So You Want To Be A Writer With Valerie Khoo And Allison Tait: Australian Writers' Centre Podcast

Meet Carrie Sun, whose memoir Private Equity explores her journey from a high-paced finance role to embracing a writing career. Carrie discusses her writing process, the challenges of memoir writing, and the transformation she underwent during her time in the finance industry. 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.

Is indie publishing right for you. Discover the intricacies of indie publishing with author Jodi Gibson. Delve into Jodi’s journey across traditional and independent publishing avenues for her novels. She highlights the distinct processes involved in each. Jodi shares valuable tips for indie authors, ranging from understanding why you want to indie publish to learning to love the hustle of marketing your work. The conversation covers the importance of a professional presentation of your book, meeting genre expectations, and the crucial role of building a mailing list. Additionally, Jodi discusses the necessity of assembling a publishing team, including editors and cover designers, to ensure a book's success. This episode offers a comprehensive look at the dedication required for indie publishing and the importance of defining one's own success in the literary world. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnys

Meet Charlotte Barkla, who discusses her latest novel 11 Ruby Road: 1900, a series set over a hundred years in the same house, capturing the essence of family, friendship, community, and historical events. Charlotte shares her journey from engineering and teaching to becoming a children's author, the challenges and joys of writing for young readers, and her processes in research and idea generation for her books. The episode concludes with insights into authors' careers, tips for writers, and a library's unique cat-themed event promoting book forgiveness. 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.

Meet author and ghostwriter Liam Pieper about his latest novel Appreciation. The novel centres around a famous artist trying to rehabilitate his fame with the help of a ghostwriter. Liam also discusses his “day job” as a ghostwriter, the importance of getting along with the client and shaping their narrative according to their needs. 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.

Meet Karina May, author of Never Ever Forever, who talks about author branding, the business of writing and publishing 3 books in 15 months. Host Valerie Khoo also chats to author Nat Newman on her writing tip for the week, Valerie’s involvement in the 100-day project, a global initiative that encourages creatives to commit to producing something new every day for 100 days. And much more. 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.

Meet Jane Tara, who discusses her latest novel Tilda is Visible, where the female protagonist is diagnosed with invisibility as she progresses into her 50s. Jane discusses experiences of feeling invisible, implications on self-perception, the way society views aging, and the healing journey of self-discovery. 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.

Meet Jamelle Wells, author of The Outback Court Reporter. Both a newsreader and senior court reporter for ABC, Jamelle reveals the intricate and sometimes unexpected dynamics witnessed during her time covering diverse cases in city and rural courts. She chats about the cultural differences, compelling cases, struggles of court reporting, and the importance of accuracy and fairness. Jamelle also reflects on the writing process of her latest book, sharing personal experiences that intertwined her journey. 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.

Meet author Natalie Murray on her journey to becoming a writer and her contemporary romance novel, Love Just In. Natalie discusses how she's co-written novels, tips on how to work on characters and plot lines, and the benefits of doing courses at Australian Writers' Centre. 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.

Liz Foster shares her journey from discovering writing as a creative outlet during recovery from breast cancer, to becoming a published author with The Good Woman's Guide to Making Better Choices. The podcast episode explores Liz’s habits and strategies for success, including the importance of setting micro-goals, maintaining a daily 1,000-word count, and finding support in the writing community. She shares her experience using Scrivener and how she handled editing and reducing the length of her manuscript. 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.

Stepping into Success with Author Jenna Lo Bianco. Are you ready for the upcoming special writing event on Romance writing? Meet special guest Jenna Lo Bianco, author of The Italian Marriage, discusses her journey from aspiring writer enduring rejections to being a successful author. Jenna shares her strategic approach to market her book, the process of acquiring an agent and subsequently publishing her books, and her valuable writing tips on persistence, resilience, and knowing your niche. Author Nat Newman also joins to share a writing tip: 'Kill Your Darlings.' The show wraps up with a competition for Trish Bolton's Whenever You're Ready and the word of the week: 'Posology'. 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.

