Why we love our listener community!

We asked for a parade and we got one! When our podcast So You Want To Be A Writer celebrated episode #300 recently, we offered a 30-book pack as a party favour and asked our wonderful listener community to help create the party. 

Entrants had to answer this question in the most creative way they could:
What’s the #1 thing you’ve learned from listening to the ‘So You Want To Be A Writer' podcast with Valerie Khoo and Allison Tait?

And then post their entries to social media. 

It was a tough decision, but the winner of the #valandal300 comp is…

Liz Habermann!

Congrats Liz!

But we were so impressed by the amazing creativity and dedication shown by the So You Want To Be A Writer listener community, that we decided to share a taste of the other entries as well. 

Instagram

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CREATING IN THE CRA… when I realised that #inktober starts today dinner was in the oven, 15 minutes to go peso was on his face and captain barnacles was hatching a plan that may or may not involve princess celestia and an unmanned owl glider the roof of the gup-s was missing all the better to hear the octo alert. In other news my manuscript still needed stitches their frayed ends splayed out towards each other calling for words sketches and roughs lay on the paper but more lay in my head waiting to reactivated like the pigments in my palette that phone call I was meant to make at 2 finally concluded at 4 and it is the first day of #inktober and dinner was in the oven, 15 minutes to go. Then I remembered those ladies on the podcast that I cram into my drives always talking about the little things that we cram into our lives and just when we think the day is done for a shred of craft survives because maybe creating in the cracks is how our narrative will thrive and we should get on with it, bit by bit, as and when these cracks arrive. So I pulled up a chair, a notebook, a pen the cast was drawn in black and white the giant little girl, too. Because after all, dinner was in the oven, 15 minutes to go. And this inky story was one little thing I could do. #inktober2019 #day1 #ink #sketch #toys #mess #play #valandal300 @allisontaitwriter @writerscentreau #soyouwanttobeawriter #illustration #creatinginthecracks #vignette

A post shared by Inda Binda (@inda_binda) on Oct 1, 2019 at 2:34am PDT

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Missed my freeway exit listening to #valandal300 this morning. The number 1 thing I’ve learned from this most excellent podcast is that I’m not alone in the world of writing. There is a community of people out there who are in the same boat as me, and there’s no reason why I can’t get published (once I just finish the book 😂). @allisontaitwriter

A post shared by Eryn Leonard (@eryn_with_a_y) on Oct 1, 2019 at 6:09pm PDT

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300th Podcast Competition Entry #valandal300 . Literally the first time I’ve ever listened to this Podcast and I could win 30 books (I even found room on a not yet full bookcase to put them 😁). . I actually learnt some really interesting things from this podcast and in my usual autistic way they are listed in order of when they came up in the podcast: . 1. That structural editing (which I’ll now obsessively research) MUST be done before things like Proof Reading and structurally editing is a painful process. . 2. A throwaway comment by Valerie about a book she edited made me realise I’m going to have to ensure my eventual editor understands how autism effects my ability to understand instructions. If you only say “change x in chapter three” that’s exactly what I’ll do and then wonder why the editors shitty I didn’t change x in chapter 7,9 and 10 (because you didn’t say “and ensure you change it in the other chapters”). . 3. Caroline Overington Interview taught me how restrictive reporting of court information and a lot of other government info really is in Australia. . 4. Caroline Overington Writing Tip – Make writing a daily habit and edit for a set time period only each day. . I actually used to write daily then my brain went wonky with autistic stress overload and I stopped. But time to get back into it before my characters stage a revolt. . #valandal300 #writing #romancenovels #romancewriter #keepingitreal #notjustkids #neurodiversity #sensoryprocessingdisorder #greenwitch #wiccan #actualwitch #witch #autisticwoman #autisticadults #actuallyautistic #actuallyautisticadult #autistic #autism #adhd #mentalhealth #sunshinecoast #goddess Twitter: @altait Instagram: @allisontaitwriter Facebook: @allisontaitwriter As well as @WritersCentreAU

A post shared by Aunty Emz Blankets (@emzblankets) on Oct 6, 2019 at 4:01am PDT

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The best writing starts with an idea. When teaching kids to write, we make writing all about the structure and the language that they should be using, and forget that the best writing starts from an idea 💡. Only after writing can we build the language and structure through editing. Listening to so many author interviews on the #SoYouWanttobeaWriterPodcast this is the one thing that keeps coming up again and again- writing is a creative process and creativity is key 🔑 Let’s ignite 🔥 their imagination first so that writing doesn’t become a chore! #valandal300

A post shared by Amanda (@mrsf_2015) on Oct 6, 2019 at 10:02pm PDT

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3HQTS3H_YE/

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So I want to be a writer….seriously! And if you want to as well….or you just love reading 📚 I suggest you listen to the podcast “So you want to be a writer” with the amazing @allisontaitwriter and @valeriekhoo The key message I have picked up many times over by many guest authors is sit your butt down and write, write, write…. So here’s a little pic to suggest just that… #sketch #penandink #brisbaneart #qldart #comics #draw #illustration #markjeanes #mrj_ink #mrj_inkillustration #kidlit #kidlitart #graphicnovels #editorialillustration #digitalart #digitalpainting #childrensbooks #childrensbookillustration #colourcollective #kidlitillustration #booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #kidsbooks #valandal300

