Writing Podcast Episode 688: Ben Macintyre shares insights on his latest book, 'The Siege'

The Iranian Embassy siege that unfolded in the UK in 1980 was a huge world event at the time, although perhaps lost in the fog of history today. Prolific British author Ben Macintyre brings it back into focus in his latest book, The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama and he joins us to discuss his writerly beginnings, turning real-world espionage into captivating reads and how he balances the personal and factual details in his stories. 00:00 Welcome 00:48 The power of constraints in writing 11:30 Writing tip: The iceberg theory 13:52 WIN!: Torn by Nicole Madigan 15:26 Word of the week: ‘Nonpareil’ 16:11 Writer in residence: Ben Macintyre 17:05 Ben gives an overview of The Siege 21:00 His personal experience with the events 25:43 Ben’s background in writing 28:33 Exploring the SAS archive 32:05 The TV series Rogue Heroes 33:20 Character depth and authenticity 35:20 Challenges of taking an oral history 37:40 Pacing and structuring the book 40:15 Real life being stranger than fiction 42:18 Research and writing process 45:27 From book to screen 51:05 Advice for aspiring writers 54:22 Balancing sensory and factual details 57:12 Ben’s upcoming project 58:13 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.