Do you have favourite podcasts you subscribe to and listen to regularly, or do you stumble across individual episodes somewhat by random.
I often discover new podcasts when a fellow writer posts a link to a conversation about their new book and/or writing process or bookish friends share an interview with the author of a book they’ve just read and loved. I click through to listen for that specific interview, but if it’s any good, I stay to check out some of the other conversations on that podcast. That’s pretty much how I came across every single one of the following podcasts related in some way to reading and/or writing.
I hope it helps you find your next favourite podcast too!
The Book Show
About: a weekly radio show produced by ABC Radio National, and includes interviews with authors, both in Australia and internationally. Currently, in addition to the usual author interviews, the Book Show is including a series about literary fakes and frauds, which is a fascinating listen.
Host: Claire Nichols.
Length of each episode: one hour.
Check it out: on ABC Radio National’s website.
The Book Shelf
About: another weekly radio program for ABC Radio National. This time, Kate Evans and Cassie McCullagh review books with the help of invited special guests. One episode a month is the show’s book club, where listeners can read a common selection of books.
Hosts: Kate Evans and Cassie McCullagh.
Length of each episode: one hour.
Check it out: on ABC Radio National’s website.
Podstreet
About: A relatively new initiative of Writing WA, with a focus on Western Australian authors, poets, essayists, booksellers, publishers and others in the industry. (Disclaimer: I work for Writing WA, but it would be on my list even if I had no connection to the organisation.)
Hosts: Writing WA CEO, Will Yeoman, an experienced interviewer, literary editor, festival director and journalist. He will be joined at various times by other Writing WA staff and board members.
Length of each episode: approximately half an hour.
Check it out: on Writing WA’s website.
The Garret: Writers on Writing
About: writers and their craft as well as interviews with other in the publishing industry, such as editors and publishers.
Host: Astrid Edwards, a bibliophile who has interviewed more than 200 writers, which includes moderating panels at literary festivals in addition to The Garret. https://astridedwards.com/
Length of each episode: between 25 and 30 minutes.
Check it out: on The Garret’s website.
Writers off the Page
About: interviews with authors and illustrators that ask about tips and tricks when it comes to writing and publishing.
Host: Journalist and author Chenee Marrapodi. Chenee’s debut children’s novel, One Wrong Turn, published by Fremantle Press, is coming soon.
Length of each episode: between 25 and 45 minutes.
Check it out: on Chenee Marrapodi’s website.
Fremantle Press Podcast
About: primarily interviews with authors on publisher Fremantle Press’s list as well as writers shortlisted for the Hungerford Literary Award (for an unpublished manuscript) and the Fogarty Literary Award (for a manuscript by a Western Australian author under 35). Conversations revolve around a variety of interesting topics from “wrangl[ing] a rogue plot” to “lost meaning through translation” and the “difference between an illustrator and a visual storyteller”. (Disclaimer: Fremantle Press published my book Many Hearts, One Voice: the story of the War Widows’ Guild in Western Australia. But I’ve had nothing to do with the podcast; I just enjoy listening to the interviews.)
Length of each episode: varies (15 to 45 minutes).
Hosts: Fremantle Press authors, which have included Helen Milroy, Brooke Dunnell and Maria Papas.
Check it out: on Fremantle Press’s website.
Tell me What You’re Working On
About: the conversations are not limited to books and writing, although the first episode was with fellow author Carrie Cox. Instead host Gabriella Filippi interviews creative people in our community more broadly.
Host: Gabriella Filippi.
Length of each episode: 45 to 50 minutes.
Check it out: via Podbean.
Secrets from the Green Room
About: in each episode, Irma Gold and Karen Viggers chat with a writer about their experience of the writing and publishing process.
Hosts: Irma Gold is an author of a novel, a collection of short stories and several children’s books. Karen Viggers is the author of four novels.
Length of each episode: usually between 35 and 50 minutes.
Check it out: via Irma Gold’s website.
Hybrid Author
About: Interviews with writers who have chosen a hybrid approach of both traditionally and independently publishing routes to getting their work out into the world.
Host: author, writer and podcaster Joanne Morrell, who publishes her work both independently and through traditional publishing pathways.
Length of each episode: between 25 and 50 minutes.
Check it out: on the Hybrid Author’s website.
Life Sentences Podcast
About: interviews with biographers about their experiences of researching and writing about someone else’s life, including the craft, setbacks and breakthroughs in the process.
Host: Caroline Baum, who is an experienced writer, journalist, former broadcaster, occasional moderator, curator and photographer.
Length of episodes: usually between 35 and 50 minutes.
Check it out: on Caroline Baum’s website.
Poetry Says
About: interviews with poets about their own work and those who have influenced them.
Host: Melbourne-based writer and editor Alice Allan.
Length of each episode: anywhere between 25 minutes and an hour.
Check it out: on the Poetry Says website.
Poetry Unbound
About: Irish poet, priest and conflict-resolution extraordinaire Padraig O Tuama takes a deep dive into a single poem. He reads each poem twice and then offers a short reflection.
Host: Padraig O Tuama. If you’d like to know more about Padraig, check out his recent interview with Sarah Kanowski Radio National’s Conversations. He has also collected 50 of these poems into a collection, Poetry Unbound, which is a delightful addition to any bookshelf.
Length of each episode: 15 minutes.
Check it out: On Being’s website.
Imagining the Past (historical fiction)
About: Interviews with authors who have appeared at the Historical Novel Society Australasia conferences or been recognised in the ARA Historical Novel Prize. Includes discussions about researching, writing and publishing historical fiction in all its forms.
Hosts: Kelly Gardiner and Greg Johnston, both established authors of historical fiction themselves.
Length of each episode: 35 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the conversation.
Check it out: on Historical Novel Society Australasia’s website.
Untold Stories of Perth
About: little known stories from the history of Perth Western Australia. Perhaps there’s a similar podcast near where you live (or the location you are researching).
Hosts: various.
Length of each episode: approximately 10 minutes.
Check it out: on City of Perth’s website.
Tramlines
About: Tramlines is a seven-part podcast described as “part audio book, part spoken word and part locative literature”, with each episode written by a different Victorian writer and inspired by commuting. It is produced by Broadwave in partnership with the Melbourne UNESCO City of Literature Office.
Hosts: a different writer each episode.
Length of episodes: 30 to 45 minutes.
Check it out: on Broadwave’s website.
Project Narrative Podcast
Project Narrative: an initiative of Ohio State University (OSU) in the US and aims “promote state-of-the art research and teaching in the field of narrative studies”. In the Project Narrative Podcast, scholars read short extracts from fiction, non-fiction and poetry, then discuss it with host Jim Phelan. You don’t have to be an academic to enjoy this podcast, and it’s a great way to dive deeper into a piece of writing and unpack the way it’s been constructed, which in turn can help develop our own writing.
Hosts: Jim Phelan, who is a member of the Department of English at OSU.
Length of each episode: between 40 minutes and one hour.
Check it out: https://projectnarrative.osu.edu/
Over to You
Have you listened to any of these podcasts? If so, which ones are your favourites?
What bookish podcasts am I missing?
