Writing Podcast Episode 694: Candice Chung and her book, 'Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You'

How do you go about writing a personal memoir that heavily features your very-much-alive parents? Author Candice Chung grappled with this and her culturally private family while curating her book, Chinese Parents Don’t Say I Love You. In this episode, she joins us to discuss the inspiration for a b…

Writing Podcast Episode 693: Belinda Castles walks us through her new book, Walking Sydney

Do ideas come to you while you’re out walking? There’s a unique connection between writers and walking – and in this episode, Belinda Castles shares the inspiration and experience in creating her new book, Walking Sydney. The book is a curated collection of talks had while on walks with authors aro…

Writing Podcast Episode 692: Special episode with Allison Tait on your writing roadmap

In this special bonus episode of 'So You Want to Be a Writer,' Valerie is joined by her original podcast co-host Allison Tait in a live-streamed event celebrating 20 years of the Australian Writer Centre. Together, they discuss important topics for all writers – including goal-setting, overcoming w…

Writing Podcast Episode 691: Holly Brunnbauer and her romance novel, 'What Did I Miss?'

If you found yourself newly single after not dating since being a teenager, what would you do? Author and AWC graduate Holly Brunnbauer asks that question in her award-winning romance novel, What Did I Miss? –and in this episode she shares what inspired her to write it, her exciting story about get…

Writing Podcast Episode 690: Ian Scott explores the weird and wonderful world of literary 'Pen Names'

When Ian Scott and Kirsty McHugh – curators at the National Library of Scotland – created an exhibition on pen names, they never imagined it would become a book. But that’s exactly what happened, and in this episode, Ian joins to discuss some of the curious motivations and stories behind some of th…

Writing Podcast Episode 689: Zanni L. Arnot’s new novel, 'A Guide to Falling Off the Map'

Author Zanni L. Arnot has carved out a prolific career as a children's author – publishing more than 40 books in the past decade as ‘Zanni Louise’. In this episode, Zanni discusses how she got into writing children's books and her first YA novel, A Guide to Falling Off the Map. She also shares the …

Writing Podcast Episode 688: Ben Macintyre shares insights on his latest book, 'The Siege'

The Iranian Embassy siege that unfolded in the UK in 1980 was a huge world event at the time, although perhaps lost in the fog of history today. Prolific British author Ben Macintyre brings it back into focus in his latest book, The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama and …

Writing Podcast Episode 687: Moreno Giovannoni discusses his new novel 'The Immigrants'

The search for ‘a better life’ is the classic motivation for immigrants arriving in a new country and so often we hear about the success stories. But author Moreno Giovannoni wanted to tell the more overlooked migrant stories for his latest novel, The Immigrants – drawing on his family’s own experi…

Writing Podcast Episode 686: Amy Hutton and her saucy, spooky new book, 'Ghosted'

Halloween is just around the corner, so what better way to mark the occasion than by celebrating AWC grad Amy Hutton’s latest book – a paranormal romance novel, Ghosted! In this episode, Amy shares her writing process, how she wound up writing paranormal romance, afterworld-building and much more! …

Writing Podcast Episode 685: Tegan Bennett Daylight takes us back with her YA novel, How to Survive 1985

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 …