So You Want to be a Writer

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.

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.

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.

Have you ever sat on a train and wondered about the lives of the other passengers? Author Samantha Sotto Yambao certainly has. In fact, she’s written a book based on that very concept! In this episode, Samantha shares her experience crafting and publishing her new novel, The Elsewhere Express , the unique lit scene in the Philippines and the manuscript that ended up becoming a donor for her other books! 00:00 Welcome 09:40 Writing tip: Doodling words 12:02 Writers in the wild 13:16 WIN: She Lied First by Dinuka McKenzie 15:00 Word of the week: ‘Noctambulism’ 15:57 Interview with: Samantha Sotto Yambao 16:33 Describing The Elsewhere Express 18:00 Crafting the characters 22:00 Using an ambiguous location 23:40 Samantha’s writing and publishing journey 27:40 Getting an agent and published 35:30 Paralysed by fear 39:00 Current book experience: reboot 47:10 The unique Philippine literature scene 51:00 Thoughts on other genres 52:07 What’s next? 55:20 Writing tip 56:28 Final thoughts Read the show notes Connect with Valerie and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | ValerieKhoo.com k See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wanted a step-by-step insight into building a novel? Well, in this episode, you have access to bestselling author Kate Forsyth’s note-taking, research and writing process in the creation of her latest novel, The Changeling ! It’s a fascinating look into the actual nuts and bolts of crafting a story, from idea to finished edit – including mistakes made along the way! Kate generously shares her methods in this special episode and a bonus Q&A session, with a link to the video available in the show notes. 00:00 Welcome 05:44 Writers in the wild 06:56 WIN: Bad Neighbours by Joanna Jenkins 08:25 Word of the week: ‘Pyroclastic’ 09:22 Kate Forsyth: Behind the scenes of The Changeling 12:56 Beginnings 14:10 Stage one of the process 18:58 Timelines 23:00 Building the protagonist’s story 26:01 Relevance to today 27:00 Asking questions 30:32 Key dates and weaving the story into them 31:48 On location research 34:06 New beginnings 36:38 Narrative structure 40:00 Thematic structure 41:48 Building the word count 43:55 The editing process 48:03 Q&A 62:35 Final thoughts You can access a free video version of Kate’s session, go here . 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.

Train platforms are fascinating people-watching locations. And if you’ve ever sat and imagined the lives of the strangers standing next to you, UK-based author Ilona Bannister’s new psychological thriller Five may be for you. In this podcast episode, Ilona discusses her inspiration for the book and her own path to writing, along with insights into her daily writing practice. 00:00 Welcome 03:09 Writing tip: Hobbies help you write better 07:38 Writers in the wild 09:06 WIN: Nutcote: Home of May Gibbs by Fiona Starr 11:45 Word of the week: ‘Irredentism’ 12:42 Interview with: Ilona Bannister 13:16 The premise of Five 15:56 Why a train platform? 18:15 Building the five characters 20:20 Creating a strong narrative voice 23:30 Morally ‘grey’ characters 24:52 Writing for readers 26:33 London versus New York 28:20 Finding the ending 30:21 Ilona’s path from lawyer to novelist 36:09 Publishing during lockdown 38:10 Writing routines as a parent 39:48 Networking and its benefits 43:10 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.

Same-sex couples fought long for marriage equality, but finally getting it didn’t necessarily equate to ‘happily ever after’. That’s the area UK-based bestselling author Tom Rob Smith explores in his new novel Twenty Years Together – inspired by how legalisation of gay marriage changed the psychology of long-term relationships. In this episode, Tom discusses the inspiration behind telling this nuanced love story and his own journey as a writer. 00:00 Welcome 04:24 Writing tip: Active vs. Reactive characters 10:04 WIN: The Warrumbar by William J. Byrne 11:48 Word of the Week: ‘Incrassate’ 12:37 Interview with: Tom Rob Smith 13:45 Twenty Years Together premise 15:24 Defining the genre 19:17 Plotting and outlining process 21:54 Finding the right ending 23:24 Queer love story influences 26:48 Midlife marriage thought experiment 31:50 Publishing his debut Child 44 35:45 Success and self doubt 39:02 Balancing books and TV 43:37 Disciplined writing routine 46:55 Connecting with readers 48:50 Tom shares a writing tip 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.

