Podcast: So You Want to be a Writer

In Episode 107 of So you want to be a writer: Beware where you send your manuscript. Do skinny, pretty writers get more book deals? Discover writing tips from bestselling YA authors, how to speed up your writing, and what “feckless” mean. Plus: a blog for teen writers and meet Sonya Voumard,

In Episode 106 of So you want to be a writer: How author of The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins, took four books before she really found her voice, how to read a publication to find out what the editors are looking for, and meet the lawyer who wrote bestselling books

In Episode 105 of So you want to be a writer: Get into the mind of your character with Method Writing, handwriting has its advantages; and meet journalist turned novelist Kayte Nunn, author of Rose’s Vintage. Plus: an app that spots unnecessary words, how nonfiction and fiction author platforms differ, and much

In Episode 104 of So you want to be a writer: An author discovers her novels were plagiarised by a stranger, common online copywriting errors, apps for writers, and $10,000 up for grabs in the Richell Prize for Emerging Writers. Plus: the meaning of “foment” and getting back into blogging after a

In Episode 103 of So you want to be a writer: The “internet” is now officially lowercase. Beware this children’s writing competition scam and find out what disgraced journalist Stephen Glass is up to now. Our Writer in Residence is children’s author Meg McKinlay. Also: an app that blocks distracting websites, tips

In Episode 102 of So you want to be a writer: Online writing tools for writers, writing habits to avoid, how walking can make you a better writer, and things that make editors stop reading your manuscript. Meet Writer in Residence Alexandra Joel, author of Rosetta: A Scandalous True Story. Plus: can

In Episode 101 of So you want to be a writer: Women in their 20s and 30s driving sales in “grip lit”, perfect bedrooms for bookworms, tips on how to pitch in a digital age, and up-level your word-geekiness with synecdoche. Meet Andrew Faulkner, author of “Stone Cold” the story of Australia’s

In Episode 100 of So you want to be a writer: 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 &

In Episode 99 of So you want to be a writer: 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

In Episode 98 of So you want to be a writer: An intriguing memoir, how to become an Amazon “best-seller” for just $3 and 40 words for emotions you’ve had but couldn’t explain. Plus: confessions of a ghost writer and the trouble with using fashionable words. Meet successful children’s author Jen Storer.

In Episode 97 of So you want to be a writer: Book 2 of Allison Tait’s The Mapmaker Chronicles is shortlisted for the Aurealis Award, punctuation in famous novels, a poem that shows how tricky English can be, and would you write differently if you were anonymous? Also: common mistakes for the

In Episode 96 of So you want to be a writer: 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

In Episode 95 of So you want to be a writer: 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

In Episode 94 of So you want to be a writer: 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

In Episode 93 of So you want to be a writer:  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

In Episode 92 of So you want to be a writer: 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

In Episode 91 of So you want to be a writer: How to know you’re dating a writer, look out for this fake Penguin publicist fishing for book reviews, how to craft a page-turning plot, and things to know about writing life. Plus our step-by-step guide on how to achieve your 2016

In episode 90 of our top-rating podcast, So you want to be a writer, hosts Allison Tait and Valerie Khoo named their favourite three interviews for 2015 (well, Allison named four because she’s a rebel). You’ll find out what made these interviews so great and why you should listen (or re-listen

In Episode 90 of So you want to be a writer: Margaret 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

In Episode 89 of So you want to be a writer: 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