{"podcast":{"title":"The Failing Writers Podcast","slug":"the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374","podcast_index_feed_id":3571374,"rss_url":"https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/66202cf262f822001203895b","website_url":"https://www.failingwriterspodcast.com","image_url":"https://assets.pippa.io/shows/66202cf262f822001203895b/1774252797881-8978c666-7232-4bd8-a257-0baa322169ea.jpeg","author":"The Failing Writers","episode_count":163,"summary":"Becoming a better writer, writing a novel, being a successful author - whatever your writing goal is, we’re here for you! Join two struggling writers learning everything there is to know about writing. They talk to best-selling authors, screenwriters and poets - people who actually know what they’re talking about. The award-winning Failing Writers Podcast is the best writing podcast around. Why? It’s funny, informative and could help you get over writer’s block, finish that novel, get a literary agent and achieve your writing goals. (Oh, and they do silly little songs too) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-06T04:19:51.659016+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374"},"episode":{"title":"S5 Ep24: Doug Johnstone","slug":"s5-ep24-doug-johnstone","published_at":"2025-12-22T00:05:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374/s5-ep24-doug-johnstone","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374","url":"https://shows.acast.com/failing-writers/episodes/s5-ep24-doug-johnstone","audio_url":"https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66202cf262f822001203895b/e/6945ad5fe13e237fdebcf488/media.mp3","summary":"How do you give your readers everything they're looking for? And your agent? You have to feed the beast don't you? (Is calling agents 'The Beast' too offensive?) It's your job as a writer to offer up precisely what your readership is looking for. Anything else and you risk losing your commercial edge. And we can't have that can we? Oh we can? Oh... OK. We met up with the wonderful Doug Johnstone, to hear how he refuses to be pigeoned-holed, writes what he likes, and just so happens to say what he like too - and yes, by that, I mean he swears quite a lot. Some great advice in this chat about the importance of loving what you write and worrying about it later. Plus lots of other entertaining advice too. Get it into your ear'oles now! And a big THANKS to Scrivener for sponsoring this season of the podcast! THANK YOU SCRIVENER! If you haven't tried Scrivener, you can sample their lovely wares for free for 30 days. OR you could just blummin well take our advice and buy a copy! and using our special code you can get 20% off! I know. Mental. You're welcome. Just go to https://www.literatureandlatte.com/ and use the code failing. Right. That's the Christmas presents sorted. Have a great festive celebration, happy new year and see you on the other side for Season 6! Buy Doug's books https://orendabooks.co.uk/authors/doug-johnstone More Doug: https://dougjohnstone.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.","meta_description":"How do you give your readers everything they're looking for? And your agent? You have to feed the beast don't you? (Is calling agents 'The Beast' too offe…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3218,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374/episodes/s5-ep24-doug-johnstone/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-failing-writers-podcast-3571374/s5-ep24-doug-johnstone.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}