Introducing Story Seeds! A month’s worth of writing prompts that you get for free. Find out how to get Story Seeds for May. The episode features Becky Holmes, author of Keanu Reeves Is Not In Love With You, a memoir and exploration into online romance scams. Becky shares her journey from opening a Twitter account during lockdown that led to interactions with online scammers, to writing a book that delves deep into the world of romance fraud while intertwining her personal experiences. The episode also includes discussions on writing tips, mental health for writers, and an intriguing conversation about theatre performances.
00:00 Welcome to the world of writing and publishing 00:16 Tackling the to-be-read pile: A reader's dilemma 02:19 Introducing story seeds: A creative writing boost 12:57 Mental health tips for writers: Tips from Nat Newman 16:10 Win a copy of Joy Moody is Out of Time by Kerryn Mayne 18:47 Freelance writing insights and opportunities 20:43 Exploring online romance scams with Becky Holmes 28:16 Diving into the world of romance fraud and writing 28:40 The hilarious and dark sides of a must-read book 29:27 Crafting the perfect structure: A writer's challenge 29:43 The post-it note strategy: Organising a book's blueprint 32:22 Setting writing goals amidst life's challenges 34:01 From career loss to Twitter phenomenon 35:16 Exploring personal vulnerabilities in writing 39:40 Investigating romance scams: A deep dive 42:52 The emotional toll of interviewing victims 43:59 Becoming a romance scam expert and public speaker 52:30 The next chapter: Tackling cyber flashing 55:29 Final thoughts and tips for aspiring writers
Becky Holmes is the creator of, and voice behind, the popular Twitter (X) account @deathtospinach. When she isn't trolling scammers online, Becky can be found accosting people's dogs for a cuddle or staring at things she can't afford on the internet. Becky has a first class BA (Hons) from Royal Holloway, University of London, and is based in Stratford-upon-Avon (where there are, coincidentally, a lot of dogs to cuddle).