Every day we experience ‘sliding doors moments’ – those decisions we make that unwittingly affect the future. In this episode, bestselling author Petronella McGovern explores this concept through her own life and via the plot of her latest novel, Every Time She Wakes . As well as sharing the inspiration and research into this story, she also shares the evolution of her life as a writer and advice for writers wanting to grow their wordcount. 00:00 Welcome 09:04 Writing tip: Stop thinking, start writing 11:20 Writers in the wild 14:26 WIN: When the Party’s Over by Katie Hoskins 15:56 Word of the Week: ‘Futz’ 16:51 Interview with: Petronella McGovern 18:57 Elevator pitch for Every Time She Wakes 20:44 Inspiration for the novel 22:54 Bushfire setting 26:45 Structure and research 29:38 The mind-bending rules of time travel 30:37 Suze’s identity 34:54 Editing a time loop story 36:01 Evolving as a writer 38:58 Personal sliding doors moments 41:48 Early reading and writing influences 44:41 Petronella’s writing routine 47:08 Craft tip to beat perfectionism 49:01 Book recommendations and one last question 52:14 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.

Do you believe in second chances? In this episode, author Michelle Wright discusses her new novel Good Boy – about a long-term prisoner who joins a dog rehabilitation program and is assigned a troubled pooch he renames ‘Good Boy’. Michelle talks about the story’s inspiration, reasons for setting it in its particular time period, the double meaning behind the title and more. 00:00 Welcome 07:55 Writing tip: Call yourself a writer! 11:15 Writers in the wild 13:59 WIN: Whistler by Ann Patchett 15:19 Word of the week: ‘Glabrous’ 16:16 Interview with: Michelle Wright 16:59 Overview of new book, Good Boy 18:08 Origins and prison research 21:10 Planning process 23:52 ‘Beat sheet’ method 25:27 Why set it in 1997? 27:56 Naming Good Boy ’ 30:36 Why short stories matter 33:33 Short vs. novel ideas 36:24 Michelle’s publishing breakthrough 38:09 Redefining writer success 39:44 Next novel plans 41:10 Tip: Find your own process 43:05 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.

Are YOU curious about self publishing? Wondering how much you can make from it and how it differs from traditional publishing? In this episode, prolific self-published author Matt Rogers shares his experience writing three or four novels a year and selling more than a million copies! He also talks about his move to traditional publishing in 2025 – including his latest novel, The Damned , as well as some unique writing methods he employs in his routine and much much more! 00:00 Welcome 03:39 Graduate spotlight 07:55 Writing tip: Don’t give up after your start! 12:12 WIN: Murder Most Delicious by Danielle Postel-Vinay 14:20 Word of the Week: ‘Accoutre’ 15:07 Interview with: Matt Rogers 16:19 Matt’s early writing origins 18:28 Self-publishing breakthrough 22:02 Transcribing for craft 25:33 Prolific output and bookstores 29:15 Influences and endorsements 32:47 Self-publishing hustle 35:41 From indie to bookstores 37:55 Matt describes his new books 41:02 Embedding philosophy inside thrillers 44:21 Ideas and writing routine 47:24 Editing workflow and wordcounts 50:13 Self versus traditional publishing 53:33 Writing advice and reading recommendations 57:22 What’s next? 58:20 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.

We love books about books, and bestselling Canadian author Emily Austin’s latest novel Is This a Cry for Help? explores the subject through the lens of a librarian returning to the job after a breakdown. As well as the book’s themes, Emily also shares her own parallels to the story, writing and reading with dyslexia, her approach to book promotion and a random writing tip! 00:00 Welcome 02:54 Graduate spotlight 08:35 Writing tip: Keep things happening 11:02 Writers in the wild 12:20 WIN: Code Name Funnel Web by Camille Booker 14:05 Word of the Week: ‘Glyph’ 15:32 Interview with: Emily Austin 16:38 Inspiration for her library-themed book 18:45 Emily’s writing process at the beginning 22:02 Exploring the breakdown of the main character 28:14 Dyslexia and reading hacks 30:17 Libraries under fire 33:26 Emily’s publishing journey 36:20 Writing in manic sprints 37:47 Introvert on publicity 39:45 What’s next? 40:56 Emily’s random writing tip 42:37 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.