Developing Skills and Techniques as an Aspiring Writer: Interview with novelist Jo Riccioni. Host Valerie Khoo and Jo discuss Jo’s latest novel The Rising, the process of writing a duology, her love for fantasy writing, and the importance of cultivating a detailed and authentic world in fantasy literature. Jo also shares how she came up with names in her books and gives advice to aspiring writers on how to get started, from mimicking styles to joining a writer's group. 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.

Host and CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre, Valerie Khoo, shares her recent experiences, including mentoring members of the freelance writing masterclass program and editing a manuscript. She also talks about the importance of creative curiosity and not limiting yourself to one passion. The guest for this episode is Michelle Upton, an author who shares her journey to becoming a writer after the passing of her father, which led her to question her life's purpose. Michelle speaks about the process of writing her novels Emergency Exit Only and Terms of Inheritance, focusing on dealing with rejection, having perseverance, and the value of preparation and research. The episode also highlights the importance of setting deadlines, venturing into social media platforms for marketing, and advises writers to build a strong pitch before starting a novel. Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.comSee omnystudio.com/listener

Meet Michael Thompson, a journalist, producer, media executive, and author of the novel How To Be Remembered. He shares his journey from being a journalist to becoming a published novelist, his inspiration behind his unique book premise, tackling numerous rejections, the movie deal for his novel, his writing process, and advice for aspiring writers wanting to break into the world of publishing. 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.

Meet author Vicki Conley. As an award-winning author with 11 internationally published picture books, Vicki shares her journey starting from her childhood experiences, writing career in marketing and journalism to her success as a writer. She discusses the themes and inspirations behind her books and also provides valuable advice for aspiring authors. The conversation also includes Vicki's take on the importance of writer's workshops, the role of an illustrator in a picture book and the process of publishing a book. Throughout the episode, Valerie shares writing tips, a word of the week, and details on the current competition. 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 to navigate the challenges that often emerge towards the end of the year. Valerie  also discusses her own personal career reinvention from accountant to writer. An interview with leading Australian crime author Chris Hammer, where Chris discusses his latest best-selling novel, The Seven, and his approach to telling stories through multiple timelines. Chris also shares insights into his writing process and advice for aspiring authors. 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.

Meet Alli Parker, author of the Australian historical fiction novel, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree. The novel is based on the real-life story of Alli's grandparents, who were among the first Australian-Japanese couples after the Second World War. The discussion covers Alli's journey as a writer, her transition from screenwriting to novel writing, the process of researching and writing the book, and her advice for aspiring writers. Alli is also a graduate of several courses at the Australian Writers' Centre, including the Write Your Novel program. 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 chat to award-winning stand-up comedian and author, Benjamin Stevenson, about his latest novel, Everyone on this Train is a Suspect and the success of his previous novel, Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone. Benjamin discusses his unique skill set of being both a mystery writer and a comedian, and how he fused both in his books. He also shares that he heavily plots his novels before writing, the benefits of writing what he wants to read and his tips for aspiring writers. Benjamin highlights the importance of reading widely and often, appreciating the element of luck in publishing, and the value of finishing your manuscript.  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 chat to best-selling author Jillian Cantor. Jillian shares her experiences with the writing process, and her newest book The Fiction Writer. Discussing her transition from historical to contemporary fiction, how she develops characters, and her writing routine. She also shares her top three tips for aspiring writers. Additionally, Valerie takes a moment to talk about her latest obsession, and the upcoming workshop on writing dual timelines.  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.

In episode 578 of 'So You Want To Be A Writer', Valerie Khoo, the CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre, talks about her passion for fostering a love of reading in young people, her Christmas shopping struggles, and ongoing writing projects. Special guest Nat Newman shares her experiences with theatre and film productions, and offers advice on correct dialogue punctuation. And an inspiring interview with Christos Tsiolkas – novelist, playwright and screenwriter – who provides valuable tips for aspiring writers on reading widely, adopting effective work ethics, and maintaining loyalty in the publishing world. Plus win 'Kill Your Husbands' by Jack Heath. 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.

Ever wondered why how the pronunciation of words evolves, why accents are formed – and why the way we talk differs depending on who we're speaking to? Rob Drummond discusses this and also phenomena like the Australian tendency to “uptalk” at the end of sentences, the Great Vowel Shift and whether Julia Gillard’s accent really was “too Australian”! 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.