Ted is joined by Alice Florence Orr of Podcast Review, who also just so happens to be a novelist. Her work has been featured in publications including Extra Teeth, The Independent, Scottish Review, Barley Magazine, and The Dillydoun Review. She was awarded The Sloan Prize in 2021 and was shortlisted for the Scottish Book Trust’s New Writers Award in 2023.

And while Ted can attest Alice is a great person to talk with about podcasting, this conversation centers on the two works of fiction she has in progress, in particular a novel called The Nobody. What started as a thought experiment exploring the headspace of a young woman choosing to defend a disgraced actor has become a multi-POV story wrestling with the alluring, the confusing, and the toxic aspects of Hollywood.

Alice and Ted talk about overheard conversations as a writing device, the challenge of sustaining compelling plots, and balancing market realities with staying true to your voice and vision. They also discuss how the act of writing itself is the only thing a writer can truly control and the wisdom of attaching your identity to the title of “artist” or “writer” to begin with.

Learn more about Alice and her work at aliceflorenceorr.com.

Working Drafts episodes and info for requesting transcripts as well as more details about Ted and his books are available on his website, thetedfox.com.