299: Creative writing, steak bakes and turkey basters, with Charlotte Mendelson

What mistake do all would-be novelists make? What's it like to be nominated for the Booker prize? And what's the best drink to pair with a Greggs Steak Bake? Helping us answer all these questions is the brilliant novelist Charlotte Mendelson! 

We discuss Charlotte's latest book, Wife, plus her work as a creative writing teacher. She tells us what all her students have in common, reveals her top tips for finishing your novel, and shares the best piece of writing advice she was ever given. We also discuss the economics of being a writer, and accidentally have a serious debate about AI. 

Then it's time for relationship chat as we look at how people end up in bad partnerships, and why they stay. Charlotte talks about the pressure of being a poster family when you're a gay parent, and what it's like to have adult kids. 

Plus: book recommendations if you're going through a divorce, why Calpol syringes are better than turkey basters, and that time Charlotte saw Keir Starmer in a Gail's.  

Wife is out now, and it's a great read for anyone interested in breakups, jokes, lesbians and/or Australians. 

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