So You Want to be a Writer

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 actionable steps towards achieving goals. It’s a positive blend of inspiration and practical advice for anyone looking to make meaningful changes in the year ahead! 00:00 Welcome03:25 Practical steps and skepticism04:34 Valerie's personal connection to goal setting07:53 Writer in residence: Matt Cooke09:06 Understanding ‘Beyond Wanting’ and manifestation13:35 Common manifestation mistakes17:10 Matt’s own journey17:50 Getting the book deal of his dreams – literally26:01 How Matt got into manifestation33:40 The power of gratitude for future events34:20 The science of reality39:23 Signs and synchronicities to look for43:20 The numerical significance of 202648:18 Manifestation stories and lessons57:07 Practical steps for the year ahead1:03:01 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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, choosing the authors and the magical publishing story, as well as offering tips to aspiring nonfiction writers. 00:00 Welcome07:26 Writing tip: Follow the formatting guidelines09:36 WIN!: Tailored Realities by Brandon Sanderson12:24 Word of the week: ‘Clerisy’12:59 Writer in residence: Susannah Fullerton14:10 Explaining her book, Great Writers and the Cats Who Owned Them14:45 The inspiration for the book17:50 Choosing and placing authors in the book19:30 Animal protection and authors22:30 Research methods24:40 Organising all her notes26:41 The timeline of writing the book27:35 The pitching process30:01 The joy of getting published32:22 Publicity and promotion of the book36:34 Merchandising and collaborations37:27 Balancing lecturing and writing38:22 Where her ideas come from 42:51 The timeless appeal of classics46:32 Advice for aspiring nonfiction writers48:58 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Welcome06:44 Writing tip: Overcoming technology distractions11:16 WIN!: A Complete Fiction by R.L. Maizes12:46 Word of the week: ‘Emolument’13:22 Writer in residence: Joanna Nell15:05 What her latest book, The Funeral Crashers, is about18:36 Patients inspiring her writing22:06 Rediscovering a passion for writing24:58 The joy of finding a writing community26:23 Lessons learned from a decade of writing29:29 A word about writing short fiction31:23 A day in the life of a full-time writer33:40 Writing retreats35:22 Creating memorable characters40:06 Promoting the latest novel41:02 Future Projects41:58 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 behind the title of her book! 00:00 Welcome07:10 Writing tip: Developing your own editing checklist12:44 WIN!: How to Live an Artful Life by Katy Hessel14:17 Word of the week: ‘Anhedonia’14:49 Writer in residence: Candice Chung15:05 Writing about food rituals17:25 Inspiration for writing the book20:20 Selling the book to publishers22:15 The story behind the title26:29 Telling parents about the book31:33 Fact checking emotional details34:05 Grappling with sharing personal thoughts38:20 Why Candice decided to get into journalism42:37 The ‘frozen sandwiches’ anecdote44:21 Literary inspirations for the book49:24 Future projects51:14 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 a sense of place. 00:00 Welcome03:59 Writing tip: Dictionary of Australian Words06:11 WIN! Jack Reacher Book Pack Giveaway08:58 Word of the week: ‘Catenary’09:37 Writer in residence: Belinda Castles10:22 What Walking Sydney is about11:09 Inspiration for writing this book13:04 How the book came together18:18 The connection between writers and walking24:50 Writing and the connection to place28:57 Reader experience and audience31:18 Why there are no maps in this book32:31 The armchair travel experience34:12 Balancing writing with teaching36:06 The writing process and time management41:58 The book trailer and filmmaking experience44:56 A tip from Belinda for writers46:48 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.