Maz Evans, author of 'That'll Teach Her' - Crime and Children's Bestseller discusses why everything comes from character, celebrity authors, and the only rule she has

Writer's Routine

Dan Simpson

Arts, Hobbies, Books, Leisure

4.9 • 599 Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week, we're chatting to Maz Evans, a celebrated Children's author who has taken the plunge into Adult fiction, publishing her second cosy crime book.

Maz is a Carnegie Award and CWA Golden Dagger Shortlisted writer. 'Who Let the Gods Out', 'Vi Spy', and her 'Scarlett Fife' series are loved by kids across the world. Her new adult novel is 'That'll Teach Her', it's a multi-media novel telling the story of a group of parents trying to solve a murder over their WhatsApp group. It's the perfect blend of Richard Osman and Janice Hallett. We discuss the intricate plotting of crime novels - setting up the character, laying enough red herrings, and making everything believable. You can hear why everything comes from character, why she's mindful of taking care of herself, and about the only rule she has.

Maz is busy writing multiple books a year across different genre, for different audiences, and she brilliantly takes us through twelve months in her writing life. We dissect the business of writing, and why celebrities think they've got what it takes to instantly write a bestseller.

This week's episode is sponsored by Scribe Shadow, find out more at app.scribeshadow.com.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome along to a brand new episode of writers' routine where we're chatting to
0:13.5	Maz Evans.
0:15.2	Maz's new book is That'll Teach Her.
0:17.4	It's a crime novel told through multimedia, all focused around a murder and a parent's
0:23.4	WhatsApp group. You can hear about the only rule that she has whilst working. And the rule is
0:28.2	that I just go forward. I can't look back at all. I'm not allowed to go back and edit anything.
0:32.5	I'm allowed to go back and read anything. I'm allowed to go back and touch anything. I just
0:36.2	go forward because I think it's so easy to get stuck
0:39.3	in that feedback, you think, otherwise. So even though I know it's absolute gubbins that I am
0:44.6	writing, even though if it doesn't match with four chapters of four, even if someone walks in in a
0:48.4	blue hat and they leave the room of Penguin, you know, we just keep on going to get to the end.
0:53.2	Also, why she's very mindful of taking care of herself, because that should take care of the words.
0:59.8	If you did a very physical job, you would be very mindful of your physiology and your physical health.
1:04.2	And I think when you do a very cerebral job like ours, you have to be really mindful of your mental health,
1:09.3	both in terms of your emotional well-being, but actually just keeping this muscle okay. You know, his brain has to be really mindful of your mental health, both in terms of your emotional well-being,
1:29.0	but actually just keeping this muscle okay, you know, his brain has to be rested, and it has to have sleep, and it has to have water, and it has to have food, and mine requires a lot of wine and biscuits. But you've got to kind of look after all of that, because if you don't, you know, I will just be a blubbering husk or that. I'm not going to lie down. I am regularly a blubbering husk on the floor.
1:43.6	But it's just been quite regimented about my time. And if I have a deadline, I have to stick to it. So if I, you know, if I choose to spend the morning, you know, falling down a social media rabbit hole, you will not be watching traitors tonight, Mas.
1:44.9	You will be sitting in your shed writing,
1:46.3	and you think about that young lady.
1:47.1	It's all on the way.
1:47.5	In this week's episode of Writers' Routine. Yes, welcome along to the show. This is Writers' Routine, where we
2:00.0	take a look inside an author's
	...

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