The Word Count

It’s been a month, dearest listeners. What have we been up to?  💛 One of us is the current darling of social media. IYKYK 💛 Two of us are contemplating new careers  💛 All three are looking forward to a certain book launch party  We talk writing, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 writing, travelling to international crime festivals, US book covers, and holding the line (shout out to debut author @mlstephens, whose recent pos...

What happens when the mentoring ends… but the manuscript isn't finished? And what happens after you finally write THE END? In the third and final episode of our mentoring series, Fiona is back with internationally bestselling author — and her real-life mentor — Hayley Scrivenor , to talk about what comes next. We chat about next steps toward publication, becoming your own mentor, the importan...

It’s our 3rd birthday episode 🎈🎈🎈 Three years ago, Fiona, Jo and Jacq sat down to record the very first episode of a little podcast about three writers trying to get from blank page to published book. 67 episodes later… here we are! 🎉 For this special birthday episode, the original trio are back together to celebrate, and to look back at just how much has changed in three years. We’re talking...

Why are writers so hard on themselves? Why does procrastinating for one day somehow turn into guilt about procrastinating… which makes it even harder to write the next day? And how do you build a writing life that actually works with your brain, rather than against it? In the second episode of our mentoring series, Fiona is back with internationally bestselling author — and her real-life mentor —...

And they're back! Jo and Jacq are back with Fiona this episode, catching up on everything they’ve been up to over the past four weeks.  𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁:  ✍️ Did they hit their goals?  🏠 Why does Jo have no walls? 🐓 What is a Book Chook - and why does Jacq need them? ✈️ Does Fiona EVER stay at home? Let the hilarity ensue! 🤣 Follow us from 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠—and everything in between 💛...

In this bonus episode, we’re sharing an episode from one of our favourite podcasts — 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝘁 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 , hosted by authors James McKenzie Watson and Ashley Kalagian Blunt. If you haven’t discovered their podcast yet, this is the perfect introduction. James and Ashley chat with award-winning Irish author 𝗟𝗶𝘇 𝗡𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 about her bestselling novel Strange Sally Diamond , her journey to becom...

A new series begins! 💛 Fiona is joined by internationally bestselling author and her very own writing mentor, Hayley Scrivenor, for the first episode in a three-month series all about mentoring. Fiona and Hayley talk about how their professional relationship began, what Hayley really thought when she first read Fiona’s writing 🫣 and the role a mentor can play in helping you reach THE END. If you...

A new chapter begins for The Word Count . We’re sharing some exciting changes to the podcast and a fresh direction for the months ahead.  You'll have to listen to this episode to find out what's in store... 😉💛 Plus, with authors Leearna Shaw, Kelly Sgroi and Tanya Scott all visiting Fiona for a Winter Writers Retreat when we recorded, we couldn't resist inviting them onto the podc...

What have we been up to over the past two weeks? Find out in this episode as we talk about what’s holding our manuscripts—and us—together. As metaphors go, it’s a stretch… but we’re all stretched to the limit at the moment, so it was the best we could do. Please forgive us, dearest listeners! 😂 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚...

Annndddd… we’re back! We hope you missed us! 💛 It’s been five weeks, dearest listeners, since we were last in your ears. So… what have we been up to? This episode tells all, including our Accountability (what were our goals back in May??? 🤔) and some shiny new goals for the next two weeks. Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication: Jo Dixon - bestselling author of...

It’s the final episode of Season 5, dear listeners… and we’re getting very honest. What happens when writing plans fall apart? In this episode:  ✍️ Jo shares the reality of where things are at with Book 4  ✍️ Fiona talks about finally breaking through a month-long writing block  ✍️ Jacq attempts to wrangle her 2000+ book collection into some kind of order! Plus our usual segments — 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆...

It’s the news we’vel been bursting to share for months…  Jo spills all the behind-the-scenes details of her HUGE FOUR-BOOK DEAL with Poisoned Pen Press! 🤯📚 Jo shares:  💛 How the deal actually came about  💛 Why having an agent changed everything  💛 What happened when “the call” finally came  💛 And whether she’s come down from cloud nine yet! Plus our usual segments — 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗦...

This one’s for every writer who hasn’t cracked the 3% club — because only 3% of people who start a book actually finish… and right now, Fiona is trying to become one of them.  In response to her honest and relatable cry for help, Jo and Jacq share their best advice on getting to the end, drawing on their own writing experiences and what’s worked for them. Plus our usual segments — 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 a...

