Making Trouble with Molly Naylor

Listen up troublemakers! From January 12th you're invited to join us for a refreshing, rejuvenating CREATIVE COURSE. Six weeks of prompts, activities and ideas designed to kickstart your practice for 2026. Episodes will drop every Monday as usual, but rather than an interview with an esteemed guest (we'll get back to that in season 3), you'll receive a short audio workshop for you to engage with at your own leisure. Light on homework, hopefully heavy on inspiration. THIS COURSE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO PATREON SUBSCRIBERS. So head over to Patreon anytime before January and join as a paid member (not available to free subscribers). You can sign up for as little as £2.50 a month (you can cancel easily any time). You'll have access to the course for as long as you're a subscriber, and you'll also have access to the Patreon community page if you want to share your experience with other listeners. https://www.patreon.com/c/MakingTroubleCan't wait to see what happens!

In this season 2 finale, Molly is joined by Grace Petrie to answer your questions and respond to your creative dilemmas. Thanks for listening to this season of Making Trouble! We'll be back in 2026 with more trouble, more fabulous guests and more bath snacks. Until then, happy making!

Musician Kate Stables (This Is The Kit) joins Molly for a chat about saying no. Why it's hard to do in the moment, how to get better at it, what happens when we don't do it, and why we need to say yes to ourselves. Check out the music video for Bashed Out, which featured on Sex Education and Pretty Little Liars. This Is The Kit's website: https://titk.cargo.site/

It's the bard of Barnsley himself, Mr. Ian McMillan! Ian is a poet and broadcaster. He presents The Verb on BBC R3 and has been a regular on BBC Breakfast, Coast, Pick of the Week, You & Yours, Last Word and The Arts Show. He’s been a castaway on Desert Island Discs! Ian joins Molly for a chat about Time. How do we find more? How do we use it wisely? What should we spend less time doing, and what should we spend more time doing? You can read Ian's work on The Poetry Society website, or buy/order one of his many collections from your local bookshop.Check out the Maurice Dobson museum next time you're in Yorkshire.

It's Holly Williams! Holly is a novelist, journalist and theatre critic. This week she joins Molly for a meandering chat about priorities. How do we make time for the things we want to focus on most? What happens when self promotion takes up all of our creative energy? How do we work out what's a good use of our finite time? Plus, why was trying so embarrassing at (state) school? And how do we finally find a way to not assume everyone hates us? Holly's book THE START OF SOMETHING has been described as a sexy relay race. Buy it! Subscribe to Exeunt on Substack.

JULIE HESMONDHALGH! The legendary British actor (Broadchurch, The Pact, Happy Valley, Mr. Bates vs The Post Office, Coronation Street), writer and activist joins Molly for a chat about Ego. What are we trying to protect ourselves from when we become defensive in difficult situations? Why does our ego get challenged by some things and not others? How do we embrace our multitudes instead of clinging to the parts of ourselves we deem acceptable?See Julie in Punch in the West End until November 29th, 2025: https://theapollotheatre.co.uk/tickets/punch/Buy Julie's book about acting: https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/an-actors-alphabetThe Common Ground Justice Project: https://www.commongroundjustice.uk/Find out more about the brilliant charities that Punch the play is supporting:The Forgiveness Project: https://www.theforgivenessproject.com/Go Live: https://golivetheatre.org.uk/Remedi: https://www.remediuk.org/

Molly chats with Maria about losing heart. What happens in the weird lull after you've released a major piece of work? How do we keep caring when we're the only ones who do? What happens when we play the character of ourselves on stage? And did Maria really run away to a lighthouse? You'll also learn about the best way to cook baked beans. Buy Maria's book SWELL. The poem referenced is In That Year by Kim Moore.See Molly opening for Grace Petrie on her UK tour now: https://www.gracepetrie.com/gigs

Join Molly and Ashley as they discuss the pleasures and perils of SAYING YES. Why does Ashley say yes to EVERYTHING? What will make him say no more? Should he even worry? Who are 'the bum bum creams'? Other topics covered include self-promotion, holidays, inspiration, ambition and friendship.Ashley is a poet, novelist, referee and lecturer of creative writing. Ashley’s debut novel The 392 was published by OWN IT! in 2019. His second novel Your Show, published by Faber in 2022, was longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards. His third book, a young adult novel-in-verse called Wild East, was published by Penguin in 2024. His poetry collection Why I Am Not a Bus Driver is available now from Bad Betty Press.

In this conversation with award-winning writer and podcaster Deborah Frances-White, Molly and Deb discuss indecision, ego, the biggest obstacles to creative expression and the importance of collaborating with people who make you feel talented. Deborah introduces Molly to the concept of 'trusting your obvious', and shares lots of useful tips on screenwriting and improvising.Check out Deborah's new book, SIX CONVERSATIONS WE'RE SCARED TO HAVE.Her podcast THE GUILTY FEMINIST must have made it into your ears, but if not, check it out!