating insights and then steps out of the way to let his guests elaborate and share their wisdom.