So You Want to be a Writer

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 tha...

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 manu...

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. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit W...

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. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ...

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 marketi...

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 generati...

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. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the p...

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. Read th...

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. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Faceb...

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 r...

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. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  Va...

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....

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 publish...

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...

Host and CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre, Valerie Khoo, shares her recent experiences, including mentoring members of the freelance writing masterclass program and editing a manuscript. She also talks about the importance of creative curiosity and not limiting yourself to one passion. The guest for this episode is Michelle Upton, an author who shares her journey to becoming a writer after th...

Meet Michael Thompson, a journalist, producer, media executive, and author of the novel How To Be Remembered . He shares his journey from being a journalist to becoming a published novelist, his inspiration behind his unique book premise, tackling numerous rejections, the movie deal for his novel, his writing process, and advice for aspiring writers wanting to break into the world of publishing. R...

Meet author Vicki Conley. As an award-winning author with 11 internationally published picture books, Vicki shares her journey starting from her childhood experiences, writing career in marketing and journalism to her success as a writer. She discusses the themes and inspirations behind her books and also provides valuable advice for aspiring authors. The conversation also includes Vicki's take on...

How to navigate the challenges that often emerge towards the end of the year. Valerie  also discusses her own personal career reinvention from accountant to writer. An interview with leading Australian crime author Chris Hammer, where Chris discusses his latest best-selling novel, The Seven , and his approach to telling stories through multiple timelines. Chris also shares insights into his writin...

Meet Alli Parker, author of the Australian historical fiction novel, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree . The novel is based on the real-life story of Alli's grandparents, who were among the first Australian-Japanese couples after the Second World War. The discussion covers Alli's journey as a writer, her transition from screenwriting to novel writing, the process of researching and writing the book,...

We chat to award-winning stand-up comedian and author, Benjamin Stevenson, about his latest novel, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect and the success of his previous novel, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone . Benjamin discusses his unique skill set of being both a mystery writer and a comedian, and how he fused both in his books. He also shares that he heavily plots his novels before writi...

We chat to best-selling author Jillian Cantor. Jillian shares her experiences with the writing process, and her newest book The Fiction Writer . Discussing her transition from historical to contemporary fiction, how she develops characters, and her writing routine. She also shares her top three tips for aspiring writers. Additionally, Valerie takes a moment to talk about her latest obsession, and...

In episode 578 of 'So You Want To Be A Writer', Valerie Khoo, the CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre, talks about her passion for fostering a love of reading in young people, her Christmas shopping struggles, and ongoing writing projects. Special guest Nat Newman shares her experiences with theatre and film productions, and offers advice on correct dialogue punctuation. And an inspiring intervi...

Ever wondered why how the pronunciation of words evolves, why accents are formed – and why the way we talk differs depending on who we're speaking to? Rob Drummond discusses this and also phenomena like the Australian tendency to “uptalk” at the end of sentences, the Great Vowel Shift and whether Julia Gillard’s accent really was “too Australian”! Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and liste...

AWC alumni Joanna Nell is a bestselling author and her fifth novel is Mrs Winterbottom Takes a Gap Year. She has carved out a successful literary career alongside her work as s medical doctor. When Joanna first explored the world of writing, she completed several courses at the Australian Writers' Centre. One of the writing exercises she did in her first course planted the seed for what would beco...

Christine Wells on her journey from lawyer to full time author and her latest novel The Royal Windsor Secret . Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.