The Word Count

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 episode we’ve ever recorded 😂
Follow us from 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 — 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 💛
Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication:
Jo Dixon - bestselling author of The House Of Now & Then, A Shadow At The Door & A Disappearing Act (HQ/Harper Collins)
Fiona Taylor - host of Three Questions with Fiona Taylor, writing her first novel, a psychological thriller
Jacq Ellem - host of internationally award-winning podcast Tales From Three Corners and soon to be published (2027, Affirm Press)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯! 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴) 💛

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 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 💛
Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication:
Jo Dixon - bestselling author of The House Of Now & Then, A Shadow At The Door & A Disappearing Act (HQ/Harper Collins)
Fiona Taylor - host of Three Questions with Fiona Taylor, writing her first novel, a psychological thriller
Jacq Ellem - host of internationally award-winning podcast Tales From Three Corners and soon to be published (2027, Affirm Press)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯! 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴) 💛

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 gang 😜
 
 In Episode 54, we talk about creative blocks, second-guessing, plotting panic, and the various (questionable) methods we’ve tried to move forward.
 
 And if you have any brilliant ideas for getting unstuck — besides walking, crying, drinking, or eating chocolate — please tell us in the comments.
 
 We genuinely need to know 😂
Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication:
Jo Dixon - bestselling author of The House Of Now & Then, A Shadow At The Door & A Disappearing Act (HQ/Harper Collins)
Fiona Taylor - host of Three Questions with Fiona Taylor, writing her first novel, a psychological thriller
Jacq Ellem - host of internationally award-winning podcast Tales From Three Corners and soon to be published (2027, Affirm Press)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯! 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴) 💛

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 Rosehaven filmed in her street — and she got caught doing something she probably shouldn’t have been doing! (You’ll have to listen to find out 👀)
Is it inspirational?
Maybe not in the way we hoped 😂
BUT we 𝘥𝘰 get properly stuck into what we’re doing to fix things — and that might help you too.
From blank page to publication — and everything in between 💛
Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication:
Jo Dixon - bestselling author of The House Of Now & Then, A Shadow At The Door & A Disappearing Act (HQ/Harper Collins)
Fiona Taylor - host of Three Questions with Fiona Taylor, writing her first novel, a psychological thriller
Jacq Ellem - host of internationally award-winning podcast Tales From Three Corners and soon to be published (2027, Affirm Press)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯! 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴) 💛

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 our word for 2026, what we’re reading, and what we’re going to do differently this year as we wrangle 2026 into shape and give ourselves the best possible chance of achieving our writing dreams.
So sit back, grab your beverage of choice, and enjoy Episode 52, available wherever you love to listen 🎧
🔔 Follow us so you never miss an episode! 
Follow 3 Australian writers step-by-step as they write toward publication:
Jo Dixon - bestselling author of The House Of Now & Then, A Shadow At The Door & A Disappearing Act (HQ/Harper Collins)
Fiona Taylor - host of Three Questions with Fiona Taylor, writing her first novel, a psychological thriller
Jacq Ellem - host of internationally award-winning podcast Tales From Three Corners and soon to be published (2027, Affirm Press)

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭-𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯! 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯, 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘺-𝘵𝘰-𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 (𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 30 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘴) 💛