So You Want to be a Writer

When Toby Walsh wrote his first book on AI, he figured he’d said all he had to say. But just a handful of years later, this British computer scientist and current Chief Scientist at UNSW Sydney’s AI Institute is here to discuss his FIFTH book, The Shortest History of AI – how it came about and some of the challenges around explaining this subject to a general audience. 00:00 Welc...

Self-confessed writing course junkie and former lawyer Sarah Clutton’s central character literally appeared at the door while she was busy writing another book at the end of the world. In this episode, Sarah elaborates on this unusual inspiration and her writing process for her new novel, The Remarkable Truths of Alfie Bains . 00:00 Welcome 05:54 Writing tip: ‘Number your pages!’...

What effect has the internet, social media and AI had on language? Should you judge a book by its cover? This week, linguistic legend and British OBE recipient David Crystal joins us to discuss all things words, idioms, dialects and the curious facts he found while researching his latest publication,  Bookish Words. 00:00 Welcome 10:07 Writing tip: ‘Write your Why’ 12:47 WIN!: Aud...

How much research is too much when writing historical fiction? This is just one of the topics that bestselling author Emilia Hart discusses in this episode as she shares details of her latest novel, The Sirens – a blend of nautical history and fantasy across two stories separated by time and distance. 00:00 Welcome 04:23 Writing tip: ‘The Most Dangerous Writing App’ 07:25 WIN!: T...

Should all picture books rhyme? Why use animals as characters? And what’s the deal with working with an illustrator? Picture book author (of more than 15 books) Rory H. Mather joins the podcast in this episode to discuss all of these things, as well as his own journey into the industry, and his latest titles, Laugh in the Bath and Mumma Bear . 00:00 Welcome 04:20 Writing tip: Learn to play a...

How important is it to have a unique author voice? Hugely important, says author Mandy Beaumont while discussing her late 1980s true-crime inspired novel The Thrill of It. Mandy discusses her inspiration for the book, unique stylistic and narrative choices she made, and more. 00:00 Welcome 03:04 Writing tip: What to do while ‘changing eyeballs’ 06:38 WIN!: The Wrong Daughter by Dandy S...

They always say ‘write what you know’, right? Well, authors Gareth and Louise Ward (two British ex-cops who moved to New Zealand and opened a bookshop) fully leaned into it with The Bookshop Detectives series – all about, you guessed it, British ex-cops who move to New Zealand and open a bookshop! The murders are fiction though – and they join the podcast to share their exp...

What kind of life-spanning damage can parents do to their children? Award-winning author Barry Jonsberg explores this and themes of masculinity in his latest YA novel, Darkest Night, Brightest Star . Barry joins the podcast to share his inspiration for the story and insights into his writing process. 00:00 Welcome 04:18 Writing tip: Supporting other writers 07:32 WIN!: Best Left Buried by Neil A....

A lighthouse on the gloomy shores of 1921 is where we take you in this episode, as we meet AWC alumna and author Camille Booker and her gothic historical mystery, The Woman in the Waves . Camille shares her inspirations and experience writing the book and the AWC course that helped her weave the stories together in this specific world. 00:00 Welcome 04:25 Writing tip: Pacemaker Planner app 05:44 W...

What is a ‘palate cleanser’ book? Author Lynette Noni has written one – pivoting from writing fantasy to a stand-alone contemporary YA romance Wandering Wild , and in this episode she discusses why she chose to write it, her experience researching its plot, her process and more. 00:00 Welcome 03:38 Writing tip: Public Domain Review 05:44 WIN!:  All the Perfect Days by Michae...

What does homelessness look like to you? In this episode, author Michelle Prak tells her latest story – thriller novel Barren Cape – through the lens of the housing affordability crisis. Michelle chats to us about the book's inspiration, her own writing beginnings and much more! 00:00 Welcome 03:20 Writing tip: Visit museums for inspiration 06:24 WIN!: Invisible Woman by Katia Lief 08:...

Ever wondered what an 18th century mashup of two fairytales would look like? AWC alumna and fantasy author Kell Woods did – and the result is her latest adult fantasy novel, Upon a Starlit Tide . Kell discusses her experience writing the book, online tools, research trips and more! 00:00 Welcome 04:27 Writing tip: Don’t aim for perfection 05:58 WIN!: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang 0...

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 Welcome 08:02 Writing tip: Be proud of your own work 10:12 WIN!: I Want Everythin...

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 Welcome 04:34 Writing tip: Borrowing books online 10:06 WIN!: Whe...

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 Welcome 03:19 Writing tip: Reference managers 06:03 WIN!: Elphie: A Wicked Childhood by Gregory Maguire 07:48 Word of the week: ‘Overweening’ 08:29 The...

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 Welcome 04:43 Writing tip: The importance of practice 10:26 WIN!: The Gatsby Gambit by Claire Anderson Wheeler 13:01 Word of the week: ‘Galligaskins’ 15:00...

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 Welcome 04:17 Writing tip: Do a course! 08:21 WIN:  The Jam Maker by Mary-Lou Stephens 10:05 Word of the week: &ldquo...

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 Welcome 05:20 Writing tip: Be curious 08:13 WIN! London Uncanny by Clive Bloom 09:48 Word of the week: ‘Mansuetude’ 10:58 Writer in Residence: Cale...

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 Welcome 05:21 Writing tip: StoryGraph app 09:28 WIN!: Twist by Colum McCann 11:10 Wor...

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 Introduction 09:13 Writing tip: Scheduling time for reading 13:53 WIN!: 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by Candice Fox and James...

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 Introduction 03:15 Writing tip: It’s never too late to start 06:53 WIN!: Best, First and Last by Amy T. Matthews 09:07 Word of the week: &l...

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 Introduction 07:36 Writing tip: Goodreads trolling 09:36 WIN! Perspectives by Laurent Binet 11:40 Word of the week: ‘Leaguer’ 12:18 Writer in residence: Sean Wilson 14:25 Why...

Author Emma Pignatiello wondered why romance novels didn’t have more murders in them – so she wrote her own! In this episode, she discusses her book Last Shot, the inspiration behind it and the Australian Writers' Centre course that helped her get there. 00:00 Introduction 02:57 Writing tip: Follow the guidelines 10:33 WIN! Headcases by John McMahon 12:30 Word of the week: ‘Redol...

Belle Gibson fooled the world as a health influencer who lied about having brain cancer. In this re-released conversation, we speak with Beau Donelly – co-author of the book that inspired the hit Netflix series, Apple Cider Vinegar. 00:00 Introduction 02:41 Nat Newman’s writing tip: Write what you want to write 07:57 WIN! You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego 09:55 Word of the week: &...

A ‘folk horror’ that spans 40 years – awash with intrigue, magic and dark secrets! That’s what awaits you in this episode as we meet British author Olivia Isaac-Henry and discuss her latest suspense novel, Sorrow Spring . Olivia shares what inspired the location and themes, how she blended historical events with fiction, and the challenges of straddling two time periods and...