Finding the most compelling point of view for your story – even if it takes a loooong time
In 2000, I was contacted by a nun from the order of the Sisters of St Joseph – the order established by Mary MacKillop (who
Q&A: The origin of “great scott!”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Writing Podcast Episode 538: Emma Grey on her novel ‘The Last Love Note’.
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.
Is your publishing offer legit?
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece’ by Tom Hanks
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
Copywriting Podcast Episode 054: Top 10 tips to launch your copywriting business
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
Q&A: The origin of “easter eggs”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Samera Kamaleddine fulfils her publishing dreams
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.
Writing Podcast Episode 537: Andrew Daddo on his picture books ‘Grandma’s Guide to Happiness’ and ‘Poo Face’
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
Beta reading for beginners: 5 tips for providing helpful feedback
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘Death of a Bookseller’ by Alice Slater
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.
Furious Fiction April 2023 Story Showcase
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
Writing Podcast Episode 536: Leanne Yong, author of ‘Two Can Play That Game’
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.
Q&A: The origin of “doona”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Writing Podcast Episode 535: Toni Jordan, author of ‘Prettier If She Smiled More’
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
5 ways to incorporate ‘Tuesday bin night’ into your fiction writing (and why it’s so important)
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘Going Zero’ by Anthony McCarten
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
Q&A: “Ravenous” or “ravishing”?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Writing Podcast Episode 534: Jenny Jackson, author of The New York Times bestseller ‘Pineapple Street’.
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
Do you need to write every day to be a real author?
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Bowerbird’ by Julia Donaldson
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
Copywriting Podcast Episode 053: How to make ChatGPT work for you, with AI expert Greg Baker
Has ChatGPT made copywriters redundant? Far from it, according to Greg Baker, a lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Linguistics at Macquarie University. Greg, more
Enter the 2023 Walker Books Manuscript Prize
It’s time to polish your manuscript to enter the 2023 Walker Books Manuscript Prize! Here are the details from the Walker Books website: To coincide
Q&A: “Give way” or “yield”?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its
Making sure your manuscript stands out in the slush pile
How often do you wish you could corner a publisher and ask them exactly what they want? What are they looking for? How do they
Finding the most compelling point of view for your story – even if it takes a loooong time
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
Q&A: The origin of “great scott!”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we have great expectations… Q:
Writing Podcast Episode 538: Emma Grey on her novel ‘The Last Love Note’.
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.
Is your publishing offer legit?
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece’ by Tom Hanks
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
Copywriting Podcast Episode 054: Top 10 tips to launch your copywriting business
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
Q&A: The origin of “easter eggs”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re finding Easter eggs all
Samera Kamaleddine fulfils her publishing dreams
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.
Writing Podcast Episode 537: Andrew Daddo on his picture books ‘Grandma’s Guide to Happiness’ and ‘Poo Face’
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,
Beta reading for beginners: 5 tips for providing helpful feedback
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘Death of a Bookseller’ by Alice Slater
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
Furious Fiction April 2023 Story Showcase
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
Writing Podcast Episode 536: Leanne Yong, author of ‘Two Can Play That Game’
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
Q&A: The origin of “doona”
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we have blanket statements… Q:
Writing Podcast Episode 535: Toni Jordan, author of ‘Prettier If She Smiled More’
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
5 ways to incorporate ‘Tuesday bin night’ into your fiction writing (and why it’s so important)
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘Going Zero’ by Anthony McCarten
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
Q&A: “Ravenous” or “ravishing”?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re raving mad… Q: Hi
Writing Podcast Episode 534: Jenny Jackson, author of The New York Times bestseller ‘Pineapple Street’.
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 to be a real author?
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
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Bowerbird’ by Julia Donaldson
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
Copywriting Podcast Episode 053: How to make ChatGPT work for you, with AI expert Greg Baker
Has ChatGPT made copywriters redundant? Far from it, according to Greg Baker, a lecturer in Artificial Intelligence and Computational Linguistics at Macquarie University. Greg, more than most, has his finger on the pulse on not just where ChatGPT is heading but how it actually works! He has spent his
Enter the 2023 Walker Books Manuscript Prize
It’s time to polish your manuscript to enter the 2023 Walker Books Manuscript Prize! Here are the details from the Walker Books website: To coincide with Walker’s 30th anniversary in Australia this year, Walker Books Australia is proud to announce the establishment of the Walker Books Manuscript Prize. Walker Books’
Q&A: “Give way” or “yield”?
Each week here at the Australian Writers’ Centre, we dissect and discuss, contort and retort, ask and gasp at the English language and all its rules, regulations and ridiculousness. It’s a celebration of language, masquerading as a passive-aggressive whinge about words and weirdness. This week, we’re yielding results… Q: Hi
Making sure your manuscript stands out in the slush pile
How often do you wish you could corner a publisher and ask them exactly what they want? What are they looking for? How do they know when they’ve found it? Well, never fear, for I’ve done it for you. I asked Laura Sieveking, Publisher, Children’s Books at Scholastic Australia, for
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