I’m in the depths of edits of THE END OF GODS and I’m loving it… Does that make me a weirdo?
Tag: novels
Bookmarked Interview
There are some fun questions (and answers!) in this Q&A that I did for that most-excellent thriller writer Max Elwood on his blog. To find out what book I think should be adapted as a movie, how I organise my bookshelves, and why I think Amazon is both the best and worst thing to happen to publishing, click on the image below…
Rowan Coleman on the Creative Differences Livestream, Thursday 24th July 8pm BST
Rowan Coleman is the internationally bestselling and award winning author and screenwriter of many novels including THE MEMORY BOOK, THE SUMMER OF IMPOSSIBLE THINGS and THE GIRL AT THE WINDOW.
Her latest novel NEVER TEAR US APART is out now, and under the name Stella Hayward she’ll be publishing THE GOOD BOY in September (about a dog who turns into a man)…
Do please join us live as you’ll have the opportunity to ask Rowan questions on the night (we’ve also written on a number of projects together, and we’ll definitely be chatting about that!). It’s going to be so much fun. Thursday 24th July 8pm BST.
A reminder: the live show is just that, live and raw and things can go wrong including stuff that gets edited out of the final podcast, but… it’s also your opportunity to ask questions of the guests. So if you have a question for Rowan, join us and get involved.
Join us on Youtube…
What’s the Most Non-Writery Thing I Do?
I was delighted to be featured on the Author Interviews site for an all-new batch of questions. I reveal my favourite writing tools, the most non-writery thing I do, and my favourite scene from The Corn Bride and more. Click on my grinning mug below for the whole interview…
Are you a Writer? Want answers?
Twice a month, I run online sessions for writers called the Green Room. You can ask me questions about the craft of writing, your WIP, or the business of publishing. The sessions are fun and informal and chatty. You can send me questions in advance. They’re recorded live and saved on Kofi for exclusive access to Green Room supporters. Recent topics for the Q&A sessions include…
‘Show, don’t tell’
Writing for children
Dealing with feedback
Happy endings
Writing historical fiction around real events
And much, much more!
And once a month we have a 200 Word Workshop, where you can send me 200 words from your current project and I give it a critique.
I’m running this via Kofi, where you can join by clicking on the Green Room membership tier for £20 a month.
There’s no long term commitment. With Kofi, you can support for just a month, or for as long as you like.
My goal is to be able to give supporters advice that will make a real difference to their writing and career, because the way I see it: having worked in this industry as a salesperson, bookseller and author for over 30 years, I’ve made every mistake, so you don’t have to.
The next session is Thursday 12th June, 8pm BST…
And here are the international timings…
TIMEZONE INFO
THURSDAY 12th JUNE, 2025, 8PM BST
9PM CEST
12 NOON PDT
1PM MDT
2PM CDT
3PM EDT
FRIDAY 13TH, 5AM AEST
FRIDAY 13TH, 7AM NZST
Sarah Pinborough: “I Triple Write.”
This month’s special guest bestselling author Sarah Pinborough reveals when she knows that’s she finished a draft and how she ‘triple writes’ her books…
Or watch it on Youtube…
TRANSCRIPT
MARK: How do you know when you’re done?
SARAH: Well, Mark, invariably, I am skating in the last knockings of the deadline. So when I write the end, I literally think ‘I’m going to scan through this and I’m sending this fucker off,’ so… But, because I do triple write, as it were, like I plan in a notebook, then I rough write into Scrivener, then I copy it over into Word, tidy it in Word. I do it in like 8000 word chunks. I’ve kind of… if it’s not untidy and it’s not…. You know, it’s probably most people’s second draft, when I hand it in. And I kind of think… I mean obviously this would be different if it was on spec, but I’m like; they’ve paid for it. Let’s see if it’s holding, you know, because if it’s not holding, it doesn’t matter how pretty I make it. (If) there’s a massive structural problem, let’s get to that. You know, so I kind of figure that’s the way.
Sarah Pinborough: When is She Ready to Write?
This month’s special guest bestselling author Sarah Pinborough reveals when she knows that’s she ready to start writing…
TRANSCRIPT
MARK: What’s the thing that makes you think you’re ready to start writing on a project?
SARAH: When I’ve got the ending locked in place. I can’t start to write without… I have to see the final scene of the book in my head. So… Behind Her Eyes, the final chapter was in the pitch of the book. So I don’t have the whole book planned, obviously, but I tend to kind of have to have the characters names, a bit of a tent pegging. and the ending has to be locked so I know what I’m working towards. But you know, I’m great one for mulling… mulling for a long time. I think that’s the hardest part, isn’t it?
Or watch the whole interview on Youtube:
I’ll be at the MCM COMIC CON, London this weekend
I’m delighted to be returning to the MCM Comic Con at the cavernous Excel Centre in London this weekend where I’ll be selling and signing m’books.
On the Saturday, I’ll be moderating a panel on writing comedy with these amazing authors: Joanna Nadin, MJ Northwood and Veronika Dapunt (click on the image for more details)…
If you’re one of the many thousands attending the MCM do please come along and say hello. I’ll be with all the fab authors in the WRITERS’ BLOCK where you’re bound to find a new favourite author.
Mark Stay’s Creative Differences Episode 10 with Sarah Pinborough: THE LIES WE TELL
I chat with Sarah Pinborough, the bestselling and award-winning author of Behind Her Eyes about her new thriller We Live Here Now, spooky houses, her method of ‘triple writing’, going on tour and the lies we tell each other…
Or watch it on Youtube…
LINKS
The book links are affiliate links and I earn a wee bit of commission if you buy from them.
LAUNCH AT WATERSTONES MILTON KEYNES ON WEDNESDAY 4TH JUNE
MOBLAND
THE HANDMAID’S TALE
DOPE THIEF
TUBI FOR JACK PALANCE HORROR
YOU KILLED ME FIRST BY JOHN MARRS
THE HAMLET BY JOANNA CORRANCE
PAM KOWOLSKI IS A MONSTER BY SARAH LANGHAM
THE DEVILS BY JOE ABERCROMBIE
ANDOR
IT AIN’T ME BY EMILY ZECK
COME AND MEET MARK AT A COMIC CON
Mark Chadbourn on Bluesky
The Mike Shackle episode
Edit by Kai Newton
Production assistance by Emily Stay
Jingle by Dom Currie
Tracy Buchanan on her Biggest Mistake
This month’s special guest bestselling author Tracy Buchanan reveals her biggest mistake in her career…
TRANSCRIPT
MARK: So what’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made in your writing career?
TRACY: I think not being consistent and maybe pivoting too much sometimes. So, because I’m savvy I’m very aware of being careful with what publishers I’m with. I’ve learned that publishers are pretty much the same. A lot of publishers are the same. As in they’re great. A lot of publishers are great. And at the end of the day, you’re the one who’s in control. So they are helping you in a way. They’re almost like a freelancer for you. So staying with publishers, you know, I think there’s… it’s important to have that consistency. So I probably have, when I’ve been offered opportunities, jumped around a little bit too much. So, I think that’s, that’s something… I wouldn’t say it’s the biggest mistake I’ve made, but , you know, just being a bit more consistent.
Mark Stay Writes 