So You Want to be a Writer

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.

So You Want to be a Writer is a arts podcast hosted by Australian Writers' Centre, with 735 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Australian Writers' Centre hosts So You Want to be a Writer, a arts show with 735 episodes published.

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  So You Want to be a Writer

  Writing Podcast Episode 736: Judith Katherine discusses being 'Simply Beside Herself'

  Sep 28, 202657 min

  Scottish-Australian author and AWC grad Judith Katherine went from being crippled by fear about sharing her writing to publishing her debut novel, Simply Beside Herself . In this episode, Judith shares the lockdown routine that unlocked her new writing path, the courses that changed the game and some of the valuable lessons she learnt along the way. She also shares insights into her book’s theme of dissociation.  00:00 Welcome 13:30 Writing tip: Focus on the work 16:00 WIN: Secrets of the New Online Entrepreneurs  by Bernadette Schwerdt 19:02 Word of the week: ‘Onomastic’ 19:44 Interview with: Judith Catherine 21:33 Describing Simply Beside Herself – themes and inspiration 23:55 Back story and finding writing 25:00 Discovering AWC courses 26:35 Judith’s writing breakthrough 30:30 The value of community and sharing work 32:28 Writing the novel – dissociation story hook 35:10 The timeline to publication 39:04 Editing lessons learned 42:16 Writing process chaos 44:35 Getting the book deal 47:04 Judith’s advice for writers 49:47 Reading recommendations 51:37 The book’s opening Rumi quote 54:03 What’s next? 55:23 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  So You Want to be a Writer

  Writing Podcast Episode 735: Curtis Garner explores identity in new novel, 'Orange'

  Sep 21, 202655 min

  UK-based queer author Curtis Garner burst onto the scene a few years ago with his debut novel, Isaac . Now he’s back with Orange – a coming of age novel that explores two characters as they grapple with a sense of identity and place across a five-year span. In this episode, Curtis shares his inspirations for this novel, his writing process and tips, plus why sex scenes in books should have less fluff! 00:00 Welcome 09:09 Writing tip: Public transport 13:46 WIN: Last Night I Dreamt by Paul de Zulueta 15:32 Word of the week: ‘Ensorcell’ 16:26 Interview with: Curtis Garner 17:00 Describing Orange 19:15 Creating the characters 20:20 Themes and clichés of place 23:35 London as a setting 26:27 Two timeline structure 28:30 Writing sex scenes honestly 33:33 Deadlines and drafting 35:00 Rage behind the debut 40:03 Writing around a day job 42:25 Collecting notes daily 44:35 The perils of overplanning 46:15 Writing what you care about 48:53 What’s next? 50:25 Writing advice summary 51:33 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  So You Want to be a Writer

  Writing Podcast Episode 734: Emma J. Warrender talks all things 'Driven'

  Sep 14, 20261h 3m

  From the ice rinks to the locker rooms, sports-related romance is sizzling HOT right now. So perhaps it comes as no surprise that AWC graduate and debut author Emma J. Warrender found herself in a fast and furious bidding war for her street-racing-romance, Driven ! In this episode, she shares that story, how she got an agent, plus the book character who was inspired by a very special real-life friend. 00:00 Welcome 11:12 Writing tip: Meet your heroes! 15:05 WIN: A Word for All Seasons by David Crystal 16:50 Word of the week: ‘Croze’ 17:39 Interview with: Emma J. Warrender 18:42 Describing Driven 19:38 Inspirations 21:03 The characters 23:00 Fiction beginnings 26:02 Chucky 28:00 Connecting with AWC courses 34:00 Agents and querying 40:08 Editing the manuscript 41:11 The submission stage 44:40 Bidding war 46:33 Promotion experience 48:55 What’s next? 50:00 Writing tip 52:11 Book recommendations 53:40 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  So You Want to be a Writer

  Writing Podcast Episode 733: Jordan Prosser discusses new book, 'Blue Giant'

  Sep 7, 202655 min

  Want to go to Mars? The main character in Jordan Prosser’s new novel Blue Giant certainly does, and will stop at nothing to achieve this goal. In this episode, Jordan explores the origins of this story, the intriguing cast of characters and how writing a novel differs from other forms of writing he does. Don’t miss this one – it’s ‘out of this world’! 00:00 Welcome 09:10 Writing tip: Fridge poems online 11:20 Writers in the wild 12:40 WIN: The Extraordinary Florence Stoker by Karen Brooks 14:45 Word of the week: ‘Epicene’ 15:42 Interview with: Jordan Prosser 16:24 Describing Blue Giant 18:00 Origins of the story 20:10 Exploring the cast of characters 31:05 Fitting novel writing into everyday life 33:33 Prioritising writing 37:48 The publishing journey 41:20 Differences between fiction and script writing 44:06 Genre defining 46:06 What’s next? 47:47 Writing tip 51:07 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  So You Want to be a Writer

  Writing Podcast Episode 732: Leearna Shaw takes us to 'A Farm in Golden Clouds'

  Aug 31, 202652 min

  With a mountain of rejections, AWC grad Leearna Shaw was ready to throw in the proverbial towel with her dream of novel writing. But just a few years later, her rural romance A Farm in Golden Clouds wins the Romance Writers of Australia’s Emerald Award and she lands a 2-book publishing deal! So what happened in the middle to set this success story in motion? In this episode, Leearna shares it all. 00:00 Welcome 09:10 Writing tip: Help other writers 11:48 Writers in the wild 13:08 WIN: Realms of Gold by A.J. MacKinnon 14:48 Word of the week: ‘Heirophant’ 15:40 Interview with: Leearna Shaw 17:00 Description of A Farm in Golden Clouds 18:15 Inspirations for the book 20:22 Her early writing dreams 22:20 Getting rejections 24:00 Discovering AWC courses 28:40 Winning the Emerald Award 32:00 Scoring a 2-book deal 38:00 The importance of the writing community 41:10 Advice for writers 42:46 Book recommendations 45:28 Promotion experiences 47:50 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au |  ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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