Episodes
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Amy Hutton, author of Love From Scratch and Sit, Stay, Love. Amy discusses her journey from TV producer to successful romance novelist, the importance of social media presence for authors, and practical tips for aspiring writers. Host Valerie Khoo also chats to author Nat Newman who shares her experience with the Meisner acting technique, and provides valuable advice on dealing with rejection as a writer.
00:00 Introduction
00:46 Deep dive into chapter structure
02:43 Nat Newman’s writing tips
03:01 Drama workshop insights
07:45 Dealing with rejection
11:55 Book giveaway: The Silence Factory by Bridget Collins
14:56 Word of the week: cynosure
16:25 Interview with Amy Hutton, author of Love From Scratch and Sit, Stay, Love
27:19 Pitching through virtual literary speed dating
27:58 Romance Writers of Australia conference experience
29:32 The chaotic offer moment
31:06 Working on multiple projects
34:31 Developing 'Love From Scratch'
39:35 Daily writing routine and discipline
42:17 Engaging with social media as an author
47:14 Courses and continuous learning
51:37 Future plans and traditional publishing
53:56 Top tips for aspiring writers
56:33 Conclusion and fun factRead the show notes
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Explore the world of ghostwriting with Radek Sali and ghostwriter Bernadette Schwerdt. They explore the collaborative effort behind writing Radek’s book, How to Build a Billion Dollar Business, discussing challenges, the process of ghostwriting, the importance of capturing emotional depth in storytelling, and the profound impact of building a purpose-driven business. The episode touches on effective writing strategies, including the importance of starting your day with creative work and offers listeners a chance to win three copies of The Underhistory by Kaaron Warren.
00:00 Welcome to the podcast & upcoming seminar announcement
00:16 Deep dive into writing chapters
02:24 Nat Newman's writing tips & personal journey
13:29 Win The Underhistory by Kaaron Warren.
17:57 Meeting Radek Sali and his ghostwriter Bernadette Schwerdt
21:50 From idea to ghostwriter
22:32 Challenges, editors, and finding the right partner
24:02 Bernadette's approach: From manuscript assessment to starting fresh
24:57 Crafting the narrative via nterviews, structure, and voice
37:01 The business of ghostwriting: Financials and working with publishers
40:08 Insights on ghostwriting
47:38 Reflections and future directionsRead the show notes
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Missing episodes?
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Meet Megan Daley, author of The Beehive. Megan talks about her passion for children’s literature, her role as a teacher librarian, and her picture book The Beehive. She also discusses her book Raising Readers, which emphasises the importance of instilling a love of reading in children from a young age and offers practical advice for parents.
00:00 Welcome to the world of writing and publishing
00:22 Unlocking creativity with story seeds
03:48 Nat Newman's writing tip
07:54 Crafting engaging openings in writing
14:58 Megan Daley: A passion for children's literature and bees
21:30 The journey from blog to book: Unveiling a love for reading
23:01 Empowering reading habits: Tips for parents and educators
23:48 A creative approach to encouraging reading
29:34 Encouraging savvy teen readers in a digital age
32:41 The path to becoming a teacher librarian
34:02 From educator to children's book author
36:28 Strategies for busy creatives
42:34 From writing dreams to picture book reality
44:22 A dive into the history of the exclamation markRead the show notes
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Meet Jo Peck, whose memoir Suddenly Single at Sixty details her journey through divorce and rediscovery. Jo discusses her writing process, the therapeutic value of journalling, the challenges of constructing a memoir , and her inspirations. She also offers advice for writers on being honest in their writing and the importance of self-analysis.
00:00 Welcome to the podcast & updates
02:03 Nat Newman’s writing tip
05:15 Crafting secondary characters
07:44 Book giveaway: Ghost Cities by Siang Lu
10:39 Word of the week: Desultory
11:26 Writer in residence: Jo Peck on Suddenly Single at Sixty
24:23 The journey of writing a memoir
25:58 From school gate to bookshelf
29:12 Structuring a memoir
34:16 Jo’s writing process
38:18 Exploring future writing projects and reflections
41:09 Receiving feedback and sharing advice for aspiring writers
46:27 Closing thoughts and fun factsRead the show notes
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Meet Deborah Abela, author of The Kindness Project. Deborah is one of Australia’s most beloved children's authors. Her latest middle grade novel is The Kindness Project, which is her 29th book. Recently, she also released the Book of Wondrous Possibilities. While Deb writes mainly in middle grade, she has also written chapter books and picture books, such as Bear in Space and the upcoming No More Room in the Bed. Also hear about 'Words at Dawn', a writing initiative for students of the Australian Writers’ Centre. And your chance to win the novel The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins.
00:00 Welcome to the world of writing and publishing
01:09 Busting myths about writing for kids
02:30 Guest spotlight: Nat Newman's writing tips
04:38 Words at dawn: A creative writing initiative
15:27 Deborah Abela: A deep dive into middle grade novels
27:12 The Kindness Project: From concept to creation
29:57 Exploring kindness through storytelling
31:38 The creative process and writing in verse
32:05 From pitch to publication
34:06 Character development and creative inspiration
37:55 Rejections and successes in the publishing world
39:16 From film to children's books: A career journey
43:21 The art of writing across different formats
50:51 Engaging with young readers: The importance of school visits
55:13 Top tips for aspiring middle grade writersRead the show notes
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Meet Indah Ahmad Zahri, author of 5 picture books including her latest How To Measure The Ocean. Indah, a doctor turned picture book author, delves into her career transition, the inspiration behind her books, and her advocacy work.