After a first-hand experience with a witch, author and AWC graduate Inessa Jackson started researching the real world Wiccan community, and the result was her debut crime/thriller novel, Devil Mountain . In this episode, Inessa generously shares her quirky writing process, her experience learning the craft, publishing timeline and more! 00:00 Welcome 04:17 Graduate spotlight 10:21 Writing tip: Name your characters 14:07 Writers in the wild 16:35 WIN: The Divorce by Freida McFadden 18:11 Word of the week: ‘Derrick’ 18:58 Interview with: Inessa Jackson 20:00 Inessa describes Devil Mountain 21:13 Inspirations for the book 23:00 Themes of the novel 24:30 Researching witches for the book 26:04 The timeline to writing the novel 28:00 What drew Inessa to the crime-thriller genre? 29:30 Inessa’s experience with AWC 30:47 Her Write Your Novel experience 32:22 Crime and structure courses 33:22 Post-It note plotting 34:53 Daily writing routine 36:52 Getting the publishing deal 41:34 What readers take away 44:29 Inessa’s writing tip 46:53 Book recommendations 48:28 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.

Is food your love language? It certainly is for bestselling author and AWC graduate Anna Johnston – brought to life through her new novel, When Lemons Give You Life . In this episode, Anna dishes up the inspiration and character creation for this latest book and the challenges, strategies and superpowers of being an author with ADHD. She also shares how she deals with writing tough scenes, her writing workflow, and advice for writers. 00:00 Welcome 11:18 Writing tip: Cut the Starting Scene 13:24 Writers in the wild 14:51 WIN: The Bookshop of Buried Pasts by Sarah Clutton 16:42 Word of the week: Jakes 17:14 Writer in residence: Anna Johnston 18:16 Anna explains new book, When Lemons Give You Life 20:21 Story themes and origins 24:02 Research and authenticity 27:10 POV structure and flashbacks 29:22 Editing and deadlines 32:45 What she learned from AWC courses 35:20 ADHD writing strategies 38:06 Letting characters go 41:34 Organising notes and workflow 43:25 Balancing writing life 44:39 Publicity and events 46:40 Next book plans 47:26 Anna’s advice for writers 49:28 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.

Australia is experiencing a golden age of crime and thriller writing right now and Christine Gregory is a part of that. Her latest novel, The Informant , explores the world of bikie gangs, and in this episode, Christine discusses how she went about researching this subject, and how she balances dark themes as an author. And we love that she is an AWC graduate! 00:00 Welcome 04:25 Writers in the wild 05:52 Writing tip: Cut the first paragraph! 07:14 WIN!: Out of the Blue by Penelope Janu 09:15 Word of the week ‘Plicate’ 10:02 Writer in residence: Christine Gregory 10:53 Plot of new book, The Informant 12:28 Why bikey gangs fascinate 14:28 On-location research 16:20 Standalone sequels and balancing story 18:39 Writing process and deadlines 20:06 Why Australia suits crime 23:46 Challenges writing the book 24:02 Taming story rabbit holes 24:51 Choosing the right POV 25:29 How she became an author 27:17 Courses that improved her skills| 29:13 A realistic writing routine 31:14 Day job and dark themes 33:16 Writing without lecturing 35:55 Practical advice for writers 37:57 Book recommendations 39:33 What‘s next? 40:28 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.

Do you spend your weekends visiting cliffs with your child to find out which ones would be deadliest? Well, that’s something Fiona Hardy did in researching her new ‘cosy crime’ novel, Old Games ! In this episode, Fiona joins us to discuss the inspiration for this latest book, her own writing process and how she went from kids to adult fiction! 00:00 Welcome 06:31 Writers in the wild 11:06 Writing tip: Metrics of success 14:31 WIN!: The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery by Samera Kamaleddine & Hykie Breeze 16:10 Word of the week: ’Obstreperous’ 16:57 Writer in residence: Fiona Hardy 17:50 What is her new book ‘Old Games’ all about? 20:09 Plotting and pitching this second novel 23:25 Cosy crime without a murder 26:19 Writing fight scenes 27:41 Realistic consequences 28:28 Setting the story in Victoria 30:23 Researching crime and cliffs 32:42 Balancing bookselling and writing 34:11 Daily writing process and goals 35:31 Publicity, creating socials and anxiety 39:17 How Fiona moved from kids to adult books 40:34 Future projects 43:39 Writing tip 45:10 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.

She’s baaaaack! Any chance to chat with my former podcast co-host Allison Tait (who writes as A.L Tait) is a good day, and she’s back with yet another book hitting shelves – tween romance, The Last Word . Allison also discusses some of the other exciting projects including curating a new series of books through her Your Kids Next Read community. 00:00 Welcome 06:05 Writers in the wild 09:23 Writing tip: Do NOT self-censor in a memoir draft 11:28 WIN!: Simply Beside Herself by Judith Katherine 13:06 Word of the week: ’Recondite’ 13:48 Writer in residence: A.L. Tait 14:52 Allison discusses new book, The Last Word 17:52 What makes tween romance? 21:55 Allison’s ‘romance’ origins 25:33 Character-driven romance 27:31 Books coming up 28:00 Your Next Read fiction series 30:20 Writing small word counts 30:45 Finding new lanes 33:36 Writing for different age levels 37:24 One project at a time! 39:48 From CLEO magazine to writing 41:35 Writing around kids 43:30 Allison’s YKNR podcast role 46:30 Just show up and write! 49:52 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.

