So You Want to be a Writer

It was a single photo of AWC graduate William J. Byrne’s grandmother standing outside a ramshackle home that formed the spark that inspired this self-confessed history buff to explore stories of his past and the experiences of Aboriginal people leading up to the 1960s. The result is his debut novel, The Warrumbar – spanning half a century and casting light on a lesser-told chapter of A...

When was the last time you visited a zoo? Well, now imagine you’re visiting the last zoo on Earth and you have the premise for Emma Sloley’s new book, The Island of Last Things . In this episode, Emma shares the inspiration, research and publishing experience for this book and some of the larger themes this piece of fiction evokes. 00:00 Welcome 04:10 Writing tip: Aim for rejections! 0...

Are YOU ready to unlock your potential in 2026? Join us for a special ‘manifestation’ episode of the podcast, as Valerie is joined by Matt Cooke, author of Beyond Wanting: The Art of True Manifestation . Matt shares his personal story into manifestation – from skeptic to believer AND how he manifested his book deal – and some key ideas you can use immediately in taking acti...

We’ve all heard of the ‘muse’ but what about the ‘mewwwws’? That’s the sound of authors' cats, and in this episode, Susannah Fullerton discusses her wonderfully titled book, Great Writers and the Cats Who Owned Them – exploring the unique relationships between famous authors and their feline companions. Susannah shares how she researched the topic, choosin...

We’ve heard of crashing weddings, but what about funerals? That’s the topic that bestselling author Joanna Nell has tackled for her sixth book, The Funeral Crashers . In this episode, she joins us to discuss the experience behind writing this latest novel as well as the turning point in her life that got her publishing her first book in her fifties. 00:00 Welcome 06:44 Writing tip: Ove...

How do you go about writing a personal memoir that heavily features your very-much-alive parents? Author Candice Chung grappled with this and her culturally private family while curating her book, Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You . In this episode, she joins us to discuss the inspiration for a book that uses food as a storytelling device, some of the rituals around dining and the story b...

Do ideas come to you while you’re out walking? There’s a unique connection between writers and walking – and in this episode, Belinda Castles shares the inspiration and experience in creating her new book, Walking Sydney . The book is a curated collection of talks had while on walks with authors around various parts of the city and exploring the concepts of nostalgia, change and...

In this special bonus episode of 'So You Want to Be a Writer,' Valerie is joined by her original podcast co-host Allison Tait in a live-streamed event celebrating 20 years of the Australian Writer Centre. Together, they discuss important topics for all writers – including goal-setting, overcoming writing obstacles, and structuring one's writing career. They also reflect on their own writing...

If you found yourself newly single after not dating since being a teenager, what would you do? Author and AWC graduate Holly Brunnbauer asks that question in her award-winning romance novel, What Did I Miss? –and in this episode she shares what inspired her to write it, her exciting story about getting an agent and book deal, plus the unusual window of time she writes in during each day! 00:...

When Ian Scott and Kirsty McHugh – curators at the National Library of Scotland – created an exhibition on pen names, they never imagined it would become a book. But that’s exactly what happened, and in this episode, Ian joins to discuss some of the curious motivations and stories behind some of the world’s most famous and infamous pseudonyms in their book Pen Names –...

Author Zanni L. Arnot has carved out a prolific career as a children's author – publishing more than 40 books in the past decade as ‘Zanni Louise’. In this episode, Zanni discusses how she got into writing children's books and her first YA novel, A Guide to Falling Off the Map . She also shares the differences between different age range stories, juggling multiple projects, plus...

The Iranian Embassy siege that unfolded in the UK in 1980 was a huge world event at the time, although perhaps lost in the fog of history today. Prolific British author Ben Macintyre brings it back into focus in his latest book, The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama and he joins us to discuss his writerly beginnings, turning real-world espionage into captivating reads a...

The search for ‘a better life’ is the classic motivation for immigrants arriving in a new country and so often we hear about the success stories. But author Moreno Giovannoni wanted to tell the more overlooked migrant stories for his latest novel, The Immigrants – drawing on his family’s own experiences in Australia. Giovannoni shares his approach to writing, his thoughts o...