A post shared by Mark R Jeanes (@mrj_ink_illustration) on Oct 7, 2019 at 4:05am PDT

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Dear Val and Al, I’ve only recently discovered you and the inspiring So You Want to be a Writer podcast but you have quickly become an essential part of my day. It’s been lovely getting to know you both a little bit over the past 35 podcasts and I’m really looking forward to listening to the rest of the series (only 265 more episodes to go). So far I’ve learnt a lot from you both. I’ve learnt that Valerie is obsessed with typewriters (me too), banoffee pie and discovering quirky and unusual Words of the Week. However she passionately dislikes grammatical errors and tends to get a little anxious if she has more than one screens’ worth of emails on her computer at any given time. Meanwhile Allison is partial to cloaks, coffee and chocolate. Somehow she seems to be able to find 36 hours in every day for her writing, blogging, freelance work, book club, social media, school visits, writers festivals and ALL the things she has going on. Her series The Mapmaker Chronicles was a great read, even for someone not in her target audience (me)! Although she is usually tactful and polite when discussing the Word of the Week, I secretly suspect she is not a big fan and could happily live without it (no offence Val). But the #1 thing I’ve learnt from the podcast so far is that if you really want to be a writer you have to WRITE. To get the words down on the page, get in to a writing habit and be consistent. My favourite quote from the podcast , one that is relevant to all writers, is “You can’t edit a blank page”. So true and motivational. Congratulations on cracking the 300 episodes and thank you for the knowledge, experience , inspiration and laughs you share with us, your listeners, in every one of them. Yours in writing Shayne #valandal300 @allisontaitwriter @writerscentreau #soyouwanttobeawriter #winallthebooks #booklover #writinginspiration #typewriter #teamchocolate #podcastlove

A post shared by Shayne Denford (@shaynedenford) on Oct 1, 2019 at 10:51pm PDT

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#valandal300 (Short justification: I thought today was the 7th, I'm really, really sorry for the late submission!) One of the most poignant things that struck me with this podcast is just, how EASY it is to listen to. The fluidity of it just washes over me! I don't have to hang on to every single word for it to get through to me. I listen to a lot of podcasts which require extreme concentration(looking at you Welcome to Night Vale) but when I listen to you ladies, time flies by! It's just so…fun! And casual! But more than the languid, serene, fuzzy calm that I have when I listen to you guys, the other thing that hooked me was not when you gave me new perspectives on how to go about writing, but when you mention something that I personally do and affirm it. Especially with the interview of Nick Earls, I think, where you discussed how he just jots everything down on whatever and then molds a cohesive story from it. That was just so relatable to me, though my drafts look like a shipwreck and a half. By-the-book prewriting strategies are overwhelming! I never thought I could fall in love with a voice, but I find myself inexplicably doing just that. I would seriously give you guys a grilled cheese sandwich if I ever met you. I could extoll(real adorable word I learned in Vocab last week) this podcast all day long but I really should get to posting this considering I'm already late. And, y'know, thank you. Seriously, thanks. @allisontaitwriter

A post shared by @ andweride on Oct 8, 2019 at 1:17am PDT

(it was late)

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Iov49gz0O/

Facebook

(also posted on Insta above)

Twitter

@altait, @WritersCentreAU, I blogged in the first time in, oh, ever, and it's BECAUSE OF YOU. #ValandAl300 https://t.co/pPnq9TjdDM pic.twitter.com/OR3DzmZKTn

— Kate Demogorgon of Tarth ‍♀️ (@DireleafeHall) October 2, 2019

300th Podcast Competition Entry#valandal300
.
Literally the first time I’ve ever listened to this Podcast and I could win 30 books (I even found room on a not yet full bookcase to put them ).
.
I actually learnt… https://t.co/tIrNBQ1wGS

— Dominique (@Yvemmanique) October 6, 2019

Like the #valandal300 comp, I was a little late discovering #soyouwanttobeawriter podcasts but once I did, @altait & @valeriekhoo convinced me I have as much right as any to call myself a writer. I said goodbye to #impostersyndrome & welcomed the creative freedom it gave me. TY!

— Rebecca Chaney (@rebeccajchaney) October 7, 2019

Choose your tribe wisely.
Team banoffee or chocolate?
Just write the damn book.#valandal300 #haiku pic.twitter.com/stxfpthFO6

— Kylie Covark (@picklesandpords) October 6, 2019

Congrats to @valeriekhoo and @altait on 300 eps of the #SYWTBAW Podcast. It has been a huge help to my #WritingLife and it is hard to pick the one biggest take way lesson #valandal300 /1 pic.twitter.com/MEaGFvcQgt

— Belinda Grant (@belindagrant80) October 3, 2019

Congrats to @valeriekhoo and @altait on 300 eps of the #SYWTBAW Podcast. It has been a huge help to my #WritingLife and it is hard to pick the one biggest take way lesson #valandal300 /1 pic.twitter.com/MEaGFvcQgt

— Belinda Grant (@belindagrant80) October 3, 2019

My writing journey started in March as a social media phobe. It was like fumbling around in a dark room with no light switch to be found. Val and Al gave me a stern talking to, so I signed up to Twitter. Here I have found a #writingcommmunity and met awesome people. #valandal300

— P.A Mason (@PAMason16) October 3, 2019

Thank you for your support! 

And if you are yet to discover the 300+ episodes of our top-rating podcast, with new episodes uploaded weekly, you can get started here.