The Word Count

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 importance of celebrating small wins along the way, and why finishing your manuscript is really just the beginning!
And Hayley REALLY can’t wait for Fiona to finish hers… so much so that she has a rather unique suggestion to help! 😂
Whether you're just starting your first draft, approaching THE END, or wondering what comes next, this conversation has something for every writer 💛
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 — 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛.

𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟, 𝐽𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑞 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷.

𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛-𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 💛

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 about the writers we were when we started, the advice we’d give those versions of ourselves now, the moments that made us laugh, the things we’re most proud of, and what writing means to each of us three years down the track.
And, because it wouldn’t be The Word Count without it, there’s plenty of writing chat and an accountability check-in too ✍️
Most of all, this episode is a celebration of three years of writing, friendship and this gorgeous community that has grown around the podcast.
Thank you to everyone who has listened, messaged, shared an episode, come to an event, joined us on retreat or simply cheered us on from afar. 
You’ve been an important part of our story too 💛

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 — 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛.

𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟, 𝐽𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑞 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷.

𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛-𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 💛

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 — Hayley Scrivenor, talking about the mental health side of being a writer.
They chat about understanding your own writing “operating system”, the difference between giving yourself grace and avoiding the work, why self-kindness matters, and what you can put in place to make writing feel psychologically sustainable.
And this time, Hayley turns the questions back on Fiona, so she has absolutely no idea what she’s going to be asked!
If you’ve ever beaten yourself up for not writing, struggled to get started again after losing momentum, or wondered why writing something you love can sometimes feel so bloody hard, this episode is for you 💛
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 — 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛.

𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟, 𝐽𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑞 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷.

𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛-𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 💛

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 💛
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 — 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛.

𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟, 𝐽𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑞 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷.

𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛-𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 💛

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 becoming a writer, creating the book’s unforgettable protagonist, and her writing process. Plus, Liz names her pick for the greatest crime novel of the past ten years!
About James and Ashley Stay At Home
Authors and friends James McKenzie Watson and Ashley Kalagian Blunt talk with writers, artists and health professionals about books, writing, creativity and navigating life with chronic illness.
We hope you enjoy this little taste of James and Ashley Stay At Home — and we’ll be back next week with another accountability episode with Jo and Jacq! 💛
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙-𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑜𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐴𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑝𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘 — 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛.

𝐽𝑜𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑇𝑎𝑦𝑙𝑜𝑟, 𝐽𝑜 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑞 𝐸𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠, 𝑠𝑒𝑡 𝑔𝑜𝑎𝑙𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑘𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒, 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑎𝑢𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑦 𝑔𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑝𝑢𝑏𝑙𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐷.

𝐸𝑎𝑠𝑦-𝑡𝑜-𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑛-𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 30 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑡𝑒𝑠 💛