
About this episode
Broadcaster, writer and award-winning podcaster Simon Mayo shows us how an extremely busy person fits in a writing routine!
Simon presents the drive-time show on BBC Radio 2, one of Europe's most popular radio stations. He is one half of 'Kermode and Mayo's Film Review' on BBC Radio 5 Live (Hello to Jason Isaacs), and used to present one of the most prestigious shows on the air, as the host of the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show. In amongst all this, he's found the time to publish 4 novels!
His 'Itch' trilogy tells the story of Itchingham Lofte, an element hunter and unlikely hero, and it's a series that places science at the heart of the tale. His most recent book 'Blame', explores the idea that children are punished for the crimes of their parents. We talk about how plotting a series is wildly different from a standalone novel, how it takes a lot of reworking, and how he only really picked up. a pen to give his son something to read.
There's also mention of his writing shed, how his 'radio voice' is different from his written one, and why he gets ideas from gravestones.
Our Distinguished Diary brings us the weird and wonderful writing routine of John Milton, civil servant and poet, who in 1667 published the 10,000 line magnum opus 'Paradise Lost' WHILE HE WAS BLIND. Compare that to what you did today, ey?
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