Episode #29: How to Start Writing Again After a Break

This time Marc and Jen talk about getting back to creative work after a break. If life has got in the way of your writing, how can you get back in the swing of things?

We also chat about last episode’s interview with the very nice Chris Billingham.




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We discuss 'Percolating', the new phrase Chris started using to brew ideas and mull over stories in his head, and how this has impacted on Jenni’s work positively. The dwell factor and reflection is an important process, reducing writer’s block and giving you time to really deepen your plot, plus it sounds like you're just about to make a lovely coffee!

We talk about getting back to work after a break with some tips! How can big events, or just plain old life stuff, affect your writing? How do you get back into a routine? Some of the tips we cover are to really think about your framework, finding the right environment to work in, changing up your routine and looking after yourself and your wellbeing. Marc also talks about artists that he has worked alongside that have actually gone on a physical break before they start up on projects.

Also this episode:

• We talk about that time Jenni stripped on stage and had a girly kiss.
• Jenni’s Nan’s penchant for a ‘lovely story’ (ie a dirty book).
• The return of the word’s nincompoop and ninny.
• Diversity, privilege and how to overcome this in your writing.
• Who appreciates a bad smell?
• Our dream locations for short breaks.
• Marc has some very rich friends.

Listen to the episode with Chris Billingham here.

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Email us at: powpodcastuk@gmail.com
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Music credit: "Clap Your Hands" by Scott Holmes


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Episode #28: Interview with Chris Billingham

This episode Jenni talks to Chris Billingham, one of our favourite people and a writer of many things.

We talk about how it's different writing with a partner, how to increase the diversity in our work, procrastination, deadlines, expectations and even term a band new writing phrase - 'percolation'.


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Chris Billingham has written three plays, a web series, two short films and won at least two awards. This means he is an 'award winning writer', although he doesn't like us saying that at all. He's a fantastically proficient writer, as well as having a proper job and having two/three podcasts with podcast partner Dan Doolan.

All the details for Chris's work will be below, so please check it out. We talk about the process of writing and how we write and plan plots (or not!), the importance and potential drawbacks of deadlines, how you should write for characters that don't fit your own gender, race or sexuality and also Chris's background in screenwriting.

Also...

• Jenni's laptop died on the first attempt of this interview so listen to us try to remember what we said the first time round
• How we wasted the opportunities of our uni years
• Chris's percolation process
• Using our lovely supportive partners as procrastination excuses
• Our daydreams of musical stardom and Jenni's failed band experience
• Actual kisses (and some stripping) on stage

If you want to find out more about Chris's writing and podcasting...

• Go With Him - AWARD WINNING Short film (Written and directed by Chris Billingham, produced by James Watts and Chris Billingham)
• I Did - Short film (Written by Chris Billingham, produced and directed by James Watts)
• Sneaking into the Theatre - Trailer (Written by Chris Billingham). Jenni is in this but thankfully not in her underwear.
• Nothing But Static - YouTube channel and podcast. Also on Twitter @Nothinbutstatic
• Steven University podcast
• Writing Space - TV Pilot Edit

Thanks to our sponsor, BadFish - use offer code POW for 10% off

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @POWpodcastUK
Email us at: powpodcastuk@gmail.com
Find all our episodes: Pow Podcast UK Episodes

Music credit: "Clap Your Hands" by Scott Holmes

If you're reading this far, maybe you have time to like and leave a review on our podcast...also, don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list, to keep up to date with all our latest news.

Episode #17: Writing Retreats

We're back and better than ever in Episode #17! We talk you through our first mini writing retreat, as well as our experiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

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Marc and Jenni meet up in deepest Leicestershire to go through our first few chapters. We pod directly from the beautiful retreat, and a pub near the M1, while we edit, rewrite and work through the beginning of Too Much (...apologies for the sound quality in our on-the-road-podding).

Are writing retreats useful? How do you approach them? What’s it like re-reading your first chapters, especially when a lot of them were written about 10 years ago? We cover all these points and more when we do our own mini writing retreat. As well as some plot holes, we discuss the differences in perspective and narrative in the first few chapters and how effective we thought it was.

We also talk about:

• How our book is shaping up 
• Just how BEAUTIFUL our place to meet up was (The Grange Tea Rooms in
• Markfield) 
• We mention cakes far too often 
• Is procrastination something you’re born with? The link to article Jenni mentions is here, from The Stylist 
• Turning our novel into an adult activity book 
• The productive effects of carbs 
• The shows we saw in Edinburgh, including the fantastic Royal Conservatoire of Scotland's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels musical, and the comedy magic show Two Ruby Knockers and One Jaded Dick, and Marc's favourite show of the Fringe, Joe Sutherland's Toxic. 
• The magical mystery tour of Edinburgh 
• Jenni's low point in Edinburgh (walking home in the rain in a Primark pac-a-mac) 
• Chris Addison's blog post about insecurity and unhappiness in the creative process

That's about it. Our next episode will be hitting your devices very soon, so keep an eye out.

Follow us on twitter: @POWpodcastUK
Email us at: powpodcastuk@gmail.com

Find all our episodes: Pow Podcast UK Episodes

If you're reading this far, maybe you have time to like and leave a review on our podcast...also, don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list, to keep up to date with all our latest news.

Music credit: "Clap Your Hands" by Scott Holmes

Episode #16: How to Develop Your Storyline and Plot

How do you develop a plot? In this episode we talk about the best ways to develop your storyline, what the classic plotlines are and how our own novel fits into it all. We also try to fit in a discussion about Horcruxes wherever we can.

You can find to our 16th episode here...


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Jenni has a massive problem in developing plots on her own, but finds the process easier when writing with Marc. Why is that? We look at different techniques of plotting and storylines, structuring a novel, whether a character can carry a story and if actually it’s all down to confidence.

Also, are plots like songs? Is it all down to character? Are there really only six real plots? Are Christopher Booker’s plots plots, or are they themes? We try to classify our own novel into one of the seven classic plots and work out how we are structuring our storyline. 

Marc also talks about the fantastic background work he's put in on character development behind one of our characters, Darvin, and how it fits into how our plot is developing. Darvin goes from flimsy weirdo to Guy With a Backstory.

What else do we learn in this episode, we hear you cry...

• Where to get the best chips in Belgium...Angela Merkal approved!
• Harry Potter and the Importance of the Horcruxes
• Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots (no Horcruxes)
• George Polti’s 36 Dramatic Situations (still no Horcruxes)
• Jenni calls the Bible a non-fiction book and then immediately regrets it (again, very few Horcruxes)
• Should we make our own novel into a Penny Vincenzi-style epic saga?
• Jenni's dog learns how to knock on doors
• Jenni's current obsessions - Queer Eye & Domesday Preppers
• Why Marc has given up on the Handmaid's Tale
• Dick Turpin's grave is really close to Marc's house and the graveyard is full of Adam and the Ants fans.
• We're reading, or attempting to read Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli, Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig, Bookworm by Lucy Mangan and much more!

Follow us on twitter: @POWpodcastUK and tweet us! 

Email us at: powpodcastuk@gmail.com

Find all our episodes: Pow Podcast UK Episodes

Join our mailing list 

Music: "Clap Your Hands" by Scott Holmes

If you're reading this far, maybe you have time to like and leave a review on our podcast...also, don't forget to subscribe to our mailing list, to keep up to date with all our latest news.