No Write Way with V. E. Schwab

V. E. Schwab (Author)

V. E. Schwab here! I’m the author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, the Shades of Magic series, Vicious, and more. Join me here as I chat with fellow successful authors about their origin stories, creative processes, work-life balance, and how they bring the stories you love to life. We’ll dive into the many paths from that first spark of an idea to the final page of a book, because there’s no one right way to write—just the way that works for you. Whether you’re an aspiring writer or simply a lover of stories, join us as we explore the craft (and magic) of story telling.

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S5 · E6
Wednesday · 51 min
S5 E6 Scott Hawkins: A Very “Normal” Imagination
Confession: it’s fan-girl time. Scott Hawkins, author of The Library at Mount Char and Blacktail, is one of those writers whose books make me want to corner him and ask, “How did you DO that?” He writes in the evenings after his day job and on weekends, and somehow the stories he’s made in those stolen hours are some of my absolute favorites. I’ve read both of his books, and I have a lot of questions. A lot of questions. This conversation is essentially me asking Scott how he makes the magic, while he calmly explains things that seem completely extraordinary to me as though they are perfectly normal. We also learn that Scott has had enough dogs over the years to make it sound like there has been an entire pack living in his house at various points, which perhaps explains why he was destined to write a book from the point of view of a four-legged friend in the wild. Mostly, this is a conversation about process, instinct, and what happens when someone’s imagination works in a way that makes you want to keep asking, “But how?” Scott is wonderfully matter-of-fact about his methods. I am perhaps a little less so. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S5 · E5
September 9 · 46 min
S5 E5 Lisa Jewell: It starts with a bet
Some writing careers begin with a bet, a rom-com, and a very committed friend. This week, I’m joined by Lisa Jewell, bestselling thriller author of Then She Was Gone and her latest novel, It Could Have Been Her, to talk about the wonderfully serendipitous path that led her to becoming a writer. From the bet that started it all to the unexpected way she found her first agent and the zany route she took into publishing, Lisa’s origin story is almost as good as one of her books. We talk about the strange difference between writing your first book, when you’re full of dreams, and your second, when suddenly there’s a contract involved. We also surprise ourselves by workshopping an entirely new book idea mid-conversation, before discovering that we are almost exact opposites in the way we approach writing and proceed to gleefully interrogate each other about it. A conversation about luck, persistence, instincts, and the wonderfully unpredictable ways a writing life can unfold. Content warning: This episode contains a very brief description of violence that may not be appropriate for all listeners. Follow No Write Way on Instagram Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S5 · E4
September 2 · 50 min
S5 E4 Rebecca Serle: Trusting the Process
This week, I’m joined by Rebecca Serle, bestselling author of One Italian Summer and Once and Again, for a conversation that feels a little like a master class in trusting the work. We talk through her process, turn the tables on each other, and swap the Jedi mind tricks we use to keep our brains from getting in the way. Rebecca shares what happens when you refuse to give writer’s block any power, and how letting go of the need to know exactly where a story is going can make room for something better. We also talk about the strange privilege of getting to do this work at all, and the importance of remembering that “getting to” write is very different from “having to” write. It’s a conversation about trusting yourself, staying curious, and finding a little more joy in the strange privilege of making things up for a living. And Riley, my Muppet-shaped dog, would like it noted that she was also present for this conversation and contributed several important thoughts from off-mic. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S5 · E3
August 26 · 52 min
S5 E3 Nikita Gill: A Very Specific Kind of Monster
