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.

The conversation with Tor Roxburgh covers her journey as a writer, the transition from traditional publishing to independent publishing, and the use of AI in writing. It delves into ethical considerations, productivity, and the future vision for writing. Additionally, it explores the marketing and business side of independent publishing, as well as the tech side of podcasting. The conversation delves into the themes of radical acceptance, longevity over money, redefining success, navigating creative challenges, embracing authenticity and fun, and the future of creative exploration. Amra shares her journey of shedding shame, embracing freedom, and finding joy in writing and art. She redefines success, emphasizes the joy of creation, and discusses the importance of consistency and routine. The conversation concludes with a focus on authenticity, representation, and the future of creative exploration.

Takeaways

• Adapting to change in the publishing industry
• Utilizing AI as a creative partner Radical acceptance
• Longevity over money

Chapters

• 00:00 The Tech Side of Podcasting
• 40:44 Journey into Art and Writing
• 48:25 Navigating Creative Challenges
• 59:50 Embracing Authenticity and Fun
• 01:06:28 Conclusion and Future Conversations

Tor Roxburgh is a fiercely creative Australian multidisciplinary artist who refuses easy categorisation. She’s the author of 17 published works—spanning speculative fiction, young adult novels, non-fiction and short stories—and her narrative imagination leaps across genres from science fiction to mystery. Her writing is grounded in deep curiosity about worlds both possible and impossible.
She is the author of epic fantasy saga Promise of Stone Series with book 1 The Light Heart of Stone and has just published Book 2 The Rush of Stone.
Beyond the page, Tor paints expressive, narrative-rich visual art and co-designs public sculpture in a creative partnership that has spanned decades. Her work has been exhibited both in Australia and internationally, from gallery walls to urban spaces.
She also co-hosts the technology and innovation podcast Ok Smart-ass with Patrick Bonello, where she talks all things tech with humour, insight, and fearless questioning.
Tor isn’t just a creator—she’s an independent maker who builds her art on her own terms, whether that’s through self-publishing, studio practice, or curious conversations about the future of tech and ideas.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/torroxburghwrites/
Website: https://torroxburgh.com/

The conversation delves into the practical aspects of living sustainably, transitioning to an all-electric home, the challenges of electric vehicle ownership, cost and efficiency of electric vehicles, government policies and environmental impact, solar energy and grid feeding tariffs, solar batteries and community initiatives, electric car prices and environmental responsibility, and the environmental impact of government decisions. The discussion also highlights the importance of promoting sustainability and community efforts. The conversation covers the rise of solar energy, sustainable home practices, community solutions for electrification, challenges in Australian housing, advocacy for sustainability, debunking sustainability myths, taking action for sustainability, and an electric vehicle tour. The discussion emphasizes the importance of government incentives, personal investment, long-term benefits, rainwater tanks, waste reduction, community-owned solar farms, housing quality, energy efficiency, activism, education, electric vs. gas cooking, affordability, government support, incremental changes, and environmental impact.

Takeaways

• Living sustainably requires practical steps and a deliberate approach.
• Electric vehicle ownership comes with challenges such as infrastructure limitations and cost considerations. Government incentives drive solar energy adoption
• Sustainable home practices reduce environmental impact

Chapters

• 00:00 Living Sustainably: A Practical Approach
• 06:23 Challenges of Electric Vehicle Ownership
• 13:31 Government Policies and Environmental Impact
• 22:46 Solar Batteries and Community Initiatives
• 28:57 Promoting Sustainability and Community Efforts
• 34:10 Sustainable Home Practices
• 40:17 Challenges in Australian Housing
• 45:21 Advocacy for Sustainability
• 52:10 Debunking Sustainability Myths
• 59:02 Taking Action for Sustainability

In this conversation, Paola discusses her journey as an indie author, focusing on her urban fantasy mysteries, multicultural representation in fiction, writing and publishing tips, research and learning, character representation and themes, transition to full-time author, and the process of translation and audiobooks. The conversation delves into the world of indie publishing, highlighting the challenges and strategies involved in running an indie publishing business. It explores the complexities of translation, cover creation, and the impact of language nuances on the publishing process. The discussion also emphasizes the importance of continuous learning, adaptation, and the collaborative nature of the indie publishing world.

Takeaways

• Urban fantasy mysteries
• Multicultural representation in fiction Indie publishing as a small business
• The importance of continuous learning and adaptation

Chapters

• 00:00 Translation and Audiobooks
• 32:12 Positioning as a Small Business
• 37:12 Collaborative Work and Support System
• 43:38 The Complexity of Language Translation
• 51:29 The Rigor of Indie Publishing
• 57:03 The Cycle of Writing and Editing

The conversation with Vicki explores the themes of unexpected life changes, the dance with the universe, the intersection of art therapy and social events, the therapeutic value of mandalas, the role of teaching in fostering creativity, and the journey of writing a children's book. Vicky's experiences highlight the importance of embracing creativity, passion, and courage in pursuing one's artistic and professional endeavors. The conversation delves into the discovery and transition to a carnivore diet, debunking dietary myths, the impact of the carnivore diet, benefits of fasting, challenges and rewards of dietary changes, and personal testimony and dietary insights.

Takeaways

• Dance with the Universe
• Creativity and Passion
• Courage and Compulsion Carnivore diet benefits
• Fasting and its impact on the body

Chapters

• 00:00 Writing a Children's Book
• 33:18 Transition to a Carnivore Diet
• 39:19 Impact of the Carnivore Diet
• 45:06 Benefits of Fasting
• 55:21 Personal Testimony and Dietary Insights

Ruth Clare's conversation with Amra Pajalic delves into the impact of trauma on the nervous system, the intersection of lived experience and research, and the advocacy for families affected by war and domestic violence. Ruth shares her creative journey, career path, and the inspiration behind her book 'Enemy,' shedding light on the impact of war on families and the advocacy for defense forces. The conversation also explores nervous system trauma and healing, providing insights into the body's reaction to trauma and the importance of grounding practices. The conversation covers the impact of body feedback on the nervous system, transforming fear into action, embracing discomfort and feelings, and the transition from traditional to indie author journey. The discussion delves into the ways in which body feedback affects the nervous system, the process of transforming fear into action, the importance of embracing discomfort and feelings, and the author's journey from traditional publishing to self-publishing as an indie author.

Takeaways

• Trauma and its impact on the nervous system
• The intersection of lived experience and research Body feedback affects nervous system
• Transforming fear into action
• Embracing discomfort and feelings
• Transition from traditional to indie author journey

Chapters

• 00:00 Nervous System Trauma and Healing
• 33:31 Body Feedback and Nervous System
• 43:26 Embracing Discomfort and Feelings
• 53:23 Transition from Traditional to Indie Author Journey