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

If there were ever a decade that evoked such a strong emotional resonance, the 1980s would surely be it! Author Tegan Bennett Daylight channels this in her new time-travelling YA novel, How to Survive 1985, in all its neon-coloured, acid-washed glory, and in this episode, she shares her experience bringing that time period to life and some tips for aspiring writers. 00:00 Welcome06:52 Writing tip: Grounding details in world-building09:31 WIN!: The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation edited by Jennie Orchard11:20 Word of the week: ‘Noisome’13:22 Writer in residence: Tegan Bennett Daylight14:18 Describing her book How to Survive 198517:13 Research vs lived experience of the time period20:00 Why 1985?21:59 Writing about motherhood now and then25:51 Navigating the publishing world26:33 Early writing experiences28:14 Tegan’s first children’s book29:42 Challenges and successes in writing31:49 The reality of being a writer and inspiring new writers36:25 The appeal of writing for young ad