Carter Wilson's Making It Up cover art

Carter Wilson's Making It Up

Carter Wilson's Making It Up

By: Carter Wilson
Listen for free

Making It Up is an unscripted conversation series about the messy reality of being a writer.


Each episode is a deep, unplanned conversation with writers at every stage of the journey. New York Times bestselling authors. Award winners. Debut novelists just getting started. No prepared questions. No talking points. Just two people following the conversation wherever it leads.


We talk about where stories really come from. Childhood influences. Fear. Luck. Loss. Discipline. Doubt. The highs, the lows, and the long stretches in between that rarely get talked about.


At the end of every episode, we put the philosophy into practice. We choose a random sentence from a random book and use it to create an impromptu short story. No prep. No outline. Just making something out of nothing.


Because that is the job.
And that is the point.


Visit Carter at www.carterwilson.com.

© 2026 Carter Wilson's Making It Up
Art
Episodes
  • Making it Up with Lee Goldberg, author of Murder By Design
    May 28 2026

    “I learned a very important lesson from Janet Ivanovich. She said I want readers to forget they’re reading. I want them to be so lost in what they’re doing… they forget there’s a page. You want the writing to disappear… I want them to get sucked into just being lost in the book.”

    Lee Goldberg is a two-time Edgar Award and two-time Shamus Award nominee and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the Eve Ronin series, the Sharpe & Walker series, the Ian Ludlow trilogy, fifteen Monk mysteries, and five internationally bestselling Fox & O’Hare books co-written with Janet Evanovich. He has also written and/or produced many TV shows, including Diagnosis Murder, SeaQuest, and Monk, and is the co-creator of the hit Hallmark movie series Mystery 101.

    Among other things, Lee and Carter discuss growing up with parents working in media, putting yourself in a position where opportunities come to you, and writing a screenplay versus a novel. At the end of their conversation, they make up a cinematic story using a line from Tod Goldberg’s Only Way Out.

    Connect with Carter at www.carterwilson.com

    Connect with Lee at www.leegoldberg.com

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
  • Making It Up with Kate White, author of I Came Back For You
    May 17 2026

    "I loved it... Cosmo was a fabulous job in every sense of the word. It was like being on a television show everyday... but I could start to see, wow, this is all collapsing... I'd already written eight of my thrillers and mysteries while I was at Cosmo. I thought I'm going to get out while I still have the chance." — Kate White

    Kate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of nineteen novels of suspense: 11 standalone psychological thrillers and eight Bailey Weggins mysteries. A former Glamour magazine Top Ten College Women Contest winner and cover girl, Kate had a long career in the media world, which included running five national magazines. For 14 years she was the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan, which under her became the most successful magazine in single copy sales in the U.S. Kate’s first mystery, If Looks Could Kill, was a Kelly Ripa Book Club pick, a #1 bestseller on Amazon, and an instant New York Times bestseller.

    Among other things, Kate and Carter discuss why Kate left the magazine industry, being aware of market trends, and her research on grief for her novel. At the end of their conversation, they make up a dark story using a line from Emily Littlejohn’s Lost Lake.

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • Making It Up with Emily Carpenter, author of A Spell for Saints and Sinners
    May 11 2026

    "I’ve really been able to lean into that Southern Gothic with a touch of horror... It’s that concept of… is it a ghost or is it the guy? There is always that element in my books. Is it real, is it not real, is it an unreliable narrator having psychosis or is it truly something supernatural?" — Emily Carpenter

    Emily Carpenter, a former actor, producer, screenwriter, and behind-the-scenes soap opera assistant, was born and raised in Alabama. After graduating from Auburn University, she moved to New York City and now lives in Georgia with her family. She is the author of Amazon bestselling Burying the Honeysuckle Girls and The Weight of Lies.

    Among other things, Emily and Carter discuss Emily’s research on witchcraft and psychics for her novel, writing vague endings, and how a unique voice can elevate a generic plot. At the end of their conversation, they make up an intriguing story using a line from BJ Magnani’s We’ll Always Have Poison.

    Show More Show Less
    47 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c
No reviews yet