The Wind Thieved Hat

Horatio Clare is an award winning writer and broadcaster. And if there was an award for being a lovely bloke he’d probably have won that too. I first came across Horatio through his book Heavy Light in which he writes vividly about his experience of the highs and lows of bipolar disorder and what it’s like to be sectioned. But there are many other books too – from traversing the oceans on containers ships, to following swallows across hemispheres, or stumbling stoned through the chaos of his 20’s … each one is written in a prose style that carries you effortlessly along with him, whatever the adventure,So on a cold, dark November night I drove to Horatio’s family home in the Black Mountains to talk to him about creativity and the peculiar profession that is being a writer.Visit Horatio’s website and find out about all his books here.

“The book already exists in the future and you’re just trying to reveal it – you’re just trying to find out what it is.”I love the writing of John Higgs. It was a chance encounter with 'The KLF: Chaos, Magic and the Band who Burned a Million Pounds' that first switched me on to his unique literary landscape.It’s a landscape where there’s a surprise round every bend, a place where diverse ideas intermingle to create flashes of illumination - and it’s peopled by figures as diverse as William Blake, Timothy Leary, The Beatles, James Bond and Dr Who.His book 'Stranger Than We Can Imagine: Making Sense of the Twentieth Century' should, in my opinion, be compulsory reading for, well, everyone really.And John is not just one of our most brilliant writers of non-fiction, he’s also – as you’ll discover in this conversation – a really lovely bloke.We talk about the power of synchronicity, why writing is akin to washing up, how come he never has writer’s block and how he stays inspired. Oh, and John describes the moment he reached forty and had to decide whether to go all in on being a full time writer or not – a choice, as he puts it, between being bitter or penniless.You‘ll also learn more about Alan Moore’s concept of Ideaspace, Bill Drummond’s Liberation Loophole and John’s own multiple model agnosticism.And you'll find John's newsletter here ... https://johnhiggs.substack.com

‘Sometimes a fuck up isn’t a fuck up: it’s the angel on the shoulder of the devil on your shoulder.’These lines were among the first I came across by the Australian poet and artist Darby Hudson. I liked them so much I asked if I could use them to head a chapter on mistakes in my own book. Darby said yes, and so began our correspondence. I’ve thought for a while that Darby would be an excellent guest on the Wind Thieved Hat and when I found out that he was about to publish a book on creativity and poetry, I invited him to join me.Our conversation roams over subjects as diverse as the losses and wins of getting older, what your sober self can learn from your drunk self, the benefits of hanging out in cemeteries and much more besides.Darby’s a charming bloke with lots to say about creativity. I hope you enjoy our conversation. You can explore all things Darby related here. And you can join his hordes of Instagram followers here.

Dan Nelken is on a mission: he’s passionate about helping creative people create and get over what's stopping them. A fork lift driver and advertising copywriter by trade, his book A Self Help Guide for Copywriters was a breakout hit during the pandemic. I wanted to speak to Dan not just because I’m on a similar mission, or because I wanted to talk about copywriting per se, but because I know he has things to say that are helpful to anyone who’s plucking up the courage to begin their own creative journey. It’s a fascinating chat. We talk about Dan’s chaotic and lawless early years. He introduces me to Alan, the scared little voice inside his head. And he explains how he got over a lifetime habit of not finishing stuff and finally found fulfilment. This episode was recorded down the line. There are kids in the background. And a little hammering. But there’s also lots of great conversation.You can find out more about Dan’s course ‘Writing Under Pressure’ here and buy a copy of his book here. I’d also recommend his excellent weekly newsletter.Since the recording I listened to the Jerry Seinfeld interview with Tim Ferris Dan mentioned. It’s fascinating. You can find that here.

Kathryn Mannix is a best-selling author and palliative care doctor. Given that this is a podcast about the creative process she may seem to be a rather unusual guest, but as you’ll discover, Kathryn is a brilliant wordsmith and someone who has a great deal to say about stories; the stories we use to make sense of life and of death.Kathryn’s self-declared mission is to make us all more comfortable with the idea of dying. And this is something we discuss in detail. But we also talk about creativity in medicine, about the process of writing, how to give stories the space to tell themselves, and she has a fascinating theory on why it seems that only the good die young.You can watch the Dennis Potter interview we discuss here. With the End in Mind: How to Live and Die Well is available here. And Listen: How to Find the Words for Tender Conversation is available here.