Halloween is just around the corner, so what better way to mark the occasion than by celebrating AWC grad Amy Hutton’s latest book – a paranormal romance novel, Ghosted ! In this episode, Amy shares her writing process, how she wound up writing paranormal romance, afterworld-building and much more! 00:00 Welcome 06:39 Writing tip: Work with teachers and mentors 10:06 WIN!: Remain by Ni...

If there were ever a decade that evoked such a strong emotional resonance, the 1980s would surely be it! Author Tegan Bennett Daylight channels this in her new time-travelling YA novel, How to Survive 1985, in all its neon-coloured, acid-washed glory, and in this episode, she shares her experience bringing that time period to life and some tips for aspiring writers. 00:00 Welcome 06:52 Writing tip...

Would YOU do anything to protect your 18-year-old child? That’s core to the premise behind AWC graduate Alex Dook’s outback thriller novel, Gunpowder Creek – and in this episode, he shares the milestones and research that led to this latest successful book. 00:00 Welcome 07:12 Writing tip: Turn jealousy into inspiration 13:11 WIN!: The Occupation by Chloe Adams 14:56 Word of the...

We’ve all been to a pub. They’re places to meet friends, meet lovers, to celebrate, commiserate and even do weekly trivia. But do you REALLY know pubs? This is the question author Philip Howell poses and attempts to answer in his latest book, the aptly named Pub . Philip joins us to discuss the inspiration for this book, the pitching process, researching topics and his overwhelming lov...

Collaborative writing is fairly rare in the world of publishing – and writing while working alongside each other in a bookshop cafe is even rarer! But that was exactly how friends and workmates Clayton Zane Comber and Conor McCammon went about co-authoring their new junior fiction illustrated adventure, The Marvellous Submarine . In this episode, they share their experience creating the stor...

Arrrr me hearties! That’s right, landlubbers – this week we walk the plank to delve into the intriguing real history of female pirates as Francesca de Tores discusses her new historical fiction novel, 'Saltblood.' Francesca goes into her meticulous research process, spanning everything from nautical details to the lives of real historical figures, plus shares a surprising ‘Comic...

Have you noticed how everything Korean is so hot right now? From Squid Game to KPop Demon Hunters , the world is enamoured. Of course, for bestselling Korean-Kiwi author and AWC graduate Graci Kim, trends had nothing to do with her choice to mix stories from childhood with fantasy in her new novel, Dreamslinger . In this episode, Graci discusses the many experiences and inspirations that led her t...

What if you could be locked away simply for having disturbing dreams? That’s part of the premise in internationally acclaimed author Laila Lalami’s latest novel, The Dream Hotel . In this episode, Laila discusses the themes that inspired and eventually mirrored her book, along with her background in writing, her daily routine, writing tips and more. 00:00 Welcome 04:50 Writing tip: Avo...

With more than 35 books under her belt, Australian author Christine Keighery has written across a range of age groups and genres. In this episode, she shares some insights from that time, along with details about writing her latest adult thriller, We’re Not Us Without You – all about modern day cults. 00:00 Welcome 03:58 Writing tip: ‘Your best friend’s work’ 07:58 WI...

Do you love true-crime podcasts? Author A.L. Tait got obsessed with them for a while and pulled those themes into her latest middle-grade crime-thriller novel Danger Road . She joins us to discuss her experience writing and publishing this one, along with her busy year of writing, her process and how she found her unique voice. 00:00 Welcome 02:51 Writing tip: ‘Geolocating writing prompts&rs...

How do you go about adapting a stage play into a compelling murder mystery novel? For acclaimed actor and playwright Toby Schmitz, this was his challenge in creating his debut, The Empress Murders – set on the high seas amid the glamour and clamour 1920s. In this episode, Toby shares his inspirations, aspirations and perspirations in bringing his story to the page. 00:00 Welcome 02:29 Writin...

When award-winning author Demet Divaroren decided to write a fantasy novel, she went down a completely different path first, before finally arriving at what would become Blood Moon Bride . In this discussion, Demet shares the inspiration for this YA fantasy novel, the creative freedom of writing in this genre and how motherhood changed her perspective on storytelling. 00:00 Welcome 04:51 Writing t...