Everything you’ve always wanted to know about succeeding in the world of writing and publishing. Learn practical writing techniques, go behind-the-scenes and di...
WRITER 656: Kate Horan and her mystery novel, 'The Inheritance'
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 Welcome05:21 Writing tip: StoryGraph app09:28 WIN!: Twist by Colum McCann11:10 Word of the week: ‘harbinger’12:51 Word Insights with Dean Koorey: ‘hone vs home’15:55 Writer in residence: Kate Horan18:00 On writing two very different characters20:11 Geographic and DNA inspirations24:20 The many meanings of ‘inheritance’26:13 Inspiration from Who Do You Think You Are?26:40 Complicated family dynamics28:19 Kate’s writing process and balancing life29:18 Managing time and prioritising as a writer31:15 Journey to publication via an agent35:00 Importance of structural edits37:09 AWC courses and learning the craft40:09 Kate’s writing tips and investing in your skills41:33 Building a writing community44:18 Surreal experience of getting published45:17 Upcoming projects and future plans47:45 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.
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49:45
WRITER 655: Margot McGovern’s hair-raising novel, 'This Stays Between Us'
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 Introduction09:13 Writing tip: Scheduling time for reading13:53 WIN!: 2 Sisters Murder Investigations by Candice Fox and James Patterson15:28 Word of the week: ‘Lycanthrope’17:00 Writer in residence: Margot McGovern19:40 The attraction of horror stories21:00 Representing and reflecting young people’s worlds23:11 The differences between 2000 and today25:26 School camp inspirations27:38 Nostalgia for ’90s horror films28:49 Writing multiple points of view30:23 Drafting and editing process34:20 Publishing journey with Penguin38:07 Publicity and the social media landscape39:56 Upcoming projects44:26 Margot’s tips for aspiring writers45:48 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.
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49:22
WRITER 654: Sonia Orchard shares her impactful memoir, 'Groomed'
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 Introduction03:15 Writing tip: It’s never too late to start06:53 WIN!: Best, First and Last by Amy T. Matthews09:07 Word of the week: ‘Grok’11:18 Writer in residence: Sonia Orchard15:33 Deciding whether to tell such a vulnerable story17:00 Writing it vs not writing it19:25 How Sonia compiled the memoir23:12 “Write for yourself and edit for others”24:20 Choosing what details to remove in the story26:55 Navigating the justice system28:08 The therapeutic power of writing33:55 Memoir vs fiction: Similarities and differences44:31 What Sonia hopes people take away from this book46:30 Top tips for writing your own memoir48:41 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.
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51:15
WRITER 653: Sean Wilson and his powerful novel, 'You Must Remember This'
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 Introduction07:36 Writing tip: Goodreads trolling09:36 WIN! Perspectives by Laurent Binet11:40 Word of the week: ‘Leaguer’12:18 Writer in residence: Sean Wilson14:25 Why Sean wanted to tell this story15:40 Writing child characters17:00 Self-care while writing19:06 Crafting authentic secondary characters21:01 Storytelling the challenges of ageing23:09 How Sean drew inspiration from real life events25:35 The prevalence of dementia27:48 From play to novel: The writing journey31:19 Crafting a nonlinear narrative35:37 Publishing journey and future projects38:45 The art of writing across different forms42:34 Future projects46:37 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.
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48:37
WRITER 652: Emma Pignatiello discusses her romantic suspense novel, 'Last Shot'
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 Introduction02:57 Writing tip: Follow the guidelines10:33 WIN! Headcases by John McMahon12:30 Word of the week: ‘Redolent’15:43 Writer in Residence: Emma Pignatiello17:20 Emma’s inspiration for the story24:20 Mapping out the plot points and character arcs25:49 The writing process29:42 Balancing her day job and parenting with writing32:11 The publishing journey40:51 Two amazing things happen in one day41:40 Receiving the “yes” from her agent44:53 Pitching two books to publishers50:25 Future projects52:32 How the Australian Writers' Centre Romance Writing course helped her55:41 Top tips on finding publishing success1:00:51 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.
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about succeeding in the world of writing and publishing. Learn practical writing techniques, go behind-the-scenes and discover how real-life authors got their big break. Uncover the creative processes of writers who have made it. Your host is Valerie Khoo – author, journalist, creative and CEO of the Australian Writers’ Centre.
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