David Bell, author of 'The Finalists' - Author and lecturer discusses whether deadlines help, making locked-room stories engaging, and why he loves a routine
Writer's Routine
Dan Simpson
4.9 • 599 Ratings
🗓️ 29 September 2022
⏱️ 49 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, we chat to author and lecturer David Bell. He's just published his 12th book, 'The Finalists'. It looks at a group of prospective college students, and the lengths they might go to gain a prestigious fellowship. Think 'The Breakfast Club' with murder.
His novel, 'Kill All Your Darlings', was nominated for an Edgar Award, and he's written his books whilst lecturing English and writing at University. We talk about how he balances his time teaching writing, and actually writing. You can also hear how he makes a locked room story consistently engaging, when your characters can't really go very far... how do you make it gripping for a reader?
We talk about making stock characters unique, whether deadlines change, how knowing you've done it once can really help you believe you can do it again, and why he absolutely loves a routine.
Support the show at patreon.com/writersroutine.
@writerspod
writersroutine.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to a brand new episode of writers' routine. |
| 0:11.5 | This week we're chatting to David Bell, who has published 12 books now. |
| 0:16.7 | His new one is called The Finalists. |
| 0:18.6 | It's a locked room novel about the lengths that some students will go to get into college. |
| 0:24.9 | We chat about knowing whether a deadline is approaching really helps with your writing. |
| 0:30.5 | Also about the challenge of making locked room stories consistently engaging, |
| 0:35.5 | where really your protagonists can't go anywhere. |
| 0:38.8 | And you can hear why he's perfect for this show, really, |
| 0:41.5 | because having a writing routine really works for him. |
| 0:44.9 | I've just found more comfort in the routine. |
| 0:48.6 | I also just think it's a way that I grew up. |
| 0:52.2 | When I look back at my childhood, |
| 0:57.8 | my parents were very, my parents who were not creative people, they weren't writers, but my parents were pretty routine oriented. |
| 1:05.6 | You know, they like to stay on a schedule and they like to get places early and all that. |
| 1:10.2 | And so I just think I kind of grew up in |
| 1:12.6 | that environment of having a routine and sticking to a routine and that works for me it might |
| 1:19.6 | not work for other people other people don't like the routine and they like to say hey I want |
| 1:23.6 | to do whatever I want to do when I want to do it and I get that but but I think for me I like to know what I'm going to do whatever I want to do when I want to do it, and I get that. |
| 1:33.3 | But I think for me, I like to know what I'm going to do, and I don't like surprises in that way. |
| 1:36.2 | There is more with David Bell in this week's writers routine. |
| 1:45.5 | Yes, welcome along to the show. |
| 1:46.7 | My name's Dan Simpson. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dan Simpson, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Dan Simpson and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.