I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but there’s been a sudden rise in the number of authors who’ve begun blogging again. Around ten, and even five, years ago, blogging was a big part of building a platform or profile for many authors, and I count myself among them. It was
This week’s giveaway is the powerful and vulnerable memoir Everything and Nothing by Australian actress Heather Mitchell in which she dives into her life and the experiences that impacted her on and beyond the stage. We have three copies to give away. Here’s the blurb: Heather Mitchell is an esteemed
In 2000, I was contacted by a nun from the order of the Sisters of St Joseph – the order established by Mary MacKillop (who is now Australia’s first saint). They wanted to commission me to write a children’s book about MacKillop, and I’d been recommended because I’d been brought
Emma Grey on her novel The Last Love Note. And she’s interviewed by the wonderful Allison Tait! Gearing up for the Sydney Writers’ Festival. When should you write a scene versus a summary? And win The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks.
The So You Want To Be A Writer podcast community on Facebook is a wonderful place to be on those days when a writer posts about their first publishing deal. The excitement is palpable and the goodwill is genuine. But I confess my heart occasionally sinks when I see that
Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, Sleepless in Seattle – these are just a few movies the author of this week’s giveaway starrs in. But Tom Hanks is more than just an Academy Awards winning actor, he’s also a writer. After his best-selling story collection Uncommon Type, Hanks is back with
I’ve coached over 10,000 people to become freelance copywriters. When you coach that many people, and you watch what they do with the information you give them, it’s fascinating to see what happens. Some people take the tools and run with them and create wildly successful copywriting careers – and
Samera Kamaleddine quit her job as editor of Women’s Fitness magazine to finally write the novel that was in her head – but she quickly discovered she had no idea where to start! After taking a course at the Australian Writers’ Centre, she found her writing rhythm and has now gone on to publish her debut young adult (YA) novel, Half My Luck.
Andrew Daddo has written 28 books for all ages including picture books, chapter books, young adult stories and adult books. The multi-skilled creative also juggles this with a career as a TV personality. He talks to us about his latest picture book Grandma’s Guide to Happiness and his next one,
Have you ever been asked to beta read a manuscript for a fellow writer? Maybe you’re in a writers’ group or perhaps you’re looking to set up an exchange with someone willing to read your manuscript too? A beta reader is simply one of the ‘first’ readers – not the
If you’re after an addictive thriller starring a true crime obsessed main character with a pet snail, then this week’s giveaway is perfect for you. Former bookseller Alice Slater’s debut novel Death of a Bookseller takes suspense to the next level and we have three copies to give away. Here’s
Welcome to April’s Furious Fiction story showcase – a monthly celebration of our community’s creativity and the chance to have YOUR OWN story featured or acknowledged. So, without further ado, let’s remind ourselves of what April’s criteria were: Each story had to include something that CHANGES COLOUR. Each story had
Matt decided to enrol in Writing Picture Books at the Australian Writers’ Centre and was hooked. Finally, he could put his picture book ideas into practice. After a meeting with an editor at Yellow Brick Books, Matt was offered a contract and his debut picture book The Other Side of the Clouds will be published this year.
Leanne Yong, author of Two Can Play That Game, talks about her big break and how she got a publishing deal for her debut novel. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. Links mentioned
In this week’s episode: Toni Jordan, author of Prettier If She Smiled More. And how Tetris, Dungeons and Dragons and Super Mario Bros can help with your writing. And win Going Zero by Anthony McCarten. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast
In order to convince your reader that the world of your story is ‘real’ or ‘true’ – no matter whether it’s high fantasy, a crime novel, a rom-com, and so on – you need to create a sense of ‘verisimilitude’. Now, that’s a word that comes from a bunch of
Oscar-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten is back with his latest novel Going Zero which is perfect for fans of fast-paced, high-stakes stories and will have you keep turning the pages to the very end. We have three copies of Going Zero to give away. Here’s the blurb: TWO HOURS TO VANISH
Jenny Jackson, author of The New York Times bestseller Pineapple Street. Can text-to-speech apps hope your writing? And win The Bowerbird by Julia Donaldson. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast RSS feed manually to your favourite podcast app. Links mentioned in
Do you need to write every day? I was scrolling through Facebook this week when a post stopped me in my tracks. It was by Pamela Freeman, bestselling author and Director of Creative Writing at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Pamela wrote: “I was thinking today about the ‘you must write
The author of this week’s giveaway is no stranger to the world of picture books. Her book The Gruffalo conquered the hearts of children and adults alike. Now Julia Donaldson is back with her latest picture book The Bowerbird, illustrated by Catherine Rayner, and we have three copies to give
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