Some writers write with a single voice. Others carry generations with them. This week, I’m joined by poet and bestselling author Nikita Gill for a conversation about the people, histories, and inheritances that find their way onto the page. She tells me about her Kashmiri grandfather, the first person she ever wrote a story about, and the way she feels she carries her ancestors with her in the very way she speaks. We talk about the particular power that comes from writing as a woman and from the perspective of the oppressed, and how stories rooted in the past can somehow arrive in the present at exactly the right moment. Nikita and I also discover another happy bit of creative kinship: we both must start at the end. We talk about why word counts can be a distraction, and how some days the work is less about producing more words and more about finding the right ones. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S5 · E2
August 19 · 46 min
S5 E2 C. L. Clark: The Patron Saint of Sword Lesbians
Some writers have always been storytellers. C. L. Clark is one of them. From short stories and novellas to high fantasy novels, they’ve spent a lifetime finding new ways to tell them. In this episode, we discover an uncanny overlap in some of our favorite non-writing pursuits, from fencing and running to growing up as soccer kids with dreams of making it to the World Cup. We wander into the relationship between the body and the page, talk about writing rituals (Morning Pages, anyone?), and consider what happens when you let yourself get a little bored and give your mind room to wander. Because a writing life doesn’t always look like writing. Sometimes the best “writing” happens when you’re doing almost anything else. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website C. L. Clark's Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S5 · E1
August 12 · 40 min
S5 E1 Karin Slaughter: A Cabin in the Woods
For the first episode of Season Five, I’m joined by Karin Slaughter, bestselling author of Pretty Girls and her latest, The Secrets We Hide, for a conversation about writing stories that are dark, strange, and unapologetically intense. We talk about the particular experience of being a woman who writes this kind of work, the strange expectations that come with being taken seriously, and what happens when you commit fully to a story and see it all the way through. Karin also lets us into her writing process, which involves a cabin in the woods, a lot of focus, and very little messing around. We talk about the discipline of finishing what we start, even when the work gets difficult, and why sometimes the most important part of writing is simply refusing to stop. Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E8
April 1 · 1 hr 9 min
S4 E8 - Trapping “Evelyn Clarke” (Cat Clarke + V.E. Schwab)
Some books are a surprise, even to the people who wrote them. For the final episode of the season, Jenna takes the reins and turns the mic on Cat Clarke and me (V.E. Schwab), the two halves of Evelyn Clarke, to talk about our debut novel and the very unexpected path that led us here. We get into the origin story, how a writer who swore she’d never co-write (it me) and another who had stepped away from publishing entirely somehow found themselves building a book together. We talk about the craft of collaboration, what it means to stop writing alone and start writing as a team, and the delicate challenge of learning how to share instinct, voice, and control. There were moments it felt impossible, and others where it felt like the story was writing itself. And because we’re on the other side of it now, we get to laugh. A lot. About the chaos, the growing pains, and the strange, specific problems that only exist when you’re trying to write a single book with two brains. And, fittingly, we never quite figured out how to trap us. We’re a little too unhinged to pin down. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
March 25 · 53 min
S4 E7 - Trapping Ayana Gray: Cheese, a loaf of bread, and a ticket to a wildlife trust in Kenya.
Some books reclaim the stories we thought we already knew. This week, I’m joined by Ayana Gray, author of Beasts of Prey and her latest, I, Medusa, for a conversation that begins with origin stories and winds its way through the very particular internet experiences of a millennial upbringing—back when blogs were everything and a place called Twitter still existed. We talk about learning what was “allowed” on the page, and the quiet realization that there was never a rulebook to begin with. Ayana shares how her early hesitation gave way, over time, to curiosity and experimentation, and how each new project helped her step a little further outside the boundaries she once believed in. We also get into the shift from writing YA to adult, and how those spaces ask for different kinds of storytelling, different freedoms, and different risks. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Ayana Gray’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E6
March 18 · 59 min
S4 E6- Trapping Joe Abercrombie: Crusader Kings III and a well-worn copy of Lonesome Dove.