After three weeks of R&R, we’re back in your ears, dear listeners! In this episode:  💛 Jo returns from her idyllic island interlude  💛 Jacq shares her publishing date!  💛 Fiona has recovered from surgery… but how close is she to finishing? Plus our usual segments — 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 — as we talk about getting back to the writing after a break. Follow us from 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡...

It’s been a big few weeks here at The Word Count… we hosted our inaugural Writers Retreat — and it was nothing short of incredible. In this episode, we’re sharing all the highlights (and yes, we’re still riding the post-retreat glow) — along with our usual segments: 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 and 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴. If we sound a little worn out, it’s because we are… which may explain why this is the shortest episo...

One of us has finished a 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁! You’ll need to listen to find out who. This episode, we’re getting ready to host our inaugural writing retreat down in Tassie , sharing book recommendations (many in the case of Jacq!) and talking accountability, goals, and the realities of writing life. ✍️ Are you drafting, editing or stuck right now? Follow us from 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 — 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜...

Dear Listeners,    We owe you an apology 😬    This episode was inspired by Jo sending a message to our group chat that read:    “𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐’𝘮 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨… 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘺!”    Now that is an episode we’d listen to!    Unfortunately, we didn’t arrive with a tidy list of solutions to getting unstuck. But misery loves company, so if you’re feeling stuck too, welcome to the gan...

In this episode... 🎧 Listen to Jo confess that she has 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 where her book is going after throwing plotting — and her beloved Post-it notes — out the window. 🎧 Listen to Fiona admit her book is 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 not finished, and that she’s seriously considering rescuing Jo’s abandoned Post-its and actually doing some plotting. 🎧 And Jacq? Well… Jacq tells a story about when beloved Tassie series Roseha...

𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲𝟱𝟮 Annnnd… we’re back, dear listeners! After a restorative holiday break, we’re back at our desks, in front of our microphones, and ready for another year of 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 . 💛 Did Jo finish a first draft of Book 4?  💛 Did Fiona finish a first draft of Book 1?  💛 Did Jacq… well, Jacq was just going to see what happens — so maybe that’s a given 😄 Along with accountability, we’re sharing...

✨ Closing The Book on 2025 ✨ Our final episode of the year is live, and it’s a big, heart-squeezy one. We kicked things off with our usual accountability chat and set some bold (and slightly terrifying) goals for our six-week break. Then we reflected on the year that was — our favourite moments, our lowest moments, and the one thing each of us absolutely wouldn’t change. It’s equal parts honest,...

🎉 It’s our 50th episode!!! 🎉 To celebrate this glorious milestone, we’ve thrown the rulebook out the window. Jo and Jacq have staged a hostile (but fabulous) takeover, while Fiona takes a well-earned back seat after moving house the day before. What follows is pure, unfiltered chaos — gin, bubbles, and a whole lot of fun, with our signature touch of honesty. We had an absolute blast recording it...

If you’ve ever wondered what really happens before, during, and after a book launch, Jo spills all the behind-the-scenes details from her tour for A Disappearing Act . 💛 Did we hit the goals we set last episode?  💛 What are our new ones?  💛 And why is getting three co-hosts into one promo photo basically an Olympic sport? 😂 All this and more in this episode. Follow @ 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙥𝙤𝙙 so you nev...

Fiona returns from her daughter’s wedding with stories and big news: 70,000 words and counting! Jo shares her pub-day plans for A Disappearing Act (out 28 Oct), and Jacq reports on festival and anthology work.  Goal setting, messy-middle talk, and tips for writers.  Follow @thewordcountpod so you never miss an episode! Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication: Jo D...

✨ New Episode — Happy 2nd Birthday! 🎉 Two years ago we hit record on our writing journeys… and here we are, celebrating TWO YEARS of The Word Count podcast! 💛 In this special episode, we look back at what’s changed since our first birthday — new books, agents, deals, retreats, and plenty of laughter (and bubbles 🍾). We’re nearly at 50 episodes, and we couldn’t have done it without YOU — our li...

This week on The Word Count , we leaned into life’s big moments — the ones that pull us away from the page and remind us that writing doesn’t always get to be the priority. With less than a month to Fiona’s daughter’s wedding, she’s fully in her Mother of the Bride era 👰💐 (yes, with the t-shirt to prove it!).  Jo opened up about the heartbreaking loss of her beautiful Frankie 🐾, and Jacq talks...