Writing Podcast Episode 738: Bridie Blake and her debut rom-com, ‘The Boyfriend Clause’

Some authors dream of writing when they’re young but leave it behind to focus on another career. But not Bridie Blake, who instead quit university and made her work fit around her publishing aspirations. After pivoting from YA to romance, she published her debut rom-com novel, The Boyfriend Clause, and in this episode, AWC grad Bridie shares the writing courses that changed her fortunes and her experience seeing her book on the shelves.

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00:00 Welcome
10:23 Writing tip: Explore art
13:16 WIN: The Lady with the Dog by Carrie Tiffany
14:32 Word of the Week “Reify”
15:20 Interview with Bridie Blake
16:42 Explaining The Boyfriend Clause
17:49 Early writing dreams
20:12 Day jobs and persistence
22:09 AWC courses and getting feedback
25:36 Pivoting to adult rom-com
27:25 Romance course lessons
29:47 Bridie’s writing process
30:59 Morning writer mindset
33:15 Balancing humour and heart
34:12 Choosing Australian publishing
37:33 The “yes” email moment
39:45 Promoting her books
40:52 What’s next?
41:49 Her writing technique evolution
45:51 Bridie’s writing tip
47:15 Theme of the book
48:13 Book recommendations
49:57 Final thoughts

Links mentioned in this episode

Writer in residence: Bridie Blake

Bridie Blake lives and writes in Melbourne, Australia. She is a self-confessed daydreamer and consumer of reality TV, who can sniff out chocolate like a bloodhound and will never turn down a coffee or the opportunity to listen to Taylor Swift.

She writes stories filled with longing looks, swoony love interests, and a dollop of humour.

Bridie's debut romantic comedies, The Boyfriend Clause, is out now.

You can also meet Bridie on our blog.

Follow Text Publishing on Twitter and Instagram.

This podcast is brought to you by the Australian Writers' Centre and our course Romance Writing.

 

Find out more about your host, Valerie Khoo (@valeriekhoo on Twitter and @valeriekhoo on Instagram).

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