Do you love historical fiction? I have to admit to being a sucker for a different time and place – and both are on offer in Mary-Lou Stephens’ latest novel, The Hobart Hotel . In this episode, Mary-Lou discusses her unique approach to research and the challenges of writing about Uruguay in the 1940s, as well as why she loves writing historical fiction so much. 00:00 Welcome 06:03 Writers in the Wild 10:08 Writing tip: Find balance in your creative life 13:15 WIN!: The Secret Lives of Murderers’ Wives by Elizabeth Arnott 15:07 Word of the week: ’Patalous’ 15:45 Writer in residence: Mary-Lou Stephens 17:19 Describing The Hobart Hotel 19:16 Inspiration and research 20:57 The dual timeline process 22:36 Capturing the Uruguay wartime vibe 27:24 Why Historical Fiction? 30:32 Mary-Lou’s ‘slow travel’ writing life 34:40 Writing while traveling 37:17 Memoir and meditation 43:10 What’s next? 44:58 Promoting her books 46:07 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.

OMG, I adored Katie Hoskins’ debut novel, When the Party’s Over ! In so many ways, it’s the PERFECT book – nailing structure and narrative to tell a nuanced and contemporary story. In this episode, Katie talks about the path that took her from beginner to a two-book Pan Macmillan deal, including the AWC courses that helped her hone her structure, subplot, distinct voices and more. 00:00 Welcome 09:33 Writing tip: Don’t avoid the tough scenes 11:43 WIN!: When Lemons Give You Life by Anna Johnston 14:12 Word of the week: ’Imprimatur’ 14:45 Writer in residence: Katie Hoskins 16:12 Plot and inspiration for When the Party’s Over 20:23 Dreaming of being an author 21:16 From journalism to fiction 22:58 AWC courses that sparked the shift 25:01 Writing her novel 26:22 The usefulness of workshopping 27:11 Nailing story structure 29:57 Balancing subplot arcs 33:01 Distinct voices 36:06 Landing the book deal 39:30 Advice for aspiring writers 42:29 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.

Australian bestselling crime author Sarah Barrie has a dozen books to her name, with her latest standalone thriller Dark Sanctuary , exploring the nuanced world of mental health support, prisons and more. In this episode, Sarah shares the serendipitous inspiration for this novel, the research process and POV choices she made, as well as turning back the clock to give insights into her equally serendipitous start into the world of writing! 00:00 Welcome 07:35 Writing tip: Put your writing out there! 10:20 WIN!: The Couples Retreat by Mercedes Mercier 13:06 Word of the week: ’Crepuscular’ 13:38 Writer in residence: Sarah Barrie 14:49 Dark Sanctuary overview 15:46 Inspiration and themes 17:59 Three POV structure 19:11 Podcast character angle 20:49 Setting and research 21:45 Prisons – psychology and programs 24:34 Research and the findings 25:30 Writing the detective character 27:47 Editing and deadlines 28:20 Farm life writing 30:07 Mental health themes 32:59 Sarah’s origin story 34:56 Publishing breakthrough 38:50 Advice for writers 40:16 What’s next? 41:29 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.

British writer and librarian India-Rose Bower’s folk horror debut novel, We Call Them Witches explores the concept of ‘eldritch’ creatures in a surreal post-apocalyptic world. In this episode, India-Rose discusses her surprising inspirations for the novel, what ‘eldritch’ actually means and a unique writing tip we should all try! 00:00 Welcome 06:45 Writing tip: Don’t use AI for a pitch! 08:05 WIN!: The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances by Glenn Dixon 9:57 Word of the week: ‘Mélange’ 10:17 Writer in residence: India-Rose Bower 11:04 What is her book, We Call Them Witches about? 12:22 Origins of the story 15:02 Designing the eldritch ‘witches’ 17:02 Creating the first draft 18:42 Entering a competition and securing an agent 21:07 Selling yourself and the book 22:21 Publicity and author life 23:35 Writing around work and health issues 25:29 Next book and research habits} 28:41 India-Rose’s unique writing tip 30:58 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.