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

To plot or not to plot, self-publishing and the difference between mentors and coaches. Advice for blogging authors including how to blog about your book without giving too much away and why blogging is important. Plus, the book "Between You & Me, Confessions of a Comma Queen" by Mary Norris. We chat with Graeme Simsion on his success since writing “The Rosie Project”. Also: the Ulysses writing app for iPhone and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How writing crime has changed in the last ten years and the increasing demand for content writers. We ask if an app can improve your writing plus give you tips on how to survive writing envy. Meet picture book author Emma Allen. Plus, the most dangerous writing app. What are the benefits of editing a printed manuscript over editing on screen? Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An intriguing memoir, how to become an Amazon 'best-seller' for $3 and 40 words for emotions you've felt but couldn't explain. Plus: confessions of a ghost writer and the trouble with using fashionable words. Meet successful children's author Jen Storer. Also: a writing device for nostalgic tech geeks, whether you should put your writing on your website, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Book 2 of Allison Tait’s The Mapmaker Chronicles is shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, punctuation in famous novels and a poem that shows how tricky English can be. Would you write differently if you were anonymous? Also: what NOT to do when you start a novel, the book “Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and other Typographic Curiosities” by Keith Houston and meet thriller author Adrian McKinty. Plus: an interesting storytelling app, and more. Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What was left out of Seven Little Australians, the life of a Hallmark card writer, fewer vs less, and how to write a fab press release. Also check out the the book “Wordburger: How to be a champion puzzler in 20 quick bites” by David Astle and meet author Hazel Edwards. Plus: become a word-nerd like Valerie by browsing the Online Etymology Dictionary. Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number one problem with backstory and how to fix it, old English insults, and writing tips from the indomitable Chuck Palahniuk. Plus: 10 questions to ask yourself before launching your author website, the 100 best websites for writers, and how to win a copy of The Waiting Room by Leah Kaminsky. Also: meet novelist Tim Baker on his blog tour of his book Fever City, learn how to motivate yourself to edit and rewrite, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Go inside the world of things that look like books but aren’t, writing in a foreign language, a re-usable notebook, how to avoid distractions from writing, and meet slayer of weasel words Don Watson. Also: an app that distills non-fiction works into short reads, giving you the main concepts of an entire book in 15 minutes, how to equip yourself to be interviewed as an author, win a signed copy of Withering-by-Sea” by Judith Rossell, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What writers need to know about defamation when writing memoirs, win a writer's residency in a bridge, a writer is arrested after winning illegal narcotics in a writing competition and a tax return is hailed as a masterpiece of contemporary fiction. Plus: advice on how to juggle multiple writing projects, meet thriller author Jaye Ford, who moonlights as a romance author, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLEO magazine is closing, Penthouse drops print magazines, copyediting and grammar mistakes to avoid, the book The Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe, and Allison’s top blog posts about blogging. Meet journalist-turned-author Holly Seddon, whose new book is the psychological thriller Try Not to Breathe. Also: the clever note taking app Notability, when to pitch to magazines, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CLEO magazine is closing, Penthouse drops print magazines, copyediting and grammar mistakes to avoid, the book The Thing Explainer by Randall Munroe, and Allison’s top blog posts about blogging. Meet journalist-turned-author Holly Seddon, whose new book is the psychological thriller Try Not to Breathe. Also: the clever note taking app Notability, when to pitch to magazines, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margret Atwood is writing a graphic novel, writing rituals and why they work, tips on how to get to know your characters and the intricacies of naming them well, and the book Worst Words by Don Watson. PLUS: our 12 Days of Christmas giveaway, we look back at the best of 2015, and the Summer Reading Club Lost Worlds competitions. See you in 2016! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you mourn the loss of a character? How to write a killer elevator pitch for your book, 10 over-writing traps to avoid, tell us your 2016 writing goal, and how to enter our “12 Days of Christmas” giveaway. Also: tips on pitching to a blogger, and meet Writer in Residence epic fantasy novelist Mitchell Hogan, author of “Blood of Innocents”. Plus: a free screenwriting app from Amazon, what to do when agents aren’t taking on new authors, and more. Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why publishers are giving million dollar advances to debut novelists. Should you write for love or money? Book hotels are now a THING. Also: why a female author wanted a male voice actor to narrate her books. WIN a copy of "The Man With the Golden Typewriter" by Fergus Fleming. Plus: great books about writing, Writer in Residence Ellie Marney, vehicle log app, advice on splitting your personal brand, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Congrats to our presenter Judith Rossell for making the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards shortlist. Allison Tait’s “The Mapmaker Chronicles 2: Prisoner of the Black Hawk” is one of the best middle grade books for 2015! Also: would you want to write a novel in a castle? Why you need a professional book cover for your self-published book, phrases to cut from your writing, patience for writers, and the death of the mummy blog. Plus: Writer-in-Residence Drew Chapman, the app “Tape a Call” to record your phone calls (perfect for journalists!), how to approach writing a trilogy, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Allison’s “The Mapmaker Chronicles” optioned for a film, new words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary (YAAAS!), the author who assaulted a reviewer, book promotion minus the misery, “China Rich Girlfriend” giveaway, and the book Dictionary of “English Down The Ages” by Linda and Roger Flavell. Meet novelist and film director Shirley Barrett and find out if an unctuous cup of coffee is a good thing. Plus: the Pink Fibro Book Club, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reprint of book one of Allison Tait’s “The Mapmaker Chronicles”, how freelance writers price their work, why you don’t need tragedy in your story, things you can do to save money on editing, #NaNoSix - inspirational six word writing tips, win a copy of Larissa Dubecki’s hilarious book “Prick with a Fork”. Also: 10 novels that were written in about a month, a self-published sensation, AG Riddle, whose books are being turned into Hollywood movies, the motivating writing app Write or Die, should you put footnotes in your articles, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The rise of freelance writers, is a co-working space better than working from home? How to trim your manuscript to a workable size, the book “Story” by Robert McKee, writing advice from AWC presenters, Writer in Residence children’s author Tristan Bancks, a new writing app to inspire flow, further advice on writing your author bio, download Allison’s top ten tips, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian self-publishing success Beau Taplin, a vending machine that dispenses short stories, how to write your author bio, super prolific author caught in a plagiarism scandal, and the book “Content Inc.” by Joe Pulizzi. Also: how Candice Fox writes two books at once and keeps them distinct, how to DIY book publicity with uber-publicist Emma Noble, the writing app Novlr (free until the end of November), how much should you charge as a copywriter, Allison Tait’s latest book “Breath of the Dragon”, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why reading a Kindle is different from reading a physical book, the strange phenomenon of bestselling colouring books for adults, mistakes new screenwriters make, how to pick one idea for NaNoWriMo when you have too many, and the perils of writing the confessional personal essay. Writer in Residence is freelance corporate writer Kate Hennessy. Also: an app to easily book people into your calendar, how to break into the world of travel writing, and more. Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australian women authors are making tech work for them, win a $4000 writing scholarship, changing careers to become a writer, Girlfriend and Total Girl magazines are merging, apply your feature writing skills to fiction. Writer in Residence picture book author Danny Parker. Resources to discover what agents really think, listener question: “Should I use a pen name?”, and more! Read the show notes.  Connect with Valerie, Allison and listeners in the podcast community on Facebook Visit WritersCentre.com.au | AllisonTait.com | ValerieKhoo.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.