Some books remind you that fantasy can be brutal, funny, and painfully human all at once. This week, I’m joined by Joe Abercrombie, author of the First Law series and his latest, The Devils, for a conversation about the strange dance between fantasy and the expectations that come with it. We talk about drifting around the edges of genre labels (including the ever persistent “grimdark”) and what it means to write stories that refuse to behave exactly the way readers expect. Joe shares how his background as a film editor shaped the way he builds a story, from pacing to perspective to the careful balancing act of an ensemble cast. We also commiserate over a familiar writerly condition: the convenient amnesia that allows us to forget the horrors of drafting just long enough to start the next book. Joe compares the process to laying bricks. You keep placing them, one after another, even when some are crooked and others will need replacing later. Eventually you look up and realize a wall has begun to take shape. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Joe Abercrombie’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
March 11 · 52 min
S4 E5 Trapping Ashley Winstead: A bottle of grand cru wine, a baby animal, and the key to a secret door
Some books feel like a rom com written in a minor key. This week, I’m talking with Ashley Winstead, author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife and her latest, Future Saints. We chat about the idea that first drafts are just secret monsters, something you have to let out just to learn their shape. Ashley tells me about the sticky note she kept on her laptop that read, “no one will ever see this,” a small, stubborn permission that made it possible for her to keep going. She walks me through her rigorous and deeply self-aware writing process, including how she lets her brain decide what it can realistically handle each day instead of having word count goals or a time frame. And somewhere along the way, I realize I’ve found a kindred spirit, especially when it comes to our shared tendency toward slightly psychotic outlining. What a joy. Check out the playlist for Ashley’s book Future Saints (mentioned in this podcast) in the links below. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Ashley Winstead’s WebsiteOfficial Future Saints Playlist Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E4
March 4 · 1 hr 10 min
S4 E4 Trapping T.L. Huchu: Overpriced running shoes, swimming socks, and a ticket to a place he’s never been
Some stories are portals. Some storytellers are too. This week, I’m joined by T. L. Huchu, author of The Edinburgh Nights series, for a conversation that feels a little like falling down a rabbit hole together. T. L. often interviews me when my tours bring me through Edinburgh, so this time we flipped the script, and as always, time behaved strangely around us. We talk about bookstores as cathedrals, the idea that a writer is less an architect and more a conduit for the stories that seize them, and what it means to be an atheist who still has religious experiences on the page, moments of possession, of surrender, of something bigger moving through you. T. L. believes you are what you eat, creatively speaking, and we dig into the stories he devoured, loved, and metabolized into his own work. We wander into the magical practice space of short stories, the long and persistent road to publication, and the origin story that proves success is often built on a refusal to quit. Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E3
February 25 · 49 min
S4E3- Trapping Mona Awad: Something scented with Tom Ford’s Rose Prick
Some books tilt the world just slightly off its axis and dare you to find your footing. This week, I’m joined by Mona Awad, author of Bunny and Rouge, whose stories feel at once unsettling and luminous. We talk about the poem she once wrote for a class, one her teacher loved so much it terrified her into dropping the course, and how that early moment shaped her relationship with risk and praise. We wander into our shared desire to invite fantasy and magic into the real world, and the way our minds can feel like haunted houses crowded with every character we’ve ever written. We talk about long walks as part of her drafting process, the strange alchemy of revision, and the quiet power of clothing in her books. PS. If you need us we will be under a cozy blanket watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Mona Awad's Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E2
February 18 · 1 hr 1 min
S4 E2- Trapping Kennedy Ryan: The simple promise of 8 hours of sleep
Some books arrive as love stories and leave you thinking about much more. This week, I’m joined by Kennedy Ryan, bestselling author of Can’t Get Enough and Before I Let Go, for a conversation that feels less like an interview and more like gabbing with a very wise bestie. We talk about the fragility of success, the realities of moving between traditional and self-publishing (and why she’s done both—more than once), and the way her novels operate as Trojan horses: sweeping romances that carry big, necessary conversations about justice, equity, and identity. Kennedy also shares how her background in journalism shapes her work, from the deep research phase that anchors each book to the responsibility she feels when writing stories meant to spark discourse. It’s thoughtful, honest, and deeply human—and a reminder that love stories can do much more than “that thing.” Links: Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab’s Website Kennedy Ryan’s Website Credits: Host: V.E. Schwab Producer/Editor/Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S4 · E1
February 11 · 48 min
S4 E1- Trapping Matt Dinniman: A Hippopotamus, Bass Strings, and Pizza-Blasted Goldfish
Some books feel like an escape hatch you didn’t know you needed. For the first episode of Season 4, I sat down with Matt Dinniman, author of the wildly popular Dungeon Crawler Carl series and his latest novel, Operation Bounce House. Matt calls himself a “psycho pantser” (affectionately), and he lives up to the title, walking me through a writing process that’s as wild and inventive as his stories—one that sometimes even leaves room for reader input. We talk about writing without a map: trusting chaos, breaking rules, and finding momentum by charging toward the thing you know isn’t going to happen. Matt shares his unconventional, sometimes delightfully unhinged process, how surprise keeps him writing, why play is often the surest way through a block, and his untraditional approach to rights—what he chooses to keep, what he lets go, and why ownership matters to him. Welcome to Season 4. Follow No Write Way on Instagram V.E. Schwab's website Credits: Host: V. E. Schwab Producer / Editor / Mixer: Jenna Maurice
S3 · E13
May 28, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min
Summoning V. E. Schwab: a cup of black tea, a freshly rolled joint, a pair of running shoes, and a jigsaw puzzle
Plot twist—I’m the guest this week. And there’s no one I’d rather hand the reins to than my BFF (and producer of this podcast), Jenna. We get into the details of my writing process—from early research to finding the right title—and talk about the kinds of fantasy I’m drawn to, and why. We explore how setting functions as a character in my stories, the balance between realism and the fantastical, and the logic behind how my worlds work. Also, yes, we talk about mermaids. Because the ocean is still mostly unexplored, and hope is a powerful thing.
