For this bonus episode, Elizabeth and Mel open up the post bag to answer the burning questions YOU have when it comes to dating… And, let’s just say, we cover A LOT of ground. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the world of dating! We want to make it a safe, fun and rewarding experience for everyone. If you’d like to join us, we’ve put together our very own How To Date Good Dat...
Mar 31, 2025•42 min•Season 2Ep. 9
For the final episode of How To Date (sob!) Mel and Elizabeth look at the most important relationships any of us can have in our lives: the one with ourselves. We unpack what this means in practical terms. How do we nurture a healthy sense of self-respect - and why can this sometimes feel so challenging? How can we ensure interdependence rather than co-dependence? We explore why being clear about your own worth is a fundamental building block in any sustainable relationship with another person. ...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 8
Elizabeth and Mel face one of the most challenging parts of dating: heartbreak and rejection. We are joined by life coach and author Michelle Elman who went through a devastating, public break-up after being notified via an Instagram DM that her fiance of 24-hours had been cheating on her. Michelle, Mel and Elizabeth explore the impact an experience like this can have and how best to cope with it. We discuss surviving rejection and the lessons that heartbreak can teach us, in time. Plus: how to ...
Mar 17, 2025•47 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Things are going well… So Elizabeth and Mel are taking it to the next level where they are getting just that little bit more serious. In this episode, Mel and Elizabeth look at exclusivity and commitment and what it takes to build a strong foundation for a lasting relationship. Plus: how a partner’s past plays into your future together. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the wo...
Mar 10, 2025•51 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Mel and Elizabeth look at the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs that can help us understand whether a potential partner is right for us. That’s right, we’re exploring the red flags that should have us running for the hills, the green flags that signpost a healthy relationship and the amber or pink ones that lie somewhere in-between. We are joined by an expert in the field - social worker and bestselling author, LalalaLetMeExplain - to discuss how to spot these flags, what they really mean in the ...
Mar 03, 2025•59 min•Season 2Ep. 5
The first date has gone well for Elizabeth and Mel (the chemistry was sizzling, quite frankly) so now we turn our attention to the murky waters of early-stage communication in dating. Psychotherapist, author and podcaster Emma Reed-Turrell joins Elizabeth and Mel this week to break down how to communicate with clarity and kindness, without ever losing our power. We explore why self-esteem plays a crucial role in shaping the way we communicate, the pitfalls of people-pleasing and how blind spots ...
Feb 24, 2025•55 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Mel and Elizabeth continue their dating journey and today, we’ve reached one of the most nerve-wracking, yet potentially thrilling, milestones: the first date. Our guest is the fabulous Ryan Lanji, cultural producer, winner of Netflix’s Big Flower Fight and all-round icon. Ryan joins us to break down everything from the lead-up to the date, how to navigate the date itself and the immediate aftermath, as well as dating in the queer community. He also shares his own first-date stories, tips, and l...
Feb 17, 2025•54 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Elizabeth and Mel get into the exciting, terrifying and sometimes overwhelming world of how on earth to meet someone. We discuss online dating and IRL encounters and how to navigate it all without losing our self-esteem. Our guest this week is the brilliant Sharmaine Lovegrove, whom many of you might already know as one of the hosts of our previous podclass, How To Write A Book. Sharmaine went through a marital separation in her early 40s and threw herself into the apps. She joins us to share he...
Feb 10, 2025•54 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Elizabeth and Mel look at one of the most important yet daunting questions: “Am I ready to date?” Whether you’re returning to the dating world after divorce, heartbreak, loss or simply wondering if it’s the right time to put yourself out there, this episode explores what it really means to be ‘date ready’. After you’ve listened, you can get all the resources and worksheets discussed at www.thepodclass.co.uk Mel and Elizabeth are on a mission to revolutionise the world of dating! We want to make ...
Feb 03, 2025•52 min•Season 2Ep. 1
From Elizabeth Day, the creator and host of How To Fail, comes the next podclass (podcast masterclass) How To Date. Hosted by Elizabeth Day and Married At First Sight relationship expert Mel Schilling the duo are here to help you navigate your way through modern dating. With fascinating guests and candid discussion, we explore building confidence and breaking old patterns to decoding dating apps and finding love that is worthy of you, every episode is tackled with humour, honesty, and expert adv...
