London Writers' Salon
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.
Show episodes
#167: Anna Davis, founder of Curtis Brown Creative — Learning How to Write: Messy Drafts, the Rewrite Doctor, and What Agents Want
Anna Davis, novelist, agent, and founder of Curtis Brown Creative, shares how to turn a messy first draft into a strong, market-ready novel through diagnostic editing, practical rewriting tools, and a clear understanding of what agents actually look for. You'll learn:Why every writer’s process is different (and why mes
#166: Kate McKean — Author and Literary Agent on Building a Writing Life: Pitches, Rejections, and Publishing Truths
Literary agent and author Kate McKean shares how to pitch like a human, read rejection letters usefully, and protect your joy so you can build a durable writing life. You'll learn:How to build a clear 1–2 line pitch others can repeat and sell.How to read rejection letters, spot strong notes, and decide when to revise.
#165: Carys Shannon — Debut Novelist on Choosing an Indie Press, Finding Your Voice, Writers’ Hour, and Holding Your Vision
Debut novelist Carys Shannon on how to stay true to your voice through submissions and agent feedback, why an editorially led indie press was the right home for her book, and the craft that brought it to life. We discuss:How to decide what your book wants to be and center its emotional life.Submission strategy after co
#164: Liv Maidment — A Literary Agent’s Playbook for Writers: Query Smart, Pick Comps, Nail the Pitch & Synopsis, and Today’s Market
Head of Books at the Madeleine Milburn Agency, Liv Maidment, shares how literary agents read, evaluate, and champion submissions (from pitches and comps to strategy, timelines, and today’s AI-driven market), helping writers pitch their work clearly and confidently. You'll learn:How to build a snappy 1–2 line elevator p
#163: Indyana Schneider — Lessons from an Opera Singer Who Wrote Her Novel on the Tube; Rhythm, Desire & Tension for Fiction Writers
Indyana Schneider—international opera singer and novelist—shares practical ways to write rhythm and desire on the page, craft scene-level tension, and shape compressed-time narratives; plus lessons from drafting her debut on the Tube. You'll learn:How to build sentence-level cadence: vary lengths and read aloud to t
#162: Natalie Lue — Publishing Mini-Memoirs, Writing Difficult Truths, Choosing Indie Publishing
Natalie Lue, bestselling author and writer (Baggage Reclaim) shares how she shaped her mini-memoirs Let Go (Family & Friction) with The Pound Project, why intention is your best editor, and the inner tools that helped her write through grief, illness, and complicated family ties — without turning her life into content.
