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

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&rsquo;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: &lsquo;Heirophant&rsquo; 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
<a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/ep-732/">Read the show notes</a>
Connect with Valerie and listeners in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346749828883788/">the podcast community on Facebook</a> Visit <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/">WritersCentre.com.au</a> |&nbsp;<a href="http://valeriekhoo.com/">ValerieKhoo.com</a>

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. 

Everything you&rsquo;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 &ndash;&nbsp;author, journalist, creative and CEO of the Australian Writers&rsquo; Centre.&nbsp;

So You Want to be a Writer

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

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

Want to go to Mars? The main character in Jordan Prosser&rsquo;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&rsquo;t miss this one &ndash; it&rsquo;s &lsquo;out of this world&rsquo;!
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: &lsquo;Epicene&rsquo; 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&rsquo;s next? 47:47 Writing tip 51:07 Final thoughts
<a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/ep-733/">Read the show notes</a>
Connect with Valerie and listeners in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346749828883788/">the podcast community on Facebook</a> Visit <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/">WritersCentre.com.au</a> |&nbsp;<a href="http://valeriekhoo.com/">ValerieKhoo.com</a>

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

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.comk

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&rsquo;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: &lsquo;Noctambulism&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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&rsquo;s next? 55:20 Writing tip 56:28 Final thoughts
<a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/ep-731/">Read the show notes</a>
Connect with Valerie and listeners in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346749828883788/">the podcast community on Facebook</a> Visit <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/">WritersCentre.com.au</a> |&nbsp;<a href="http://valeriekhoo.com/">ValerieKhoo.com</a>k

Writing Podcast Episode 731: Samantha Sotto Yambao presents 'The Elsewhere Express'

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

Ever wanted a step-by-step insight into building a novel? Well, in this episode, you have access to bestselling author Kate Forsyth&rsquo;s note-taking, research and writing process in the creation of her latest novel, The Changeling! It&rsquo;s a fascinating look into the actual nuts and bolts of crafting a story, from idea to finished edit &ndash; including mistakes made along the way! Kate generously shares her methods in this special episode and a bonus Q&amp;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: &lsquo;Pyroclastic&rsquo; 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&rsquo;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&amp;A 62:35 Final thoughts
You can access a free video version of Kate&rsquo;s session, go <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/inside-the-making-of-a-novel/">here</a>.
<a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/blog/ep-730/">Read the show notes</a>
Connect with Valerie and listeners in <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2346749828883788/">the podcast community on Facebook</a> Visit <a href="https://www.writerscentre.com.au/">WritersCentre.com.au</a> |&nbsp;<a href="http://valeriekhoo.com/">ValerieKhoo.com</a>

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

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