The conversation with Les Zigg covers the journey of a writer, editor, and publisher, highlighting the misconceptions about publishing readiness, the realities of the publishing world, and the habits that help writers finish books. It also delves into the importance of characterization in storytelling and the ethical approach to publishing. The conversation covers the challenges and pitfalls of the publishing industry, the rise of self-publishing, the impact of AI on publishing, and the empowerment of indie authors. It also delves into the importance of understanding the industry and the potential for global reach in the digital age.

Takeaways

• Publishing readiness requires objectivity and a commitment to quality.
• Consistency and discipline are essential habits for writers to finish books.
• Characterization is a key element in storytelling, providing readers with relatable and compelling experiences.
• Ethical publishing involves writers retaining 100% of their rights and royalties, with a focus on supporting authors in the publishing process. Self-publishing empowers authors to control their journey and reach a global audience.
• The impact of AI on publishing is significant, offering new opportunities and challenges for authors and the industry.

Chapters

• 00:00 Structural Editing and Ethical Publishing
• 37:02 Challenges in the Publishing Industry
• 46:25 The Rise of Self-Publishing
• 59:09 Understanding the Industry and Global Reach
• 01:09:06 Empowerment of Indie Authors

About Les Zig

Les Zig is an Australian novelist, editor, and publishing mentor who has over a decade helping writers turn manuscripts into books.
Les is the author of several novels including Just Another Week in Suburbia, August Falling, and the young adult novel Pride. His work explores the complexities of everyday life, relationships, and the quiet dramas that unfold in ordinary communities.
Alongside his own writing career, Les is a key member of the team at Busybird Publishing, an independent Melbourne publishing house dedicated to supporting emerging writers. Through Busybird he has worked as a structural editor, mentor, and publishing guide, helping hundreds of authors develop their stories and navigate the path to publication.
What makes Les particularly interesting is that he’s seen writing from both sides of the desk: as a novelist wrestling with drafts and rejection, and as a publisher evaluating manuscripts and helping writers shape their work into publishable books.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/leszig/
Website: ​​https://www.leszig.com/www.leszig.com/

The conversation covers the transition from teaching to running a small creative business, the challenges of marketing and pricing as a small business owner, and the experience of starting a small business full-time. It also delves into the background of the guest and her journey to becoming an author coach. The conversation delves into the challenges faced by indie authors, the comparison between traditional and indie publishing, the human element in the publishing industry, and the importance of lifelong learning and authenticity in content creation.

Takeaways

• Transition from teaching to running a small creative business
• Challenges of marketing and pricing as a small business owner The challenges and misconceptions faced by indie authors
• The importance of embracing the human element in content creation

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Background
• 06:22 Challenges of Marketing and Pricing
• 24:36 Challenges of Being a Small Business Owner
• 34:57 Challenges of Indie Authors
• 40:28 Traditional vs. Indie Publishing
• 48:04 The Publishing Industry and Human Element
• 59:48 Lifelong Learning and Authenticity

Kellie Nielsen is an author coach, educator, and the founder of Just Right Words. Kellie spent over two decades as a teacher, working closely with language, learning, and the messy realities of how people actually develop confidence in their writing. These days, she brings that experience into her work as an author coach, supporting writers who want more than vague encouragement or cookie-cutter advice.
Through Just Right Words, Kellie works with emerging and indie authors at all stages — from idea and early drafts through to editing, refinement, and publication — with a strong focus on clarity, craft, and sustainable creative practice. She’s also deeply invested in the indie community, advocating for writers to understand their work not just as art, but as something worth backing, protecting, and building carefully over time.
In this conversation, we’re talking about the shift from teaching to running a small creative business, the skills educators bring into author coaching, the realities of working one-on-one with writers, and what genuine support for the indie community actually looks like — beyond buzzwords and gatekeeping.
Instagram: www.instagram.com/justrightwords/
Website: ​https://justrightwords.com.au/

Amra's Armchair Anecdotes Episodes 11–20 were where the conversations deepened—and got a lot more honest.

This run of Amra’s Armchair Anecdotes moves through early menopause and POI, refugee identity, neurodiversity, resilience, creative risk, and what it really takes to build a sustainable literary life. These aren’t polished origin stories or neat success arcs. They’re conversations about bodies that don’t cooperate, careers built sideways, voices found late (or fought for), and the quiet, unglamorous work of staying creative in a world that prefers shortcuts.

Across artists, writers, academics, performers, and small-press trailblazers, these episodes ask the same hard questions from different angles:
What does it cost to keep going? Who gets to speak—and on what terms? And how do you build a creative life that doesn’t burn you out or erase where you came from?

If you’ve ever felt out of step, underprepared, or like your path didn’t come with a map—this stretch of episodes is for you.

Join me for Season 2 where I continue deep conversations and learning.