Jan 27, 2025•2 min
Well, you’ve made it! Thank you so much for joining us on this podclass - 12 weeks to take you right through from developing ideas to creating compelling characters and now, how to get your book into the hands of the reading public. This week, our hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their chat about how to get published and how to navigate the publishing industry. Publishing is a daunting experience for a seasoned writer, let alone a debut author. But - don’t worry ...
Oct 07, 2024•41 min•Season 1Ep. 12
In these final two episodes of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss navigating the world of publishing! Publishing is a daunting experience for a seasoned writer, let alone a debut author. But - don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. From what our literary agent, author and publishing expert wish they knew about the publishing process before they started, to managing expectations, and what makes it all worthwhile...
Sep 30, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this tenth, rather special episode, of the How to Write a Book podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew turn the microphone around to quiz their friend, executive producer and bestselling author Elizabeth Day, on her life’s work and writing journey. Of course, Elizabeth knows more than most about the trials and tribulations of writing a book - having penned nine of them herself, writing her first novel at 29 and since then working in every form - non-fiction, ...
Sep 23, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In this ninth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss genre. From literary fiction to romance and even the occasional fantasy novel, no genre is left un-discussed. What has genre-blending got to do with braiding a Senegalese Twist? Should writers stick to one genre or experiment across multiple? And why should genre be thought of as an identity for your book? Our three experts are here to help you answe...
Sep 16, 2024•53 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In the eighth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew take a slightly more structured approach to their discussion, having plotted out how best to talk about plot. After wise advice on plot mastery from Nelle in part 1, we continue our discussion on structuring ideas, how plots vary across commercial and literary strands? And why novels with an interior focus, or stream of consciousness writing, still need to b...
Sep 09, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In the seventh episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew take a slightly more structured approach to their discussion, having plotted out how best to talk about plot. We open up with wise advice on plot mastery from Nelle, who as a literary agent, has taught hundreds of writers about this tricky discipline. Where should you begin when it comes to structuring your ideas? How do plots vary across commercial and lit...
Sep 02, 2024•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In the sixth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss crafting excellent dialogue. This week’s dialogue between these three experts covers the best exchanges they’ve come across; how to make dialogue work - from setting the subtext on fire, to distinguishing between characters through the words they utter; and the interplay between internal and external dialogue. One of the hardest things to master, dial...
Aug 26, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In the fifth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss the art of creating characters. Just what makes a compelling character - need they be likeable? And just how much should we come to know them, before writing them into existence? Or could it be that they might surprise us one day, right there on the page? In this kaleidoscopic and…ahem…characterful conversation, Sara, Nelle and Sharmaine share their e...
Aug 19, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 5
In this fourth episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their discussion about finding your voice. What constitutes an authorial voice? And how does it differ from a narrative voice, or a character’s voice? Do they require vulnerability to cultivate? And how can they come together, like a perfectly pitched symphony? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this, as well as how to make your voice s...
Aug 12, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In this third episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss finding your voice. What constitutes an authorial voice? And how does it differ from a narrative voice, or a character’s voice? Do they require vulnerability to cultivate? And how can they come together, like a perfectly pitched symphony? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this, as well as how to make your voice stand out; and even where ...
Aug 05, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 3
In this episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew continue their discussion of IDEA. Just where do ideas for books come from? How do you know if they’re any good, or even if they’re right for you to pursue? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this - and even a lesson in how to know when your idea might be ready to send to an agent. And at the end, you’ll hear Elizabeth provide her own reflections on ho...
Jul 29, 2024•31 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this first episode of How to Write a Book, Elizabeth Day’s new podclass series, hosts Sara Collins, Sharmaine Lovegrove and Nelle Andrew discuss coming up with ideas. Just where do ideas for books come from? How do you know if they’re any good, or even if they’re right for you to pursue? Our expert podclass provides answers to all of this - and even a lesson in how to know when your idea might be ready to send to an agent. And we could not have a more experienced bunch to guide you on this jo...
Jul 22, 2024•35 min•Season 1Ep. 1
From Elizabeth Day, the creator and host of How To Fail, comes a brand new podcast: How To Write A Book. Hosted by bestselling author Sara Collins, powerhouse publisher Sharmaine Lovegrove and superagent Nelle Andrew, WE are your on-hand writing community. You’ll learn how to develop ideas, experiment with your voice and get your finished manuscript out there. It’s also the place to come if you just love reading and want a glimpse behind the scenes of how great books, films and TV dramas get wri...
Jul 11, 2024•3 min