00:00 Celebrating 600 episodes: A journey of writing and publishing
01:19 Upcoming seminar: Mastering action in storytelling
03:45 Nat Newman’s writing tips
10:40 Book giveaway: The North Wind by Alexandra Warwick
13:00 Word of the week: propinquity
15:06 Writer in residence: Indah Ahmad Zahri’s multifaceted career
24:25 A magical moment at the beach: The power of picture books
25:28 From inspiration to authorship: The journey begins
26:57 Celebrating diversity and heritage through children's literature
29:09 The challenges and joys of writing for children abroad
31:44 Embracing new creative ventures
33:13 Balancing creativity and parenthood
35:07 Exploring new horizons in writing and art
41:36 Leveraging courses for creative growth
43:36 Top writing tips and a call to action for writers
47:18 Closing thoughts and fun factsRead the show notes
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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.
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Meet Mary Anastasiou, picture book author and managing editor at Five Mile Press, as well as a former creative director at Larrikin House. Mary shares her journey from aspiring writer to influential figure in the children's book industry, highlighting the challenges and rewards of publishing picture books. She discusses the importance of illustrator-author dynamics, how to successfully submit manuscripts, and offers invaluable advice to aspiring authors and illustrators. Additionally, the episode includes insights into the process of creating picture books, from conception to finished product, and touches on the nuances of the publishing industry. Mary also talks about her latest picture book Julius Squeezer.
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Meet author Kell Woods, who discusses her approach to writing, her novel After the Forest, a sequel to Hansel and Gretel, and the blend of history and fantasy in her work. Kell shares insights on the research and discipline required to weave together historical accuracy and compelling storytelling.
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Meet Carrie Sun, whose memoir Private Equity explores her journey from a high-paced finance role to embracing a writing career. Carrie discusses her writing process, the challenges of memoir writing, and the transformation she underwent during her time in the finance industry.
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Is indie publishing right for you. Discover the intricacies of indie publishing with author Jodi Gibson. Delve into Jodi’s journey across traditional and independent publishing avenues for her novels. She highlights the distinct processes involved in each. Jodi shares valuable tips for indie authors, ranging from understanding why you want to indie publish to learning to love the hustle of marketing your work. The conversation covers the importance of a professional presentation of your book, meeting genre expectations, and the crucial role of building a mailing list. Additionally, Jodi discusses the necessity of assembling a publishing team, including editors and cover designers, to ensure a book's success. This episode offers a comprehensive look at the dedication required for indie publishing and the importance of defining one's own success in the literary world.
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Meet Charlotte Barkla, who discusses her latest novel 11 Ruby Road: 1900, a series set over a hundred years in the same house, capturing the essence of family, friendship, community, and historical events. Charlotte shares her journey from engineering and teaching to becoming a children's author, the challenges and joys of writing for young readers, and her processes in research and idea generation for her books. The episode concludes with insights into authors' careers, tips for writers, and a library's unique cat-themed event promoting book forgiveness.
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Meet author and ghostwriter Liam Pieper about his latest novel Appreciation. The novel centres around a famous artist trying to rehabilitate his fame with the help of a ghostwriter. Liam also discusses his “day job” as a ghostwriter, the importance of getting along with the client and shaping their narrative according to their needs.
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Meet Karina May, author of Never Ever Forever, who talks about author branding, the business of writing and publishing 3 books in 15 months. Host Valerie Khoo also chats to author Nat Newman on her writing tip for the week, Valerie’s involvement in the 100-day project, a global initiative that encourages creatives to commit to producing something new every day for 100 days. And much more.
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Meet Jane Tara, who discusses her latest novel Tilda is Visible, where the female protagonist is diagnosed with invisibility as she progresses into her 50s. Jane discusses experiences of feeling invisible, implications on self-perception, the way society views aging, and the healing journey of self-discovery.
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Meet Jamelle Wells, author of The Outback Court Reporter. Both a newsreader and senior court reporter for ABC, Jamelle reveals the intricate and sometimes unexpected dynamics witnessed during her time covering diverse cases in city and rural courts. She chats about the cultural differences, compelling cases, struggles of court reporting, and the importance of accuracy and fairness. Jamelle also reflects on the writing process of her latest book, sharing personal experiences that intertwined her journey.
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Meet author Natalie Murray on her journey to becoming a writer and her contemporary romance novel, Love Just In. Natalie discusses how she's co-written novels, tips on how to work on characters and plot lines, and the benefits of doing courses at Australian Writers' Centre.
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Liz Foster shares her journey from discovering writing as a creative outlet during recovery from breast cancer, to becoming a published author with The Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices. The podcast episode explores Liz’s habits and strategies for success, including the importance of setting micro-goals, maintaining a daily 1,000-word count, and finding support in the writing community. She shares her experience using Scrivener and how she handled editing and reducing the length of her manuscript.
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Stepping into Success with Author Jenna Lo Bianco. Are you ready for the upcoming special writing event on Romance writing? Meet special guest Jenna Lo Bianco, author of The Italian Marriage, discusses her journey from aspiring writer enduring rejections to being a successful author. Jenna shares her strategic approach to market her book, the process of acquiring an agent and subsequently publishing her books, and her valuable writing tips on persistence, resilience, and knowing your niche. Author Nat Newman also joins to share a writing tip: 'Kill Your Darlings.' The show wraps up with a competition for Trish Bolton's Whenever You're Ready and the word of the week: 'Posology'.
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Developing Skills and Techniques as an Aspiring Writer: Interview with novelist Jo Riccioni. Host Valerie Khoo and Jo discuss Jo’s latest novel The Rising, the process of writing a duology, her love for fantasy writing, and the importance of cultivating a detailed and authentic world in fantasy literature. Jo also shares how she came up with names in her books and gives advice to aspiring writers on how to get started, from mimicking styles to joining a writer's group.
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