5 Writers 5 Minutes

How do you know when the story you've been working on for ages is actually done? You'd think it would be easy to know but that's not always the case. Sometimes, you want to keep writing because the ending still doesn't feel satisfying... or maybe you just want to keep tweaking the draft to make it PERFECT.  There comes a time when you just have to let go! Thanks so much to Mary...

Staying connected to your creativity isn't always an easy thing. Besides just sitting down and actually WRITING (which sounds so easy... but is soooo not), we need to make sure we're prioritising practices that help the flow of inspiration. In this episode, the team share how they nurture themselves to continually show up on the page. Thanks so much to Maryam Master for joining us today!...

Sometimes, writing the second book is harder than the first! You think you've cracked the story-writing code and every book after your debut will be easy peasy... only to find yourself stuck in the mud! The team share some encouragement to help you continue on the journey. Don't give up, friends! Thanks to Maryam Master for joining us today ! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanban...

Happy Tuesday, friends! Today we have Maryam Master with us to chat about how scriptwriting has shaped our writing. Whether it's through dialogue, writing action, or the three act structure, scriptwriting can be a useful technique to keep your story snappy and to-the-point. Have you ever tried using this technique to write? Make sure to check out Michael Arndt's video "Endings: The...

It's never fun when you receive feedback from agents and/or editors advising you to do big rewrites on your story. But you know what? After giving yourself the space to sulk, you almost always find that these rewrites make your story stronger. And isn't that what we want most of all? Thanks to Mick Elliott for filling in for Tristan Bancks!  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbanc...

Can you think of a cliffhanger from a story that got you so excited you had to keep reading? In this episode, the team chat about how they tackle cliffhangers in their own books, and what feelings they want to evoke when writing their closing lines. Thanks to Mick Elliott for filling in for Tristan Bancks! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah A...

We all love reading funny books, right? But how do you write humour? It can be tricky but the one thing to always remember is if you make yourself laugh, there's a good chance others will laugh along with you! Thanks to Mick Elliott for filling in for Tristan Bancks! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armstrong: sarah-armstrong.com Lian...

It's never a great feeling to be told your story isn't working or that your writing needs work. But we're here to remind you that feedback is important to make your story the best it can possibly be! So don't worry—even established writers get knocked back and critiqued! Keep at it! Thanks to Mick Elliott for chatting to us today!  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbanc...

The hero of every story needs a baddie. They can come in the form of a nemesis or sometimes, the hero's own struggle is the baddie of the book! But how do you write a good baddie?  Thanks so much to Nathan Luff for hanging out with us!  Check out Nathan's books here: https://nathanluff.com.au/ Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Arms...

"My story isn't good enough." "I am a terrible writer." "No one will like my book."  Every writer has had these thoughts swirling through their minds. And it's ok. We're all human, right?  In this episode, the team chat about feeling vulnerable and how they remind themselves to keep going when their self-doubt gets loud.  Thanks so much to Nathan Luff f...

How do you convey emotion in your story? What does your character do with their hands when they are sad? Where do they feel fear in their body? And how can you write these emotions in a way that isn't cliché?  Thanks so much to Nathan Luff for hanging out with us!  Check out Nathan's books here: https://nathanluff.com.au/ Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela...

Hey friends! I It's so good to be back. 😊 Today we have Nathan Luff joining us as we discuss the opening lines of our books. Finding the perfect words at the VERY start of your story can be daunting so we hope this episode helps. Check out Nathan's books here: https://nathanluff.com.au/ Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armstrong:...

Hey folks! Welcome back to 5 Writers 5 Minutes. Tristan Bancks is busy at the moment so Sue Whiting has been kind enough to sit in for a few episodes. Thanks Sue!  This week, the team chat about pantsing (writing by the seat of your pants without much pre-planning) and Plotting (spending a lot of time planing out your story before you begin writing). Which are you? Does it change with every story...

Welcome back to 5 Writers 5 Minutes! In this episode, the team chat about  adverbs and adjectives, which can sound good... but say very little, while not moving your story forward! It's all about making all your words work really hard! Have a listen. Filling in for Tristan Bancks  is Sue Whiting ! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armst...

Writing stories filled with magic is fun.... but definitely not as easy as people think! There are lots of rules to creating a world with magic and these rules can't be broken or else the magic doesn't feel real. And if there are no limitations to the magic, then what's at stake? If you're planning on writing a story with magical themes, this is definitely the episode for you!...

Have you heard of the saying, "Show—don't tell?" In this episode, the writers talk about info-dumps—boring blocks of text with backstory or other information writers think their readers need to know. But the question is, do they really need to know so much? And is there a better way of sharing this information besides dumping it all in a very boring paragraph that stops the story mo...

Hey pals, welcome back.  It's so easy to compare yourself to others, isn't it? In this episode, Zanni, Lian, Sarah, and Deb talk about how they make sure they stay focused on their own unique voice! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armstrong: sarah-armstrong.com Lian Tanner: liantanner.com.au Zanni Louise: zannilouise.com Music: O...

Hello friends!  As you can see, Tristan is still not back so we are still 4 writers. Come back soon, Tristan! This week Sarah answers some questions about Magic Awry, the second book in her amazing Big Magic duology. Do you have any questions for Sarah? Ask away in the comments and she'll answer them.  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah...

Hey hey, friends! This week, Tristan couldn't make it but he says hello to you all and he'll be back for the next round! In this episode, we discuss how to write dialogue that feels real while propelling the story forward.  Can you think of an example of good dialogue from a book you recently read?  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sara...

Happy Tuesday, pals! Thanks so much for hanging out with us today.  In this episode, the team brainstorm the beginning of a mystery involving a missing parent, a rollerskating rink, and corruption! Oooooooh!  If you're inspired to run with this writing prompt and have a go at writing a story with it, please share it with us. We'll share excerpts in a later episode!  Visit the authors: Tr...

Hello friends, and welcome back to 5 Writers 5 Minutes.  This week, the team chats about connecting and trusting the unconscious mind— the part of you that uses intuition to create a story.  How do you connect to your unconscious mind? Are you someone who sits down to write with only a very loose plan or do you spend a good chunk of your time planning your story before even sitting down to write? ...

Welcome back to 5 Writers 5 Minutes, friends!  This week, the team chat about their typical writing day and are surprised to find out how similar their daily practices are!  Any night-time writers out there? We'd love to hear from you because... how on earth do you make it work? We just don't get it. 🤪  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com...

Welcome back friends!  This week we get Zanni in the hot seat and as her lots of questions about her wonderful new book, Cora Seen and Heard.  Have you read it yet? Let us know your thoughts!  Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armstrong: sarah-armstrong.com Lian Tanner: liantanner.com.au Zanni Louise: zannilouise.com Music: On The Roads by E...

Today, the team chat about how important it is for them to put themselves—even in the smallest of ways—into their stories. It may not be as obvious as a character that looks like you, but it could be writing a character that believes in the things you do, or reacts in ways you'd react!  Do you need to inject a little bit of YOU into your characters, or do you try to keep yourself out of your...

Welcome back! In this episode, we ask Deb Abela some burning questions about her latest book, The Kindness Project. Have you read it? What did you think? Feel free to ask your burning questions of your own over on our Youtube channel ! Visit the authors: Tristan Bancks: tristanbancks.com Deborah Abela: deborahabela.com Sarah Armstrong: sarah-armstrong.com Lian Tanner: liantanner.com.au Zanni Louis...