WRITER 665: Lynette Noni pivots to contemporary YA romance with Wandering Wild
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 Welcome03:38 Writing tip: Public Domain Review05:44 WIN!: All the Perfect Days by Michael Thompson07:31 Word of the week: ‘Sequacious’08:45 Writer in residence: Lynette Noni09:23 Lynette’s journey to writing Wandering Wild12:23 Moving from fantasy to this book19:32 Writing in dual POV and real-world building22:00 Researching adventure and survival25:18 Balancing fiction and reality26:45 Character development29:57 The importance of writing healthy friendships35:06 Lynette’s full time writing routine37:14 Engaging with readers through events41:18 Upcoming projects43:43 Lynette’s top tips for writers45:38 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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48:18
WRITER 664: Michelle Prak discusses her thriller novel, 'Barren Cape'
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 Welcome03:20 Writing tip: Visit museums for inspiration06:24 WIN!: Invisible Woman by Katia Lief08:15 Word of the week: ‘Koan’11:27 The World of words: Compliment vs complement13:31 Writer in residence: Michelle Prak14:33 Overview of the novel Barren Cape16:20 The explosion of the Aussie crime genre17:21 Author inspirations19:32 The little red typewriter21:39 Balancing writing and life responsibilities23:25 Exploring themes of homelessness in Barren Cape27:54 Inspiration behind the setting and characters31:04 Writing multiple perspectives33:10 On writing younger characters36:57 Michelle’s daily writing habits and process39:16 Upcoming projects 40:35 Advice for aspiring thriller writers41:52 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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44:32
WRITER 663: Kell Woods dives into her historical fantasy novel, 'Upon a Starlit Tide'
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 Welcome04:27 Writing tip: Don’t aim for perfection05:58 WIN!: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang07:21 Word of the week: ‘Geologise’09:10 Writer in residence: Kell Woods10:15 Describing her latest book, Upon a Starlit Tide12:45 Mixing the ‘Cinderella’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’16:20 A very busy year – book one to book two19:00 Overcoming impostor syndrome20:45 The publishing experience24:22 Balancing writing and promoting25:40 Writing to deadlines28:30 Kell’s research and writing tools 30:44 Becoming a ‘bestselling author’32:31 The impact of book subscription services35:12 Research and using libraries38:54 International research trips and using video43:14 Balancing writing and marketing44:11 Future projects and writing timelines51:08 Advice for aspiring writers53:47 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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56:06
WRITER 662: A.L. Tait and her latest book, 'Willow Bright’s Secret Plot'
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 Welcome08:02 Writing tip: Be proud of your own work10:12 WIN!: I Want Everything by Dominic Amerena12:02 Word of the week: ‘Lagniappe’15:24 Writer in residence: A.L Tait16:01 Recap on Allison’s life lately21:53 Defining middle grade24:55 Her latest book, Willow Bright’s Secret Plot26:35 Inspiration behind the story29:48 The ideas file – the ‘wows’ and ‘whys’36:47 Upcoming projects and writing rhythm37:56 Danger Road – a middle-grade crime novel45:59 Allison’s drafting process47:30 Hiding clues through books without plotting48:45 A third secret book on the way52:20 Why ‘A.L.Tait’ and not ‘Allison Tait’?53:58 The ‘Your Kids Next Read’ podcast54:45 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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57:07
WRITER 661: Kasey Edwards and her memoir, 'Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me'
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 Welcome04:34 Writing tip: Borrowing books online10:06 WIN!: When She Was Gone by Sarah Foster12:04 Word of the week: ‘Pantagruelian’13:40 Writer in residence: Kasey Edwards14:30 Thoughts on growing up as a girl16:31 Defining Goodbye Good Girl, Hello Me21:00 Researching to solve problems23:59 The healing power of sharing your truth24:51 Facing criticism as a writer27:31 Daily writing routine and challenges31:31 Collaborating with a co-author33:30 Writing fiction vs memoir34:07 Navigating the publishing industry37:10 The importance of self-promotion41:07 Tips for aspiring memoir writers43:03 Conclusion and course promotion 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.
Australia