In episode 578 of ‘So You Want To Be A Writer', Valerie Khoo, the CEO of the Australian Writers' Centre, talks about her passion for fostering a love of reading in young people, her Christmas shopping struggles, and ongoing writing projects. Special guest Nat Newman shares her experiences with theatre and film productions, and offers advice on correct dialogue punctuation. And an inspiring interview with Christos Tsiolkas – novelist, playwright and screenwriter – who provides valuable tips for aspiring writers on reading widely, adopting effective work ethics, and maintaining loyalty in the publishing world. Plus win ‘Kill Your Husbands' by Jack Heath.
00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:18 Importance of Fostering a Love for Reading 01:22 Christmas Shopping and the Joy of Gifting Books 03:17 Writing Tips with Nat Newman: Punctuating Dialogue 06:41 Competition Announcement: Win ‘Kill Your Husbands' by Jack Heath 08:04 Word of the Week: Parvenu 10:13 Interview with Christos Tsiolkas, Author of ‘The Inbetween' 30:08 Adapting Novels into Films and TV Shows 31:13 The Unexpected Success of ‘The Slap' 31:43 The Struggles of Writing ‘Dead Europe' 32:52 Balancing Writing and Part-Time Jobs 36:05 The Impact of ‘The Slap' on Personal Life and Career 36:37 Dealing with Success and Expectations 38:00 The Writing Process of ‘Barracuda' 38:42 Early Success and Recognition 39:48 The Importance of Reading and Writing Regularly 46:35 The Role of Structure in Writing 54:05 The Importance of Loyalty in the Publishing World 01:00:50 Fun Fact: Back Formation in Language
Christos Tsiolkas is the author of nine novels: Loaded, which was made into the feature film Head-On, The Jesus Man and Dead Europe, which won the 2006 Age Fiction Prize and the 2006 Melbourne Best Writing Award. He won Overall Best Book in the Commonwealth Writers' Prize 2009, was shortlisted for the 2009 Miles Franklin Literary Award, long listed for the 2010 Man Booker Prize and won the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal for The Slap, which was also announced as the 2009 Australian Booksellers Association and Australian Book Industry Awards Books of the Year.
Barracuda is his fifth novel. Merciless Gods (2014) and Damascus (2019) followed. The In-Between is his latest novel.
He is also a playwright, essayist and screen writer. He lives in Melbourne.
