Info

The Bestseller Experiment

Join author and screenwriter Mark Stay with coach and entrepreneur Mark Desvaux, as they discover the secrets to writing a bestseller and challenge themselves and you to write, market and self-published a bestselling book in just one year. Each week, they are guided by and interview million-selling, chart-topping authors, publishers on the inside, editors, agents, social media specialists, and many more big names who play a part in the bestseller process. From the writing to marketing, plotting to publishing, learn the secrets to help you write your way to the top of the charts.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
The Bestseller Experiment
2024
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: 2018
Dec 29, 2018

We talk about our personal goals for 2019 and reveal our new insane challenge for 2019… and once again we’re inviting our listeners to beat us to it.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 24, 2018

A Christmas treat as we speak to bestselling author Ian Rankin who takes us through his incredible career, including tips on plotting, research, and his worst habit when writing, his favourite mistake (which he kept in the book) and he tells us his Sean Connery story...

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 15, 2018

Julian Barr's thrilling debut YA novel The Way Home was published by Odyssey Books, a small press. Julian has taken an indie attitude to publishing and marketing the book, and his attention to detail has led to the book becoming a Kindle bestseller.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 9, 2018

Catherine started by self-publishing her travel adventures and has gone on to write USA Today and Irish Times bestselling thrillers. She’s now a founding member of The Inspiration Project, which is a writing retreat with a difference and she has some very practical advice for writers and their bottoms...

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Dec 2, 2018

Mark Billingham is renowned for his bestselling crime thrillers, not least the Jack Thorne series. Having now sold over 5 millions copies of his books, Mark takes us through his incredible career which takes in acting, stand-up comedy, writing for TV, and a little bit of kidnapping.

 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 26, 2018

Alison Belsham tells us how her debut novel The Tattoo Thief started with a pitch at a crime festival and caught the attention of a major publisher, leading to a book deal, epic international rights sales, and a TV option… And she has some controversial thoughts on first drafts!

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 18, 2018

The highlights from our Youtube Live Show for our Patreon supporters. We talk through the editorial process with author Caroline Hulse and her editor Emad Akhtar, looking at specific pages and extracts from her book, The Adults.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 8, 2018

Matthew Reilly self-published his first novel when he was 19, selling copies from the back of his car. Now with 8 million books sold he tops the bestseller charts worldwide and continues to thrill readers with his epic adventures. We spoke to him about his amazing career and we got answers for your listener questions.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Nov 1, 2018

Joanna Nadin has written over 70 award-winning books for children and adults and recently inspired Mr. Stay to completely re-write his middle-grade children’s book. She shares a flood of amazing writing tips with us and tells us why she loves to make readers cry.

 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 29, 2018

Ramsey Campbell is a legend of horror fiction who has been terrifying readers for over six decades, so who better to headline our Halloween special? He reveals the book that was too grim to publish, how working in a bookstore inspired a story, and the changes he has seen in the genre through his incredible career.

 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 29, 2018

RJ Barker combines the page-turning thrills of a whodunnit crime thriller and the world-building of fantasy in his Wounded Kingdom series, the first of which was written in just six weeks! RJ tells us why he gets explosions of joy while writing, and this is the only episode of the podcast to cover the important issues of antlers and stuffed weasels.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 22, 2018

Sherrilyn Kenyon’s first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon. 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 22, 2018

Sherrilyn Kenyon’s first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon. 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 21, 2018

An essential guide to bloggers and blog tours with Gollancz’s Publicity Manager Stevie Finegan. You will discover how to find bloggers, how to work with them, how to create a campaign, top tips for blogger content, and we discuss the dos and don’ts of a blog tour.

Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Oct 14, 2018

Mr. Stay overcomes his suspicion of writing retreats and joins award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick on his retreat in the Alps and, in a podcast first, interviews him in a hot tub!

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 14, 2018

A special episode where we talk to Clare Christian from RedDoor Publishing about their hybrid model of publishing where  the authors underwrite the production costs, but also have great control over every aspect of the process and take the lion’s share of commercial returns. So yes, the author pays up front! But it’s not vanity publishing and has resulted in brilliant books.

Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Oct 7, 2018

We speak to bestselling author Rowan Coleman about why she heckled Mr. Stay at the RNA conference, how to make readers cry, how copy editors can save your life, how a chance encounter at a supermarket checkout led to a hit novel, we play backlist bingo and Rowan’s teenage daughter makes a cameo, and more!

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Oct 3, 2018

Mr. Stay reports from YALC, the Young Adult Literature Convention in London and speaks to author Dhonielle Clayton about her book The Belles and how it all started with a conversation overheard in a shopping mall, and how every kid can be the hero of their own story.

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

 

Sep 26, 2018

Mark Desvaux rejoins the show and discusses his absence.

 

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sep 24, 2018

In these highlights from our YouTube Live show with Gollancz’s Marcus Gipps and Stevie Finnegan we look into the world of conventions, comic cons and other bookish events. AND we have some exclusive news about GollanczFest!

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sep 16, 2018

Lisa Cutts works for Kent Police as a full-time detective constable, but when she’s not solving murders and other serious crimes she writes bestselling crime fiction. We caught up with Lisa on the hottest day of the year after an event at Harbour Books in Whitstable and discovered how Lisa’s experience gives her crime fiction added authenticity...

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sep 7, 2018

Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times bestselling author, shortlisted twice for the RNA Novel of the Year, and has sold over half a million books. Her story is one of determination, rejection, grief and triumph.

In this episode you will discover…

Why Doctor Who fans can make for brilliant beta readers (and a great publication community)

How a cool opening line can lead to a fully-fledged bestseller

And why you should never listen to advice from a 17-year-old guy you fancy...

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Sep 7, 2018

In this Deep Dive we explore newsletters with digital marketing consultant Julia Pidduck who brings years of experience working with indie authors and bestselling giants like Ian Rankin.

Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Sep 2, 2018

John McGhie has been an investigative journalist for the BBC and Channel 4 News and was the Observer’s political correspondent, and his debut novel White Highlands looks at the Mau Mau and a dark period in history.

In this episode you will discover…
- The pros and cons of adapting recent history into fiction

- The challenges writing a story set in two time periods

- The essential resources for writing historical fiction

- The challenges of cultural appropriation

To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support
Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Aug 27, 2018

Love is in the air at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference! I was invited to talk about the podcast and was introduced by Julie Cohen, heckled by Rowan Coleman, and I got to speak to Rhoda Baxter, Nicola Cornick and Sheila Crighton about all kinds of love...

1 2 3 4 Next »