By WB Intern Megan Aune
The practice of honing your craft doesn’t always have to take place in front of a blank white screen. Sometimes, it’s okay to step back from the keyboard and take a break! We’ve gathered a handful of our favorite podcasts that talk about writing–from discussion of craft, to advice on getting published, to fun anecdotes about staying motivated and getting your creative juices flowing. Though they’re not all still publishing new episodes, there are troves of archives for the curious writer to sift through. Pop in your earbuds and enjoy!
The Manuscript Academy
Hosted by a writer and a literary agent, The Manuscript Academy Podcast provides insider tips on the publishing industry. Each week, they host a writer or publishing professional who talks about their own experiences within the industry and gives their best advice to those navigating it.
88 Cups of Tea
This podcast focuses on the joys of writing. Featuring heartwarming and often laugh-out-loud conversations between the host and guest writers, it makes for excellent motivation and often some great tips on craft and staying in the creative flow!
The Writer Files
These interviews with chart-topping writers delve into their thought processes and, more specifically, how they overcome writer’s block. It investigates the question “how do writers write.” Readers and writers alike may enjoy this deep dive into the minds of some of their favorite bestselling authors.
A Way with Words
A radio show before a podcast, A Way with Words takes calls from listeners and gets into the nitty gritty of language, literature, and writing. The hosts, a lexicographer and linguist paired with the author of a book on word origins, seek to examine language through the everyday stories of people’s families, cultures, and histories. This is definitely worth a listen for our fellow word nerds!
The Writers Panel
For those interested in screenwriting, The Writers Panel goes into both the business and craft aspects of film and TV. For those who haven’t considered the applications of screenwriting practices before, consider giving this a listen! There might be more in common with your craft than you expect.
This Creative Life
This Creative Life focuses less on writing than the writers themselves. Sara Zarr interviews writers about how they balance work, family, and other obligations with their creative pursuits. Listen for warm, inspiring, and often validating accounts of the struggles of a work-life balance!
The Shit No One Tells You About Writing
A writer and two literary agents co-host this podcast to provide advice on writing, publishing, and how to have fun on the journey. As the name suggests, this show aims to provide a tell-all for emerging writers. The hosts read and critique query letters, answer questions about the publishing industry, and interview everyone from authors to independent booksellers.
About the Author
Megan Aune is a recent University of Texas graduate with a BA in English and a certificate in Creative Writing. She currently works as a writing consultant at UT’s Writing Center. She loves working with stories and the writers who create them, and is looking forward to taking that passion into the publishing industry. In her spare time, Megan can be found reading (a lot), biking, baking, and exploring Austin’s coffee shops.