S3 · E12
May 21, 2025 · 48 min
Summoning Laura Steven: A flat white, a perfect pastry, and a chess match she's not favored to win
This week, we summon Laura Steven, author of The Exact Opposite of Okay and Our Infinite Fates, for a thoughtful and refreshingly frank conversation. She walks us through the slow-burn nature of her creative process, opens up about the very real highs and lows of life in publishing, and reminds us that believing in yourself can be its own kind of survival skill. It’s a deep dive into persistence, perspective, and the long game of storytelling.
S3 · E11
May 14, 2025 · 52 min
Summoning Christina Lauren: A Goldendoodle puppy, Dior lipstick, and tickets to Disney.
This week marks a first—we’re summoning two authors at once! The powerhouse writing duo Christina Lauren (yes, they of the swoony romance bestsellers) joins me for a conversation that’s equal parts craft deep dive and master class in creative friendship. We talk about their ever-evolving writing process, the magic of knowing you don’t have to be good at the same things to make something great, and the puzzle-piece partnership that fuels their stories. They share lessons learned—like how you can’t polish what isn’t fully formed, and how a good book becomes great in the edit. Also: the unexpected tranquility of Pilates.
S3 · E10
May 7, 2025 · 42 min
Summoning Tia Williams: An Anne Rice novel, something purple (for Prince), and a very particular donut.
SWOON ALERT! This week, we summon Tia Williams, bestselling author of Seven Days in June and A Love Song for Ricki Wilde. We dive into her writing process and why every new book begins in her Notes app (because once that laptop’s open, it’s real), the tricky art of writing middles (think chicken that looks done until you cut in and find it’s still pink), and how she finished her first novel before she even hit double digits.
S3 · E9
Apr 30, 2025 · 52 min
Summoning Brandon Sanderson: Salt, a glass of ice cold water, and tokens of broken stories ready to be fixed.
Sharpen your pencils (and maybe your swords)—this week, we summon Brandon Sanderson, bestselling author of Mistborn, The Stormlight Archive, and the expansive Cosmere universe. He shares how he kept writing draft after draft (maybe even a dozen or more) before selling his first novel, the secret stash of stories he hid behind a painting as a kid, and why staying sharp in revision is one of the most important skills a writer can develop. We dive into worldbuilding, resilience, and the stubborn magic of believing your stories matter—even when no one’s reading them yet.
S3 · E8
Apr 23, 2025 · 57 min
Summoning Jenny Lawson: ADHD meds, cheesecake, and a squirrel in a Holly Hobbie outfit
Ever wonder what taxidermy, a giant metal chicken, and a collection of haunted dolls have in common? This week, we summon Jenny Lawson—aka The Bloggess, bestselling author of Let's Pretend This Never Happened and Furiously Happy—to talk about her one-of-a-kind creative journey. We dive into the cozy chaos of her writing process (including a surprisingly mathematical notecard system), the difference between writing personal stories and fiction, and what it means to create from joy (because, as Jenny reminds us, time spent in joy is never time wasted).

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