So You Want to be a Writer

Just how different is it in the city compared to the country? Former co-host Allison Tait returns to discuss capturing that feeling in her latest middle-grade novel, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot (writing as A.L.Tait) – as well as teasing some of her other books coming out and how she balances it all! 00:00 Welcome08:02 Writing tip: Be proud of your own work10:12 WIN!: I Want Everything by Dominic Amerena12:02 Word of the week: ‘Lagniappe’15:24 Writer in residence: A.L Tait16:01 Recap on Allison’s life lately21:53 Defining middle grade24:55 Her latest book, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot26:35 Inspiration behind the story29:48 The ideas file – the ‘wows’ and ‘whys’36:47 Upcoming projects and writing rhythm37:56 Danger Road – a middle-grade crime novel45:59 Allison’s drafting process47:30 Hiding clues through books without plotting48:45 A third secret book on the way52:20 Why ‘A.L.Tait’ and not ‘Allison Tait’?53:58 The ‘Your Kids Next Read’ podcast54:45 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian columnist Kasey Edwards has published 10 books, with her latest memoir Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me exploring self-love and societal expectations and what it means to be a woman. In this episode, Kasey discusses the process of writing the book, her research methods, dealing with rejection and tips for memoir writing. 00:00 Welcome04:34 Writing tip: Borrowing books online10:06 WIN!: When She Was Gone by Sarah Foster12:04 Word of the week: ‘Pantagruelian’13:40 Writer in residence: Kasey Edwards14:30 Thoughts on growing up as a girl16:31 Defining Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me21:00 Researching to solve problems23:59 The healing power of sharing your truth24:51 Facing criticism as a writer27:31 Daily writing routine and challenges31:31 Collaborating with a co-author33:30 Writing fiction vs memoir34:07 Navigating the publishing industry37:10 The importance of self-promotion41:07 Tips for aspiring memoir writers43:03 Conclusion and course promotion Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What do you get when you mix house-sitting frenemies with a big lovable dog? You get My Hot Housemate – the latest rom-com from Susannah Hardy, who joins us to discuss the characters and the writing process behind the book. 00:00 Welcome03:19 Writing tip: Reference managers06:03 WIN!: Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire07:48 Word of the week: ‘Overweening’08:29 The world of words: Ordering adjectives12:16 Writer in residence: Susannah Hardy13:02 Overview of My Hot Housemate14:47 Writing about the acting world17:46 Adding a dog character to the story20:17 Showing off Sydney21:36 Tips on writing comedy22:41 Writing authentic dialogue24:00 Character development and relationships25:38 The rise of rom-coms27:44 Writing process and challenges29:39 Balancing writing with life33:38 Having other creative interests 35:32 Importance of mentors and community37:42 General writing tips40:17 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does ‘neighbourhood noir’ look like as a genre? Author Maryrose Cuskelly knows, and she discusses her latest novel The Campers, blending crime and psychological elements as well as contemporary issues. 00:00 Welcome04:43 Writing tip: The importance of practice10:26 WIN!: The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson Wheeler13:01 Word of the week: ‘Galligaskins’15:00 Writer in residence: Maryrose Cuskelly18:01 Inspirations for The Campers21:38 Defining the genre22:12 Maryrose’s research and writing process26:43 Bringing the setting to life28:08 Incorporating COVID into the story29:35 Character development and choices31:09 Homelessness and social issues33:04 The writing process and fellowships36:29 Balancing writing and life38:48 Publicity and new projects44:36 Tips for crime writers45:58 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s plenty to love about France and food, and author Victoria Brownlee has cleverly combined them both in her latest rom-com novel, Eat Your Heart Out. She joins us to discuss the timeless appeal of Paris, writing dual perspectives, sexy cheeses and much more! 00:00 Welcome04:17 Writing tip: Do a course!08:21 WIN: The Jam Maker by Mary-Lou Stephens10:05 Word of the week: “Lissom”12:12 World of words: “Fewer” vs “Less”13:58 Writer in Residence: Victoria Brownlee15:56 Victoria’s obsession with food17:30 Landing in Paris18:40 Optioning her first book as a film21:00 The sexiness of cheese21:45 Introducing Eat Your Heart Out23:12 Writing dual perspectives26:48 Balancing food and story28:44 The romance of Paris and France30:55 Victoria’s writing process31:32 The influence of Emily in Paris34:46 Bloggers and influencers in writing37:25 The ingredients of a good rom-com novel38:48 Upcoming projects40:07 Tips for writers43:20 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the Spin Doctors sang about ‘Two Princes’, perhaps they were thinking about author Cale Dietrich’s new young adult novel, The Rules of Royalty! Cale chats about writing the book and current trends in the genre. 