By Allison Tait It seems like a strange thing to say, but writing is just one part of a successful writer’s life. Beyond the writing, there are many factors that allow an author to thrive. Some you will have heard a million times before. Things like ‘find a community’, ‘keep
Angela Slatter is the author of five novels, including (as A.G. Slatter) The Path of Thorns and All the Murmuring Bones, and eleven short story collections, including The Bitterwood Bible and The Tallow-Wife and Other Tales. She’s won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, a Ditmar awards, two
Australian Writers’ Centre graduate Louise Bassett has released her debut young adult novel, The Hidden Girl, published by Walker Books. The novel is a gripping page-turner, set in Melbourne and Indonesia, in which teenage Melati races against the clock to save a girl she’s never met.
Ruth Ware is the author of The It Girl and an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key and One by One have appeared on bestseller lists around the
By Allison Tait Do you know an inciting incident from an exciting accident? Do you know what needs to happen at the mid-point of your story? Have you heard of the three-act structure? Structure is one of those areas of writing fiction that can feel both simple and incredibly complicated.
Dr Kate Forsyth is an award -winning author, poet, and storyteller. Her most recent novel is The Crimson Thread, a reimagining of ‘The Minotaur in the Labyrinth’ myth set in Crete during the Nazi invasion and occupation of World War II. Her other historical novels include Beauty in Thorns, a
Whether you’re beginning your writing journey or looking for a distraction from your latest novel manuscript, short stories are a great way for writers to grow. In fact, we’ve collected 10 great reasons to consider making your next story a short one! 1. You get instant gratification It’s incredibly rewarding
Polly Phillips currently lives in Australia, although she is originally from the UK. She’s the author of The Reunion and My Best Friend’s Murder, which won the Montegrappa Writing Prize at the Emirates Literature Festival in 2019. Polly has also worked as a journalist in Australia, Dubai, Denmark and the
By Allison Tait In case you haven’t heard, everyone’s jumping on board the Reels train to expand Instagram engagement. If you’ve been living under a rock and are not familiar with Instagram Reels, these are short, 15-90 second video clips. Wait, whaaat? You thought Instagram was all about photos, not
Emily Henry is the author of Book Lovers and other butterfly-inducing romantic comedies. Her novels Beach Read and You & Me on Vacation were both New York Times bestsellers, and Jodi Picoult calls her ‘my newest automatic-buy author.’ Emily studied creative writing at Hope College and now lives and writes in the American Midwest. This interview
By Valerie Khoo I loved the Northern Beaches Readers Festival for SO MANY reasons. And if this year’s event is anything to go by, I suggest putting next year’s dates in your diary now. The name of the festival may sound parochial (and, I agree, it does), but I believe
By Ellie Marney About ten years ago, I watched a BBC Television production called The Bletchley Circle, an historical drama about four women who worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park during WWII, and how they regroup a decade after the war to solve a mystery. I was completely fascinated by
Veronica Lando is an Australian crime author who won the 2021 Banjo Prize for her then-unpublished manuscript The Whispering. As a child, she grew up above her parents’ Melbourne bookstore, surrounded by other people’s stories. Now, as an adult, she lives in Queensland and enjoys using the uniquely wild and sometimes
By Allison Tait It’s a wonderful time to become an author. Here are seven publishing opportunities you may not have considered. Remember to give yourself the best possible chance of success by reading the publisher’s guidelines carefully, and prepare to be patient! With declared waiting times of up to six
Many aspiring writers dream of an idyllic creative space where they can pen their next masterpiece. Sulari Gentill, who has recently released her 15th book, The Woman in the Library, turned that dream into reality when she installed a writing hut on her property in the Snowy Mountains in Australia.
Gabrielle Wang is an Australian writer and and illustrator who has been writing books for over 20 years. Her work includes Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon, The Beast of Hushing Wood, Ting Ting the Ghosthunter and more. She served as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022
By Allison Tait. Unless you’re planning to write just one amazing book and disappear (hello, Harper Lee), chances are you’re hoping to establish and build a long-term career as an author. But just what does that take? One person who has insider insights on that question is Sophie Hamley, currently
Kathy Reichs has written over twenty novels featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan, including Cold Cold Bones. An international best-seller, she’s also worked as the producer of the television series based upon her work, Bones, and she’s one of very few forensic anthropologists certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.
By Allison Tait. Authors can earn money from a diverse range of income streams. Check them out …. Diverse income streams are key So, where does the money come from? How can you make a living as an author? If you’re an author, whether traditionally published, hybrid or indie published,
By Allison Tait. If you are a regular visitor to the Australian Writers’ Centre’s courses, a regular listener of our So You Want To Be A Writer podcast, or a regular attendee at our Zoom events and seminars, chances are you’ve come across our amazing director of creative writing, Dr
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