Meet Lian Tanner, who reveals 5 strategies you need to build longevity into your author career. Lian also discusses her latest picture book, When the Lights Went Out. Lian covers: writing to your passions rather than market demands, seeking valuable feedback, continually learning the craft, and being open to reinvention. She also shares her process and experiences in writing middle grade and picture books.
00:00 Introduction to the podcast 00:17 Special series announcement 00:56 Writing for children 02:10 Nat Newman's app tip 09:18 Interview with Lian Tanner 10:23 Lian Tanner's writing journey 13:25 Writing for different age groups 14:35 Balancing writing projects 20:12 Advice for aspiring authors 21:39 Writing with passion and originality 23:22 Early career temptations and lessons 25:33 The importance of quality feedback 29:05 Developing thick skin and learning mindset 35:17 Reinventing yourself as a writer 40:09 Crafting picture books: A deep dive 43:16 Conclusion and final thoughts
Lian Tanner has been dynamited while scuba diving and arrested while busking. She once spent a week in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, hunting for a Japanese soldier left over from the Second World War. Nowadays she lives by the beach in southern Tasmania.
