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
Writing Podcast Episode 533: Karina May, author of Duck À L’Orange for Breakfast
Karina May, author of Duck À L’Orange for Breakfast. Can you swear in your novel? And win Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham.
COMP CLOSED: ‘Girl in a Pink Dress’ by Kylie Needham
Two ambitious artists. One act that changes everything. This week’s giveaway is the newly-released Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham – set in
From a career in finance to children’s book author
Katie Jones was possessed by scenes of a story after visiting a haunted house at Disneyland. She felt that she needed help collecting the scenes into a coherent narrative, so she enrolled in Fiction Essentials: Structure at the Australian Writers’ Centre. That manuscript went on to be published as Storybook House, along with the sequel Storybook House 2: A Spirit’s Revenge, both out now with New Holland Publishers.
Q&A: “Checkered” or “chequered”? “Checked” or “check”?
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 532: Children’s author Lian Tanner on her latest novel ‘Spellhound’.
Beloved children’s author Lian Tanner on her latest novel Spellhound. How to gamify your writing to get more done. And win Mim and the Disastrous
Three ways to tap into your creativity
I’ve been working as a writer since I was 19 years old, which is … well, a lot of years. One thing I’ve never had
Sandie Docker: Successful women’s fiction author
Although Sandie Docker always imagined she would be published one day, she knew it required a lot of self-belief and determination. But after studying at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Sandie finally found the confidence and passion to keep going until she reached her dream of becoming a women’s fiction author. She has now published three books with Penguin, including The Kookaburra Creek Cafe, The Cottage At Rosella Cove, and The Banksia Bay Beach Shack.
COMP CLOSED: ‘Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show’ (The Travelling Bookshop, #4) by Katrina Nannestad
This week’s giveaway book is filled with fun adventures – a travelling bookshop, a dog show including a disobedient bulldog, a horse called Flossy and
QA: “Grill” vs “grille”
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 531: Sandie Docker reveals her inspiration and writing process behind ‘The Redgum River Retreat’
AWC alumna Sandie Docker reveals her inspiration and writing process behind The Redgum River Retreat. Plus: how to write your novel faster. And win The
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Briefest English Grammar and Punctuation Guide Ever!’ by Ruth Colman
If you’ve ever questioned where your commas should go or whether you can really split that infinitive, then this week’s giveaway might help! We’re giving
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
Writing Podcast Episode 533: Karina May, author of Duck À L’Orange for Breakfast
Karina May, author of Duck À L’Orange for Breakfast. Can you swear in your novel? And win Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham. 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
COMP CLOSED: ‘Girl in a Pink Dress’ by Kylie Needham
Two ambitious artists. One act that changes everything. This week’s giveaway is the newly-released Girl in a Pink Dress by Kylie Needham – set in rural Australia as well as the buzzing Sydney art world. Here’s the blurb: Can one relationship survive two ambitious artists? Frances is an artist in
From a career in finance to children’s book author
Katie Jones was possessed by scenes of a story after visiting a haunted house at Disneyland. She felt that she needed help collecting the scenes into a coherent narrative, so she enrolled in Fiction Essentials: Structure at the Australian Writers’ Centre. That manuscript went on to be published as Storybook House, along with the sequel Storybook House 2: A Spirit’s Revenge, both out now with New Holland Publishers.
Q&A: “Checkered” or “chequered”? “Checked” or “check”?
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, check please… Q: Hi AWC,
Writing Podcast Episode 532: Children’s author Lian Tanner on her latest novel ‘Spellhound’.
Beloved children’s author Lian Tanner on her latest novel Spellhound. How to gamify your writing to get more done. And win Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show from The Travelling Bookshop series by Katrina Nannestad, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on
Three ways to tap into your creativity
I’ve been working as a writer since I was 19 years old, which is … well, a lot of years. One thing I’ve never had any trouble with is ideas. As a magazine journalist, then a freelance writer, my whole job was predicated on new ideas. And I learnt very
Sandie Docker: Successful women’s fiction author
Although Sandie Docker always imagined she would be published one day, she knew it required a lot of self-belief and determination. But after studying at the Australian Writers’ Centre, Sandie finally found the confidence and passion to keep going until she reached her dream of becoming a women’s fiction author. She has now published three books with Penguin, including The Kookaburra Creek Cafe, The Cottage At Rosella Cove, and The Banksia Bay Beach Shack.
COMP CLOSED: ‘Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show’ (The Travelling Bookshop, #4) by Katrina Nannestad
This week’s giveaway book is filled with fun adventures – a travelling bookshop, a dog show including a disobedient bulldog, a horse called Flossy and more. We’re giving away three copies of Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show, the fourth book in the The Travelling Bookshop series by Katrina Nannestad,
QA: “Grill” vs “grille”
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, you go grill… Q: Hi
Writing Podcast Episode 531: Sandie Docker reveals her inspiration and writing process behind ‘The Redgum River Retreat’
AWC alumna Sandie Docker reveals her inspiration and writing process behind The Redgum River Retreat. Plus: how to write your novel faster. And win The Briefest English Grammar and Punctuation Guide Ever! by Ruth Colman. You can listen to the episode below, on Apple Podcasts, on Spotify, or add the podcast
COMP CLOSED: ‘The Briefest English Grammar and Punctuation Guide Ever!’ by Ruth Colman
If you’ve ever questioned where your commas should go or whether you can really split that infinitive, then this week’s giveaway might help! We’re giving away three copies of The Briefest English Grammar and Punctuation Guide Ever! by Ruth Colman. Here’s the blurb: Now in one handy volume: the bestselling
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