00:00 Welcome05:20 Writing tip: Be curious08:13 WIN! London Uncanny by Clive Bloom09:48 Word of the week: ‘Mansuetude’10:58 Writer in Residence: Cale Dietrich13:12 The appeal of queer royal fiction15:15 Cale’s writing process18:39 Researching the royal aspects 19:37 Going from pitch to contract20:45 How collaborative writing works22:49 Planning and structure24:36 Character development – nice boys26:11 Balancing work and writing27:25 Publicity and social media29:34 Cale’s upcoming projects32:05 Advice for aspiring YA writers33:38 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What secrets do you have hiding in YOUR family tree? Every family has them, and in AWC graduate Kate Horan’s new mystery, The Inheritance, DNA-testing shines a light on two women and previously unspoken truths. Kate shares her experience writing the book including inspirations and real life research. 00:00 Welcome05:21 Writing tip: StoryGraph app09:28 WIN!: Twist by Colum McCann11:10 Word of the week: ‘harbinger’12:51 Word Insights with Dean Koorey: ‘hone vs home’15:55 Writer in residence: Kate Horan18:00 On writing two very different characters20:11 Geographic and DNA inspirations24:20 The many meanings of ‘inheritance’26:13 Inspiration from Who Do You Think You Are?26:40 Complicated family dynamics28:19 Kate’s writing process and balancing life29:18 Managing time and prioritising as a writer31:15 Journey to publication via an agent35:00 Importance of structural edits37:09 AWC courses and learning the craft40:09 Kate’s writing tips and investing in your skills41:33 Building a writing community44:18 Surreal experience of getting published45:17 Upcoming projects and future plans47:45 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Capturing the nostalgia of ’90s horror flicks, This Stays Between Us is the latest novel by Margot McGovern. In this episode, Margot shares her inspiration for telling this kind of story, writing her cast of characters and her experience publishing the novel. 00:00 Introduction09:13 Writing tip: Scheduling time for reading13:53 WIN!: 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by Candice Fox and James Patterson15:28 Word of the week: ‘Lycanthrope’17:00 Writer in residence: Margot McGovern19:40 The attraction of horror stories21:00 Representing and reflecting young people’s worlds23:11 The differences between 2000 and today25:26 School camp inspirations27:38 Nostalgia for ’90s horror films28:49 Writing multiple points of view30:23 Drafting and editing process34:20 Publishing journey with Penguin38:07 Publicity and the social media landscape39:56 Upcoming projects44:26 Margot’s tips for aspiring writers45:48 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you go about writing a deeply personal story? In this episode, Sonia Orchard discusses her memoir, Groomed, and the process of writing about a traumatic childhood experience. She also shares tips for others looking to write their own memoir. 00:00 Introduction03:15 Writing tip: It’s never too late to start06:53 WIN!: Best, First and Last by Amy T. Matthews09:07 Word of the week: ‘Grok’11:18 Writer in residence: Sonia Orchard15:33 Deciding whether to tell such a vulnerable story17:00 Writing it vs not writing it19:25 How Sonia compiled the memoir23:12 “Write for yourself and edit for others”24:20 Choosing what details to remove in the story26:55 Navigating the justice system28:08 The therapeutic power of writing33:55 Memoir vs fiction: Similarities and differences44:31 What Sonia hopes people take away from this book46:30 Top tips for writing your own memoir48:41 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you write about a subject not often represented in fiction? In this episode, Sean Wilson shares his latest novel You Must Remember This and his unique journey bringing a story of dementia to the page. 00:00 Introduction07:36 Writing tip: Goodreads trolling09:36 WIN! Perspectives by Laurent Binet11:40 Word of the week: ‘Leaguer’12:18 Writer in residence: Sean Wilson14:25 Why Sean wanted to tell this story15:40 Writing child characters17:00 Self-care while writing19:06 Crafting authentic secondary characters21:01 Storytelling the challenges of ageing23:09 How Sean drew inspiration from real life events25:35 The prevalence of dementia27:48 From play to novel: The writing journey31:19 Crafting a nonlinear narrative35:37 Publishing journey and future projects38:45 The art of writing across different forms42:34 Future projects46:37 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.